Aid for Schools or Public Libraries Damaged by Hurricane Sandy

We've put together a list of resources for schools and public libraries damaged by Hurricane Sandy - hundreds across the area and in New York City. We will update as we gather more information, and please share any information you have in the comments.

• The Simon & Schuster publishing company is “offering to any public or school library damaged by Hurricane Sandy a donation of 500 ‘best of’ titles in order to help in the restoration of their collections.”  They are inviting individual libraries and schools to participate with them in this effort. If you know a school or library in need, please have them contact michelle.fadlalla@simonandschuster.com in the Education and Library Marketing department.
• Scholastic Books has created a program, “One Million Book Donation for Schools and Libraries”. They are accepting book grant requests from heavily-damaged schools and libraries in the tri-state region. Find their application and more info here.
• First Book is a nonprofit organization that gives new books to children in need. If your program’s books have been damaged by Sandy, contact First Book here.

In our neighborhood, this Saturday, November 17, local Girl Scout troop 2440 will be collecting new and gently used books to help re-stock the shelves of P.S. 52 in Staten Island. P.S. 52 was hit so hard by hurricane Sandy that they are still pumping water and sewage out of the building. All of their books were ruined. If you live nearby you can drop off kid's books at the Citibank on 375 Court Street (@1st Pl) from 10am-1pm. The target age range for books is 5-12 years old.

Finally, the Brooklyn Public Library has stepped up in a number of important ways to help hurricane relief efforts, from accepting and distributing donations at many branches, to sending out bookmobiles to bring books, donations and charging centers to hard hit areas, to establishing warming centers and visiting children at storm evacuation centers and more.  A number of Brooklyn Public Library branches suffered damage from the storm - flooding damaged furniture and books at the Red Hook branch for instance.  If you would like to help the Brooklyn Public Library restore damaged collections, you can donate here- the link will bring you to a donation page where you can specifically designate funds for "BPL Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts" if you'd like. Thank you!

Sandy Recovery Writing Workshops at the CG library

Friends of the Carroll Gardens Library is pleased to announce that the NY Writers Coalition will be providing free writing workshops that aim to allow people to express their thoughts about the hurricane and its aftermath.  In response to the storm, they decided to provide a space for people to find community and write in a supportive environment.

Please join NY Writers Coalition for a free community workshop at the library  on Tuesdays at 5:15-7:30 p.m beginning Tuesday, November 13, 2012.

Open to writers of all genres -- poetry, fiction, memoir, whatever you want to write. All levels of experience are welcome and no advance sign-up is necessary.

About NY Writers Coalition: NYWC provides free, unique, and powerful creative writing workshops throughout New York City for people from groups that have been historically deprived of voice in our society, including at-risk and disconnected youth, the homeless and formerly homeless, the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated, war veterans, people with disabilities, cancer and major illness, immigrants, seniors and others. For more information, visit www.nywriterscoalition.org

Hurricane Sandy

Like everyone else in our region we are deeply concerned about how Hurricane Sandy has hurt the people in the community.  We as members of the Friends group and just people who care about our fellow neighbors have been involved in many volunteer efforts and are also proud to support all initiatives to help.   This page on the BPL website will be regularly updated with information, needed supplies and efforts to assist http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/hurricane.

Please see the information above about how you can donate supplies and what to bring to the Carroll Gardens library beginning Thursday, November 8.

The Brooklyn Public Library has been collecting and distributing supplies with their mobile book units for several days, bringing needed items, books for children and also serving as charging stations for electronics.

When the Carroll Gardens library was a voting site on Election Day, community members capitalized on long lines to organize a wonderfully successful bake sale to raise funds for local relief and recovery efforts - they raised more than $2,000!

Neighborhoods close to Carroll Gardens like Red Hook and Gowanus, and places much further away like Staten Island, Rockaway, Coney Island and New Jersey are in our thoughts.  We'll continue to post   information and ways to help as they arise.

Support for the Carroll Gardens Library

Grant to FCGL from City Councilmember Brad Lander
We are proud to announce that our Friends group has been awarded a $3,500 grant to increase programming capabilities and outreach at the library by Brad Lander, our City Council representative.  Specifically, we asked for funding to install Wi-fi capabilities downstairs at the library.  Currently, only the first floor computers can connect to Wi-fi.  Without this capability downstairs, programming has been curtailed over the last few years and we are so glad to have secured money to improve our libraries' functioning.  In addition, the funding will allow us to buy supplies and equipment to do more outreach to the community and let people know what is happening at the library.  Thank you very much Councilman Lander!

Another thank you to the Cobble Hill Association
Because of a grant from the Cobble Hill Association in the spring, we were able to buy a portable PA system for the library.  Though the library already had a digital projector, there was no sound system so plans to present films and other events that need sound weren't possible.  Now they are!  October 12 was the first in a new series of French language films for children and it was a huge success, with about 50 children attending.  This could not have happened without the sound system - thank you again to the CHA.

