SHREWSBURY: ‘FOOD FOR FINES’ IS BACK

Mar 9, 2017

Press release from Monmouth County Library

As part of National Library Week, the popular Food for Fines program will once again be featured at all branches of the Monmouth County Library system, including the Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury, from April 9 through 15.

The Food for Fines program enables library users to return all delinquent books through an amnesty program, which eliminates the fine in exchange for the donation of items for the library’s Food program.

All canned and boxed products can be dropped in the bins at the Library Headquarters, or any of its branches, with $1 off each fine for each item contributed. All food items are delivered by the library to the Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

March 9, 2017 - 5:01 am |

RUMSON’S SWARTZ RE-ELECTED LIBRARY CHAIR

Jan 18, 2017

Press release from Monmouth County Library

During its reorganization meeting held recently at the Eastern Branch Library in Shrewsbury, Renee Swartz of Rumson was unanimously re-elected chair of the Monmouth County Library Commission, a position that the popular long time member has held since 1976.

A graduate of Barnard College, Swartz (left in picture, with Freeholder Lillian Burry) dates her interest in the role of libraries back to the early years of her marriage, when she was asked to volunteer as a survey taker for the American Association of University Women, as a way of determining what educational resources would be offered to the growing population of Monmouth County.

January 18, 2017 - 5:00 am |

SHREWSBURY: VISITORS COUNT AT LIBRARY

Jan 3, 2017

A deer grazing outside the library in June, 2011. (Photo by Peter Lindner. Click to enlarge.)

Press release from Monmouth County Library

More than half a million books circulated. Close to a quarter of a million visitors. An additional 2400 patrons registered. All part of a very busy 2016 at the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library during 2016, as Branch Manager Kim Avagliano reported to the Monmouth County Library Commission at its recent end of the year meeting.

January 3, 2017 - 11:00 am |

ON THE GREEN: AUTHOR! AUTHOR! AUTHOR!

Nov 11, 2016

Pulitzer winner Amy Ellis Nutt (above left), National Book Award finalist Julie Otsuka (right), and historical novelist James L. Haley (below) are among the celebrated wordsmiths appearing in the coming days at events in Shrewsbury, Fair Haven and Lincroft.

There’s a Pulitzer Prize winner who trained in the trenches of Jersey journalism. A novelist whose credits include a PEN/Faulkner Award and a National Book Award nomination. And a celebrated historian turned master purveyor of “ripping yarn” page-turners.

Apparently the Greater Red Bank Green hasn’t gotten the memo that books are dead, because the joy of reading, and the highly anticipated appearances of some high-profile authors, are alive and well in the coming days and nights.

November 11, 2016 - 1:30 pm |

ON THE GREEN: A FORTUNE IN HISTORIC VALUE

Oct 12, 2016

The Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library in Shrewsbury hosts an exhibit about Red Bank’s T. Thomas Fortune House, seen here during a student tour in July. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Press release from T. Thomas Fortune Project Committee

The fourth annual T. Thomas Fortune Birthday Celebration (a fundraiser hosted recently at the Oyster Point Hotel under the title “Fortune . . . Telling the Truth”) kicked off a string of events to highlight the restoration of the T. Thomas Fortune House, a National Historic Landmark, into the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center.

October 12, 2016 - 5:00 am |

SHREWSBURY: SURF’S UP AT COUNTY LIBRARY

Jul 13, 2016

Navesink River Rowing and the Navesink Maritime Heritage Association will be among the organizations speaking about recreational activities on our local waters, during a “Sun, Sea and Surf Expo” at the Eastern Branch Library on July 21.

Press release from Monmouth County Library

Surf’s up at the library this month, as the Monmouth County Library‘s Eastern Branch features a Sun, Sea and Surf Expo on Thursday, July 21. Beginning at 4 p.m., the library on Broad Street/ Route 35 will offer film screenings, guest speakers, informational displays and other programs on the many recreational options available on our local shores and waters — from surfing to rowing, canoeing and more.

The July 21 event will be preceded by two free screenings of “Chasing Mavericks,” a 2012 feature film (starring Jonny Weston, Gerard Butler and Elizabeth Shue) about the surfers who seek out and conquer the biggest waves on the planet. The movie shows in the library’s Meeting Room at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, with an encore 2 p.m. showing on Monday, July 18.

