We’re Not Just Book Smart
by Cate Murway
Books are delightful society. If you go into a room and find it full of books - even without taking them from the shelves they seem to speak to you, to bid you welcome.
~William Ewart Gladstone
Senator Joseph R. Grundy's Last Will & Testament directed that a library be built adjacent to the Museum. The Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library, which opened in 1966, serves as the public library for Bristol Borough and the surrounding community. It underwent a comprehensive interior makeover and was rededicated on June 5, 2005.
Come on in and get carded!
Learning to fully use the library is a true lifetime skill. Start early and get your child his or her own library card to be responsible for; it's a very adult thing to do.
A library card is your key as a "lover of learning" to the educational, entertainment and life resources, the best in print and electronic mediums that the Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library has to offer.
Welcome to the library, your window with picturesque views of the Delaware River,
to a world of learning, opportunity and education, offering a wealth of cultural
and recreational options. It’s a convenient place to work with a welcoming
atmosphere that encourages study. The playing field is leveled and the world
of information is available to anyone seeking it.
The quest for knowledge knows no bounds and limits and is never satisfied.
All the World’s a Page!
The Grundy Library is empowering the future of our community. Knowledge actually is power, and by providing the keys to information, whether in books, online resources, literacy classes, or tutoring, the Grundy Library opens doors for so many in our community in a plethora of ways. Free computers with Internet access and free wireless service make it easy for everyone to tap into the wealth of online information available.
It’s a very comforting, fun place to go; one could read books and just relax and visit other worlds within the books.
I divide all readers into two classes; those who read to remember and those who read to forget. ~William Lyon Phelps
The varied programs are awesome.
Meet and talk to a bestselling author, see priceless artistic treasures from around the world, or enjoy a performance of international music, dance, and poetry.
I would never read a book if it were possible for me to talk half an hour with the man who wrote it. ~Woodrow Wilson
Everyone needs a “winter jacket”. Curl up with a good book this winter.
Fleece blanket? Check. Cup of hot cocoa? Check.
Reading material? Once this part is checked off, you should have all of the necessary ingredients for a successful winter's night in.
Pick up your copy of local author, Bill Pezza’s Stealing Tomatoes or Anna’s Boys.
A favorite pastime this time of year could be to cuddle up to your fireplace with a great book and watch the snow from the inside, an especially attractive alternative activity when the weather outside takes a turn for the worse.
TV. If kids are entertained by two letters, imagine the fun they'll have with twenty-six. Open your child's imagination. Open a book. ~Author Unknown
Are you bedraggled by the cold, rainy weather? Flip through the fantastic flicks! Enjoy some cinematic vitamin C--sunshine for the soul. Choose from classic novels, a great comedy, real-life adventures, true stories of determination and courage, documentaries, films that teach important lessons about resilience and survival, or the loveliest of romances that uplift and inspire. Watch them in the convenience of your living room or den. Microwave Jiffy Pop just doesn’t have the same great taste as the movie popcorn but Mazzanti’s Market makes the delicious, unsurpassed quality “Original 2-foot Italian hoagie” and you can go home with a delectable banquet on a 24” bun!
The Grundy Library offers free access to the Internet and other electronic resources as part of its mission to meet the collective informational needs and cultural interests of borough residents of all ages. Kevin Farley, the Adult Services librarian advocates the tech classes. New to computers or just need to update your skills? Learn the basics of copy, past and resize or venture beyond the basics to inserting pictures and creating tables. Discover how to set up a simple spreadsheet to track your expenses.
No reason to be afraid of a mouse!
Join in the Teen Lit Café on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays, [the 4th and the18th of February], at 4:00 PM. Students in grades 6-12 can drop in to chat with friends, play games, or participate in book discussions.
Come back at 7:30 PM on February 4th and enjoy the vocal harmonies of “No Windows”. Doo-wop, lullabies and traditional folk music will be accompanied by a variety of musical instruments.
Register for events online at www.grundylibrary.org or call 215.788.7891 x5 or x6.
Get together with friends and family and share your passion of reading in discussion groups and leave no page unturned. Reserve your copy of the books now.
On February 24th, 7:00 PM- 8:30 PM, the library is hosting a book discussion forum about Appassionata by Eva Hoffman. This book was selected as one of Oprah.com’s 20 Tantalizing Beach Reads and a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice. Come chat about this story of contemporary love and conflict, and explore the luminous and dark faces of romanticism.
You are cordially invited to the Bristol Jewish Center to participate in the Synagogue Book Club on the 2nd Saturday in March, the 13th at noon. In The People of the Book, examine the Haggadah, "one of the rarest and most mysterious volumes in the world."
The intricate, ambitious novel is bound with brutality and humiliation; an emotionally rich, thrilling, sweeping adventure fictionalization through five centuries of history, retracing a turbulent journey.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks’ extensive research is evident throughout with her elaborate historical detail. Be prepared. Come into the library and reserve your copy of this book.
Family First Mondays 6:30-8:30 PM are a great way to start the month. Stories and crafts are offered for families with children age two and up. Mark February 1st for your family at the library.
