Library Lover’s Month is a celebration of school, public, and private libraries of all types. It is a time for everyone, especially library support groups, to recognize the value of libraries and to ensure that the nation’s libraries will continue to serve.

Judy Lhamon is a librarian at Miller Memorial Central Library on Dixwell Avenue in Hamden.

“Every month is Library Lover’s month to us,” Lhamon said.

Library Lover’s Month, Lhamon said, is all about the library supporters. One organization that is showing their gratitude to the library this month is The Friends of the Hamden Library, a non-profit group that supports and promotes the library. On Feb. 15, the group of devoted volunteers provided a home-cooked lunch for the library staff. In addition, the Friends are donating $250 to the library staff association to aid a few members of the staff suffering from long-term illnesses.

Individuals can also support their local libraries, Lhamon said.

“The best thing to do to be an active supporter of our library is to one, simply use your library card. It’s very basic but important,” Lhamon said. “Two, explore the many different ways to use your library card. There are databases, references, and even practice tests like SATs and GMATs available with the use of your card. Lastly, library supporters can show their appreciation by being vocal to the people who make the decisions concerning the library’s budget.”

While showing your appreciation by visiting your library this month, be sure to check out some of these great reads recommended by librarians and students.

Lhamon recommended checking out “The Glass Castle,” a memoir by Jeanette Walls.

“The book is an incredibly engrossing, well-written story of parents that are intelligent, resourceful and also crazy,” Lhamon said. “The story impressed me about the resilience of the human spirit.”

In honor of Black History month, Lhamon also recommends the Martin Luther King Jr. biography, “At Caanan’s Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-68,” the final installation in Taylor Branch’s trilogy. The first two books in the series are “Parting the Waters” and “Pillar of Fire.”

Linda Hawkes, a librarian at Quinnipiac’s Arnold Bernhard library, recommends the historical art novel, “The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece” by Jonathan Harr. She also recommends “Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell,” a story of the revival of English magic by Susanna Clarke and “A Very Private Eye: The Diaries, Letters and Notebooks of Barbara Pym” by the British author herself.

Michelle Clemente, public relations major, recommends 2003’s “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” by Mitch Albom, who is also the author of “Tuesdays with Morrie.”

“I liked how each person the man met on his trip through heaven was so different,” Clemente said. “It was cool how he impacted each of their lives in such different ways.

Lindsay Kelleher, a diagnostic imaging major, suggested that library lovers read Stephen King’s 1990 novel, “Four Past Midnight.”

Chris Parrillo, a psychology major, recommended “Haunted” by Chuck Palahniuk and “Contortionist’s Handbook” by Craig Clevenger.

Kate Agrafiotis, a biomedical pre-med major, suggested “Wicked” by Gregory Maguire and “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card.

“There are No Children Here” by Alex Kotlowitz made the top of sociology major, Gaby Zini’s, recommendation list.

“I had to read it for a sociology class,” Zini said. “Even though it was kind of depressing, I enjoyed it because it was a true story that was such a wake up call.”

RECOMMENDED READS

The Five People You Meet in Heaven
By Mitch Albom

“I liked how each person the man met on his trip through heaven was so different,” she said. “It was cool how he impacted each of their lives in such different ways.”

-Michelle Clemente

The Glass Castle
By Jeanette Walls

“The book is an incredibly engrossing, well-written story of parents that are intelligent, resourceful and also crazy. The story impressed me about the resilience of the human spirit.”

- Judy Lhamon

At Canaan’s Edge:
American in the King Years, 1965-68
Taylor Branch

A good read in keeping with the spirit of Black History Month. It’s the third book in Taylor Branch’s trilogy.

Just when you think your head is about to explode as stress levels reach all time, highs families present yet another question to ponder: Where should we stay the night before your graduation? For out-of-town students, the hassle of booking a hotel room is probably not high on a list of priorities. However, tell relatives not to worry and simply read on to ease all lodging troubles.

There are still hotels with available rooms for the weekend of Saturday, May 20, as of November 4. Two of these accommodations are located only five miles from campus in Wallingford. The Courtyard by Marriott, located on Route 68, has rooms available for $129 to $144. The Fairfield Inn, located at 100 Chalet Drive, has vacant rooms that night for $129 plus tax.

Traveling only about six miles from Quinnipiac is The Holiday Inn in North Haven. The Holiday Inn, located at 201 Washington Avenue, has rooms available May 20 for $189.95.

Two hotels in Meriden are approximately 11 miles from campus. The Hampton Inn, located at 10 Bee Street, has rooms available with king size beds for a price of $129 a night plus tax. The Sheraton Four Points, located at 275 Research Parkway, has vacant rooms that night ranging from $115 to $130.

About 20 miles from Quinnipiac is the Residence Inn by Marriott in Milford. They too have available rooms that weekend ranging from $150 to $215. The rates for a room at each hotel are subject to change from day to day.

