Somers Library  
Newsletter 
October 2018  
 
Keys to the Past .... Gateway to the Future
80 Primrose Street
Route 139 & Reis Park
Somers, NY 10589
914-232-5717
email: [email protected]  
 
Summer Hours
Mon, Tue, Wed 10am - 5pm 
Thurs 11am - 8pm 
Fri 10am - 5pm 
Sat 10am - 3pm 
Sun - CLOSED 
 
Director's Corner
After a busy summer, the Somers Library wishes everyone a relaxing fall.  We have many interesting programs coming up at the Library, including a star gazing program on October 3rd.  To check our program schedule please visit our website.

Have you ever considered what your  library worth to you? How much would you pay out-of-pocket for your library services? Calculate the value of the library services you use by clicking  here .
   
Andrew Farber 
Director
Our Programs Are Funded By the Friends of the Somers Library.

 
Adult Events  
* FOR ALL adult programs, click on the Online Calendar to register, or call the library at 914-232-5717. Please register each person separately for events. Current events are listed below; check our Online Calendar for upcoming events. All programs take place at the Somers Library unless otherwise noted. Registration required for most programs.
 
The Gut-Brain Connection.  Monday, October 1, 6:30 - 8:00 pm OR Friday, October 5, 1:00 - 2:30 pm. Please register for one program only. There has been a radical shift in scientific thinking that your mental health might not just be in your head...but in your gut! Come and learn why from Mental Wellness Advocate Melani Sessa. In this workshop, you will discover: What the gut-brain axis is and how it impacts your health on every level; How to increase stress resiliency and reduce anxiety and depression - naturally; The 3 P's - Probiotics Prebiotics, Phytobiotics - and how to choose the right strains for you; Hands on ways to heal your gut and address mental wellness using the latest scientifically proven protocols. Space is limited.

Westchester Writers Workshop. Thursdays, 10/4, 18; 11/1, 15, 29; 12/6 & 20, 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Westchester Writers Workshop is looking for new members.  We have a few spots open for our casual peer review writers group. All levels of writers welcome. We offer a supportive, creative, and free workshop held on the first, third, and fifth Thursday of every month.  Poets welcome too! No registration necessary. Hope to see you there!

October TED Talks. Friday, October 5, 3:00 - 4:30 pm. TED talks are back! Join host Eugene Ritchie in discussion after viewing two TED talk speakers each session who will speak on a specific topic. Each program consists of diverse speakers with short presentations of 10 and 21 minutes long. Each talk will be followed by light refreshment. The topics and speakers for October are: Business: Decision Making: Sheena Iyengar - "The Art of Choosing" - Sheena Iyengar studies how we make choices -- and how we feel about the choices we make. At TEDGlobal, she talks about both trivial choices (Coke v. Pepsi) and profound ones, and shares her groundbreaking research that has uncovered some surprising attitudes about our decisions. Margaret Heffernan - "Forget the Pecking Order at Work" - Organizations are often run where the value is placed on star employees who outperform others, yet this isn't what drives the most high-achieving teams. Business leader Margaret Heffernan observes that it is social cohesion - built every coffee break, every time one team member asks another for help - that leads over time to great results. It's a radical rethink of what drives us to do our best work, and what it means to be a leader, because, as Heffernan points out, "Companies don't have ideas. Only people do."

Genealogy Workshop for Beginners . Thursday, October 11, 1:00 - 2:30 pm. Have you ever wondered who your ancestors were? Do you wonder if you have family members you weren't aware you had?  Come to this workshop to discover your past and build your own family tree! Topics covered will be: ~How to get started, keep track and organize ~ Family stories and traditions ~ Charts and software programs ~ Collecting vital records ~ Online resources (including library resources, Ancestry.com, etc.), census, probate records and newspapers. 

Financial Fitness. Thursday, October 11, 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm. Is Financial Fitness your goal in 2018? Lisa Ferry, an independent sales agent for Financial Education Services (FES), will discuss how you can maximize your credit score, minimize your debt, protect your identity, ensure the security of your family's future and much more! 

Dementia Conversations. Friday, October 12, 1:00 - 2:30 pm. This program presented by the Alzheimer's Association Hudson Valley Chapter offers helpful tips to assist families with difficult conversations related to dementia, including going to the doctor, deciding when to stop driving and making legal and financial plans. This program is primarily for those with a family member or close friend starting to experience Alzheimer's or another dementia.

