Vol. 9 No 15 April 12, 2007

OFF THE SHELF
A WEEKLY LIBRARY NEWSLETTER
Vol. 9 No 15 April 12, 2007


QUOTE OF THE WEEK

This week’s “quote of the week” comes from paleontologist Robert Bakker, who said:

"I want to find a voracious, small-minded predator and name it after the IRS."


The Library will be closed on Friday, April 13, for Staff Development Day, and also on Monday, April 16, in observance of Patriot’s Day. We will be open our regular hours on Saturday, April 14.


HAVE A VERY HAPPY HOUSE TOUR!
The Friends of the Library’s Annual Spring House Tour will take place on Sunday, May 6, from 1:00 -5:00 p.m. This year, the Friends House Tour will feature seven beautiful homes, and the historic Quannapowitt Playhouse. As always, the emphasis is on history, charm, and imaginative décor. When you purchase your tickets, you will also receive a tour guide which describes the architectural details and history of each home. The houses chosen reflect a variety of styles, including colonial, Victorian, Greek revival, and contemporary.

Tickets will go on sale at the Circulation Desk on Tuesday, April 17, at $25 each, cash or check. Discounted tickets are available for Friends of the Library members ($20). All checks should be made out to the Friends of the Reading Public Library.


BE A FRIEND!
Wouldn't now be a great time to join the Friends? In addition to supporting the Library, you can take advantage of the special ticket price for Friends members. For information about how to join the Friends, go to http://www.readingpl.org/membership.html


ON THE ROAD WITH LIVEWIRES
Maybe now is the time for you or someone you know to become a safer driver. As we age, driving often becomes more difficult but there is a way to continue to drive safely. The American Association for Retired Persons has designed a course for people 50 years of age or older to help sharpen their driving skills, and increase their awareness of the effects of aging on driving ability.

This course emphasizes safety and teaches defensive driving techniques. In addition, the class demonstrates how to adjust your driving to compensate for age-related changes in vision, hearing and reaction time, and coaches people in how to handle problem situations such as left turns, freeway driving, blind spots, and driving distractions.

Research shows that older drivers have more crashes than any group except teens. Learning a few simple tips and strategies could save you money or even save a life. To read more about it, go to http://www.aarp.org/families/driver_safety/.

There is no test to take, and no actual driving. The course consists of two classroom sessions which will be offered at the Library on June 9 and 16. The instructor for the class will be Reading resident, Nancy Doherty. Each session is from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Coffee and light refreshments will be provided, or participants may bring their own snack to eat during the break.

This special program is presented by LiveWires, the Library’s program for people age 55 and up, and is funded by a federal grant administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Although the usual cost for this program is $10.00 per person, the program is offered by the Library at no cost to the participants as a service provided by the LiveWires grant.

Participants must pre-register and should plan to attend both sessions. The deadline for registration is May 11, and space is limited. So call today to reserve your spot! To register, please stop by the Information Desk, register online, or call 781-942-6703.


TUESDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES
Alzheimer’s disease is anything but a joke, and yet Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter, a wonderful film by Deborah Hoffmann about her mother's descent into Alzheimer’s disease, is at once sad, loving, and very funny. On Tuesday evening, April 17, LiveWires Presents will be screening this award-winning film.

In addition to being an immensely touching chronicle of a mother's descent into Alzheimer's-related dementia, Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter is also a meditation on personal responsibility, on acceptance and love, on the definition of self, and on the importance of both memory and living in the moment. Following the film, there will be a discussion of all these issues which will be led by Carol Owen, a social worker who specializes in geriatrics. I hope you will join us for this interesting and thought-provoking program.

Thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Library, a light dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. followed by the showing of the movie at 6:30. Although LiveWires programs are designed for people age 55 and up, all adults are welcome. LiveWires programs are funded through a federal LSTA grant, administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Are you a LiveWire? You are… if you are age 55 or older!


PARKS PASS: YOUR TICKET TO FUN
The Library is pleased to announce that we have added another pass to our list of great museums and other local attractions. The new pass is from the State Department of Conservation and Recreation. It provides visitors unlimited day-use parking access to state park facilities within the Department of Conservation and Recreation that charge a parking fee (with the exception of Nahant and Nantasket Beaches) .

Here are some of the great places you can now go and park for free!

Horseneck Beach, Buzzards Bay
Scusset Beach, Sandwich
Salisbury Beach, Salisbury
Halibut Point, Rockport
Walden Pond, Concord
Mount Sugarloaf, Deerfield
Wachusett Mountain, Princeton
Natural Bridge, North Adams

Many, many, more can be found at this website:
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parkspass.htm#facilities

You can reserve this new pass online at our website, or by calling the Circulation Desk.


NEW BOOKS, MOVIES, AND MORE
To see the list of library materials purchased this month, follow this link: http://www.readingpl.org/lists.html


FROGS R US
The frogs have arrived at the Reading Public Library! If you have visited the Library this week, you have no doubt observed that there are now frogs over the reference desk, frogs in the bestseller corner, frogs on the new book display… and there may be more to come! What’s going on?

