The Bemused Bookmark

Cat in the Hat visits Monessen

2010-03-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

Cat in the Hat

Tuesday Night

March 30,2010

6:00 P.M.

Enjoy a creative story hour followed by a Birthday celebration for Dr. Suess. Every book a child reads will add a paper link to the paper chain.

Story Time for Winter

2009-12-22T08:23:00.000-08:00

Winter is here and the snow has covered the earth like a blanket. The library is a great place to go and find great books to read this winter season. The library will be presenting a Winter Wonderland Story time starting in February 1, 2010. Story time will be Monday 11:00 am, Tuesday 11:00 am and Tuesday 6:00pm. Please call and sign up 724-684-4750

How Libraries Help in Tough Economic Times

2009-10-12T09:47:00.001-07:00

** PALA Session**

presented by Carol Sepesky & Tara Manderino

Tuesday October 20 at 11:00-12:00pm

The presenters will discuss workshops offered at Monessen Public Library & District Center to increase patron employability. These workshops include resume preparation and conduction on line job search, Internet classes, Microsoft Word 97-2003/2007 and Microsoft Publisher 2003/2007. Course materials will be given to participants so they may replicate the programs in their own libraries.

Read Across America "links" Libraries

2009-10-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

**Poster Session for PALA conference will highlight libraries in Monessen Public Library & District Center.

Monday Oct 19 at 10:30-11:30 Jenise Sileo

This year, we joined together to create a paper chain with thousands of links representing the number of books children had read. The highlight for the participating libraries was a special visit from the Cat in the Hat at their story Time.

Here is the Poster:

2009-10-05T08:43:00.001-07:00

Book Sale begins on October 12, 2009

The Monessen Public Library and District Center will hold a book sale of used books, videotapes and other materials beginning on October 12, 2009 during the library's regular hours. The library opens at 10:00 a.m. and closes at 7:30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, and it's open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday; closed Friday and Sunday. The book sale will run until November 20, 2009.

Trick or Treat Costume Party

2009-09-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

Thursday October 29th- all the SPOOKS and MONSTERS will be at the children's area in the library. Come dressed in your Halloween Costume! Stay for awhile and listen to a GHOST story, eat a cookie or two and get your trick or a treat! This event is a Family Fun night for all ages. Register at the front desk!

Toddler Story Time Starts September 28

2009-09-15T08:15:00.001-07:00

Fall is coming and with that a NEW Toddler Story Time. Story Time at the library will begin the week of September 28 and run until week of December 7. Story times will be every Monday and Tuesday morning at 11:00 a.m. and Tuesday evening at 6:00 p.m. Each story time your child will get a chance to listen to wonderful children stories, participate in musical activities and engage in social skills. They are FREE to all patrons and the activities are age appropriate for children 3-5 years old (2 years and babies are always welcome)

Please register your child by calling the library at (724) 684-4750 or contact Jenise by email at jisileo@yahoo.com or jsileo@monpldc.org. Can't wait to work with you this Fall.

Golf Outing

2009-07-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

Would you like to reign as the King or Queen of Golf in the Mon Valley? If so, come to the library and register for the Golf Tournament to be held on Saturday, September 26, 2009 at the Riverview Golf Course in Elizabeth, PA. Price per golfer is $100 which includes a steak dinner and hot dog and beverage at the turn. Each team will consist of 2 men or 2 women and scoring is best ball scramble. For more information, contact Dave Zilka at 724-684-4750. The tournament is sponsored by the Greater Monessen Chamber of Commerce.

Schwann Truck Load Fundraiser

2009-07-14T08:52:00.001-07:00

The Monessen Public Library and District Center is hosting a fundraiser with Schwann's Foods on Friday, August 21, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The library has books available to choose what Schwann products you would like to buy. You can pre-order the products and pay when you pick them up on August 21 at the library. Stop in and pick up an order blank and assist the library while you get to sample some great food products.

District Wide "Choir for Peace" Event

2009-07-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

Sorry this District Wide Event has been Cancelled!

"Choir for Peace" at the Monessen Public Library & District Center

Our district library will be celebrating International Day of Peace by inviting the district High School Choirs to come and participate in a "Choir for Peace" concert. Choirs will be able to present two songs of their choice as well as join in a grand finale piece. The grand finale will be conducted by Charles M Owens from Francis M. Parker School, Chicago IL. He will be guest conductor for the grand finale. This event will be very exciting.

Date: September 19

Time: 6:00pm

Location: to be determined..Monessen High School Auditorium or High School Football

Free to the community!

2009-06-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

Come join us for a Night at the Races co-sponsored by the Monessen Public Library and District Center and the Knights of Columbus. The Night at the Races will be held on Sunday, June 28, 2009 at the K of C Hall on Grand Boulevard, Monessen, PA (across from the City Park entrance). Admission is $5.00 and food will be served.

