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NEWSLETTER
January 2009
Volume 6, Number 1
Holiday Hours
WANTED: Volunteer English Conversation Group Leaders
Main Library Orientation Tour
Foreign Film Feature: The Trap
Concert at the Crane: Lisa Yves with Richard Rancatore & Friends
Orientations for Literacy Volunteers
Film Feature: Redbelt
Concert at the Crane: Acoustic Brazil
Go Places @your library: Ireland--Land of Welcomes
Ask the Career Experts
New Green Reads Book Group
Sharks of New England
Let's Talk About It: Love & Forgiveness in the Face of the Enemy
Computer Education Programs: Internet Basics; Working with Word; Edit & Enhance with Picasa
January Book Discussions & Drop-in Groups
January Exhibit: Photography by Melissa Fuccillo & Alison Hartwell
January Events for Children
What's New and Recommended
Calendar of Events
Friends of the Library
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Back Issues
Contact Us
Holiday Hours
All libraries will close at 12:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, and will be closed on New Year’s Day. The library will also be closed on Monday, January 19 for Martin Luther King Day.
WANTED: Volunteer English Conversation Group Leaders
Would you like to...
- work with people from other cultures and countries?
- help limited English speakers connect with their new community?
- learn techniques and activities to help adults speak English more fluently?
If your answers are yes, consider becoming a volunteer facilitator in the Library’s English Talk Time program for ESOL adults. Talk Time is not an English class; it is an opportunity for adults learning English to practice what they already know.
Volunteers work and train with an experienced ESOL specialist before leading their own groups. The next Talk Time session for facilitators in training will meet for 10 weeks on Saturday mornings beginning January 17. Training will occur before, during and after each Talk Time session. After the first 10-week Talk Time, volunteers will co-facilitate their own 10-week Talk Time group.
If this unique volunteer opportunity interests you, please call 617-376-3295 or e-mail quenglishtalk@ocln.org for more information.
Main Library Orientation Tour
Take a free guided tour of the Main Library building on Saturday, January 3 at 10:00 a.m. The tour meets in the atrium and interpretation in Cantonese and Mandarin will be available.
Foreign Film Feature: The Trap
Watch the award-winning Serbian film The Trap on Thursday, January 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library.
This modern film noir directed by Srdan Golubovic reflects the true face of Serbian "society in transition," it's a story that could happen to you. An ordinary man is forced to choose between life and death of his own child. The Trap is a film about post-Milosevic's Serbia, in which there is no more war, only a moral and existential desert. This is Serbia in transition, in which human life is worth little, and normal life remains almost unreachable.
"Beautifully executed...deeply moving...a thoroughly involving cinematic experience"--The Hollywood Reporter
Winner of multiple awards, The Trap is Serbia's Academy Awards® entry for the 2007 Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar®.
Although this film is not subject to rating by the Motion Picture Association of America, it is not recommended for ages under 17 without parental permission. Films for the series are obtained through the library's membership in Film Movement, the exclusive distributor of curator-selected films from the world's top film festivals, including Cannes and Sundance.
CONCERT AT THE CRANE: Lisa Yves with Richard Rancatore & Friends
Vocalist Lisa Yves with Richard Rancatore and friends performs a concert of lively jazz standards to kick off this year’s Sunday afternoon concert series on Sunday, January 11 at 3:00 p.m. at the Main Library.
"Chasing the Blues Away: Great Songs of the Depression" will feature some of the greatest jazz songs ever written. Many 1930s-era songs are happy, upbeat tunes to combat the mood of the times, but there are some sad songs, too. Lisa and the band will be doing such songs as "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries", "Body and Soul", "Night and Day", "Ten Cents a Dance" and "Anything Goes"--the perfect antidote for your post-holiday recessionary blues.
 Originally from New York, Lisa Yves has been living, performing and recording albums in Massachusetts since 1995. She was a finalist in the 2004 Boston Pops talent search and sang in Symphony Hall. Yves will perform with veteran jazz musicians Richard Rancatore, Marshall Wood, Elmer Drotos and Dan Miele. Pianist Richard Rancatore is devoted to the music of the great jazz songwriters and puts the concert sets together to reflect the program theme. After moving to New England in 1979, Bassist Marshall Wood quickly became one of the most sought after bassists in the area. He has performed in top jazz festivals around the world and toured with Tony Bennett. Saxophonist Elmer Drotos is one of the most virtuosic instrumentalists in the business. He has performed with bandleaders Lawrence Welk and Tex Beneke and toured with Artie Shaw, who called him "one of the best saxophone players I’ve ever heard." Drummer Dan Miele carries on the tradition of an exceptional musical family. His intelligent drum work gives the group a solid foundation.
