Newton Free Library Events

October, 2002 / Archives

Unless noted otherwise, all events take place at the Library's Main Branch.
All events are free and open to the public.

To view a past month at the Library? If so, please click here for the Archives.
(Available for April, 2001 and on.)

OCTOBER, 2002
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
		1 Short Fiction Writing Group, 7pm	2 Main Hall reception, 6:30pm Contemporary Books Discussion Group, 7:30pm	3 Gallery reception, 7pm	4	5
ONE NEWTON, ONE BOOK WEEK / OCTOBER 7 - 12, 2002 For a list of events, please click here
6	7 "A Lesson Before Dying" video screening, 7pm	8 Great Books Group, 7:15pm _______ Poetry Reading Series, 7pm	9 Sequences Group, 10am _______ Panel Discussion on Capital Punishment, 7:30pm	10 "One Newton, One Book" Discussion Groups, 7:30pm Registration Required	11	12 "One Newton, One Book" Discussion Group, 10:30am
13 Renaissonics Concert, 2pm	14 Library closed for Columbus Day _______ Newton Camera Club, 7:30pm	15 Board of Trustees Meeting, 8:30am ______ Cinema Discussion Group, 7pm	16 African Lit Group, 7:30pm _______ Program on Racism, 7pm	17 Author talk, 7:30pm	18	19 Ever Thought of Writing? Group 10:30am
20 ANMS Classical Guitar Concert, 2pm _______ Library Lovers' Evening at the Westin, 6:30pm	21 Short Story Dicussion Group, 7:30pm _______ Composting Workshop, 7pm	22 Nutrition Program, 7pm	23 Children's Book Writers Group, 7pm _______ Waban book group, 10:30am _______ Author talk, 7:30pm	24 Virginia Tashjian Book Review, 10:30am	25 Newton Corner book group, 10:30am	26
27 Boston Kleztet 2 Concerts (choose 1): 1pm & 2:30pm	28 Talk on Middle East, 7pm _______ Newton Camera Club, 7:30pm	29 "Cosmic Questions" Talk, 7:30pm	30 Red Cross Blood Drive, 2-8pm	31 Friends Annual Meeting, 7:30pm

For more information on any of the Library events,
please call the Library at (617) 796-1360

October, 2002

Gallery & Main Hall Hours

Monday to Thursday 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00pm
Sunday Noon to 5:00 pm

Closed Sundays in July & August

Are you interested in exhibiting your artwork at the Library?
Please click here for more information.

G A L L E R Y

Hammonassett: Fir Tree Work 22' x 38"
© Steve Gatter

STEVE GATTER’S "PAPER PAINTINGS – RECENT WORKS"

Steve Gatter’s exhibit of "Paper Paintings – Recent Works" will be on display in the Gallery of the Newton Free Library October 2 – 30, with an opening reception on Thursday, October 3, 7:00PM.

Gatter’s stunning handmade paper paintings find a "world in a grain of sand." In layered, colored paper pulp, his multi-paneled impressionistic works expand the intimate spaces of a garden or a close view of a rocky seashore to a large format. This approach is part of his Eastern aesthetic where "there is no larger or smaller as everything carries equally powerful messages," he says, "and in the part can be found the whole."

Gatter is drawn to the process as well as the result of paper painting where the textures and patterns inherent in the fibers are as visually compelling as the painted image. He works surrounded by numerous vats, each filled with a different color plant fiber, sifts them through a screen and slowly builds up the layers on a sheet like a collage. He finds the artistic "possibilities to be endless…and there is the freedom from the unyielding shape of the canvas. It is easy to create new spaces or multiple panels to instill a different rhythm to a composition," he says. He is quite aware of creating a visual dynamic, keeping the eye moving forward and back, taking in the swirl of the twisted fibers on the surface while following the scene as it recedes into the distance. The partitioning of the scene into panels also creates a sense of time passing as in a movie, as the eye sweeps across the images which are filled with dappled light.

The artist has exhibited at Duxbury Art Museum, DeCordova Museum’s Art in the Park, Mystic Fine Arts Festival, Armonk Outdoor Art Show and previously at the Library, among other venues on the East Coast. First Prize honors were awarded him from the Glastonbury Art on the Green show, Westport Fine Arts Outdoor Festival and the East Lyme Outdoor Art Show. His paintings hang in many corporate and private collections in New England.

