Jersey City Free Public Library has released a list of events for 2017 with many programs for adults and children at various branches of the Library.

January 2017 at the Jersey City Free Public Library

Special Programs  – For Adults:

Heights, 14 Zabriskie Street, Jersey City, NJ 07307, 201-547-4556 – For Adults: Exercise Classes. / Presented by: Eddes Gonzalez. / Intermediate, low-impact aerobics classes for adults and senior citizens. Low-impact exercise involves a full range of motion, tones and tightens muscles, improves balance and posture, increases heart rate for a healthier cardiovascular system, and stretching, which improves coordination. / * Please consult a doctor before beginning any fitness program. * / Mondays & Tuesdays @ 10:30 a.m., starting Jan. 9

Marion, 1017 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4552 – For Adults: 2017 Winter Food Drive. /

* Accepting donated canned, dried goods, cereals & pastas. * / * All donations appreciated. * / This is a project of the Marion Branch Library, in conjunction with Your Best Life 24/7 program. Your Best Life 24/7 is a program of New Direction Services Inc., a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization recognized by the Federal government. / Donations dispersed: Friday, Feb. 3 @ 3 p.m.

Miller, 489 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4551 – For Adults & Young Adults (Teens, ages 13+): Basic Acting Techniques for Beginners. Hosted by: Mariah Sadé Ralph. / * Explore the fundamentals of Acting and Character Development through exercises, games, assigned scenes and monologue work. * / Please arrive 10 minutes early & bring a notebook & writing / Thursday, Dec. 1 through Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017, from 4 – 6 p.m.

Special Programs – For Children:

West Bergen, 476 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4554 – For Children: National Puzzle Day. / * Solve a puzzle individually or in a group for fun and prizes. * / Friday, Jan. 20 @ 3 p.m.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day:

Cunningham, 275 Martin Luther King Drive, Jersey City. 201-547-4555 – For Children & Young Adults:

Martin Luther King Day Crafts. / Please register ahead. Space is limited. / Tuesday, Jan. 10 @ 3:30 p.m.

Greenville, 1841 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City. 201-547-4553 – For Children: MLK Arts & Crafts. / Thursday,

Jan. 12 @ 3:30 p.m. 

Heights, 14 Zabriskie Street, Jersey City, NJ 07307, 201-547-4556 – For Children: Winter Craft. / Friday, Jan. 20 @ 3:30 p.m.

Marion, 1017 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4552 – For Children: “I Have a Dream” Craft. / Thursday, Jan. 12 @ 3 p.m.

Pavonia, 326 Eighth Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302, 201-547-4808 – For Children: Martin Luther King Jr. Craft. / Please register at the Childrenâ€s Desk. / Friday, Jan. 13 @ 3:15 p.m.

West Bergen, 476 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4554 – For Children: Chinese New Year Craft. / Wednesday, Jan. 18 @ 3:15 p.m.

Chinese New Year:

Marion, 1017 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4552 – For Children: Chinese New Year Craft. / Thursday, Jan. 26 @ 3 p.m.

West Bergen, 476 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4554 – For Children: Martin Luther King Jr. Craft. / Wednesday, Jan. 11 @ 3:15 p.m.

Miller Branch Library Teen Center:

Miller, 489 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4551 – For Parents & Teens (ages 13-18):  Miller Branch Library Teen Center! / Founded to enrich the lives of Jersey City Teens by offering a comprehensive program to include quality leisure, social, and educational services in the form of both drop-in and organized activities / Come join!!!

Miller, 489 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4551 – For Adults/Young Adults (ages 13-19): MBL Teen Center CHESS CLUB / THURSDAYS / 4 – 5:30 p.m. / Q&A Chess Coach will be available. / For more detailed information, e-mail: eyorker@jclibrary.org

Ongoing Programs – For Young Adults, Teen & Adults:

Jersey City Library Literacy Program, 1^st Floor, 472 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07305, 201-547-4518 – For Age 16 & Up: Classes in Basic Literacy & Citizenship for ESL Conversational English speakers. / Jersey City Library Literacy Program. A United Way Member Agency. / The Literacy Program at the Jersey City Free Public Library provides one-on-one basic reading instruction for Hudson County residents 18 years and older. Volunteer tutors work with students ranging from non-readers through the eighth grade level. The program also offers Citizenship, English as a Second Language, Math, Public Speaking, and Writing classes. / For Ages 16 & Up: TASC High School Diploma Test Preparation Classes. * Intermediate & Advanced. * ID, Income Verification & Address Proof required. *

 

Ongoing Programs – For Young Adults, Teen & Adults:

Cunningham, 275 Martin Luther King Drive, Jersey City. 201-547-4555 – Stress-Free Saturday & Wellness Wednesday! For Adults: COLORING – For fun & relaxation. * Itâ€s not just for kids anymore! * / Saturday, Jan. 7 @ 12 Noon & Wednesday, Jan. 18 @ 5 p.m.

