March 2014

VENTRESS VOICE

Newsletter of the Ventress Memorial Library

Marshfield, Massachusetts

MARCH  2014         Volume 21, No. 3

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From the Director. . .

Hello,

Snow may be on the ground and there’s a nip in the air, but spring is on the way.  It’s time to start planning changes to your landscape, your home, and yourself.  Come into the library and check out our home improvement, self improvement, and gardening books.  Remember that if we do not have what you are looking for we have access to materials from libraries across the state.  We receive deliveries to our library five days a week. So… get a jump on spring and plan your project this weekend.

Keep in mind when you are planning your April vacation activities that the Friends of the Ventress Memorial Library generously donate discount passes to seventeen parks and museums. These passes are for use by Marshfield residents only.

The Friends meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 P.M. in the local history room and are currently seeking new members. So please join us and become a member of this dedicated group. If you have any questions please contact Library Director Cyndee Marcoux at 781-834-5535.

If you would like to serve the library in a different way, why not consider serving on the Board of Library Trustees or on the soon to be formed Library Building Renovation Committee? Applications for these positions are available at the Selectman’s office.

I am happy to announce the first of many new services coming to the Ventress Memorial Library. The library now has two notaries on staff, myself and Assistant Director Chris Woods.  Please call in advance to make an appointment or to make sure one of us is available that day to notarize your signature.

Do you use social media? We will soon be conducting a survey to learn which types of media you use so we can target how we spread library information.

As I write this, snowflakes are falling outside the library window. Let me close by saying… Spring will come, it does every year!!

Yours Truly,

Cyndee J Marcoux

CIRCULATION STATS AND CHAT

By Elisha Chandler, Head of Circulation Services

SCI-FI/FANTASY PICK OF THE MONTH

Magician's End by Raymond E. Feist

Thirty years ago, Raymond E. Feist wrote his first novel, Magician, a story about an orphan boy named Pug who is thrust by a war into captivity in an alien world, only to rise from slavery to become a Master Magician. Magician introduced readers to Midkemia and the Riftwars, an epic series of battles between Good and Evil that have scarred this remarkable realm for generations. Now, after twenty-nine books (authored and coauthored), Feist delivers the crowning achievement of his renowned bestselling career: Magician's End, the final chapter of the Chaoswar Saga and the climax of his extraordinary Riftwar Cycle.

An uneasy quiet has settled upon Midkemia in the wake of a surprise invasion. But the land is far from peaceful. Leaderless, the Kingdom is on the brink of anarchy and civil war, unless Hal conDoin, Duke of Crydee, and his brothers can rally their allies to crown a new king. They must move quickly, for war has left the land vulnerable to an agency of horrific destruction not of this world. No one is safe, not even the Star Elves whose city deep in the Grey Tower Mountains has come under attack by an ancient darkness that seeks to extinguish every living thing in Midkemia.

Yet the bravery of determined warriors—brothers in blood and arms—is not enough to ensure the Kingdom's preservation without the magic of the Master Sorcerer Pug. A powerful spell has trapped him, his son Magnus, and two unlikely allies in an unfamiliar realm, and they must find their separate ways home—a journey of memory and discovery that will illuminate the truth of the destiny that awaits them. But to save Midkemia—and everything he has fought for and all he cherishes—Pug will have to pay the ultimate price.

A breathtaking tale of elves and men, love and hate, ambition and sacrifice, intrigue and brotherhood, war and peace, Magician's End brilliantly captures the essence of life and the eternal struggle for survival. It is an extraordinary ending to the magnificent saga that has made award-winning Raymond E. Feist a legend.

ON THE SHELVES

Our young adult collection continues to grow! New titles added in February include: 

Arclight by Josin L. McQuein

Being Henry David by Cal Armistead

Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos

Every Day by David Levithan

Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool

Proxy by Alex London

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth E. Wein

The Scar Boys by Len Vlahos

Scowler by Daniel Kraus

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

CIRC STATS

The library circulated 13,611 items in February!

