Wednesday, October 9, 2013

October 2013




VENTRESS VOICE

Newsletter of the Ventress Memorial Library

Marshfield, Massachusetts

OCTOBER 2013         Volume 20, No. 10

Books in BOO !         
By Jaclyn Robinson, Library Assistant

From October 21 through October 31, the library staff will be using our favorite Halloween and Autumn books to create some scary, creepy and delightful displays throughout the library.

Also, each day, hidden somewhere in the library, will be………
Jacky O’Lantern!  Find Jacky, who will be dressed up as a favorite character from literature, and write down who you think it is. The character’s book will be nearby so you can see if you have guessed correctly! Children, teens and adults are welcome to participate.
Come back to the Circulation Desk and put your entry form in the pumpkin. Children will receive a small prize each day, and will be entered into a daily drawing. New this year, teens will also be entered into a daily prize drawing. Adults will be entered into a drawing for one grand prize at the end of the event. The more times you come and find Jacky O’Lantern, the more chances you’ll have to win!!!!

We had lots of fun last year, and hope to see you all for our second annual Books in  BOO  !  Don’t miss this great new tradition at the Ventress!


OCTOBER EVENTS AT THE LIBRARY
By Chris Woods, Acting Director
Friday, October 18, 10:30-noon, Free “Job-Ready Workshop” presented by the non-profit employment advisory group “One Life at a Time.” Receive resume and cover letter writing tips,  research online job hunting techniques and learn how and where to network. Free, no pre-registration required.  Ongoing job search support available!

Saturday, October 19, 2:00 p.m., Saturday Concert, “Jazz at the Ventress.” Back by popular demand, the Ed Sorrentino Quartet will play sweet jazz at the library. Special guest Melodee Savage-Roderick will delight again with her sultry vocals. Free, no tickets required. Refreshments!

Tuesday, October 29, 6:00-7:30 p.m., Tuesday Night Lecture, “Genealogy for the Very Beginner.” Professional genealogist Michael Brophy will help you get started researching your family tree. Introduces the nuts and bolts of Ancestry Library Edition and Heritage Quest, October’s featured databases at Ventress Library Reference Desk. Free, no registration or tickets required.
                            SAVE THE DATE FOR THESE NOVEMBER EVENTS
Ø       Saturday, November 9, “Veteran’s Day Stories” 2:00 p.m.
Ø       Tuesday, November 12, VML Classic Book Group 4:30-6 p.m.
Ø       Tuesday, November 12, eBook Instruction Class, 6-7:30 p.m.
Ø       Tuesday, November 19, “Strong Boy” book signing and lecture, 6-7:30 p.m.
CHILDREN’S CORNER
By “Miss Jen”
There are some spooktacular events coming up this month, and some family fun programs to follow:
Books in Boo! Oct. 21 through Oct. 31 - Come visit the library and see our creepy displays this month! All children will receive a small prize each day and can also enter a daily drawing!
Bubbleology with Keith Johnson is presented by the Friends of the Ventress Memorial  Library. Saturday Oct 26th @ 2:00 p.m.  Learn the science of bubbles with this family fun show presented by the amazing bubble artist, Keith Michael Johnson. DROP-IN.
Thanksgiving: the Real Story Saturday Nov 16th  @ 10:30-11:30 REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Bring in a can of food for the Food Pantry and learn about the REAL history of Thanksgiving.
Star Wars Symposium - Saturday Dec 7th @ 1:00 p.m. Presented by the Friends of the Ventress Memorial Library. Do you love Star Wars?! Join the hundreds of people all over Massachusetts who have already participated in this family fun program of everything star wars: Trivia, games, toys, costumes! All ages. DROP-IN.

CIRCULATION STATS AND CHAT
By Amy Rosa, Head of Circulation Services

NEW LIBRARY BLOG FOR KIDS AND TEENS!
The library has a new blog that just started this month with the joint efforts of Amy Rosa, Head of Circulation Services and Teen Librarian by proxy, and Jennifer Malaguti, Head of Children’s Services. The Ventress Kids and Teen Blog will be updated weekly alternating between Teen Pick Thursdays and Small Fry Fridays where each week a pick will be featured in either the teen area or childrens. Check it out on the library’s homepage www.ventresslibrary.org.

Circ Stats: The library circulated 14,795 items in September!


JENKS JAZZ AND JIVE
By Karen Jenks, Library Assistant

FEATURED CD COLLECTION OF THE MONTH – INTERNATIONAL

The library has a wide assortment of music from around the world.  For students who have a geography or social studies project, check out the offerings in our collection which are sure to enhance any presentation.  Are you having an internationally themed dinner party at home?  Create ambience at your gathering with friends and family – your guests will feel transported to another land while sampling new cuisines and flavors.

Begin your world adventures with our Rough Guide series of CDs where you’ll find the music of Brazil, Greece, India, Ireland and even Salsa dance music.  Other music represented in our collection includes Arabic, Chinese, Cuban, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Moroccan.

