Wellesley Free Library - Making the Connection
The Wellesley Reader
News and Notes from the Wellesley Free Library
Summer 
2017

In This Issue

Book Displays

Maps & More

WFL Staff Recommends

Children & Teens

 



Main Library
530 Washington Street
Monday 9AM - 9PM
Tuesday 9AM - 9PM
Wednesday 9AM - 9PM
Thursday 9AM - 9PM
Friday 9AM - 6PM
Saturday 9AM - 5PM
Sunday CLOSED

Hills Branch Library  
210 Washington Street
Tuesday 10AM-8PM
Wednesday 10AM-5PM
Thursday 10AM-8PM
Friday 10AM-5PM
Saturday-Sunday-Monday CLOSED

Fells Branch Library 
308 Weston Road
Tuesday 10AM - 1PM
Wednesday 10AM - 1PM
Thursday 10AM - 1PM
Friday 10AM - 1PM
Saturday-Sunday-Monday CLOSED


July & August Events

 
Pulitzer Fiction Book Group
Thursdays
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Main Library, Arnold Room
Join us for discussions about award winning titles. New members are always welcome. 

July 6th:

by Anne Tyler

August 3rd:  Beloved 

by Toni Morrison

September 7th:  
A Summons to Memphis by Peter Taylor    
    
Documentary Film: Life, Animated
Monday, July 10th
7:00 PM  Main Library, Wakelin Room
From Academy Award® winning director Roger Ross Williams, Life, Animated is the inspirational story of Owen Suskind, a young man who was unable to speak as a child until he and his family discovered a unique way to communicate by immersing themselves in the world of classic Disney animated films.
 
Summertime Blues 
Four Thursdays, July 20th, July 27th, August 3rd, August 10th
7:30 PM  Main Library, Wakelin Room
Performers include: July 20th - Paul Speidel, Guitar; July 27th -  Alizon Lissance, Piano/Voice with Paul Speidel, Guitar; August 3rd - Gerry Beaudoin & Paul Speidel, Guitars; and August 10th - Toni Lynn Washington, Voice with Sven Larson, Bass and Paul Speidel, Guitar.  Sponsored by the Friends of the Wellesley Free Libraries.

Friday Morning Book Group
July 21st & August 18th
10 AM to 11:30 AM
Main Library, Arnold Room
In July, discuss When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. What makes life worth living in the face of death? In this moving memoir, neurosurgeon and writer Kalanithi explores this and other life affirming questions as his terminal illness progresses. I n August, this  group will meet  for an informal "book chat" to share favorite titles. Sponsored by the Friends of the Wellesley Free Libraries.
 
Eclipses: A Weird History
Wednesday, August 9th
4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Main Library, Wakelin Room
On Monday August 21st, a solar eclipse can be seen across most of the United States.  Come learn about this amazing phenomenon. 
Smith College professor Meg Thatcher presents an all-ages appropriate presentation open to families with children of all ages but is best for ages 8 and up. Sponsored by the Friends of the Wellesley Free Libraries.
 
Documentary Film: (Dis)Honesty - The Truth About Lies
Monday, August 14th
7:00 PM  Main Library
Wakelin Room
(Dis)Honesty - The Truth About Lies explores the human tendency to be dishonest. Inspired by the work of behavioral economist Dan Ariely, the film interweaves personal stories, expert opinions, behavioral experiments, and archival footage to reveal how and why people lie. Sponsored by the Friends of the Wellesley Free Libraries.
 
Flute & Piano Concert: Linda M. Bento-Rei and Vytas J. Baksys
Thursday, August 17th
7:00 PM, Main Library, Wakelin Room
Flutist Linda M. Bento-Rei has performed with the
Portland Symphony Orchestra, the Rhode Island Philharmonic, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and the Key West Symphony Orchestra, among others.
Pianist Vytas J. Baksys is an active free-lance collaborator throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Since 1989 he has been the faculty pianist with the Fellowship Conducting Program at Tanglewood, a frequent keyboardist with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops orchestras, and other area ensembles.Sponsored by the Friends of the Wellesley Free Libraries.
 
