THE BOOKMARK

Events and Happenings at the Perth Amboy Free Public Library

VOL. 1, ISSUE 2
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Library Loves You Week!

C elebrating Thomas Mundy
Peterson
Perth Amboy is a
historic city of many
February is Libraries Love you month! We historic firsts. It was
love our patrons year-round in everything we the first town to ratify
do - helping them learn something new, find a the Bill of Rights. It
job, or give them a new book to enjoy. But we was the home of the
wanted to use February to show you our ap-
first professional play
preciation. In the second Stop by the library
to learn all about our new and upcoming ser-
staged in NJ, home to
vices, check out a free book and more. To the first American
show our appreciation stop by the library on Magazine publisher,
the days below to pick up an extra token of Samuel Neville and
our appreciation. site of the first air mail
delivery. One of those
Library Loves You Week Events most historic and yet
unknown firsts
2/13-2/18ALL WEEK FINE FREE! however is being the
Fines for overdue books are on us. Drop off your site of the first vote to
overdue materials and well let your late fees slide. ever be cast by an
Damaged and lost books are still subject to fines
African American
and fees.
under the 15th
Amendment.
2/14 LIBRARY VALENTINE GIVE
AWAY! On March 31, 1870, Thomas Mundy Peterson secured his place in
Stop in and accept our Valentine!
history by casting his vote in an election to amend Perth Amboys
existing charter. This vote was not his only mark of distinction.
2/18 FREE LOST CARD
REPLACEMENT. Following his vote, Peterson was chosen a member of a committee
Did you lose your library card? Well waive to revise the Perth Amboy City Charter. He was several times
the fee for you! elected delegate to Republican conventions and several times
served as a juror in the County Courtbecoming the Citys first
African American juror and first elected official.
(continued on page 2)
Library Hours Contact Us In this Issue
Mon: 9am-8pm African American Film Festival3
196 Jefferson Street Childrens Activities...4
Tue: 9am-8pm
Teen Tech Week...5
Wed: 9am-5pm Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
Tax Services..5
Thu: 9am-8pm P: 732.826.2600 Stress Management Event..6
Fri: 9am-5pm F:732-324-8079 Volunteer Opportunities...6

Sat: 9am-4pm library2@perthamboynj.org New and Coming Books .7

Community Calendar...8
Sun: Closed
 PAGE 2

(continued from page 1) March 31st is Historian Gordon Bond Presenting Citizen
known as Thomas Mundy Peterson Day in Peterson Talk on Anniversary of Thomas Mundy
New Jersey. The Perth Amboy Free Public
Library will be celebrating the occasion all Petersons Historic Vote
day. Drop in to get your own replica of
Petersons Medal to wear in honor of this Friday, March 31, 2017 @
event. Later at 7pm stop in for Citizen 7:00 p.m.
Peterson: How Thomas Mundy Peterson Perth Amboy Free Public
Made the Most of His Historic Vote a lec-
ture by historian Gordon Bond. Light re- Library
freshments will be available. Friday, Febru-
ary 24th, the Academy for Urban Leader- March 31st will be the
ship Charter School will be host a play
called Casting my Ballot of Liberty, detail- 147th anniversary of
ing Petersons simple act and political evo- Thomas Mundy Peterson
lution. becoming the first African-
Additionally, various organizations are tire- American to cast a vote
lessly to ensure proper recognition is given under the 1870 Fifteenth
to Peterson and commemorate his contri- Amendment to the U.S.
butions to both Perth Amboy and American
History. For more information on these ef- Constitution:
forts and how you can participate please
contact Ms. Anna Daily at (732) 697-1296.
The right of citizens of the
United States to vote shall
not be denied or abridged
by the United States or by
any State on account of
race, color, or previous
Courtesy Gordon Bond
condition of servitude.