July 13, 2016 - 5:00 am |

SHREWSBURY: VOICES OF INDEPENDENCE

Jul 5, 2016

Shrewsbury residents and other visitors to the historic Allen House, a circa-1710 tavern at Broad Street and Sycamore Avenue, took turns reading passages from the Declaration of Independence during an Independence Day event that drew several hundred onlookers Monday. Volunteers in Colonial-era clothing added to an air of another time, even if one or two did whip out their cellphones.

We’ve got more photos after the “read more,” below.

An 1880 reprint of the declaration that was on display for the event will now be on permanent display at either the Eastern Branch Library on Route 35 in Shrewsbury, or the county’s Headquarters Library at 125 Symmes Drive in Manalapan. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

July 5, 2016 - 7:01 am |

SHREWSBURY: A VERY SPECIAL JULY 4 EVENT

Jun 28, 2016

Press release from Monmouth County Historical Association

The first formal showing of an 1880 reprint of the Declaration of Independence will be on display at The Monmouth County Historical Association’s Allen House, during the reading of the Declaration on Monday, July 4 at 10 a.m.

The Monmouth County Library Commission, chaired by Renee Swartz, has partnered with the Historical Association the Shrewsbury Boy Scout Troop, Christ Church, and Mayor Donald Barden in presenting a Fourth of July celebration at Shrewsbury’s “Four Corners,” the Historic District of buildings at the intersection of Broad Street (Route 35) and Sycamore Avenue. The special observance celebrates the 240th anniversary of the signing the Declaration at Philadelphia.

Swartz said County Library Director Judi Tolchin will bring the unique document to the Allen House prior to the reading of the Declaration, hosted by the Historical Association. The document will be on display outside, weather permitting, near the entrance to the Allen House at 400 Sycamore Avenue.

June 28, 2016 - 5:00 am |

SHREWSBURY: MINI HORSES BOOKED AT LIBRARY

Jun 22, 2016

Horse owner Erica Todd, at center right, returns to Shrewsbury with some miniature friends from the equine kingdom.

Did you know that June is the Month of the Horse here in New Jersey — a designation made official back in 2000 by Garden State Governor (and daughter of Hunterdon County’s “horse country”) Christie Whitman?

Look closely at the Great Seal of the State of New Jersey and you’ll note that our equine friends have been getting top billing as far back as 1777 — a position of honor that speaks to “not only horse racing and breeding, but also for show competitions, trail riding, and providing the state with revenue, jobs, and open space, all necessary for maintaining the quality of life in the Garden State,” in the words of Monmouth County Library Commission chair Renee Swartz.

June 22, 2016 - 2:00 pm |

SHREWSBURY: GET A READ ON SUMMER

May 23, 2016

Press release from Monmouth County Library

Registration for the Summer Reading Program at the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library begins this month for the sessions which run from June 1 through August, with a special accent on exciting programs and incentives for young readers.

Separate programs for pre-readers and school age children are offered, with age appropriate selections and reading goals for each age. The Read-to-Me program, geared to non-readers and preschoolers, encourages children to listen to stories. Children who “read” or listen to twenty or more stories which are logged onto a reading record are rewarded with fun prizes. There are additional prize incentives for those who exceed this goal. Children are invited to bring their relatives and friends to sit with them and enjoy the reading program.

The On Your Mark, Get Set…Read program is geared to independent readers through grade 5, and focuses on sports-themed messages and incentives during the program feature unique prizes from splat balls to paperback books. The Get in the Game program is for readers in grades 6 through 12, and encourages reading goals for the summer. Readers are invited to record the number of pages they have read each time they come to the library, with a goal of reading 800 pages during the summer months. All the recording of time, pages, and books is electronic, with readers setting up a log-in and keeping track on everything online.

May 23, 2016 - 5:00 am |

SHREWSBURY: BIG LAUNCH FOR LI’L TECHIES

Apr 13, 2016

Press release from Monmouth County Library

A new tech tool, Playaway Launchpad, has been introduced in the Children’s Department of the Monmouth County Library.

Available in all 13 library branches — including the Eastern Branch on Broad Street/ Route 35 in Shrewsbury — these child-friendly tablets are pre-loaded with ten high-quality, ad-free learning apps grouped by age and grade level. Each simple-to-use bright orange tablet has a 7-inch high-definition touch screen, and is durable enough to withstand heavy use by little hands. Each has a unique theme, which may include princesses, animals, dinosaurs, transportation, art and more, in subject areas that help build English language arts, math, and science skills.

