Upcoming Events
Here is the schedule of Events, feel free to stop in or call to register to attend a program. Pleas call the Reference Department at 203-262-0626 x 130 for information or to register.
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"Elected by the People Book Discussion Series"Why do we vote the way we do? This series will explore this question as we examine the practice of politics in America today. We will discuss the separation of morality and politics, starting with Machiavelli in 16th century Italy. Do we tend to vote for candidates today for their perceived ethics or for our own economic reasons? What role should religion play in government? What values or policies do conservatives and liberals believe they are voting for when they vote for one party or another? In this way we will try to understand political slogans and pitches as politicians try to convince us to vote for them. "Why Americans Hate Politics" by E. J. Dionne, Jr. "Washington Post journalist Dionne argues that American liberal and conservative ideologies since the 1960s have presented the public with false choices, preventing the framing of issues in ways that are conducive to their resolution. He calls for a "new political center'' that incorporates some ideas of both the political left and right. He also demands recognition of the importance of the principle of "republicanism,'' which he defines as including an acceptance of a largely market economy and a healthy, vital public sphere. Whether one accepts Dionne's premise that Americans hate politics or his prescription for curing that condition, the book is a valuable analysis of the major ideological currents in American politics over the last 30 years." Registration is required. Copies of the book will be available at the library. Thursday, September 25th, 7:00-8:30pm |
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"Elected by the People Book Discussion Series"Why do we vote the way we do? This series will explore this question as we examine the practice of politics in America today. We will discuss the separation of morality and politics, starting with Machiavelli in 16th century Italy. Do we tend to vote for candidates today for their perceived ethics or for our own economic reasons? What role should religion play in government? What values or policies do conservatives and liberals believe they are voting for when they vote for one party or another? In this way we will try to understand political slogans and pitches as politicians try to convince us to vote for them. "What's the Matter with Kansas?" by Thomas Frank "Thomas Frank turns his eye on what he calls "the Great Backlash" - the popular revolt against a supposedly liberal establishment. Marshaling public outrage over everything from improper flag display to un-Christian art, the backlash has achieved the most unnatural of alliances, bringing together blue-collar midwesterners and Wall Street business interests, workers and bosses, populists and right-wingers." Registration is required. Copies of the book will be available at the library. Thursday, October 16th, 7:00-8:30pm |
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"Harvest Cornhusk Dolls"Enjoy learning a traditional method used by early Native Americans to make cornhusk figures for the harvest holidays. Program leader and artist, Katie Stevenson, will demonstrate the steps to transform dried corn husks into traditional dolls. Additional decorative materials will be supplied to give it your own personal touch. Make a couple or a family for a centerpiece! Limited to 15 adults. Registration is required. Saturday, October 18th, 2:00pm |
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"Edgar Allan Poe Performance"Dr. Timothy Ross Whelan will give a performace in the character of Edgar Allan Poe. He will perform tales of terror and love. Dr. Whelan is a recognized poet, who as four published books of poetry, and authored thousands of classical poetry. Dr. Whelan is also a performer with an acting experience that expands thirty years of classic and modern community theatre. Registration is required. Refreshments will be served. Thursday, October 23rd, 6:30pm |
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"Fourth Tuesday Night Book Club""Nineteen Minutes" by Jeanette Walls "Sterling is a small, ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens - until the day its complacency is shattered by a shocking act of violence. In the aftermath, the town's residents must not only seek justice in order to begin healing but also come to terms with the role they played in the tragedy. For them, the lines between truth and fiction, right and wrong, insider and outsider have been obscured forever." Join us every fourth Tuesday of the month to discuss a great book. Refreshments are served and registration is required. Tuesday, October 28th, 6:30pm |
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"Elected by the People Book Discussion Series"Why do we vote the way we do? This series will explore this question as we examine the practice of politics in America today. We will discuss the separation of morality and politics, starting with Machiavelli in 16th century Italy. Do we tend to vote for candidates today for their perceived ethics or for our own economic reasons? What role should religion play in government? What values or policies do conservatives and liberals believe they are voting for when they vote for one party or another? In this way we will try to understand political slogans and pitches as politicians try to convince us to vote for them. "Our Endangered Values" by Jimmy Carter "Americans cherish the greatness of our homeland, but many do not realize how extensive and profound are the transformations that are now taking place in our nation's basic moral values and political philosophy.Our people have been justifiably proud to see America's power and influence used to preserve peace for ourselves and others, promote economic and social justice, raise high the banner of human rights, protect the quality of our environment, alleviate human suffering, and cooperate with other peoples to reach these common goals.We have learned the value of providing our citizens with accurate information and treating dissenting voices with respect. Most of our political leaders have attempted to control deficit spending, preserve the separation of church and state, and protect civil liberties and personal privacy. All of these historic commitments are now being challenged." Registration is required. Copies of the book will be available at the library. Thursday, October 30th, 7:00-8:30pm |
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"Fourth Tuesday Night Book Club""Sophie's World : A Novel About the History of Philosophy" by Paulette Moller "A page-turning novel that is also an exploration of the great philosophical concepts of Western thought. In order to answer two existential questions, Sophie must use the philosophy she is learning--but the truth turns out to be far more complicated than she could have imagined." Join us every fourth Tuesday of the month to discuss a great book. Refreshments are served and registration is required. Tuesday, November 25th, 6:30pm |
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"Fourth Tuesday Night Book Club""Lost City Radio" by Daniel Alarcon "For ten years, Norma has been the voice of consolation for a people broken by violence. She hosts Lost City Radio, the most popular program in their nameless South American country, gripped in the aftermath of war. Every week, the Indians in the mountains and the poor from the barrios listen as she reads the names of those who have gone missing, those whom the furiously expanding city has swallowed. Loved ones are reunited and the lost are found. Each week, she returns to the airwaves while hiding her own personal loss: her husband disappeared at the end of the war." Join us every fourth Tuesday of the month to discuss a great book. Refreshments are served and registration is required. Tuesday, December 23rd, 6:30pm |