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New Year's resolutions in this issue...
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 Regular Schedule and Holiday Hours
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 2018:
the Library is closed on Monday, January 15th.
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Main Library
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Children's Room
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Monday
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9am-9pm
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9am-8pm
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Tuesday
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9am-9pm
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9am-8pm
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Wednesday
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9am-9pm
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9am-8pm
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Thursday
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9am-9pm
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9am-6pm
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Friday
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9am-5pm
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9am-5pm
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Saturday
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9am-5pm
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9am-5pm
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Sunday
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1pm-5pm
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1pm-5pm
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FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY
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Did You Know...
there is a used book shop on Concord Ave in Belmont?
It's the Friends' Every Day Book Shop, located right in the Belmont Public Library, near the circulation desk. A curated array of high quality fiction and non-fiction options, as well as lots of children's books, are available for sale whenever the Library is open. Most books are priced between $.50 and $1.50.
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Louise Halstead,
super-volunteer
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The Every Day Book Shop is carefully stocked by Friends' book operations chair, Louise Halstead. Louise has been a Friends of the Library Board Member for 20 years. Louise started sorting books about 10 years ago and is now the guru of what does and doesn't sell. She has learned from years of experience, keeps a close eye on what sells quickly, and makes sure there is always a great variety of books available at the Every Day Book Shop. Louise coordinates the activities of a crew of book sorting volunteers and is always happy to take on new helpers. Interested? Contact [email protected].
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Friends Music on Saturdays Series Back!
Fiddlin' Quinn & His Big Folks Band
Saturday, January 20th, 3pm
Library Assembly Room
Join us for an unforgettable afternoon of
bluegrass
. 12 year-old fiddler, Quinn Eastburn, has been captivating audiences across the country since the ripe old age... of 6. What he lacks in years he makes up for with his cool demeanor and quick hands. Special guest, Ricky Mier, on banjo, and Chris Eastburn on guitar.
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Quinn at the 2013 New England Americana Festival
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Doris Marget Pinsley
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In Memory Of
The Friends of the Library was honored to receive a donation in honor of Doris Marget Pinsley, formerly of Belmont. Doris passed away in October 2017 at the age of 103!
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TOP TITLES OF 2017
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Book Year in Review
Below is a list of the TOP TEN book checked out at the Belmont Public Library in 2017. Did you get to read them all? Click on the title to request a copy.
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FEATURED PROGRAMS
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 MLK Breakfast
Monday, January 15th, 9-11am
Belmont High School Cafeteria
221 Concord Avenue, Belmont, MA
Join
State Representative Byron Rushing for
thoughtful conversation, music, and more at the 24th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast in the Belmont High School Cafeteria.
Proceeds of the event go to the METCO Fund which is used for late transportation for METCO high school students who participate in after school activities at Belmont High School, and is used across all the Belmont schools for programs that bring our Boston and Belmont students together.
There will be activities in the gym for children ages 5-10 years. Daycare provided for preschoolers.
Music by the Belmont High School Chorale Singers.
Presented by the Human Rights Commission and Belmont Against Racism, co-sponsored by the Belmont Public Library.
Free parking. Wheelchair accessible.
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Rep. Byron Rushing
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Elected in 1982, State Rep. Byron Rushing represents Boston's South End and serves as Majority Whip of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He has a long career of support for social justice issues, including criminal justice reform, gay rights, health care equity and more. In the 1960's civil rights era, he was a member of the Congress of Racial Equality. He is a past President of the Museum of African American History in Boston.
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Books & Bites- Budapest Diary by Susan Rubin Suleiman
Monday, January 8th, 11am
Library Assembly Room
 Belmont author Susan Rubin Suleiman will discuss her book
Budapest Diary: In Search of the Motherbook, with a 2017 update. In this book,
Suleiman describes her return to Budapest, the city of her birth, which she left in 1949 as a young child with her parents, fleeing communism. In 1993, after the fall of communism and the death of her mother, Suleiman returned to Budapest for a six-month stay. She recounts her ongoing quest for personal history, interweaving it with the stories of Hungarians struggling to make sense of the changes in their individual and collective lives. Suleiman's search for documents relating to her childhood, the lives of her parents and their families, and the Jewish communities of Hungary and Poland takes her on a series of journeys within and outside Budapest.
 Suleiman is the C. Douglas Dillon Professor of the Civilization of France and professor of comparative literature at Harvard University. Her many books include
Crises of Memory and the
Second World War, Risking Who One Is: Encounters with Contemporary Art and Literature, and
The Nemirovsky Question: The Life, Death, and Legacy of a Jewish Writer in Twentieth-Century France.
All are welcome to attend this free program. Refreshments will be provided. Books will be available for purchase and signing. The Assembly Room is handicapped accessible. This program made possible by the Friends of the Belmont Public Library. Click here to learn how to join the Friends or renew your membership.
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Paint Night at the Library
Thursday, January 25th, 6:30pm
Library Assembly Room
Enjoy a fun night of step-by-step painting. We'll have hot "mocktails" to warm you up while you create. Free and open to the public, participants will get to take home their masterpiece at the end of the night to wow all of their friends and family. Registration required.
