The JTPL Blog

Today marks the passing of Emily Dickinson, one of America’s most prolific, eccentric, enigmatic and ever fascinating poets. She died in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1886.  Below is one of her most famous poems. The beauty, imagery, sense of mystery, and the words of the last stanza never cease to move me in some powerful way.

Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove
At recess, in the ring;
We passed the fields of gazing grain,
We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;
The dews grew quivering and chill,
For only gossamer my gown,
My tippet only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible,
The cornice but a mound.

Since then ’tis centuries, and yet each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses’ heads
Were toward eternity.

Visit the library to see artwork created by Jefferson Township school students. On the second Wednesday of each month, the Jefferson Arts Committee holds an awards ceremony at the library. Student artists from each school are recognized, and their artwork is put on display.

Jack Kelly, Co-Chairman of the Jefferson Arts Committee, and one of the art teachers from the Jefferson Township school system present the awards.

Pieces vary each month, but all types of art are represented throughout the year — oil painting, watercolors, pen and ink drawings; photography, paper mache, metal sculpture and much more.

This month’s winners are Cathleen England from Ellen T. Briggs School; Brendan Schulster from ARthur Stanlick School; Gatherine Sorkach from White Rock School; Mackenzie Rock from Cozy Lake School; Caitlyn Markesteyn from JT Middle School, and Victoria King, Erin Cornell and Samantha Cuccio from JT High School.

The artwork enhances the library, and we’re happy to have it on display here, and to support the arts in Jefferson Township.  We congratulate the artists of the month!

Really, save this date, and come to the library on Friday, May 4 for a live music performance. We have Leonel Lorador, Latin and Spanish guitar impressario at 7 PM.

Leonel is from southern Portugal, and is inspired by the music of Andalusia. He studied at the Conservatory of the Algarve and at the Lisbon National Conservatory of music. During his service in the army, Leonel’s duty was spent as a member of the Army Big Band, OLE (Orquestra Ligeira do Exercito) as a guitarist and bassist.

At age 23, he immigrated to the United States, attended new Jersey City University, and studied classical guitar with Ana Maria Rosado. His passion for world music has grown to include the music of Spanish Latin America and Brazil. He is currently a freelance guitarist in the New York metropolitan area, performing an eclectic repertoire.

Visit his website a www.lorador.com to listen to some of his music. After you do, you’ll be glad you saved the date! See you on Friday, May 4th at the library.

Poet Emily Dickinson died of nephritis* in Amherst, Massachusetts at the age of 55, having not left her home, literally, since 1865.

“My life closed twice before its close –

It yet remains to see

If Immortality unveil

A third event to me

So huge, so hopeless to conceive

As these that twice befell.

Parting is all we know of heaven,

And all we need of hell.”

*Nephritis is inflammation of the kidneys, caused by a bacterial infection, exposure to a toxin, or an abnormal immune reaction.

Renee Ashley will be here at the library tonight at 7 PM to read her poetry, including poems from her newest book, Basic Heart. Here, from that volume, is “It Is Very Often As Though”

We live softly damned, damnation

a small thing built into the body. All

around us: apples and auguries, poems

that speak the small prayers which keep

a weary heart singing. And when we

grasp that small music, incomplete,

approximate, falliable as the body of flesh

that lives to bear it, we can rise up, oh –

we rise and we damn near catch fire.

Prior to the reading, the three winners of the library poetry contest have been invited to read their winning entries. Come join us, refreshments will be provided for your enjoyment.

We often get asked “Can I give my old books to the library?”  While we really appreciate you thinking of the library, we are working within a limited amount of space, and cannot accept any and all items, nor add them all to our collection. 

We will accept books, CDs and DVDs in good condition. We ask that you bring donated materials to the library in plastic shopping bags, with a limit of 2 to 3 bags. The materials you donate will be considered for the library collection, but if we cannot use them, they will be sold or recycled. We cannot return donated items to you in the event that we do not add them to our collection.

We do not accept: encyclopedias; magazines; condensed books; textbooks; moldy, smelly, damaged materials; records, cassettte tapes or videocassettes.

Please don’t leave your donations outside the library, or place them in the book or media returns.

A receipt for the number of items donated may be obtained upon request at the time of donation. The library cannot assign a monetary value to your donations.

Again, that you for thinking of the library!

According to an editorial in the New York Daily News on Monday, a recent study found that the average high school student reads books on a fifth-grade level.  “The kids are the victims of an educational philosophy that calls for encouraging them to read whatever they like, no matter how lacking the books are in intellecual or instructional heft.”

It goes on to say that high-schoolers should be tackling nonfiction like David McCullough’s “1776; Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales,” and “Don Quixote”, Cervantes groundbreaking 17th century novel.

There are two schools of thought on this matter: If kids are required to read books that are too “dense” and “difficult”, they won’t read at all. And if they are allowed to read whatever they want, they won’t learn anything or improve their vocabularies.

As to what kids are reading the report found “The Hunger Games” to be the most popular book for 9th through 12th graders, followed by “Twilight” and “Harry Potter.” These books are entertaining and fun…but will they get you into a good college? What do you think?

There are still a couple of spots left in the One Stroke Painting program scheduled for Wednesday, April 4 at 6:30 PM. Instructor Dawn Davis will lead the class (for adults), and you’ll be creating a pretty painted Potpourri Jar.  Believe me, everyone can do it! You don’t have to know how to paint! (You’ll paint flowers and leaves similar to the ones pictured.)

These classes always fill up, so if you’re interested, sign up online or call the library — don’t delay!

Each month throughout the school year, outstanding student artists from the Jefferson school system are chosen for “Artist of the Month.” These students are awarded a certificate of reconition and a medal, and their artwork is displayed for a month here at the library.

Students and their family and friends come to the library on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 PM. Jack Kelly from the Arts Committee, and an art teacher from one of the schools are present to recognize the artists.

Walk in to the library and look to your right. During any given month, you will see eight to ten works displayed on the wall. Walk over for a closer look, and you’ll see the student’s name, the art teacher’s name, and the grade and title of the artwork.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the public to see some of the great work students are doing in the classroom. This month we have a self-portrait, an optical illusion, a metal sculpture, and landscape scenes in watercolor and oils.

This program is run in conjunction with the Jefferson Arts Committee. At the end of each year, a reception is held for the artists, their parents and friends. Celebrate our student artists, and come to the library to see work!

Win a free pizza! We are holding a poetry contest to celebrate National Poetry Month in April! We’ll be selecting the best original poetry from Jefferson residents, in three categories. We know there are many creative people out there, and we urge you to submit your best poem! 

The three categories are: Adult (18+); Teen (Ages 12 to 17) and Child (11 and younger.). Entries will be accepted from now through March 30, 2012 and are limited to one entry per person. Please include your name, telephone # and category when submitting your entry, and keep a copy for your records as poems will not be returned.

Our winners will be selected and notified on April 10. Winning poems may be published in the library newsletter, and winners will have an opportunity to read their poems at the library on Wednesday, April 11, following a reading by poet Renee Ashley at 7 PM.

And if you need more inspiration — each winner will also receive a coupon for a free pizza!

     Entries may be dropped off or mailed to the library at 1031 Weldon Road, Oak Ridge, NJ 07438. Entries may also be emailed to chris.obrien@jeffersonlibrary.net. Please remember to include name, phone # and category. Good luck!