April 13, 2016 - 5:00 am |

SHREWSBURY: TALKING OUTSIDE THE ZONE

Mar 7, 2016

Press release from the League of Women Voters of Greater Red Bank Area

LWV The topic is Your Comfort Zone — What Is It, and How Do You Get Out? — and the date is Wednesday, March 30, when the League of Women Voters of Greater Red Bank continues its interactive discussion on race relations in our age.

March 7, 2016 - 5:00 am |

SHREWSBURY: THE SUBJECT IS RACE

Nov 9, 2015

On Wednesday, December 9, the League of Women Voters of Greater Red Bank will present an interactive discussion about race relations in America today, with special guest panelist Gilda Rogers (pictured), co-founder of Citizens for a Free and Open Diverse Society. Scheduled for 7 pm at the Monmouth County Library on Route 35 in Shrewsbury, the all-welcome panel looks at racially based discrepancies on how the media describes events, and examines how our feelings, experiences and unconscious reactions affect how we relate to others. Contact madelyngail@gmail.com or call (732)895-3866 for additional information.

November 9, 2015 - 5:01 am |

SHREWSBURY: COUNTY NAMES LIBRARY CHIEF

Aug 19, 2015

In a meeting at the Monmouth County Library’s Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury, Judith Tolchin (third from left in front row) was named director of the library system by the members of the County Library Commission.

Press release from Monmouth County Library System

Judith Tolchin, Acting Director of the Monmouth County Library system since January, 2014 was appointed Library Director at the recent meeting of the County Library Commission, held at the Eastern Branch location in Shrewsbury.

Tolchin, who has been with the library system for 23 years, immediately outlined a vision and her plan of action and expectation for the coming years through a Powerpoint presentation, covering everything from the need and desire for facilities improvements to the headquarters in Manalapan, to grants, corporate sponsorships and other means to raise funds to supplement county taxes that finance the library system’s 13 branches and 14 member libraries.

August 19, 2015 - 6:01 am |

RED BANK’S FORTUNE PROJECT SPEAKS

Feb 12, 2015

The nonprofit that’s working to save the former home of T. Thomas Fortune hosts readings from the words of the pioneering African-American journalist, with events in Middletown, Red Bank, Shrewsbury and elsewhere.

As part of Black History Month and the National African-American Read-In, the not-for-profit T. Thomas Fortune House Project will host a series of readings from the works of the pioneering civil rights journalist – and onetime resident of Red Bank – T. Thomas Fortune.

Entitled “The People Speak: the Words of T. Thomas Fortune, ” the series includes public-welcome events at Middletown Township Public Library and Monmouth County Library Eastern Branch, in addition to a student-faculty fundraiser at Red Bank Middle School.

It’s the latest in an ongoing program designed to raise funds and awareness toward the effort to acquire, stabilize and restore the T. Thomas Fortune House, the National Historic Landmark at 94 Drs. James Parker Boulevard where the editor, publisher, poet, author and early civil rights activist resided from 1901-1908.

February 12, 2015 - 6:00 am |

SHREWSBURY: SAY CHEESE… AND MUSH!

Nov 11, 2014

Images of Alaska — and of the people and dogs who call it home — are on display at a reception for Little Silver lenswoman Kim Levin.

Animal lovers and book lovers from the greater Red Bank Green may already know Kim Levin as the Little Silver-based picture-book creator and self-styled “phoDOGrapher” whose many publication credits include Cattitude and Why We Love Dogs — and whose images have appeared worldwide on everything from calendars to cocktail napkins; in People magazine and Modern Dog; and on her own line of Molly & Fig greeting cards and gift items.

Back in June, the pet portraitist had the chance to indulge another passion, and spent her summer vacation traveling through Alaska, Vancouver and the Yukon. What she brought back were some stunning images of the Alaskan landscape, its people, and their state treasure: the iconic Huskies that run the 1,049-mile Iditarod race each winter.

November 11, 2014 - 6:15 am |

SHREWSBURY: HELP FOR SANDY-HIT LIBRARIES

Oct 6, 2014

The high-tech Digital Bookmobile visits the Monmouth County Library’s Eastern Branch on Tuesday, to provide outreach to residents of Sea Bright and other communities whose libraries were closed or displaced by Superstorm Sandy.

