Newsletter                                      January 2019
Friday Flicks @ Fowler - 25th Anniversary

Friday Flicks @ Fowler Series will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2019 and will begin the new season with these award-winning films. 

January 18, 7:00 p.m. 
QUARTET (UK 2012)
Fowler Branch
British comedy about retired opera singers who live at the Beecham House, a retirement home for former singers and musicians, designed after the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti in Milan, Italy founded by Giuseppe Verdi. All the guests in the retirement home continue to be engaged in lecturing and initiating young people to music. Director Dustin Hoffman.  98 min., PG-13
 
January 25, 7:00 p.m.
VICTORIA AND ABDUL (UK 2017)
Fowler Branch
A British biographical comedy-drama about the real-life relationship between Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her Indian Muslim servant Abdul Karim.  Based on the book Victoria and Abdul by Shrabani Basu. Director: Stephen Frears.  111 min., PG 13

Free admission. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Sponsored by The Friends of the Concord Free Public Library.

[View Complete Film Schedule]
Poetry at the Library
Poetry at the Library: Poets of light, clarity, and brio:
Adam Scheffler, Carla Schwartz, Alison Stone
Sunday, January 27, 3:00 p.m.   
Main Library

All are invited to an afternoon of poetry and conversation with Adam Scheffler, Carla Schwartz, and Alison Stone who will read from and talk about their most recent invigorating and enlightening collections. A Question and Answer session, book-signings, and light refreshments are included in the free, open to the public Poetry Series sponsored by The Friends of the Library.

Adam Scheffler's A Dog's Life was selected as the winner of the Jacar Press Poetry Book Contest by Denise Duhamel who called it "an enlightened look at Doritos, Carson Daly, Walmart, McDonalds, theme parks, and, of course, dogs." An Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate with a Harvard PhD in English, Adam is a Preceptor in Harvard's Expository Writing Program for which he teaches a course on Hell and the Underworld.

Carla Schwartz's Intimacy with the Wind (Finishing Line Press), is inspired by her nomadic off-the-grid living in a tiny, solar-powered houseboat on Lake Champlain -poems praised by poet Fred Marchant for giving us "a vivid sense of being in the world, as if we are with her breathing in what life has to offer, a good wind overhead, like a blessing." Carla is also a professional writer with a PhD in electrical engineering from Princeton University.

Alison Stone's Dazzle displays "... a string of gemlike poems that ...dazzle-with wisdom, wit, and brio." Author of six collections, Alison has been awarded Poetry's Frederick Bock Prize, New York Quarterly's Madeline Sadin Award, and the Many Mountains Moving Poetry Award. Published in The Paris Review, Ploughshares, and many other journals and anthologies, Alison is a recent Writer-in Residence at LitSpace St. Pete. She is also a painter and a licensed psychotherapist.
Adult Book Groups
Tuesday Book Group
Tuesday, January 8, 9:30-11:15 a.m.
Trustees' Room, Main Library
We will read and discuss Fahrenheit 451
,
by Ray Bradbury. Copies of the book are available at the Main Library. All are welcome.
 

Cookbook Club * 
Wednesday, January 9, 12:00-1:30 p.m.
Fowler Branch
Check out a copy of Celebrate , by Sheila Lukins, or  The Pioneer Woman Cooks: a Year of Holidays , by Ree Drummon , at the Circulation Desk, pick a recipe, and prepare it for the program. We will sample lots of good food, talk about what worked and what did not, and select future cookbooks. Advance registration is required. [ Register]

Book Discussion at Debra's Natural Gourmet
Monday, January 14, 7:00 p.m.
Debra's Natural Gourmet
The Library is teaming up once again with Debra's Natural Gourmet for a book discussion, which will take place at Debra's at 98 Commonwealth Avenue in West Concord. Copies of this month's selection, The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, will be made available at both the Main and Fowler libraries. 
Please email Debra Stark at debra@debrasnaturalgourmet.com to register. 

Book-A-Mystery Discussion
Wednesday, January 16, 2:00-3:00 p.m. 
Fowler Branch Library
Love a good mystery? All are welcome to join the discussion. Copies of this month's title,  Magpie Murders  by Anthony Horowitz, are available at the Branch to check out. 
 
More Adult Programs 
Tech No? Uploading a Mindful Life in the Digital Age
Saturday, January 5, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. 
Main Library
Parents and teens, we all look at screens for hours - what does science say about our habits? Current neuroscientific evidence reveals what happens in our brains and bodies when we connect digitally vs. in person, and how this relates to well-being. Join us for a special conversation with Susan Reynolds of Mindhood, a bi-coastal benefit corporation that offers in-person digital mindful wellness training, and Lara Wilson of Be Well Be Here, Concord's non-profit mindful wellness collaborative. Learn how Mindhood's research with young adults reveals ways in which screen time impacts mood, intention, relationships, and welln  ess. Try a few quick experiments to see how digital habits may be impacting your actions and reactions, and discover ways to shift toward choices that enhance overall health.  

