New Video Games for the Holidays

Just in time for the winter break from school, we've purchased some brand-new Wii games! Stop by the library to check out Megamind: Mega Team Unite, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Disney's Epic Mickey, Ultimate I-Spy Wii, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Donkey Kong Country Returns, and Raving Rabbids Travel in Time. These items join the video games already on our shelves - stop by and browse in person, or search our catalog at catalog.mainlib.org! Happy video gaming,

Mary Martin
Library Director

Holiday Hours at Long Hill Library

Season's Greetings! The library will be closed Friday December 24 through Sunday December 26th for the holidays.

We will close at 2 pm on Friday December 31st and we will be closed on Saturday January 1st, reopening from 1 to 5 pm on Sunday January 2nd.

International Folk Dancing at Long Hill Library

Members of Girl Scout Troop 1753 and other Long Hill residents joined members of the Morristown Folk Dancers Group for a holiday folk dancing program on December 2nd. Kids and adults joined hands to learn and dance traditional dances from Israel, Greece, Serbia, Romania and more. One crowd-pleasing favorite was Perinita from Romania, also known as "The Hugging Dance."

In the photo above, members of Troop 1753 and their parents are joined by (back row, from left to right) Library Director Mary Martin and four members of the Morristown Folk Dancers dressed in traditional costumes: Sally Martin, Ping Chun, Rich Tully and Elizabeth Konviser.

The Morristown Folk Dancers meet every Wednesday night for international folk dancing.

Stuffed Animal Sleepover a Success!

On Tuesday November 30^th, the Long Hill Township Library hosted a stuffed animal sleepover following Pajama Storytime. The animals’ owners attended Pajama Storytime in their jammies with their animals, and then left them overnight for a chance to make new friends, play computer games, and have their own storytime. “All the animals were great listeners, just like their owners” remarked Children’s librarian Meredith McGuire. Miss Meredith won’t divulge how much sleep she and the animals actually had, but if the photos are any indication, a good time was had by all. The animals were picked up the next day, along with a set of photos for each child.

For more information on upcoming library events for children, subscribe to our monthly children's events newsletter, give us a call at 647-2088 x. 2, or stop by the Children’s Desk!

Pajama Storytime and Stuffed Animal Sleepover at the Library!

Pajama Storytime is a drop-in program for kids aged 4 to 8 and their caregivers; no registration is required. Miss Meredith invites you to join her at the library on Tuesday November 30 at 7:00 for some bedtime stories. Wear your jammies and bring your stuffed bedtime buddy (but maybe not your favorite bedtime buddy).

Your stuffed animal will be invited to sleep over at the library! Imagine, a whole night in the library with all those books. (But you have to sleep sometime, as Mr. Elephant discovered... and look, someone very kindly tucked him in.)

When you pick up your stuffed animal on December 1st (anytime after 12 noon), we will give you a photo of your buddy and the fun he or she had with the other animals had at their library sleepover!

We hope you and your stuffed animal will join us for this fun event.

Gates Avenue Knitters at the Library during November

Stop by the library in November to see the wonderful knitted items that the members of the Gates Avenue Knitters have created. The Gates Avenue Knitters, who celebrated their tenth anniversary in 2009, meet every second and fourth Wednesday at the library at 7 pm. Join them for laughter, knitting, crochet and fun. Beginners welcome!

The Gates Avenue Knitters have also created many unique handmade hats, which they are selling for $5.00 each to benefit the Friends of the Library. These hats make a wonderful toasty gift for someone you love! Stop by soon and pick one out!

Bullying: Facts and Strategies for Parents - November 23rd

Bullying: Facts and Strategies for Parents will be presented at the Long Hill Township Library on November 23rd at 7:00 pm. The program will be presented by Long Hill Township School District personnel Jocelyn M. Pashko, School Psychologist and Sarah Romeo, School Social Worker and is intended for parents of children in grades K through 8. Topics covered in this presentation will include: Bullying, Cyber Bullying, Bullying Prevention along with helpful strategies and tips for parents

Rene Rovtar, Long Hill Township Superintendent of Schools, commented “I am happy that two members of the district’s Child Study Team, Jocelyn Pashko and Sarah Romeo, will be presenting valuable information to parents on this very important topic. Bullying prevention is a high priority for the Long Hill Township School District. We have implemented a new character education program this year across the district which is based on Coach John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success. This approach includes the following traits: industriousness, friendship, loyalty, cooperation, enthusiasm, self-control, and initiative. The Long Hill Township Board of Education’s policy prohibits acts of harassment, bullying, and intimidation. This workshop will provide important information to parents regarding the prevention of bullying and strategies that can help parents in this regard. I am always excited when we have the opportunity to share information directly with parents that will be beneficial to them and their children.”