CHILDRENS’ CORNER

By Jen Struzziero, “Miss Jen”

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE CHILDREN’S DEPARTMENT?

Storytime Info

Tales for Tots: Infants-3 years with a parent or guardian. Twenty minutes of simple stories, songs and fingerplays followed by a 30 minute play group. DROP-IN PROGRAM. Now on Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Wiggles & Giggles: 3-4 year olds on their own. 25-30 minutes of picture book stories, songs and fingerplays. DROP-IN PROGRAM. Now on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. and Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m.

Storycraft:  5-7 year olds on their own. 45 minutes of longer stories and a related craft. PRE-REGISTER for second session on 3/17/14. Thursdays at 2:00 p.m.

PJ Storytime: *New!* Wear your pj’s!! Occurs on the first Thursday of each month. Upcoming PJ storytimes are 4/3, 5/1, 6/5, 7/3, 8/7 all at 6:00 p.m.

Clubs

Book Clubs: Openings for Middle School (6^th-8^th grade) Book Group, and Teen Book Group. Inquire in Children’s Room.

Lego Club: *New* Ages 5+ (younger siblings with parent supervision.)

Register by phone or in the Children’s Room. Occurs on the last Monday of each month until summer. Upcoming Lego program on 3/31 and 4/28 both at 4:30 p.m.

JENKS JAZZ AND JIVE

By Karen Jenks, Library Assistant

CD of the Month – On the First Occasion – The Ellis Marsalis Trio – JAZZ

Ellis Marsalis, the patriarch of the musical Marsalis family, lends his extraordinary talent as a pianist to this delightful album of American standards.  Accompanied by his youngest son, Jason Marsalis, on drums, and Bill Huntington on bass, Ellis Marsalis creates a rich sonic experience delivered by only three instrumentalists.

In 1974, Marsalis was teaching music at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, a high school offering intensive training for aspiring artists. Marsalis decided to record and release an album called Solo Piano Reflections under his own label ELM Records.  Since that time he has recorded many albums under contract and as a guest performer. However, when his Sony deal wasn’t renewed, he revived ELM Records and produced On the First Occasion, recorded in 1998, mixed in 2003, and finally released on CD in 2004.

As a teacher at the University of New Orleans and Xavier University of Louisiana, Marsalis influenced many students including his sons – trumpeter Wynton, saxophonist Branford, trombonist Delfeayo and drummer Jason.  Pianist, vocalist, composer and actor Harry Connick Jr. was also a former pupil.  Marsalis encouraged his students to discover music through experimenting and careful listening.  In 2007 Marsalis received an honorary doctorate from Tulane University for his contributions to jazz and music education.

Highlights of On the First Occasion include George and Ira Gershwin’s “The Man I Love,” the Barbra Streisand classic “People,” and “So In Love” by Cole Porter.

Marsalis and his sons Jason and Delfeayo perform on a regular basis at the Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro in New Orleans.  If a trip to the Big Easy isn’t in the cards, simply listen to this impeccably rendered album of timeless songs, and you’ll be transported to the musical nightlife right on Frenchmen Street!

781-834-5535     www.ventresslibrary.org   “Like” us on Facebook!

Hours   Mon. – Thurs.   9 – 8, Fri. and Sat.  9 – 4:30 ,   Closed Sundays

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

February 2014

VENTRESS VOICE

Newsletter of the Ventress Memorial Library

Marshfield, Massachusetts

FEBRUARY  2014         Volume 21, No. 2

From the Director. . .

Hello,

I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the Ventress Memorial Library’s new Director.  It has only been a few weeks since I joined this amazing staff and I am enjoying my new position tremendously. The staff and patrons of the library are wonderful and have been very welcoming.

For those of you I haven’t met, I come to Marshfield with nineteen years of public library experience. Most recently, I was the Associate Director of the Seekonk Public Library. Prior to that, I was the Director of the Auburn Public Library in Auburn, MA. I also worked at the Blackstone Public Library in Blackstone, MA for fourteen years holding every position from page to Director.  I have a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from Simmons College in Boston.