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Tai Chi at the Library
Saturday, January 27th, 10-11am
Library Assembly Room
Join us for tai chi at the Library. Tai chi practitioner and coach, Aisling O'Shea, will guide you through this beautiful and low impact form of martial art and meditation. NO equipment necessary, just bring yourself and wear comfortable clothing.
Additional Classes in the New Year:
Saturday, February 24th, 10-11am, Library Assembly Room
Saturday, March 10th, 10-11am, Library Assembly Room
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BOOK GROUPS
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Senior Book Discussion Group
Friday, January 12th, 11am
The senior book discussion group will discuss the novella Bartleby, the Scivener: A Story of Wall-Street by Herman Melville. The senior book discussion group is co-sponsored by the Belmont Public Library and the Belmont Council on Aging. All are welcome to attend.
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Belmont Book Discussion
Wednesday, January 17th, 3-4pm
Library Flett Room
Join us for a discussion of
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. This group meets on the third Wednesday of every other month. No registration is required and all are welcome.
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CLUBS
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Knitting Club
Fridays, 12:30-2:30pm
Do you enjoy knitting or would you like to learn how?
Drop in to the Library's Knitting Club, anytime
Fridays
between
12:30-2:30pm
in the Library Flett Room. Bring your knitting, or other portable crafts or projects, and we can get to know each other as we knit.
Jocelyn Milton
, club leader, will be available for informal instruction. No sign up or registration necessary,
just bring needles and yarn
and we'll get you started!
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Movie Club
This fall we started a new club for film lovers,
DIAL M FOR MOVIES, hosted by Library Director, Peter Struzziero. Watch the film on your own or at the Library on our Film Screening Night with popcorn and drinks, and then join Peter and other film buffs for a lively discussion!
Screening: Wednesday, January 10th, 6:30pm
Library Assembly Room
Film Discussion: Tuesday, January 16th, 7pm
Library Flett Room
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Future Movies & Dates
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February 8th, 6:30pm
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FEATURED DATABASES
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Libby named one of Google Play's Best Apps of 2017
Every December, Google honors a select number of apps in their Google Play store as the best of the best.
Libby, the library's one-tap reading app, was honored as one of five "Best Hidden Gem" apps, which are described as fresh to the scene and quietly building a fanbase - from newcomers on the brink of becoming huge, to cult apps and niche topics.
Libby, a new, improved, and streamlined version of the library's e-reading software, Overdrive, allows library patrons to read, reserve, renew, and return copies of ebooks and audiobooks, all without leaving the app! If you were frustrated by Overdrive's clunkiness, you will love the simplicity and intuitiveness of Libby. No more jostling between the app and your web browser, multiple log-in screens, or the need to worry about different formats. As Google states:
The joys of the library (free reading and endless possibilities!) meet the convenience of the digital age in Libby. Borrow media from your local library, then dive in with an in-app ebook reader and audiobook player.
If you haven't tried Libby out for yourself yet, visit your reading devices' app store, or schedule a time to receive a
one-on-one Libby tutorial from your friendly local librarian.
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CHILDREN'S EVENTS
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Music and Movement with Rubi
Monday, January 22 at 9:30am & 10:15am
Monday, Janaury 29 at 9:30am & 10:15am
For children ages 2-5, this active program will get kids (and their grownups) moving, dancing and having fun!
Sing-Along with Music Together
Thursday, January 4 at 10:30am
Join Lenka from Music Together of Belmont for singing, dancing, egg shakers and more! Recommended for ages 5 and under.
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 Infant-Toddler Sing-Along with Matt Heaton
Thursday, January 18 at 10:30am
Join local musician Matt Heaton for this sing-along for babies and toddlers up to 24 months.
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Parent-Child Book Club
Wednesday, January 31st, 6:30-7:30pm
Library Assembly Room
This book club is for children and their parent or other special adult. This month's title is Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper; all registered families can pick up a copy of the book to borrow at the Children's Room desk. Pizza will be served thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Belmont Public Library.
---------------------------PARENTING PROGRAMS-----------------------------
Parenting Workshop: Introduction to Baby Sign Language
Tuesday, January 30 at 6:30pm
Did you know babies as young as 6 months can understand and use signs to communicate? Or that typical children use signs before words and gestures help establish social and cognitive skills? Come learn 25+ early signs to teach and use with your child today! This workshop will introduce basic early signs to help increase vocabulary. Presented by: Megan Olowinski, M.A. CCC-SLP Speech and Language Pathologist Watertown Public Schools. Babies are welcome to attend!
-----STORYTIMES, PLAYGROUPS & PROGRAMS, AGES 5 & UNDER-----
Infant Storytime
Wednesdays, 10:30am
Library Flett Room
For infants up to 12 months and pre-walkers, this short program of songs and rhymes is followed by time to play and socialize.
Storytime for 1's-now with 2 sessions!
Thursdays, 9:30am & 10:30am
Library Flett Room
For walkers and toddlers under 24 months. We'll share simple stories, songs, and nursery rhymes, and end with time to play.
Storytime for 2's and 3's - now with 2 sessions!