Children enjoying "Zarafa", a French film at the library

Fall at the Carroll Gardens Library

Since the library re-opened after summer construction, things have gotten off to a great start. Friends of the Carroll Gardens library and the library staff have planned many ongoing and special new programs.

Upcoming Fall events

Saturdays 10:30 AM, ages 4-6. Storytime with Carol & Friends.  October 27 special Halloween edition! Mari Takabayashi is the special guest, reading her book about Halloween in Carroll Gardens

Monday, October 22, 2 PM - 5 PM - Fall crafts with Kathleen Henderson, our beloved Carroll Park activity supervisor.  The park program is closed for the year so come and have fun with Kathleen indoors.  Ages 3-up with parents.

Wednesday, October 31, 3:45 PM - Celebrate Halloween with Juana Flores, the children's librarian, with activities, stories and treats.

Friday, November 2, 3:45 PM - The French children's film series continues with "Un Monstre a Paris" ages 5 and up (no subtitles).


For more information about regular weekly program at the Carroll Gardens library, go to the branch's calendar on the Brooklyn Public Library's website.

Dream Big! Summer Reading Kick-off Party 6/7

The Brooklyn Public Library's Summer Reading Program is a great way to encourage kids to keep reading over the summer.  This year's theme is "Dream Big" and at the Carroll Gardens Library Summer Reading Kick-off Party there will be games, activities and prizes - come sign your kids up for the program, which includes on-line reading logs and activities all summer. And meet the new Carroll Gardens Library children's librarian Juana Flores, who will be helping the kids sign up.   The party is Thursday, June 7 from 2 PM -4 M - it's Anniversary Day so public schools are closed.

Love Your Library Day!

Love Your Library Day 2012 was fantastic!  The final tally is in and our fundraising event made nearly $9,500 for the branch.  Around 500 people came through the library to buy books, enjoy our kid's activities, meet friends and neighbors and celebrate libraries - a great community resource for everyone.

Huge thanks to all of the dedicated volunteers from the Friends of the Carroll Gardens Library and the neighborhood who helped organize this great day.  Thanks also to Lela Nargi author of "The Honeybee Man," and Josh Lewis author of the "Super Chicken Nugget Boy" series who came to read from their books, Curious Jane camp's Samantha Razook Murphy who led kids in a beautiful mini-book making art activity, and Carol Troha and Assemblywoman Joan Millman who read some of their favorite children's stories.  Special thanks to the Cobble Hill Association whose recent $500 grant went toward the purchase of a PA system that we used during Love Your Library Day.

Upcoming events at the library:

Summer Reading Kick-off Party - Thursday, June 2 from 2 PM - 4PM (it's a day off from school).  Come sign up your kids for the Brooklyn Public Library's Summer Reading program

Carroll Gardens Library Authors Series presents Daniel Kalla reading from his new novel "The Far Side of the Sky" - Tuesday, June 12 at 7 PM

Photos from Love Your Library Day:

Book sale - crowd in the main room

Bake sale!

Samantha Razook Murphy from Curious Jane

Lela Nargi reads "The Honeybee Man"

Kid's books and CDs were popular

Love Your Library Day This Saturday, May 19 10 AM-4 PM

Love Your Library Day - In addition to our huge book sale, we are celebrating our community with a line up of cool entertainment including readings by children's authors and local residents Josh Lewis, author of the Super Chicken Nugget Boy series and Lela Nargi, author of The Honeybee Man, a finalist for the Cook prize for children's science writing; art activities with Curious Jane, and more!  Brooklyn Public Library t-shirts will be available for sale and we'll have another delicious bake sale - all to raise money for the library and raise awareness of how important libraries are to the community.

Josh Lewis, author of Super Chicken Nugget Boy

The Honeybee Man by author Lela Nargi

Volunteer: We need volunteers to sort through and organize books and help us out on Love Your Library Day - please sign up to help here -http://tinyurl.com/bsnyr79

Curious Jane will be on hand to make mini-books with kids

Thank you - we are looking forward to a wonderful day celebrating our library and our community!

Cobble Hill Association Grant/ Book Donations

Thank you so much to the Cobble Hill Community Fund, administered by the Cobble Hill Association, for their recent grant of $500 to the Friends of the Carroll Gardens Library!  This is the second year that the CHA has designated the Friends group for a grant and we are so grateful for their involvement and generosity.

Reminder that the Friends group is accepting donations of books to the library Wednesdays from 6 PM-8 PM, Friday mornings from 10 AM - 1 PM and Saturday mornings from 10:30 AM - 1 PM.  Please bring books downstairs to the auditorium through the front entrance or the elevator around the side on Union Street.

