PRESS RELEASES - JANUARY 2007

At the Arlington Public Library in February

January 31, 2007

Educational and cultural activities occur at the Arlington Public Library every month. For a comprehensive listing of programs, go to www.pub-lib.ci.arlington.tx.us  or call the George W. Hawkes Central Library at 817-459-6900. This automated number is available 24 hours a day.

What’s at Your Neighborhood Library in February:

Naomi Shihab Nye – Acclaimed Poet, Essayist, and Teacher
Naomi Shihab Nye will be at the George W. Hawkes Central Library, 101 E. Abram St., at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 6. She will provide a poetry reading with commentary. Nye will also be available to sign her books, which will be on sale at the event.

Naomi Shihab Nye describes herself as a wandering poet. She has spent the past 30 years crossing the country and the world, leading writing workshops and inspiring students of all ages. Nye was born to a Palestinian father and an American mother and grew up in St. Louis, Jerusalem, and San Antonio. Drawing on her Palestinian-American heritage, the cultural diversity of her home in Texas, and her experiences traveling in many parts of the world including Asia and the Middle East, Nye uses her writing to attest to a shared humanity.

Naomi Shihab Nye is the author and editor of more than 20 volumes. She has received numerous awards, and her collection 19 Varieties of Gazelle was a finalist for the National Book Award. She is a regular columnist for Organica and poetry editor for The Texas Observer. Her work has been presented on National Public Radio and she has been featured on two PBS poetry specials.

Ms. Nye’s visit will spotlight the Arlington Public Library Foundation’s fundraising efforts for The Studio: Teen Arts Underground. The Studio is the Central Library’s newest center for teens. The center integrates information, technology, and creativity to help teens excel in their everyday school work and support the development of creative skills. Funding is currently in place for a partial opening of the arts/technology center in late spring of 2007. Additional funding is still being sought to complete the project.

Tax Aide Programs

The Arlington Public Library System is a resource for tax assistance. Visit the local library to get the tax forms, pick up books and other materials available to help complete your taxes. Access the online tax resources from one of the library’s public access computers or from your home PC. Please note, library staff are unable to give tax advice, but can help you locate the resources you need.

For assistance with preparing your tax returns, the Arlington Public Library system has partnered with the AARP to provide AARP Tax Aide from Feb. 1 through April 15. Visit the library’s website www.pub-lib.ci.arlington.tx.us  for schedules and locations. AARP Tax Aide is a free, confidential service supported by volunteers. Tax assistance services are available to people of all ages with middle and low incomes and all residents age 60 and older.

Join a Reading Group!

Join us each month at 7 p.m. for great books and good conversation.

 The Woodland West Book Reading Group meets at 2837 Park Row Drive on the first Tuesday of each month
o February 6 - Saving Fish From Drowning by Amy Tan
o March 6 - Arlington Reads The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
 Northeast Arlington Reading Group meets at 1905 Brown Blvd. on the second Tuesday of each month.
o February 13 - The World to Come by Dara Horn
o March 13 - Arlington Reads The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
 Southeast Book Reading Group meets at 900 Southeast Green Oaks Blvd. on the third Thursday of each month
o February 15 - Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons by Lorna Landvik
o March 15 - Arlington Reads The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
o April 19 - Plainsong by Kent Haruf.

Asian New Year Days

The East Arlington Branch Library at 1624 New York Avenue will be celebrating the lunar New Year on February 7 and February 10. Call 817-275-3321 to register.
 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. February 7 - “Dance, Dragon, Dance” dragon paper puppets
 11 a.m. Saturday, February 10 - Bring photocopies of pictures of your family and images representative of your wishes for the New Year to make a New Year’s Wishing Pole. This is based on the Vietnamese New Year tradition of creating a Cay Neu, which is a decorated tree to bring good luck for the year. This craft program is geared toward ages 8 to adult.
 2:30 p.m. – A movie for all ages – Call the East Arlington Branch Library for details.

Teen Card Party

Spark your creativity and make one-of-a-kind Valentine cards that send a special message Choose from decorative papers and a variety of tools: edging scissors, paper punches, rubber stamps, and more. Embellish with glitter, ribbons and other treasures. Leave with some great cards and lots of ideas for future masterpieces. You’ll be amazed at what you can create! If you are between the ages of 13 and 17 years old, please join us from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Southeast Arlington Branch Library at 900 SE Green Oaks Blvd. on Thursday, February 8. Registration is required. Refreshments will be served.