I have called Southeastern Massachusetts home for my entire life.  In my free time I enjoy reading, quilting, sports and spending time with my children and grandchild.  I am passionate about public libraries and believe they are the heart and soul of every community.

Andrew Carnegie said “A library outranks any other thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never failing spring in the desert.” I could not agree more.  As we all know, people spend more and more time interacting with screens and less time interacting with their friends, neighbors and family. Libraries fill the need for face-to-face interaction necessary to the well-being of people and communities. People depend on their public library for information but also for personal interaction.

There are many of you that I have not had the opportunity to meet so please introduce yourself the next time you visit the library.  Keep your eyes and ears open for the many changes to come in the near future. The Ventress staff is enthusiastic for the future and we hope you will be as excited about it as we are.  I look forward to meeting with all of you.

Yours Truly,

Cyndee Marcoux

 

CIRCULATION STATS AND CHAT

By Elisha Chandler, Head of Circulation Services

SYSTEM MAINTENANCE

As many of you know, the OCLN server underwent some maintenance from January 27-30, limiting some of the services we provide, including placing hold requests, email notifications of available holds and overdue notices, use of any of the “My Account” features on the OCLN website, and use of the statewide Virtual Catalog. I’d like to thank you all for your patience and understanding during this time, and I am happy to report that these services have now been restored.

TEEN PICK OF THE MONTH

In New England, February still means cold weather and the possibility of snow in our future. But February also brings with it longer days, the prospect of spring just around the corner, and, of course, Valentine’s Day.

I used to loathe Valentine’s Day. Sappy Hallmark cards; conversation hearts; deceptively cute cherubs ominously armed with bows; drug stores showcasing so much pink it would put Barbie’s dreamhouse to shame? No, thank you.

Recently, I’ve come to realize Valentine’s Day provides a perfectly acceptable excuse to fall off the New Year’s resolution wagon and back into a box of chocolates, preferably of the heart-shaped variety. A box of chocolates, a warm blanket, and a good book: that’s my idea of a hot date, especially on these frosty February nights.

And nothing goes better with an unbridled love affair with chocolate – and Valentine’s Day – than zombie romance. (Wait. What?!)

In, Warm Bodies, by Isaac Marion,

R is having a no-life crisis – he is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he is a little different from his fellow Dead. He may occasionally eat people, but he’d rather be riding abandoned airport escalators, listening to Sinatra in the cozy 747 he calls home, or collecting souvenirs from the ruins of civilization. 

And then he meets a girl. 

First as his captive, then his reluctant house guest, Julie is a blast of living color in R’s gray landscape, and something inside him begins to bloom. He doesn’t want to eat this girl – although she looks delicious – he wants to protect her. But their unlikely bond will cause ripples they can’t imagine, and their hopeless world won’t change without a fight.

 

ON THE SHELVES

We added a lot of new note-worthy titles to our young adult collection in December and January. Here are just a few:

Freakboy by Kristin Clark

Muckers by Sandra Neil Wallace

The Kingdom of Little Wounds by Susann Cokal

Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Chasing Shadows by Swati Avasthi

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan

Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil

Meet Me at the River by Nina De Gramont

Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel

Sorrow’s Knot by Erin Bow

Swagger by Carl Deuker

CHILDRENS’ CORNER

By Jen Malaguti, “Miss Jen”

FEBRUARY HAPPENINGS IN THE CHILDREN’S DEPARTMENT

Regular story times continue:

Wiggles & Giggles, drop-in, ( ages 3-4) our new preschool storytime meets on Mon at 10:30 and Tues at 2:00.

Tales for Tots continues, drop-in, (ages 0-3) meets now on Tues and Wed 10:30.

Storycraft, registration, (ages 5-7) Thurs at 2:00. Session 1 is filled, but we are offering a second session beginning on March 17th. Register today!

