71 Monell Avenue
Islip, NY 11751

T: 631-581-5933

F: 631.277.8429

71 Monell Avenue
Islip, NY 11751
T: 631-581-5933
F: 631-581-8429

71 Monell Avenue
Islip, NY 11751

T: 631-581-5933 

F: 631-581-8429

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Category Archives for Adults

Your 24/7 Research Library!

Your 24/7 Research Library!

Live-brary is a cooperative project of the public libraries of Suffolk County that provides a one-stop, digital branch for Suffolk County public library cardholders.

Live-brary Research Databases is a collection of research materials, including magazine and newspaper articles, reference books, and homework help organized in over 30 different subject areas.

What kind of information can I find using Live-brary?

  • Access a wide variety of databases including those that provide full text articles from newspapers and magazines
  • Find online car repair information
  • Find online medical information
  • Get “live” study help for homework or access a tutor to help you in real time!
  • Find study guides for all kinds of tests, including Civil Service exams, licensing exams, the U.S. Citizenship exam, and various tests given to elementary, middle, and high school students.
  • Find job postings, help with resumes and cover letters, and career information.
  • Search Historic Newspapers going back to the 1800s.
  • Learn a new language with Pronunciator, an online foreign language learning resource that includes an ESL feature for 99 Languages!

Where do I find Live-brary?

Go to our webpage at www.isliplibrary.org and click on:

​This month we’re highlighting the following databases – check back soon for information about some other great resources!

Browse full-text journal and magazine articles (including Consumer Reports), primary sources, maps, flags and multimedia:
Magazines & Journals

Full text articles from over 250 regional, national and international newspapers:
Newspapers

New York State Historic Newspapers; Suffolk County Historic Newspapers; Newsday 1940-current; New York Times 1851-current; Wall Street Journal 1889-current:
Historic Newspapers

Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Migrants

Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Migrants – Do You Know the Difference?

Refugee – A refugee is a person who has been forced to flee their home country due to persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. The persecution of a refugee experiences may include harassment, threats, abduction or torture. A refugee is afforded some sort of legal protection, either by their host country’s government, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or both.  In the U.S. refugees are hand-selected by the U.S. government and are screened in advance. They are subject to background checks and security screenings by multiple U.S. agencies. Only after everything is approved are they brought to the U.S. to reside permanently.

Asylum Seeker – An asylum seeker is a person who has fled persecution in their home country and is seeking safe haven in a different country, but has not yet received any legal recognition or status. Every refugee is initially an asylum seeker.

Migrants – A migrant is a person who chooses to move from their home for any variety of reasons, but not necessarily because of a direct threat of persecution or death. Migrant is an umbrella category that can include refugees but can also include people moving to improve their lives by finding work or education, those seeking family reunion and others. Migrants become immigrants when they enter into a new country.

Source:  hias.org

Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Migrants

Interested in learning more? For more facts about refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, and immigration please also refer to these resources:

Not-For-Profit websites:

 (.ORG INDICATES A NOT-FOR-PROFIT) 

JUST A FEW OF THE BOOKS AT THE ISLIP PUBLIC LIBRARY:

The line becomes a river: dispatches from the border. Cantú, Francisco

The making of a dream: how a group of young undocumented immigrants helped change what it means to be American. Wides-Muñoz, Laura

Border patrol nation: dispatches from the front lines of homeland security. Miller, Todd

Exceptional people: how migration shaped our world and will define our future. Goldin, Ian

Detained and deported: stories of immigrant families under fire. Regan, Margaret

Exodus: how migration is changing our world. Collier, Paul

A nation of nations: a great American immigration story. Gjelten, Tom

The far away brothers: two young migrants and the making of an American life. Markham, Lauren

Immigration and asylum: from 1900 to the present. ABC-CLIO,

Go back to where you came from: the backlash against immigration and the fate of western democracy. Polakow-Suransky, Sasha

A hope more powerful than the sea: one refugee's incredible story of love, loss, and survival. Fleming, Melissa

The great departure: mass migration from Eastern Europe and the making of the free world. Zahra, Tara

The lines we cross. Abdel-Fattah, Randa

Immigrants' rights, citizens' rights. Howell, Sara

Cast away: true stories of survival from Europe's refugee crisis. McDonald-Gibson

The fence: national security, public safety, and illegal immigration along the U.S.-Mexico border. Maril, Robert Lee

Border crosser: one gringo's illicit passage from Mexico into America. Rico, Johnny

Dying to cross: the worst immigrant tragedy in the history of the United States. Ramos, Jorge

City of dreams: the 400-year epic history of immigrant New York. Anbinder, Tyler

A Nation of Immigrants. Kennedy, John F.