Play Writing Workshop. Fridays, October 12, 19, 26; November 2, 9, 16, 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Public Reading: Saturdays, December 1 and 8, 1:00 - 4:00 pm. If you want to release the bard in you, join playwright Stacie Vourakis for six 3-hour workshops. You will learn the craft of play writing where everyone's  work will be shared and reviewed by both Stacie and your peers. At the end of the sessions, you will be able to participate in a reading that is open to the public. Registration is limited to 12 participants.

Think & Grow Rich!  Mondays, October 15, 22, 29, November 5, 12:30 - 1:30 pm. Join Theresa Wienecke in a 4-session program based on Napoleon Hill's 1937 bestseller Think & Grow Rich! Hill studied successful businessmen at the time and discovered their secrets to success - secrets still relevant today. These secrets can apply to every person to reach any goal they aspire for, be it health, wealth, relationships, career - even better grades! Thinking creates freedom and possibilities - you only need to commit to learning and take the needed action to reach your goals. Learn from the great achievers who shaped the world we live in today Are you ready to raise the bar? Come and learn how to achieve your own goals! Space is limited to 15 people. 

How To Navigate Through Medicare. Wednesday, October 17, 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Discover what every person needs to know about our country's premier senior health plan! This course is designed to address the life events for everyone who is Medicare eligible as well as Baby Boomers who are just entering that stage of life. Whether you are already retired or just wanting to learn about the various options available in our county, this course is for you. The following topics will be covered:How to make the important decisions navigating through the Parts A, B, C, & D; Whether to purchase a Medigap or Supplemental Plan; Whether to buy a separate prescription drug plan (PDP) or maintain prior employer's or union benefits; The differences and similarities of the Advantage Plans (known as Part C with D); The various costs associated with Medicare, Supplements or Gaps, Drug Plans and Advantage Plans.

Somers Library Non-Fiction Book Club. Mondays, 10/22, 11/26, 12/17, 1/28, 2/25, 3/25, 4/22, 5/27, & 6/24, 3:00 - 4:30 pm. Please join us for the Non-Fiction book club at the Somers Library! We will be meeting on Mondays once a month.
 We will be concentrating on history, biography, technology, astronomy, computers and science. In the future, members will choose the books to be read. For our first meeting on October 22, we will discuss Eric Larsen's The Devil in the White City. Cookies will be served.  Space is limited to 13.

Medicare 101. Monday, October 22, 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Are you currently enrolled in Medicare? Will you be turning 65 over the next year or two? Learn about how and when to enroll, when you can make changes, and the insurance options available to you. Review and compare Medicare Parts A, B, C and D. Explore and evaluate Original Medicare, Medicare Supplement Insurance, Prescription Drug Plans and Medicare Advantage Plans. This program will simplify the choices you need to make, help you become more well-informed and explain what Medicare means for you! 

Planning for the Unimaginable. Tuesday, October 23, 6:00 - 7:00 pm. Are you receiving Medicaid benefits or do you have a loved one who is? Learn the basics of asset protection planning from lawyer Tracy Riemann. She will discuss how you and/or your loved ones can still obtain benefits at the same time as not having all your assets spent on long-term medical expenses. She will also talk about: Planning for those who are or may be receiving Medicaid benefits; How you can provide for them (or yourself) and still maintain your benefits; Revocable & irrevocable trusts; Supplemental Needs Trusts; Life estates as well as other important documents. There will be time at the end for Q & A. 

Legal and Financial Planning for Alzheimer's Disease. Friday, October 26, 1:00 - 2:30 pm. The diagnosis of Alzheimer's diseases makes planning more important than ever. This program given by the Alzheimer's Association Hudson Valley Chapter will offer information about legal and financial issues to consider, how to put plans in place and how to access legal and financial resources near you. Topics covered will include making legal plans that fit your needs, legal documents you'll need, how to find legal and financial assistance, practical strategies for making a long-term care plan and government programs that can help pay for care.

Michele LaRue Performs Halloween Hauntings: Two American Tales of Suspense. Saturday, October 27, 3:00 - 4:30 pm. Actress Michele LaRue will perform two American tales of suspense. Written in the days of ominously flickering candles and kerosene lamps, "The Shadows on the Wall" and "The House that Was Not" continue to startle.  In the wake of a sudden mysterious death, "The Shadows on the Wall" gathers four siblings in a familiar but threatening New England parlor. "The House that Was Not" lures an unsuspecting new bride across the Nebraska prairie. Authored by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman (1903) and Elia Wilkinson Peattie (1898), respectively, these tales evoke the America of a century ago, enthralling audiences today. Come and enjoy being spooked by these dark tales.