In addition, the library has compiled a brochure “Coping With Bullying - Resources @ The Library”, which list the various fiction and non-fiction books, DVD’s, and other resources available at the Long Hill Township Library to help both parents and children understand the issues associated with bullying. This brochure can be picked up at the library.

Pre-registration to this free program is recommended but not required. To register for this program stop by the library, email childrens@longhilllibrary.org or call the library at 604-2088 ext 2.

Long Hill Library Hosts Lost Hero Release Party

Fiona Mulvey of Gillette was the lucky winner of the
raffle for a copy of "The Lost Hero" by Rick Riordan

The Long Hill Library recently hosted a release party for "The Lost Hero," the new book by Rick Riordan, author of The Lightning Thief and several other books for kids featuring creatures from Greek mythology. After playing a round of "Quest for the Golden Fleece," a live-action board game where participants got to be the playing pieces on the board, everyone snacked on oozing eyeballs and drachma cupcakes. A copy of "The Lost Hero" was raffled off and Fiona Mulvey of Gillette was the lucky winner!

"Any parent of a tween or teen is sure to know about the Percy Jackson books and their popularity with kids," remarked Children's Librarian Meredith McGuire. "The books are gripping, well written, and appeal to both kids and adults. They're one of the most popular series we've seen since Harry Potter!, among both boys and girls."

To capitalize on kids' interest in Greek mythology, the library will host a Reader's Theater event for kids age 10 to 12 on Thursday, November 18th. Participants, led by former Millington School librarian Mrs. Dellureficio, will act out a Greek myth. Miss Meredith explains, "Reader's Theater allows kids to perform while reading from a script - no memorization of lines needed. It will make Greek mythology come alive for them! This is an activity that even reluctant readers will enjoy, and is a great way to practice reading aloud."

To sign up for the Reader's Theater event on November 18th, stop by the library, call 908-647-2088 ext. 2 or email childrens@longhilllibrary.org.

eBooks at the Library

eBooks are all the rage these days, and Long Hill Library has a growing collection of eBooks available for checkout through ListenNJNW.com (where you can also find downloadable audiobooks for your MP3 player). Instructions for downloading are available on the library's web page.

The library's collection of eBooks for loan is compatible with the Barnes & Noble Nook, the Kobo eReader and most Sony eBook readers (not the Kindle or the iPad, due to copyright issues).

Even if you don't have an eBook reader, you can download and read books on your laptop!

Happy reading,

Mary Martin
Library Director

Job and Career Help at the Library

Libraries in New Jersey provide access to many great resources for job seekers. Of course there are the traditional resume and cover letter "how to" books, but we also have free computer access if you need to apply online; we can get you books if you're studying for a job related exam; and we provide some online tools you can use to get help.

Job and Career Accelerator - www.homeworkhelpnj.org, then click on "Get Career Help." This resource is staffed from 2 pm to 10 pm and you can find online help on polishing your resume or cover letter, interview prep, citizenship and much more.

Reference USA - www.referenceusa.com - this invaluable resource provides detailed, current contact and directory information for more than 12 million US businesses (as well as residential phone listings as well).

Stop by the library for more information!

Visit the library at the Stirling Street Fair this Sunday!

Looks like Sunday, Oct. 3 will be a beautiful day for the Stirling Street Fair. Stop by the library's booth to say hello, get book recommendations, learn about our new Homework Help online tutoring program, sign up for a library card and more! See you there!

