SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

Source: brooklynpubliclibrary.org

Midwood’s Kings Highway Library (2115 Ocean Avenue) is Brooklyn’s busiest branch, thanks in a large part to its Russian-speaking clientele, according to a report by the New York Daily News.

The library’s position as Brooklyn’s number one hotspot for book worms is backed by some impressive numbers. They boast a yearly circulation of 1.3 million with 50,000 people enrolled in its various programs, many taking advantage of its free English-as-a-Second-Language classes.

The varied programs the library offers, ranging from a Russian-language computer class to an English conversation club, cater to the large immigrant community that keeps the establishment busy all day. The Daily News highlighted what attracts Russian immigrants to the branch:

“Russian people love to read,” said librarian Svetlana Dubinsky, noting their top picks are translations of Danielle Steele, Nora Roberts and Nicholas Sparks potboilers, and Cecelia Ahern romance novels. The classics are for youngsters.

“They come in with their grandkids and say, ‘I want my grandson to read Dostoyevsky because that’s what I read,’” she explained.

While the Russian speaking base makes up a large majority of the library’s patronage, they do a good job reaching out to all cultures. The immigrant friendly atmosphere have drawn in Ukrainians, Chinese and Mexicans, with their Chinese-language collection sporting high popularity.

The library has also become a valuable resource to immigrant moms looking to improve their English and provide a welcoming educational atmosphere for their children:

“I am trying to learn English by being at the library,” said Sumaira Bano, an Urdu speaker from Pakistan.

Ukrainian immigrant Lidiya Ilchuk, 32, brings daughter Sofiya, 6, for help with math and checks out books for the Public School 199 first-grader to read at home, two per day.

“This is her education,” the Midwood resident said.

Source: Ian Wilson/Flickr

As a child, you may remember visiting your local Brooklyn Public Library every week on “RIF Day.” You may recall the librarian with the glasses way down upon her nose stamping your “special card” each time you made a visit and showed her you library card. Every three times you made a trip down to the library on the day designated for RIF, you would receive a book free of charge.

Yet, very soon, your children and the next generation will not have the privilege to take part in this literacy nonprofit program. Due to a loss of federal funding, RIF programs at the Brooklyn Public Library are scheduled to end on August 31.

RIF, or “Reading is Fundamental,” the largest children’s literacy nonprofit in America, motivates children to read by presenting them with free books upon their visits to the library. The excitement of earning a new book free of charge excites kids and pushes them to read it. Furthermore, in order to participate in this program, children must visit the library often. Increased visits may push them to take out books and read more than they would have.

Over the past 35 years, the Brooklyn Public Library has given out over 1 million books to children and teenagers through RIF. Ending this program can promote illiteracy, especially amongst those who cannot afford to purchase books, which will be extremely detrimental to the future of the next generation. America cannot afford to fall behind anymore. Statistics currently show that 33 percent of fourth grade public school students are at or below the basic reading level. Putting an end to RIF may even make this worse.

You can help save this wonderful program. Just visit www.rif.org/advocate to urge your federal representative to continue RIF funding. All you have to do is fill out the form, and an automatic email will be sent to your representatives on your behalf. Don’t let RIF disappear!

Today is the first day of the Gerritsen Beach Library Book Sale. Help support the library and stock your shelves by picking up some “gently used and like-new books,” as well as DVD, VHS tapes (what are those?), and more. The sale is going on all weekend until Monday at 5:30 p.m. (UPDATED: The library is closed during the weekend thanks to budget cuts. The sale is today and Monday only. Apologies for any confusion.)

You can also buy a 50/50 raffle ticket for $1 each or six for $5. The drawing will be held Monday at 5:00 p.m.

The library is at 2808 Gerritsen Avenue and can be reached at (718) 368-1435.

View the event flier.

Some might consider this porn. Well, I wouldn't. But someone could, right? (Source: City Hall News)

State Senator Marty Golden doesn’t want you killing kittens with taxpayer dollars. Or making angels weep. And he certainly doesn’t want you going blind.

