A little about the program from Program Administrator at the Ulmer Park branch, Sean Fodera:
The program is called “Ready, Set, Kindergarten”, for children 3 to 5 years with their parents. We meet for one hour every Saturday (Sundays in some branches), and the first session is this weekend. The program was previously known as “Weekend Stories for Pre-Schoolers”, but has been revamped with a more academic focus to teach early learning skills to both the children and the parents.
We spend the hour reading picture books, doing fingerplays, rhymes and songs, and an arts-and-craft activity. While all of this entertains the children, and gives them some familiarity with a classroom-type environment, we are also giving the parents tips on how to find time and materials to read and play with their children, and how to incorporate things like reading, writing, drawing, math and science into daily activities. For example, write the names of common supermarket items on a card, and have your child do a scavenger hunt for the words as you walk the aisles.
According to Fedora, interest at the Bensonhurst libraries has been strong in previous years. This year, they’re looking to work with new students as the kids in their program have been moving on to Pre-K and Kindergarten.
Hope this helps the moms and dads looking to do a fun and educational activity with their kids.
The following is a press release from the office of State Senator Marty Golden:
SENATOR GOLDEN TO HOST COMMUNITY TOWN FAIR FOR BENSONHURST AND GRAVESEND NEIGHBORHOODS
Brooklyn – State Senator Marty Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn) will host his
next neighborhood town fair on Thursday, December 1, 2011 beginning at 7:00
p.m. at the Holy Family Home located at 1740-84th Street in Brooklyn. Continue Reading »
[UPDATE 10/14/11] A reader confirmed yesterday that the library is still open. We’re guessing they just hung the sign to give everyone a heads up about it closing on November 4.
Reader Grace O. happened by the above sign, which was posted on the gate of the Brooklyn Public Library’s Ryder Branch yesterday.
According to Brooklyn Public Library’s website, the library is expected to reopen December 12, after receiving technological upgrading – including some do-it-yourself checkout scanners.
Curiously, the website also says the library isn’t supposed to close until November 4.
Anyone know if they will be losing staff?
(from wikipedia.org)
Bay Ridge Journal is reporting that the Brooklyn Public Library, along with Queens Public Library and New York Public Library – NYC’s other two library systems, will be offering amnesty to underage cardholders who owe fines on overdue books.
The program, which is being funded by publisher McGraw-Hill, includes anyone under 18-years-old who cannot currently borrow books because of outstanding fines totaling $15 or more.
From Bay Ridge Journal:
Local Council Member Vinnie Gentile, who chairs the Council’s Select Committee on Libraries, praised New Chapter as a fresh start for kids and teens at the beginning of the new school year. An estimated 100,000 are expected to bring back their overdue books and materials under New Chapter, which runs until October 31.
The following is a press release from Councilman Vincent Gentile:
BAY RIDGE – Councilman Vincent J. Gentile today commended the Brooklyn Public Library Board of Trustees for appointing Linda E. Johnson the new President and Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Johnson, who has been the Library’s interim Executive Director since July 2010, will be responsible for the executive management and daily operations of the entire Brooklyn Public Library system.
“Linda brings an abundance of experience, passion and a love for libraries to Brooklyn”, said Councilman Gentile. “Linda has proven herself, not only in the private sector as a lawyer and businesswoman, but as an extremely talented non-profit executive and fundraiser – such areas of expertise are absolutely vital for the Brooklyn Public Library during these tough economic times.”
As an independent system, separate from the New York City and Queens libraries, the Brooklyn Public Library is the nation’s fifth largest public library system, serving Brooklyn’s 2.5 million residents through 60 locations.
“Last week I congratulated the BPL for their plans to increase the number of hours at Brooklyn’s libraries”, said Councilman Gentile. “Linda Johnson and the Brooklyn Public Library found a way to make their funding go further to better serve Brooklynites who increasingly seek library services. I have no doubt the library will continue to thrive and grow throughout Brooklyn under Linda’s leadership. ”
Councilman Gentile is the Chair of the Select Committee on Libraries in the New York City Council.
Councilman Vincent Gentile represents City Council District 43, which includes Bay Ridge, as well as parts of Dyker Heights, Bath Beach and Bensonhurst
Fatima Younus (from Daily News)
According to the Daily News, a new exhibit on display in the Grand Army Plaza branch of the Brooklyn Public Library spotlights avid readers throughout our borough – including right here in Bensonhurst.
Neighborhood resident Fatima Younus is one of the book worms artist Joey O’Loughlin followed around for her piece, called ‘Where Do The Books Go?’ For the project, O’Loughlin approached people at 15 different libraries, seeking to document where they read and how it relates to their lives.
From Daily News:
O’Loughlin says she was depressed about the massive budget cut looming over Brooklyn’s libraries this year, which inspired her to humanize them by showing the impact of the library.
“The library means a lot to me, and that’s why I took part in the project,” said Fatima Younus, 18, of Bensonhurst, who studies biology at Kingsborough Community College and is shown reading on the subway, on the beach and on her couch.
She plans to attend medical school and credits libraries with sparking her interest in medicine.
“I was 6 or 7 when I started going,” Younus said. “I loved reading books about science. I would get at-home experiment books.”
The exhibit, located at the central branch of the Brooklyn Public Library (10 Grand Army Plaza), will run through Sunday, August 28.
We did it! – Maybe? – In Bensonhurst Bean’s first civic victory of sorts, the 23rd Avenue side of the Brooklyn Public Library’s Ryder Branch is now graffiti free!
We first brought you a photo of the poorly spray painted tags last week. Since first seeing the graffiti, we called the library and were assured by a female employee that the building’s unsightly scrawlings would be buffed by the library’s custodian.
It looks like she wasn’t lying.
We here at the Bean would like to think our phone call had something to do with this check in the win column for quality of life, even if we just sped up the cleaning by a few days. Click here for the before and after photos!
A backwards e? What is this, Toys R Us???
I was walking to the F Train this morning when I noticed the graffiti in the above photo. It was carelessly spray-painted on the 23rd Avenue side of the Ryder Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.
I also spotted the same wannabe gangster scribbles on a nearby sidewalk in front of a private home on 23rd Avenue.
As someone who grew up on the streets of Brooklyn, I noticed something right away about this- Whoever wrote it was either very young or just not very skillful with letters.
It probably was some clueless little tweeny-bopper because of the simple fact that it would require a modicum of maturity to understand that your local library is not the place to deface, especially in the midst of massive budget cuts.
An older, wiser vandal would also know that writing on or near someone’s house is a big no-no.
As bad as tagging a private house is, I just can’t get past the idea of defacing a library. The only place that lets you borrow books (including books on graffiti), rent DVD’s for free and you tag up the building?! In the middle of a budget crisis!? Really?! Click here to read more about the consequences of tagging up a library, plus an update on the graffiti clean-up