Chinese New Year Celebration

In anticipation of the Chinese New Year, the Lake Arlington Branch Library at 4000 SW Green Oaks Blvd. presents a concert by members of the Four Seasons Choral Society and Chinese Orchestra. This event includes folksongs using traditional Chinese instruments. The program starts at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, February 10. The Four Seasons Choral Society and Chinese Orchestra are Arlington based, and have performed in concerts as far away as Taiwan. This 45 minute program will allow adults and children to experience some of the beauty and grace of China.

Azania – Boitumelo, Traditional South African Music

If you are 10 years old or older, join the George W. Hawkes Central Library at 101 E. Abram St. at 3 p.m. Sunday, February 11, for the pulsing, spell-binding, rhythmic music of South Africa. Rochelle Rabouin traces the history (1800’s-1994) of the native people of South Africa through drama, music, song, and dance. Ms. Rabouin can sing in six different languages and four different African dialects. She has performed in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Ghana West Africa. This hour-long program will fascinate music lovers and people interested in other cultures.

The Science Zone

First, second and third graders are invited to attend a Super Saturday Science Extravaganza from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the East Arlington Branch Library located at 1624 New York Ave. Please register at the branch or by calling 817-275-3321.
 February 10 - The Amazing Human Body
 February 24 - Mystifying Detective Science
 March 10 - Creeping Crawling Critters
 March 24 - Plants Galore
 April 7 - All About Animals
 April 21 - The Structured Zone and Simple Machines
 May 12 - Earth Science: Geology Rocks

Love is a 4 Letter Word
Teens in grades 7 though 12 are invited to join the Northeast Arlington Branch Library from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on February 14 for the second annual “Anti-Valentines’ Day.” We’ll decorate and eat black heart cookies, make anti-Valentines day cards and watch a movie where the boy doesn’t necessarily get the girl. The Northeast Arlington Branch Library is located at 1905 Brown Blvd.

“Tantalizing” Tangram
Want to stay away from flowers and chocolates this Valentine’s Day? Come to the East Arlington Branch Library at 1624 New York Ave. and see what you can do with one triangle, two isosceles triangles, two right-angled triangles, one square and one parallelogram. Tantalize your brain with Tangram puzzles, an ancient Chinese puzzle, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, February 14. We will solve some puzzles, enjoy snacks and make new friends. The program is open to teens only in grades 7 to 12. No registration required. For more information, call the East Arlington Branch Library at 817-275-3321.

Teens Read!
If you’re between the ages of 12 and 17, come join us on Saturday, February 24, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lake Arlington Branch Library for a lively discussion of Meg Cabot's book, Avalon High, and the Arthurian legends she used to weave her tale. The club meets once a quarter, and all future books will be taken from the 2007-08 Texas Lone Star Reading List. The Lake Arlington Branch Library is located at 4000 SW Green Oaks Blvd.

My First Journey Home – Senegal and the Gambia West Africa
The East Arlington Branch Library welcomes Florinda Fatoumata Morse Royal as she speaks about her first journey home to Africa. Ms. Royal has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in African and African American History. She completed her master’s work about Mother Henriette Delille, who will become the first African-American saint in the church. Ms. Royal will be at the East Arlington Branch Library located at 1624 New York Avenue on February 24. This is a program for African-American history month. The presentation begins at 11 a.m. All ages welcome. For more information, please call 817-275-3321.

Checkmate!
If you are between the ages of 7 and 99, visit the library and learn the game of chess! Whether you are a beginner who can’t tell a rook from a pawn, or if you have been playing for years, you will have fun meeting other chess players, learning new skills and strategies, and playing the game. Registration is required.
Northeast Arlington Branch at 1905 Brown Blvd
 Classes meet on Mondays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
 Beginning players meet the first and third Mondays of the month
 Advanced players meet the second and fourth Mondays of the month
East Arlington Branch at 1624 New York Ave.
 Beginning players meet the first and third Tuesdays of the month, 5-6 p.m.
 Advanced players meet the second and fourth Mondays of the month, 5-7 p.m.

Teen Chess Club
Whether you are brushing up on your skills or learning for the first time, this is the club for you! If you are between the ages of 12 and 17, we invite you to join the Lake Arlington Branch Library Chess Club from 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month at 4000 SW Green Oaks Blvd. for an afternoon of strategy and fun.

Anime Afternoon!
If you are between the ages of 13 and 17, visit the Lake Arlington Branch Library for an afternoon filled with action-packed anime fun on the third Thursday of every month from 4:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. The library is located at 4000 SW Green Oaks Blvd.

Story time changes
Central Library:
 Toddler Time - 10 a.m. Thursday
 Listeners - 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Wednesday
East Arlington Branch:
 Make and Take - 4:30 p.m. Wednesday