Westchester Writers Halloween Open Mic. Sunday, October 28, 2:00 - 4:00 pm (sign ups begin at 1:30). Westchester Writers Workshop in conjunction with the Somers Library is holding our 6th annual Halloween Open Mic!  Come to share in spooky stories, bone-chilling poems, and warming refreshments. Come take the mic and share your talent or join our growing audience for an afternoon of fun. Costumes encouraged.   Bring a ghoul friend, bring a date, share the news. No registration necessary.

Winter Art. Mondays, 10/29, 11/5, 12, 19, 26, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm. Bring your watercolors, salt, and a little rubbing alcohol, and WOW, we're going to create MAGIC! Watercolors will bring the season to life!!! Cozy music will accompany our creations. Suggested Supplies List: Multi-media paper - 98 lb or higher and/or watercolor pad, Water cup, Soft brush and slanted brush, Pencil, Eraser, Watercolors, Table salt and rubbing alcohol, Q-tips. There is a $30 fee to be paid on the first day of class. Make checks out to Judika Lieberman. 

Ongoing Events
Coloring Book Club for Adults. Relax, color, socialize - all for free at Somers Library! Materials are provided, or bring your own colored pencils and coloring books (recommended.) Registration is not required; meetings will be held in the conference room every Friday from 10:30-12:30. 
   
Westchester Writers. 6:30 pm on the first, third and fifth Thursday of each month in the program room. Join a safe, supportive, and creative environment to share literary works in progress. This is not a writing class, but rather an ongoing group of writers offering assistance to its members who are looking to improve their writing skills through positive feedback and helpful critiques. Beginners as well as experienced writers over the age of 18 are welcome.   


 

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Teen Events
* FOR ALL teen programs, click on the
Online Calendar to register,

ACT Practice Exam.  Saturday, October 6th, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.- There is a difference between the SAT and the ACT, and some students do better on one over the other! Here is your opportunity to try your hand at the ACT without having to worry about the score going anywhere. After the test, participants will receive an extensive score-report showing you exactly where your strengths and weaknesses are, PLUS a personalized consultation to go over your scores and answer your questions!  Please bring graphing calculator, pens, pencils, and water and snack bar (optional). 

Magic The Gathering. Saturdays, October 6 - December 29, 12:30 - 2:30. Come join us to play Magic the Gathering. Bring your own cards or borrow a deck to use from the library. New members and beginners are welcome! For teens and tweens. For more information, please contact the Somers Library at 914-232-5717 or email [email protected] .

Teen: Dungeons & Dragons Club (D&D). Saturdays, 10/6, 10/20, 11/3, 11/17, 12/1 & 12/15, 3:00 pm to 4:45 pm. Join us to play Dungeons & Dragons this fall! Familiarity with Dungeons and  Dragons is encouraged. Grades 6 and up. No registration required.

Ghost Hunter 101.  Saturday, October 6th, 2:00 - 3:30 pm. Join us at the Library for an informative and interesting talk about ghosts! Have you ever wanted to meet a real Ghost Hunter? Do you want to hear actual recordings of ghosts captured at haunted houses in and around the Connecticut and New York area? Join paranormal investigator Barry Pirro of ConnecticutGhostHunter.com who will share chilling stories from recent investigations, play recordings of real ghosts, and share ghost hunting tips. Questions will be answered and members of the audience will have a chance to share their ghost stories. This event is geared toward adults and young adults, ages 12 and up. Space is limited.

Teen: Intro to Fashion Design & Illustration Workshop. Wednesdays, 10/10, 10/24, 11/28, and 12/12, 3:15 -  4:30. This class is a snapshot of what a fashion designer's job is all about. Each student will design a storyboard, a textile and a fashion illustration based on a theme of their choosing The final project will be a collage illustration which will be displayed at the library. Supplies needed:
  • Drawing pad or paper
  • Pencil and eraser
  • Markers or colored pencils
  • Craft glue
  • Scissors (sharp enough to cut fabric)
  • Things that inspire your creativity.
These will be used for a fashion story/mood board. The following should be collected to bring before the first class: small fabric scraps, trims, bits from nature, decorative buttons, sequins, inspiring photos and magazine clippings. This class is for teens in grades 6 and up. 

