Volume 14, Issue 3

P. O. Box 532, Port Hueneme CA 93044-0532 Website http://porthuenemefriends.wordpress.com/

Friends of the Ray D. Prueter Library

Spring 2016

Tween Night Out

The “Tween Night Out” was once again organized jointly by the

Library and the City of Port Hueneme along with the sponsorship of

several community groups, including the Friends of the Port

Hueneme Library. This fun event for kids aged 10 to 14 was held

on February 19. We are grateful to Buttercups Cool Treats, Carl’s

Jr., Jamba Juice, and Starbucks for donating raffle prizes.

We also want to thank members of the Library’s Teen Advisory

Group for assisting with the games and other activities and to

members of the Friends of the Port Hueneme Library for providing

adult supervision.

2015-2016

Officers & Board of Directors

Cathy Penprase

President

Jonnalyn Cabarles

Vice President-Programs

Beverly Kelley

Vice President-

Membership, Publicity

Jo Ann Van Reenan

Treasurer

Donna Breeze

Secretary

Bernadette McDowell

City Librarian

Sienna Sydlaske

Youth Librarian

Members at Large:

Debbie Hernandez

Newsletter

Lorena Arroyo

Newsletter Distribution

Jonnie Lisman

Book Sales/Lobby/Shop/

Bookies

Carmen Nichols

Becky Rubalcava

Blanca Smith

Cathy Thomason

Rosemary Tobin

Bonnie Goldstein

Arlene Fraser

Barbara Burnett

Dear Friends:

The Friends’ fiscal year ends at the end of this month. We would like to make this a record year for fund raising for our library, and we need your help. If you have not yet renewed your member-ship, please consider renewing at the Sponsor level of $100 OR MORE, (We gladly accept donations of $500, $1,000 or more!) Please remind your friends and neighbors to join us too. We also welcome donations from corporations and individuals and donations in honor of or in memory of someone.

We have some special fund-raising suggestions in this newsletter. See the article, “No App Replaces a Lap”. Money donated for this cause will go for children’s programming. Our library’s children’s programs open up a child’s world to the wonders of reading and start them on the road to success in school and in life. So please consider a donation for this drive and receive a certificate for a free book from our lobby bookstore.

On April 27 indulge your love for pizza from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Toppers Pizza, 2701 Peninsula Rd. Oxnard. Present the flyer in this newsletter, or, if ordering by phone, tell them you are supporting the Friends of the Port Library, and 20% of pre-tax sales will be given to our organiza-tion. There are more copies of the flyer in the library. Tell all your friends that this is the best time to order pizza!

We do thank all of our members for your continuing support. A library is a special place in a community and worthy of our support.. I would like to close this letter with some statements from our State Librarian, Greg Lucas, as he announced an exhibit at the State Capitol titled “Libraries Change Lives”:

“Libraries are equalizers, opportunity providers, instruments of inclusion. They’re the most welcoming place for the most disenfranchised. Libraries are books, of course, and books are beautiful things. But libraries are also community centers. They teach adults to read, help people get better jobs, connect people to the needle they seek in a worldwide haystack of information. They offer a place for people to invent and create – even publish their own books. Libraries are after school homework havens and summer reading programs. They are pre-kindergarten learning centers. Libraries help veterans and others in need. For those without internet access – some 25 percent of Californians don’t have internet access at home – libraries are their digital lifeline. All for free”.

Cathy Penprase

Page 2

Bernadette McDowell, City Librarian Librarian’s Report

March Early Learning STEM Workshops

For three Wednesdays in March, Prueter Library hosted Cal State Channel Islands University

students from Dr. Annie White’s ECS 462 (Supporting Dual Language Learners) course ful-

filling a service learning requirement. The workshops were presented in both Spanish and Eng-

lish. The students presented STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) ex-

periments for children birth to five. The workshops illustrated to parents how to take a picture

book concept and expand on it with experiments using everyday items. Each family received a

book bag, a booklet of experiments, and a picture book to take home. The students in the course

had the opportunity to gain experience in real life situations and the library was provided an op-

portunity to reach out to our diverse community.