Unfortunately, four major hotels located in New Haven, approximately 12 miles from the school, are all sold out for graduation weekend. The booked hotels include The Colony Inn on Chapel Street, Fairfield Inn on Sargent Drive, The New Haven Hotel on George Street, and the Residence Inn by Marriott on Long Wharf Drive.

Adrienne, a front desk clerk from the Residence Inn, suggests if you really have your heart set on staying in a New Haven hotel, call closer to the date to find out if rooms became available through cancellations. Denise, an employee at the Courtyard by Marriott in Orange, which is also booked that weekend, gave the same advice.

So do your family a favor and tell them there’s still hope for booking a room in the area.

In May of 1984, Everyday Gourmet opened its doors to the public and has been serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner ever since. “We thought it would be a good place for a business,” owner Pat Puglia said. “After word spread we started getting more and more students.”

Puglia described the restaurant as an upscale dairy mart and “a cut above a regular deli.” Not only do they offer a full service dining room, but they also offer take out and catering services. Everyday Gourmet caters everything from small groups at the offices at Quinnipiac to large events like weddings and showers. They specialize in Italian.”Being Italian, that’s what I know best,” Puglia said. The menu features soups, salads, burgers, cold cuts, hot, and specialty sandwiches, and wraps.

Many students who always made special sandwich requests got their unique sandwich added to the menu and had it named in their honor Puglia said.

A few popular student-named sandwiches include: The Jenna: grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and balsamic vinaigrette, The TK: roast beef and chicken salad with balsamic vinaigrette on toasted whole wheat bread, The Brendan: turkey breast, cheddar, barbeque sauce, and saut

“Predator Island” is the first film to be made in Connecticut from beginning to end and to be distributed nationally,” Andrew Gernhard, the film’s producer, said. Realizing that creature features are highly marketable right now, Gernhard created the original idea for the movie. Shot in Old Saybrook, Ansonia, and Hamden, all the special effects and editing for the film were done at the studio thanks to today’s technology. “Making the film is easy,” Gernhard said. “It’s distributing that’s hard.” With the help of Universal, who bought the film, distribution was made much easier.

The film, originally called “Hell’s Beacon,” centers around six friends who became shipwrecked on a lighthouse island off the New England coast. After a meteor crashes in the water causing a horrifying storm, some unexpected visitors invade the island. The stranded friends are forced to fight for their survival as the aliens pursue their every move.

A year ago this month, three local entrepreneurs established Tripeg Studios and have been recruiting local talent ever since. Ed Fortin of Fortin Electric Company, George DeMartin of Continental Contracting, Inc. and Phil Gauvin of Pyro-FX Group attempted to create a movie market in an area where one did not exist. They recognized the lack of studios in New England and didn’t want people to have to move to New York City or Boston to fulfill their film destinies.

Gernhard has been so absorbed in the movie business for the last eight years that he doesn’t even know what year it is. His advice to future production majors is to “stick at it and put in a lot of time.”

Tripeg is already hard at work on their future endeavors. They are in post-production of their next creature feature “Blood Descendants” which only took three months to create rather than the eight it took to produce “Predator Island.” Other ideas they have for the future include screenwriting seminars, a summer film camp for children, and student internships.

For ticket information, call 203-603-9386 or visit Tripeg Studios at 2155 State Street in Hamden.

“The main reason for the Banned Book Week is to rein-force the First Amendment and the right to read what you want to read,” said Robert
Gualtieri, the library director.

“Our public libraries are a resource for all types of materials for adults, teens and chil-dren. The display is to educate the public on what titles
have been banned or challenged over the years.”

The annual event, which took place this year from Sept. 24 through Oct. 1, has been reminding Americans of their democratic freedom since
1982.

It demonstrates how throughout history, many books were challenged or
banned in an attempt to protect children from material that featured sexual behavior, offensive language, violence or religious views.

Today, controversial books are protected by the Library Bill of Rights which states that “librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents-and only parents have the right and the responsibilityto restrict the access of their children-and only their children-to library resources.”

In other words, censorship by librarians violates the First Amendment and their responsibility to provide information.

Every year, the American Library Association (ALA), one of the sponsors of Banned Book Week, compiles a list of the 100 most frequently challenged books.

The association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom gathers data for the list from newspapers or submitted reports of the Challenge Database Form. Each challenge is a formal complaint filed by a library or school, requesting that materials be removed because of content. In 2004, the office accumulated 547 challenges, with Robert Cormier’s “The Chocolate War” topping the list.

“Not every book is right for every person, but providing a wide range of reading choices is vital for learning, exploration and imagination. The abilities to read, speak, think and express ourselves freely are core American values,” said Carol Brey-Casiano, ALA president.