Mary Martin, Library Director

September is National Library Card Sign-up Month

Check it out: all Long Hill residents age 5 and up are eligible for a free library card!
What can the library do for you? "I couldn't wait for our first utility bill to hit the mailbox when we moved here, so we could get our library cards! The library is our anchor to both the community and the entire world - through books and research portals and very helpful library staff. The library card is the most valuable thing I carry." --Joan Donahue, Gillette

Tell us why YOU like to use the library! Email to director@longhilllibrary.org. We'll feature a different person's response on our web page each week during September.

Homework Help Available Online

Use your library card to get free homework help (and, for adults, access to an online career center) through Tutor.com! Tutors are available 7 days a week between 2 pm and 10 pm. Kids in kindergarten through grade 12 can go online and get high quality one-on-one instruction. This wonderful resource is provided at no charge, through grants obtained by the New Jersey State Library. To access Homework Help NJ, visit www.homeworkhelpnj.org from any computer within the library, or access it from home - all you'll need is your library card number! (Don't have a library card? Stop by - it's free to all Long Hill residents.)

Access reviews from Consumer Reports online, free!

Are you looking for a new home appliance, car or piece of electronic equipment? Did you know your Long Hill Township* library card allows you to access full-text articles and reviews from Consumer Reports (along with many other magazines and newspapers) from home! Here's how.

1. Start at the Long Hill Library website - www.longhilllibrary.org
2. Click on Find Articles in Databases and then click Ebsco: Periodicals.
3. Type in your library card number (no spaces)
4. Choose the first link on the left, Magazines & Newspapers - General.
5. Check the box next to General/News Databases and click Continue.
6. In the Search box, type keywords to describe what you are looking for (digital camera or refrigerator, for example).
7. Now scroll down to the Search Options section. Look for the "Limit Your Results" area and do the following:
-- Click in the text box next to Publication and type Consumer Reports. (This limits your search to only Consumer Reports magazine.)
-- Check the box next to Full Text. (This ensures that you will only get full-text articles.)
8. Click Search and wait a few moments. A list of articles that match your search terms appears.
9. Click on PDF Full Text to view any article you're interested in. You can easily print articles, or email them to yourself or a friend!

If you have any trouble using these instructions, don't hesitate to contact the library at 908-647-2088!


* Not a Long Hill resident? No problem - all residents of New Jersey have access to this resource. The database is provided free of charge from the New Jersey State Library to New Jersey residents. All you need is a library card from your local library!

Obituary Index Now Available

Thanks to the tireless work of one of our library volunteers, the library now has an index of all obituaries printed in the Echoes-Sentinel from 1968 to 2009.

The printed index is available for your use within the library. Once you find the name of the deceased and the issue of the Echoes-Sentinel in which their obituary ran, just come to the front desk for access to back issues of the newspaper.

We hope you find this new resource useful! Call the library at 908-647-2088 if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Mary Martin, Library Director

Don't feel guilty for loving children's books!

A great essay in last Sunday's New York Times Book Review explains the appeal of children's books to people of all ages - The Kids' Books Are All Right, by Pamela Paul. My fellow adults who have been waiting eagerly for Mockingjay, the third installment in the Hunger Games trilogy (you know who you are), rejoice! We don't have to hide our love of children's literature! We can shout out our love of, for instance, The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall or Bad Kitty Takes A Bath by Nick Bruel. This stuff is good! Stop by the front desk or check in with Miss Meredith the Children's Librarian for a recommendation. You don't know what you're missing if you aren't reading "kid lit."

Mary

Killer Thrillers for an end-of-summer read

Looking for a good book to read? National Public Radio has just released its list of the top 100 "Killer Thrillers," chosen by NPR listeners. It includes some classics such as Jaws, In Cold Blood and of course many books by Stephen King, but it also includes some titles that you may not have heard of. One book that made it onto the list is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This book is marketed as a teen book but I have recommended it to several adults who were riveted by it and unable to put it down. The Hunger Games is the first of a trilogy, and the final book (Mockingjay) will be released on August 24th.

Other relative newcomers to the thriller list include Stieg Larssen with his The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, Mira Grant with Feed (a zombie thriller) and 61 Hours, the latest thriller by Lee Child which had me on the edge of my seat for the entire time it took for me to read it.

Happy reading! Don't look behind you....

