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NEWSLETTER
April 2008
Volume 5, Number 4
New Museum Pass: Harvard Museum of Natural History
Magazine Feature: Nature & the Environment
Discovering Jane Austen: Films, Discussions & Special Events
Main Library Orientation Tour
National Issues Forum: America's Role in the World
Independent Film Feature: Arranged
Trivia Event Fundraiser for Literacy Program
Aging in Place: Reverse Mortages & Estate Planning
Ask the Career Experts
Living Green in Quincy: Your Green Yard
Go Places @your library: Tortoises, Iguanas & Boobies of the Galapagos
April Computer Class: Internet Basics
April Book Discussions & Drop-in Groups
April Exhibit: Spring into Art with the Quincy Art Association
April Events for Children
What's New and Recommended
Calendar of Events
Friends of the Library
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Back Issues
Contact Us
New Museum Pass: Harvard Museum of Natural History
The Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library have funded a new museum pass for Quincy residents. Now you can reserve a coupon that will admit four people to the Harvard Museum of Natural History for $2 each (children under 3 free).
 The Harvard Museum of Natural History was established in 1998 as the public face of three research museums: the Museum of Comparative Zoology, the Harvard University Herbaria, and the Mineralogical and Geological Museum. Presenting the incomparable collections of these parent museums and the research of scientists
across the University, its mission is to enhance public understanding and appreciation of the natural world and the human place in it, sparking curiosity and a spirit of discovery in people of all ages.
The Museum's permanent exhibits include:
- Arthropods: Creatures that Rule, featuring hands-on
activities, dramatic specimen displays, colorful video and
graphics, and even live animals
- The Glass Flowers, one of the Museum’s most famous
treasures
- The Zoological Galleries, featuring examples
of animals ranging from the earliest prehistoric creatures,
including fossil invertebrates, reptiles, and dinosaurs,
to today’s mammals, birds, and fish from around the world.
- The Mineralogical and Geological Gallery, including
minerals and gemstones plus a stunning assortment of meteorites
discovered around the globe—-some touchable—-and Impact!,
a dynamic video presentation that explores meteorite origins
and the factors that bring these extra-terrestrial bodies
in contact with Earth.
Current special exhibits include Sea Creatures in Glass,
Nests & Eggs, and Carl Linnaeus: A 300-Year
Legacy.
For more information or to reserve a museum coupon, go to our Museum Pass page, call 617-376-1301, or ask at the circulation desk at the Main Library (first floor).
Magazine Feature: Nature & the Environment
Interested in nature, natural history and the earth we live on? Check out the following magazines at your library:
Audubon
E: the Environmental Magazine
National Geographic
Natural History
Smithsonian
You may browse current and older issues of magazines in the Main Library Richardson building and at the branch libraries. Magazines may be checked out for two weeks and renewed for another two weeks if no other holds are waiting. If the issue you want is not available, it's easy to search and place holds in the library catalog. Go to our Catalog Help page to find out how--or just ask a librarian for help.
Discovering Jane Austen: Films, Book Discussions and Special Events
Jane Austen is the author of an enduring body of work that includes such classics as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Mansfield Park. Beloved by readers for generations, Austen and her characters are now the subject of a seven-part PBS Masterpiece series, airing Sundays on WGBH from January to April.
In the spirit of Austen-mania, the Thomas Crane Public Library, with support from the Friends of the Library, will celebrate the life and works of Jane Austen with free programs and events through the month of April. All programs are free and will be held at the Main Library.
For complete details, plus related reading lists, a DVD list, and Internet links, go to our Discovering Jane Austen web page.
SEE JANE WRITE BOOK DISCUSSION: Persuasion
Join an informal book discussion of Austen's last novel on Monday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library. Persuasion follows the romance of Anne Elliot and naval officer Frederick Wentworth. They were happily engaged until Anne's friend, Lady Russell, persuaded her that Frederick was "unworthy". Eight years later, Frederick returns, a wealthy captain in the navy, while Anne's family teeters on the edge of bankruptcy.
The discussion will be facilitated by Diane Costagliola, Adjunct Instructor of English at Simmons College and a member of the library staff. Copies of the book will be available to pick up at the Main Library checkout desk. No registration is required.
THE REEL JANE AUSTEN
Enjoy the best feature film adaptations of four Jane Austen novels in this special Tuesday night series. All movies will begin at 7:00 p.m.
