Newsletter

NEWSLETTER

September 2007
Volume 4, Number 9

Library Computer Upgrade News
Magazine Feature: Computers
Quincy Memories Now Online
Library Receives English Conversation Circles Grant
Volunteer Literacy Tutor Orientations
What's Cooking @your library: Food for Life 3
Let's Talk About It Reading & Discussion Series: Neighbors, The World Next Door
Film Feature: Viva Cuba
Proactive Parenting the Negotiation Generation
Fall Book Sale
Monthly Book Discussions & Drop-in Groups
September Exhibit: Photography by Karman Lee
September Events for Children
What's New in the Library's Collection / New DVDs
Recommended Reading
Calendar of Events
Friends of the Library

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Library Computer Upgrade News
The Library has jump-started its new five-year technology plan by replacing 100 aging computers at the Main Library and all branches. The old computers, purchased between 1996 and 2000 and running Microsoft Windows 95, have been replaced with Hewlett Packard PCs running Windows XP Professional. Although the original plan was to phase in new computers over three years, we were able to replace all computers at once by leasing to purchase instead. The old computers have been given to the school department and community centers in Quincy.

This major installation project began last March and has taken several months to complete. We thank you for your patience while the upgrade was in process and hope you will take advantage of the enhanced computer services now available at the library.

All public computers now provide:

Web browsing with Internet Explorer and Mozilla FireFox
Chinese language pack for viewing Chinese characters
Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher, and PowerPoint
InterVideo WinDVD for watching DVDs
Windows Media Player for listening to CDs
QuickTime Player for viewing streaming media online
Picasa2 for viewing and editing digital photos
upgraded Kurzweil on Adaptive Technology Room computers
Windows XP games
ability to download programs
ability to use headphones (bring your own or purchase ear buds at the library)
ability to save data to floppy disk, CD, flash drive or hard drive

Free computer classes at the Main Library will resume this fall, including basic Internet classes and special introductory classes to Microsoft Publisher and Picasa2. Watch future newsletters for more details!

Magazine Feature: Computers
Plug into the latest computer and technology news with these magazines at your library:

MacWorld (Main Library, North Quincy, Wollaston)

Maximum PC (Main Library, Adams Shore)

PC Magazine (Main Library)

PC World (Main Library, Adams Shore)

PCPhoto (Main Library)

Smart Computing in Plain English (Main Library, Adams Shore)

Wired (Main Library)

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. Here's how:

Searching for magazines

In the Search For box, type the title of the magazine.
Click in the circle next to Keyword.
Select Periodical Title.
This search will bring up magazines with your keyword(s) in the title. Click on Display Full Details of the magazine you want to see holdings in all Old Colony Library Network libraries.

Placing holds on magazine issues

After clicking on Display Full Details to see the magazine you want, click on the Hold (with image of hand) button.
Choose the library where you would like to pick up the item.
Use the checkboxes to select the copy or copies you want.
Click on Place Hold.

Quincy Memories Now Online
Quincy's Mass Memories Road Show on June 2, 2007 was a huge success! Over 100 people came to the library to share wonderful photographs and stories about life in Quincy. A heartfelt thank you to all who came and contributed to Quincy's "self-portrait"".

It was wonderful how much thought people put into the photos they brought, making sure that all generations were represented. There were stories of the Lamplighter in North Quincy, Kelly's Meat Market in Hough's Neck, and the Squantum pilot who was wingman for flying ace General Jimmy Doolittle in World War II. Both longtime residents and newcomers shared their photos and stories; old friends met and the reminiscing began, or conversations started and new friends were made.

To view the pictures and captions please visit the Mass Memories web page. Stay tuned for announcements of another opportunity to share your story when the Road Show stops in Quincy again.

Library Receives English Conversation Circles Grant
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners has approved a two-year $12,500 English Conversation Circles Grant for the Library, as part of a federal Library Services and Technology Act mini-grant program. The grant will help the Library develop a staff-coordinated, volunteer-led program for English language learners to practice basic conversational English. Sessions will be conducted in an informal, relaxed atmosphere in the Library or other community locations and will increase participants' comfort level in English and their knowledge of American culture, customs, and idiomatic expressions. The program also provides an opportunity for Quincy residents to meet others from different cultures and assist newcomers to the community.

Recruitment for volunteer facilitators will begin later this fall and the first conversation group series for ESL learners will begin in January 2008. Watch for more details soon.