Join us for a special Pajama Storytime & Stuffed Animal Sleepover:

On Thurs, Feb 6th at 5:30, your stuffed animal is invited to sleep overnight at the library.  Register today for a special PJ storytime, eat some cookies, and leave your

 

stuffed animal off at the library. We've planned all sorts of special activities for them after you've gone home. Ask them about it when you pick them up between 12-4 the next day! Pictures will be available soon after on our website! (Limited to 20.)

Tues, Feb 18th at 4:30, Wanna build with Legos? Come to the library on Monday, Feb 17th, during school vacation week. Ages 6+ no registration, but limited supply of Legos. Parent supervision required for younger siblings and if you bring your own Legos. Let's Play!

Fri, Feb 21st at 1:00, Big Ryan is coming back to the Ventress Memorial Library for a family fun show. No registration.

* Thurs, Feb 27th at 5:30, Pajama Storytimes BEGIN. Join us the starting FEB 27th for a NEW monthly Pajama Storytime. Miss Jen will be in her PJ's on the first and last Thursdays of each month when we will read bedtime stories and listen to lullabies.

* This is a new regularly occurring PJ storytime and is different than the special Stuffed Animal Sleepover event which is happening on the 6th!

JENKS JAZZ AND JIVE

By Karen Jenks, Library Assistant

CD of the Month - Build Me Up From Bones

Sarah Jarosz – FOLK

Sarah Jarosz, a singer-songwriter from Austin, Texas, has recorded an exceptional third album that showcases her distinct vocal and instrumental skills.  Build Me Up From Bones is a mix of folk, country and bluegrass music that leaves the listener piqued by the artist’s mellow voice, subtle harmonies and expertise on mandolin, guitar and banjo.

At age 16, Jarosz signed a recording contract with Sugar Hill Records and released CDs in 2009 and 2011. Build Me Up From Bones was issued shortly after her graduation from the New England Conservatory of Music in 2013.

Working with cellist Nathaniel Smith and violinist Alex Hargreaves, Jarosz creates music that is exquisitely simple and understated, yet at the same time intricately rich and complex.  Her efforts show a lyrical and musical maturity well beyond her years.  Standout songs are “Mile on the Moon” and “Dark Road.”  Jarosz shines on two tracks that illustrate her ability to interpret and reinvent compositions by other artists.   “Simple Twist of Fate” is a Bob Dylan tune that features only the dulcet tones of Jarosz’s voice and a hauntingly beautiful cello accompaniment. 

Harpist Joanna Newsom’s song, “The Book of Right-On,” features Jarosz’s formidable talent on mandolin in collaboration with her cellist and violinist.

The New York Times has hailed Sarah Jarosz as “one of acoustic music’s finest talents.”  From the sound of her latest CD, Jarosz is only beginning what may be a promising and long lasting musical career.

                        

           VENTRESS VIDEOS

               By Jed Phillips, Reference Associate

Philip Seymour Hoffman

  

Hollywood lost one of it’s greats on this past Sunday, February 2^nd, to what seems to be yet another tragic and all too familiar story of addiction.  For those of you who don’t know, I refer to the untimely death of Philip Seymour Hoffman.  Because of this tragic loss, our normal Ventress Video will be put on hold in favor of a journey through the brilliant and all too short career of arguably one of the greatest actors of his generation.

Philip Seymour Hoffman was born in the Rochester, New York, suburb of Fairport on July 23, 1967. After becoming involved in high school theatrics, he attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, graduating with a B.F.A. degree in Drama in 1989. He made his feature film debut in the indie production Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole (1991) as Phil Hoffman, and his first role in a major release came the next year in My New Gun (1992).  He had several other supporting roles following this but his true breakout performance was undoubtedly Boogie Nights (1997) directed by phenomenal director, Paul Thomas Anderson.

