Newsletter

Do you enjoy library events? Join the Friends of the Library and your membership dues will help support events for all ages. Find out more.

May 2012
Volume 9, Number 5

Online Language Learning for Kids
Check Us Out on Flickr, Facebook and Twitter!
Concert at the Crane: John & Abigail: Their Words & the Music of Their Time
John Adams & the American Experiment Discussion Series
Film Feature: War Horse
Main Library Orientation Tour
Stone Walls of New England
Job Fair
Film Feature: Young Adult
An Afternoon of Neil Simon
Go Places @your library: Syria, the Faces of the People
Foreign Film Feature: Before Your Eyes
Religion in a World of Science Discussion Series
May Book Discussions & Drop-in Groups
May Exhibit: Spring Into Art
May Events for Children

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Online Language Learning for Kids
Have you checked out our Muzzy online language learning system for children? Take another look, as Muzzy has just added three new languages: Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese and Russian. Muzzy uses natural language learning skills to introduce children to a second language. Short video clips introduce new vocabulary with games and worksheets to reinforce the concepts. Muzzy can be used by preschoolers who will enjoy the videos and recite along with them. Older children can use Muzzy with the captions on and practice their reading as well as a new language. You will need your TCPL library card to log on to Muzzy. Available languages: English, French, German, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Need help using Muzzy? Call the children's room at 617-376-2411.

Check Us Out on Flickr, Facebook and Twitter!
Would you like to see photos of library events you attended--or events you missed? Peruse old Quincy postcards or historic photos? See what library visitors were up to on Library Snapshot Day this year? Check out the library's Flickr page.

Want to receive reminders about upcoming library events for kids and adults? Like us on Facebook and you'll never miss a thing.

Always looking for reading suggestions? Sign up for a Twitter account and follow our staff tweets @ThomasCranePL for tidbits from literary history and ideas for new books and long-forgotten gems.

Concert at the Crane: John & Abigail: Their Words & the Music of Their Time
Enjoy a free performance of music from the era of John and Abigail Adams, coupled with readings from their letters, on Saturday, April 28 at 3:00 p.m. at the Main Library. This insightful presentation by the Quincy Chamber Ensemble and friends is not meant to be a history lesson, but rather a glimpse into the lives of these two extraordinary people through their own words, set against the backdrop of some of the most beautiful music ever written. The performance will be include pieces by Purcell, Handel, Gluck, Mozart and American composer William Billings.

The Quincy Chamber Ensemble is Caroline Calabro Hughes on flut, Jing-Huey Wei on violin, and Sandy Kiefer on cello. Kevin Coughlin will narrate the program, with Janet Little reading the letters of Abigail and Kevin Dye reading the letters of John.  The performance was produced, written and directed by Caroline Calabro Hughes.

This performance is presented as part of John Adams Unbound, a special program and exhibition series about John Adams and his library. The series has been made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association.

John Adams & the American Experiment Discussion Series
A key participant in almost all of the major events of the revolutionary and early republican periods, Adams thought as deeply about the nature of America’s experiment in self-rule as any of his associates in the founding generation. His experiences offer a matchless sense of the obstacles faced by that generation not only in breaking away from the British Empire, but in forging a new political arrangement likely to stand the test of time.

Join Newbury College Professor of History Dan Breen for the final session of this free series, The Long Retirement, on Tuesday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m. For 25 years, Adams, his public career at an end, lived a quiet life in Quincy. It was in these years that he renewed his friendship with Thomas Jefferson, with whom he had bitterly quarreled during his tumultuous presidency. We will take a close look at that correspondence to see what it reveals about Adams’ mature views about republican government, while looking also at the blossoming career of John Quincy Adams, Abigail and John’s precocious son.

Reading for the Session: John Adams by David McCullough, pp 568-651. Pick up a copy of the book at the Main Library circulation desk.

This program is presented as part of John Adams Unbound, a special program and exhibition series about John Adams and his library. The series has been made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association.

Film Feature: War Horse
Come to a free screening of this 2012 drama from legendary director Steven Spielberg on Thursday, May 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Library.