Visit our Petting Zoo, Saturday August 14th

On Saturday August 14th, come visit the library between 11 am and 12 noon and join us for our annual Petting Zoo. We'll raffle off mini treasure chests filled with goodies, so be sure to stop by the children's desk for a raffle ticket (and to log the minutes you've read for the Summer Reading Club) before you visit the animals. Raffle winners will be announced in the Children's Department at 12:15 pm. We'll also have a splashtacular drop-in craft from 12:30 to 4:30. See you then!

Long Hill Summer Reading Club is a Success!

It’s hard to believe that there are only 2 more weeks left of our 2010 Summer Reading Club at the Long Hill Township Library!

“The 250 kids who have joined have done an incredible amount of reading. In fact, 27 kids have already finished, reaching their goal of 560 minutes. That’s a total of 15,260 minutes read! I have no doubt that over the next two weeks, we will see many kids coming in to log in the last 140 minutes to finish” says Children’s Librarian Meredith McGuire. “Parents and kids should be proud when they see all the participants’ names displayed on the mural in the Children’s Department.”

“This year’s Summer Reading Club has been a fantastic experience,” remarked mom Tracy Koller of Gillette. “My daughter Madeline has been excited about reading all summer, and the programs based on the splash theme have been enriching as well as fun!”

The last day to log in minutes and collect prizes is Saturday, August 14. The library is open from 10 to 5 that day, and if you come between 11 and 12 you can visit the animals in our petting zoo!

Looking for a good read? Look no further!

Long Hill Library now has a Reader's Corner set up at our front desk. We have several books devoted to answering the question "What should I read next?" and reviewing books that book clubs (or anyone) might enjoy reading.

These books can be checked out by anyone who is interested. We encourage you to browse these books in the library or take them home!

We also subscribe to a bimonthly book review magazine called Bookmarks. Our current copy doesn't circulate but back issues do, and it's a great source for people who are looking for something good to read.

If you're looking to keep up with the latest reads, we suggest you check out our email newsletters. You can receive the New York Times Bestseller lists, monthly newsletters on genres from Armchair Travel to mystery to thrillers to DIY books, and more. Go to www.longhilllibrary.org and click on NextReads Newsletters to subscribe.

Finally, don't forget to ask us for a good book recommendation the next time you're at the library. We love to read and we love to recommend books!

Mary Martin, Library Director

New Video Games at Long Hill Library!

School's out, and we hope you are having fun on your summer vacation. We have seen a lot of Long Hill residents stopping by to pick up recommended summer reading - we have all the reading lists from elementary school and high school here at the library.

To celebrate the start of summer, we have also purchased some new video games! Stop by the library to check out our Wii games, including the new Lego Harry Potter, Toy Story 3, Star Wars: Clone Wars Lightsaber Duels, Super Mario Galaxy 2, and more.

Video games may be checked out for 2 weeks. So that all Long Hill residents can enjoy the games, we ask families to check out only two games at a time during the summer months.

Happy gaming!

Get Ready to Read! Long Hill Summer Reading Kickoff is June 26th!

All Long Hill residents ages 2 through grade 5 are invited to join this year’s summer reading club. “Our June 26 Summer Reading Kickoff festivities include a strolling juggler, refreshments, face painting, crafts and balloons from 11:00-1:00. If your family can’t make kickoff day, stop by the library to register and receive your summer reading packet during regular business hours anytime through July 10,” explains Meredith McGuire, Children’s Librarian.

This summer’s theme includes everything fun found in the sea and at the beach! The program runs from June 26 - August 14th and includes art, science, music, nature, and magic programs. “We hope to see many familiar faces as well as new participants this summer,” says Miss Meredith. Participants in the summer reading club can win prizes for reading, attend fun programs, and, if they wish, they can even participate in a readathon to raise money to purchase children’s books in their name.

Long Hill teens and adults need not feel left out of the fun, since the library will also run “Beach Reads” summer reading clubs for them. Library Director Mary Martin explains, “Every time you read or listen to a book, just drop a raffle ticket into the jar at the desk. Each week someone will win a prize. At the end of the summer we will pick a grand prize winner who’ll get a $25 gift card to a bookstore!”

Kids and parents, be sure to stop by the library on Saturday, June 26th or any time until July 10th to register for the Summer Reading Club. Happy Reading!