Conquering the College Admissions Essay
Thursday, August 24th
7:00 PM  Main Library, Wakelin Room
Writing a memorable personal statement can seem like an overwhelming project for a young college applicant, but college essay coach Alan Gelb's organized and encouraging step-by-step instructions take the intimidation out of the process, enabling applicants to craft a meaningful and polished college admissions essay.  
Sponsored by the Friends of the Wellesley Free Libraries.
 
Summer Book Displays

 

First Floor Mystery Table: 
Breezy Summer Mysteries

 

Media Room: 
WFL Staff Favorite Movies

 

High School Study Room
Summer Love: Romance Novels

 

High School reading titles are now available for borrowing! 

 

Second Floor end-stack displays:  

  • Books to Read After Seeing Everything 
  • From Garden to Table: Preserving Your Bounty 
  • Beach Reading 

Summer Exhibits

July

Wakelin Room
Horses and Foxes
Artist:  Tatiana Benharbone  This group of oil on paper paintings were done in Toulouse, France from 1975 to 1989.  
 
Lobby
Landscapes Plus
Artist:  Joyce Goodman  Joyce's intention is to bring beauty, excitement and nostalgia to the viewer through vivid colors, well thought out compositions and a fine balance of negative and positive shapes.  
Exhibit Cases
After the Praying Indians Had Left 
Photographer:  Charlene Smith
After white settlers claimed the land, Wellesley saw rapid land development, yet natural beauty remains carefully preserved. Writer and photographer Charlene Smith has documented Wellesley's natural wealth as well as some of the other beautiful places in New England.

August

Wakelin Room
Color of Nature
Artist:  Jodi Traub
Inspired by dramatic light and color, Jodi Traub has a passion for painting landscapes and flowers found in nature whether painting in the studio or plein air. Her work has been described as "peaceful" and she hopes to bring a sense of well-being to those who view her work.
           
Lobby
Stained Glass Sky
Photographer: Kira Seamon
The leaves, bark and branches of autumn trees are arranged into fascinating shapes and patterns reminiscent of stained glass. Fascinating textures come to light in photos of rare ornamental trees with dramatic exfoliating bark of multiple colored layers.


Bored? Nothing to Do?

Looking for summer outing ideas? Thanks to the Friends of the WFL, the library maintains memberships at many museums and nearby attractions in order to provide you with discount  coupons. Visit   Zoo New England ( Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and the Stone Zoo in Stoneham)  and be inspired to protect and sustain the natural world.  Enjoy nature with the DCR Parks-Pass, valid for free parking for one carload of visitors at 50+ facilities in the Massachusetts State Parks system. And coming soon, a Trustees of Reservations GO Pass will be available for free or reduced admission to properties including the Old Manse in Concord and Fruitlands Museum in Harvard. What are you waiting for? Call 781-235-1610 x 1103 to find out more.


Coming Soon: An Improved Homepage! 

You spoke, we listened.  After collecting community feedback, analyzing user experience tests, and reviewing customer suggestions, a redesigned www.wellesleyfreelibrary.org will debut on  Thursday, July 6!  We are excited to launch these improvements to the WFL homepage to better meet your searching needs.


Microscopes and Magnifiers

The newest addition to the WFL "Library of Things" is a handheld digital microscope! The Dino-Lite AM3111 is a USB powered microscope with 230x magnifying capability. Compatible with both Windows and Mac OSX, this new tool is perfect for every student. Get started by examining the included  set of 15 pre-labeled rock specimens.
Have you ever been frustrated by leaving home without your reading glasses? The WFL now has some "wicked cool" magnifiers (+1.50) available at the reference desk for use within the library. Read with ease!

A New Text Message Service

This summer, Minuteman Library Network will be changing to a new vendor for text message (SMS) notices. Shoutbomb text message alerts will replace the current service. Shoutbomb offers patrons more options for renewing items and customizing notice settings, along with additional features like helpful alerts about library card expiration. Existing SMS users may have received messages offering the choice to opt-in to the new service. The simple sign-up process for new users will be introduced in July.