Groupthink

Groupthink

Definition of Groupthink: a pattern of thought characterized by self-deception, forced manufacture of consent, and conformity to group values and ethics.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/groupthink

Groupthink, a term coined by social psychologist Irving Janis (1972), occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of “mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment” (p. 9). Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups. A group is especially vulnerable to groupthink when its members are similar in background, when the group is insulated from outside opinions, and when there are no clear rules for decision making.”

http://www.psysr.org/about/pubs_resources/groupthink%20overview.htm

Groupthink occurs when a group with a particular agenda makes irrational or problematic decisions because its members value harmony and coherence over accurate analysis and critical evaluation. Individual members of the group are strongly discouraged from any disagreement with the consensus and set aside their own thoughts and feelings to unquestioningly follow the word of the leader and other group members. In a groupthink situation, group members refrain from expressing doubts, judgments or disagreement with the consensus and ignore any ethical or moral consequences of any group decision that furthers their cause. Risk-taking is common, and the lack of creativity and independent thinking have negative personal and political implications for both group members and outsiders. Groupthink decisions rarely have successful outcomes.”

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/groupthink

Groupthink -  you’ve probably heard this term before - it gets bandied about in the media with some frequency - but have you thought about what it really means?

Groupthink is not the same thing as collaborating with others in a group to form a consensus. Groupthink is characterized by conformity and blind obedience due to coercion and pressure from the group’s leadership. When individual opinions and creative thought are suppressed by a group, poor - even dangerous, decisions are often the result. When members of a group seem fearful of sharing an alternative idea or disagreeing with others in the group it is not a healthy group.

History teaches us that Groupthink and blind obedience can produce disastrous results: slavery and ‘Jim Crow’ laws, the Holocaust, the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII, McCarthyism, the massacre in the Jonestown Cult, the massacre in Tiananmen Square, and recent massive separations of children from their parents by the U.S. government are just a few examples that come to mind.

We humans have the power to think – to reason, analyze, weigh evidence, consult various sources, and to logically evaluate facts in order to make decisions. It can be an enlightening exercise to consult various news sources, especially ones that offer viewpoints that seem different from what you usually hear.  If you generally only read one newspaper, or listen to one radio station, or watch one TV network it’s quite possible that you are getting a biased presentation. Try listening to what multiple sources are saying about the same event, then do some fact checking* and form your own opinion!  Be prepared to express your viewpoint and make your case. Support your opinion with solid arguments and examples from multiple and varied sources. Then, the next time you find yourself in a group in which everyone is agreeing but you feel differently, speak up! If we do not exercise the power of our minds, we risk becoming “sheeple” – no better than a sheep who would follow the one in front of him straight off a cliff or into the clutches of a hungry wolf. It can be scary to express an idea that is unpopular with your group, or “tribe” – but it’s necessary for all of us to hear other ideas and to expand our minds. Respectful civil discourse, varied ideas, and thinking voters are the necessary ingredients of a healthy democracy.

As Albert Einstein once said,
“When we all think alike, no one thinks very much!”

Listed below are some interesting books in our collection at the Islip Public Library on becoming a more logical, individual thinker. Check one out today – exercise your mind by reading, analyzing, and thinking for yourself!

  • The Art of Thinking Clearly.  By Rolf Dobelli
  • Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking.  By D. Q. McInerny
  • Crimes Against Logic: Exposing the Bogus Arguments of Politicians, Priests, Journalists and Other Serial Offenders.  By Jamie Whyte
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    How to Think.  By Alan Jacobs
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    Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World.  By Adam Grant
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    Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations.  By Amy Chua
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    Post-Truth.  By Lee C. McIntyre
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    Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.  By John J. Ratey
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    Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior.  By Ori Brafman
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    Thinking Fast and Slow.  By Daniel Kahneman
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    You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You’re Deluding Yourself.  By David McRaney

Get the Facts!

Fact Checking Sources:

Summer Reading

Summertime is Reading Time

Summer is right around the corner and that means beaches, barbecues, hiking, kayaking, sailing, and of course summer reading! Did you know that we have a summer reading club for adults?!

Registration for the Islip Public Library’s Adult Summer Reading Club began on Friday, June 16th! It’s really easy to participate: Come into the Library to register and receive a summer reading club folder. Read any book you want and give us a review of the book(s) you read.

You can either report on your book using a paper book review form (found in the folder you will receive when you register) or by filling out your book review on our Adult Summer Reading Club blog found here.