Following his success in Boogie Nights, Hoffman established himself as talented actor in a variety of supporting and second leads in both indie and major features, including Twister (1996), Happiness (1998), Flawless (1999), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Magnolia (1999), Almost Famous (2000) and State and Main (2000). He also appeared in supporting roles in such mainstream, big-budget features as Red Dragon (2002), Cold Mountain (2003), Mission: Impossible III (2006), and most recently as Plutarch Heavensbee in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

It is astounding how many of my absolute favorite films Philip Seymour Hoffman acted in.  To his polite and spineless sycophant Brandt in the cult classic The Big Lebowski (1998), to his portrayal of jaded music reporter, Lester Bangs, “The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what we share with someone else when we're uncool.” in Almost Famous (2000).  He is spellbinding as Truman Capote in Capote (2005), a role that he deservedly earned a best actor Oscar.  And let us not forget his performance opposite Meryl Streep as charismatic and passionate Father Brendan Flynn in Doubt (2008).

While Philip Seymour Hoffman won only the one Oscar he was in fact nominated three times for best supporting actor in Charlie Wilson’s War (2007), Doubt (2008), and The Master (2012).  These three films serve as the best proof that this man was born to act.  The Master, in my mind the greatest performance of his all too short career, especially drives home the fact that this man was at the pinnacle of his craft. 

And so it is with a heavy heart that we say good bye to this magnificent actor who will be sorely missed.  My heart goes out to his family and friends.  And I, for one, will be enjoying a marathon viewing of some of my favorite Philip Seymour Hoffman films very soon.  Philip Seymour was 46.  He is survived by three children and his longtime partner, Mimi O'Donnell.

Films to Watch

Featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman:

The Big Lebowski

Almost Famous

25^th Hour

Capote

The Savages

Charlie Wilson’s War

Synecdoche, New York

Doubt

Jack Goes Boating

The Master

 

781-834-5535     www.ventresslibrary.org   “Like” us on Facebook!

Hours   Mon. – Thurs.   9 – 8, Fri. and Sat.  9 – 4:30 ,   Closed Sundays

The library will be closed on Monday, February 17 for Presidents Day

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

January 2014

VENTRESS VOICE

Newsletter of the Ventress Memorial Library

Marshfield, Massachusetts

JANUARY  2014         Volume 21, No. 1

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Ventress Library Welcomes New Director!

By Chris Woods, Assistant Director

Cyndee J. Marcoux Starts Job on January 13

The Ventress Library is pleased to welcome the New Year with a new leader at the helm – Cyndee J. Marcoux. (pronounced “Mar-COO”) It took over six months of searching to find the right candidate for the role. The Trustees, Selectmen and Town Administrator are confident that Cyndee is a very good “fit” to take over as Director of the Ventress Memorial Library. The staff is delighted as well, and looks forward to a long and fruitful relationship with their new director. Most recently, Cyndee held the position of Associate Director at the Seekonk Public Library. Before that, she was Library Director at the Blackstone Public Library and the Auburn Public Library. She brings much experience, technical ability and compatible personal qualities to her new job here at the Ventress, and we all are looking forward to a new start. Please join us in welcoming Cyndee to the community at a reception the Trustees will host in the Library on Saturday, January 25, from 2:00 to 3:00. (Snow date is Sunday, January 26) Recently retired long-time Trustee Jeanne M. Horan will also be honored at the reception. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to the library at 781-834-5535 so we can have enough refreshments on hand for this fun event. And please, join us all in one voice as we give a heartfelt welcome to Cyndee J. Marcoux!

CIRC STATS and CHAT

By Elisha S. Chandler, Head of Circulation Services

Greetings, Ventress Library community! I hope you all had an amazing time this holiday season and wish you all the very best as we enter in to this new year. I know I did, and I’m truly excited to start 2014 as one of the newest members of the Ventress Memorial Library staff. Some of you may have seen me around, or maybe we’ve already met, but in the event that we haven’t yet had the opportunity, I thought a proper, albeit brief, introduction was in order. Hopefully, in time, I’ll know each and every one of you as well. My name is Elisha Chandler, and I’ve recently been hired to fill the very big shoes of Amy Rosa as the new Head of Circulation Services.