Based on the Tony award-winning Broadway play and set against the sweeping canvas of World War I, this heartfelt story begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and his young trainer, Albert. When they're forced apart by war, we follow Joey's extraordinary journey as he changes and inspires the lives of everyone he meets.

"Boldly emotional, nakedly heartfelt, War Horse will leave only the stoniest hearts untouched."--TIME Magazine

Directed by Steven Spielberg; Starring Jeremy Irvine and Emily Watson; 146 minutes; 2011; Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of war violence. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.

Main Library Orientation Tour
Explore the library's buildings and contents at a free guided tour on Saturday, May 5. You will learn about the history and architecture of this beautiful facility and about the many services and programs provided inside. Meet at 10:00 a.m. in the Main Library atrium.

Stonewalls of New England
Discover New England stone walls at a free presentation by Kevin Gardner that touches on history, technique, stylistic development, and aesthetics, on Tuesday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. Find out how and why New England came to acquire its thousands of miles of stone walls, the ways in which they and other dry stone structures were built, how their styles emerged and changed over time, and their significance to the famous New England landscape, among other topics. Along the way, Gardner occupies himself building a miniature wall or walls on a tabletop, using tiny stones from a five-gallon bucket.

Stay for a question-and-answer period, and bring up specific problems or projects on your own property.

Kevin Gardner is a writer, teacher, tradesman, and a lifelong resident of Hopkinton, NH. For more than thirty years he has been a stone wall builder in a family business widely known for traditional New England stonework, particularly for historic restoration of antique structures. In 2001, Kevin published The Granite Kiss: Traditions and Techniques of Building New England Stone Walls. From 1985 to 2010, Gardner was a performance critic, feature writer, and producer for NH Public Radio; he is also a longtime professional actor, director, and teacher of theatre.

Copies of The Granite Kiss will be available for sale. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.

Job Fair
Find out about job openings and meet potential employers at this Job Fair sponsored by the Quincy Career Center on Wednesday, May 9 from 3:00-5:30 p.m. Mark your calendar and plan to bring plenty of resumes. The following employers plan to participate:

Aflac
Bluefin Robotics
BMC Healthnet Plan
C.A. Courtesy
Comfort Keepers
CoWorx Staffing
Dish Network
Division of Professional Licensure
Express Employment Professionals
Granite Telecommunications
Highway Driver
Labor Ready
Lowe's
M3 Merchandising
NESCO Resource
New England Institute of Art
Peabody Properties
Quincy Medical Center
Safelink Wireless
South Shore Hospital
South Shore YMCA
Weymouth Health Care Center

Film Feature: Young Adult
Mavis Gary is a writer of teen literature who returns to her small hometown to relive her glory days and attempt to reclaim her happily married high school sweetheart. When returning home proves more difficult than she thought, Mavis forms an unusual bond with a former classmate who hasn't quite gotten over high school, either. Watch this acclaimed 2011 comedy on Thursday, May 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library.

"Shorter than a bad blind date and as sour as a vinegar Popsicle, Young Adult shrouds its brilliant, brave and breathtakingly cynical heart in the superficial blandness of commercial comedy."--The New York Times

Directed by Jason Reitman; Starring Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson and Patton Oswalt; Rated R for language and some sexual content; 94 minutes; 2011. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.

An Afternoon of Neil Simon
Enjoy scenes from two popular Simon plays--The Odd Couple and London Suite--performed by members of Play Around, on Saturday, May 12 at 2:00 p.m. at the Main Library. After the performance, there will be a question and answer session.

Play Around is a non-profit organization with the goal of providing live theater performances via community outreach while also facilitating the growth & development of its members by offering them the opportunity to work in every aspect of stage production.

Go Places @your library: Syria, the Faces of the People
Mark Twain said "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness". With the aim of better understanding the human story behind how Syria is portrayed in the news, Newton resident Dick Simon and his family traveled there - and what they experienced led them to embrace Twain's prophetic words. The Syria they saw was not a harsh land with a hostile populace but rather a beautiful country with wonderful people.