Cunningham, 275 Martin Luther King Drive, Jersey City, NJ 07305, 201-547-4555 – For All Ages: ‘By Hook or By…†/ Knit & Crochet Club with Jean Hartzog. / Saturdays @ 1 p.m. (Jan. 14, 21 & 28)

Five Corners, 678 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4543 – For Children, YAs & Adults: LAST Saturday of each month – Knitting for Good. Students will learn how to make a striped bookmark for themselves and a scarf which will be donated to the homeless of Jersey City. Knitting needles and some yarn will be provided. Or, you can bring your own worsted weight yarn (no novelty yarn). Class size is extremely limited. Pre-Registration is required! Presented by the Waterfront Community Church & Five Corners Branch Library. / 2017 CLASS DATES – Saturdays: Jan. 28, Feb. 25, Mar. 25, April 29, Oct. 28, Nov. 18 & Dec. 16. / * NO CLASSES: May through Sept. * / * All children (ages 8-11) must be accompanied by an adult who can help them. Adults do not need to know how to knit before attending the class. * / For All Ages: 10 – 11:30 a.m.

 

Greenville, 1841 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07305. 201-547-4553 – For Everyone: Crocheting & Knitting. / Wednesdays @ 3:30 p.m. (Jan. 4, 11, 18 & 25)

Heights, 14 Zabriskie Street, Jersey City, NJ 07307, 201-547-4556 – For All Ages: ‘Spin a Good Yarn†/ Crochet & Loom Club. / Learn with Monika Nahar or bring your own projects. / Thursdays @ 3:30 p.m.

Marion, 1017 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4552 – For Everyone: Crash My Library! “Crash My Library” is an opportunity for those who have been inspired by the Jersey City Free Public Library or any library. Come in unannounced and share your story of how your library has inspired you! We will take your picture OR you/we can “selfie” with your favorite book. We want to hear from YOU, our special mystery guest!

Miller, 489 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4551 – For Adults/Young Adults (ages 13-19): MBL Teen Center CHESS CLUB / EVERY MONDAY / 4 – 5:30 p.m. / Q&A Chess Coach will be available. / For more detailed information, e-mail: eyorker@jclibrary.org

Miller, 489 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4551 – For Adults: Tuesdays, 10 a.m. – 12 Noon & Wednesdays, 6 – 7:30 p.m. Basic Skills Computer Classes. Instructor: David Stevenson. Learn everything from turning a computer on to basic navigation of the web. * Laptops Welcome! * Class schedule & registration at the Miller Computer Learning Resource Center (2^nd Floor). Space is limited, so sign up early!

Miller, 489 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4551 – For Everyone: *Spanish Lessons are back! * / Basic Spanish Made Simple. / Instructor: Mrs. Vilma Gomez. / Wednesdays @ 4 – 6 p.m.

Miller, 489 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4551 – For Adults: Basic French Made Simple. / Instructor: Harley Mathieu. / Every Other Saturday @ 2 – 4 p.m.

Miller, 489 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4551 – For Everyone: Library Tours! / Fridays, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Take a tour of the Miller Branch Library to learn more about the building and its services. Reservations required for tours. Daycare centers, school programs, organizations… All welcome!!!

Miller, 489 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4551 – For Young Adults: Free-Teens is in the house! Itâ€s your space. Itâ€s my space. Itâ€s our space! Come join us! Every Wednesday, from 5 – 7 p.m. Stop at Miller Branch to learn more, and register.

Ongoing Programs – For Young Adults, Teen & Adults  (contâ€d):

Pavonia, 326 Eighth Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302, 201-547-4808 – For Adults: Monthly Book Club / Monday, Jan. 23 @ 6 p.m. / Book Discussion: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen.

West Bergen, 476 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4554 – For Women: ‘Chicks with Sticks†/ Crochet Club. / Wednesdays @ 11 a.m. (Jan. 4, 11, 18 & 25)

Ongoing Programs – For Children,  Young Adults & Families :

Bonetti Childrenâ€s Room, Main Library, 1^st Floor, 472 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07302, 201-547-4519 –For Children (K-3): LEGO Club DROP IN / Fridays @ 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. / Come use your imagination! Create and connect with the wonderful world of LEGOs!