With an international twist, musical group Of Monsters and Men hails from Iceland and you’ll find the band’s debut album My Head Is An Animal (2011) in our Popular music collection.  Sung entirely in English, the album reached the No. 1 position on music charts in Iceland, Ireland and Australia, and peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 album chart here in the United States.  The album’s lead single, “Little Talks,” was highly successful, appearing in the Top 10 on most European music charts and spent nearly a year on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.  The group’s well-crafted memorable songs impress with lyrics expressing lush imagery and male and female counter vocals that both soar and soothe.

Enjoy traveling without leaving home and listen to some of the eclectic and interesting music in our International collection!

 
VENTRESS VIDEOS
By Jed Phillips, Reference Associate

Doubt (2008)
Directed by John Patrick Shanley
Starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
Nominated for  5 Oscars

Doubt, the first film that writer/director John Patrick Shanley has directed since the 1990 film  Joe Versus the Volcano (A grossly under-rated modern classic, but that’s another story altogether) is a complex and compelling drama set in 1964 at St. Nicholas, a Catholic school in the Bronx.  The charismatic, young new priest, Father Flynn, is introducing reform to the school’s strict customs.  This is at odds with the fear-based iron-fisted principals of discipline of Sister Aloysius Beauvier.  When a subordinate, Sister James, confides to Sister Aloysius that she feels Father Flynn is spending too much personal time with the school’s newest addition, and first black student, Donald Miller, Sister Aloysius takes it upon herself to find the truth and get Flynn removed from his position at the school.  The resulting battle of wills has profound and lasting consequences on the school, the community, and the individuals involved   

As a rule, there are three things that have proven to improve with age.  The first is cheese.  The second is wine.  And the third is the brilliant Meryl Streep.  She has always been a phenomenal actress, as evidenced by her 14 nominations and 3 Oscar wins.  But Doubt, shows that not only does Streep “still got it”, but she’s got it in spades.  She was nominated for Best Leading Actress for her role as Sister Aloysius, an award robbed from her by Kate Winslet in The Reader. She dove deep into this character, and it shows in a big way.  But no matter how good you are, in a drama like this if you don’t have a counterpart just as talented and just as commanding, well then you’ve got nothing. 

Fear not, fellow acting heavyweight and overall superb performer, Philip Seymour Hoffman delivers a brilliant show as father Flynn, a role that brought him a nomination for best Supporting Actor. (and he should have won)  The moments containing Hoffman and Streep both in the same scene are dynamic, tense, and grip you hard, resulting in a subtle slow build that suddenly barrels to the inevitable conclusion with the last 30 seconds driving the whole thing home with devastating effect.

See this movie.  Find it listed under DOU in the DVD collection here at Ventress Library!

 Other must see films:
Featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman:  Capote, The Master, Jack Goes Boating
Featuring Meryl Streep:   Out of Africa, the Deer Hunter, The Iron Lady       

VENTRESS VIGNETTES
by Belle Bibliotheque (nom de plume of Jaclyn Robinson)

Welcome to our new column, where I, Mlle. Bibliotheque, will tell you about the many beautiful aspects of our wonderful library! S’il vous plait, may I draw your attention to the magnificent portrait of Miss Adelaide Phillips which hangs in our lobby?  She was a world famous opera singer, and in 1860 purchased a lovely home here in Marshfield, which she owned until her death in 1882.

Adelaide was born in England around 1835, moved with her family to America as a child, and started performing on the Boston stage in 1842 at the Tremont Theater. She was a child prodigy, who could act in dramas and comedies, dance, play piano, and had a fabulous singing voice. She was also a favorite because of her intelligence and fine manners. When the famous Jenny Lind heard Adelaide sing, she was so taken with her, that she gave her a check for $1000 for her to study with her own teacher, Emanuel Garcia, in London. After two years, she went to Italy to learn Italian and start training in opera. Again, she dazzled, and was offered her first operatic role, where she would be paid the amazing sum of $400 a month for 4 months.  One dollar in 1850 would be worth $28.06 in 2013, so for her first role, she was paid approximately $44,800.96!!! To put that into perspective, according to the “Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution for the year 1855”, their bookkeeper was paid $200 per year, and their janitor was paid $400 per year!

Adelaide continued to travel the world to much acclaim, and with much success. She supported her brothers and sisters here in their home on Webster Street. It was a fine country home where she went to rest and recuperate between performances. She also loved entertaining her friends at garden parties. More about her home in our next column!

Sadly, she suffered ill health, having endured a bout with small pox during a trip to Havana, Cuba as a young woman.  She never fully recovered, which was why her country home in Marshfield was so important to her. In 1882, she and her sister traveled to Europe hoping her health would be restored. But, it was not to be. She died in Carlsbad, California on 3  November, 1882. We do not know how or when the library acquired her portrait, but we feel “tres heureux” to have her with us!

NEW!! EXPANDED LIBRARY HOURS!
Ventress Memorial Library, 15 Library Plaza, Marshfield, MA 02050 
781-834-5535     www.ventresslibrary.org   “Like” us on Facebook!
Hours Mon. – Thurs.   9 – 8, Fri. and Sat.  9 – 4:30, Closed Sundays
Closed on Monday, October 14, for Columbus Day Holiday

Newsletter staff:   Chris Woods, Editor; Jaclyn Robinson, Artist