“That staff at the Grundy Library is really terrific. There are constant programs to reach all age groups.”
Alan J. Vogenberg RPh, FASCP/BJC treasurer and caretaker
Is your non-profit organization looking for funds? Learn how to use the premier grant seeking database, Foundation Directory Online, the most accurate, comprehensive details available on U.S. funders and their grants. Their mission is to strengthen the nonprofit sector by advancing knowledge about U.S. philanthropy.
The next workshop date is Monday, March 29th at 7:00 PM.
The Grundy Library is a beautiful, quiet, studious place to read books or periodicals and do research on the computers.
Joanne Esterly, a Holy Family University student, is working on a term paper for her Elementary/Special Ed degree. She loves the atmosphere at the Grundy library. “The people will bend over backwards to help you here. You get ‘nice’ help.”
Simon Marcel Vannelli fought in the French Army in WWII and he once sold French Renault and Peugeot automobiles at Al Green’s dealership on Radcliffe Street. He is a Middletown Township resident now who comes to the Grundy library to catch up on the financial pages in the newspapers. “This library is a great source of info, especially information regarding Bristol.”
Terri Moore, a Bristol Township resident is doing research on criminal law while her nephew, 2nd grader, Ameer Turner is traversing the colorful winding, linear track of a “Candy Land” [designed in the 1940s by Eleanor Abbott] game board. What is his favorite book? “It’s hard to choose. There are lots of good books. Maybe Diary of a Wimpy Kid. ”
Anecia Allen, BCTHS ’12 is a background dancer in her school play, “Wedding Singer”.
She is checking out the romance novels in the fiction paperback section.
Hooked on knitting? It’s definitely not just a craft for grandmoms anymore. Knitting popularity has spread to well, knit one, purl two and spinning “yarns”.
The Knitting Club meets every Thursday [ages 8 and up] from 6:30 –8:30 PM.
Begging for a barrage of tonality and beats from music you feel more than hear?
Join D.W.A. students from the Ben Franklin Middle School's dynamic percussion and dance group as they make "sweet music on four-gallon sour cream buckets" donated by Mother's Kitchen bakery in Burlington, under the direction of faculty advisor/teacher Kevin Travers. The Drummers With Attitude have been performing since 2000 throughout the area for the Philadelphia 76ers, Soul, Flyers and Phantoms as well as community events such as WXPN's All About The Music Festival and BCCC’s Lead On Conference. Wednesday, February 10th at 7:00 PM.
Register for events online at www.grundylibrary.org or call 215.788.7891 x5 or x6.
The Grundy Library's energetic staff serves a patron base of over 20,000 members and maintains a collection of 86,000+ items.
Did you know that U.S. libraries circulate about the same number of items as FedEx ships each day, i.e., about 5.3 million pieces?
"Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is."
Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library
680 Radcliffe Street
Bristol, PA
Monday - Thursday 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Friday, Saturday 11:00am - 4:00 pm
215.788.7891
Recommend a “Spotlight”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
Grundy is the heART of historic Bristol on the Delaware
by Cate Murway
Art is a natural expression of oneself and a personal way for one to give life to how one feels, an environment nestled somewhere between allusion and reality. There is always more to do, more to be done, more to say, more ways with which to say it, deepening the appreciation of art and enhancing the physical environment.
Artists across the Atlantic will continue to share space throughout March 2010.
Art Exhibition: Artists of Bristol and Artists of Spinetoli, Italy at the Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library funded by the Grundy Foundation and prepared by event organizers Dante DiMidio and Vincent A. Virgulti spotlighted the creators’ masterpieces. The freshness of the experience successfully bridged the divide between artists and art enthusiasts. This is a celebration that enhances the region's legacy of arts and culture.
Vincent explained, “Some of the artwork will be donated to Spinetoli, Italy.”
The ingenious works of the AOB are displayed alongside the creative works of Bristol Borough’s sister-city artists during this cultural exchange that began with an opening reception last Friday evening.
The Italian artwork is fascinating. Giuseppe Solimando’s work portrays the historical district superimposed with creative figures that liven up the midieval gray setting.
Gentili’s warmly hued “Mercury, The Bringer of Dreams” commands the far corner.
Artists of Bristol seeks to promote, grow, and nurture resident artists and the local artists’ works are entrancing.
Oil painting and color photograph on jet print acetate works of Barbara Keogh, BCCC/ Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts were displayed. Barbara said her medium “is anything I feel like.” bakeogh.com
Rose Marie Strippoli, BCCC/ Bowling Green and Jacksonville U. is sending one of her pieces over to Italy. From her webpage, “I feel that my art has been a metamorphosis, a reflection of my life’s experience. As for choices, I love variety.” rosemariestrippoli.com
Bristol resident artist Joe Ennis’s dad’s cousin is portrait artist John Ennis who was a student of the renowned sculptor Joseph Edward Pavone, BHS ’45. A former teacher, he paints with water, oil and acrylics and runs an Art Supply store in Wayne. Joe intends to ship a selected piece of his work as a donation to Italy.
A 20-minute educational and highly interesting DVD film illustrating the Roman necropolis of Spinetoli played during the reception hours.