This free concert is sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
Orientations for Literacy Volunteers
Help an adult learn to read and change a life! Literacy Volunteers of Massachusetts-Quincy is a library literacy program that provides free, one-on-one tutoring in basic reading and writing to adults on the South Shore. We provide tutor training, staff development programs and student support services. Our trained volunteers help people achieve personal goals through literacy.
Orientations are provided twice a year to give potential tutors information so you can decide if the program is compatible with your skills and interests and whether you want to make this volunteer commitment. Attend an orientation on January 15 or January 21, 2009 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Main Library to find out if tutoring is right for you.
To register for an orientation, call 617-376-1314 or fill out an online application.
Film Feature: Redbelt
The 2008 movie “Redbelt” will be screened on Thursday, January 22 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library. Directed by David Mamet and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alice Braga, Tim Allen, Emily Mortimer, Rodrigo Santoro, Rebecca Pidgeon, and Randy Couture, “Redbelt” takes you into the west side of Los Angeles fight world, a world inhabited by bouncers, cage fighters, cops, and special forces types.
Mike Terry is a jujitsu teacher who has avoided the prize-fighting circuit, choosing instead to pursue an honorable life by operating a self-defense studio with a samurai's code. Terry and his wife, Sondra, struggle to keep the business running to make ends meet. On a dark, rainy night, an accident at the academy between an off-duty officer and a distraught lawyer puts in motion a series of events that will change Terry's life dramatically and introduce him to a world of promoters and to movie star Chet Frank. Faced with this, in order to pay off his debts and regain his honor, Terry must step into the ring for the first time in his life.
"It's glorious pulp fiction elevated to genre art, full of Mamet's cynicism about the corruption of big business (just substitute Hollywood for the martial-arts league) and his romantic ideals of men in military service and men dedicated to a higher purpose...[Manet's] fascination with how things work, be it the mechanics of designing and promoting a big pay-per-view event or battling a world-class Jiu-jitsu master, makes it all quite mesmerizing."--Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"A satisfying, unexpectedly involving B-movie that owes as much to old Hollywood as to Greek tragedy. That may sound like a perilous combination, but the film’s visual moderation, contained scale and ambition keep it well tethered. It’s a fight film, purely if not simply, which of course also means it’s about the struggle to live."--The New York Times
Rated R for violence and language.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
Concert at the Crane: Acoustic Brazil
Enjoy the lively and varied music of Brazil at this free concert for all ages on Sunday, January 25 at 3:00 p.m. at the Main Library.
Led by Sulinha Boucher, Acoustic Brazil will take you on a journey through the musical styles of Brazil, including samba, bossa nova, choro, and baiao. The trio will play a variety of traditional instruments like the cavaquinho (a small string instrument like the ukulele), the pandeiro (a small hand-hand percussion instrument similar to the tambourine), the surdo (a large, cylindrical bass drum), and more.
Brazilian guitarist and singer Sulinha Boucher has been performing in the United States since 1995. She has played in many venues including weddings, private parties and gallery openings. You may have also heard her in restaurants, hotels or summer outdoor concerts in the New England area. Percussionist Katrin Peterson is originally from Switzerland and has studied music in Germany, Brazil, Cuba and New York. She has performed throughout Europe, Canada, Brazil and the United States and has appeared on radio and TV, including "The Late Show". Ronaldo Lobo grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and recently graduated from Boston’s Berklee College of Music. Ronaldo plays acoustic nylon strings (violao) and percussion.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
GO PLACES @your library: Ireland—Land of Welcomes
Take a tour of Ireland at a free slide presentation by photographer Christine Moriarty on Monday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library.
 Dublin is our first stop; then we'll travel north to Donegal. The road south takes us to Galway and the west counties of Mayo, Clare and Kerry. Narrow roads through the unspoiled countryside bring us past rugged coastlines, into charming little villages, a few bustling cities, a great mansion or two, and many historical sites.
A longtime member of the South Shore Camera Club, Christine Moriarty has traveled to Ireland several times and never tires of the sights, history, music and hospitality to be found everywhere. The soft light on the land is a photographer's delight.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
Ask the Career Experts
Are you hunting for a job, considering a career change, or worried about layoffs in your future? Come to the library on the 4th Tuesday of each month for customized advice about the job search process, career exploration, resumes, networking and more, provided by career counselors and employment coaches from Career Moves at Jewish Vocational Service.