M A I N H A L L

Boboli Garden, Florence © Alexia Berry

ALEXIA BERRY’S PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBIT "PARIS, VENICE, FLORENCE"

Alexia Berry will present an exhibition of her black and white photographs, "Paris, Venice, Florence" at the Newton Free Library Main Hall October 2 – 30, with an opening reception on Wednesday, October 2, 6:30 – 8:30PM.

Berry’s photographs have a timeless, classic feel in black and white. Devoid of people, the city streets, gardens and canal banks are quiet, undisturbed by time and the hustle-bustle of life. Although many of her other travel photos of rural areas in South America and Southeast Asia concentrate on people in their environments, here she has taken a break to study the feel of the cities, their historic beauty as well as the hidden alleys, rooftops and tunnels.

The composition of a scene is of supreme importance to her; she never alters or crops the photo once it is taken. Her perspective is quite interesting. In some the viewer is standing just above a canal or looking up at a rooftop or courtyard which imparts a feeling of excitement or precariousness to the shot. In others a diagonal line of gondolas or a block of buildings keeps the eye moving off center. Most arresting is her exploration of narrow spaces, long dark tunnels, alleyways or canals where the constriction adds a strong visual tension.

A native of Paris, Berry now makes her home in Boston where she concentrates on travel, portrait and wedding photography. She has won many awards from the Professional Photographers of Massachusetts and the Professional Photographers of New England. Her work was published in Photographer’s Forum and the Best of Photography Annual 2001 and 1999 issues. She has exhibited her photos of Cuba at MIT’s Dean’s Gallery and most recently was awarded Best of Show for her submissions in this past summer’s exhibit at the Center for the Arts in Natick.

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Library groups meet at the Newton Free Library, 330 Homer Street, Newton Centre, unless otherwise noted. All meetings are free and open to the public.

	African Literatures Discussion Group
	Led by Anne Serafin, this group explores the rich variety of writings from Africa. The group meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 7:30PM, in Meeting Room A. Meeting Date: October 16: Notes from the Hyena’s Belly, a literary memoir by Nega Mezlekia of Ethiopia. For further information, call 617-796-1360.
	Children's Book Writers Group
	Meetings are held on the first Monday or the fourth Wednesday of the month at 7:00PM, in Meeting Room A. This group is for writers who have work in progress. Pre-registration required. Please call Ruth Glass at 332-0835 or Karen Day at 244-4830 for more information. Meeting Dates: Monday, October 7 and Wednesday, October 23.
	Cinema Discussion Group
	This group engages in discussion and critique of significant films. Led by Paulette Idelson, the group meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00PM in Meeting Room A. Meeting Date: October 15: Hitchcock’s "North by Northwest." Attendees are encouraged to view the film before the meeting. For further information, call 796-1410.
	Contemporary Books Discussion Group
	Meetings are held the first Wednesday of the month, 7:30PM in Meeting Room A. Participants should read works in advance. Group coordinator: Marilyn Miller. For information, call the Library at 796-1360. Meeting Dates: October 2: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett; November 6: The Diagnosis by Alan Lightman. For a Booklist for Sept, 2002 - June 2003, please click here
	Ever Thought of Writing? Group
	This group is for those new to the writing process and combines support and time for practice, reading samples and receiving feedback. Led by Tom Yee, the group meets on the third Saturday of the month, 10:30 – Noon in Meeting Room A. Pre-registration required: Call 630-0742. Meeting Date: October 19.
	Great Books Discussion Group
	Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at 7:15PM in Meeting Room A. Members read books from the Great Books Foundation (available at the Library). Meeting Date: October 8: "On Evil, Guilt and Power" by Nietzsche. For further information, call the Library at 617-796-1360.
	Newton Camera Club
	Meetings are held from September – May at 7:30PM on the second and fourth Mondays of the month at the Nonantum Branch Library. Group coordinator: Elisif Brandon: (617) 243-0557. Meeting Dates: October 14: Competition in the Nature and Open categories; October 28: Member program of minishows and techtips.
	Sequences: Women Tell Our Stories Group
	In this women's workshop, participants read, discuss and write about literature by women. The group meets the second Wednesday of each month from 10 - 11:30AM in Meeting Room A. Leader: Robin Mayer Stein. Meeting Date: October 9. For further information, call 617-796-1360.
	Short Fiction Writing Group
	This workshop provides an atmosphere of expert support to polish short fiction. It is geared for published writers as well as those who are actively pursuing publication. Preregistration is required: 617-965-8835. The group meets the first Tuesday of each month, in Meeting Room A, 7:00PM. Meeting Date: October 1. Please bring 5 copies of work to the meeting. Coordinator is Halcyon Mancuso.
	Short Story Discussion Group
	Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of the month at 7:30PM in Meeting Room A. Group co-leaders are Mary Lanigan and Barbara McGinley. For further information, call 796-1360. Meeting Date: October 21: John Cheever, "Goodbye, My Brother" and Allan Gurganus, "He’s at the Office."