Perth Amboy has long

GORDON BOND
Photo: Courtesy Gordon Bond
Gordon Bond is a the Founder and ePublisher of
Garden State Legacy, a free online quarterly
magazine and resources website dedicated to
New Jersey history. He has written numerous
articles for GSL as well as four New Jersey histo-
ry books. He is presently finishing a book about
the 1951 Woodbridge train wreck, which will be
published this coming spring.
Bond is also researching the 1926 Carteret race
riot as well as the life of the Rev. Hannibal Good-
win, who invented roll photographic film in New-
ark. He and his wife, architectural historian and
preservationist Stephanie Hoagland, have been
studying New Jerseys folk grave marker tradi-
tion.
Bond works as a freelance graphic designer. He
and his wife live in Newarks Forest Hill historic
district with their two cats.
taken pride in Peterson
and his place in Civil
Rights history. After
casting his vote, he could have disappeared into history. Yet
instead, he fully embraced civic life as a citizen. How Peterson
took advantage of this new opportunity is an aspect of the story
that few know about.
New Jersey historian, author, and lecturer, Gordon Bond, will be
exploring this aspect in his presentation, Citizen Peterson: How
Thomas Mundy Peterson Made the Most of His Historic Vote. He
will be talking specifically about how his original research revealed
some of Petersons forgotten participation in Perth Amboy,
Middlesex County, and State politics.
Bond will also provide an update on the release of a pamphlet
about Peterson he is writing for the Middlesex County Cultural and
Heritage Commission that will be made available free of charge
later this year.
 PAGE 3
Program and Events
At the Perth Amboy Free Public Library, the
accomplishments and contributions African Americans
have made in America's history should be celebrated
everyday. African-American History month is the national
annual celebration of the myriad of these achievements
and a time where we nationally recognize the central role
African-Americans in United States History. This year the
library celebrates this month with our different displays and
exhibits. We have books detailing African-American history
throughout the United States, books specifically about
African-Americans in New Jersey and an exhibit on the
Underground Railroad. The library will also be hosting an
African American Film Festival. The
schedule is as follows. Light refreshments
will be served. All movies run from 6pm
8pm.
2/02Selma: A chronicle of Martin
Luther King's campaign to secure equal
voting rights via an epic march
from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.
2/09 African Americans Many Rivers to Cross: award-
winning six-part Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) public
television series written and presented by Harvard
University scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
02/16 Malcom X: Biographical epic of the
controversial and influential Black Nationalist
leader, from his early life and career as a
small-time gangster, to his ministry as a
member of the Nation of Islam
02/23 Black in Latin America: Haiti & The
Dominican Republic An Island Divided: series explores
race and identity in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
get social!
instagram.com/perthamboypl
facebook.com/
perthamboyfreepubliclibrary
twitter.com/perthamboypl
PERTH AMBOY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
7TH and 8TH Grade Solar Energy Project
With their technology teacher, Mrs. Aneck Sanchez-
Gomez, the PACS students learned about solar pow-
er as a reliable source of energy. They learned that
solar power is an efficient, eco-friendly and an alter-
native to using expensive and limited re-
sources. Students realized the importance of
emerging alternative product options that can run on
solar energy. The project resonates with PACS stu-
dents as they acknowledge the need for additional
research and investment on different types of photo-
voltaic materials.
PACS students designed and constructed mock pro-
totypes products used in our environment and in the
home. The prototypes included a solar oven, a solar
panel bus stops to keep the commuters warm with
incorporated device recharging connector. and Ro-
bots that run on solar energy to handle construction
and repetitive tasks. Others ideas were related to
enhanced product models such as sun-powered bat-
teries, iPhone, laptops, planes, cars, trucks, boats,
coffee mugs, lawn mowers and even solar cones to
provide light and a better view for drivers.
Students projects were designed and constructed
using simple recycled materials found in the home. It
included cardboard boxes, plastic toys, wood, alumi-
num foil, plastic wrap, tape, Legos and whatever the
mind inspired.
Although the solar market is slowly in acceptance of
solar power today, PACS students learned to pro-
mote solar energy to improve our environment and
the many products in use today.
PACS students are the extraordinary minds of future
inventors and innovators
The prototypes are currently on display at the library
for the entire month of February.
 PAGE 4

Childrens Room Activities

Adults must accompany children to
C elebration of Black History

events and activities in the Childrens

Room
-February-
Black History Month Game
Win Free books while playing our Black
History Month Game, which prompts chil-
dren to learn about famous African Amer-
icans.

Valentines Craft
Make your valentine a swank beaded
gift.
Chinese New Year Egg Game
Celebrate the year of the rooster! Play
our fun egg game and win a free book!
Saturday, February 18th from 12:00pm to 2pm The Friends of the
Library will be hosting a celebration of African-American History with
an afternoon full of African storytelling, Percussions, Games, Dance
and Arts and Crafts. Joycelyn Gumbs Alsup will be presenting! Join
us for this wonderful celebration!