According to Gualtieri, Hamden’s libraries participate in Banned Book Week annually and put out a display of challenged books to give the
public a chance to “peruse titles that have been censored.”

The display, he said, is a merchandising technique because without it, people wouldn’t necessarily notice these influential books on the shelf.

For more information on book challenges and censorship, visit www.ala.org/books.com.

Larson’s Farm Market, in Brookfield, is known for their famous sweet corn. One of their main attractions this year is their baseball-themed corn maze titled the “Seven Acre Stretch.”

“Our corn maze is three miles long,” said Joe Kaver, the maze manager. “It’s like a puzzle to solve. I don’t think you’ll find one like it in the area.”

For four weekends, creator and director Bob Novella is transforming the maze into a Halloween thrill. Larson’s Haunted Maze will be open Fridays, Oct. 21 and 28 and Saturdays, Oct. 22 and 29 from 5 to 10 p.m.

Larson’s also offers hayrides, face painting and pumpkins in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Brookfield is not the only location for corn mazes. The Great Pumpkin Corn Maze at Plasko’s Farm, in Trumbull, is over one-and-a-half miles of 10-foot-tall corn. The maze was created by Great Adventure Corn Mazes, out of Idaho. They used a global positioning system to navigate through the four acres of cornfields in order to create this year’s design.

Those who accept the challenge of completing The Great Pumpkin Corn Maze must find six paper punches attached to posts in order to finish the maze. Plasko’s donates $1 for every admission ticket to the Swim Across the Sound cancer prevention and education programs.

In addition to the corn maze, Plasko’s provides hayrides, pumpkin decorating and crafts.

At Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, customers can wander through rows of 28 different varieties of apples. Lyman Orchards also sells sugar pumpkins, ideal for baking, and jack-o-lantern pumpkins for carving.

The Apple Barrel is Lyman’s year-round farm market, which is where their award-winning apple pies are sold, as well as Lyman’s pasteurized apple cider.

Lyman Orchard’s corn maze honors the Apple Barrel this year. The maze is spread over four acres of land and Lyman’s contributes $1 of each admission ticket to the American Cancer Society. Pony rides and hayrides are also available every weekend.

Another location that offers apple and pumpkin picking is Bishop’s Orchards in Guilford.

Starting Sept. 24, Connecticut residents can enjoy Scarecrow Weekend at Bishop’s every weekend through Oct. 23. The event is presented by Community Dining Room in Branford, a non-profit organization that provides food to nearby towns. Visitors are able to create an original scarecrow to take home as a souvenir with a $10 donation

Autumn is not complete without a good Halloween scare. Thrill seekers can be spooked at either Lake Compounce in Bristol or Six Flags: New England in Agawam, Mass.

Lake Compounce offers a Haunted Graveyard every weekend beginning Friday, Sept. 30 through Oct. 31 from dusk until 10 p.m. Attendees can experience one frightening adventure after another as you walk through the Haunted Graveyard amidst witches, zombies and ghouls.

Six Flags Fright Fest has four main attractions from Sept. 24 to Oct. 31: the Trail of Terror, Nightmare Island, Terrorvision Circus, and Haunt Zones and Midway Monsters.

Guests enter Happy Valley, the forgotten town in the woods behind the River’s Edge Picnic Grove and stroll down the Trail of Terror, the path of forbidden farmhouses and asylums. The Hurricane Harbor Water Park is now an island of horror called Nightmare Island. Visitors will also encounter carnival madness as they travel through the maze at the Terrorvision Circus.

Check out one of these off-campus fall attractions!

Fall must-haves include fitted jackets with military detailing and luxurious fur items, according to local department stores like Lord and Taylor, Nordstrom, and Filene’s. Whether the lavish fur (faux or real) appears on your sweater, coat, or handbag, it will keep you trendy through the cool days of fall. Romantic blouses and lingerie tops are hot, especially when detailed with feminine ruffles or lace. Black is back, yet again, and greens of all shades are in. Top off an amazing fall outfit with round toe peek-a-boo heels in a rich color and texture.

The fashion professionals at Glamour magazine suggest chunky sweaters, menswear trouser pants, floaty skirts, and belted coats. Glamour says flat riding style boots are a great alternative to stilettos this autumn.

Experts at InStyle, another popular fashion magazine, say fur vests will add sophistication to your fall wardrobe. They say chic tulip skirts with a bell curve and savvy skinny pants are hot for the upcoming season. Rich colors like brown, gold and plum will be highlighted in stores everywhere.

Don’t forget to accessorize. Fashion editors at InStyle say medium-size metal-hinge bags in leather, cottons and tweed are the perfect choice for a handbag. IVillage.com says “skinny scarves” are the accessory to sport this fall. Two-toned, striped or cashmere scarves with delicate fringe will spruce up any outfit. If you aren’t in the mood for a scarf, slip on long layered necklaces and bead-wrapped bangles. Yellow-gold and wooden jewelry are also popular this autumn.