Celebrate National Library Week at Long Hill Library!

April 11 through 17 is National Library Week. There are several events going on at Long Hill Library - come help us celebrate! For more information about any of these programs check out our Event Calendar. To register for any of these events please call us at 908-647-2088 ext. 0 (or stop by the library.)

Saturday April 10 - Yoga for Adults (age 15 and up), 11 am

Sunday April 11 - Selling on Ebay (limited to 75 attendees), 2 pm. Registration required.

Saturday April 17 - Join us in celebrating Five Years in our New Building! In the morning we'll have Singing Stories with the always popular Lou Gallo (registration required), then we have an afternoon concert at 2 pm with the rollicking Long Hill String Band (registration required) followed by an old fashioned ice cream social.

New Acquisitions at Long Hill Library

We've compiled a partial list of some of the great new reads we've purchased for your reading pleasure this month, at Long Hill Township Library. We publish this New Acquisitions list every month. To automatically receive the newsletter via email, click the "Newsletter Daily" link at the top of the newsletter to subscribe.

Some of the hot new titles this month include thrillers by Linwood Barclay, William Bernhardt, Harlan Coben, Linda Fairstein, Jesse Kellerman and Lisa Scottoline, as well as good reads from Karen Kingsbury, Lisa Lutz, Richard Paul Evans, and Susan Wiggs.

This list also includes The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag, the second Flavia De Luce mystery by Alan Bradley. The first one, A Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, is a great read about a quirky (and somewhat cranky) 12-year-old girl who solves crimes. I am looking forward to reading the second one.

I also just finished Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson, another book on this list. This debut novel was a pleasure to read. Anyone who was a fan of The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society (one of my favorites) will likely enjoy this charming book.

Happy reading!
Mary Martin, Library Director

Favorite Book Club Discussion Books from 2009

For all of us who are in book clubs, there are lots of great web sites out there that we can use to help us select books to read and discuss. One of them is Reading Group Choices, which just published their Top 10 Discussible Books from 2009 (based on a survey from readers). The list includes two of my favorite reads from last year, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Still Alice by Lisa Genova.

For those of you who prefer a more traditional approach to picking out book club books, I highly recommend Bookmarks Magazine, which Long Hill Library subscribes to. It comes six times a year and is chock full of book reviews, profiles of book clubs around the country, and more great information for bibliophiles. Stop by the library and check out an issue today!

Happy Reading,

Mary Martin
Library Director

How has the public library helped you and your family?

"Store counters may be a bit slow these days, but many people are 'shopping' at their public libraries," says Long Hill Township Public Library Director Mary Martin. "The current economy has many families taking action to relieve the pressure of their shrinking financial resources."

People of all ages are coming into the library to check out the latest DVDs, bestsellers, and children's books. Storytimes and other library programs are filled with excited kids and their parents, eager to be entertained and educated. And the library's computers and wireless Internet access are busier than ever, filled with students doing research after school, senior citizens emailing families and friends, and - in another sign of the times - people conducting job searches. The public library also serves as a community center where groups such as Cub Scouts, knitters, movie lovers or job seekers can gather, and where families can sit and do a puzzle or play a game together.

How has the public library helped you and your family? This spring, the Long Hill Township Library, the American Library Association (ALA) and Woman's Day magazine are sponsoring an essay contest about what makes your public library special. Through May 9th, women over the age of 18 can submit their stories of how the public library has helped them and their families to womansday@ala.org.

Entries will be judged on originality, clarity of ideas, and grace of expression, and the winning entries will be featured in the March 2011 issue of Woman's Day. For more information and to read the official rules, visit www.womansday.com/ala.

Yoga for Adults - Sat. Feb. 20th

At 11 am on Saturday February 20th, join yoga instructor Carmina Marroquin for a gentle introduction to yoga (for ages 15 and up). Bring a towel or yoga mat, and wear loose, comfortable clothes. To register for this free program, stop by the library, call 908-647-2088 ext. 0 or email director @ longhilllibrary.org

Learn about LinkedIn!