Volunteer Literacy Tutor Orientation
The Thomas Crane Library's literacy program, LVM-Quincy, is offering two orientation sessions for people interested in becoming basic reading tutors. The orientations will take place at the Main Library on Tuesday, September 11 and Thursday, September 13 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

LVM-Quincy provides free, one-on-one tutoring in basic reading and writing to adults on the South Shore. Orientations are provided twice a year and gives potential tutors information about the basic reading program so that you can decide if the program is compatible with your skills and interests and whether you want to make this volunteer commitment.

To register for an orientation, call 617-376-1314 or fill out an online application (select "Volunteer", scroll to the bottom of that page and select "Application").

What's Cooking @your library: Food for Life, Part 3

Find out how healthy eating can also be deliciously simple at Food for Life 3: Replacing Meat and Antioxidants & Phytochemicals on Sunday, September 16 at 2:00 p.m. at the Main Library.

Research shows that as much as 50% of all cancer may be diet related. The right food choices can reduce your risk of developing cancer--and help you beat the disease after it has been diagnosed. When cancer researchers search for links between diet and cancer, one of the most noticeable findings is that people who avoid meat are much less likely to develop the disease. Learn about and taste a variety of vegetarian sources of protein which are loaded with cancer-fighting nutrients.

Antioxidants are powerful cancer-fighters found mainly in vegetables and fruits. Discover which vegetables and fruits are high in which protective compounds, and taste a meal loaded with beta-carotene, lycopene, and other cancer-fighting compounds.

The Food for Life nutrition and cooking program was designed by physicians, nutrition experts, and registered dietitians at The Cancer Project, a non-profit organization committed to teaching people about the benefits of a healthy diet for cancer prevention and survival. The Food for Life program offers real recipes and shows you how to prepare simple delicious healthy meals at home.

Registration is required for this program. For more information or to register, call 617-376-1316, e-mail quref@ocln.org or stop by the Main Library reference desk on the top floor. Sponsored by The Cancer Project and the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.

Let's Talk About It Reading & Discussion Series
Explore Jewish literature and culture in a free five-part reading and discussion series at the Library beginning September 17. Led by a local scholar, Let's Talk About It: Jewish Literature - Identity and Imagination will feature lively discussions of contemporary and classic books related to the theme, Neighbors: The World Next Door. Sessions will be held the third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library.

The delicate, often tortuous relationship between neighboring cultures animates this discussion series, which traces the Jewish experience from Muslim Spain to Bolshevik Russia to contemporary America. The first session will explore A Journey to the End of the Millennium by Israeli author A.B. Yehoshua, an extraordinary story of a voyage that becomes a personal quest in the year 999.

Additional books will be discussed once per month at the library:
October 15: Red Cavalry by Isaac Babel
November 19: Neighbors by Jan T. Gross
December 17: The Assistant by Bernard Malamud
January 14: Mona in the Promised Land by Gish Jen

Discussions will be led by Dr. Jeslyn Medoff, Adjunct Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. For more information or to register for some or all of the sessions, call 617-376-1305 or e-mail letstalkseries@gmail.com. Copies of each book will be available at the library for all registered participants.

The Thomas Crane Library is one of over 250 libraries nationwide receiving grants to host the Let's Talk About It series developed by Nextbook and the American Library Association.

Film Feature: Viva Cuba
Attend a free screening of the recently released film Viva Cuba on Thursday, September 20 at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Library.

In this Cuban Romeo & Juliet story, Malu and Jorgito share a bond that transcends their families' disparate economic backgrounds, but their parents don't approve. When Malu's mother plans to leave Cuba, the children run away and travel to the other side of the island to find Malu's father and persuade him against signing the forms that would allow it.

"Viva Cuba isn't a political film--it's a human one."--MSNBC/Associated Press

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.

Proactive Parenting the Negotiation Generation
Whether you're raising toddlers or teenagers, some behaviors are non-negotiable. Find out how to reclaim your parental authority using a proactive childraising approach with parenting expert and author Lynne Reeves Griffin on Monday, September 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Library.

With true stories from more than 20 years of parent counseling, Reeves Griffin understands the struggles parents face in raising today's children--and tells you how to step out of the negotiation generation and step back into control.
Lynne Reeves Griffin lectures, writes, and consults with parents, teachers, and health care professionals on child development, behavior management and issues affecting today's families. She is the founder of the Proactive Parenting workshops and the author of Negotiation Generation: Take Back Your Parental Authority Without Punishment!.

Fall Book Sale
Don't miss the Friends of the Library Fall Book sale. Books, videos and audios for adults and children will be for sale, with prices starting at 50 cents. On Sunday, buy materials for $2 a bag (bags provided). Proceeds from the Friends book sale are used to sponsor museum passes and a variety of events for adults and children. Sale dates and times are:

Friday, Sept. 28, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 29, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 30, 1:30 - 4 p.m.