I graduated from Simmons College in Boston with my Masters in Library Science in 2012. Before coming to Ventress, I held the position of Generalist Librarian at the Bridgewater Public Library, where I worked Circulation, Reference and the Children’s Department. Additionally, I have accrued 20 years of experience in the customer service industry, and half as many years as a member of management.

On a more personal note: I am a mother, a grammarian (or “word nerd”), a bibliophile, and a massive connoisseur of all things geeky. (If you want to talk sci-fi and fantasy, video games, and comics/graphic novels – or about how awesome the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special was – then I’m your gal!) I also have a soft spot for young adult literature and am beyond thrilled to start contributing to the Teen Pick of the Week portion of the Ventress Kids and Teens blog.

Now, I’ve only been here a few weeks, but I have to say that the staff, Trustees, Friends, and, most importantly, patrons of the Ventress Library are amazing! They (YOU) are indescribably caring, warm and welcoming, and I’ve felt like a part of this community – no, family – since day one.

I am genuinely proud and honored to be a part of this team. 2014 is going to be a banner year!

JENKS JAZZ AND JIVE

By Karen Jenks, Library Assistant

Start the New Year by listening to and enjoying some new music!  Check out these new CDs recently added to the collection:

COUNTRY

The Civil Wars – The Civil Wars

The Woman I Am – Kellie Pickler

The Muse – Wood Brothers

JAZZ

Don’t be that way – Dave Bennett

MISCELLANEOUS

Bill Cosby – far from finished - live in concert – Bill Cosby

POP

Loved me back – Celine Dion

Yours truly – Ariana Grande

Artpop – Lady Gaga

New – Paul McCartney

Prism – Katy Perry

ROCK

Mechanical bull – Kings of Leon

                        

           VENTRESS VIDEOS

               By Jed Phillips, Reference Associate

Robot & Frank (2012)

Rated PG-13

Directed by  Jake Schreier

Starring Peter Sarsgaard, Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon

Winner at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival

Easily in my top 3 list of favorite movies of 2012, Robot & Frank is a light hearted buddy comedy.  It is also a rather serious and, at times, depressing dramatic work on aging, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.  That doesn’t sound like it could work, does it?  A light hearted buddy comedy about dementia?  Nope, sounds like a bad idea.  But trust me this movie does all the right things.  Give it a chance, you will really enjoy it.  In the ambiguous, not-to-distant future, Frank (Langella) is a divorced senior living a life of solitude in rural New York. Between visits and video calls from his children (James Marsden and Liv Tyler) concerned about his seemingly deteriorating mental state, Frank spends his time with visits to the local library, flirting with librarian Jennifer (Susan Sarandon), and by shoplifting decorative soaps from the store where his favorite restaurant used to be. He is a man of the past, and his little moments of defiance in the face of change establish his character early on, so when Hunter (Marsden) arrives with a new robot caregiver (Voiced by Peter Sarsgaard), Frank is understandably offended. 

While Frank’s day to day memory slowly fades, the memories of his former 'profession' as a skilled thief remains at the front of his mind, and the robot's insistence on picking up a hobby or starting a project in order to keep Frank mentally engaged opens a window of opportunity for Frank to focus his mind and retreat back to the glory days of his youth. The planning and execution of heists sees a charming relationship form between Frank and his robot companion, complemented by a sweet potential romance with Jennifer (Sarandon) and stark moments of sadness.You will also find a clever subtext running through Robot & Frank, commenting on the potential for loss of personality in the digital age, and the disposable nature of modern life. The more we come to rely on technology for everything, from our reading material to our aged care, the less we ourselves are practically capable of, giving rise to a generation of privileged, ironic, but purposeless people ('yuppies' as Frank calls them). What Robot & Frank shines the light on is not just the fragility of, but also the value of a mind filled with life experience and skills. There's no substitute for the complex intelligence of our brains, and even the most sophisticated technology has more to learn from us than we from it. And so this leads us back to where we started.  This movie is light hearted, and funny. It is also serious and melancholy.  This film is a heist caper, but there are no car chases or shoot-outs.  There are no precisely choreographed kung-fu battles.  There is a robot, and he is very smart, almost human in his portrayal, does this qualify Robot & Frank as a sci-fi movie?  I guess when it is all said and done, who cares?  Robot & Frank is a wonderful film with good character development, high quality acting, clean sharp writing and a great story.  And in the end isn’t all we ever are looking for is a great story?  

