The Library is many things, beloved patrons: it is a place of learning, a place of study, a place for meeting old friends and making new ones, a place with resources aplenty and programs galore.
It is also a place with air conditioning.
And sometimes, that last point is reason enough to come and spend some time at the Library, especially considering some of the scorching days we have had recently. You never need an excuse to come to the Library, but if you are looking for ways to fill your time while getting your fill of cool air, might we recommend some of our upcoming programs, classes, and events for you to enjoy? We are always working to develop helpful, informative, and engaging programming for our patrons and community members, so please keep your eye on our calendars…and please let us know if there are any programs you would like to see offered at the Library! We are, after all, here for you and for your needs…including your need just to cool off for a little while…
So, without further ado, here are some of the programs on offer in July and August for your enjoyment. You can register for these programs on our website, or by calling the Main Library or Branches at the following numbers:
Main Library: (978) 531-0100
South Branch: (978) 531-3380
West Branch: (978) 535-3354
At the Main Library:
Winesburg, Ohio Discussion Series: Beginning Monday, July 16, 7:30 – 8:30pm
Professor Theo Theoharis will teach this four-part discussion series on Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio. First published in 1919, this novel is widely regarded as a classic of American literature, and one of the first and best works in the ‘modernist’ mode. A collection of short stories centered around the figure of George Willard, a newspaper reporter in a small Ohio town before the First World War, the book is part novel and part group portrait, depicting the private and public experiences of longing, disappointment, hope, religious conviction, joy in nature, joy in art, and the pains and rapture of romantic love. Anderson’s ideas and tone, combining unsentimental assessment of flaws with compassionate probing of how scope for thought and feeling is found and lost in life, have made the book a classic that has remained in print continually since 1919 and influenced writers as diverse as William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway. This series will continue on July 30, August 13, and August 27.
The Addiction of Loving an Addict: Monday, August 6, 7:00 – 8:00pm
Please join Jenny Ravikumar for a workshop/discussion around healing your heart, body and soul from the addiction of loving an addict. During our time together, we will be learning about the addiction of loving an addict. What it means to be co-dependent, how shame and forgiveness play into family disease and what you can do to begin your own recovery. We will connect on how we can explore the use of yoga, al-anon principles, essential oils and breath work to heal. You deserve self-care. Addiction may not be your choice, but it is your journey. How you move forward is your choice. Let’s release shame, invite forgiveness and explore loving kindness. We will end with a guided meditation, breath work and an essential oil assist. Jenny Ravikumar, e-RYT 500 hour teacher, reiki master, healer and writer. She will share her powerful story of how she began (and is still to this day) healing her own heart while staying strong in loving her son and creating a new family lifestyle for them both.
At the South Branch:
Gray Seals and Great White Sharks of Cape Cod Presentation with Bob Michelson, July 26, 7:00 – 8:00pm
Join Bob Michelson of Photography of Michelson, Inc. for a special 1 hour presentation on Gray seals and Great white sharks of Cape Cod! Follow seal researchers as they capture and sample newborn Gray seal pups on the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness Area south of Chatham. Witness the first documentation of this species mating in the United States, and learn about the seals’ complete life history while in New England. Great white sharks have been returning in ever increasing numbers to hunt their favorite snack – Gray seals. Exclusive underwater photographs provided courtesy of the MA Division of Marine Fisheries and the Great White Shark Consortium show this apex predator in Cape Cod waters. Bob Michelson is a published underwater photographer/videographer who has been diving for 38 years. His work has appeared in numerous books and magazines such as National Geographic, Natural History, Highlights for Children, Field & Stream, TROUT, The Conservationist, and NH Wildlife Journal, and on various broadcast networks such as Discovery Science, ABC, NBC, CBS, and PBS.
At the West Branch:
Heritage Films presents The Homestead Act History: Wednesday, July 25, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Come join us for film presentation by local historian and film maker Dan Tremblay of Heritage Films! This particular film will focus on the history of the Homestead Act. The Homestead Act is a wonderful 30 minute film made in the mid-west area about the western movement of immigrants when they found out that 160 acre plots of land could be gotten in 1862 as long as they maintained and lived on it. There were perils of course but the film has many great period photos of the Westward expansion.
Until next month, beloved patrons–we look forward to seeing you soon!