Clarence Dillon Public Library: May 2025 Newsletter

May Special Programs

The Friends of the Clarence Dillon Public Library cordially invite you to an evening with best-selling author Dawn Tripp on her new book "Jackie: A Novel."

Sunday May 4th 2025 at the Clarence Dillon Public Library

5:00 pm - Reception Cocktails and Hors d'oeuvres

6:00 pm - Presentation

$65 per person. Books to be sold. Proceeds to benefit the library.

Invitations are available in the library or by visiting: https://friendscdpl.org/event/dawn-tripp-presenting-her-novel-jackie/

ESL Volunteer Needed

The ESL (English as a Second Language) program at the Dillon Public Library started three years ago. We now have three weekly classes for foreign-born students: "Beginner", "Intermediate" "and "Advanced".

One of our teachers is retiring after many years of ESL teaching. We are now looking for a new teacher for the upcoming 2025-2026 season starting in September.

Would you be interested in becoming a volunteer ESL teacher?

What we are looking for: an energetic retired or semi-retired person, someone who may have some school or corporate teaching experience; who may be familiar with a foreign language to better understand the ESL students' problems with English; and a commitment to be available for a year, that is, from September 2025 to July 2026. Regular holidays and vacations are set in the course of the program to accommodate parents with their children's school vacations.

There are no strict teaching rules as each teacher is free to rely on special ESL reference books or develop her/his own methods. Classes are informal and encourage conversation.

ESL students are volunteers anxious to learn about this country, to improve their lives and to feel at ease with English, their new language. The classes provide an excellent opportunity for both students and teachers to learn about each others' countries, cultures and histories.

If you are interested in becoming an ESL teacher, please call Marie at the Library, 908 234 2325, X 116

An informal meeting with one of the current ESL teachers would also be arranged.

Short Story Time

"The Hands of Mr. Otterville" by Thomas Burke

Tuesday, May 6, 12:00 pm

In -Person in the Cafe. No registration needed.
Written copies are available in the library.

Upcoming June Event

Upcoming Bust Trip to The Met - June 9th @ 9am

Monday, June 9th - @9am

(Currently 40 openings)
Register Here

Live Virtual Author Talks with Best Selling Authors

This is a virtual live event on the computer and you are able to submit your questions to the authors! Can't make the virtual live event? All author talks are recorded and can be viewed at a later date of your choosing.

Virtual Author Talk with Seth Stern

Tuesday, May 6 @ 12:00 pm

New Jersey is the Garden State and as the name implies, we have a rich history of agriculture that has helped define our state. An important group of people who contributed to this history were European Jews who emigrated here during the Twentieth Century, particularly Holocaust survivors after World War 2. In celebration of Jewish Heritage Month, please join author Seth Stern as he discusses his work “Speaking Yiddish to Chickens: Holocaust Survivors on South Jersey Poultry Farms,” the first book to chronicle how roughly 1,000 Holocaust survivors – including the author’s grandparents – found an unlikely refuge and gateway to new lives as poultry farmers in southern New Jersey. This book relies on interviews with dozens of these refugee farmers and their children, as well as oral histories and archival records. This is their remarkable story of loss, renewal, and perseverance in the most unexpected of settings.

Virtual on Zoom - Register Here

Virtual Author Talk with Dr. Rosmarin

Wednesday, May 7th @ 2pm

Author of Thriving with Anxiety, Dr. Rosmarin’s constructive, compassionate, and evidence-based approach will not make you less anxious. Instead, it will empower you to use anxiety to thrive.

Virtual - Register Here

Virtual Author Talk with Liann Zhang

Wednesday, May 14th @ 7pm

Grab your popcorn, grab your friend, and join us for an propulsive online conversation with author Liann Zhang as she chats with us about her debut thriller Julie Chan is Dead.

Virtual - Register Here

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Virtual Author Talk with Rachelle Bergstein

Wednesday, May 21st @ 2pm

You’re invited to an online intimate conversation with bestselling author Rachelle Bergstein as she chats about her newest book The Genius of Judy. This book takes an expansive look at Judy Blume’s life, work, and cultural impact, focusing on her most iconic—and controversial—young adult novels, from Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret to Blubber.