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All concerts are free and open to the public. For directions to the Library, please click here.

OCTOBER, 2 0 0 2

LIVELY CONCERT BY RENAISSONICS

The lively music of Renaissonics will fill Druker Auditorium at the Newton Free Library on Sunday, October 13, 2:00PM. The concert will feature Italian Renaissance chamber music, dance music, virtuoso solos and improvisations.

Simultaneously historical and contemporary in its approach, the ensemble plays as musicians of the era played – vigorously and improvisationally. The members of the ensemble are internationally recognized soloists, dance musicians and improvisers: director John Tyson, recorder, pipe and tabor, Douglas Freundlich, lute, Nancy Hurrell, harp, Daniel Ryan, basse de violon, Miyuki Tsurutani, virginal and recorder and guest artist Laura Gully, violin.

Renaissonics has appeared at the Festival Cenomanies in Le Mans, France and may be heard on Ken Burn's PBS Documentary "The West." They were a featured ensemble for the 1999 Christmas Revels. Other appearances include the Boston Early Music Festival, the Cambridge Society for Early Music's International Candlelight Concerts, the Castle Hill Pop Music Series, the Indianapolis Early Music Festival, the New England Conservatory of Music's Improvisation Festival and Boston's First Night. Renaissonics is the resident ensemble of the Killington Vermont Shakespeare Festival.

To visit the Renaissonics website, please click here.

CLASSICAL GUITAR CONCERT

David Patterson will present a solo classical guitar concert with works by Bach, Ginastera, Villa Lobos and Sor at the Newton Free Library on Sunday, October 20, 2:00PM. This concert is part of the All Newton Music School series at the Library. Seating is limited.

Patterson has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in the U.S. and abroad. In 1988 he founded the critically acclaimed New World Guitar Trio, which performed at the Library two years ago. He has also performed with ensembles such as the Auros Group, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project and the Harvard Group for New Music as an artist in residence. He has conducted master classes at various music institutions in South America, Taiwan and in the U.S. at Berklee College, University of Hawaii and The Saint Louis Guitar Society. Currently he serves on the faculty of All Newton Music School and Gordon College in Wenham.

BOSTON KLEZTET RETURNS FOR 2 PERFORMANCES

Back by popular demand, the spirited Boston Kleztet will present a concert of Jewish Klezmer music at the Newton Free Library, Sunday, October 27, at 1:00PM, with a repeat performance at 2:30PM. "A Glezele L’Chaim," a musical toast to the music of toasting will include Yiddish drinking songs and klezmer music associated with simchas or happy occasions. Please be advised that seating is limited.

The Boston Kleztet performs at festive occasions, private parties and charity concerts. The members are Ben Pasamanick, clarinet, Harvey Budner, banjo and mandolin and Newton musicians Joanne Baker, piano and accordion, Sheldon Benjamin, drums, David Gastfriend, violin and mandolin and Dan Shaw, string bass.

Upcoming Concert!
Music from the Golden Age of Vienna

The Golden Age of Vienna will come to life in the music of the era when pianist Phyllis Moss returns to the Library with a program of Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert on Sunday, November 3, 2:00PM. Seating is limited.

Moss’s extensive performance background includes recitals at Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Brooklyn Academy, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, many solo programs on Public Radio, "Prelude Concerts" of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and chamber music at Tanglewood. She has collaborated with many of the principal players of the BSO and for several years toured extensively with two members of the BSO as the Boston Trio. She has played concertos with many of the major symphony orchestras and toured Europe extensively.

She has recorded seven compact discs for Centaur Records. Fanfare magazine praised her "brilliantly virtuosic" style, "keen insights" and "lyric warmth."

