September 30, 2004

Contact:
Mara L. Kiffin, Assistant Director
Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5350
954-224-4642

October Brings Ghostly Adventures to the Alvin Sherman Library,
Research, and Information Technology Center at NSU

FORT LAUDERDALE - October brings a wealth of activities and events for adults, children and families at Nova Southeastern University’s Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center, a joint-use facility with the Broward County Board of County Commissioners. October is the month for scary stories and lots of reading. Join the fun. The Sherman Library will sponsor:

• Ghost Writing Contest - Write a ghost story and win one of two $100.00 Circuit City Gift cards. The contest ends October 31. Winners will be announced Nov. 1. For more information, contact Dante Tang, 954-262-5477 or 954-262-5469.
• “We the People” Reading Rewards – Students in kindergarten through 12 th grade can participate. Read all the books in your grade on the “We the People” Bookshelf and win! Grades K – 12. Call (954) 262-5477 for more information.

We the People initiative supports projects that strengthen the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture. A total of 1,000 public and school libraries in all 50 states and Guam each will receive a set of the 15 books, posters, bookmarks, and other promotional materials from the National Endowment for the Humanities through the American Library Association, which is working in partnership with NEH. The first set of books was awarded in March 2004. The We the People bookshelf on "courage" contains the following books:

• Grades K-3: The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz, Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott, and Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig.
• Grades 4-6: The Matchlock Gun by Walter D. Edmonds, The Dream Keeper and Other Poems by Langston Hughes, My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, and Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
• Grades 7-8: Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass, and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein.
• Grades 9-12: The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
• Teen Read Week: Oct. 17-23 http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/teenreading/teenreading.htm . What's big and read and is for 12-18 year olds?  It's the intersection of horror, suspense, black and white movies from the ‘50s, and even modern concepts like genetic engineering. It's programming and reading and ways to increase adolescent literacy all rolled up into one week-long celebration known as Teen Read Week. Teens will be reading for the fun of it as the Alvin Sherman Library celebrates Teen Read Week, October 17 – 23, 2004. They join hundreds of other libraries, schools and bookstores who are encouraging teens to celebrate this year's theme, “IT'S ALIVE! @ your library®.”

In addition, the Alvin Sherman Library offers residents of all ages a variety of programs from which to choose. These include: Children’s Programs:

• Tuesday, Oct. 12: Bilingual Family Storytime (Cuentos Para La Familia): Stories and Songs in English and Spanish, all ages, 7-7:45 p.m. Theme: Weddings/Las Bodas. Join us as we celebrate Señorita Rebecca’s wedding! Featured stories will include The Bossy Gallito/ El Gallo de Bodas a traditional Cuban folktale by Lucía M. González and illustrated by Lulu Delacre; and La Cucaracha Martin by Daniel Moretón.
• Wednesday, Oct. 13: Story Time Fun, Ages 3 -5, 10-10:30 a.m. Theme: Wedding Time. Join us as we celebrate Miss Rebecca’s wedding with stories, fun, and treats.
• Wednesday, Oct. 13:Software Story Time, Ages 3-5 with a caregiver, 10:30-11:00 a.m. Self directed opportunity for child and caregiver to explore games, websites and learn new technologies.
• Tuesday, Oct. 19: Mother Goose Story Time, ages 0-36 months, 10-30-10:50 a.m. This program helps parents to create an environment that values reading, writing and language activity. Songs, stories, rhymes, and physical activity ensure that children have a strong foundation for early learning.
• Tuesday, Oct. 19: Bilingual Family Storytime (Cuentos Para La Familia): Stories and Songs in English and Spanish, all ages, 7-7:45 p.m. Theme: Algo Dulce/Something Sweet in honor of National Cookie Month.

Featured books will include How Nanita Learned to Make Flan by Campbell Geeslin and illustrated by Petra Mathers; and Si le Das una Galletita a un Ratón/If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond. Galletitas will be served.

• Wednesday, Oct. 20: Story Time Fun, Ages 3 -5, 10-10:30 a.m. Theme: Something Sweet in honor of National Cookie Month. The Gingerbread Boy by Richard Egielski and The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins will be among our featured books.
• Wednesday, Oct. 20:Software Story Time, Ages 3-5 with a caregiver, 10:30-11:00 a.m. Self directed opportunity for child and caregiver to explore games, websites and learn new technologies.
• Tuesday, Oct. 26: Mother Goose Story Time, ages 0-36 months, 10-30-10:50 a.m. This program helps parents to create an environment that values reading, writing and language activity. Songs, stories, rhymes, and physical activity ensure that children have a strong foundation for early learning.
• Tuesday, Oct. 26: Bilingual Family Storytime (Cuentos Para La Familia): Stories and Songs in English and Spanish, all ages, 7-7:45 p.m. Celebrando el Día de Halloween/Celebrating Halloween. El Primer Halloween de Clifford by Norman Bridwell will be one of our featured books.
• Wednesday, Oct. 27:Story Time Fun, Ages 3 -5, 10-10:30 a.m. Theme: Let’s Play Dress Up.
• Wednesday, Oct. 27: Software Story Time, Ages 3-5 with a caregiver, 10:30-11:00 a.m. Self directed opportunity for child and caregiver to explore games, websites and learn new technologies.

Young Adult Programs Thursday, Oct. 14: Haunted Ft. Lauderdale with Ghost Hunter John Carr. 2:30-4:15 p.m., ages 12-18. Learn how professionals hunt the paranormal, John Carr's background is in retail sales. Mr. Carr’s experiences and interest with the paranormal began when he was just a young man. He is no stranger to hauntings or haunted places, as he lived with daily occurrences of both since he was 11 years old, when his parents were redoing their family home, “transforming it from a Cape Cod into a two-story colonial. Strange things began to happen shortly before the renovation was completed.” The 40-year-old Wilton Manors man has a Web site (http://www.fortlauderdaleghosttour.com/) devoted to personal tales of haunting and has attempted to organize a paranormal investigative group called Southeast Florida Ghost Research.