This free service is available by appointment only on January 27 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the
Main Library. To make a half-hour appointment, please call Judy Bottkol at 617-399-3162.
Ask the Career Experts is offered by the Library in partnership with Jewish Vocational Service of Boston, a non-sectarian organization that provides job search, employment assistance, education, training, career development, and support to individuals from all backgrounds.
NEW Green Reads Book Group
 A joint project of the Library and Quincy Environmental Network, this new book discussion group will begin meeting on the fourth Tuesday of each month to read and discuss books with environmental themes. This month's book is the environmental classic Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. All are welcome to pick up a copy of the book at the Main Library checkout desk and participate in this month's discussion. For more information, call Megan at 617-376-1331.
Sharks of New England
Did you know that 15 different species of sharks inhabit New England coastal waters? Find out everything there is to know about the local shark population at a free slide presentation by Captain Tom King on Saturday, January 31 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. This program is suitable for adults and for children aged six and up.
You will learn how to distinguish a shark from other fish and to differentiate male and female sharks; how sharks are classified and the difference between common and scientific names; which species are most common along our coastline, including one being seen and caught at Wollaston Beach; plus more shark facts and lore.
Captain King has been fishing since the mid 1940s, and had his first boat in 1949 in Boston Harbor. His interest in sharks began 20 years ago when he started fishing for them in Massachusetts Bay and realized how little accurate information was available about this species. His New England Sharks website provides a wealth of information about local sharks. Captain King's charter boat service out of Scituate offers coastal cruises, whale watch cruises, and fishing for a variety of local species, including sharks.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
Let's Talk About It: Love & Forgiveness in the Face of the Enemy
Explore the theme of love and forgiveness in everyday life through classic and contemporary literature beginning Monday, February 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library.
 This five-part, scholar-led reading and discussion series is based on the premise that forgiveness is possible even in the presence of the enemy when they share their common humanity. The first session on February 2 will explore scenes from Homer’s ancient epic poem about the fall of Troy, The Iliad. Additional books will be discussed the first Monday of each month through June at the library. These books are Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte on March 2, Embers by Sandor Marai on April 6, The Guardian by Ana Castillo on May 4, and Bel Canto by Ann Patchett on June 1.
Copies of each book in the series will be available for pick-up one month prior to each session at the Main Library circulation desk. Please register online to obtain a copy of the first book. Participants may register for the entire series, or for individual sessions.
Dr. Jeslyn Medoff, Adjunct Professor in English at UMass-Boston will lead a discussion of the book at each session. Dr. Medoff teaches literature and American studies to graduate and undergraduate students. She served as Project Scholar for the Let's Talk About It: Jewish Literature series held in the fall of 2007.
The library is one of 50 libraries nationwide receiving grants to host the series developed by the American Library Association and the Fetzer Institute's Campaign for Love and Forgiveness.
Computer Education Programs
Internet Basics
Never used a mouse? Need some basic instruction on using the Internet? Library staff members are available by appointment for one-on-one training sessions in the Main Library computer lab. Get help with anything from creating an address and using email to surfing the Web for information, including how to fill out online forms and search for subjects that interests you. Please call 617-376-1316 to schedule a convenient time. You will receive a password that allows you to come back into the lab any time we are open, to practice and get further help.
Working with Word
Hoping manual typewriters will come back on the scene? Hate the idea of composing a letter, typing an essay or creating a resume using your PC? Learn how to create smart looking documents in this hands-on class on Tuesday, January 20 at 10:00 a.m. in the Main Library computer lab.
The class will cover the basics from starting a new document and setting margins, to changing fonts, inserting bullets and using templates. Along the way we will cut and paste text from the Internet and other documents, create text boxes and discover the pros and cons of the spelling and grammar check. At the end of the session you will have a newfound appreciation for this powerful application and feel ready to use it to draft your first novel.
Participants should be able to use a mouse and keyboard and have some familiarity with Windows XP. The class will cover Word 2003, not 2007.
Registration is required and seats are limited. Please register online.
Edit & Enhance with Picasa
Is your desktop disorganized with digital pictures? Do you want to reduce red-eye, add cool effects, crop your pictures and create albums to send to friends? Learn how to easily store, edit and share your digital pictures with Picasa, a free software download from Google, on Thursday, January 29 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Main Library computer lab.