Summer's Featured Online Resources




AtoZ Maps Online  &  Global Road Warriors are two authoritative sources for maps and travel facts. 

Plan out that road trip you've always wanted to take - avoiding heat, and hills along the way! Save maps to your computer from Nevada to Norway.   AtoZ Maps Online has thousand of maps, including climate, political, and topographical for the geographically curious. 

What electrical plugs should you bring to Prague? What does money in Taipei look like?  Global Road Warriors is your one-stop shop for travel facts.  This easy-to-use resource provides information about people, economy, emergency services, transportation and more for 175 countries.










Don't go to the beach or the park empty handed! Load your phone with e-books downloaded from  Overdrive or hoopla for your summer entertainment needs.   Overdrive provides popular e-books and audiobooks for download on phone, tablet or Kindle. hoopla is another great way to get digital video, music, and audiobooks with your library card. Digital material returns to the library automatically -- what could be more convenient? 

Wellesley Reads Together 2017

Don't forget to put  Civilianized by Michael Anthony on your summer reading list. Michael  Anthony spent six years in the Army Reserves including a stint in Iraq as an operating room technician. This memoir details his self-destructive misadventures after returning from deployment. Within days he was addicted to Vicodin and alcohol, picking fights in seedy bars and constantly questioning whether it was worth it to stay alive. Civilianized  c hronicles his search for meaning in a suddenly destabilized world.

Wellesley Free Library and MassBay Community College partner annually to engage the entire Wellesley community in discussion about one book. Michael Anthony will visit the Wellesley Free Library as well as the MassBay campus in the fall. 



New True-Crime Books

A riveting, true-life legal thriller that takes readers inside the government's pursuit of Steven A. Cohen and his employees and raises urgent questions about the power and wealth of those who sit at the pinnacle of modern Wall Street.
The remarkable story of a series of murders that occurred in an extremely remote corner of the Arctic in 1941. This little-known tragedy provides parallels to contemporary times on the dangers of one culture infiltrating another.
 
Is capitalism always a confidence game? The US has has been an inviting home for swindles, bogus stock schemes and corporate crime. Entrepreneurial freedom complicates the task of distinguishing aggressive salesmanship from unacceptable deceit, especially on the frontiers of innovation. 
 


Make a Planned Gift to the WFL Foundation
 
Have you included the WFL Foundation in your estate plans? We would love to thank you by recognizing you as a member of the H.H. Hunnewell Society, a group of forward-thinking individuals who have demonstrated their love for the WFL by making a planned gift or bequest. For more information about the benefits of membership, please contact Jennifer Siedman  call 781.235.1610 x1127


Run the 2018 Boston Marathon for the WFL Foundation
 
Attention runners and readers! If you've been thinking about signing up to run the 2018 Boston Marathon, consider running for the Wellesley Free Library Foundation! Funds raised will support library programs and help community members make the connection to new knowledge, opportunities, and people.

If you are interested in running the marathon for the WFL Foundation, email Jennifer Seidman. Although the Foundation has not yet been awarded bibs, having runners waiting in the wings will help our application.


Monday Beach Tales at Morses Pond

Join WFL librarian Annie for storytime at Morses Pond on Mondays, June 12th to August 14th from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM.

Children ages 4 and under will enjoy books, songs and rhymes that help build early literacy skills. You can even borrow a library book after storytime! (Please note: entry to Morses Pond requires a Wellesley Recreation beach tag or daily parking fee.)