We’re getting ready for our annual OPEN HOUSE! This year’s theme is “Things are Hoppin’ at the Library!”

I hope YOU are planning to hop on down and help us celebrate. The date is Saturday, April 28 from 1:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be great free refreshments, door prizes, musical entertainment, a special art exhibit featuring the work of our middle school students, children’s programs, adult storytelling, and lots more. Next week’s issue of Off the Shelf will include a complete minute by minute schedule of events!

Open House is one of the Library’s most beloved events…a true celebration of the spirit of our community. Join your neighbors and friends, and have FUN at your Library!


WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
FROG QUIZ
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/media/world/amfacts/frog_q1.html
Test your knowledge of frogs!


THEY SAY IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!
Reading resident and local historian Ben Nichols turned 99 years old on April 8. The Library will be wishing Ben a belated Happy Birthday as part of our Open House festivities on April 28.

We're gonna have a good time!
Won’t you help make this a very special day for him? Just drop by the Library any time before the 28th and sign Ben’s VERY BIG birthday card. You will find it beside the Information Desk on the first floor.

I'm glad it's your birthday!
We will be presenting the card to Ben and enjoying birthday cake. The festivities will take place between 12:00 and 2:00 on Saturday, the 28th. Happy birthday to you!


HELEN NIGRO SPEAKER SERIES PRESENTS NATHANIEL PHILBRICK
On Friday evening, May 18, the Reading Public Library Foundation will present the third annual Helen Nigro Speaker event. This year’s featured speaker will be Nathaniel Philbrick, bestselling author and lecturer, who will speak about his book Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War.

In this spellbinding book, Philbrick reveals the true story of the Pilgrims as much more than the well-known tale of piety and sacrifice; it is a fifty-five-year epic that is at once tragic, heroic, exhilarating,and profound.

“Impeccably researched and expertly rendered, Philbrick’s account brings the Plymouth Colony and its leaders, including William Bradford, Benjamin Church and the bellicose, dwarfish Miles Standish, vividly to life....” (Publishers Weekly)

Nathaniel Philbrick is the author of numerous award-winning books including In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex (2000) which received much acclaim and won the 2000 National Book Award for Non-Fiction. It brings to life the 19th century whaling industry and the story of the boisterous sperm whale which inspired Herman Melvillle’s Moby Dick.

So mark your calendars! This very special event will be the highlight of the spring. The tickets will go on sale at our Open House on Saturday, April 28. Tickets are $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for students.


WHAT’S HAPPENING @ YOUR LIBRARY!
All events listed take place at the Reading Public Library, 64 Middlesex Avenue, Reading, unless otherwise noted.

Thursday, April 12: Teen Author: Susan Campbell Bartoletti. The author of award-winning Hitler Youth will share her writing experiences. 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Friday, April 13: Library Closed for Staff Development Day.

Saturday, April 14: Chess for Kids. Bring a chess set. An experienced high school chess player will be on hand to answer questions and suggest strategies. No registration necessary. For grades 2 and up. 2:00 p.m. –3:00 p.m.

Monday, April 16: Library Closed for Patriot’s Day Holiday.

Tuesday, April 17: Monthly Book Delivery to Longwood Place. 11:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Tuesday, April 17: LiveWires Presents. Tonight's LiveWires’ program topic is coping with aged and failing parents. We are featuring the film Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter, a PBS documentary by Deborah Hoffmann about a daughter's response to her mother's final illness (Alzheimer’s). This film was nominated for a 1994 Academy Award.

A light dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. followed by showing of the film at 6:30 p.m. Carol Owen, LICSW, a social worker specializing in geriatrics, will lead the discussion. This program is free and open to all adults. 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.

Wednesday, April 18: DDR for Kids in grades 1-5. Join in the Dance Dance Revolution! Teen teachers will be on hand to help everyone learn the finer points of this hot new activity! No registration necessary. 3:30p.m. – 4:15 p.m. for beginning dancers; 4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. for more experienced dancers.

Wednesday, April 18: Computer Class — “Microsoft Excel for Beginners.” If you’ve never used Microsoft Excel, or if you’re still a beginner, this class will give you the basic skills. Patrons must be comfortable using a mouse. Pre-register at the Information Desk, via e-mail, or call 781-942-6703. 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 19: The Not-Too-Stuffy Book Group for Seniors meets to discuss Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Led by Deirdre Reilly, local columnist and radio show host. Copies of the book will be available at the Senior Center Book Nook or at the Library. 1:00 p.m. at the Senior Center Lounge.

Thursday, April 19: Conversation Group for English Learners. 7:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.

Friday, April 20: Infant Toddler Sing-along. with Peter Sheridan. No registration necessary. Sponsored by the Friends of the Reading Public Library. 10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.


That’s all for now,
Elizabeth Dickinson
Editor


LIBRARY HOURS
Mondays 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Tuesdays 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Wednesday 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Thursdays 1 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Fridays 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturdays 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.