Vol. 11, No 6. March 13, 2008

OFF THE SHELF
A BI-WEEKLY LIBRARY NEWSLETTER
Vol. 11, No 6. March 13, 2008

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“May the Irish hills caress you. May her lakes and rivers bless you. May the luck of the Irish enfold you. May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.”

---an Irish blessing

JOHN F. KENNEDY LIBRARY AND MUSEUM PASS NOW AVAILABLE

Thanks to our wonderful Friends of the RPL we now have passes to the JFK Library and Museum. The pass is good for up to two admissions for 3 dollars each. Children 12 and under are admitted free.

LIVEWIRES

“SISTERS IN CRIME” TO VISIT READING PUBLIC LIBRARY

Three popular mystery authors will visit the Reading Public Library on Tuesday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the LiveWires series.

“Sisters in Crime” is an international organization promoting the advancement of women mystery writers. Three popular New England authors, Toni L.P. Kelner, Leslie Meier and Clea Simon will present at the library. Toni Kelner’s newest book, Without Mercy, is set in Boston and features a celebrity journalist detective. Leslie Meier’s most recent title, St. Patrick's Day Murder, continues her popular Lucy Stone series. Clea Simon recently published Cries And Whiskers, about Boston journalist Theda Krakow and her feline companion.

The authors will present "IT’S A MYSTERY TO ME", a panel discussion on everything that goes into writing a mystery from where they get their ideas to how to get published. Books will be available for purchase and for signing.

This program is presented by LiveWires – Lifelong Learning in the Library. This event is free of charge, and is funded by the Reading Lions Club.

BIBLIOBABBLERS

The Bibliobabbler title for April is Saturday by Ian McEwan. Cherrie Dubois will lead the discussion. The book group meets at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8 in the Conference Room. No registration is necessary and newcomers are always welcome. Books are available at the Circulation Desk.

NOT-TOO-STUFFY

The March Not-Too-Stuffy selection is Rise And Shine by Anna Quindlen. Priscilla Carter will lead the discussion. The book group is held at the Senior Center Lounge at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 20. No registration is necessary and everyone is welcome. Books are available prior to the discussion in the Book Nook, or at the Library.

POPCORN PICKS
By Jamie Penney

This week I’m going to talk about Monty Python. Now, even if you have never particularly cared for Monty Python or aren’t familiar with it, don’t stop reading just yet. Although I think they are the funniest game in town when they’re together, these guys have done a lot of different stuff, separately and in smaller groups, and there is something for almost everyone. The place to start of course is “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” (1969-1974), the television show. But dig a bit deeper and you’ll see the Pythons’ fingerprints all over the place. Some highlights follow (from my own personal bias, of course.) Everything I’ve mentioned here is either available or on order at the Reading Public Library.

Graham Chapman, sadly, died in 1989, but he is brilliant in his starring roles of King Arthur in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975) and Brian in “Monty Python’s Life of Brian” (1979) - in my opinion, two of the funniest films EVER made.

John Cleese is perhaps the most recognized of the Pythons. He wrote and starred in the series “Fawlty Towers” (1975-1979), “A Fish Called Wanda” (1988), and can currently be seen as Nearly Headless Nick in the Harry Potter films.

Terry Gilliam, aka “the American one”, did all of the outrageous animation for Python, and, as you might expect, has become an extremely inventive director. “Brazil” (1985), “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen” (1988), and “Twelve Monkeys” (1995) are among his visually stunning films.

Eric Idle was the brains behind “The Rutles – All You Need is Cash” (1978), a hilarious spoof of the Beatles, with cameo appearances by Mick Jagger, Paul Simon, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, and George Harrison himself. The other Beatles all professed to adore it as well. (Eric also created the Tony Award-winning Broadway show “Spamalot”, but there’s no movie of that yet! We do have the CD soundtrack, though.)

Terry Jones wrote and starred in “Medieval Lives” (2004), which originally aired on the BBC and the History Channel. It’s both scholarly AND hilarious. Nobody does medieval drag like Terry Jones – his damsel-in-distress is perfection. It will be released on DVD in April 2008.

Michael Palin starred in Terry Gilliam’s first extra-Python film, “Jabberwocky” (1977), wrote and performed in the BBC series “Ripping Yarns” (1976-1979), and created “Michael Palin’s Pole to Pole” (1993), a BBC documentary in which he travels from the North Pole to the South Pole by the most direct route possible with the most land to cross.

This is just the tip of the Python iceberg. Check out the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) for comprehensive info. That’s it for now.