-March-
Womens History Month Game
Celebrate the beloved Childhood bear,
play out honey game and win a free book
to keep.
Deaf History Month!
Learn how to Sign! We have lots of
books to help you learn, get a free copy
of the Sign Language Alphabet.
Celebrate Hyman Lipman!
Stop in the library and get a free pencil
as we celebrate the birthday of the man
who invented a pencil with an eraser!
A cclaimed
Childrens
Author, Artie
Bennett is coming
to the Perth Amboy
Free Public Library!
Thanks to the Friends of the Perth
Amboy Free Public Library, Artie
Bennett, the Dr. Seuss of your Caboose and author of recent of
Poopendous, The Butt Book and Peter Panda Melts Down will return
to the library for a special Read Across America story time and
merriment galore! Be sure to join us on
Saturday March 4 at 11:00am!

Poison Control Month

See Miss Mel for info on how to prevent
accidental poisoning and what you can
do to prevent danger!
PAGE 5

Tax Resources
Teen Tech Week

Looking to get your taxes done, the libray still

has a few remaining dates for free tax service!
Available dates still include February 25th,
March 11th and 25th! Call the library to sched-
Teen Tech Week is when libraries make the time to showcase all of ule an appointment! If you cannot make an
the great digital resources and services that are available to help teens appointment at the library, the Jewish Renais-
sance Center also offers Free Tax Filing every
succeed in school and prepare for college and 21st century careers.
Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from
At the Perth Amboy Free Public Library, we would like to engage with 10am3pm starting February 6April 15th.
our teens and showcase our services through a variety of programs. Appointments can be made by calling them at
Join us at the library to learn to code, and how to properly conduct re- 732.638.5063
search and take full advantage of all of the librarys resources. Teen
tech week events are available for all children ages 13-18. Registra- Prefer to do it yourself?
tion is required. For our coding events a maximum of 12 people are The library has free copies of 1040, 1040A
allowed. and 1040EZ forms and instructions. If you
need an additional form, library staff will be
Become a Research Virtuoso. Tired of hearing happy to assist you in getting them.
about fake news, dont know where to look for your
next research project or how to even make up a theme.
Fear not! Stop by the library on the following dates and The Library also has a number of resources to
learn all the tricks and tips from your librarian. Ses- help you get through your copy. The following
sions are available Monday 3/6 and Thursday 3/9 from are available at the library, or through Hoopla,
3:004:00pm. our digital content service. Patrons can stop in
to pick up the titles and more to fulfill their tax
needs:
J.K. Lassers Your Income
Learn to code, using Bloxels and build a Tax Guide Available in
game! With this hands on platform, teens Print at the Library. Ameri-
can build collaborate and tell stories
ca's most trusted tax advice
through video game creation. Stop by the
library and get creative on Tuesday and to work to help you with your
Thursday, March 7th & 9th 3:00400pm 2016 tax return
Wednesday and Friday, March 8th &
10th 2:303:30pm. Understanding Taxes Linda Crotta Bren-
nan Have you ever wondered
A Friendship bracelet for the Smartphone era. why you pay taxes on some
Jewelbots are programmable friendship
things but not others? This
bracelets that teach the basics of coding. An
open-source wearable for teens! Stop by the book introduces readers to tax
library to pick up and learn to program a de- -paying. Real world examples
vice that will alert you when friends are near help readers learn the im-
by, send secret messages and more! Tuesday portance of math skills for
and Thursday, March 7th & 9th 4:30 money management. Available through our
5:30pm Wednesday and Friday, March 8th Hoopla Digital Service.
& 10th 4:005:00pm.
 PAGE 6

Stress Management
Volunteer Opportunities

You Can Make A Difference!

Is stress negatively impacting your life? Stop by

the Library on Februrary 7th at 6pm for a presen-
tation on Stress Management from Horizon Blue
Cross Blue Shield.

Las Comardes and Friends
National Latino Book Club
February / March Books
Love Field By Virginia
Alanis
This is an outstanding novel
about Laura Cano, a Mexican-
American teenager living in
Dallas in the mid-1980s. It
chronicles her struggles to
endure in a difficult and alien
world, caught between the
past and uncertain but promis-
ing future
12 Random Words / 12
Palabras al Azar: A Bilin-
gual Collection
by Fabiana Elisa Martinez
Cinematic. International. Clev-
er. Lyrical. Moving. Wondrous.
And magical.
Imagine if you couldnt read a prescription, job application, bedtime
story or ballot?
About thirty million adults - 14% of the nations population- lack basic
prose literacy skills. This includes being unable to negotiate everyday
tasks such as signing a form, adding numbers for a bank deposit slip,
or reading instructions on how to prepare for a medical test. In New
Jersey, 17% of the adult population was found to lack these basic
literacy skills.
You can make a difference! Contact Literacy NJ and become a
volunteer literacy tutor and help adults improve their reading, writing or
English skills. Sign up now for their next tutor training class!
Thursdays: 5:30pm - 8:30 pm on 5/4, 5/11, 5/18, & 5/25.
Woodbridge Public Library, 1 George Frederick Plaza,
Woodbridge, NJ 07095 T o register: contact Melissa Bernstein at
mbernstein@literacynj.org or 732-906-5456.
Calling All High School Students !