Five Corners, 678 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4543 – For Children & Young Adults: Fun Fridays! 3 – 4:30 p.m. / * Games! * Games! * Games! * / * Connect4 * Jenga * Yahtzee * Scrabble * Monopoly * Snakes and Ladders * Uno * Trouble * Sorry *

Five Corners, 678 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4543 – For Children*, YAs & Adults: LAST Saturday of each month – Knitting for Good. Students will learn how to make a striped bookmark for themselves and a scarf which will be donated to the homeless of Jersey City. Knitting needles and some yarn will be provided. Or, you can bring your own worsted weight yarn (no novelty yarn). Class size is extremely limited. Pre-Registration is required! Presented by the Waterfront Community Church & Five Corners Branch Library. / 2017 CLASS DATES – Saturdays: Jan. 28, Feb. 25, Mar. 25, April 29, Oct. 28, Nov. 18 & Dec. 16. / * NO CLASSES: May through Sept. * / * All children (ages 8-11) must be accompanied by an adult who can help them. Adults do not need to know how to knit before attending the class. * / For All Ages: 10 – 11:30 a.m.

Five Corners, 678 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4543 – For Children (grades K-3): Read to Ella! Ella loves children and loves listening to stories in the library! Come read your favorite stories to Ella, a very friendly dog. Ella is a Golden Retriever and a certified therapy dog. She will be accompanied by her trainer, Patricia Redden. Adults must accompany children under 8 years old and are expected to remain in the library during programs – Fall Hours – Mondays @ 3:30 p.m. / Children learning to read see a dog as a non-threatening, non-critical listener.

Marion, 1017 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4552 – For Everyone: Crash My Library! “Crash My Library” is an opportunity for those who have been inspired by the Jersey City Free Public Library or any library. Come in unannounced and share your story of how your library has inspired you! We will take your picture OR you/we can “selfie” with your favorite book. We want to hear from YOU, our special mystery guest!

Pavonia, 326 Eighth Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302, 201-547-4808 – For Children: Friday Fun & Games! /

Friday, Jan. 20 @ 3:15 p.m.

January  Movies:   www.jclibrary.org  FREE

Bonetti Childrenâ€s Room, Main Library, 1^st Floor, 472 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07302, 201-547-4519 –For Children: Saturdays @ 12 Noon. / Jan. 7: Ice Age: Collision Course. / Jan. 14: Finding Dory. / Jan. 21: Minions. / Jan. 28: The Iron Giant.

January  Movies  (contâ€d):   www.jclibrary.org  FREE

Cunningham, 275 Martin Luther King Drive, Jersey City, NJ 07305, 201-547-4555 – Saturday Afternoons

@ 2 p.m. / For Children:  Jan. 14: Finding Dory. / For Young Adults:  Jan. 21: TMNT: Out of the Shadows. /

For Families: Jan. 28: Peteâ€s Dragon.

Five Corners, 678 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4543 – For Adults: Wednesdays @ 1 p.m. / Jan. 4: Now You See Me. / Jan. 11: Now You See Me 2. / Jan. 18: Southside with You. / Jan. 25: Florence Foster Jenkins.

Five Corners, 678 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4543 – For Children: Saturdays @ 2:30 p.m. / Jan. 7: The BFG. / Jan. 21: Peteâ€s Dragon.

Five Corners, 678 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4543 – For Everyone: An Indian Culture Film Series – Saturdays in January @ 1 p.m. / Jan. 14: Sarkar. / Jan. 28: Wazir.

Greenville, 1841 Kennedy Blvd., Barack H. Obama Auditorium, Jersey City, NJ 07305, 201-547-4553 –

For Children: Saturday afternoons @ 1 p.m. SHARP! January only!!! / Movies: TBD.

Greenville, 1841 Kennedy Blvd., Barack H. Obama Auditorium, Jersey City, NJ 07305, 201-547-4553 –

For Children & Families: Tuesday evenings @ 5 p.m. SHARP! January only!!! / Movies: TBD.

Heights, 14 Zabriskie Street, Jersey City, NJ 07307, 201-547-4556 – For Adults: Thursdays @ 1 p.m. / Jan. 5: Florence Foster Jenkins. / Jan. 12: Café Society. / Jan. 19: War Dogs. / Jan. 26: Sully.

Heights, 14 Zabriskie Street, Jersey City, NJ 07307, 201-547-4556 – For Children & Young Adults: Saturdays @ 2 p.m. / Jan. 28: Finding Dory.

Marion, 1017 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, 201-547-4552 – For All Ages: Fridays @ 3 p.m. / For Adults: Jan. 13: All the Presidentâ€s Men. / For Young Adults: Jan. 20: Men in Black. / For Children: Jan. 27: Kung Fu Panda 3.

Pavonia, 326 Eighth Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302, 201-547-4808 – For Children: Fridays @ 3 p.m. / Jan. 6:

Ice Age: Collision Course. / Jan. 27: Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Pavonia, 326 Eighth Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302, 201-547-4808 – For Adults: Mondays @ 4 p.m. / Jan. 9: Selma. / Jan. 30:  War Dogs.