Summer Reading Picks from the WFL Staff

Tunstall explores the enduring appeal of the piano lesson as she draws on her lifelong experience as student and teacher. Anyone who has ever studied the piano (or wanted to) will cherish this gem of a book.
Recommended by: Deb Berenbaum
Exit West  by Moshin Hamid
This slim novel does for a tortured Middle East what Kite Runner did for Afghanistan. It's the "don't miss" read of the year.
Recommended by: Peggy McLoughlin

The Jane Austen Book Club  by Karen Joy Fowler
Five women and one man get together to discuss Jane Austen's novels while in their own lives, relationships among friends, parents, husbands and wives are tested and explored. 
Recommended by: Quincy Knapp
 
Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan
Rafferty family matriarch Nora, her estranged sister, Theresa, and the secrets that an Irish Catholic upbringing led them to keep from their children make for a sweeping, unforgettable novel.
Recommended by: Anna Dorste & Mary Kate LeCam
Explore the projects, dreams and nightmares that will shape the twenty-first century--from overcoming death to creating artificial life. Where do we go from here? And how will we protect this fragile world from our own destructive powers?
Recommended by: Tyson Bolles
Ed Caesar
With Nike's recent attempt to break a 2 hour marathon, this title is sure to intrigue and inform. Recreational athletes, both runners and non-runners, will find the details behind this human challenge fascinating. 
Recommended by: Cara Marsh

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee 
Beginning in 1910 during the time of Japanese colonialization and ending many decades later in 1989, Pachinko is the epic family saga of an immigrant Korean family told over four generations.  
Recommended by: Megan Flynn

Families, Kids & Teens

Many WFL  programs for children are generously sponsored by the Friends of the Wellesley Free Libraries
Sign up for programs online or  call 781-235-1610 x 1108.

Coding with Minecraft
Friday, July 7th, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Main Library, Wakelin Room 
Calling all crafters: The Rhode Island Computer Museum returns for Coding with Minecraft! Kids ages 8 to 13 will learn how to summon lightning bolts with a bow and arrow or build giant rainbows in the Minecraft world with code! Spawn farm animals or monsters instantly and have fun 'modding' your world! This workshop introduces coding concepts by showing kids how to build or change the game using the Javascript or Python programming language. The set-up is easy for beginners, challenging for experienced gamers and fun for everyone! Registration required.

Infant Massage Class
Monday, July 17th,10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Main Library, Story Hour Room 
Parents and caretakers of infants and pre-crawling babies are invited to join Sheryl White, IAIM Certified Infant Massage Instructor, for Infant Massage Class. You will learn the art of infant massage, colic holds, and massage techniques along with other ways to calm and soothe your baby. Come learn the ways to make this first phase of your baby's life the best it can be. Registration required.

Seven(ish) Stories with Mark Binder
Monday, July 17th,7:00 PM to 7:45 PM 
Main Library, Wakelin Room
Marc is a dynamic storyteller who thrills audiences of all ages with funny, exciting, and spooky stories. This storytelling event is best for kids in elementary and middle school. Drop in!

Family S.T.E.A.M. Exploration
Wednesday, July 19th & August 16th, 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Main Library, Children's Room 
Drop in with the whole family to explore a special evening dedicated to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. We will have a fun activity for each letter, including the opportunity to play with exciting technology, perform a science experiment, and build with LEGO. Recommended for kids in kindergarten and up.

Homemade Marble Run
Wednesday, August 2nd, 11;30 AM to 12:30 AM
Main Library, Wakelin Room
Test out your crazy construction skills - build a  Homemade Marble Run ! Can your marbles do a loop-de-loop or jump the tracks? Kids ages 6-10 are invited to make marble runs out of recycled materials. Parents are also invited to participate in this activity! Register  st arting July 26 (please register children only - parents do not need to register).

'Anansi and the Story Box' and 'The Shadow Builders' by the Act!vated Story Theatre
Wednesday, August 23rd, 7:00 PM to 7:45 PM
Main Library, Wakelin Room
Families with children of all ages will enjoy this performance.  Act!vated Story Theatre productions are high energy dramatizations of folktales. They don't just tell stories, they 'Act!vate" them! Each show incorporates physical comedy, zany props and costumes, audience participation, music, American Sign Language and a unique set: an oversize 'book' with pages that turn to reveal scenery. Drop-in, no registration necessary.


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