Picasa organizes your entire collection and allows you to move and re-name pictures from inside the program. Using basic fix buttons, you can sharpen, crop, remove red eye, fix contrast, turn colored photographs to black and white and enhance your digital pictures. Unlike other photo editing software, Picasa only requires a few simple clicks.
In this hands-on workshop, you will learn all about Picasa and do a few simple edits on provided photographs. You should also bring in your own photos on CD or flash drive so you can edit and save them to take home. Please note that because all digital cameras are different, you must first remove your pictures from your camera and transfer them to a CD or other storage device.
This workshop will also discuss posting pictures to Flickr as well as comparing the various online options for having your digital pictures printed.
Registration is required and seats are limited. Please register online.
January Book Discussions & Drop-in Groups
LOCAL NON-FICTION BOOK GROUP
This group 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, January 8 (the second Thursday because of the New Year's holiday), the group will discuss 3000 Degrees: the True Story of a Deadly Fire and the Men Who Fought It by Sean Flynn. Copies of the book are available at the Main Library checkout desk. For more information, call Will at 617-689-8320.
 WORLD LITERATURE BOOK GROUP
This book discussion group meets on the second Friday of each month at 10:00 a.m. The focus of this group is world literature. On Friday, January 9, the group will discuss The Strength of the Sun by Catherine Chidgey. Copies of the book are available at the Main Library checkout desk. For more information, call Julie at 617-376-2411.
 FICTION PLUS BOOK GROUP
This group meets the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library. On Wednesday, January 21, the group will discuss The March by E.L. Doctorow. Copies of the book are available at the Main Library checkout desk. New members are welcome to join anytime. For more information, call Megan at 617-376-1331.
GREEN READS BOOK GROUP
A joint project of the Library and Quincy Environmental Network, this new book discussion group will meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month to read and discuss books with environmental themes. On Tuesday, January 27, the group will discuss the environmental classic Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. All are welcome to pick up a copy of the book at the Main Library checkout desk and participate in the discussion. 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, January 2 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!
 COOKING WITH BOOKS @Adams Shore Branch
Love to cook? Love to read cookbooks? Join other food lovers on the second Monday of each month to review new cookbooks, share favorite recipes, and perhaps take a turn at cooking something for others to sample. This group meets from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Adams Shore Branch Library, 519 Sea St., Quincy. On Monday, January 12, we'll share APPETIZER recipes. You are invited to bring one of your favorite recipes to share. For more information, call 617-376-1325.
MOVIE MATINEE @North Quincy Branch
See a variety of films selected with older adults in mind at this weekly program, most Wednesdays at 2:15 p.m. at the North Quincy Branch. Films include travel, humor, and biography as well as full-length feature films.
January Exhibit
An exhibit of works by local photographers Melissa Fuccillo and Alison Hartwell will be on display in the Main Library Coletti Reading Room from January 2 to 31. A public reception will be held on Saturday, January 3 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Melissa Fuccillo has been working as a local photographer since 2001. Since graduating with a degree in Creative Arts she has worked as a freelance photographer for her company, mefphotography. She has developed her style of photography through studying, teaching, traveling and most recently the adventure of childbirth. Inspired by the births of her two children, Mia and Max, she has developed a body of work entitled Bellies to Babies. These photographs celebrate the life of the baby and those awaiting this precious gift of life, before and after the delivery.
Quincy native Alison Hartwell has enjoyed photography since she was a teenager. At that time she took pictures with a Kodak Brownie camera. She has been a member of the South Shore Camera Club for 27 years. She continues to compete in the print competitions. She now shoots with a digital camera and enjoys manipulating some of the images using PhotoShop. She enjoys making photo cards and giving her work to her friends and relatives.
January Events for Children
WINTER STORYTIME REGISTRATION NEWS
Starting with Winter 2009 storytimes, all weekday morning storytimes will be drop-in programs with no registration required. Children must be of age by the first meeting and weekday programs are limited to Quincy residents. Please check the children's programs page or the calendar of events for storytime schedule details.
Due to space limitations, registration will still be required for Afterschool Explorer storytimes, beginning Monday, January 12. Please register online for Junior Explorers and for Explorers. You may also call 617-376-1330 or stop by the Wollaston Branch Library to register. These storytimes are limited to Quincy residents.