West Bergen, 476 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4554 – For Adults: Fridays @ 11 a.m. / Jan. 6: The Back-up Plan. / Jan. 13: Enough Said. / Jan. 20: How Do You Know. / Jan. 27: Up in the Air.

West Bergen, 476 West Side Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304, 201-547-4554 – For Children: Fridays @ 3 p.m. / Jan. 2: Nine Lives. / Jan. 9: Finding Dory. / Jan. 27: Paul Blart Mall Cop.

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The post JERSEY CITY FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY -LIST OF EVENTS first appeared on River View Observer.

By Sally Deering

 

Joe Montaperto grew up in the 1970s, a time of race riots, culture-clashes and mash-ups. Born and raised in an Italian Brooklyn neighborhood, Montapertoâ€s parents moved him and the family to Roselle, New Jersey, with the hope of getting away from the racially-charged clashes playing out on Brooklynâ€s streets. Instead, the teenage Montaperto enrolled in a high school where African-American teenagers were bussed in from the inner-city and Montaperto, who is of Italian dissent, how to find a way to cope in this unexpected and sometimes violent culture clash.

This all happens on the first page of THE EDGE OF WHITENESS, Montapertoâ€s memoir published by Oak Tree Press and available on Amazon.com and Montapertoâ€s website (www.JoeMontaperto.com). On Thurs, Jan.9that 6:30 pm, Montaperto will read excerpts of THE EDGE OF WHITENESS at the Heights branch of the Jersey City Free Public Library on Zabriskie Street.

“It was a story I had to tell,” Montaperto says. “I was born in Brooklyn and we moved to Roselle New Jersey. It was an insidious town – it looked pretty nice, but it was kind of a dangerous place. We were from Brooklyn. We lived in an Italian neighborhood and we moved to Roselle. It was very white and the high school was mostly black. It was kind of a weird cultural shock, like Jackie Robinson in reverse. I remember feeling totally on the outside from everybody. It was pretty rough until when I turned 15. I suddenly looked Puerto Rican and I learned how to box and that probably saved me, those two things.”

The story begins in 1969, “as Brooklyn smolders in the aftermath of the past summer’s race riots.” Montaperto and his family move from their Italian neighborhood to start fresh in a New Jersey suburb. Ironically, the high school there is “forcefully-integrated” and Montaperto is confronted with a brutal racial conflict. When he is unexpectedly rescued from a hallway ambush, he finds himself entering a new world – at least to him – of African-American culture.

Before becoming an author, Montaperto started out his career as an actor and comedian, performing in comedy clubs in the 1980’s. Later, he applied his training and background to his one man show FOUR DEGREES OF DISCONNECTION, which he performed in and around New York City. Soon, he began feeling burned out, so Montaperto went soul-searching in the Amazon jungle. Currently a Jersey City resident, Montaperto was a hit at the Jersey City Free Public Libraryâ€s annual book fair in September where he read excerpts of THE EDGE OF WHITENESS

“Itâ€s a fascinating book,” Michele Dupuy, Public Information Officer for the Jersey City Free Public Library says.  “I really related to his book.”

These days, Montaperto works as a bartender for a catering company to pay the bills while he works on his second book, a sequel to THE EDGE OFWHITENESS.

“Itâ€s called LOVELY CHAOS,” Montaperto says. “When I was a comedian in New York, I was going back and forth between my quest for a spiritual life and the nightlife, a seedy world of crack gangs, pimps and prostitutes. I had my share of beatings and revenge. It was really kind of wild, almost a continuation of what went on in high school. It was total chaos, but I loved it. A part of me really loved the rush of everything. Being a comedian is the ultimate rush on stage and then being on the street at 3 oâ€clock in the morning, thatâ€s a rush, too. Everybodyâ€s roaming the streets looking to get something.”

Montaperto works on LOVELY CHAOS in his favorite writing spot, Paneraâ€s Bread on Washington Street in Hoboken. Thatâ€s where he wrote THE EDGE OF WHITENESS, too.

“Iâ€ve been writing at Paneraâ€s for years,” Montaperto says “You find yourself coming to tears and in a public place and you donâ€t care. Iâ€m hoping they never close.”

 If you go:

Thurs, Jan. 9, 2014, 6:30 pm

Joe Montaperto reads from his book

THE EDGE OF WHITENESS

Jersey City Free Public Library

Heights Branch

14 Zabriskie St.

Jersey City

(201) 547-4556

THE EDGE OF WHITENESS  is available on Amazon.com as a Kindle download; www.smashwords.com

and www.joemontaperto.com

The post Odd Teen Out -Joe Montaperto suffers an Identity Crisis in his new Memoir THE EDGE OF WHITENESS first appeared on River View Observer.