March 25: Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Keira Knightley stars as Elizabeth, the second of five well-brought-up but impecunious Bennet sisters, whose fluttery mother schemes to marry them off to men of means. "Sumptuous…as satisfyingly rich and robust a fusion of romance, historical detail and genial social satire as the time allows...[and] still reflects Austen's keen scrutiny of social mobility and the Darwinian struggle of the hungriest to advance by wielding whatever leverage is at hand"--The New York Times
April 1: Emma (1996)
Austen's favorite busybody is played by Gwyneth Paltrow in a witty, show-stopping performance. Although Emma fancies herself a matchmaker for her friends, her snobbery and perfect lack of self-awareness make her ideas of romance that much more entertaining. "A decorative comedy of 19th-century manners honed to a sharply 20th-century edge...with a lively intelligence and a buoyant comic tone"--The New York Times
April 8: Persuasion (1995)
Adapted from what is arguably Jane Austen's most mature and subtlest novel, Persuasion stars Amanda Root as Anne Elliot, an old maid at 27 after having tossed away love at the age of 19. "Profoundly truthful in many ways: in its sense of emotional longing; in its natural, unglamorized visual beauty, ranging from drawing rooms to the sea; in its fidelity to the delicate tone of Austen's satire and romance…a lyrical, autumnal story of lost love, with the unexpected reward of a happy ending"--The New York Times
April 15: The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)
A charming adaptation of the book by Karen Joy Fowler, The Jane Austen Book Club centers on a group of six friends in Sacramento, all devoted Austen fans except the lone man (Hugh Dancy). The film is a modern-day comedy of manners that incorporates elements of Austen's novels and characters. "An inspired expansion of Fowler's book...[with] dialogue that keeps the pace up and the energy flowing…an admirable mix of heady and fluffy, the kind of wish-fulfillment fantasy that needn't make filmgoers ashamed of what they wished for"--Chicago Tribune
A MUSICAL SOIREE
Enjoy a performance of music from Jane Austen's era, followed by a collation featuring Regency-style cakes and tea on Sunday, April 27 at 2:00 p.m. in the historic Richardson building of the Main Library, 40 Washington St., Quincy. The Boston Chamber Ensemble will present a variety of 18th and 19th century selections, including pieces by Cambini, Mozart, Haydn, and Hummel. This event concludes the library's Discovering Jane Austen program series.
The Boston Chamber Ensemble was founded in 1989 as a group of 40 instrumentalists who comprise a chamber orchestra from which smaller, more intimate groups are formed to provide programs of great diversity and interest. The trio that will perform at the Crane consists of Elisa Birdseye, viola, Timothy Macri, flute, and Rob Bethel, cello. The trio has performed at most of the Boston area chamber music series, including King's Chapel and Gore Place. Individually, they have performed concertos and recitals both in the United States and Europe.
Violist Elisa Birdseye is principal violist for the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra and executive director of the Boston Chamber Ensemble. As a recitalist, she has played solo and chamber concerts throughout New England, in California, New York, and in the Palffy Palace, Bratislava, Slovakia. She has been featured twice on both WCRB's New England Concert Halls and WGBH's Off the Record.
Flutist Timothy Macri is principal flute of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra and the Manhattan Chamber Sinfonietta and is a frequent guest with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, the Boston Philharmonic and the Portland (ME) Symphony. Last season he performed in concert with members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra under the direction of James Levine.
Cellist Rob Bethel is currently the principal cellist of the North Shore Philharmonic. He performs all around New England in a number of orchestras and chamber ensembles. He was a featured performer and clinician at the most recent Chants de Vielles Festival in Quebec and also performed in the recent premiere of Steven Jobe's Music for Three Hurdy-Gurdies. Rob is also an avid improvisor and is often invited to facilitate workshops in improvisation.
Main Library Orientation Tour
Take a guided walk through the library at a free orientation tour of the Main Library at 40 Washington St. on Saturday, April 5 at 10:00 a.m. Chinese interpretation will be provided. All ages are welcome to join the orientation tours.
National Issues Forum: America's Role in the World
You are invited to participate in the second National Issues Forum on the topic of America's Role in the World: Building a Secure Future at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 6 at the Main Library.
As the only superpower left standing after the Cold War, America exercises global dominance. Yet, the September 11 attack showed us that we are not immune to the world's problems. Powerful and prosperous, yet not universally liked, Americans are no longer certain about their security in the 21st century. Join with fellow citizens to discuss four perspectives on the questions of what kind of world we want our children and grandchildren to live in and what we will have to do to achieve it.
