Happy Holidays!

In observance of Christmas and New Year's, the Library will be closed on December 24, 25, and 26, and then on December 31, January 1 and 2.  Please see the calendar on our website for more details.  Happy holidays to all our patrons!

Jack Becker

We are saddened by the loss of our friend and trustee, Jack Becker, who devoted so much of his time into making Stratford Public Library a community resource.  Relatives and friends are invited to attend his visitation with the family on Friday evening, from 6 to 8pm, at Eugene J. Zale Funeral Home, 712 N. White Horse Pike, Stratford NJ.  Funeral mass will be held at 10am on Saturday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish and Shrine, St. Luke's Church, 55 Warwick Rd.  Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park, Hurfville NJ. 

Jack will be deeply missed by his friends and colleagues at the Library and throughout the Boro.  May the Lord rest his soul.  

Upcoming events!

Thursday, December 3, @ 6:30PM: PHILADELPHIA IN THE CIVIL WAR.
A presentation by Dr. James Paradis, noted author and lecturer on topics related to the Civil War.  Dr. Paradis teaches at Doane Academy (NJ) and Arcadia University (Glenside PA).  He has written two books about the role of African-Americans in the battles of the Civil War.  

Friday, December 4 @ 6PM: Santa comes to the library!
Santa will be available to hear your Christmas wishes and pose for pictures.


Monday December 7, @ 6:30PM: Author Visit: PATTI SHEEHY & FRANK MEDEROS
The Boy Who Said No received the Benjamin Franklin Gold Award and was a finalist for the 2013 Best Book Award and the ForeWord 2013 Best Books of the Year Award.  The novel chronicles the life of Frank Mederos, who grew up in Cuba, defected from Castro's Special Forces, and escaped the country by boat.  Patti Sheehy, author of and Stalked, will discuss her books.  She will be joined by Frank Mederos, whose incredible life story served as the inspiration for her novels.

Our Halloween party was quite a treat!

We had a wonderful time at our annual Halloween party on Thursday, October 29.  There were treats for all, prizes for the best costumes, stories, and entertainment provided by South Jersey Magic. Thanks to all the kids and parents who joined us for our celebration!  It was great to see everyone all dressed up and ready for a fun Halloween! 

Saturday, Oct. 24: Library Closed for Fall Festival

The Library will be closed on Saturday, October 24, because of the Fall Festival.  Please visit our table at the festival.  We will have some books to give away as well, so stop by and say hello!

Starting November 3: Chair Yoga!

Chair Yoga returns starting Tuesday, November 3, and continuing every Tuesday during November, at 1PM!  Please register for this free class.

Register now for our Halloween Party!

Stratford Library's 2nd Annual Halloween party is scheduled for Thursday, October 29 @ 6PM.  Join us for spooky stories, delicious treats, and the return of the Combs Family Magic Show!  We will have prizes for the best costumes.  Please contact the library to register for this free event.

November: the return of Computer Classes @ Stratford Library

Library staff will be offering introductory computer classes for adults, starting November 12.

• Thursday, November 12 @ 1PM: Introduction to Using Computers ("easy pace"), for those who wish to start at the very beginning.
• Friday, November 20 @ 1PM: Let's email!  We will help you get started with email, including tips on creating an account with free online web-based email providers.
• Friday December 4 @ 1PM: Introduction to Microsoft Word.  Learn how to use one of the most popular word processing programs, using Word 2010 as installed on our computers.  This class assumes no prior experience with Word.

Please contact the library if you would like to register for all or any of these classes.
(Please note that each class will go forward only if we have a minimum of 2 students registered.)

Friday, Oct. 23: Maria Liberati returns to Stratford Library!

Join us on Friday, October 23, at 2PM, as celebrity chef Maria Liberati returns with a delightful presentation on Italian holiday cooking.  This program is free, but registration is required--please contact the library to sign up.  Call us at (856) 783-0602, or visit the circulation desk.

In preparation for the Stratford Fall Festival ...

