Donating books is cool: just ask actor Lavar Burton.
Do you really need both paperback and hardcover versions of all the Dan Brown books you own? You probably can rid yourself of those raw-food cookbooks from your dirty hippie ex too. Be generous, green and ready for wholesome fun by donating those books to The Great American Book Drive on Saturday! The drive benefits Brooklyn Public Library and Better World Books, and will be from 10am-3pm, outside of BPL at Grand Army Plaza. Since its founding in 2003, Better World Books has raised more than $10 million for libraries and literacy projects by reselling books online, donated and recycled more than 62 million books and reached 29,000 tons of carbon offsets. So yes, feel compelled to donate your books for literacy and the environment. You’ll also be treated to a performance of non-grating children’s’ music by Spanglish band Moona Luna, and tempted to replenish your clutter at the used book sale. But don’t take ourword for it…
A good method to scare the impressionable youth of Brooklyn away from the library is to treat them like wanted criminals. Is an overdue book something that should go on your permanent record? The city’s public libraries don’t think so: they launched a new program yesterday that will give amnesty on fines for overdue or lost books and dvds for all patrons under 18, WNYC reports.The idea is to lure back the 35,000 young people whose accounts have been blocked due to fines of $15 or more. “Those folks were not coming to the library because their fines were keeping them away,” president of the New York Public Library, Anthony Marx, said according to WNYC. This “New Chapter” program runs through Oct. 31 at Brooklyn, Queens and New York public libraries, giving you kids plenty of time to stock up on some fo the best library reading of all time before Halloween. As for you adults: return your books! What kind of example are you setting?
Walt Whitman library, now open longer. Photo by Flickr's Paul Lowry
It seems like all the news about our public libraries is negative these days, so here’s something to brighten up your fall: Beginning Sept. 10, Brooklyn Public Library locations will be expanding their hours and adding days. More than half of the libraries will be open six days a week, and the library is increasing average weekly hours by more than eight hours per library. For example, the Brooklyn Heights library will now be open from 10am-8pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, instead of opening at 1pm; while the library over in Clinton Hill will now be open Mondays from 10-6 instead of being closed. Each branch is different so check the full list here. Don’t forget: your library doubles as a sweet-ass discount card too!
House of Vans parties: always fun, always free.
The rains may dampen your plans this week, but the outdoors doesn’t have exclusive rights to free summer activities. Start off this week inside with an author talk at the Brooklyn Public Library featuring Sapphire, the author of Push and its new sequel The Kid, or pop in to the Franklin Park Reading Series (which features $4 pints). A rainy Tuesday is the perfect day to finally check out those weekly tastings at Bierkraft in Park Slope where you can sample five or six different beers. Thursday you can seek shelter inside the penultimate Vans House Party show featuring Against Me!, Japanther and Tokyo Police Club. Here’s hoping the sun returns by the weekend so you can check out the Go Folk Yourself Summer Fest at Cooper Park on Saturday or take the kids down to Jam On Dumbo, a festival of local family friendly bands, featuring puppeteers, face painting and more. See the rest of this week’s free offerings on our free summer calendar!
If you want to use your BK Library card for more than just looking legit, you can use it to save money on things you need! A partnership gives cardholders discounts at stores and restaurants including Ozzie’s Coffe, PSBrooklyn, Awedacity and more. But you don’t have to go hunting for these deals any more — get the iPhone/Android app Vidappe and it will send you push notifications when you’re near a business that offers a discount. Read the rest of this entry »
Matilda. The Truth.
Do you remember summer reading lists from yonder summer vacations? What a perfect — and free — way to pass the hot days, scouting through your air-conditioned library for the next Roald Dahl (Matilda is still my jam). This month instead of sweating your way through jort after jort, you could spend time helping kids to read in two of the most reliably air conditioned places: libraries and department stores. Through the end of July, Macy’s customers who give $3 to help provide a book for kids get $10 off a purchase of $50 (all of the $3 goes to Reading is Fundamental too). And starting at 1pm today, you can enter to win prizes and Macy’s gift cards at a special promotion at the Grand Army Plaza branch. Read the rest of this entry »
Even dummies like the library. We Will Not be Shushed photo via Flickr's dory kornfeld
They’re ain’t no party like a library party, because a library party don’t stop. Except, of course, when it is forced to stop if the city’s proposed budget cuts go through, possibly slashing some $25 million from the Brooklyn Public Library. Which is the reason for this non-stop party in the first place. This Saturday into Sunday, the Save NYC Libraries campaign will gather on the steps of the Grand Army Plaza branch for its We Will Not Be Shushed 24-hour Read-In. The event includes public readings to show support for the library and bring attention to the budget cuts. Sign up here because it’s Dewey (Decimal System) or die time! Read the rest of this entry »
FRIDAY
7pm (+ 6/10): the l magazine’s audiophile at the brooklyn museum continues this month with men and savoir adore. bonus: free vodka 7-8pm. free (rsvp) with $10 suggested museum admission. Read the rest of this entry »
Been hiding your shame by stuffing that overdue copy of Mocking Jay under your bed for two months? Suck it up and return it, because the Brooklyn Public Library is offering amnesty all this month that will wipe away your overdue fines if you bring stuff back before May 1. The library reminds us, “When you return your materials, you ensure that everyone has access to the excellent books, DVDs and CDs the Library has to offer.” If you continue to be a jerk in the face of no-questions-asked amnesty, your $25 or higher fine will be turned over to a collection agency. And you don’t want to mess with library thugs. (via L Magazine.)