Twenty Classic Film Noirs and Why They Are Good For You 

Monday, January 28, 7:00 p.m.
Fowler Branch
Join Randall Warniers for a talk on Twenty Classic Film Noir films and why they are good for you! This talk will describe twenty superb examples of the film noir genre, made by some of the best screenwriters, producers, cinematographers, directors, and performers in the film industry. We won't watch the films during the talk, but all are available on DVD, and every attendee will receive a list of the twenty selected films for future reference. If you are moved by the beautifully dark visual style of film noir, or if you want to see Humphrey Bogart, Barbara Stanwyck, Burt Lancaster, Audrey Totter, or Gloria Grahame work their movie magic, or if you are looking for a taut existential drama on a cold winter night, then this is the talk for you. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library. [ Register]
Children's and Teen Programs 
Tech Tuesdays - Minecraft Redstone
Tuesday, January 8, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. 
Fowler Branch
Redstone...it's what powers Minecraft, bringing your creations to life. In this class, Empow Studios will teach you all about Redstone, starting with the basic fundamentals of how to affect the speed and distance of its signal. For children in grades 4-6. Advance registration online is required.. [Register]

Middle School Teen Advisory Board (TAB)  
Tuesday, January 8, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Main Library
Grades 6 - 8. Do you like books, games, crafts, sharing your ideas, taking surveys, food, or just hanging out with your friends? If so, this group is for you! At this first meeting of 2019, we'll have cookies and milk. We'll get to know each other, play a game or two, and do a craft. You'll also take home a free book! [Register]

Read to Luna the Dog
Tuesday, January 8, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Main Library
Read to a good listener who loves stories! Sessions are 15 minutes long. Please register. This event is for children ages 5+. [Register]

Book & Cookie Club
Thursday, January 10, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Fowler Branch
Enjoy cookies and fun activities as we discuss the newest books for kids in this monthly book club! The book discussed this month will be Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. For kids in grades 4 and 5.

Concord-Carlisle High School Study Day
Sunday, January 13, 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. 
Main Library
Grades 9-12.  The library belongs to Concord-Carlisle High School students from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday, January 13.  We'll have snacks, relaxation stations, and quiet spaces available for study all day and evening!  Please register so we will have enough food! [Register]

T(w)een Tech Tuesday: Squishy Circuits!
Tuesday, January 15, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. 
Main Library
Grades 6 - 8.  Now's your chance to play with tech gadgets you haven't seen before!  We'll try out a different technology each month.  In January, we'll learn about squishy circuits!  All sessions are hands on.  Space is limited.  Registration is required. [Register]

Bookeaters Book Group

Wednesday, January 16, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Main Library
Calling all third graders! Come to the monthly meeting of the BookEaters Book Group.  Each month we will explore an area of the Library, do an activity and have fun with our friends.

Music and Movement

Saturday, January 19, 10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Fowler Branch
Like to shake an egg? Clap to the beat? Wave a scarf? Move your feet? It's time for Music and Movement! Come have fun with music, stories, and simple instruments as we get our groove on. Children ages 5 and under will enjoy this creative monthly program.

DIY Hot Chocolate Mix 
Tuesday, January 22, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Main Library
Grades 6-12. Learn an easy recipe to make this winter treat. You will take some home along with a tasty stirrer! Space is limited. Registration is required. [Register]

What Is a Gap Year? - Presented by Katherine Stievater
Wednesday, January 23rd, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Main Library
Ever wondered if taking a Gap Year is right for you? Katherine Stievater, a Gap Year Advisor and Founder of Gap Year Solutions, will explain why Gap Years are growing in popularity and how any student can benefit from a Gap Year. She will explain different Gap Year options and the Gap Year planning process, including how it relates to college planning. This program is open to all, but is especially for juniors, seniors, and parents. Please register. [Register]

Toddler Sing-a-long with Ed Morgan* 
Fridays, January 11 & 18, 10:00 a.m. (Fowler Branch)
Friday, January 25, 10:00 a.m. (Main Library) (New Time)
Come sing and dance along with The Music Man, singer and musician Ed Morgan. Families are invited to enjoy this family friendly concert.

ArtSplorers
Monday, January 28, 10:00 a.m.
Fowler Branch
Join us for some creative, open-ended art activities and a story. Turn your imagination on, and wear clothes you don't mind getting messy. For kids ages 18 months to 5 years old, with a caregiver. Limited to 15 children.

 
For a complete list of Children's and Teen programs, click here
 
New! Click here to sign up for the library's new Teen Newsletter. 
January Computer Classes
Google Sheets 101       
Wednesday, January 9, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Main Library 
Learn what you can do with Google Sheets. Save your sheets to the cloud which gives you access anywhere you go! If you are familiar with Excel you will be right at home with Google Sheets. This class will introduce you to creating a sheet and using some of the basic functions, add-ons that enhance the functionality of your Sheet, sharing with others and using already available templates, and more! [ Register]

Introduction to the Library of Things
Wednesday, January 23, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Main Library
The Library of Things is a collection of non-traditional library items that complement the Concord Free Public Library's mission of life-long learning.  The "Things" include cassette to DVD and MP3 converters, Code-a-pillar, GoPro Hero, a microscope and a telescope among many other educational and DIY items/things. In this one hour class, the Library staff will explain how this collection circulates, how you can borrow them and where to find the instructions/demos on how each "thing" works. Open to all. [ Register]

Drop-In Tech Help
Fridays, January 11 & 25, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Main Library Lobby
Stop in with any questions you may have about your mobile devices,  laptops and/or Library's eBooks etc.  Open to all.
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