Remember: you need to register before reporting on your books. After reading and reporting on two books, you will receive a special prize -- a personalized Islip Public Library notebook/pen set as well as an invitation to attend our summer reading club party on Thursday, August 16 at 6:00 pm.

Need some ideas for what to read this summer?

Try these lists or stop into the Library for some great summer reading suggestions!

Talk, Sing, Read, Play and Write – The Five Practices of Literacy

The five practices of literacy are talking, singing, reading, playing, and writing. These practices are fundamental to children’s growth as future readers. Believe it or not, caregivers are the best people to help their children learn these practices just by doing everyday things with them. Here are some tips to get you started at home.

Talking:

Talk with children even from the time they are infants. They are listening and learning from you and are looking to you to see how words are formed and sound.

Think of a word and together with your child, find words that rhyme with it. Words that rhyme with cat are bat, hat, and sat!

Singing:

Sing nursery rhymes such as Itsy Bitsy Spider and Humpty Dumpty. While singing, turn to your child and encourage them to sing along.

Clap to music that you hear on the radio. This helps children recognize rhythm and also can help children in the future when they are learning to sound out letters when reading.

Reading:

Pick out a book from the library and sit with your child as you read. Make the experience something they will look forward to and not something that is a chore.

While reading ask questions about the book. Was there something funny that they noticed? Did they like the book and want to read other books like it?

Playing:

Let your child engage in different types of play! One day they could be engaging in unstructured play such as having a birthday party for their favorite toy and the next they could be interested in playing a board game with specific rules.

While playing with your child do not feel tempted to “lead” the play. Give your child the opportunity to tell you what is going on in their mind and see how that influences what you are playing.

Writing:

Have your child make a Valentine’s Day card. Don’t worry if you see scribbles, the mere act of scribbling shows that your child is working on their writing skills.

Ask your child to draw something special to them (this could be a pet, a favorite toy, etc) and speak about the drawing. Is there something there that your child wants to talk more about? They may feel that they’ve just drawn the world's tallest robot giraffe!

Try out some of these tips and help your children on their way to becoming readers!

Summertime is Reading Time | Adult Summer Reading Club

Summer is right around the corner and that means beaches, barbecues, hiking, kayaking, sailing, and of course summer reading! Did you know that we have a summer reading club for adults?! Registration for the adult summer reading club begins on Friday, June 16th. It’s easy to participate: Come into the library to register and receive a summer reading club folder. Read any book you want and give us a review of the book(s) you read.

You can either report on your book using a paper book review form (you will receive when you register) or by filling out your book review on our Adult Summer Reading club blog found here:

Remember: you need to register first before reporting on your books. After reading and reporting on two books, you will receive a sweet treat! The first 75 patrons who read and report on three books, will receive an invitation to attend our summer reading club party on Friday, August 18 at 5:00 pm with dinner catered by Fratelli’s Restaurant and a fully staged musical production of My Fair Lady performed by Plaza Theatrical Productions.

Need some ideas for what to read this summer? Try these lists or stop into the library for some more great summer reading suggestions!

Celebrate Older Americans Month with Islip Public Library!

“May is a month of fresh beginnings. Perennials bloom once again, blazing a trail of bright color. May is also when we celebrate Older American’s Month, acknowledging the perennial contributions of older adults to our nation.”

(Source)

Proclaimed as a national observance by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, the month of May provides us an opportunity to honor older Americans and acknowledge their contributions.

Every President since Kennedy has issued a formal proclamation during or before the month of May asking that the entire nation pay tribute in some way to older persons in their communities. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter’s proclamation changed the name to Older Americans Month. Older Americans Month is celebrated across the country through ceremonies, events, fairs, and other such activities.

Seniors - Join us at the Islip Public Library throughout the month of May for some special programs just for you!

Senior Fitness Classes​

Senior Fitness classes are held on Wednesdays from 9:30-10:30 am. Have fun and get fit while learning basic weight training and body-toning with Ellyn Seltzer.

​Scrabble!

Join three-time National Scrabble Champion, Joe Edley, author of Everything Scrabble on Monday, May 8 at 11 am. He will teach you several techniques to enhance your word game skills. Please bring your Scrabble set along. Light refreshments will be provided.

Concert: Better Late Than Never Jug Band

Concert: Better Late Than Never Jug Band on Sunday May 21 at 2:00 pm. This band includes six members: “Big Mike” Meyer plays guitar, sings, and plays kazoo; Rob “The Blue Streak” Bellassai plays harmonica, jug and a bunch of other things that make noise; Angela Giannotti plays wash board and sings; Rich Fuller plays mandolin and sings; Carl Batchelder plays upright bass; Rich Giannotti plays guitar and sings.