On Tuesday, May 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library, join Dick for an insightful, illustrated presentation about his experiences that might cause you to reconsider how you think about this country that has been labeled a part of the "the axis of evil".

Dick Simon has spent much of the past 10 years working with business leaders making a difference through Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), an international network of over 17,000 CEOs in over 100 countries. He has studied photography at New England School of Photography, Mass College of Art and Design, deCordova Museum and Maine Media Workshops.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.

Foreign Film Feature: Before Your Eyes
This multiple award-winning Turkish film will be shown on Thursday, May 24 at 7:00 p.m.

10-year-old Gulistan and her brother Firat live in the heart of Turkish Kurdistan. Tragedy strikes when their parents are shot down by paramilitary gunmen before their very eyes. Traumatized and orphaned, Gulistan and Firat try to care for their infant sister, but their money soon runs out and they're forced onto the street. It is there that Gulistan meets the part-time escort Dilara. Accompanying her on a hotel call one day, Gulistan is shocked to recognize Dilara's client as the murderer of her parents, and she devises a method of revenge.

Directed by Miraz Bezar; In Kurdish & Turkish with English subtitles; 102 minutes; 2011. Winner: Best Director, Actress and Music - Istanbul Int'l Film Festival; Winner: Special Jury Prize - Antalya Film Festival. This movie is not subject to rating by the MPAA. It is not recommended for ages under 17 without parental permission.

Religion in a World of Science Discussion Series
Is there room for religion in a world of science? Why are science and religion always at war in America? Join internationally-known author and speaker Dr. Karl Giberson for an educational and entertaining discussion series that explores the conflicts, collisions, and missed opportunities between science and religion. This free three-part series held on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. is co-sponsored by St. Chrysostom's Episcopal Church and serves up interesting ideas in a casual context.

May 29: Superstition vs. Enlightenment
Popular culture contains a "metanarrative" about science and religion being at war. This story can be found in pulpits, on radio, or on less heady fare like television sitcoms. Dr. Giberson suggests that this popular picture is driven more by propaganda than history.

June 5: Can Science Replace Religion?
Although leading spokespersons for science claim that religion should go away, their proposed alternative worldviews often contain many elements of traditional religion, like morality and purpose.

June 12: Why the Controversy Won't Go Away
Why are obsolete and discredited ideas still so popular among Christians when there are credible alternatives being promoted by fellow Christian experts?

Dr. Karl Giberson has lectured at many American venues and around the world and has published more than 150 articles, reviews, and essays, both technical and popular, written or co-authored eight books, and contributed to many edited volumes. Giberson blogs regularly at The Huffington Post where his articles often generate thousands of comments and are frequently featured. He was the founding editor of Science & Theology News, the leading publication in the field until it ceased publication in 2006, and editor-in-chief of Science & Spirit magazine from 2003-2006. From 1984 to 2011, Giberson was a professor at Eastern Nazarene College where he created distinctive interdisciplinary courses and programs and taught courses in the history of science, critical thinking, contemporary issues, science & religion, as well as specialty seminars.

May Book Discussions & Drop-in Groups
All our book discussions are open to all readers and no advance registration is required. To see a list of upcoming book club meeting dates and book titles, check out our Book Clubs page.

LOCAL NON-FICTION BOOK CLUB
This group usually meets the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library. The focus of this group is non-fiction books of local and regional interest. On Thursday, May 3, the group will discuss Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook by Ben Mezrich. Pick up your copy of the readings at the Main Library checkout desk. For more information, call Will at 617-689-8320.

WORLD LITERATURE BOOK CLUB
This discussion group meets one Friday per month and focuses on world literature. New participants are always welcome. On Friday, May 11, we will discuss Telex from Cuba by Rachel Kushner (Cuba). Pick up your copy of the book at the Main Library checkout desk.

CLASSIC READS BOOK CLUB
Explore a variety of classic novels from the 19th and 20th centuries on the third Wednesday evening of the month. All are welcome to join the discussion. On Wednesday, May 16, we'll talk about The Wapshot Chronicle by Quincy-born author John Cheever, in honor of the 100th anniversary of his birth. Pick up your copy of the book at the Main Library checkout desk. For more information, call Megan at 617-376-1331.

