Library News
Third Annual Record.Play Film Festival
Showcasing talent from across the state, East Brunswick Public Library hosts the third annual Record.Play Film Festival on Thursday, June 30 at 7 pm. Read More
Showcasing talent from across the state, East Brunswick Public Library (2 Jean Walling Civic Center, East Brunswick) hosts the third annual Record.Play Film Festival on Thursday, June 30 at 7 pm.
“This year’s theme is ‘Explore’,” said Jessica Schneider, Teen Services Librarian. “The theme was chosen because it can be interpreted in so many ways. We were excited to see how the filmmakers ran with it.”
Record.Play Film Festival accepted submissions from New Jersey filmmakers. Submissions were broken into three age groups: youth, teen and adult. The judges for the festival include:
East Brunswick local cable station EBTV Channel 26 supervisor Dave Ambrosy. With over 30 years of experience in local television and video, his work has received several national awards from Jersey Access Group and Hometown Video Festivals including the Cable Award for Programming Excellence.
Columbia University MFA film candidate Zack Morrison. A 2010 graduate of East Brunswick High School, his work has been screened at the 2013 and 2014 Cannes Film Festival and won the Best Student Film award from the Garden State Film Festival.
Video professional Paul D’Amico. In addition to his work in film and television, he has taught several classes in video production.
The Record.Play Film Festival screening and awards ceremony is free and registration is not required. The following films will be screened:
Youth (ages 12 and under)
“Exploring American History” by Barenya Das
This film is about the history of the United States, from the problems to the accomplishments this country has faced.
“Time Machine” by Kashi Deepak
A scientist builds a time machine and needs volunteers to go back to the prehistoric era to explore and gather samples. What they find changes science forever.
“Math-o-phobia” by Ashna Gupta
Math-o-phobia is the fear of math. This comedic short film shows what a child experiences from this fear and how to overcome its challenges.
“The Mystery of the Ancient Book” by Kapila Mane
An explorer finds some ancient books, but a bandit tries to steal them. In order to protect them, the explorer does whatever he can to save them.
Teen (ages 13 to 18)
“Hello Teenagedom” by Arjun Deepak
Arjun is having trouble accepting growing up. He is met by Jackson, an agent assigned to help him explore his past and future to help him accept becoming a teenager.
“Scrawny Boy vs. Wild” by Hayagriv Gopinath
Explorer Panda Stoves attempts to explore the wild in this parody of the TV show "Man vs. Wild."
“The Nation's Capital” by Julianna Illenye
Follow two girls on their trip around Washington, D.C. as they explore popular attractions.
“Movement” by Dominic Mistretta
Movement is a short experimental film about a young girl who tries to find her niche in movement performance. Some peers wish for her to explore the path of staying alert and in-line with the rules of formal dance, while others challenge her to let loose and express her own style.
Adult (ages 19 and older)
“73 mL” by Ashu Gupta
This film focuses on how one person can teach another how to improve their life.
“Homeland Journey” by Jill Work
“Homeland Journey” is a music video about visiting and exploring the homelands of two adopted children from Vietnam and China.
“Paint Me a Story: Starry Night by Van Gogh” by Jill Work
This semi-animated film describes and visually portrays the creation of the iconic painting by Vincent Van Gogh.
Aspiring Business Leaders Workshop
To help high school students and young adults interested in pursuing a business education, Natesh Sood leads the program “Aspiring Business Leaders” on July 30 at 1 pm.
East Brunswick resident Natesh Sood understands how difficult deciding a college major and finding an internship can be.
“Most information about colleges and careers often comes from people far removed from the college or internship setting,” he said.
Sood understands this first hand. He is a 2015 graduate of Rutgers Business School with degrees in both Finance and Information Technology. He currently works as a finance analyst for Goldman Sachs.
To help high school students and young adults interested in pursuing a business education, he leads the program “Aspiring Business Leaders” at the East Brunswick Public Library on July 30 at 1 pm.
“Having recently graduated from college and been through the internship process, I believe that I can provide a unique perspective about business majors and careers to students,” said Sood.
Topics covered in this three-hour presentation including career tracks, interviewing techniques and obtaining internships.
The program is offered through the library’s Business Resource Connection. This library initiative connects small businesses and job seekers within Middlesex County to resources, training and network opportunities.
“The library is very happy to offer this program,” said Karen Parry, East Brunswick Public Library’s manager of information services. “We’ve hosted Natesh before. He’s able to show high school students how they can think like business leaders.”
“It’s important to give students an opportunity to talk about college and careers in an open and supportive environment,” Sood added.
To register for this free program, click here. The deadline for registration is July 29. For more information, e-mail AspiringBusinessLeaders@gmail.com or call 732-390-6767.