The library will accept limited book donations during the month of September.  These books will be given away to the community at the library's table during the Fall Festival on October 3.  We ask that books be in good to very good condition.  Thank you for your generosity.

Mark your calendars! Adult programs in September target health

Friday, September 18, at 11AM:  Medicare & You
Do you have questions about how Medicare works? This educational seminar will help you understand the program.

Friday September 18, at 11AM: Free Blood Pressure Monitoring with visiting nurse, Kim Berdine, LPN.

Thursday, September 24, at 2PM: A Lesson in Sleep: the Good, the Bad and the Sleep-Deprived
A seminar conducted by Edwin C. Frost, R.R.T, discussing the importance of sleep, potential sleep disorders, and the options for remedying sleep problems.

Mark your calendars! Storytime returns on Monday, Sept. 14 at 6:30PM

Beginning Monday, September 14, 2015, at 6:30PM, our Autumn Storytime session returns!  Our story hours are aimed at ages 3 to 6.  Please feel free to contact the library with any questions about the program's activities or content.  See the calendar on this page for the dates for this session.  Registration is required for this free program. Call the library at (856) 783-0602 or send an email. 

Friday, August 21: Blood Pressure Monitoring

Mark your calendars:  At 11AM on the third Friday of every month, visiting nurse Kim Berdine, LPN, will offer FREE blood pressure monitoring.  The first visit is Friday, August 21 at 11AM.

July 23 @ 6PM: Coffee House Concert with R.G. Evans

Join us for coffee house concert with singer, guitarist, composer, & poet R. G. Evans who will perform his original songs at the library on Thursday, July 23^rd at 6pm. Evans composed the music and theme song, “The Crows of Paterson,” for What Lies Between, a documentary film on the New Jersey poet Maria Mazziotti Gillan. Apart from his performances at musical venues throughout the New Jersey area, Evans is a published poet whose work has appeared in literary journals such as Rattle and the Paterson Literary Review. His first book, Overtipping the Ferryman, won the 2014 Aldrich Press Poetry Award, and he currently teaches high school and college English and Creative Writing.

Please contact the library to register for this free event.  Call (8560 783-0602 or email library@stratfordnj.org.

Tuesday, July 14 @ 1PM: Book Cafe takes on To Kill a Mockingbird

The monthly Book Cafe group usually discusses a variety of books.  This month, however, the group has decided they want to prepare for the coming publication of Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman by re-reading and discussing To Kill a Mockingbird.  All are welcome to join us for what we expect to be a lively discussion!  If you are interested, please contact the library so that we will have enough refreshments available.

Friday, July 3: Library Closed in Observance of Independence Day

Friday, July 10: Raptors & Reptiles at the Library!

Mark your calendars!  The naturalists of Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge are going to be our superheroes of the day on July 10, as they join us at the library for a presentation on Raptors & Reptiles. Please contact the library to register for this exciting free event, which is being presented as part of the Summer Reading Program! The library offers its warmest thanks to the Schwartz family for sponsoring this visit.

Ready, set READ!

The Summer Reading program has begun!  Stop by the library to pick up your Reading Log to track your reading.  For every 15 minutes of reading, you get a chance to win a prize.  We have free books and tickets to places like Sahara Sam's and the Philadelphia Zoo, and there will be winners every week, so get started!

Like us on Facebook and follow that page for reminders about Summer Reading events.

Next event:  Camp out on the floor on Monday 6/29 at 6:30pm for a showing of "Despicable Me."

Summer Reading is Coming Soon!

Calling all readers, age 5 to 12!  Join us for our Summer Reading program from June 26th through July 31. We have some fun plans to turn YOU into a Reading Hero this year:

• Keep track of the time you spend reading for chances to win fun prizes, like tickets to Sahara Sam's, Clementon Park, the Philadelphia Zoo and more.  The more you read, the more chances you get to win.  We will choose a name EVERY WEEK!
• Fridays are HERO days, as we have special heroic activities from 11AM to 12:30PM. Themes include: Superhero Training Camp, Wildlife/Environmental Heroes, Real-Life Heroes, Heroes for my Country, and the Hero in All of Us.
• Monday Evening Movie Features: Bring your sleeping bag, pillow and even come in your PJs and sack out on our floor for a Superhero Movie of the Week. (Note for Parents: depending on the interest we receive, we are planning to show G or PG movies, such as Megamind, Despicable Me, The Incredibles, G-Force, Sky High, Sky Kids, Fantastic Four, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (original--1990).

