Thank You to Ocean County Library Friends Groups

TOMS RIVER – In celebration of our 100th Anniversary, the Ocean County Library would like to express our gratitude to all our Friends groups!

The Library Friends work to advance the Ocean County Library’s mission of connecting people, building community, and transforming lives.

The Library Friends are a vital community resource that provides local support for Ocean County Library’s branches. Friends groups fundraise with book sales, dine to donate programs, bling sales, bus trips, and other activities. Funds are used to expand programming at branches and support ongoing projects. Our members advocate within their communities for the library by attending community and civic events and supporting the public library mission for Freedom to Read and Access to Information.

Are you interested in becoming a Friend and supporting your local library? Visit theoceancountylibrary.org/oclfriends/membership to fill out a membership form today.

OCL turns 100 this year and you’re why we’re celebrating! See details on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, Pinterest and theoceancountylibrary.org.

Explore Your Hispanic Roots with a Professional Genealogist at the Ocean County Library Jackson Branch

JACKSON – Want to know how to search your family roots? In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, learn how to explore your Hispanic roots with genealogist Irisneri Flores at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 13 online or at the Jackson Branch of the Ocean County Library.

One of the main reasons that many Hispanics/Latinos do not begin their own family trees is doubt in finding information. Are there resources? If so, what is available? Is there a cost?

This program will cover steps when starting your search, types of documents, terms, tips, resources such as public libraries, and specific resources for Spanish-speaking Caribbean, Central, and South America.

Irisneri Flores is a professional genealogist with a Certificate in Genealogy Research from Boston University. Meeting her grandmother for the first time through documents inspired Flores to found Descubre Tu Historia, helping her community reconnect with their roots. She offers research services and shares resources and tips on navigating Hispanic documents, often highlighting free or low-cost options.

Registration is required for this free program. To register, visit tinyurl.com/JacksonHispanic, visit the branch at 2 Jackson Drive, or call 732-928-4400.

OCL turns 100 this year and you’re why we’re celebrating! See details on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, Pinterest and theoceancountylibrary.org.

Meet Local Artist Carol Freas at Ocean County Library LBI Branch

SURF CITY – Looking to meet and discuss art with a talented local artist? The Long Beach Island Branch of the Ocean County Library will host a meet and greet with Carol Freas at 5 p.m. Wednesday, September 10.

Patrons can immerse themselves in Freas’s watercolor paintings, which bring Barnegat Light’s iconic fishing village to life. Her paintings will be on display in the branch from September 2 to October 16.

Light refreshments will be provided during the meet and greet session.

OCL turns 100 this year and you’re why we’re celebrating! See details on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, Pinterest and theoceancountylibrary.org.

Celebrate a “Century of Soundtracks” with Dakota & Elle Vocal Duo Concert at the Ocean County Library’s Waretown Branch

WARETOWN – Looking to enjoy a spectacular evening of music? Join us in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Ocean County Library with a concert by vocal duo Dakota & Elle featuring iconic songs from popular movies at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sep. 15 at the Waretown Branch of the Ocean County Library.

From classic Hollywood songs to modern cinematic masterpieces, our talented vocalists will take you on a journey through the magic of film and the power of storytelling. Come enjoy an enchanting night of timeless melodies in this can’t-miss, once-in-a-lifetime event.

Dakota & Elle are local tenor and soprano vocalists who perform throughout the tri0state area. Among their extensive repertoire are classical, contemporary, and Broadway pieces, as well as golden oldies favorites and elevated renditions of modern pop songs. Both studied with a Julliard graduate and renowned master teacher. They believe music and art can bring hope, healing, and harmony to communities.

This program is generously sponsored by the 100th Anniversary Foundation.

Registration is required for this free program. To register, visit tinyurl.com/WaretownConcert, visit the branch at 112 Main Street, or call 609-693-5133.

OCL turns 100 this year and you’re why we’re celebrating! See details on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, Pinterest and theoceancountylibrary.org.

Learn All About New Jersey and the Gilded Age at the Brick Library

BRICK – Want to expand your knowledge of New Jersey history? Join Melissa Ziobro, Director of Public History at Monmouth University, as she presents “NJ and the Gilded Age” at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 13 at the Brick Branch of the Ocean County Library.

Learn about the economic changes, disparities between the haves and the have nots, the lavish architecture, the dollar princesses, the gambling, the playground of Presidents, and much more. Professor Ziobro draws on her many years studying state history and teaching “Business and Economic Development of the US.”

Melissa Ziobro began her career as a historian, archivist, and curator for the US Army at Fort Monmouth in 2004 prior to returning to her alma mater, Monmouth University, to teach full-time when the base closed. She has taught over a dozen different courses, including NJ History.

Registration is required for this free program. To register, visit tinyurl.com/GildedOCL, visit the branch at 301 Chambers Bridge Road, or call 732-477-4513.

OCL turns 100 this year and you’re why we’re celebrating! See details on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, Pinterest and theoceancountylibrary.org.

Learn the Steps of Country Line Dancing at the Ocean County Library

TOMS RIVER – The Ocean County Library is excited to present “Country Line Dancing” at several branches this September. Get ready to dance with Maureen Hawkins from Dancemaur Company and learn country line dancing steps. Each session will last 90 minutes. No previous experience is necessary to participate.

The program will take place on the following dates and locations:

• Monday, Sep. 15 at 3 p.m. – Little Egg Harbor Branch, 290 Mathistown Road, 609-294-1197
• Thursday, Sep. 18 at 3 p.m. – Barnegat Branch, 112 Burr Street, 609-698-3331
• Friday, Sep. 19 at 2 p.m. – Lacey Branch, 10 East Lacey Road, Forked River, 609-693-8566
• Tuesday, Sep. 23 at 3 p.m. – Plumsted Branch, 119 Evergreen Road, 609-758-7888
• Thursday, Sep. 25 at 3 p.m. – Toms River Branch, 101 Washington Street, 732-349-6200

Participants must sign a waiver form to join the program.