At 7 PM on Thursday, February 18th, professional recruiter and coach for job seekers Barbara Kuppersmith will present an overview of LinkedIn, the popular social networking site. This is one of the best sites for connecting and maintaining professional relationships and networking. You'll learn how to use LinkedIn to help your career, especially if you are considering job changing or seeking a job. Register for this free program at the library, call 908-647-2088 ext. 0 or email director @ longhilllibrary.org.

Read it Now at Long Hill Library

We are introducing a new service for library patrons who love to read the latest and greatest bestsellers. Our "Read it Now" books are duplicate copies of popular bestsellers that we have purchased. They are available on a first-come, first served basis. To help underwrite the cost of this new service, we charge $1.00 to rent the book, with an additional 15 cents per day charge. So the faster you read the book, the less you will pay! We hope you will enjoy this new service -- but of course, if you don't want to pay to borrow a library book, we'll be happy to put our non-rental copy on hold for you. It will just take a little longer to get to you.

February Fun at Long Hill Library

Lots of fun programs for adults (and of course for kids) coming up in February at Long Hill Library! Check out our Event Calendar or download our February - April Program Schedule for complete information, but here are some highlights of the programs we've planned for adults this month:

Movie Mondays! This month's theme is "Good book, great movie." We are showing movies based on Julie and Julia by Julie Powell, Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella, The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham and To Kill A Mockingbird by Gregory Peck. Movies begin at 7 pm on Mondays in February.

Learn About LinkedIn On Thursday February 18th at 7 pm, you will learn about the powerful professional networking tool "LinkedIn," and how to use it to advance your career.

Yoga for Adults On Saturday, February 20th at 11 am, join us for a gentle introduction to yoga for adults (age 15 and up). Wear loose comfortable clothing and bring a towel or yoga mat.

All programs are free, but we request that you pre-register. You can do so by stopping by the library, calling 908-647-2088 or emailing director@longhilllibrary.org.

If you want to make sure you always have the latest and greatest news about library events, we suggest that you consider signing up for our Adult/Family Events and Children's Events email newsletters. Go to www.longhilllibrary.org and click on "Next Reads Newsletters" on the right side of the screen. Then enter your email address and choose the email newsletters you'd like to receive!

Family Drop-in Storytime and Craft

Join Children's Librarian Miss Meredith at the Long Hill Library on Saturday, January 23rd at 4 pm for a drop-in family storytime and craft - all about pets! No registration necessary.

5th Annual Friends of the Library Family Puzzle Night

Tuesday, February 23rd at 7 pm in the Millington School All Purpose Room

Think your family is good at putting together a jigsaw puzzle? Test your skill by competing against other families to see who can complete a 300 piece Ravensburger puzzle first! Registration forms are available at the children's desk at the library, or online at the library's web site http://www.longhilllibrary.org. Registration cost is $15 and includes the puzzle and refreshments. Please register for this event by February 1st. Checks should be made out to Friends of the Long Hill Library.

Museum Passes at the Library

Did you know that Long Hill Library has family museum passes available for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History in New York? Long Hill residents may check a museum pass kit out for three days. Unfortunately you cannot reserve it in advance, but next time you are in the mood for a museum visit with your family, stop by and see what's available. These museum passes are made available through a generous grant from the Long Hill Education Association.

Chinese New Year Celebration

Sunday, February 7 at 2:00 pm

Join us in welcoming the Year of the Tiger at Long Hill Library! Kids from age 4 to 12 are welcome to attend this event. Learn about the traditions of the Chinese New Year celebration, enjoy snacks and do a craft. Parents must accompany the child. The program is free, but you must register. To sign up, call 908-647-2088 ext 2, email director@longhilllibrary.org or stop by the library.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Winter Reading Club for Grownups at Long Hill Library

Long Hill Library's Winter Reading Club (for Long Hill residents age 18 and up) runs from Monday January 11th through Saturday March 20th. Stop by the library and fill out a raffle ticket for each item you've read or listened to that week. We will choose a weekly winner! Each week some lucky person will win a book. And the grand prize winner, at the end of March, will win a $25 gift card to Borders. What could be better?

If you'd like to share your review of a book you've read or listened to, you can write a review of it on your raffle ticket and we will publish it on the "Long Hill Reads" community reading blog at http://longhillreads.blogspot.com.

Happy reading -- See you at the library!

-Mary Martin, Library Director