The Prueter Library is finishing a busy first quarter of 2016 and is preparing

for an even busier Spring quarter, during which a number of exciting events

will be offered. But first, some news: the Prueter Library building is going to

be re-roofed. (The current roof is now over twenty-five years old). Work is

scheduled to begin on March 28 if weather permits and will take about 2 ½

weeks to complete. On another note, the Library System will be welcoming a

new Deputy Director, Nancy Schram, on April 4. Nancy has been most re-

cently Deputy Director at the Thousand Oaks Library; she replaces Sara Rob-

erts, who left in December to take a position at the Jacksonville (Florida) Pub-

lic Library.

Ventura County Library Centennial

(1916 – 2016) – 100 Years, 100 More!

A special event celebrating the history of the Ventura County Library will

take place on Wednesday, April 20, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Top-

ping Room at the E. P. Foster Library (651 East Main Street, Ventura).

Historical exhibits open at 4:00 and speakers begin their presentations at 5:30;

there will be a “Tell us your story” booth and other activities. Come to find

out what the next 100 years may hold for the Ventura County Library.

MinecraftEdu at the Prueter

Library – Coming Soon!

Prueter Library will soon be host-

ing MinecraftEdu workshops.

MinecraftEdu provides the library

an opportunity to teaching gaming

in a fun but controlled environ-

ment. Watch for announcements of

MinecraftEdu events at the library.

Page 3

Upcoming Classes, Workshops, Events & Services

Many of the Library’s events and services are sponsored wholly or in part by the Friends of the Port Hueneme Library. The home-

work center is funded by the family of former Port Hueneme Mayor and City Councilmember Murray Rosenbluth. We extend our

heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all of our supporters!

Listed below are some of the classes, workshops, activities, and events planned for Spring (check the Library’s website at http://

vencolibrary.org/calendar/month/2016-04?audience=All&region=55 for updated information).

Movie Afternoon – April 4 (2 pm); other dates to be announced.

Wii Games – April 5 (2 – 4 pm)

Spring Crafternoon – April 6 (2 – 4 pm)

Lego Lab – Create your own structures or take our monthly challenge to design a structure based on a chosen theme. April 7 (2 – 4

pm); other dates to be announced.

Mystery Book Discussion Group – The 2016 series focuses on California detectives; members meet on the 2nd Thursday of the

month from February through October:

April 14, May 12 & June 9 (2:00 pm). Openings are available for new members. Call or stop by the library to sign up.

Contemporary Literature Book Discussion Group – Members meet monthly on the 4th Thursday of the month from February through

October: April 28, May 26 & June 23

(2 pm). Openings are available for new members. Call or stop by the library to sign up.

Read to a Dog - Practice your reading and make a new furry friend. Call or stop by the library to sign up. May 11 & June 8 (3 – 5

pm).

STEAM Studio - Explore science, technology, engineering, art and math at the library. Dates to be announced.

Teen Advisory Group - Earn community service hours by helping the library plan fun Teen and Children’s events. Meetings are

once a month: May 18 & June 15 (4 - 5 pm). For ages 13 – 17.

Summer Reading Kickoff Show – June 16 (3 pm): Juggler David Cousin

Franklin Haynes Marionettes – June 20 (3 pm)

Reptile Family – June 27 (3 pm)

Early Literacy Class (formerly Storytime) - Early literacy based presentations; classes are offered three times each week: Monday at

5:30 pm; Tuesday & Wednesday at 10:30 am. For ages 0-5 & caregivers.

Bilingual Early Literacy Class (formerly Storytime) – Bilingual Spanish-English literacy based presentations. To be announced.

Online Resources

Access all online resources through the Ventura County Library’s website at www.vencolibrary.org. (Click on the eLibrary tab to

link to the library’s digital collection.)