The evening was filled with interaction with the artists and some delicious snacks while everyone thoroughly enjoyed examining all the surprising and delightful artwork.
Levittown residents Jack and Barbara Murphy come because “they follow the events, they’re always good and we love coming.”
Plus, the Snyder-Girotti Elementary School and Bristol Borough High School students get to show off their “true colors”.
Per Title 1 State & Federal Liaison Mary Gesualdi, “March is Youth Art Month and the library asked the Bristol Borough School District art teachers to save the student's exceptional art work (since September) and they did. It's on display now at the library and it is awesome!!!!”
The student works incorporate a plethora of art media, sizes, shapes and dimensions into their colorful and unique pieces. The vibrant exhibit exemplifies the growth and development of the school’s art program and it’s the perfect opportunity for students who go above and beyond in the art venue to be showcased.
The Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library is not just books and bricks, it serves as the most enduring source for community growth and enrichment and promotion of the arts.
Students, parents, teachers and everyone are encouraged to view this impressive and expressive exhibit when you visit the library until the end of March during the regular hours of operation: Monday thru Thursday 11:00 am - 9:00 pm, Friday and Saturday 11:00am - 4:00 pm. This event is free and open to the public. Be ready to be enchanted and inspired.
Barbara Lee Kern, the children’s librarian, is proud to host the Youth Art Month.
Philadelphia resident Juliet Eve Gundy, VA Polytechnic Institute and State University ’05/ Arcadia M.A. is the Elementary Art teacher for 1st grade through 6th. Juliet loves oil painting, “it’s very relaxing” and stated, “All my Art teachers in Central Bucks were extremely influential to me.”
Miss Rosemary Parmigiani, Principal of Snyder-Girotti Elementary School and the District Grant Coordinator beamed, “I am very pleased to have Juliet on my staff. She is creative and innovative and she has done things with our students that they’ve never done before. They’re having a ball! She’s sparking the artists of the future.”
Student Josh Maldanado’s art piece qualified for the permanent collection at the BCIU.
Juliet collects all recycled stuff “and anything and everything imaginable” and the students created the intricate Hopi/ Navajo/Mexican-like kachina dolls.
Her students come in all heights. She also teaches “Intro to Drawing”, an introductory experience in the making of art through drawing media at Penn State Brandywine.
Sometimes the college students do the drawings and the younger ones paint them in.
She has introduced relief printmaking, perfect for the novice papier-mâché sculptures, lovely and stunning landscape drawing, portrait techniques, linoleum block printing, creative mosaics, and unique personalized plaster masks into the Borough curriculum.
“It gets a little messy”, Juliet smilingly admits.
The young artists patiently waited to show their original exhibits to the browsing attendees.
Alan J. Vogenberg, BPharm, RPh, FASCP claims he could only draw stick figures. “That’s all I could draw. I’m not an artist. These kids are fantastic. I like the copper and multi-dimentional textures that they use to convey their message. It’s fabulous.”
No stick figures for these imaginative and clever up-and-coming artists.
Red Sox fan Stephen Patrick Rodas, grade 6, attests he likes social studies best but he stays on the “cutting edge” with his linoleum block relief printing creation.
Stephen’s mom, Maribeth Ennis Rodas, BHS ’88 shared,” Funny thing is my cousin is Joe Ennis and John Ennis and Joe Pavone is my uncle!! Stephen's got good genes!!”
Third grader, Collin James Brady, sporting his “Youth in Art Month” ribbon, firmly states that he’s the only one in his family that does artwork.
Jordy Savanniah Fink happily presented her magenta mountain picture mosaic.
Other student artists accepted their custom made certificate awards from Terree Schreiber who has taught Art at BHS for 32 years. She laughed, “I came from Virginia to the big city. John Girotti was my boss. The "Bristol Stomp" was famous and I decided to make Art famous.” She feels the most important thing to do is to increase the students’ awareness. She gets each student to see each color, each shade and how they blend together. “Everybody may have different levels of drawing but if I’m a good teacher, I need to be able to show them tricks of the trade.”
Her tricks of the trade are working and apparently inspiring the future artisans who understand that art is limited only by the imagination.
Nele Vandeginste is taking an art elective next year. “It’s fun to draw. I use different types of dark pencils. The expression is never bad or good. It’s just your’s and it’s good in its own way.”
Charlotte “it’s the funnest” Costello is in 8th grade and “likes everything we did this year.”
Brittanylynn Cupido proudly posed by her intricately designed styrofoam Bristol Warrior logo wall hanging.
Through the work of another's artisitic creative process, through the work of someone's Art, we may come to understand each other, if just a tad more. We are a community bound together by the sharing of our Art.
Recommend a “Spotlight”: e-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
Principal of Snyder-Girotti Elementary Miss Rosemary Parmigiani and Art teacher Juliet Eve Gundy
Stephen Patrick Rodas
Collin James Brady
Jordy Savanniah Fink
Brittanylynn Cupido
Charlotte Costello
"Mercury, The Bringer of Dreams"
artist and communicator Sidney L. Taylor with
Giuseppe Solimando’s work