Stop in all month to tell us about your reading and see what contests we may have going on. Capture supervillains on the loose in the library, or show us superhero trivia knowledge.

Please contact the library at (856) 783-0602 or email libraryasstdirector@stratfordnj.org to register for Summer Reading.  

Cooking at the Lib returns June 11th!

Join us, Thursday, June 11 at 2PM, for a delightful class in Italian cooking with this dynamic chef!  Ms. Liberati is the author of a series of books on Italian culinary arts, wine & culture, director of a culinary school in Italy, and soon will host a PBS TV series based on her books and blog. You can learn more about her at her website.

The class is free, but space is limited.  Please register at the circulation desk, or call (856) 783-0602.

May 30: Presentation on the Life of Mary Shelley

Join us for a presentation by L.J. Moran, author and instructor at Camden County College, on the Life of Mary Shelley. Did you know that Ms. Shelley wrote her classic Gothic masterpiece, Frankenstein, at the age of 19?  We are excited to hear Ms. Moran's presentation and learn more about this interesting author.

This event is free, but please register at the library circulation desk, or by calling (856) 783-0602.

Mark your calendars!

The next month is going to be fun at the library!  Watch for the following free events, all of which can be seen on our calendar, and please make plans to join us!

Saturday, May 30 @ 2 PM - Presentation on the life of Mary Shelley with author L.J. Moran
Monday, June 1 @ 6:30PM - Scrabble Night!
Thursday, June 11 @ 2PM - Cooking at the Lib with celebrity Chef Maria Liberati.

Watch for announcements coming soon about our Summer Reading Program, which will run between Friday, June 26 and Friday, July 31. 

May 12: Smoking Cessation presentation

On Tuesday, May 12 at 6:30PM, the library will host a presentation by Dr. Colin Jones-Wills on alternative ways to quit smoking.  Dr. Jones-Wills will talk about the benefits of laser therapy for those who want to shake off the habit.  It's never too late to quit smoking: save yourself and your family from the dangers smoking poses to your health and to your wallet!

This program is free and all are welcome, but please pre-register by contacting the library.

Sunday, April 12: Poetry Reading at the library!

Please join us at 2 pm tomorrow, Sunday, April 12, for a poetry reading by Maria Mazziotti Gillan, as well as our own Director, Alfred Encarnacion.  It's a great way to kick off National Library Appreciation Week, as well as National Poetry Month.

Ms. Gillan is an award-winning poet and the author of over 20 books.  Learn more about her here at her website.

This is a free event!  We do ask you to register by calling the library at (856) 783-0602.  See you then!

Friday, Mar 20: Chair Yoga

Chair Yoga starts this Friday, Mar 20, at 12:30!  Please register for this free class.

eBook workshop Monday, 3/16, at 6 PM

Join Sydney tonight to learn more about how to use our new downloadable eBook and audiobook collection!

Mark your calendars! Exciting events for March & April

We have some interesting events coming up this Spring!  The following are all listed in our calendar widget on the right side of our home page.  You can even import the events to your own Google calendar. 
All events are FREE, but we ask everyone to register to help us plan accordingly.
Please contact the library for information about any of these events. 

Tuesday, March 10th, 1:00PM: Book Café

Friday, March 13th, 11:30AM: HomeInstead Workshop on Senior Care

Monday, March 16th, 6:00PM: Workshop: Borrowing eBooks & Audiobooks from the Library

Friday, March 20th, 12:30PM: Chair Yoga, Session 1

Monday, March 23rd, 6:30PM: Storytime, for ages 3-6

Wednesday, March 25th, 7:00PM: Book Club: The Kommandant's Girl

Friday, March 27th, 12:30PM: Chair Yoga, Session 2

Monday, April 6th, 6:30PM: Scrabble Night!