WorldShare – Did you know that you can search for books and other materials not owned by the Ventura County Library and request

items online to be borrowed from other library systems? The WorldShare catalog includes the holdings of participating academic,

government, public, special, and school libraries located in the state of California. Contact library staff to show you how to create an

account.

Submitted by Bernadette McDowell, City Librarian and Sienna Sydlaske, Youth Librarian

Page 4

“2015 Citizen of the Year”

Port Hueneme Chamber of Commerce

The Friends are so proud that Jonnie Lisman, one of our board members and our “Queen of Book Sales”, was chosen as the Port Hueneme Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year. Jonnie was presented with the award at their annual ban-quet on March 11. Not only a tireless volunteer for us, Jonnie is actively engaged in many other community activities. The following is the award nomination we submitted which shows why she so richly deserved this award:

Jonnie Lisman is the most deserving volunteer in Port Hueneme for the honor of Citizen of the Year. She is the kind of person who never draws attention to herself but just works hard at whatever she does and helps make Port Hueneme a better place to live. What I find most impressive is the breadth of services she provides.

She has served on the board of the Friends of the Port Hueneme Library for many years. We have given her the title of “Queen of Book Sales” because she has taken charge of our ongoing lobby book sales and the annual big book sale. At least two days a week she works with our “bookie” volunteers sorting, cleaning and pricing donated books. She sees to it that the shelves of our lobby bookshop are filled, and she prepares special sales carts each month. She packs many boxes of books we cannot sell for Better World Books who give the Friends money for those that they sell. Her efforts for our Lobby Book Shop bring in about $400.00 a month for the benefit of our library.

Jonnie is an Administrative and Financial Officer for the Sea Cadets, a program at Naval Base Ventura County that expos-es young people ages 10 – 17 to the prestige of public service and a variety of career paths through hands-on training with our nation’s armed services. The Sea Cadets learn leadership skills, the virtues of good citizenship and strong moral prin-ciples. With her leadership the organization has expanded by 60% in the last year.

Jonnie worked as captain of a disaster action team for the Red Cross. In this volunteer job she could be called upon any time of the day or night, and she would go to the aid of people whose homes had been burned or flooded. She would find temporary housing for them and provide money for food and clothing.

Jonnie is also a Port Hueneme Police Department volunteer where she does such jobs as registering sex offenders and doing fingerprints for the public and other jobs as needed.

Jonnie volunteers her time for these organizations an average of 25 hours a week and works as a volunteer every other Saturday in addition. This does not include the hours she spends when called to respond for disaster relief. Never one to brag about her tireless dedication to helping others, Jonnie doesn’t do it for credit or glory. She sees a need and tries to fill it. She is a real asset to the City of Port Hueneme, and I believe her work should be recognized and appreciated by the Chamber.

Honoring Jonnie Lisman

Library’s Annual Meeting on May 1,

2016 Annual High Tea on October 16, 2016

You are cordially invited to the Friends of the Library’s Annual Meeting (Prueter Library on May 1, 2016 at 2:00PM) The speaker will be our own Beverly Kelley. After a brief business meeting and the installation of of-ficers, Kelley will present “The Cold Case Cozy---Think Jessica Fletcher as a Set of Triplets Residing in Port Hueneme.”

With two Hunter Triplets Mysteries (The Oldest Cold Case in Port Cabrillo, and Second Oldest Cold Case in Port Cabrillo)

already published, Kelley is presently working on a third. All her novels were inspired by actual unsolved murder cases

from the early seventies.

In her previous life, Dr. Kelley taught communication courses for thirty-five years in the department she founded at Cali-

fornia Lutheran University. As a professor, she also published three nonfiction books on the history of political film as

well as numerous scholarly articles on various subjects.