That’s why Golden is calling on the Brooklyn, Queens and New York Public Library systems to establish stronger policies to halt access to pornographic websites on public computers in library branches throughout the city.

“Allowing anyone to view pornographic materials on a public computer in one of our library branches here in Brooklyn, or anywhere else in New York City, is appalling,” Golden said in statement issued today. “Libraries are for the community to enrich their educational pursuits, not be a place to go so to download pornography. ”

What’s all the hubbub about? Keep reading.

The Brooklyn Public Library is now launching it’s third annual Support Our Shelves fundraiser, to try and reach its $500,000 goal to buy books and materials for its 60 libraries that are likely to undergo budget cuts.

According to a press release, Support Our Shelves is a four-month long campaign that runs from March 1 to June 30. The fundraiser will help buy books, DVDs, CDs, eBooks and other materials for the Brooklyn Public Library and is also designed to keep new books in the libraries.

There will also be a limited edition shirt on sale to raise even more money for the cause. “I Heart BPL” t-shirts will be available in March at all Brooklyn locations of Brooklyn Industries, as well as in their online store. Shirts are $20 each and all proceeds will benefit Support Our Shelves.

Donations can be made directly at local libraries, online or by phone at (718) 230-2738.

Brooklyn Public Library officials and Mayor Michael Bloomberg have struck a deal to maintain a minimum of five day service at all branches, narrowly escaping devastating cuts that would have shuttered branches and eliminated hours across the board.

[ABOVE: Watch BPL Representative Mel Henkle tell Community Board 15 about the new hours, and thank the community for its advocacy.]

In our neck of the woods, the compromise means that some of our libraries will lose Saturday service beginning July 10, including the Sheepshead Bay, Gravesend and Homecrest branches. Saturday service will be provided at the Kings Bay, Kings Highway and Brighton Beach branches, and the Kings Highway branch will also have summer Sunday hours.

See the new hours for all Sheepshead Bay area libraries.

From the Brooklyn Public Library:

Brooklyn Public Library is facing a potential budget cut that could devastate our ability to provide Brooklynites with the materials and services they need. Should this budget cut take effect, library service would be drastically cut, affecting everyone who relies on us.Visit our website to get the full scope of these cuts. And let your elected officials know that you support BPL by signing the petition at your local library.

Back in May, Sheepshead Bites spoke up about the importance of neighborhood libraries as the city considered cutting a whopping $17.5 million dollars from the Brooklyn Public Library system. If those cuts passed, it would have ushered in a layoff of one of every six employees, reduced operational hours of most branches to five hours a day, five days a week, and caused a drop in available book, audio and video resources.

Luckily, with your help and the aid of countless others, the Brooklyn Public Library was able to stave off such a severe threat to its existence for at least another budget cycle.

But now a $7 million budget shortfall looms, and the Brooklyn Public Library is rattling the tin cup towards patrons. In an e-mail alert, the library writes:
Continue Reading »

Tomorrow (December 12) the Sheepshead Bay Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library will be hosting music and poetry for your enjoyment! Yelena Litinskaya, Liana Alveradova, and Irina Aks will make you laugh with their humorous poems and Maksim Grachev will tug at your heart with opera arias and Russian romances!

The fun begins 2 p.m. at 2636 East 14th Street. Call (718) 368-1815 for more info.

Note: This event sounds like it will be a lot of fun — so much so, that we did this reminder post to make sure you don’t miss it!

Original post: Holiday Concert at BPL: Sheepshead Bay Branch

Your kids can have a little fun at the library that doesn’t involve books. This Thursday, December 17, 2009, there will be an arts and crafts session at the Homecrest branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.

Here are the details as we received them from the Media-Newswire:

Holiday Arts & Crafts for Kids
Brooklyn Public Library’s Homecrest branch, 2525 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn. Thursday, December 17, 4:00 PM. FREE

Call the library, which is located between Gravesend Neck Road and Avenue V, for details: (718) 382-5924