National Issues Forums (NIF) is a nonpartisan, nationwide network of locally sponsored public forums for the consideration of public policy issues. It is rooted in the simple notion that people need to come together to reason and talk - to deliberate about common problems. NIF does not advocate specific solutions or points of view but provides citizens the opportunity to consider a broad range of choices, weigh the pros and cons of those choices, and meet with each other in a public dialogue to identify the concerns they hold in common. Although all forum activity is locally organized, moderated, and financed, the materials used are produced by the Kettering Foundation of Dayton, Ohio, among others, and promoted by the National Issues Forums Institute.
There is no fee to participate in National Issues Forums. Free booklets on the topic are available for participants to read prior to the Forum. To register and obtain a booklet, please call 617-376-1316 or e-mail quref@ocln.org. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
Independent Film Feature: Arranged
This award-winning American film will be shown on Thursday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library.
Rachel is an Orthodox Jew and Nasira a Muslim of Syrian origin and both are young teachers at a public school in Brooklyn. They also have something else in common-they are going through the process of getting "arranged marriages" through their respective religious and traditional customs. With both family pressure on the one hand and the rejection of traditional values by the outside world on the other, Rachel and Nasira have to rely on each other and strive to take charge of their own happiness while keeping their deep religious and cultural convictions.
"A gem of a film, beautifully shot and perfectly cast"--Filmmaker Magazine
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.
Trivia Event Fundraiser for Literacy Program
 Come and enjoy a fun evening of trivia while supporting the Library's literacy program. Literacy Volunteers of MA-Quincy helps adults achieve success in basic reading and writing.
- Play with a team of your friends
- $20 per person
- Maximum 6 participants per table
- Emcee and trivia jockey: Phil Beattie
- Prizes, light refreshments, raffles and surprises!
To find out more or to register, call 617-376-1314.
Aging in Place: Reverse Mortgages & Estate Planning
AARP reports that over 80% of respondents to a recent survey want to remain in their home for as long as possible. Find out about some of the services and programs that have recently become available to help you--or your older relatives--"age in place" at a free educational workshop on Thursday, April 17 at the Main Library. Two sessions will be offered, at 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Examine the various options available to seniors who want to remain financially independent in their own homes. FHA-Reverse Mortgage Specialist Edward Barrett of Your Home for Life will discuss all the aspects of this federally insured program. All questions will be answered, and each attendee will receive a free information kit and video.
Elder law attorney John Gosselin of Gosselin & Associates will be on hand to discuss recent changes in estate planning law, what documents are necessary to be properly prepared, as well as answer your questions.
Ask the Career Experts
Are you hunting for a job or considering a career change? 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 April 22 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.
Living Green in Quincy: Your Green Yard
Find out how to go "green" in your own backyard
on Tuesday, April 22 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library.
At this free program, you will learn about the hazards of
pesticides and how to grow beautiful lawns, trees, flowers
and shrubs without using pesticides. Accredited organic landscaper
Joe Cotter of Paradigm Landscaping will discuss the organic
landscaping standards developed by the Northeast Organic Farming
Association followed by a showing of two short award-winning
videos created by Green Decade of Newton, Mass., Say No
to Pesticides and Naturally Great Gardens & Landscapes.
Topics covered will include site selection, soil preparation, composting, fertilizing, watering, mowing, non-toxic insect and weed control, companion planting, alternatives to the lawn, and much more. Cotter will answer questions and provide expert advice following the videos. Helpful resources will be available to take home and light refreshments will be served.
This program is presented by the Quincy Environmental Network Climate Action Committee in cooperation with the Quincy City Council Environmental Committee and the Thomas Crane Public Library.
Go Places @your library: Tortoises, Iguanas & Boobies of the Galapagos
Get a close-up view of the amazing wildlife of the Galapagos Islands at a free slide presentation on Monday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library.
  
This program will introduce you to the enchanting chain of islands located in the Pacific Ocean 600 miles west of mainland Ecuador, one of the last great wild places on earth. Meet an incredible mix of polar and tropical species, including giant tortoises, seagoing iguanas and clownish boobies, and discover a rare and distinctive destination for travelers in search of nature and wildlife like nowhere else.
Avid hiker and amateur photographer Corrinne Waite traveled to several islands of the Galapagos in 2006 and reports that each day of her trip was more astonishing than the one before. A former social studies teacher at Braintree High School, Waite is a longtime member of the South Shore Camera Club and an active volunteer at the South Shore Natural Science Center and the Quincy Historical Society.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.
April Computer Class
Internet Basics
Discover the common features found on most websites as you learn about links, navigation and scrolling with hands-on practice. Then, use Google to do some basic web, image and news searches. This two-session course will be held on Thursday, April 3 and Thursday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the Main Library computer lab. Participants must have experience using a mouse.