Tuesdays, 9:30am & 10:30am
Library Flett Room
Come listen to stories and rhymes, sing, and even dance!
Preschool Storytime
Wednesdays, 9:30 am
Library Flett Room
We'll read longer books, sing and dance, and make simple crafts. For 3-5 year olds with a longer attention span.
Early Literacy Playgroup
Fridays, 10:30am
Library Flett Room
This parent and child group supports your child's language and literacy development. You'll play, read, sing and take home new ideas! Presented by educators from the CFCE grant program; for children ages 4 and under.
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TEENS
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 Homework and Hot Chocolate
Wednesday, January 3rd 1:30-3:30pm
Library Assembly Room
Free, drop-in for 5th-8th graders
IT'S BAAAAACK! Middle school students--come and eat snacks, do your homework and then play games, do crafts, or read books. Once a month on Wednesdays (usually the first Wednesday of the month).
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 Teen Escape Room
Wednesday, January 10th, 3 sessions, 2:30-5:30 pm
Library Flett Room
You're locked in a room full of clues, with only 45 minutes to find a way out. Do you have what it takes to beat the clock and ESCAPE THE ROOM? Sign up online for one of our three escape room sessions and put your sleuthing skills to the test! Please show up at least 5 minutes ahead of time. For grades 6 to 12.
Registration required. Please register for one of the following times:
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 Exam Study Space
Tues, January 16th & Wed, January 17th 3:30-9pm
Library Assembly Room
Need a place to study for exams? Not enough space in your usual library study spots? No worries, the library will be opening the Assembly Room to teens from 3:30 to 9 pm, with light snacks provided.
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Teen Advisory Board
Friday, January 19th, from 3:00-4:30pm
Library Flett Room
Attention teens, grades 9 and up! Looking for a new community service opportunity? Join the teen advisory board. Meetings are held once a month during the school year on Friday afternoons, but you don't have to attend every month. We eat pizza, work on a volunteer project, and plan upcoming teen programs.
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Teen Art Club
Saturday, January 13th and 27th, 2-4pm
Library Flett Room
This teen-lead art club is meeting in the Flett Room on Saturday afternoon twice a month. Are you a hidden future artist who always has creative ideas splashing out? Do you want to develop your art skills or learn some new art techniques? Have you ever thought about creating your own art portfolio? Come to Belmont Public Library and share the beauty of art!
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Creative Writing with Lynette Benton
Wednesday, January 24th and 31st 2 to 4 pm
Library Flett Room
Join Lynette Benton, published writer and writing instructor, to begin or move forward on writing stories, poetry, or novel excerpts in a fun and informative class at Belmont Library. The class will run for six-weeks, ending February 28th; attendance at all sessions is preferred.
Registration required, for ages 12 to 18.
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 Girls Who Code
Monday, January 22nd and 29th, 4:15-6:15 pm
Belmont Girls Who Code is opening sign-ups for our January to May semester! Girls Who Code is a national organization that provides high-quality computer science education to girls in 6th-12th grade. Girls Who Code clubs equip girls with concrete technical skills that will provide the foundation for futures in technology. The curriculum is provided by the organization, and involves 40 hours of instruction in computer science including project based activities to reinforce concepts like conditionals, lists, and loops as well as skills like mobile app development.
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Artful Business: 50 Lessons from Creative Geniuses
Thursday, February 1st, 7pm
Library Assembly Room
Belmont Author and Media Strategist Greg Stone will show you how to spark your creativity with tips from great artists. Discover what Michelangelo has to do with marketing, and Botticelli with branding. You'll learn how to liberate yourself from logjams -- while viewing sumptuous slides of masterpieces. This presentation is based on Greg's
acclaimed book
Artful Business: 50 Lessons From Creative Geniuses
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Gish Jen to discuss Girl at the Baggage Claim
Tuesday, February 6th, 7pm
Library Assembly Room
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Belmont Woman's Club hosts Author Barbara Berenson
Tuesday, January 9th, 7pm
Library Assembly Room
The Belmont Woman's Club is delighted to host author Barbara Berenson at the library this January. Berenson will discuss her book Boston and the Civil War: Hub of the Second Revolution and her forthcoming book Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement: Revolutionary Reformers (anticipated spring 2018). Boston and the Civil War explores how Boston, for the second time, changed the fate of the nation.
Inspired by their Patriot forefathers and nurtured in the nation's "cradle of liberty," Boston's abolitionists sparked a Second American Revolution-this one intended to force the nation to live up to the promises of liberty and equality contained in the Declaration of Independence. Berenson's talk will also address how the women's rights movement emerged from within the anti-slavery movement in the years before the Civil War.
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Barbara Berenson
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Barbara Berenson earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard College and her law degree from Harvard Law School.
She works as a Senior Attorney at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. She is the co-editor, with Hon. Margot Botsford and Hon. Patti Saris, of
Breaking Barriers: The Unfinished Story of Women Lawyers and Judges in Massachusetts (2012). Barbara has previously spoken at the library on women's suffrage as part of the library's 2016 One Book One Belmont.
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A Woman's Place
Belmont Gallery of Art Exhibit
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Belmont Public Library Newsletter brought to you by:
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