Virtual - Register Here

Women's Forum

May 2025

Sharing Wisdom

John Singer Sargent. By 1900 he was the most sought-after portraitist in the Western world. He captured on canvas the extravagance of the Gilded Age and gave to the world the one and only Madame X!! Join us for a documentary of his life and brilliant artistry at:

Lunch with John Singer Sargent - Thursday May 15th at noon. Dillon Library. Bedminster, NJ. Admission $20

Join Waiting List

MET museum exhibit SARGENT AND PARIS Bus trip

On Thursday May 22 we're off on a bus trip to the Met and the exhibit SARGENT AND PARIS, which explores the early career of the American painter from his arrival in Paris in 1874 at the age of 18, through the mid 1880's when he rocked the establishment with his iconic MADAME X.

BUS TRIP TO THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART ~ Thursday May 22, leaving Dillon Library, Bedminster NJ at 9am. Return pick-up at the Met, 3pm. Admission $45.

Join Waiting List

Weekly Programs

Yoga

Register for Monday @ 9am (Virtual)

Register for Thursday @ 9am (Virtual)

Knitting with Eleanor

Every Wednesday @ 11am
In-Person (No Registration Required)

Meditation & Mindfulness

Every Wednesday at 7:15pm (Virtual)
Register Here

Chair Yoga

Every Friday @ 10:30am

In-Person (No Registration Required)

Canasta

Every Monday 9:15 - 11:15am
No Registration Required

Book Clubs

Morning Book Club

"A Month in the Country" by J.L. Carr

Thursday, May 15th @ 11am

Register Here

June Advance Notice -"Midnight Library" by Matt Haig

There are a limited number of books available in paperback.

Virtual Evening Book Club

"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Thursday, May 1, 7:00 pm

On Zoom

Register Here

Paperback copies are available at the library

** Virtual Evening Book Club is on vacation until September

Additional Library Programs

ESL - English as a Second Language

Beginning ESL is on Mondays @ 6:15PM

Intermediate ESL is on Mondays @ 7:15PM

Intermediate ESL is now on Tuesdays @ 10:30
Advanced ESL is on Tuesdays @ 7:15PM

MAHJONGG

Tuesdays from 12:30-3:30 pm.

Wednesdays from 12:30-3:30pm.

There are opening for experienced players only. If interested please call the facilitator at 480-282-7977

Bridge

Mondays from 11:30-4pm.

In person | Walk-in

Bridge Lessons for Beginners with Chris Regan

Mondays @ 2:30pm

There is a $10 fee which is paid to the instructor.

The bridge tables are back up on Mondays at 11:30am for interested players. Informal format. The library has a limited supply of decks and experienced players are welcome to bring their own cards and supplies. If interested in attending the 2:30pm beginning learning session please call the instructor at 908-334-7885

Drop in Computer Help

Weekly on Tuesdays from 3-4pm.

(No Registration Required)

NJ State Library Webinars

Webinar - The Truth About Arthritis

Thursday May 8th at 12:30pm

As we age, our bodies change and parts start to deteriorate, causing a variety of health problems that can impact our quality of life. In fact, 1 in 5 adults will develop arthritis, which is the leading cause of work disability of adults in the United States. In honor of National Arthritis Awareness Month, please join us as Dr. Sehris Khawaja, Rheumatologist at Capital Health, discusses the causes and treatments for arthritis.

Virtual on Zoom | Register Here

Webinar - Unforgotten Valor: How the NJ Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Supports NJ’s Veterans

Tuesday, May 13, 12:00 pm

Military service members make a unique and sometimes deadly commitment to serve in the defense and overall protection of our nation. This can lead to a host of special opportunities as well as dire consequences during and after their service. Veterans in particular can face many challenges after leaving active duty, including financial hardship, mental health struggles, addiction, job insecurity, and homelessness. NJ has taken an active and leading role in addressing the needs and concerns of active duty military service personnel, reservists, and veterans. Please join us in our celebration of Memorial Day as Esther Chucaralao, Director of Veteran Services, highlights the history of the NJ Department of Military and Veteran Affairs as well as the critical services and resources that are available to the state's veterans.