Other “must see” films:

Featuring Frank Langella:  Good Night, and Good Luck., The Ninth Gate                Featuring Peter Sarsgaard: Blue Jasmine, Garden State, Jarhead                                                     Featuring Susan Sarandon:  Cloud Atlas, Jeff, Who Lives at Home, Bull Durham

CHILDRENS’ CORNER

By Jen Malaguti, “Miss Jen”

January Activities

Winter Story Time Sessions start on January 13th, 2014.

Please make note of our change in schedule: Tales for Tots

( Ages 0-3) is now offered on Tues and Wed. 10:30 a.m. and our new Wiggles & Giggles Preschool aged story time is Monday at 10:30 a.m. and Tues. at 2:00 p.m. Story Craft remains on Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. and registration for Story Craft begins on January 6th.

Coming in February:

Pajama Storytime/Stuffed Animal Sleepover. Listen to nighttime stories, lullabies, and enjoy milk and cookies. Bring a favorite cuddly friend (not the one you sleep with!) to spend the night at the library. Registration required – begins on Jan. 21^st.

5.

VENTRESS VIGNETTES

 by Belle Bibliotheque

 Surely all of you have noticed the wonderful improvements to the library over the last few months! The Board of Trustees and the Library Staff have been steadily instituting measures to make the library more welcoming to our patrons. Maintenant, let us begin the tour as you drive into Library Plaza. The old "Got Books" bin, which was a bit of a hulking eyesore, has been replaced with a more discreet "Donate Books" bin, which is located on the side of the building. The library continues to accept your newer, gently used books as donations. Anything old and in poor condition may be put into this new bin. The library gets paid a bulk rate for these items.

In the first stages of exterior renovations, the facade of the building has been painted a soft gray. Some of the overhead trim and the front benches have also been painted. The new landscaping has been put in place, with more to come next spring. Some were sad to see the old evergreen tree come down, but I'm sure we will all agree that the new granite boulder, complete with Marshfield seagulls, is a great addition to the library entrance! Be sure to notice the planters flanking the front walkway. The Y'ise Gardeners (pronounced "Wise" and affiliated with the YWCA) designed the barrels with red twig dogwood, contorted willow and fresh greens for the winter season. In March or April try to be the first to spot the "green noses" of the spring bulbs poking up amongst the greens.

Now, on to the foyer of the library. This past autumn, the staff created a harvest display, which has been replaced with a holiday, winter scene. Accented with books as part of the decor, this attractive display will change seasonally. We just finished with our annual "Season's Readings!", of holiday books and displays, and will be presenting our 13^th annual Books in Bloom on Saturday April 19th. Mark your calendar for this lovely breath of spring!

On the art scene, we will soon be mounting two paintings by Marshfield artists, which had been purchased with funds from the Marshfield Cultural Council and the North River Arts Society. There are plans in the works to revamp the gallery area, and to spruce up the Program Room, which is the library's meeting room and performance space. When you attend our library events this coming spring you will surely be pleased with the beautiful changes.

781-834-5535     www.ventresslibrary.org   “Like” us on Facebook!

Hours   Mon. – Thurs.   9 – 8, Fri. and Sat.  9 – 4:30 ,   Closed Sundays

The library will be closed on Monday, January 20 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

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