Guest Speaker Vincent DeSantis: Long Term Care Options

Vincent DeSantis, a Long Term Care Professional will be at the library on Tuesday, May 24 at 7 pm to discuss various long term care options.

Living Healthy Series for Older Adults

Living Healthy Series for Older Adults on Fridays from 10:00 am - 12 noon, May 26 - June 30. Put life back in your life during this six-week workshop series that empowers older adults to take charge of chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, heart disease, chronic pain, obesity and anxiety.

FREE Health Screenings

The St. Francis Hospital Mobile Bus, staffed by medical professionals, will be in the Islip Library parking lot on Wednesday, June 28 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm for free health screenings. No registration required.

Helping Your Child Love to Read

Unfortunately, some children find reading to be a chore. The process of decoding letters and their sounds, along with the many rules and exceptions that the English language includes may discourage some children from loving reading. The following tips may inspire your children to read.

  • Let your child choose the books he likes including joke books, graphic novels, comic books, or picture books. Your child needs to feel comfortable with a certain reading level before he voluntarily moves on. It is alright if your child rereads the same book. Each time he reads it he will discover something new and it will give him more confidence the next time he tries a new title.
  • Some children have trouble connecting with stories if they have nothing in common with the characters. Let them choose stories they can relate to. Reading about a subject of interest is more appealing than having to read about a dry topic. If your child has been to camp and would like to read about someone else’s camp adventures let her read about them. If he enjoys baseball, find sports books. Show him the sports page in the newspaper and read it together.
  • While your child is watching television or a dvd, have him or her read the closed captions. Pause the movie if it’s moving too rapidly. This form of reading helps children with word recognition since one cannot always sound out every word.
  • Read aloud with your child. Have her read a page and then you read a page. By alternating back and forth, it takes some of the pressure off of her. Stop reading at a very exciting part and tell her that you’ll continue later. She may not be able to wait for your return and read on by herself.
  • Have your child read as he listens to the accompanying audio book. Comprehension improves when you use two senses simultaneously. The Islip Library has many titles available in CD format, and you can download many audiobooks onto various devices of your own at no charge through the Islip Library website: www.isliplibrary.org (please call us or visit a reference desk if you’d like to learn how to do this)
  • Let your child see you reading and enjoying books, magazines, and newspapers. Tell him how and why you enjoy reading every day. Talk with him or her about what you’re reading. Bake together and ask your child to read the recipe aloud so you can gather the ingredients and determine the measurements.
  • Give books as gifts. Have your child choose a book as a gift for someone else.
  • Children like to read books that tie in with TV shows or movies; the Islip Library has quite a few of these books.
  • Play board games like Scrabble or Boggle with your child. Board and word games are helpful in building vocabulary and improving spelling.
  • Subscribe to a magazine that your child has an interest in. Children love to receive mail.
  • Some children need additional help in learning to read. Ask your child’s teacher or doctor for resources. We are fortunate to have reading teachers in the Islip School district who can assist your child.

Libraries are an excellent resource for finding books or downloads on almost every topic. A children’s librarian will be happy to find a “just right” book for your child. Stop in and visit us!

Alternative Facts: How to Discover What’s Really True

What Do These Three Statements Have in Common?
Why They are Alternative Facts, Of course!

  • February has 31 days
  • 2+2=5
  • It never rains on Wednesdays

We seem to be bombarded with information at every moment. In addition to radio, television, and newspapers, the Internet feeds us information all day, and because we often choose sites that validate our own personal preferences, the news that is fed to us is increasingly one-sided! That’s why it’s so important to consult a wide variety of sources for news. Be on the alert for stories that “go viral” on social media like Facebook and Twitter. It’s easy to make a post look like the real thing, but it may be a complete fake.

It’s never smart to believe everything you read or hear. You need to check and see whether or not it is actually a verifiable fact.

Librarians always verify the truth of information - so should you. When librarians do research we choose authoritative (credible) sources and if we do enter something into Google, we never assume that whatever it turns up is accurate. In order to determine validity we go to the source. What is this website? Where is it coming from? Who is contributing to it? Is it maintained by people who can submit whatever they like? Is it a for-profit/commercial sight? If it is for-profit then obviously a profit is being made from what appears on the site, and the agenda and motives of the site’s contributors will surely be influenced by how much money they stand to make. When searching for definitive, reliable information on the Internet always look for a domain name that does not end in .com. Instead, look for .org (a nonprofit organization) / .edu. (an educational institution) / or .gov (a governmental institution) sites. Then, be sure to compare the information you find on the various sites in order to confirm accuracy.