Self Made
by Nely Galn
Self Made teaches women to
unleash their spark and hustle.
Nely inspires readers to use
what they have to get what
they want on their path to
becoming self-made. Would you like to be a leader in your community? If so, join the Perth Amboy
Youth Alliance!

The Mother God Made The Youth Alliance is a fun and innovative way to learn new skills, meet new
people and become empowered to create change in our community and
Me to Be
schools.
by Karen Valentin
tugs at the reader's heart with Get involved, serve your community, build leadership and academic skills all
vivid details of the joy of moth- while having a great time.
erhood, the struggles of ro-
mance, and the disappoint- Meetings are help Wednesdays bi-weekly from 6:00pm8:00pm at the
ments of life. Brighton Avenue Community Center. For more information, contact Isamar
Payano at ipayano@perthamboynj.org or 732-826--1690 ext. 4305
PAGE 7
New and Coming Releases
Hidden Figures: The American
Dream and the Untold Story of the
Black Women Mathematicians Who
Helped Win the Space Race by
Margot Lee Shetterly
The phenomenal true story of the black
female mathematicians at
NASA whose calculations helped fuel
some of Americas greatest achieve-
ments in space. Look for it in English
and Spanish. Disponible en espaol!
Human Acts by Han Kang
In the midst of a violent student
uprising in South Korea, a young
boy named Dong-ho is shockingly
killed.
The story of this tragic epi-
sode unfolds in a sequence of inter-
connected chapters as the victims
and the bereaved encounter sup-
pression, denial, and the echoing
agony of the massacre.
Never Never by James Patterson
Never Never is an edge-of-your-
seat thrill ride with enough intrigue
and suspense to keep you guess-
ing until the final page. You'll never
be able to put it down.
Cincuenta sombras ms oscu-
ras: by E.L. James
Intimidada por las peculiares prcti-
cas erticas y los oscuros secretos
del atractivo y atormentado empre-
sario Christian Grey, la joven Ana-
stasia Steele decide romper con l.
Pero el deseo por Christian todava
domina cada uno de sus pensam-
ientos y, cuando finalmente l le
propone retomar su aventura, Ana
no puede resistirse
Norse Mythology by Neil
Gaiman.
Introducing an instant classic
master storyteller Neil Gaiman
presents a dazzling version of the
great Norse myths.
The Blood of Emmett Till by
by Timothy B. Tyson
ith rare immediacy, Tyson (Blood
Done Sign My Name) revisits the
1955 lynching of Emmett Till in
Mississippi and the acquittal of
those responsible in a gripping
account of the cultural milieu of a
racist environment.
Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner
Bestseller Gardners edge-of-your-
seat thriller brings back law-
enforcement couple Pierce Quincy
and Rainie Conner, last seen in
2008s Say Goodbye. Quincy, a
retired FBI agent, and Conner, an
investigative consultant for the
Bakersville County (Ore.) sheriffs
department, have been fostering 13
-year-old Sharlah for three years
and want to adopt her.
Jenni: su verdadero nombre era
Dolores by Pete Salgado
La historia jams contada del cono
musical, Jenni Rivera, relatada a
travs de la perspectiva de dos
exmnagers, Pete Salgado y Ga-
briel Vazquez, y es la base para la
serie de televisin que se trans-
mitir en Univision. Disponible en el
Marzo.
PAGE 8

New and Coming Childrens Books

Pete the Cat and the Miss- Robot Revolution (House

ing Cupcakes by James
Dean
Pete's back, this time in a
rhyming counting book that has
the cat and his platypus buddy,
Gus, solving a mystery: Who's
taking the cupcakes for the
party?
of Robots Series #3)
by James Patterson
Robots on strike! Sammy's
underappreciated mechani-
cal helpers are causing cha-
os in book 3 of the bestsel-
ling House of Robots series.