Maybe everyone else has been doing this forever, and if so, feel free to skip ahead to the Punderdome post. But if you haven’t partaken of the Brooklyn Public Library’s eBook catalog, you’re missing out on the deeply satisfying experience of enjoying free — not to mention spooge-free — books without leaving home. I just downloaded my first free-for-14-days BPL eBook, a buzzy new non-fiction release, minus the groady plastic cover and burrito drippings. Read the rest of this entry »
Donating books is cool: just ask actor Lavar Burton.
Do you really need both paperback and hardcover versions of all the Dan Brown books you own? You probably can rid yourself of those raw-food cookbooks from your dirty hippie ex too. Be generous, green and ready for wholesome fun by donating those books to The Great American Book Drive on Saturday! The drive benefits Brooklyn Public Library and Better World Books, and will be from 10am-3pm, outside of BPL at Grand Army Plaza. Since its founding in 2003, Better World Books has raised more than $10 million for libraries and literacy projects by reselling books online, donated and recycled more than 62 million books and reached 29,000 tons of carbon offsets. So yes, feel compelled to donate your books for literacy and the environment. You’ll also be treated to a performance of non-grating children’s’ music by Spanglish band Moona Luna, and tempted to replenish your clutter at the used book sale. But don’t take ourword for it…
A good method to scare the impressionable youth of Brooklyn away from the library is to treat them like wanted criminals. Is an overdue book something that should go on your permanent record? The city’s public libraries don’t think so: they launched a new program yesterday that will give amnesty on fines for overdue or lost books and dvds for all patrons under 18, WNYC reports.The idea is to lure back the 35,000 young people whose accounts have been blocked due to fines of $15 or more. “Those folks were not coming to the library because their fines were keeping them away,” president of the New York Public Library, Anthony Marx, said according to WNYC. This “New Chapter” program runs through Oct. 31 at Brooklyn, Queens and New York public libraries, giving you kids plenty of time to stock up on some fo the best library reading of all time before Halloween. As for you adults: return your books! What kind of example are you setting?
Walt Whitman library, now open longer. Photo by Flickr's Paul Lowry
It seems like all the news about our public libraries is negative these days, so here’s something to brighten up your fall: Beginning Sept. 10, Brooklyn Public Library locations will be expanding their hours and adding days. More than half of the libraries will be open six days a week, and the library is increasing average weekly hours by more than eight hours per library. For example, the Brooklyn Heights library will now be open from 10am-8pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, instead of opening at 1pm; while the library over in Clinton Hill will now be open Mondays from 10-6 instead of being closed. Each branch is different so check the full list here. Don’t forget: your library doubles as a sweet-ass discount card too!
House of Vans parties: always fun, always free.
The rains may dampen your plans this week, but the outdoors doesn’t have exclusive rights to free summer activities. Start off this week inside with an author talk at the Brooklyn Public Library featuring Sapphire, the author of Push and its new sequel The Kid, or pop in to the Franklin Park Reading Series (which features $4 pints). A rainy Tuesday is the perfect day to finally check out those weekly tastings at Bierkraft in Park Slope where you can sample five or six different beers. Thursday you can seek shelter inside the penultimate Vans House Party show featuring Against Me!, Japanther and Tokyo Police Club. Here’s hoping the sun returns by the weekend so you can check out the Go Folk Yourself Summer Fest at Cooper Park on Saturday or take the kids down to Jam On Dumbo, a festival of local family friendly bands, featuring puppeteers, face painting and more. See the rest of this week’s free offerings on our free summer calendar!
If you want to use your BK Library card for more than just looking legit, you can use it to save money on things you need! A partnership gives cardholders discounts at stores and restaurants including Ozzie’s Coffe, PSBrooklyn, Awedacity and more. But you don’t have to go hunting for these deals any more — get the iPhone/Android app Vidappe and it will send you push notifications when you’re near a business that offers a discount. Read the rest of this entry »
Matilda. The Truth.
Do you remember summer reading lists from yonder summer vacations? What a perfect — and free — way to pass the hot days, scouting through your air-conditioned library for the next Roald Dahl (Matilda is still my jam). This month instead of sweating your way through jort after jort, you could spend time helping kids to read in two of the most reliably air conditioned places: libraries and department stores. Through the end of July, Macy’s customers who give $3 to help provide a book for kids get $10 off a purchase of $50 (all of the $3 goes to Reading is Fundamental too). And starting at 1pm today, you can enter to win prizes and Macy’s gift cards at a special promotion at the Grand Army Plaza branch. Read the rest of this entry »
Even dummies like the library. We Will Not be Shushed photo via Flickr's dory kornfeld
They’re ain’t no party like a library party, because a library party don’t stop. Except, of course, when it is forced to stop if the city’s proposed budget cuts go through, possibly slashing some $25 million from the Brooklyn Public Library. Which is the reason for this non-stop party in the first place. This Saturday into Sunday, the Save NYC Libraries campaign will gather on the steps of the Grand Army Plaza branch for its We Will Not Be Shushed 24-hour Read-In. The event includes public readings to show support for the library and bring attention to the budget cuts. Sign up here because it’s Dewey (Decimal System) or die time! Read the rest of this entry »
FRIDAY
7pm (+ 6/10): the l magazine’s audiophile at the brooklyn museum continues this month with men and savoir adore. bonus: free vodka 7-8pm. free (rsvp) with $10 suggested museum admission. Read the rest of this entry »
Been hiding your shame by stuffing that overdue copy of Mocking Jay under your bed for two months? Suck it up and return it, because the Brooklyn Public Library is offering amnesty all this month that will wipe away your overdue fines if you bring stuff back before May 1. The library reminds us, “When you return your materials, you ensure that everyone has access to the excellent books, DVDs and CDs the Library has to offer.” If you continue to be a jerk in the face of no-questions-asked amnesty, your $25 or higher fine will be turned over to a collection agency. And you don’t want to mess with library thugs. (via L Magazine.)