David Darwin - One Man Side Show
David presents a fun show of juggling and comedy. He even sings with both legs behind his head in an act that earned him a semi-finalist spot on "America's Got Talent." Wednesday, June 22 11 AM. Fun for the whole family! Free tickets distributed 30 minutes before the program begins.
Sponsored by The Friends of the Library.
Internet Security Lecture Monday 6/20
Learn how to protect yourself from spyware, viruses, and keep your identity safe in this digital age from Chaim Cohen on Monday, 6/20 at 7PM.
Chaim Cohen is the AP computer science teacher and the Code Club advisor at East Brunswick High School.
New Handcrafters Club Meets Tonight
Are you a crafter? We're starting a new club! Bring a current or new project to work on while you enjoy conversation with other crafty adults Tuesday the 14th at 7PM.
Summer Reading Kicks Off At East Brunswick Public Library
With summer rapidly approaching, it means many things ranging from the end of the school year to time to start planning a vacation. For the East Brunswick Public Library it means that the annual summer reading program is about to begin. Read More
“Every year we look forward to our summer reading program,” said Library Director Jennifer Podolsky. “The program is a great time to visit the library, and to check out all of the great collections, services and programs we offer.”
The purpose of summer reading isn’t just to showcase libraries. According to the American Library Association, summer reading programs began as far back as the 1890s as a way to encourage children to keep reading during the summer break.
“There have been several studies that show kids who read during the summer do better during the school year. Our program not only promotes literacy, but it also shows that reading is fun,” she added.
The theme for this year’s summer reading program is “On Your Mark, Get Set...Read!” and is geared toward promoting the importance of reading. The library’s program is divided into four age groups:
Kids (grades K-5) can earn the chance to win prizes for each day that they read for at least 20 minutes. There will be drawings for larger prizes on July 9, July 23 and August 13.
Tweens (grades 6 and 7) who read seven books and write four book reviews will be entered into a drawing for an iPad Mini.
Teens (grades 8-12) win prizes for every five books they read. Every other Friday, special prize drawings will take place for everyone who has logged books or written reviews. Teens in grades 10-12 are also encouraged to join the online EBPL Teen Book Club as well.
Adults are entered into a drawing for a gift card with each book they read over the summer.
Sign up for the summer reading program is free. Registration and tracking is done online. Summer reading begins on June 18 and runs through early August.
In addition to the reading programs, the library has scheduled several corresponding special events throughout the summer. Check out the calendar of events for more details.
East Brunswick Public Library will also begin summer hours effective June 19. The library will be closed on Sundays through September 11. Library users are advised to check out the website for access to eBooks, online magazines and other materials.
Upcoming Barnes and Noble Bookfair Benefits Library Foundation
The Foundation invites area residents to join them Saturday, June 11 at Barnes and Noble for a special bookfair benefitting the East Brunswick Public Library. Read More
A percentage of all purchases that day will be donated to the Foundation, helping with its goal of providing funding for ongoing and future projects at the East Brunswick Public Library.
People can either present a voucher or mention the library at the cash register to have their purchase count toward the fundraiser.
“It will be a great time to stock up on summer reading while supporting the library and the mission of the Foundation,” said East Brunswick Public Library Foundation development committee chairperson Jennifer Doktorski.
Doktorski will speak as part of the Teen Book Fest panel discussion at 3 pm. She will join other young adult authors Crissa Chappell, Sandy Hall, Phoebe North and Lindsay Ribar.
In addition to the panel, East Brunswick Public Library staff host several family activities throughout the day. The schedule is:
10 am: Kids Craft
11 am: Children's Story Time
12 pm: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Activity and BB-8 Obstacle Course
1 pm: Adult Coloring
Library staff can register children for the Summer Reading program and the Foundation will raffle off four summer reading themed baskets when the fair is over. Additionally, teen Post-It Note artists will decorate the store's windows and cupcake decorating is available near the café area.
Online purchases made from June 11-16 will count toward the fundraiser. When checking out, enter the bookfair ID 11861234.
Jamie Novak Helps You Store Papers & Photos Wednesday
Are you are stuck under piles of paperwork and boxes of photographs? If so, this event is for you! Join Jamie Novak on Wednesday at 7PM for a humorous look at the common pitfalls of figuring out how to deal with them. Read More
Aside from a good laugh you’ll walk away with useful tips and the exact steps to take to tackle these projects starting today!
Thank you to the Friends of the Library for supporting this event.
Jamie Novak has been seen on HGTV and QVC and recently served as a home blogger for Martha Stewart’s Whole Living. She is the author of multiple bestsellers, including Keep This, Toss That!