Prepping for the College Interview.   Monday, October 15, 2018,  6:30 - 8:00 pm.  College interviews are your opportunity to bring your college application to life and let admissions representatives or college alumni get to know you. Some colleges are using technology to have applicants submit recordings of supplemental questions. How do students prepare for this process? What questions might be asked? What should students ask? Are there any trick questions I should know how to answer? Join us for an interactive session about how to effectively navigate this exciting process!

Teens: 3D World Design with Alice. Wednesday, October 17, 6:15 - 7:30 pm. Alice is an innovative 3D programming environment that makes it easy to create an animation for telling a story, playing an interactive game, or a video to share on the web. Created by Carnegie Mellon, it allows students to learn fundamental programming concepts in the context of creating animated movies and simple video games. This program is for teens/tweens in grades 6 and up. We will be using the public computers for this class, but please let us know if you can bring your own laptop to use in class. Beginners are welcome! Registration is required, space is limited.

Admissions & Financial Aid: What it Takes to get into College Today.  Wednesday, October 24, 7:00 - 8:30 pm.  In this seminar, presented by College Planning 101, students and parents will learn the following:
  • What it takes to get into college today including the financial aid system and how it works
  • How to maximize your student's potential to receive scholarships, grants, & forms of merit-aid
  • The SAT & ACT tests and how colleges value them
  • What the more selective colleges really want to see on your student application.
  • To make a timeline for success for where you should start in the college planning process
  • How it's possible to attend a private college for a public college price.
Seating is limited.  

Tween/Teen Home Alone Workshop - Grades 5 - 8 with Adult.  Thursday, October 25, 6:30 - 7:45 pm. What would you do if you were home alone and there was an emergency?  In this workshop, for preteens who spend time alone at home and the adults who love them, you'll learn how to stay safe from EMT Joan Lloyd.  Seating is limited.  Registration is required; please register each person separately.

Ongoing Events
Anime Club - Every Wednesday beginning 9/5 through 12/19 from 3:00-4:30 pm (No Meeting on:  10/17, 10/31 & 11/21).  Join us for a chance to watch anime from Crunchyroll with your friends!

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Children's Events

* FOR ALL Children's programs*, click on the Online Calendar to register, or call the library at 914-232-5717.

***
STEM Learning for Grades 3+!

Led by Mike Carson, an Electrical Engineer for Hubbell.  
Registration necessary.

All programs are on Saturday and take place 10:30-11:30

Oct 27- The Science of Sound (register here)
Nov 10- Magical Magnetics (register here)

***

Star Viewing Party for all ages with Westchester Amateur Astronomers! Wed, October 3 @ 6:30pm~ meet in Upper Reis and dress for the weather.  Rain/Cloud date is Thur Oct 4 (same time and place!). If you register here, we can notify you if we need to implement a rain/cloud date.

Fall Decorative Craft & Story: Monday, Oct 15 from 3:30-4:15. Best for ages 4+, registration required, and space is limited.

Fall Story Time & Craft! Books, stories, crafts, history and fun with Doris Jane Smith- teacher and Somers Town Historian.  All classes are 3:30-4:30, space is limited and registration is required. Best for ages 6+.
Tues, Oct 16- Sybil Ludington & her ride
Tues, Oct 23- George Washington's Tent
Tues, Nov 13- The 3 Sisters & the Pillgrim Story
Tues, Dec 4- Carrie Wright Reis celebrates a Victorian holiday

StoryWalk resumes! October 15 to October 31. Read The Word Collector by Peter H. Reynolds as you walk around the outside of the library, and bring in a tag for a cookie during library hours (cookies supplied by Friends of Somers Library).

Model Magic Halloween craft with Art Teacher Wendy Podell.  Saturday, October 27 from 1-2pm.  Best for ages 5+~ parents are welcome to stay with your child. Register here.

Halloween StoryTime and Parade! Tuesday, October 30 from 4:00-4:45pm. Come in costume to this annual event! Hear Halloween stories and then trick-or-treat around the library. Candy supplied by Friends of Somers Library.

Mindful and Artful Parenting with Art Therapist Lynn Cukaj!
3 sessions~ register for 1, 2, or all 3!
Tuesdays:  Oct 30, January 15, April 30.
Registration required- details here.