To register, please call 617-376-1316 or stop by the Main Library reference desk. Due to the popularity of this course, we ask that you only sign up once.
April Book Discussions & Drop-in Groups
 FRIDAY MORNING BOOK DISCUSSION
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, April 10, the group will discuss The Road from Coorain by Jill Ker Conway. Copies of the book are available at the Main Library checkout desk. For more information, call Julie at 617-376-2411.
 WEDNESDAY EVENING BOOK DISCUSSION
This group meets the third Wednesday of each month from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at the Main Library. On Wednesday, April 16, the group will discuss Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. 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.
THURSDAY EVENING BOOK DISCUSSION
This group meets the first Thursday of each month from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at the Main Library. The focus of this group is non-fiction books of local and regional interest. On Thursday, April 3, the group will discuss Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer. Copies of the book are available at the Main Library checkout desk. For more information, call Will at 617-689-8320.
 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 is on Friday, April 5 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 April 14, we'll talk about MEXICAN FOOD. 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.
April Exhibit: Spring into Art with the Quincy Art Association
The Quincy Art Association presents their annual Spring Into Art exhibit from April 1 to 27 in the Coletti Reading Room. Works on display will include oil, acrylic, watercolor and mixed media painting, photography, and sculpture. A public reception and awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, April 13 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. in the Library's Richardson building.
The Quincy Art Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the visual arts, artists, art education and art enthusiasts. Check their website for the latest information about upcoming classes and events and a membership application.
April Events for Children
DROP-IN STORYTIMES WITH MICHELLE
Join storyteller Michelle Andrews on Saturday, April 5 and 19 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 19th is our monthly bilingual storytime and will be presented in English with Cantonese and Mandarin interpretation. No registration is required. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Library.
SATURDAY FUN FOR LITTLE ONES
Join us for Story Songs and Sing Alongs with Debbie and Friends on Saturday, April 12 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. Parents and kids join in this interactive "variety show", which includes a diverse array of styles including rock, pop, country and reggae. You'll become the Big Bad Wolf and blow the house down, fix Rosie's wrong rhymes, test your skills with the "Simon Sez Song" and more.
This program is for children ages 0-4 accompanied by an adult. No registration is required but space is limited to the first 125 people. When we reach the capacity, we will have to close the doors.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Library.
THE FROG PRINCE PUPPET SHOW
Join John McDonough of Pumpernickel Puppets on Tuesday, April 22 at 10:30 a.m. at the Main Library for a puppet show of the classic fairytale the Frog Prince. This program is for children ages 0-4 accompanied by an adult. No registration is required but space is limited to the first 125 people. When we reach the capacity seating we will have to close the doors. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Library.
KARAOKE POETRY
April is National Poetry Month, so come help us celebrate on April 22nd and 23rd by stepping up to the mike and reciting your favorite poem. Choose one of ours or freestyle on the spot! For all ages. No registration is required--just stop by the Main Library Children's Room and join the fun.
PRINCE AND PRINCESS DAY
April 24th is Prince and Princess Day in the Main Library Children's Room. We will be showing Disney movies featuring princes and princesses in the story room and playing Disney movie music. Show times are not set, so just stop by and check out what is showing. Drop in anytime from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. and make a wand, a crown or a princess purse, or even all three! These activities are recommended for children ages 2-8. Feel free to wear your most regal outfit.
MAD SCIENCE: Slippery Science
Goop, gak and slime!! Three words sure to put a smile on any child's face. This Mad Science of Greater Boston workshop for children ages 4-8 introduces kids to the world of polymers through hands-on fun, discussion and demonstrations. The children will experiment with several different polymers; from styrofoam to the "mystery polymer" and Mad Science Putty. They'll get to touch, observe and talk about what makes up a polymer and try to solve the "polymer puzzle". Best of all, each child will make his or her own batch of colorful, ooey-gooey Mad Science Slime to take home!
This workshop will be held on Saturday, April 26 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library.
Registration is required, beginning Monday, April 7. Stop by the Main Library Children's Room or call 617-376-2411 to register. Due to space limitations, this program is limited to Quincy residents. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library
BOOK CLUBS
The Library offers three book discussion groups for kids: Night Owls 3 for third graders, Night Owls 4 for fourth graders, and the Phoenix for grades 5-8. Each group meets once a month at the Main Library. Call or stop by the Main Library Children's Room for more information or to register.
What's New and Recommended
Browse online for new stuff, including books, audiobooks, and DVDs or check out our staff recommendations for SPRING 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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