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Time to Fiesta @ Beachwood The Beachwood Branch celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with a Fabulosa Fiesta on Monday, September 28. A lively atmosphere filled the library as guests shared and sampled delicious foods and enjoyed a variety of Latino music. The kids and teens in the crowd got crafty by creating their own marcas. An enthusiastic attempt to break a traditional pinata was the perfect way to end the evening with smashing success. Enjoy the photos!
We held the GangWise Project program at Plumsted Monday evening (Sept. 28.) The program was a great success! Attending were: The Mayor, Chief of Police, Police Officers, School Principal, Town Council, Guidance Counselor and people from the community. We had 30 adults & 7 teens prresent.
The audience was totally engaged and everyone felt the program was so valuable. As always Edwin Torres made a huge plug for Ocean County Partners working together with the library – we are truly unique to the State of NJ and making a difference!
The following deserve so much credit for their efforts in promoting the program:
The Plumsted staff for connecting so well with the community – especially Rachel Lavoie-Dohn!!
Our GangWise Partners
OCL Public Relations (sending letter to Police & Mayors, Connect, Media and more)
All our presenters Edwin Torres (Gang Expert), Rory Wells (OC Asst Prosecutor), Jasmine Long (ex-gang member) & Joanne Schuh from the OC Health Dept. Jasmine also brought a minister from the Crips in California, now living in Jersey City
Here is a link to photos on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/43026447@N07/
NOTE: Our presenter Jasmine Long (ex-gang member) that talks with teens was lucky to attend this program as the previous week she was beaten and “pistol whipped” for her anti-gang efforts in schools, libraries and across the state. Unbelieveable!
Again –many thanks to everyone!
There had to be more than 200 p
eople in the Lakewood branch Friday (Sept. 25) night for the 3rd annual Fabulous Fall Fiesta. Food! Fun & games! Dancing! And music by David Cedeno and his Orchestra.
What a great evening. Thank you for this wonderful international event.
We have photos from the fiesta. The slideshow can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/22036136@N07/sets/72157622349607561/show/
The 3rd annual Hispanic Heritage 
Month celebration @ Upper Shores was wildly successful with salsa lessons from Daniel’s Ballroom, live music by Swing Sabroso, and delicious food from El Familiar Thanks to the Borough of Seaside Heights, our community partner, for providing free round trip transportation for area residents! Graduate students from Georgian Court College attended with professor and area school principal, Dr. Gemma MacCarrick, to broaden their awareness of 
cultural literacy. Ocean County Library rocks!
During September, the Manchester branch celebrated the 60th birthday of one of New Jersey’s most prominent residents: Bruce Springsteen. Throughout the month, there was a display with library materials of interest to fans of “the Boss” including handmade, limited edition bookmarks for the public to take. On his actual birthday (September 23rd), our customers were treated to cake.
There was also a birthday card for people to sign plus staff wore clothing reminiscent of Bruce.
A musical treat was enjoyed by children ages 5 & up at Brick this summer. Johnny & Kate are young, hip musicians with a passion for sharing their music. With an assortment of violins, guitars, acoustic & electric guitars, drums, & tambourines, each child had a chance to try out the instruments under the enthusiastic guidance of Johnny & Kate. Working in small groups, the children were thrilled to try out these grown-up instruments!
The Little Egg Harbor Library Friends hosted a professional cooking demonstration and tasting with Ian “Smitty” Smith, Chef Instructor at OCVT’s Culinary Arts Program, on Wednesday, September 23 he demonstrated how to make a voulet and turned it into a cream of chicken and vegetable soup. He then explained how if you made the voulet thicker, it could be a base for a chicken pot pie.
Chef ian talked about clarifying butter, the difference between a voulet sauce and a roux, demonstrated how to make crab cakes and finishing glaze, and how to prepare all the different ingredients for the cakes.
Audience members asked very precise questions regarding various techniques and ingredients. Ian also spoke about the adult culinary program that he teaches. People interested in learning about the culinary arts can sign up for the program.
Chien-Ju writes:
Thank you for participating Origami Cranes for World Peace this summer. We have counted and strung the cranes. This year, we have collected 2,630 cranes thanks to all of you!
Please keep us in mind because next summer, we will fold more peace cranes to fly!
Thank you again!
From Pt. Pleasant Boro and Karen Monahan to the Ocean Star:
“attached is photograph and article of our patron of the month for September 2009. Each month we pick a patron the staff nominates that enjoys and utilizes all the library offers. We appreciate you printing this information and the photo in the Ocean Star.”
Karen asks the patron a couple of questions about his or her library experience, such as:
OCL Connections 