If you are a member of the Friends, or would like to join, come to the Friends of the Library Preview Sale on Thursday, Sept. 27 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Visit the Friends Web page for more information about the Friends.

Monthly Book Discussions

Waiting cover 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, September 14, the group will discuss Waiting by Ha Jin. Copies of the book are available at the Main Library checkout desk. For more information, call Julie at 617-376-2411.

Catch-22 cover 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, September 19, the group will discuss Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. 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.

Big House cover 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, September 6, the group will discuss Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer Home by George Howe Colt. 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, September 7 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 September 10, we'll talk about APPLES. You are invited to bring a favorite recipe to share. For more information, call 617-376-1325.

BOOK CHAT @Wollaston Branch
If you like to read and enjoy talking about books, drop by and join other readers for an informal chat about books on the third Wednesday of each month. The next meeting is Wednesday, September 19 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. For more information, call 617-376-1330.

September Exhibit: Photography by Karman Lee

Photographer Karman Lee will exhibit her work from August 31 to September 30 in the Coletti Reading Room on the first floor of the Main Library. A public reception with light refreshments will be held on Saturday, September 29 from noon to 2:00 p.m.

Whether it's a sprawling landscape, a stack of chairs or a puddle of water, Karman Lee captures images that are refreshingly edgy and beautiful. Her penchant for the abstract, obsession with detail and eye for color contrast gives her photographs a unique style. Karman's work reflects her interest in landscapes, nature, abstract and geometric objects Karman has a passion for travel and is in constant pursuit of the next great shot.

Karman Lee was born and raised in Hong Kong. She immigrated to the United States and settled in Quincy, where she attended Atlantic Middle School and North Quincy High School. She graduated from Bentley College in 2002. She recently relocated and currently works at the Federal Reserve in Washington, DC and resides in Arlington, VA. Karman started photography as an outlet for her creative energy. Now a self-taught, freelance photographer, Karman is tethered to her Nikon D80 DSLR.

September Events for Children

FALL STORYTIME REGISTRATION
Registration for the first session of fall storytimes will begin Friday, September 7 at 9:00 a.m. (1:00 p.m.at Adams Shore and North Quincy Branches). For storytime schedule details, visit the library or go to our General Information page.

Registration is limited to Quincy residents and each child may only register for one storytime. Children must be of age by the first meeting. Call or stop by the storytime location to register. Programs fill very quickly.

SATURDAY FUN FOR LITTLE ONES
Ryan Racette presents Big Ryan's Tall Tales, a rollicking good time full of stories, music, movement, puppets and interactive play, on Saturday, September 8 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. This monthly series is especially designed for very young children ages 0-4 accompanied by an adult. No registration required. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.

ENGLISH/CHINESE STORYTIME WITH MICHELLE
Bring your child to a free English/Chinese drop-in storytime on Saturday, September 15 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. Join storyteller Michelle Andrews for stories, songs, rhymes and crafts for children ages 2-5 accompanied by an adult. This special storytime will be interpreted in Cantonese and Mandarin. No registration required. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.

MAD SCIENCE: BUGS
Welcome to the realm of insects! In this Mad Science of Greater Boston workshop, the children will be introduced to the world of creepy, crawly creatures that they find beneath their feet through hands-on activities, and interactive and entertaining demonstrations. Participants will learn about insects' fabulous flying abilities, unique eyesight, and the way they defend themselves against predators. The children will use their new bug knowledge to build their very own model insect to take home.

This workshop for children aged 4-8 will be held on Saturday, September 22 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library.

Registration is required, beginning Tuesday, September 4. 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.

STORYTIME WITH MICHELLE
Join storyteller Michelle Andrews for stories, songs, rhymes, and more for children aged 2-5 accompanied by an adult on Saturday, September 29 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library. No registration required. Sponsored by the Friends of the Thomas Crane Public Library.

ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS: PROACTIVE PARENTING THE NEGOTIATION GENERATION
Whether you're raising toddlers or teenagers, some behaviors are non-negotiable. Find out how to reclaim your parental authority using a proactive childraising approach with parenting expert and author Lynne Reeves Griffin on Monday, September 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Library.

With true stories from more than 20 years of parent counseling, Reeves Griffin understands the struggles parents face in raising today's children--and tells you how to step out of the negotiation generation and step back into control.

Lynne Reeves Griffin lectures, writes, and consults with parents, teachers, and health care professionals on child development, behavior management and issues affecting today's families. She is the founder of the Proactive Parenting workshops and the author of Negotiation Generation: Take Back Your Parental Authority Without Punishment!.

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.