To Watch TV or Not to Watch TV

2009-05-21T15:26:00.000-07:00

I sometimes think that children need a break so let them do nothing but watch TV. Then after working on this years summer reading programs, I realized I want them to come to the library!

This year's theme is Be Creative @ the Library which opens the door for art, music and theater.

The first thing I got excited about was:

ART> I am going to introduce three major masters and their style and the children get to try their hand at creating their own masterpieces.
MUSIC>I have several band students coming to the library and put on a little program about their instruments. Then the children will be make their own music using recycled materials.
THEATER>This is my favorite because I am really a DIVA! The children will making their own puppets and put on a puppet show! cute :)

So, if you have children grades 1-3rd and you want them off the coach this Summer-bring them to the library! Fridays 10:30-11:30am.

Watch them have fun being creative and maybe they will want to check out a book!

I hope to see you this Summer.. sorry TV you'll have to wait until the Fall!

The best English-language novels of the 20th century

2009-05-11T11:31:00.000-07:00

A few years ago Modern Library picked the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. As with all "best-of" lists, much controversy was generated over the titles selected.

The top ten novels are as follows:

1. Ulysses, James Joyce
2. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce
4. Lolita, Vladimir Nabakov
5. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
6. The Sound and the Fury, William Faulkner
7. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
8. Darkness at Noon, Arthur Koestler
9. Sons and Lovers, D.H. Lawrence
10. The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck

Come visit the Monessen Public Library & District Center to see the rest of the list and to check out some of these "classics"!!

Donation to Food Bank

2009-03-17T08:01:00.001-07:00

DSCF0211
Originally uploaded by monlib22

Throughout the months of January and February, the Monessen Library and District Center collected soup to be donated to the Food Bank. Mary Jo Smith came to the library to collect the soup and is assisted by library volunteer Jeff Oblak.

2009-03-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

Cat in the Hat is on a Road trip

First stop was Carnegie Free Library in Connellsville, PA...Miss Judy had 15 children and 11 adults.. it was wonderful and it was on TV! They read 111 books for Read Across America

Second stop was Mt. Pleasant Public Library.. Miss Mary Lou had 36 children and 22 adults.. it was fun! They read 933 books for Read Across America

Third was Rostraver Public Library.. Miss Carol had @11 children and 13 adults .. It is cute with 2 year olds. They are still reading for Read Across America

Cat in the Hat For Read Across America

2009-03-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

The Monessen Public Library & District Center had 16 libraries join the Read Across America project. Each library created colorful paper linked chain of book titles. These paper chain's are one long continuous paper chain. As of 3/31/2009 there are 4165 chains.

Cat in Hat Was a success!

Carnegie Free Library-Connellsville- March 4 at 11:00am
Mt. Pleasant Free Public Library- March 4 at 1:30pm

Rostraver Public Library-March 7 at 10:30am, March 16 at 6:00pm , March 19&20 at 10 +12pm

Jeannette Public Library-March 11 at 11:00am

Uniontown Public Library-March 18 at 11:00am

Delmont Public Library-March 23 at 6:30pm

Sewickley Township Public Library-March 25 at 1:00pm

Penn Area Library- March 30 at 10 +11:00am

German- Masontown Public Library-April 2 at 12:30pm

Scottdale Public Library- April 2 at 6:00pm

Smithton Public Library- March 28, 2009 10:00am

Other libraries that participating:
Belle Vernon Public Library

Ligonier Valley Library

Peoples Library

Websites for your perusal!

2009-02-06T11:06:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for information about movies or TV shows, check out: www.imdb.com

If you are looking for information about music, check out www.allmusic.com

If you want to find out the latest book by your favorite author or any other information about authors, check out www.fantasticfiction.com

For your medical questions, check out www.webmd.com

The kids will enjoy www.seussville.com

Take a look around the world at www.earthcam.com (this website will require Adobe Flash Player 10)

For a roundup of the political atmosphere in Pennsylvania, go to www.politicspa.com

If you have any favorite websites, share them with us!

2009-01-21T16:25:00.001-08:00

The Monessen Public Library and District Center is conducting a Winter Reading Club that began on January 7, 2008. This program is designed for adults who enjoy reading and winning prizes. The club encourages readers to select books from four categories: Fiction, Mystery, Non-Fiction, and Biography and read three books from each category. After completing each category, bring the form to the library and have the librarian initial it and you will be given a chance on a $100 gift certificate from La Eda’s Restaurant in Monessen. Also, after completing the sheet, a prize will be given to each participant. To be eligible, adults are asked to pick up a form at the library. The Club will end on March 31, 2009 and the gift certificate drawing will be done on April 3, 2009. This program is made possible by a grant from the Westmoreland County Library System

Accounting Firm donates books to library

2008-12-19T07:14:00.001-08:00

Accounting Firm donates books to library
Originally uploaded by monlib22

The accounting firm of Malin, Berquist and Company, LLP, Certified Public Accountants and Business Advisors donated four books on cancer to the library in memory of three employees of the firm who died during the last two years of cancer. The employees are Michael Bergquist, Ruth Ann Deluzio and Peter Delio. The books were donated to fill a void of knowledge and to better equip children and families to fight and beat cancer.