Tuesday, April 7th, 6:30PM: Writers Workshop

Friday, April 10th, 12:30PM: Chair Yoga, Session 3

Sunday, April 12th, at 2:00PM: Special Event!  Maria Mazziotti Gillan Poetry Reading, in celebration of National Poetry Month

Sunday, April 12 - Saturday, April 18: It's National Library Week! Stop in anytime to see what's new at SPL, and join us for a complimentary cup of coffee or tea.

Monday, April 13th, at 6:30PM: Storytime, for ages 3-6

Friday, April 17th, 12:30PM: Chair Yoga, Session 4

Wednesday, April 22nd, 7:00PM: Book Club

Wednesday, April 29th, 2:00PM: Presentation: Unclaimed Property

Friday, March 13: HomeInstead Program

The HomeInstead program has been rescheduled for Friday, march 13 at 11:30AM.  Join us for an informative discussion of services to help seniors who want to stay in their homes but who may need a little extra help.

HomeInstead Program postponed!

The HomeInstead program scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21 is being rescheduled.  Watch our website for more details as we confirm availability, but we hope to be able to be able to present this important program in early or mid-March.

Mark your calendars for our upcoming events!

We have a busy couple of months coming up!  Note the following on our Library calendar, and watch for more information to come.  All events are FREE, but please contact us to register so we can plan appropriately.

Saturday, February 21 at 1:30pm:  Leslie Szanfranski from HomeInstead will present a program discussing the variety of services that are available to support seniors who wish to stay in their homes but need some help to do so. This free program will be very informative for seniors and their families!

Monday, February 23, at 6:30pm: Storytime.

Monday, March 2, at 6:30pm:  Scrabble Night for Adults.

Monday, March 9, at 6:30pm:  Storytime.

Monday, March 16, at 6pm: RESCHEDULED! OverDrive Workshop: downloading eBooks and audiobooks.

Fridays, March 20, March 27, April 10, and April 17, at 12:30pm: Chair Yoga for Seniors.

Sunday, April 12, at 2pm:  We celebrate National Poetry Month by presenting a reading by Maria Mazziotti Gillan.

Feb. 16: Closed for President's Day

The Stratford Library will be closed on Monday, February 16, in observance of President's Day. Stay warm, everyone!

Home Services for Seniors, program on Sat., Feb. 21, 1:30PM

Mark your calendars! On Feb. 21, at 1:30 pm, Leslie Szanfranski from HomeInstead will present a program discussing the variety of services that are available to support seniors who wish to stay in their homes but need some help to do so. This free program will be very informative for seniors and their families! Please register by contacting the library at 856-783-0602, or email us at library@stratfordnj.org.

Weather Announcement: January 26 & 27. Ebook program postponed

In light of the weather forecast, the library will be closing today, Monday, January 26, at 3:00 PM, and will not be open tomorrow Tuesday, January 27.  The library will reopen on Wednesday, January 28.  All due dates will be adjusted to reflect the closure. Everyone be careful out there!

The eBook Workshop that was scheduled for 6:00 today is cancelled, and will be rescheduled for a date in February.

Mark your calendars for Jan. 26, 6 PM: eBook & Audiobook Workshop

Have you tried our new eBooks yet? If you have any questions, or if you just want to learn more about the way the program works, please come to our eBook & Audiobook Workshop, on Monday, January 26, at 6 PM. Contact the library if you want to learn more.

Monday, Jan. 12: First Storytime of 2015!

Join us Monday, January 12, 2015 at 6:30 pm for the first storytime of the new year.  We are going to read stories involving cookie--the best and most fun of desserts.  Milk and cookies will be served, because they are absolutely required when you read about cookies, right?  Please contact the library with questions or if you would like to sign up.  See you Monday!