DROP-IN STORYTIMES WITH KELLY
Join storyteller Kelly Santilli on Saturdays, January 3 and 17 at 10:00 a.m. at the
Main Library for stories, songs rhymes and more for children ages 2-5
accompanied by an adult. The program on the 17th will be presented in English with
Cantonese and Mandarin interpretation. No registration is required. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
SATURDAY FUN FOR LITTLE ONES
Join children's librarians Jane Miller and Gail Columbare as they present Mother Goose and Little Bo Peep; a Nursery Rhyme and Song Extravaganza for children ages 0-4 accompanied by an adult on Saturday, January 10 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. No registration is required. Space is limited to the first 125 people; when we reach capacity seating for the meeting room we will close the doors.
CONCERT AT THE CRANE: Lisa Yves with Richard Rancatore & Friends
All ages are welcome to attend this concert of jazzy favorites from the 1930s, "Chasing the Blues Away: Great Songs of the Depression", on Sunday, January 11 at 3:00 p.m. at the Main Library. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
MOVIES FOR KIDS
All movies will be shown at the Main Library and are sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
Sleeping Beauty
Meet the enchanting princess Aurora, spell-breaking Prince Philip, evil villainess Malificent, scene-stealing good fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, and a multitude of cute forest creatures. Sleeping Beauty was Oscar-nominated for its musical score, which features adaptations of Tchaikovsky compositions. This 1959 animated classic will be screened on Tuesday, January 13 at 10:00 a.m. Rated G
WALL-E
What if mankind had to leave Earth, and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off? After hundreds of lonely years of doing what he was built for, WALL-E discovers a new purpose in life when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE.
Selected as best movie of 2008 by the Boston Globe, this thematically dark, animated movie from Pixar Studios will be screened on Tuesday, January 20 at 3:00 p.m. Rated G.
Horton Hears a Who
Based on the beloved children's book by Dr. Seuss, this is the tale of an imaginative elephant named Horton who hears a faint cry for help coming from a tiny speck of dust floating through the air. This 2008 animated adventure will be screened on Tuesday, January 27 at 3:00 p.m. Rated G.
MAD SCIENCE: Tantalizing Taste
In this Mad Science of Greater Boston workshop, for children ages 4-8, interactive and hands-on activities help us explore one of the most enjoyable of all the senses and the delicious biology behind our taste buds.
After an entertaining discussion that covers how and why we taste, the children will better acquaint themselves with their primary taste organ--their tongues. We'll explore the question of whether the tongue is the only taste organ when the kids take the smell test. Participants will also observe how their favorite sodas are made, and will put their taste buds to the test for a famous taste test challenge.
This workshop will be held on Saturday, January 24 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library.
Registration is required, beginning Monday, January 5. Please register online beginning January 5. You may also register by calling 617-376-2411 or stopping by the Main Library Children's Room. Due to space limitations, this program is limited to Quincy residents.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
CONCERT AT THE CRANE: Acoustic Brazil
Enjoy the lively and varied music of Brazil at this free concert for all ages on Sunday, January 25 at 3:00 p.m. at the Main Library. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
SHARKS OF NEW ENGLAND
Did you know that 15 different species of sharks inhabit New England coastal waters? Find out everything there is to know about the local shark population at a free slide presentation by Captain Tom King on Saturday, January 31 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. This program is suitable for adults and for children aged six and up. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
BOOK CLUBS
The Library offers two book discussion groups for children: Night Owls for 3rd and 4th graders, and the Phoenix for 5th to 8th graders. Registration for these programs is ongoing and is limited to Quincy residents. Stop by the Main Library Children’s Room or call 647-376-2411 for more information or to register for a book group.
What's New and Recommended
Browse online for new stuff, including books, audiobooks, and DVDs or check out our staff recommendations for WINTER reading.
You can also sign up to receive monthly updates in your e-mail. There are booklists for every age and interest, including bestsellers, fiction and mystery, large print, audiobooks, books for kids and teens, DVDs, and more. Each booklist features titles, reviews, and links to the library catalog, so reserving the titles you want is quick and easy.
To see lists of additional new materials, check out the New in the Library lists in the Old Colony Library Network online catalog. To see only new titles owned by a Quincy library, go into the catalog from our Catalog Search page. To see new titles owned by all libraries in the Old Colony Library Network, go into the catalog from the OCLN website using the catalog search box, without logging in with your library card number.
Friends of the Library
Become a Friend of the library! Your Friends membership fee ($10 for individuals, $15 for families) helps support museum passes and events for all ages. For more information about
the Friends, go to the Friends
of the Thomas Crane Public Library page or pick up a brochure at the library.
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