Library Features: What's New @ The Library
East Brunswick Public Library Wins Award For Option Green Program Series
The Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission and East Brunswick Public Library received a 2017 Environmental Achievement Award from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) for their Option Green Lecture series.
The award was presented at the ANJEC’s Environmental Congress at Mercer County Community College on October 13.
The ANJEC Environmental Achievement Award recognizes exceptional projects carried out by environmental commissions and nonprofit organizations that benefit the local environment. The criteria for the award are the project’s impact, originality, educational value, innovation, and response to a need in the community.
The Option Green Lecture Series began in March 2017 as a partnership between the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission and the East Brunswick Public Library. The series’ goal is to host speakers on a wide range of topics that offer new or updated information on specific environmental issues.
This year, topics in the series have included climate change in New Jersey, hydroculture, salamander migration and protection, and beekeeping. For more information about the upcoming lectures, including geocaching, visit www.friendsebec.com.
Local Girl Completes Girl Scout Silver Award Project With East Brunswick Public Library
East Brunswick Public Library regularly helps children, whether it be with homework help or finding a book. But Liliana Cantillo needed assistance with something else—her Girl Scout Silver Award.
The Girl Scout Silver Award is the highest award that a Girl Scout Cadette can earn and the second-highest award in the Girl Scouts of the USA program. Liliana is a member of Girl Scout Troop 80350. To earn a Silver Award, a candidate has to coordinate a project that addresses a need in the community. She came up with a project that coincides with her love of reading.
The theme of her Silver Award project was “Female Role Models in Literature.” After noticing that the majority of children’s books do not feature female lead characters, Liliana put together a project that would highlight prominent women in history.
Liliana planned and organized several workshops for East Brunswick Public Library and local daycare facilities that shared the stories of several notable women for children, accompanied with related arts and crafts projects. She also regularly updated a poster display at the library and created a website about female role models in literature.
“We’ve worked with several kids working on volunteer and service projects,” said Suzanne Klein, a children’s librarian at East Brunswick Public Library. “Liliana’s project was really impressive, and many families really enjoyed the programs and activities she planned.” Klein also served as an advisor for the project.
The biggest part of her Silver Award project was organizing a community book drive, collecting new books for East Brunswick Public Library at Saint Bartholomew of East Brunswick and other community events. In total, almost 400 new children’s books were collected, as well as an additional $600 to be used for additional programming in the Youth Services Department.
“Everyone was so nice,” Liliana said. “I was impressed by how many people gave books.” Books donated included picture books and novels for younger readers. Liliana recommended the illustrated biographies.
Information about Liliana’s project can be found online at http://femalerolemodelsinliterature-troop80350.weebly.com/.