In addition to our list of recurring events, the library now hosts a mix of in-person and online special events and programs that you can attend from home! Click here for our full calendar of events, which also includes young adult and children’s programs.
Summer Concert Series: Homegrown String Band – Wednesday, 8/9 at 6pm. DeMott Lane Branch.
The Homegrown String Band celebrates the American tradition of families making music together. This family band’s repertoire includes a healthy portion of early country music classics by the likes of the Carter Family and Delmore Brothers, along with a tasty sprinkling of original material inspired by the rural American string band and folk traditions of the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty first centuries. Comprised of husband and wife plus daughter, this dynamic trio adds their own musical DNA to an American tradition. Please click here to register.
Zufall Health Resources Fair – Tuesday, 8/15 from 10:30am to 1pm. DeMott Lane.
Come meet a representative from Zufall Health, a community health center whose mission is “to provide access to quality, affordable and culturally responsive health care to people and communities who experience barriers to care.” They will provide information about their services, promote upcoming area events, and share small giveaways like pens, pencils, pill holders, and temperature takers. The representative will also be able to make appointments for those who would like to become patients (bring your driver’s license or passport). They can also answer questions in regard to food pantries or housing options. This is a drop-in program that will run from 10:30 until 1:00, come by any time. No registration required.
Virtual Cooking Class: Garden Vegetable Paella Dinner – Thursday, 8/17 at 7pm via Zoom.
Summer vegetables are the perfect ingredients for a garden-inspired paella. In this class, watch Vanessa make a seasonal version of the classic Spanish rice dish and learn additional recipes to round out the meal.
Vanessa Young is a cooking instructor, recipe developer and writer dedicated to helping home cooks reignite their passion for cooking. From butchers to bakers, her family is a long line of self-taught and professional chefs. She melds their influences in her artful approach to food and wellness topics and her focus on seasonal meals. As the founder of Thirsty Radish (www.thirstyradish.com), she shares recipes and inspires a creative approach to life in and out of the kitchen. Please click here to register.
Protecting Our Watershed in Franklin Township – Tuesday, 8/22 at 6pm. DeMott Lane Branch.
In this presentation, in partnership with the Franklin Township Environmental Commission, Heather Fenyk, Ph.D, will provide a brief history of the Lower Raritan Watershed from indigenous to colonial and industrial development to its current status, provide a snapshot overview of the health of the streams and tributaries that feed into the Raritan River, the history of the pollutants in the river and how cleanup has evolved.
Building from this contextualization, she will then speak to the need to think regionally (from a watershed perspective) if we want clean water in the future. Throughout the presentation she will highlight stormwater management strategies and other tactics that community members can adopt on the path to improved environmental health. Please click here to register.
Summer Virtual Book Club: “The Museum of Modern Love” by Heather Rose – Saturday, 8/26 at 11am via Zoom.
Join us for our Summer Virtual Book Club, where we will read (or listen to the audiobook version) of The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose. The book is available as an eBook and eAudiobook through Hoopla. This club will meet virtually over Zoom, so you can join us from wherever the summer takes you! Please click here to register.
“A rich tapestry of plot and characters…an unusual and lively work of fiction.” — Newsday
Computer Classes
Drop-In Tech Help @ DeMott Lane – Wednesdays, 8/16 and 8/30 from 10:30am to 12pm.
Stop in for a one-on-one computer help session with one of our librarians! If you have any basic questions about your PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, we can provide detailed assistance. Please note that personal computer repair or virus/malware removal services ARE NOT available during these sessions. No registration required!
Using Google Chrome – Monday, 8/7 at 10:30am. DeMott Lane Branch.
Google is more than just a search engine. This class will start by discussing the Google Chrome Internet browser and how it can be used to make web browsing easier. We will cover features like history, downloads and bookmarks as well as some hidden tips and tricks to get more out of a basic Google search. We will also talk about Google Drive including the productivity software that is available through a Google account that allows you to have access to your documents from multiple devices. You must be able to use a mouse and be familiar with basic computer concepts such as opening, closing, and re-sizing windows before taking this class. No registration required!
Google Docs and Sheets – Monday, 8/21 at 10:30am. DeMott Lane Branch.
Google is more than just a search engine! Learn how to use Google’s free versions of word processing software (Docs) and spreadsheet editor (Sheets), which are similar to MS Word and Excel. No registration required!
New Recurring Events
Alzheimer’s New Jersey Family Support Group – Tuesday, 8/8 at 1pm. DeMott Lane Branch.
Held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, Alzheimer’s New Jersey Family Support Groups provide families and caregivers with the emotional support and education they need.
Alzheimer’s New Jersey Family Support Groups are always free and open to the community. Support groups provide families and caregivers with the emotional support and education they need to better understand Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Our volunteer support group facilitators receive specialized training about Alzheimer’s disease and group facilitation techniques, as well as ongoing support and evaluation.
No registration required, and walk-ins welcome.
Movie Matinees: Two Fridays Every Month, 8/11 and 8/25 at 2pm. DeMott Lane Branch.
8/11: The Menu (2022)
In this darkly comedic satire, a young couple travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu with some shocking surprises. Rated R. Runs 1 hour and 46 minutes. No registration required!
8/25: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (2023)
A coming-of-age tale set in 1970s New Jersey, based on Judy Blume’s bestselling novel of the same name. Rated PG-13. Runs 1 hour and 46 minutes. No registration required!
Death Cafe – Thursday, 8/31 at 6pm. DeMott Lane Branch.
Death is universal but how different people and cultures deal with death is unique. A Death Cafe is an an event where people come together in a safe and friendly environment to bring up a taboo subject—death! Have you been wanting to talk about it but thought it was too weird? Or have you had an experience you’d like to share? A Death Café is not necessarily a support group or grief counseling, it is a neutral space to show up together to chat with a death doula and other participants. No registration required!
For any questions about upcoming library events, please call the reference desk at 732-873-8700 opt. 3 or leave a comment below.
Thanks for reading,
George, FTPL