Autumn Wreath & Apple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Snack! With Heather Maguire! Saturday, November 3 from 3:15-4:15. Best for ages 6+. Registration required and space is limited.
Register here.

Special book displays this month : Fall, Cooking
 
PreSchool Story Time & Craft~ 
(for ages 4-5 years old~ without caregivers); 
Registration required~ minimum of 5 (five) registrants to run program.
Somers residents only
-Tuesdays 1:00-1:45 

K- 2 Book Clubs~
Kindergarten will meet Mondays
1st Grade will meet Tuesdays
2nd Grade will meet Wednesdays
Time:  3:30-4:15
*Children must be in the grade for which they are registering.  
Registration required.
Somers residents only.  
Vicki DiSanto (Children's Librarian) will run these book clubs.

Grades 3-5 Book Clubs~ will resume in October!
Meeting day is Thursday from 3:45-4:45  
Bus transportation available- bus #K
Registration required. 
Somers residents only. 
Children must be in the grade for which they are registering.  
Beth Levine (Library Assistant) will run these book clubs.

Babytime for children ages 0-2 with caregivers on Tuesday @ 10:30.
      
Toddler Story Time for children ages 2-3 with caregivers @ 10:30:
Thursday
OR
Friday

Registration is now necessary, and you must have a Somers Library Card.

See the Story Time, Book Clubs and Program schedules  here.   

Bits and Pieces
 Flowers 
The flowers that you see at the library are sponsored by the Friends of Somers Library and donated by local businesses.
Mary Ward of Houlihan Lawrence, has donated this month's flower arrangement.


Art Gallery
Mark Cassata
Born and raised in Rye, New York, Mark Cassata has been an artist his entire life.  Earning his B.F.A. and M.A.T. from Manhattanville College, Mark has been a professor of fine art for more than three decades. As a faculty member at Pace University and as a guest lecturer for many organizations his areas of expertise are drawing, painting, art history and architectural drawing. 
His work has been seen in various exhibitions in Westchester and on Long Island. Commissioned work includes historical Rye Presbyterian Church, scenes of Long Island Sound and many private homes in Westchester and surrounding areas. Mark and his wife live in Somers, New York.

Volunteer Opportunity
The 2018 Battle of the Books is just around the corner. We're looking for volunteers to work at the battle on Saturday, October 20, at Hendrick Hudson High School in Montrose. The day is roughly from 8:30 am to 4 pm. If you only have a half day to volunteer, we'll work with you on that. Teens in 11th grade or older, please.  If you or someone you know is interested, you can sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/y6ulnvdf

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact either of us.

Debbie Fletcher ([email protected], 914-941-2416, ext. 324)
Suzy Zavarella ([email protected], 914-941-2416, ext. 314)
2018 Battle of the Books Volunteer Co-Chairs

Somers Library Foundation

Thanks to our event sponsors and your participation, the Foundation is able to fund improvements that make our great Library even better. We pay for projects that increase the Library's versatility and functionality, and we continue to raise money to remodel the Children's Room and other areas of the building.
 
You, too, can be part of making our Library extraordinary by joining the Somers Library Foundation. Your tax-deductible gift will be used to fund projects that beautify, modernize and enrich the offerings and capabilities of our Library. To make a donation or to learn more about how you can make a difference, visit our website or call us at (914) 361-9979.

 
Somers Library Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
Friends of Somers Library

Friends make all the difference! - a Note from Friends of  Somers Library
 
On September 9 at 2 pm, bring the family to a concert funded by the Friends thanks to your donations and featuring John Fiscella and his band helping to conclude the summer reading program, Reading Rocks! Weather permitting, we'll be outside at the doors to the library.   Weather not permitting, we'll be inside the program room, where space is limited, so it's first come, first served. We'll provide light refreshments.
The entertainment programs offered through Friends funding are arranged by our Entertainment chair, Susan Cody, in collaboration with library director Andrew Farber. Susan has volunteered on the board of the Friends for over twenty years! A local music teacher and director of children's choral/ drama groups, Susan's knowledge of our community and its rich reservoir of talent has provided many years of entertaining concerts, plays, and other musical/artistic presentations for us all.

The Friends of the Somers Library were formed in 1979 and chartered in 1983 by the Regents of the University of the State of New York.
 


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