Virtual on Zoom | Register Here

Webinar - Financial Side of College Graduation

Wednesday May 14th at 12pm

As graduation dates creep ever closer, the NJ Higher Education Student Assistance Authority is committed to arming students and parents with the information necessary to understand repaying student loans and how to pay for graduate school. The feelings of joy and accomplishment after graduation can quickly fade as the real world of financial obligations start to set in. Please join us as Jamillah Barker from the HESAA will cover important things that all college graduates (and their parents!) should know, including credit scores, student loan repayment programs, aggregate loan limits, and the cost of law and medical school.

Virtual on Zoom | Register Here

Tuesday Movies - Classic

ALL SCREENINGS BEGIN AT 6:45PM

No registration required

Remains of the Day (1993)

May 6
(1993) (134 min.) Rated PG

Antony Hopkins stars as an English butler who sacrifices his personal life for his loyalty to his employer and later questions his choice. Also starring Emma Thompson and James Fox. Based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro and directed by James Ivory.

SCREENING WILL BEGIN AT 6:30 PM

The Song of Lunch (2010)

May 13

(2010) (50 min.) Not Rated

Alan Rickman stars as a London publisher who recounts a lunch he had with a former lover played by Emma Thompson. Based on the poem by Christopher Reed, it is an unusual film with brilliant performances.

The Winter Guest (1997)

May 20

(1997) (108 Min.) Rated R

Emma Thompson stars as a recent widow who plans to leave the Scottish coast when she gets an unexpected visit from her aging mother. This film also stars Phyllida Law (Emma Thompson’s mother is real life) and was directed by Alan Rickman. The actors provide tremendous performances in this touching and atmospheric film.

Carrington (1995)

May 27

(1995) (121 Min.) Rated R

Emma Thompson and Jonathan Pryce star in this film about the platonic relationship between artist Dora Carrington and writer Lytton Strachey. It is a brilliant drama about love and suffering and chock full of talented British actors many of whom you will recognize.

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Friday Movies - Contemporary

ALL SCREENINGS BEGIN AT 1:30PM

No registration required.

A Complete Unknown (2024)

May 2nd

(2024) (121 min.) Rated R

Timothee Chalamet stars as a19 year-old Bob Dylan as he arrives in New York City and has a meteoric rise to the top of the music world. The film also stars Edward Norton and Elle Fanning and was written and directed by James Mangold.

Merchant Ivory (2023)

May 9th

(2023) (112 min) Not Rated

This outstanding documentary tells the story of the film partnership of James Ivory and Ismail Merchant. This film features interviews with James Ivory and many of their close collaborators celebrating the experience of being in one of their magnificent movies.

U-571 (2000)

May 16th

(2000) (116 min) Rated PG-13

Matthew McConaughey , Bill Paxton, and Harvey Keitel star as disguised American sailors during World War II who board a German submarine trying to find their Enigma cipher machine. It is an excellent action film that also features New Jersey’s own Jon Bon Jovi.

Unbreakable Boy (2025)

May 23rd

(2025) (109 min) Rated PG

Jacob Laval stars as a young boy with brittle bone disease and autism who bring joy to the people around him with his life-affirming worldview. This feel-good film also stars Zachary Levi and Meghann Fahey.

Kids & Teens Highlighted Programs

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Watercolors with Miss Pat

Thursday, May 22nd @ 4:30

Join Miss Pat on Thursday, May 22nd at 4:30 for another round of watercolors for
those in grades 2-8.

In Person | Register Here

Kid’s Rubik’s Cube Presentation & Workshop

Tuesday, May 27, 5:30 pm

Back again is The Parsippany Cube Club, hosting another session of Ivy Cube games and fun!

Learn how to solve the Ivy Cube - the very first Rubik's cube!

Parents & Students will be taught techniques on how to solve this cube puzzle - you will be amazed at YOUR skills!

In Person | Register Here

STEAM Story Time & Craft -- Wed 5/28 4:30

School Age S.T.E.A.M. Story Time & Craft:

This month’s theme: Butterflies

Click Here to see the entire Children's Newsletter

Local Events

Red Cross Blood Drive

Tuesday May 20th 11-4

For more information or to donate Visit Red Cross

Thank You Friends!

A special "Thank You!" and heartfelt gratitude to the Friends of the Clarence Dillon Library for their generosity and support of our excellent library programs.

Bedminster Township | Far Hills Borough