FOR JANE AUSTEN FANS
By Chris Rutigliano

In a previous column, we've talked about how we at the circulation desk enjoy both hearing about your favorite books and passing along our recommendations for something wonderful. Well, lately, as I've seen the usual infinite variety of books coming and going, I couldn't help noticing how many books about Jane Austen (1775-1817) have been circulating. I finally had to look into it, and what I found was mind boggling! Here is just a sample of some recently published fiction about our dear Jane and her books.

Austenland, by Shannon Hale (2007), is about Jane Hayes, a single woman whose obsession with Mr. Darcy, as portrayed by Colin Firth in the BBC production of “Pride and Prejudice,” is overwhelming. In an attempt to dispel her fantasy of the perfect man, she accepts her late aunt's bequest of a trip to an English resort in which guests and employees role-play in Austen's world of 1816. Jane, as Miss Jane Erstwhile, doesn't always abide by the strict rules of the game, but in the intrigues that follow, she learns a great deal about herself. Plus, the story is romantic and zany.

If role playing isn't real enough for you, try Confessions Of A Jane Austen Addict (2007), a time-travel story by Laurie Viera Rigler. After modern-day career woman Courtney Stone breaks off her engagement, she takes to her bed with her beloved Jane Austen novels. Amazingly, she wakes to find herself in the year 1813 in the body of Jane Mansfield, a thirty-year-old well-to-do Englishwoman who has to cope with formal manners and handsome men in breeches. As Courtney begins to identify with Jane, she wonders which of her selves is the person she needs to be. If you’re a diehard Austen addict, see the author’s blog posts at http://janeaustenaddict.com.

In The Jane Austen Book Club, by Karen Joy Fowler (2004), six characters, five women and one man, meet monthly to discuss Austen's work. Each month a different member hosts the club to discuss one of the six books. As the characters meet, we learn how they relate to the books and we also learn about their lives, their relationships, and their philosophies of life. The book also includes synopses of the six novels and comments by Jane Austen's relatives and friends about her work. Following that are comments written between 1812 and 2003 by reviewers and other writers, including Charlotte Bronte and J. K. Rowling. A movie of the same title, made in 2007, was just released on DVD.

In The Lost Memoirs Of Jane Austen (2007), Syrie James writes about Jane Austen as an aspiring author, who, while traveling with her brother in Lyme, meets the charming Mr. Ashford. This well-read, dashing man encourages Jane and helps her to overcome her fears about writing. Jane tells us that this gentleman was the one “who would reawaken my voice, which had long lain dormant.” In this first-person story, the relationship between mentor and student and the insights about writing from experience and having faith in yourself may just inspire you to tell the story that's been percolating in your own mind.

These are just the tip of the Austen iceberg. For a longer, but by no means exhaustive, listing of other recent fiction (and a little nonfiction) about Jane Austen and Mr. Darcy, ask at the Information Desk for the Jane Austen Book List.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE CHILDREN’S ROOM

Spring Storytimes – Registration Now in Progress!

Storytimes are some of the most important programs we offer in the Children’s Room. They are a wonderful way for your children to gain important pre-literacy skills like print and phonological awareness. The stories and songs help teach kids about patterns, rhythm, and repetition. Fingerplays encourage the use of fine motor skills, coordination and memory. But most importantly of all, storytimes are a ton of fun! Kids love visiting with Cocoa Moose and hearing great stories.

Our spring session of storytimes will begin the first week of March. We still have openings in the following sessions:

3 year olds – Tuesdays at 10:30a.m. (March 4 – April 15)

3 year olds – Wednesdays at 10:30a.m. (March 5 – April 16)

4 and 5 year olds – Wednesdays at 10:15a.m. (March 5 – April 16)

Evening “Drop-In” Storytimes
Tuesdays 6:30 to 7 P.M. (March 4 to April 15)
For ages 4 through 7
No Registration necessary

We’re also taking sign-ups for our mid-March through mid-April Monday morning lapsits, for children ages 2 and under (with caretaker).

Contact us in the Children’s Room for more information or to sign up: 781-942-6705.

Check http://www.readingpl.org/kidsstorytime.html for updates.

OPEN HOUSE

“Books in Bloom,” our 7^th annual Open House held on March 1, was a botanical success and we owe it to the following wonderful library supporters:

Flowers: Calareso’s Farm Stand, Eric’s Flower Emporium, and Stop & Shop of Reading

Performers: Music Departments from the Reading Public Schools, Greta and Cherie Asgeirsson for “Heavenly Music,” and James Otis and Darcy Boyer for “A Rollicking Good Time.”

Local Reading schools for their beautiful artwork displayed throughout the Library.

The staff of the library, the Reading Garden Club, Library Trustees, Friends of the Reading Public Library, and the Library Foundation. Thank you!