Pictured in the photo are Stacey Sanders from Malin, Bergquist, Rosemary Costa, Library Administrative Assistant, and Rachel O'Bryon from Malin, Bergquist

Digital Camera Workshop

2008-12-18T13:37:00.000-08:00

Are you planning on getting a digital camera for Christmas? If so, you may be interested in attending the Digital Camera Workshop on Thursday, January 22, 2009 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Valley Independent photographer, Jim Ference, will be here at the Monessen Public Library to give you tips and tricks in getting the best photos with your digital camera. The cost to attend is $5. Call the library at (724) 684-4750 to register to attend.

CPI

2008-12-04T07:16:00.000-08:00

CPI could mean Consumer Price Index, but in this case, it's PNC's annual Christmas Price Index! For the past 24 years, PNC Wealth Management has tallied the current cost if one's True Love felt compelled to follow gift giving according to the Twelve Days of Christmas. The individual item cost in 2008 comes to $21,080. If you decide to cyber shop, the cost jumpst to $31, 957!

If your True Love were to give the gifts as outlined in the song -- a total of 364 items -- the cost in 2008 would be $86, 609!

To read more fun facts about the CPI and for a yearly comparison chart visit http://www.pncchristmaspriceindex.com/CPI/pressRelease.html.

If you need the words to the Twelve Days of Christmas, and other Christmas Carols, visit http://www.mikeleal.com/christmas/

Sue Sarber

2008-11-18T12:36:00.001-08:00

Library patron and volunteer, Sue Sarber, knows what it means to be dependent. Before she spent her days sitting at home, wishing she could be a more integral part of the community. Today, she earns a weekly paycheck, lives in her own apartment and is a key worker on the production team at Lifework's Belle Vernon facility.Now that Sue has found her own independence, she has opened her heart to share what she has with others. Sue sponsors three children from Thailand and India through the Christian Children's Fund (CCF), a non-profit organization that collects private donations to provide basic neccesities such as food, clothing and education for children living in impoverished countries.Claudia was the first child that Sue sponsored. "I have lots of things - my needs are met," said Sue. "But when I saw Claudia, I knew I wanted to help in some way. Sue receives periodic updates and photos of the children she sponsors. She even communicates via letters with Bablu, who is nine years old. "Helping the children makes me realize how good I really have it," she said.Just this month, Sue sponsored a new child, two-year old Maggie. Maggie is hearing impaired from a birth defect and needed sponsors to help her parents pay for her services. Sue stated that she couldn't refuse and is happy to play a part in helping out.

Sue Sarber
Originally uploaded by monlib22

Video Games at the library

2008-11-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

Would you like to see video games available for loan at the Monessen Public Library & District Center ? Games for Wii, XBox, Playstation, etc. We are in the process of deciding if video games would be a worthwhile addition to the library, and welcome any comments or suggestions that you might have regarding this issue.

So post a comment here or telephone the library at 724.684.4750.

Library Luncheon

2008-10-14T11:55:00.001-07:00

Library Luncheon
Originally uploaded by monlib22

Jennifer Ankoviak wowed the crowd at the annual library luncheon held at the St. Spryidon Church Hall in Monessen on Tuesday, October 13, 2008. Her inspiring talk on being a caregiver held the interest of the large gathering who assembled to help the library.

My Ten Favorite Books

2008-10-02T06:41:00.000-07:00

Lists, lists, lists. I love to make lists. My 25 favorite albums. My 50 favorite songs. My 10 favorite foods. And so on.

These are my 10 favorite books (in no particular order):

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich - Alexander Solzhenitsyn
The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters - Gordon Dahlquist
Anthem - Ayn Rand
The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Casino Royale - Ian Fleming
The Power of Positive Thinking - Norman Vincent Peale
The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova
Go Dog Go - PD Eastman

What's on your list?

Cooking

2008-09-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

I decided I needed some new recipes, but wasn't even sure what I was looking for, so I browsed the cooking collection at the library. Amazing! Italian, French, Indian, Chinese, Low Cholesterol, High Protein, South Beach, New Beach -- Oops! That last one isn't a diet, is it? If it were it would undoubtedly be on the shelves. Want to plan a party, a special Thanksgiving meal, cook for friends -- there's a cookbook for you. Like Rachel Ray, The Barefoot Contessa or Martha Stewart -- there's a cook book, and most likely it's sitting on the shelves in the library. If for some reason we don't actually have the book (I simply can't imagine this!) then it can be requested through interlibary loan.