Love Your Library Day! May 19. Perform/Donate books/Volunteer

We're gearing up for our 2nd Annual Love Your Library Day at the Carroll Gardens Library on May 19, 2012 from 10 AM - 4 PM!  Help us make this day a success:

Artists/Musicians/Writers - We know you are out there in this creative community!  Can your band play music?  Do you want to read from one of your books?  Can you help us with art projects that will be displayed in the library after Love Your Library day? Contact us at friendscglibrary@gmail.com. 

Donate Books:  New and gently used books, CDs, DVDs and records for adults and children.  (Please do not donate: Damaged books without covers, cassette tapes/VHS videos, coloring books and activity books, magazines, or outdated textbooks/computer manuals). Donation schedule below.

Donation Schedule:  We're accepting donations from Wednesday, April 4 through Wednesday, May 9.  A member of Friends of Carroll Gardens Library is required to be on hand to accept donations so between those dates please ONLY bring items to the library during the following times: Saturdays 10:30 AM - 12 PM, Wednesdays 6-8 PM and Fridays 10 AM - 1 PM. Donations may not be left in the lobby - please either enter through the main doors and bring donations downstairs to the auditorium or enter through the Union Street elevators and go down the basement level. 

Volunteer: We need volunteers to sort through and organize books and help us out on Love Your Library Day - please sign up to help here -http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090D44A8AA2B0-book/846077.

Thank you - we are looking forward to a wonderful day celebrating our library and our community!

More pictures from Game Day

Learning chess

William from the Brooklyn Strategist playing Headbanz with kids

Candyland, always popular!

Quirkle

Game Day 3/10/12

Picture from our first Game Day, March 10

Game Day with the Brooklyn Strategist - March 10

Do you love games of strategy, history or trivia?  Join us at the library for our first ever Game Day with the Brooklyn Strategist on Saturday, March 10 from 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM.

The Brooklyn Strategist just moved to Court Street in Carroll Gardens and we're excited to have them on hand for this fun day.  The Strategist is reminiscent of the old chess clubs in New York City but with an even wider variety of games, some old like Risk and Diplomacy, some relatively new like Trivial Pursuit and Cranium and some positively ancient, like Mah Jong and Go. 

The ancient game of We Qui (Go)

In addition to playing with the Brooklyn Strategist you are invited to bring your own games to play and swap with other players. Stop by for some friendly competition.  Free admission, for ages 6- 106 (parents, please stay to supervise children under age 11).

Patrick Taylor's visit to the Library 2/29

Author Patrick Taylor read from his books and charmed the audience with stories from his life both as a doctor and a writer. We were so happy to have him at the Carroll Gardens Library!

 

Author Patrick Taylor - Reading Next Week at the CG Library

Exclusive New York Appearance!

Next week, join us at the Carroll Gardens Library for the only New York City appearance of Patrick Taylor, reading from and signing his latest in the "Irish Country" series, A Dublin Student Doctor, on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 7:00 p.m!

Saturday Storytime special guest- Edgar!

Storytime with Carol & Friends has a special animal and pig theme this Saturday, January 28th at 10:30 AM downstairs at the library with very special guest star Edgar the piglet:

Here are some facts about Edgar:

• He is a frequent guest at local schools and loves meeting kids
• He weights 11 pounds
• His favorite food is Pig Chow!

Author Patrick Taylor at the Carroll Gardens Library Feb. 29, 2012

Exclusive New York Appearance!

Leap Day, February 29, happens just once every four years. Rarer still is a Brooklyn appearance by New York Times bestselling Irish author Patrick Taylor, but the stars must be properly aligned because Patrick Taylor will be reading from and signing his latest in the "Irish Country" series, A Dublin Student Doctor, at the Carroll Gardens Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library on February 29, 2012 at 7:00 p.m!

Happy New Year - Next Friends meeting 1/18

Happy New Year from the Friends of the Carroll Gardens Library!  We're looking forward to new projects and activities in 2012.

Our next general meeting is Wednesday, January 18 at 6:30 downstairs at the library, 396 Clinton Street at Union. Everyone is invited to share your energy and ideas.

And now, quotes of the week (and a great deal of facial hair)

“Drop out of school before your mind rots from exposure to our mediocre educational system. Forget about the Senior Prom and go to the library and educate yourself if you've got any guts. Some of you like Pep rallies and plastic robots who tell you what to read. ”
― Frank Zappa
(Friends of the Carroll Gardens Library does not advocate dropping out of school, but does advocate educating yourself at the library)

“Instead of going to Paris to attend lectures, go to the public library, and you won't come out for twenty years, if you really wish to learn.”
― Leo Tolstoy

 

  “I received the fundamentals of my education in school, but that was not enough. My real education, the superstructure, the details, the true architecture, I got out of the public library. For an impoverished child whose family could not afford to buy books, the library was the open door to wonder and achievement, and I can never be sufficiently grateful that I had the wit to charge through that door and make the most of it. Now, when I read constantly about the way in which library funds are being cut and cut, I can only think that the door is closing and that American society has found one more way to destroy itself.”
― Isaac Asimov