February marks many important celebrations for the year. We will be celebrating Black History Month and highlighting prominent Black figures who helped shape the culture and definition of Blackness in America. We’ll also be ringing in the Year of the Dragon for Lunar New Year—which takes place on February 10—with many programs that celebrate Asian cultures with a focus on Chinese culture.
Tax Time is quickly approaching. AARP will be at the Main Library every Tuesday until April to offer free tax preparation to anyone of any age—especially if you are 50 or older and can't afford paid tax preparation—through their AARP Foundation Tax-Aide.
United Way of Central Jersey will also be providing VITA Tax Preparation Services. Those interested in this can drop off their tax paperwork to the secure dropbox in the Main Library, or they can schedule an appointment with the United Way directly (info on scheduling can be found here).
The final session of our meditation programs will be happening this month. Led by Bruce Faithwick, Connecting to the Love Within Through Meditation will help attendees to incorporate more love and peace in their lives
There will be a live interview of Award-Winning author Jason Mott. In Exploring Identity, Love, and Being Black in America in Fiction Writing, Mott will talk about his latest novel, Hell of a Book, and explore how the book explores the heart of racism, police violence, and the hidden costs exacted upon Black Americans and America as a whole.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts is pleased to offer The Business of Being an Artist workshop series, a free professional development series open to any artist, teaching artist, or folk artist who lives and/or works in the state of New Jersey. The three programs of this series will help artists learn how to find the right insurance for them, where to find business essential resources, and teach them about basic financial literacy.
Speaking of insurance, the Center For Family Services will host open hours with a Health Insurance Navigator to help residents with enrolling in a health insurance plan through GetCoveredNJ or NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid). The will also be holding a special program aimed at residents who missed the GetCoveredNJ Open Enrollment period for health insurance to discuss how they might qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) due to certain life-changing events or income level.
Our Lego Clubs will continue to meet at both the Main Library and North Edison Branch. This club looks to inspire future Master Builders and spark the imagination of what can be accomplished with Lego bricks. All builds will also be put on display for our patrons’ enjoyment until the Lego Club meets next.
And we’ll be getting a special visit from penguins! Jenkinson's Aquarium will be appearing at all three branches with Penguin Pointers, an educational session that will discuss penguin biology, geography, care, feeding, and conservation.
All of this and more is in addition to our regular book clubs, Makerspace programs, and the Clara Barton Knitting Circle.
You can see a full list of all of February’s events here, and don’t forget to register on the Events page of our website.