Nearly two years since Superstorm Sandy, several member branches in the Monmouth County system remain closed or displaced — including Sea Bright, where the library remains out of service after being devastated in October 2012. As a part of outreach efforts to those communities still recovering from the disaster, the DigitalBookmobile National Tour will visit the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library on Tuesday, October 7.

Housed inside an 18-wheel tractor-trailer — and operated by OverDrive, Inc. — the 74-foot community outreach vehicle is a high-tech update of the traditional bookmobile that has served communities for decades. The vehicle is equipped with broadband Internet-connected PCs, high definition monitors, premium sound systems, and a variety of portable media players, all of which help visitors explore their library’s digital service. Readers of all ages are welcome to this free event, and are encouraged to bring their electronic devices with them for download instructions and assistance.

October 6, 2014 - 12:00 pm |

SHREWSBURY: HELP FOR SANDY-HIT LIBRARIES

Sep 26, 2014

The high-tech Digital Bookmobile visits the Monmouth County Library’s Eastern Branch on October 7, to provide outreach to residents of Sea Bright and other communities whose libraries were closed or displaced by Superstorm Sandy.

Press release from Monmouth County Library

Nearly two years since Superstorm Sandy, several member branches in the Monmouth County system remain closed or displaced — including Sea Bright, where the library remains out of service after being devastated in October 2012. As a part of outreach efforts to those communities still recovering from the disaster, the DigitalBookmobile National Tour will visit the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library on Tuesday, October 7.

Housed inside an 18-wheel tractor-trailer, the 74-foot community outreach vehicle is a high-tech update of the traditional bookmobile that has served communities for decades. The vehicle is equipped with broadband Internet-connected PCs, high definition monitors, premium sound systems, and a variety of portable media players, all of which help visitors explore their library’s digital service.

September 26, 2014 - 6:00 am |

SHREWSBURY: A MARE IN THE SURF

Jul 2, 2014

The multi-dimensional works of Mare Akana are on display at the county library’s Eastern Branch, starting with a meet-the-artist reception on Thursday evening.

Depending on where and when you might have made her acquaintance, you’d recognize Mare Akana as, variously, a painter, a sculptor, a wearble-art or ceramics artisan. Perhaps as a card-carrying stage, screen and voice actor — a founding member of New Jersey Repertory Company, an occasional choreographer, a trained hula dancer in her Honolulu hometown. Given that the Long Branch resident is equally adept at canoeing and equestrian pursuits, you might say that her bailiwick is both the surf and the turf — and all this month at the Monmouth County Library Eastern Branch, the artist is the focus of a solo exhibit that could only be called “Surf and Turf.”

On view right now during regular library hours, the exhibit encompasses textured abstract paintings that evoke the bright colors and shapes of the Pacific Rim (“I crave those colors the way another person would seek out comfort food”); sculpted figures of life forms “from the sea or from other worlds;” hand-formed ceramics (often incorporating equine imagery), and sculptural jewelry items in clay and silver. There’s a lot of the artist on display already, and this Thursday evening, Akana herself will be there in person — as will “Laughing Pony” — for an opening reception meet-and-greet.

July 2, 2014 - 12:00 pm |

SHREWSBURY: RECONNECTING WITH BELL LABS

May 6, 2014

It was Standing Room Only, when Jon Gertner came to the Green for a presentation on his book THE IDEA FACTORY: BELL LABS AND THE GREAT AGE OF AMERICAN INNOVATION…and on May 7, the author returns for an encore. (File photo by Trish Russoniello)

In a 2012 feature that appeared here on redbankgreen, author Jon Gertner described Bell Labs as a facility that “operated like a national laboratory… a place that believed in the rich exchange of ideas.”

For his last appearance at a local library, the science, tech and business journalist found himself with an overflow crowd that forced a relocation to a municipal courthouse — where it was still an SRO affair. But then, Gertner’s The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation deals with some extraordinary subject matter — New Jersey’s (and Monmouth County’s) significant contributions to the ways in which information is collected, stored and transmitted in the 21st century, as well as Nobel-lauded work on the nature of the universe itself. And when the editor at Fast Company visits the Monmouth County Library Eastern Branch on Wednesday evening, he’s sure to draw some extraordinary attendees — many of them with a connection to a place of which Fair Haven’s own Bob Lucky was quoted as saying, “We had these people who were bigger than life back then…we don’t seem to have them anymore.”

May 6, 2014 - 12:00 pm |

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