Teen Arts Exhibition
      The library, the Friends of the Cranford Public Library and Cranford High School are teaming up to stage a Teen Arts Exhibition from Monday, May 12, to Monday, May 19, in the main reading room of the library.  The exhibition will feature works by the high school’s many talented art students.  A special opening reception will be held on Monday, May 12, at 7:00 p.m. in the main reading room.  All are welcome. 

Discussed Any Good Books Lately?
      The Readers’ Forum will meet to consider Journey to the Land of No by Roya Hakakian on Monday, May 19, at 7:00 p.m. Journey to the Land of No is a haunting tale told by the daughter of a Jewish family living amicably in the Muslim world.  The novel relates how their existence is deeply affected by encroaching Islamic extremism.  New members are always welcome.  For more information, call the library reference desk at 709-7272.

Become a Literacy Volunteer
      Share the gift of literacy.  Become a volunteer tutor.  Literacy Volunteers of Union County (lvuc) will conduct tutor training at the Rahway Public Library, 2 City Hall Plaza, on May 31, June 7, and June 14,  (all Saturdays) from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Each tutor is then paired with a student for once a week tutoring sessions.  Tutoring spaces are available at many of the county’s public libraries, including the Cranford Library.  If interested, please email Dawn at dawn@lvaunion.org, or call her at 908-755-7998.

Great Courses on DVD
Thanks to a generous donation from the Friends of the Cranford Public Library, the library recently added 21 new titles to its Great Courses lecture series on dvd.  Subjects include “The African Experience,” “Art of the Northern Renaissance,” “The Genius of Michelangelo,” “A History of Science,” “ The Story of Human Language,” and “World History, ” among others.  The courses are taught by prominent professors from many of the country's most prestigious universities.

From the Teen Zone

      Need a quiet place to study for final exams?  The library  will provide a study hall for students in grades 9 to 12 on Wednesday, June 11, Thursday, June 12, and Monday, June 16, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.  Snacks and beverages will be served! . . . Teen Film: National Treasure, Saturday, May 3, at 2:00 p.m. . . . Movie Bash!: The Perfect Man, Wednesday, June 25,  at 2:00 p.m.  Celebrate the beginning of summer!  Bash a flop movie, eat snacks, hurl popcorn, and have a hilarious time! . . . Teen advisory board meeting: Saturday, May 31, at 2:00 p.m. . . . Sign-up for the Teen Summer Reading Program begins on Monday, June 9.  The program is open to teens 12 to 18 years old, or entering grade 7 to 12.  Register in person on the second floor of the library.   

From  the  Children's  Room

Mother’s/Father’s Day Craft
      Registration for the Mother’s/Father’s Day craft begins on Saturday, April 26.  The craft will be held on Saturday, May 10, at 2:00 p.m.  The session is for children ages 4 to 12.  Pre-registration is required.

Catch the Reading Bug This Summer!
      The theme for this year's summer reading program is "Catch the Reading Bug.”  Registration begins on Monday, June 9.  Participants read or have books read to them, keep track of reading time, and earn tickets and weekly prizes.  The tickets can be used at the summer reading carnival on Wednesday, August 6 (rain date: August 7).  The program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library and is open to all Cranford children. 

News from the Friends of the Cranford Public Library

The Golden Fleece
      The Friends of the Library invite you to a staged reading of A.R. Gurney’s one-act play, The Golden Fleece, on Saturday, May 3, at 2:00 p.m. in the Community Center.  The reading will be staged by the Theater Project, the professional theater company at Union County College.  The play’s characters, Betty and Bill, tell the audience they are going to show them the Golden Fleece.  But a hitch develops, so they have to stall until the goods arrive.  Admission is free and all are welcome.  The play contains some adult subject matter and is recommended for those 14 years and older.

Classic Film Series
      The Friends’ Classic Film Series continues with: My Favorite Year (1982, 92 min.) on May 6; Death of Salesman (1951, 115 min.) on May 13; The Trouble with Harry (1955, 99 min.) on May 20; Cabaret (1972, 124 min.) on May 27; Dodsworth (1936, 101 min.) on June 3; She Done Him Wrong (1933, 65 min.) on June 10; Charade (1963, 113 min.) on June 17; Written on the Wind (1956, 99 min.) on June 24; and Gigi (1958, 119 min.) on July 1.  Shows are at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Center. 

International Film Series
      Tour the globe via the Friends’ International Film Series.  Shows are at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in the Community Center.  Coming up: Cautiva (Argentina, 2003, 115 min.), May 12; Nights of Cabiria (Italy, 1957, 111 min.), June 16; In July (Germany, 2000, 99 min.), July 14. 

The Wit & Wisdom of Mark Twain
      The Friends invite you to enjoy an evening with Mark Twain as portrayed by David G. Kennedy on Thursday, May 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Center.  Using selections from Roughing It, The Innocents Abroad, Twain’s Autobiography and other works, Kennedy will paint a delightful portrait of one of America’s wittiest and most entertaining authors.  Admission is free and all are welcome.  The program was arranged through the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

Friends Add New Documentary Film Series
      The Friends of the Library are pleased to announce the launch of a new monthly documentary film series.  The inaugural film, entitled Amato: Love Affair with Opera (2001, 66 minutes), will be shown on June 2 in the Community Center.  Amato traces the history of a small, independent New York City opera company founded in 1947.  Amato will be followed by In the Shadow of the Moon (2007, 96 minutes) on July 21 and Wordplay (2005, 94 minutes) on August 25.  All dates are Mondays.  Show times are 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.  Admission is free and all are welcome.  

Used Book Sale
The Friends’ will hold a used book sale on Thursday, June 12, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday, June 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, June 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The sale will be held in the Friendly Book Cellar, which is located in the library basement.  Proceeds benefit the library.