Eva y Beba y el fantas-

Big Nate: What's a Little
Noogie Between Friends? ma del bao de chicas
by Annie Barrows
by Lincoln Peirce
Hay un fantasma en el bao
Big Nate is in a class by
de las chicas del colegio!
himself. This feisty 11-year-
Eva y Beba han visor su
old holds the school record
dorma de nube y sus ojos
for detentions, but that
brillantes. y han oido sus
doesn't stop him from
lamentos.
dreaming big!

Slappy Birthday to You

(Goosebumps Slap-
pyWorld Series #1) by
Fancy Nancy: Nancy
R.L. Stine
Clancy, Late-Breaking The evil dummy comes to
News! life to tell his own twisted
by Jane O'Connor, tales and scary stories!
Nancy Clancy is working to
be the star reporter of
the Third Grade Gazette
thats a fancy word for
newspaper.

Fantasmas by Raina Telgemeier

Diaro de Greg # 9: El ar-
Catrina y su familia se mudan a la
duo viaje by Jeff Kinney
costa norte de California porque la
A family road trip is sup-
hermana de Catrina est enferma.
posed to be a lot of fun . . .
Una vez en su nuevo hogar, un
unless, of course, you're the
vecino les cuenta a las chicas un
Heffleys.
secreto: Hay fantasmas en Baha
de la Luna!
 PAGE 9

. Community Events Fun and Games

February Find the Difference
Can you spot the 10 differences in these pictures?
2/10 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Cook, Eat, Meditate
Science of Spirituality
2/11 @ 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Teen Night
Olive Street
2/13 @ 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Red Group Art Show Opening Reception
Perth Amboy Gallery Center for the Arts
2/17 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
4th Annual African American History Month Cel-
ebration
PRAHD 100 First Street
2/18 @ 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Community Yard Sale
Raritan Bay YMCA
2/18 @ 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Teen Night
Raritan Bay YMCA
2/24 @ 7:00 pm
Casting my Ballot for Liberty Play
Academy for Urban Leadership Charter
2/25 @ 11:00 am
Dominican Independence Celebration
E.J. Patten School Horoscopes
2/25 @ 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm
ARIES: You can finally put whatever LIBRA: If you're into writing, this is the
Teen Night
has been bothering you lately on the back perfect time to sit down and churn out the
Raritan Bay YMCA
burner and spend the next few days walk- words. Stop by the library to get the re-
2/26 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm ing on air -- or reading a new book. sources you need for your masterpiece.
Open House
Proprietary House TAURUS: You've just about had it with SCORPIO: . Do you have some paper-
putting your nose to the grindstone, take a work regarding money that you've been
much deserved break and escape into a putting off, Scorpio? Dont delay any long-
March Scifi book, or stop by the library during our er, call the library to get your taxes done
3/4 @ 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm Stress Management Event. for free.
Teen Night GEMINI: Expect to have a highly inter- SAGITTARIUS: You want a meeting of
Raritan Bay YMCA esting conversations that spark your curi- the minds -- and the souls and the hearts,
3/11 @ 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm osity. Learn more about the information too -- and you won't stop until you get it.
Teen Night you were provided by using the librarys Dive into the 5 Languages of Love to nail
Raritan Bay YMCA resources. down exactly what you want.
3/15 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm CANCER: Youll wonder if emotions CAPRICORN: You've often been de-
Arts Incubator Workshop are all that make us human. Dive into scribed as the family historian, and while
Perth Amboy Gallery Center for the Arts Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind it's a title you love, it's also one you richly
3/16 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm by Yuval Noah Harari to quench your deserve. Finish working on that family
Rain Barrel Giveaway curiosity. tree by using the Librarys genealogy re-
Olive Street sources.
3/24 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
LEO: Research cultural events like AQUARIUS: You're a big fan of blunt
Basketball Against Drugs & Alcohol
poetry readings and live music. Check out honesty and the naked truth. Picking up
Perth Amboy High School
the latest music on Hoopla or pop into the some nonfiction will give you some much
3/25 @ 12:00 pm 811s to spark your muse. needed realness.
Community Garden Planting
Brighton Avenue Community Center VIRGO: Take advantage of your low- PISCES: Social events or group activi-
ered inhibitions and ask the object of your ties could prove more stimulating than
3/26 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
affections to be your Valentine. Get some usual. Take full advantage of all the Li-
Open House
inspiration from Sylvia Day or Zane. brary and Community programs you can!