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Vol. LXII, No. 32
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Wednesday, August 6, 2008
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Vol. LXII, No. 32
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Wednesday, August 6, 2008
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 (Photo by Dilshanie Perera)
DECIDUOUS DECISIONS: Naturalist Steve Hiltner (fourth from left) consults a field guide to name a particularly enigmatic plant during Sunday’s plant inventory walk in the Herrontown Woods. Fellow eco-enthusiasts look on. The plant inventory will list plants from all of Princeton’s open spaces, and will be published in the Princeton Environmental Resource Inventory, which is currently available for public comment. It can be found at the library, Borough and Township halls, and at www.princetontwp.org/environmain.html. |
“Rushes are round, but sedges have edges,” quoted Steve Hiltner, Friends of Princeton Open Spaces (FOPOS) naturalist and member of the Princeton Environmental Commission, while showing the group assembled the deceptively-named “wool grass,” which is actually a sedge. Typically, rushes have round stems, whereas those of sedges are more triangular. You can differentiate between the two by rolling them between your thumb and forefinger.
“Some people just come for the toys,” said volunteer Rosemarie Hunninghake, as she surveyed the growing stock of clothing, books, kitchenware, and yes, Barbies, accumulating in the Herrontown Road storage facility being used by the University Medical Center at Princeton’s Auxiliary as they prepare for their annual White Elephant and Rummage Sale.
The names of over 25 Princeton Public Library (PPL) staff members appeared on the “thank you” roster at the last session of the Prime Time Family Reading program at the library last week. From ordering books to organizing readings and discussions, this six-week program, intended for families with children ages six to ten who experience difficulty reading, was clearly a library-wide effort.PPL was one of 20 libraries nationwide selected to participate in the award-winning family literacy program, which is based on a successful series of the same name that began in 1991 at the East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Parish Library, and spread to surrounding states with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Since its inception, more than 15,000 individuals have participated in more than 500 Prime Time programs in 36 states and the Virgin Islands. It was designed to encourage parents and children to read and discuss humanities topics, and aid them in selecting books and becoming active library users.