What did I end up with? Wiliams-Sonoma Thanksgiving Entertaining, 2008 Taste of Home and Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2. I always wanted to try a version of Applebee's Honey Grilled Salmon.

MARCH

2008-09-19T13:16:00.001-07:00

MARCH
Originally uploaded by monlib22

March by Geraldine Brooks is the Monessen Library's Book Club selection for this month. The book club meets on the second Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m. in the library's meeting room. The next meeting is scheduled for October 9, 2009. Please join us.

Cooking Demonstration

2008-09-17T16:25:00.001-07:00

Cooking Demonstration
Originally uploaded by monlib22

The Monessen Library will once again have a series of Cooking Classes that are open to the public. They will begin on Thursday, October 23 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. and continue for four weeks. The topic for this year's classes is Christmas Cookies. Members of the library staff will demonstrate how to make their favorite cookies. Call the library to sign up for the classes.

New additions to the Career Corner

2008-09-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

Job Searching or Preparing for College -The library has some new additions to their Career Corner section:

The Big Book of Jobs (2007-2008) Edition by the editors of McGraw-Hill of the United States: Combines a concise overview of the job-search process with all the latest government statistics on more than 250 jobs.
The Book of U.S. Government Jobs, 10th Edition: Where They Are, What's Available & How to Get One by Dennis V. Damp: Features all the information you'll need to find and apply for federal jobs including extensive guidance on writing federal style resume and Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSA) statements.
2008 Edition of the College Handbook by the College Board: Includes detailed descriptions of all 3,800 accredited colleges in the U.S.
2008 Edition of NCLEX-RN Review and the 2008 Edition of the NCLEX-PN Review: Loaded with time tested strategies designed to help you pass the NCLEX certification for Registered Nurse and Practical Nurse.
Conquering the SAT: How parents can help teens overcome the pressure and succeed by Ned Johnson and Emily Warner Eskelsen: Guide for parents that shows how we often undermine rather than encourage our teens' success on the SAT and what strategies will remedy the problem.
Careers in the Environment by Mike Fasulo and Paul Walker: Gives you invaluabel tips for finding a job in one of the many areas that make up this diverse field.

Check out the DOK Library in Delft, The Netherlands!

2008-09-17T08:06:00.000-07:00

The DOK Library in the city of Delft has billed itself , "The most modern library in the world".

Take a look at the Flickr page showing photos of the library and see what they do that's so different from other libraries.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shifted/sets/72157604142377648/

DVD's at the Library

2008-09-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

The Monessen Public Library & District Center DVD collection includes:

Feature Films
Documentaries
BBC programs
Prime Time TV shows
Children's TV shows
Holiday themed movies and TV shows
PBS programs
Showtime and HBO programs
A&E programs
Foreign Films

You can find a DVD for everyone in the family!

Pitfalls

2008-09-16T08:31:00.001-07:00

I searched for Pitfall Harry -- and learned that the game will soon be released. Yay! I'm not the only one who was nostalgic for Harry. The bad part is that now I have to wait until the end of the month to buy it -- if I remember! The early reviews don't sound bad, but the one thing that really caught my attention was the thought of swinging on the vine using the Wii remote. Now that could be fun.

In Search of a Wii

2008-09-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

In December, I decided to buy a Wii. I finally got one in July. They're hard to come by and I wasn't actively looking, but when the opportunity to purchase one came up, I snatched it. By that weekend, my husband had bought the Brunswick Wii Bowling game. Each of my sons had bought a game and one of my son's friends loaned us a game. Now, I felt like I needed my very own game! I think the last vide game (that's a give away there) I played was Pitfall Harry on the Atari system. I started looking around the 'net to see what's out there. I found some amazing information -- but not much help in selecting a game.

Did you know that video games are actually educational? Nothing like sucking the fun out of things, is there?

"The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) has proclaimed that kids need more, not less, vido games..." According to the FAS, video games "can teach higher-order thinking skills such as strategic thinking, interpretive analysis, problem solving, plan formulation, and execution and adaptation to rapid change."

Now that you know game playing can be good for you, I've done my information bit. For now, I'm off to see if I can find Pitfall Harry among the old games from Nintendo. I'll probably have to settle for Donkey Kong.

Founders Day Flea Market and Book Sale

2008-09-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

The Monessen Public Library is currently collecting flea market items to sell at its annual Founders Day Flea Market, Book and Bake Sale which will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The highlight of this year's Founders Day, which celebrates the founding of the city of Monessen, will be the visit of Tim Donner, the great-grandson of one of the original founders of Monessen. He will visit the library at 6:00 p.m. for a tea and reception organized by the Friends of the Monessen Public Library.