BOOKED FOR LUNCH @Main Library
Read any good books lately? Looking for something new to read? Bring a brown bag lunch--or grab a sandwich or salad at the library café--and join other readers for an informal conversation about books on the first Friday of each month. The next meeting will be on Friday, May 4 from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. in the Main Library atrium. The group meets near the café--just look for the brown Booked for Lunch sign on the table. Drop in anytime and check out this friendly group!

MOVIE MATINEE @North Quincy Branch
See a variety of films selected with older adults in mind at this weekly Wednesday afternoon film program. Films include travel, humor, and biography as well as full-length feature films, starting at 2:15 p.m.

Spring Into Art Exhibit
The Quincy Art Association presents its annual spring exhibit of members' work in a variety of media from May 5 to 26 in the Coletti Reading Room of the Main Library. Works on display will include oil, acrylic, watercolor and mixed media painting, photography, and sculpture. A public reception and awards ceremony will be held in the Richardson building on Saturday, May 19 at 1:00 p.m.

May Events for Children
DROP-IN STORYTIMES
The library offers a variety of drop-in storytimes for children ages 4 months through 8 years. Please check the children's storytimes page or the calendar of events for storytime schedule details. Please read the program descriptions carefully to choose a program for your child. Age limits are strictly enforced to insure that programs are age appropriate. If your child is on the age borderline between programs, please call the Children’s Room at 617-376-2411 to discuss which program would be most suitable. All week day programs are limited to Quincy residents.

SATURDAY FUN FOR LITTLE ONES
Sparky Davis of Sparky’s Puppets presents “Old Favorites,” puppet tales for the very young on Saturday, May 5 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. Laugh at the antics of "The Gingerbread Man," "Little Red Riding Hood," "The Three Pigs," and "The Three Billy Goats Gruff." This program is for children ages 0-4 accompanied by an adult. No registration is required. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.

STORYTIME WITH CHERYL
Join storyteller Cheryl Dunford for stories, songs, rhymes and more for children ages 2-5 accompanied by an adult on Saturday, May 12 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library.  No registration required. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.

MAD SCIENCE: ELECTRICITY
In this electrifying Mad Science of Greater Boston workshop children ages 4-8 will take a tour of the electron freeway. The roadside attractions include hands-on activities and illuminating demonstrations. The children will excite some electrons as they construct circuits and test various materials for conductivity with space-age plasma balls. Problem-solving and scientific know-how are explored when the children create and play an electronic game, and each child will take home a static stick to further their exploration of static electricity. The program will take place on Saturday, May 19 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. Due to space limitations, this program is limited to Quincy residents.

Registration is required. Beginning Monday, May 7, register online. You may also call 617-376-2411 or stop by the Main Library Children's Room to register. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.

DREAMCATCHER CRAFT
Children ages 8 and older are invited to join us to make a dreamcatcher on Saturday, May 26 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. This project involves many steps and some tricky directions but in the end you will have created a one of a kind decoration for your room.

Registration is required. Beginning Monday, May 7th, register online, in person or by calling 617-376-2411. Due to space limitations, this program is limited to Quincy residents.

BOOK CLUBS FOR KIDS
Do you like to read? Would you like to talk to others about books? Then you will like our book discussion groups.

The Phoenix Book Club for children in grades 5-8 meets on the second Tuesday of each month to discuss a variety of books. The Club will meet on Tuesday, May 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library. This month we will be discussing biographies.  Pick a biography of someone you've always been interested in or try learning about someone you might never heard of before. Read about Benedict Arnold or Philo Farnsworth or Maria Mitchell or Martha Graham! Browse our biography section for ideas or check at the desk for some selections from Amanda. Stop by the Main Library Children’s room to pick up a book to read before the meeting.

The Night Owls Book Club for children in grades 3-4 will be reading and discussing The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler on Monday, May 21 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library. Please stop by the Children's Room to pick up a book to read before the meeting.