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