Rather than searching the Internet, librarians often use sources such as subscription databases of newspapers, periodicals, journals, and reference books whose contributors are professionals and experts in their fields. Their work is reviewed by their peers for accuracy. When you see that a source is “peer reviewed” you know that accuracy has been verified, and verified again by trained professionals.

Becoming “information literate” requires applying these practices when consuming information. Information Literacy is comprised of: reviewing information in multiple authoritative sources; using your critical thinking skills to study the context and history of the issue; and in areas of controversy, reading a variety of opinions on both sides of the issue in order to draw your own informed conclusion.

Once upon a time in this country there was something called the Fairness Doctrine - a former federal policy requiring television and radio broadcasters to present contrasting viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance. The policy was challenged and ultimately revoked in 1987, after Congress passed a resolution instructing the FCC to study the issue. The explosion of talk radio in the late 1980s and early 1990s is largely a result of the end of the Fairness Doctrine. There are pros and cons surrounding the doctrine and its revocation, but the fact that it is now permissible for only one side of an issue to be presented as fact on radio and on television has certainly escalated the political rhetoric in our country.

One Internet source to use when verifying what you hear is www.factcheck.org Note that this site is a .org site indicating that it is not for profit. “Factcheck.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit consumer advocate for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.” That information is taken verbatim from their mission statement. The site is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The fact checkers themselves are all trained and experienced journalists. Journalists and librarians have something very important in common – we check and re-check multiple sources in order to verify information.

When a politician or a candidate makes a statement and presents it as fact, you should always check to see if it is really true. Don’t believe everything you hear! Be a critical thinker and learn to question everything.

A democratic society relies on educated voters who make informed decisions for the common good of the people. Libraries are the backbone of a democratic society because we provide free access to reliable information for everyone.

The catchy sound bites that are presented on newsy talk shows are designed to grab your attention and to tap into the basest of human emotions - fear and anger. Instead, use your brain to investigate and learn the facts.

The Library has many resources that are available in the building as well as from your mobile device or home computer. If you’d like help in accessing these resources call us at 631-581-5933 or stop by the Adult Reference Desk to speak with a librarian.

Be an informed citizen and voter – check the facts!

The Picky Eater

When my son was younger, I thought of him as my “prickly pear.” On certain topics he had to be approached in a particular way to elicit cooperation. Looking back now, I believe that he had sensitivity issues that were glimpsed but not fully comprehended, i.e. not liking the beach because of the feel of the sand, anxiety when traveling (worried about getting lost) and a most definite aversion to most foods. Almost every situation could be negotiated with reason, comedy and positive peer pressure -he has a great sense of humor and a very social aspect to his personality, as well as an older brother who could sometimes talk him into doing fun family things. Eating poorly, however, because of its very life and death nature, was an area that for me was fraught with dangerous consequences.

A great part of nurturing, of course, involves food and the role it plays in the life of a healthy and thriving child. However, when our best efforts are thwarted by what seems to be mere stubbornness on the part of our offspring, it can be frustrating and hurtful, especially if we see resistance as a reflection of our parenting skills. It’s easy to see how food then becomes so inextricably entwined with our emotions, usually love. If we can take a step back and look at what else may be happening with the child, we may be able to employ strategies for de-escalating the conflicts arising at mealtimes. You might find that being a little flexible helps lessen the stress and signals to the child that you are paying attention to what their aversion to certain foods may signify. Of course, the issue is a complex one with many variations on the theme, depending upon the individual child and family, but, if it is any consolation, know that you are not alone!

With that thought in mind, there are a plethora of resources with ideas for making those food-related interactions more bearable.

This is just a small sampling of the many online sites a desperate parent could find useful. Some also cite additional sources for further information on the topic.

Of course, here at the library, there are print resources for parents
(please check our catalog):
For the kiddos themselves, we have many non-fiction, highly-illustrated books that talk about nutrition and the importance of eating healthy foods:
Here are some colorful and instructional gardening books to let them understand where certain foods come from and to help grow them:

Cookbooks geared toward children with simple and fun recipes so that they help create what goes in their mouths:
Fiction authors use picky eaters as characters in their usually humorous stories:

Hopefully, with all this advice now available, parents and children will be able to reach a peaceful accord and make mealtime a much more harmonious occasion. As for my son, he has reached the ripe old age of 25 by eating snow-covered trees (cauliflower), olives (pitted, slip on fingers), elbow macaroni (the only acceptable shape), and spoonfuls of peanut butter, and, even though you would have to tie him down to make him eat cheese (involves mold, utterly disgusting) he still manages to be one of the healthiest people I know!

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