Registration is required to attend these free programs. To register, visit tinyurl.com/LineDanceOCL, or call or visit the branch of your choice.

OCL turns 100 this year and you’re why we’re celebrating! See details on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, Pinterest and theoceancountylibrary.org.

Works of Local Artist Dana DiLorenzo to be Exhibited at Ocean County Library Toms River Branch

TOMS RIVER – Calling all art aficionados! Paintings by local artist Dana DiLorenzo will be on display in the McConnell Gallery of the Ocean County Library’s Toms River Branch from now until August 31.

Dana DiLorenzo strives to capture movement in her acrylic paintings. Introduced to art at a young age by her grandmother, her passion for painting quickly grew. DiLorenzo continued experimenting on her own and taking classes at the Main Avenue Galleria in Ocean Grove. She has participated in juried art shows including the Barron Art Center and Main Avenue Galleria where she received first and second place awards for emerging artists.

“I have a difficult time sitting still, so I love to paint things that move,” says DiLorenzo. She enjoys exploring abstracts, nature, and realism through her art.

This exhibit is free and open to the public during the Toms River Branch’s normal operating hours. For more information on this and other programs, call the branch at 732-349-6200 or visit theoceancountylibrary.org/events.

OCL turns 100 this year and you’re why we’re celebrating! See details on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, Pinterest and www.theoceancountylibrary.org.

Works by Local Artist Clara Sue Beym to Be Exhibited at Lacey Library in September

FORKED RIVER – Interested in seeing paintings by a talented local artist? The Lacey Branch of the Ocean County Library will host the exhibit “Pieces of Nature: Seascapes, Landscapes and More!” by Clara Sue Beym from September 2 through September 30.

“Pieces of Nature” will feature watercolor paintings, torn paper collages and linocut prints depicting seascapes, landscapes, and more.

Beym paints her interpretations of the beauty of nature using bright colors and bold brush strokes, influenced by early impressionists. Preferring to paint in watercolor, Beym also paints in oil and pastels. Animals, portraits, historic buildings, houses, and landscapes of coastal and natural areas are usually the subjects of her work. She has an impressionistic approach to her use of color and light. Her paintings are often completed plein air, which encourages spontaneity and bold strokes. Beym is inspired by her surroundings in the wetlands of Bayville.

Beym has assisted in a senior living art class and volunteers her time with adults with autism as an art teacher. She regularly donates paintings to various fundraisers. Her paintings have been exhibited at local shows in libraries in both Mercer County and Ocean County and throughout the state. Her work can be found in the collections of the Hamilton Township Historical Society, Mercer County Division of Culture and Heritage, and Berkeley Township Historical Society. She is an active member of Ocean County Artist Guild, Garden State Watercolor Society, Pine Shores Art Association, Toms River Arts Council, and West Windsor Arts Council. When she is not painting, she spends much of her time volunteering for these art organizations.

The OCL Lacey Branch is located at 10 East Lacey Road, Forked River.

Registration is not required for this free program. For more information on this and other library programs, call the branch at 609-693-8566 or visit theoceancountylibrary.org/events.

OCL turns 100 this year and you’re why we’re celebrating! See details on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, Pinterest and www.theoceancountylibrary.org.

On Writing Darkly Charming Villainous Love with Author Hannah Nicole Maehrer

TOMS RIVER – Embrace your dark side and join us for a virtual conversation with Hannah Nicole Maehrer, author of the Accomplice to the Villain series at 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 3.

Evie Sage didn’t mean to become right-hand woman to the kingdom’s most terrifying villain. One minute, she was applying for an entry-level position that promised “light paperwork and occasional beheadings,” and the next, she was knee-deep in magical mayhem, murder plots, and an entirely inappropriate crush on her brooding, sharp-jawed, walking disaster of a boss. Being evil-adjacent was never part of the plan. But then again, neither was falling for The Villain.

Hannah Nicole Maehrer – or as TikTok knows her, @hannahnicolemae – is a fantasy romance author and BookToker with a propensity for villains. When she’s not creating bookish comedy skits about villains and assistants, she’s writing to Taylor Swift songs. Her biggest passions include romance, magic, laughter, and finding ways to include them all in everything she creates. Most days you can find her with her head in the clouds and a pen in her hand.

Registration is required for this free program. To register, visit tinyurl.com/MaehrerOCL, call 732-349-6200, or visit your local OCL branch.

OCL turns 100 this year and you’re why we’re celebrating! See details on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, Pinterest and www.theoceancountylibrary.org.

Learn the Joys of Planting Garlic at Stafford Library

MANAHAWKIN – Learn all about planting, harvesting, drying, and storing garlic at the Stafford Branch of the Ocean County Library at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sep. 8 during this interactive presentation from the Rutgers Master Gardeners.

This program will cover the entire growing year of garlic from planting in November to harvest in June as well as drying and storing. It will feature pictures of the entire process as well as history and trivia about garlic. There will also be surprise prizes.

Master Gardener Noreen Baris will present this program. Baris has been a certified Master Gardener since 2008. Baris taught in Nutley for 30 years where she ran a garden club for the fifth and sixth grade students. She has been working in the Master Gardeners’ vegetable garden for the last 15 years and is involved in several of their programs.

Registration is required for this free program. To register, visit tinyurl.com/GarlicOCL, call the branch at 609-597-3381, or visit the branch at 129 North Main Street, Manahawkin.

OCL turns 100 this year and you’re why we’re celebrating! See details on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Spotify, Pinterest and www.theoceancountylibrary.org.