A Cosmopolitan magazine poll found 30 percent of men have been busted by a friend for sleeping with his girlfriend and 11 percent of women have hooked up with their roommate’s boyfriend. Despite these percentages, Glamour magazine found that 70 percent of men and women polled said cheating is a don’t. About 85 percent said cheating “just because you can” is also a don’t.

How exactly should cheating be defined?

Natalie Morrissey, a history major, said, “The definition of cheating is different in every relationship. It’s something that needs to be decided between the two people.”

Bianca Balassone, a nursing major, said, “My definition of cheating is anything you do outside your relationship that you would feel guilty about having to tell that person.”

Anthony Albano, public relations major, said, “Cheating is kissing with tongue.”

Steve Moylan, a history major, said, “Kissing more than once in any given encounter or on more than one occasion is cheating.”

Rob Mugno, public relations major, said, “Any sort of extracurricular activity with a different girl other than your girlfriend is a form of cheating.”

Morrissey said, “I think if you plan on cheating on someone you shouldn’t be with them. What is there to a relationship besides trust and only being with that person? I just could never imagine hurting someone I loved that much by hooking up with someone else who doesn’t mean anything to me.”

Morrissey’s high school boyfriend cheated on her with one of her friends. She said she could not believe that two people who were supposed to care about her could hurt her so much.

“I think the worst part was finding out someone who I loved could hurt me and then lie about it. I’m not as easy to trust people now,” she said. If it weren’t for that experience, she wouldn’t appreciate her current relationship, she said.

Stefanie Avery, a media studies major, said people should not get into a relationship and get out of one if they are going to cheat. She said her high school boyfriend cheated on her by kissing another girl while intoxicated.

“It made me angry and hurt and look at relationships in general differently,” she said.

Balassone said people who cheat have a weakness.

“I think people who cheat are scared of communication and if they can’t make a full commitment, they shouldn’t be in a relationship in the first place,” siad Balassone.

“Cheaters suck,” Albano said. He said it is horrible to cheat and there is no reason to do it. “If you want to cheat, then get out of the relationship,” he said.

Moylan said that people who cheat once just made a mistake. “People who are habitual cheaters are just wrong,” he said. He said he has a friend who cheated on his girlfriend and didn’t realize until afterwards how much his actions hurt his girlfriend.

“Cheaters aren’t bad people. They’ve just made a mistake,” Mungo said.

CAP is a student run organization that dedicates their time and energy to community service. Their goal is to make a difference in the lives of others living primarily in the New Haven and Hamden area.

“CAP brings different people together who want to be involved in the community,” senior marketing major Melissa Nappi, president of CAP, said.

This semester the group has several events planned. The club is divided into different branches, such as Youth, the Elderly, Different Abilities, and the Homeless. The various branches allow students the opportunity to sign up for events based on their interests.

The Youth group plans on helping out at high school dances. Every year they plan a Youth Halloween Party on campus and invite area elementary students. In addition, children from area elementary schools are invited to the campus for “Youth Days” to participate in crafts. CAP is involved in the Big Brother Big Sister program in which two students are paired with a child who needs a role model. The intent of the program is to form a relationship with a child who needs guidance.

Members from the Elderly group plan on doing crafts, pumpkin painting, and singing carols with the elderly at Laurel Gardens in Hamden.

“We are arranging a holiday party for the elderly. Last year we had a small orchestra play while we enjoyed a variety of food. The elderly really enjoyed interacting with the college students,” Dawn Miller, head of the Elderly branch, said.

The club is working on other events as well, such as going to Food Pantries and soup kitchens to help feed the hungry. The group is also involved in the Cooking Care Walk-a-thon, which benefits three different groups: fish, interfaith volunteers, and the community soup kitchen.

CAP students have the opportunity to work with a mentally challenged individual in the Best Buddies program. Together they participate in activities such as bowling or going to the movies.

“I joined CAP as a freshman and continue to enjoy it because of the reactions I receive from the people I help. Because of this I know I have made a difference, and this makes me feel good in return,” Miller, a junior legal studies and psychology major, said.

“I have the pleasure of advising CAP; they were very successful in getting students involved in volunteerism and service activities last year and I know they are going to continue in this success,” Assistant Director of Community Service and Experiential Learning Carleen Roy-Butler, said.

CAP allows students to see that they can make a difference in someone’s life.

“This club helped me realize how fortunate I am and how much I make in difference in the lives I help at each event I attend. No matter how small or large an event, you can make a difference,” Nappi said.

CAP meetings are on Tuesdays at 7:45-8:45. If interested in joining email www.qucap@yahoo.com or Melissa.Nappi@quinnipiac.edu.