Staff Picks

Picnic Like It’s 1928!

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Green grass, blooming buds, and sunny skies all make us want to get outside and savor every minute.  In the Archives, the budding season makes us look at old treasures with new eyes.  This week, a 1928 cookbook compiled by Christ Church Parish Helpers made me wonder what tasty treats might make a perfect step-back-in-time picnic. Here’s a selection of some of the most seasonally appropriate offerings for an outing.  See if anything strikes your fancy and let us know how they turn out (we’d be happy to taste test samples!)   And while we’re on the subject, what are some …

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Watch this film!

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Return of the Secaucus Seven was released to the theaters in 1980. Robert Horton reviews the movie for amazon.com: “John Sayles began his commendable directing career with this terrific portrait of 1960s counterculture survivors, now teetering on the brink of turning 30. A homegrown movie all the way, Return of the Secaucus Seven was made for around $60,000 of Sayles’s own money (earned writing horror pictures such as Piranha). An effortlessly funny and thoughtful ensemble piece, Secaucus unmistakably provided the template for the bigger-budgeted The Big Chill: old friends reunite for a weekend to sort through fond memories, old resentments, …

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Women’s History Month

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March is a month of many things, one of which is Women’s History Month. With it being an election year, it’s a great time to delve more into the area. Gardiner Public Library has some great selections in women’s history. Following are some interesting examples you may want to check out: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony : a friendship that changed the world / Penny Colman. YA Nonfiction A dual biography of the lives of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony and the friendship that they formed.   The boundaries of her body : the troubling history of women’s …

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Academy Awards

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As we gear up for the 2016 Academy Awards this weekend, let’s look back at who won the awards 70 years ago in 1947.  Have these winners held the worth of the award throughout the years?    Check them out from the Gardiner Public Library and see for yourself why they were the winners. Best Picture:  The Best Years of Our Lives Best Director:  William Wyler, The Best Years of Our Lives Best Actor:  Fredric March, The Best Years of Our Lives Best Actress:  Olivia de Havilland, To Each His Own Best Supporting Actor:  Harold Russell, The Best Years of Our …

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Happy Valentine’s Day

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If you’d like the history of the holiday, there are several good books in our children’s room that do a good job of presenting the information. In addition, there are some crafty books for kids to make cute Valentine crafts. You’ll also find a nice assortment of fun Valentine fiction books. For your perusal, the following is just a smattering of what we have to offer. Valentine Be Mine by Jacqueline Farmer Presents the history of Valentine’s Day, as well as its past and present traditions; Juvenile Nonfiction     Hearts, Cupids, and Red Roses    The story of Valentine symbols; …

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New Year, New You

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This time of year we hear a lot about resolutions. We mean well when we resolve to do better, but often it’s not long before we abandon our plans.  This is usually because we set our expectations too high; as a result, we are hard on ourselves for not following through… Some things we could probably all resolve to do (without causing stress in the process): move more, eat healthier, and of course, read more! Whatever your new year’s resolutions are this year, remember that the public library is a wonderful resource for you. Whether you want to lose weight, …

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