To the Reading Public Library Staff:

Thank you all for another outstanding Open House celebration! Your hard work, creative ideas, enthusiasm, and extra efforts added up to a special day that built community and created a lot of fun and many happy memories for everyone who participated. The Books in Bloom displays were sensational, and showcased a great range of talents and interests. I want you to know how much I appreciate all the time and energy you each gave to putting together this very special event. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Ruth

STAFF DAY

On Friday, April 11, the Library will be closed so the staff may participate in our annual staff day. It is a day of renewal and an opportunity for us all to come together to learn a new skill.

We’ll be better than ever.

RPL PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION

As a follow on to the successful digitization of the Spud Murphy Postcard Collection, the Reading Celebration Trust awarded a grant to the Reading Public Library to digitize and catalog the Library's Photograph Collection. So far all of the photographs are scanned and about one third are cataloged and appear online at www.readingpl.org/localhis.html.

Click on Reading Photograph Collection and view the 142 images. Watch weekly as this number grows and see old scenes of downtown, the schools, and aerial photographs.

READING WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB

The public is welcome to come to the Reading Women's Book Club program on Tuesday, March 18 at 10 a.m. in the Meeting Room to hear Librarians Nancy Aberman, Eileen Barrett, and Kathy Miksis review 24 new books. Find out what is new and exciting in the book world.

HOOPS & SCOOPS

On Saturday, March 29, the Teen Services Department will present a basketball extravaganza. The “Pre-Game Show” will run from 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. and include mini-ball free throw contest, basketball spinning contest, basketball trivia, watching NCAA highlights and bloopers, and ice cream, of course!. “The Main Event” will run from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. with the big-screen presentation of the movie, “Hoosiers.” Based on a true story of a small-town Indiana team that made the state finals in 1954, this movie chronicles the attempts of a coach with a spotty past to lead the high school team to victory. Starring Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper, this 1986 basketball classic was nominated for 2 Academy Awards. It’s all free and everyone is welcome! Make it a family affair! This event is funded through a federal grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

www.indiepixfilms.com/collection/st-patricks-day-special
The St. Patrick’s Day Special is a collection of films from and about Ireland.

WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

Just in case you didn’t know, we have a subscription to an online book club database, called DearReader.com (www.supportlibrary.com/su/su.cfm?x=234256). Every day, Monday through Friday, you receive in your email a five-minute selection from a chapter of a book. By the end of the week, you’ll have read 2-3 chapters. Every Monday a new book is started. You can register for whatever genre you prefer, fiction, non-fiction, teen, mystery, romance, etc. We need your feedback. Our subscription is up for renewal and we would like to know if you use it or never heard of it. Please let us know by sending a message re: DearReader to dickinso@noblenet.org.

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

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

Ongoing:

Mother Goose Lapsit Sign up. Storytime for children under 2 and their caretakers!
We still have a few spaces in the 9:30 a.m. Mother Goose Lapsit group starting on Monday, March 24. The Lapsit groups are starting Wednesday, April 30 and running for four weeks through May 21. We also have space in both the 9:30 and 10:15am classes. Come in or call the Children's Room at 781-942-6705 to register.

Tuesday, March 18: Drop-In Evening Storytime. For children 4-7 years of age. Free. No registration necessary 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, March 20: The Not-Too-Stuffy Book Group for Seniors meets to discuss Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen. Led by Priscilla Carter. 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, March 20: Conversation Group. (see March 6 event for details). 7:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.

Friday, March 21: 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.

Tuesday, March 25: Word of Mouth. Informal monthly discussion of what people have been reading lately 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 25: Drop-In Evening Storytime. For children 4-7 years of age. Free. No registration necessary 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 25: LiveWires Presents Sisters in Crime. Three popular mystery authors, Toni Kelner, Leslie Meier and Clea Simon will present, “It's a Mystery to Me,” a program that discusses everything from what goes into writing a mystery to where they get their ideas and how they got published. This event is free and open to all. 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, March 27: Teen Gaming Night - Open Wii & DDR. Teens in grades 6-12 are invited to drop in and check out some Wii games and DDR on our PS2 console. This is an open play event and games include: DDR Max, DDR 2, Mario & Sonic @ Olympic Games, Boogie, Wii Playground, Rayman Raving Rabbids 2. Teens are welcome to bring additional games for group play! As usual, junk food and drinks will be available! Equipment, games and refreshments are funded by the Friends of the Reading Public Library and by a federal LSTA grant through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 27: Conversation Group. (see March 6 event for details). 7:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.

Saturday, March 29: Teen Flicks: The movie this month is “Hoosiers.” This is a free event and refreshments will be served! Bring the whole family. 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. “Pre-Game Show” and 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. “The Main Event.”

Slán go fóill,
(Gaelic = goodbye for now)

Susan L. Beauregard
Reference/Young Adult Librarian

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.