C J R L C  UPDATE

   It started with the idea of Renee Swartz, Chair of New Jersey Center for the Book. She chose Molly’s Pilgrim by New Jersey author Barbara Cohen as the character to highlight at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC in October. Matawan Aberdeen Media specialist Susan Rardin got her school involved in making clothespin dolls to represent modern day pilgrims. Each participant decorated a clothespin doll and wrote a paragraph describing the doll’s immigrant experience.

   The project was so successful that it is being continued through this school year. Each library is welcome to participate by buying some wooden clothespins, distributing them with the directions which can be downloaded from the NJ Center for the Book website, and mailing the dolls to Susan Rardin, Ravine Drive School, Ravine Drive, Aberdeen, NJ 07747.

   The culmination of the program is expected to be a reception at the Governor’s Mansion in May, where all the dolls will be displayed with their stories.

   More information about NJ Center for the Book activities may be found on the web at http://scils.rutgers.edu/~njcfb/ The link is there also for Library of Congress’ national contest, Letters About Literature. New Jersey prizes will be awarded in three categories. The deadline is December 7.

   Some books just appeal to a wide range of readers — witness these titles, annotated below, that are challenging reads for senior high school students, as well as appealing to the adult genre reader:

Alexander, Bruce. An Experiment in Treason: A Sir John Fielding Mystery. Putnam, 2002. 0-399-14923-6.
This English mystery series has a famous historical character, Sir John Fielding, a blind magistrate of 18th century London, and a fictional teen narrator, Jeremy Proctor. The crimes in this case are theft and murder and involve Benjamin Franklin and the American colonies. The ninth in the series, mystery aficionados may want to start at the beginning with Blind Justice, which established Jeremy and Sir John’s relationship. The writing is dense and filled with people and places of the times, including Samuel Johnson and the infamous Bow Street Runners.

   CJRLC is a supplier for the NJLA gift shop. In addition to the literary watches ($39.25), and the two afghans (Frederick the Literate Cat and the BookShelf, $47.75 each), we now have book pillows (14”x12”x4”) for $24 each. Six titles are: Tom Sawyer in green; The Raven, War and Peace and Great Expectations in black; Romeo and Juliet in maroon; and Little Women in dark blue. All the lettering is in gold. Two of the pillows currently decorate the couch in the CJRLC office.
   Shipping charges apply unless you pick up your order or we get it to you some other way. Contact Carol for more information.

   At their closing program on November 13, the 2002 Emerging Leaders gave NJLA a check for $500 toward the program next year, in appreciation for their experiences. They also gave Connie Paul a kit so she can learn to juggle. Stay tuned for progress reports…

   Congratulations to QandAnj, the online anytime reference program managed by SJRLC, which celebrated it’s First Birthday in October!