• Saturday, Oct. 16: Fright-Night Film Fest: Scary Movies Marathon, 6-11:00 p.m., ages 12-18. Teens and young adults can sit and enjoy scary movies, to be shown on the lawn of the library. Bring your own blanket and snacks.
• Monday, Oct. 18: Stories by Flashlight: Ghost, Ghouls and Ghastly Stuff, 7-8:30 p.m., ages 12-18. Sit outside and enjoy making s’mores, staring at a fake campfire, and hearing the scariest stories on earth.
• Sunday, Oct. 24: Writing in the Dark with Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, 2-3:30 p.m., ages 12-18. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes is 20 years old. On her 14th birthday her first book, In the Forests of the Night, was accepted for publication. At age 16, her second novel, Demon in My View, was published. Atwater-Rhodes was named one of Teen People's "20 Teens Who Will Change the World" and has appeared on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, CBS Saturday Morning, and CNN NewsStand. Included in her body of published works are several other great reads for teenagers and young adults – Shattered Mirror, Midnight Predator, Hawksong and her latest Snakecharm. She currently attends University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Reception and book signing will follow the program. Adult Programs

• Monday, Oct. 4: Total Fitness Series, Part II: Jewish Law for Americans with Attorney Donna Litman, Professor of Law at Nova Southeastern University, sponsored by Hadassah Professional Women’s Council. 6-7:30 p.m. Professor Litman teaches tax, business, estate planning and Jewish Law at the Shephard Broad Law Center. A networking and hors d’oeuvres reception will precede Professor Litman’s presentation.
• Tuesday, Oct. 5:New English Café, 6-7:00 p.m. at the Connections Café. Skill development and practical assistance with conversational English. Topic: Love and Relationships. Library host: Paula Adams.
• Thursday, Oct.7: Thursday Movies: Psychopaths in Film, 12:30-2:00 pm at the Institute for Learning in Retirement, University Park Plaza North. A discussion of horror films from the 1930s to today with a focus on actor, Jack Nicholson with guest lecturer, Professor Kate Waites.
• Monday, Oct. 11:Second Mondays: A Writer’s Group with Professor Marlisa Santos. 5:30-6:30 p.m. An informal writers’ discussion group where original material is shared for the purposes of criticism and support.
• Tuesday, Oct. 12:Domestic Violence Awareness, 10 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. This is a day-long series of events beginning with an opening session hosted by domestic abuse survivors, panel discussions with legal and medical professionals, and information tables hosted by local and regional social service agencies and organizations. Co-sponsored by NSU’s Womens’s Resource Institute and Broward Region Hadassah.
• Tuesday, Oct. 12:New English Café, 6-7:00 p.m. at the Connections Café. Skill development and practical assistance with conversational English. Theme: Sports and Leisure Activities with host Douglas Black.
• Wednesday, Oct. 13: Introduction to Digital Photography, 2:15-4:00 p.m. at the Institute for Learning in Retirement, University Park Plaza North. This program will focus not on how to take pictures but on what to do with the pictures once you’ve taken them. While designed for beginners, basic computer skills are needed.
• Thursday, Oct. 14: League of Women’s Voters’ Candidates Forum, 7-9:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 19:New English Café, 6-7:00 p.m. at the Connections Café. Skill development and practical assistance with conversational English. Topic: Flower Gardening in Florida. Library host: Lia Hemphill.
• Wednesday, Oct. 20: An Evening with Political Cartoonist Jim Morin: The First Amendment. 7-9:00 p.m. Co-sponsored by the Circle of Friends and the ACLU of Broward County. The award-winning Miami Herald cartoonist will share his work and discuss the First Amendment in relation to journalistic expression.
• Friday, Oct. 22:Friday Evening Poetry Series with Joan Maza – Dreams and Nightmares. 7-9:00 p.m. in the Connections Café. Recommended for ages 15 – adult. Sponsored by the Hannah Kahn Poetry Foundation.
• Tuesday, Oct.26:New English Café, 6-7:00 p.m. at the Connections Café. Skill development and practical assistance with conversational English. Topic: Fashions. Library host: Kathleen Dunleavy.
• Wednesday, Oct. 27: Women’s Health: Presentation and demonstration on Thermography, 6-8:00 p.m., a tool for early cancer detection. Current research has determined that the key to breast cancer survival rests upon its earliest possible detection. If discovered in its earliest stages, 95% cure rates are possible. Breast thermography has the ability to give a warning signal far in advance of invasive tumor growth. Combined with an unprecedented role in prevention, risk assessment, and screening for younger women, breast thermography offers women an advanced and more sophisticated form of information. The technique will be discussed and demonstrated.
• Thursday, Oct. 28: Books Over Biscotti: Known World by Edward P. Jones, 7-9:00 in the Connections Cafe. Caldonia Townsend, the widow of a well-loved young farmer named Henry, is an educated black slave owner, whose parents had bought their own freedom and then freed their son, only to watch him buy himself a slave as soon as he had saved enough money. Pulitzer Prize Winner 2004. For more information, call Paula Adams: (954)262-5485.

The Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center is a joint-use facility with the Broward County Board of County Commissioners. Free card membership allows patrons access to public library collections as well as exclusive university academic resources. The library is located at 3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr. Blvd., Fort Lauderdale.For more information about the programs, call (954) 262-5477.