In addition, she was a former radio and television talk-show host, frequent contributor to the Ventura County Perspective pages of the Los Angeles

Times, and retired last year from a eighteen-year career as an opinion columnist for the Ventura County Star.

Today she spends her days as a volunteer---for the Friends of the Library, the Port Hueneme Historical Society Museum, and as Chloe the Therapy Dog’s human companion.

Rosenbluth Family

Homework Center

Volunteers provide homework

help to K-12 students. Home-

work Center hours are the

following when school is in

session:

Monday & Tuesday

3:00pm to 5:30pm

Wednesday

2:30pm to 5:30pm

Thursday

3:00-5:00pm

Page 5

Don’t Forget -Make us Smile

with AmazonSmile

If doesn’t sound like much– a nickel

for every $10 you spend– but shopping

AmazonSmile will enable you to make

a donation to the Friends of the Port

Hueneme Library at

NO COST TO YOU!

Donations Library Hours A special thank you to Tracy Hensley who repeated her annual donation of $1,000.00!

Renewing Sponsor members ($100 r above): Arlene Fraser, Neil McCarthy

(in memory of Karen), Murray Rosenbluth and Margaretha Van Oostenrijk

Monday

10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday and Wednesday

10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday

12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Sunday –Closed

NO APP CAN REPLACE A LAP—

I SUPPORT READING TO YOUNG CHILDREN

Apps on phones or tablets or laptops are everywhere and young children are especially drawn to them. Even two-year-olds can operate these electronic devices with amazing accuracy and speed as they play games, watch videos or listen to sto-ries. However, no app can replace the experience of crawling into a parent or grand-parent’s warm and comfortable lap and following along as the adult reads a beloved bedtime story.

Did you know reading to three- to five-year-olds on a regular basis pays off big time when the children enter first grade? It’s absolutely true. Just ask the National Center for Education Statistics, a division of the U.S. Department of Education. In fact, reading is a skill that affects all subjects—even math.

But even more importantly, reading to children at an early age boosts emotional bonding, helps improve communication skills, assists in develop-ing speech and language, aids in grasping con-cepts, teaches logic, and increases—technology does the opposite—the child’s attention span.

But sadly studies also tell us that only one out of every two children (ages 3-5) are read to, as most of us were, on a regular basis. That is why the Port Hueneme Friends fund Early Literacy classes three days a week as well as Bilingual Early Liter-acy classes and other children’s programs.

So what can you do?

Please consider writing out a generous check to support our Children’s Pro-grams. Send your check to the

Friends of the Library, PO Box 532, Port Hueneme, CA, 93044-0523 and don’t forget, your donation is tax deductible. (Federal Tax ID #77-0084572)

Your gift also entitles you to a Lobby Shop Gift Certificate, which you will re-ceive by return mail.

For Mystery Lovers

If like me, you've had your fill of dark, dark, dark Scandinavian authors, I recommend trying the Chet and Bernie mysteries by Spencer Quinn. It's hard not to laugh out loud at the private detective world from the point of view of Chet, a German shepherd who flunked out of police dog training. He spends his days as partner to Bernie Little who is a down-on-his-luck lovable detective. The series, now numbering ten books is written for adults and is set in a desert town.

Spencer Quinn, whose real name is Peter Abrahams, lives on Cape Cod with his wife and two dogs. He also writes a series of mysteries featuring Bowser and Birdie set in Louisiana and written for young adults. Abrahams has won awards for his young adult and adult fiction. Abrahams worked as a TV producer in Canada before becoming a writer of humorous mysteries.

There are many Spencer Quinn mysteries for got YAs and adults in the Ventura County Library system.

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P. O. BOX 532

PORT HUENEME, CA 93044-0532

Remember to send in your membership renewals. The first line on your address label tells you the month your membership renewal

is due. Your membership status can be found at the bottom of your snail mail address label or on the subject line of the e-mail. The

four categories of reminders are: Paid up, Past Due, Due Now (January, February March), Due Next Time (April, May June).