A Newton resident, Moss currently directs master classes and teaches privately in West Newton.

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OCTOBER, 2 0 0 2

AUTHOR ROLAND MERULLO TO SPEAK ON NEW NOVEL
"IN REVERE, IN THOSE DAYS"

Author and Boston Globe writer Roland Merullo will speak at the Newton Free Library on his new novel In Revere, In Those Days on Thursday, October 17, 7:30PM, followed by a booksigning. This program is co-sponsored by New England Mobile Book Fair.

A poignant coming-of-age story, this emotionally-complex novel is a portrait of the Benedetto family, hardworking Italian Americans from Revere. Anthony Benedetto is the narrator, a smart, introspective kid trying to figure out how to reconcile his family’s old-world heritage with the unstoppable freight train that is American culture. He creates for us an unspoiled America of forty years ago: the feeling of being part of an extended family, surrounded by intense loyalty and warmth that extend into the neighborhood and community. When his parents are tragically killed, he begins to grow up and eventually away from Revere. He gradually comes to realize that geography is destiny, that suffering is universal and family is everything. The Benedetto family story gives us a lost America and a fading Italian American culture that lie beyond the cliches. In Revere, In Those Days is a beautiful novel by a graceful and talented writer.

Merullo is the author of three previous novels, the most recent of which, Revere Beach Boulevard, was a finalist for the L.L. Winship/PEN New England Award. He has written for Newsweek, Forbes FYI, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Philadelphia Inquirer and many other publications. He lives in western Massachusetts.

FOLKLORE EXPERT MARIA TATAR TO SPEAK
ON HER NEW BOOK

Maria Tatar, a leading authority in the field of folklore and children’s literature, will speak on the new Annotated Classic Fairy Tales, edited and with an introduction by her. The talk will take place at the Newton Free Library on Wednesday, October 23, 7:30PM, followed by a booksigning with books provided by New England Mobile Book Fair.

Gathering together 26 of the best-loved tales of childhood, Tatar expertly guides readers through the stories, exploring their historical origins, their cultural complexities and their psychological effects. She offers new translations of the non-English stories of Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault, capturing the rhythms of oral storytelling, and includes more than 300 often rare, mostly full-color paintings by celebrated illustrators in the volume. Challenging the notion that fairy tales should be read for their moral values, Tatar demonstrates throughout how fairy tales can be seen as models for navigating reality. The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales is a provocative and original work, perhaps the most illuminating contribution to the world of fairy tales since Bruno Bettelheim’s The Uses of Enchantment. An invaluable storytelling archive, it seeks to reclaim a powerful cultural legacy, providing the historical contexts that unlock the mystery of the tales.

Tatar is the John J. Loeb Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures at Harvard University. She has written for the New York Times among many other publications and is the author of Off with Their Heads: Fairy Tales and the Culture of Childhood and The Hard Facts of the Grimms’ Fairy Tales.

ISRAELI CONSUL TO SPEAK ON MIDDLE EAST

Following a panel discussion this summer on "Paths to Peace in the Middle East," the Library is presenting another point of view on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Hillel Newman, the Consul of Israel at the Consulate General of Israel to New England, will speak at the Newton Free Library on Monday, October 28, 7:00PM. He will address the topic "The Peace Process in the Middle East and Other Strategic Issues: Israel’s Perspective." Questions will be welcome following his presentation. Seating is limited.

Newman has worked as Consul of Israel in Boston since November of 2001. Previously, his positions in Israel included Senior Advisor to the Director General of the Ministry of Science, Culture and Sport, Policy Advisor to Israeli President Moshe Katsav, Assistant to Foreign Minister David Levy and Professor of History and Director of the Center for Research at Bar Ilan University.

ASTROPHYSICIST ROY GOULD TO SPEAK ON "COSMIC QUESTIONS"
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE EXHIBIT

Astronomy has entered a golden age recently, with spectacular discoveries about the universe coming almost every week. But what does it all mean? Is nature talking to us -- and if so, what is it saying? Dr. Roy Gould, producer of the new Cosmic Questions exhibition at the Museum of Science, will show images of and discuss the latest discoveries in astronomy and what they might signify about our place in the cosmos. He'll also give a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what went into the making of the exhibit.

"Does the Universe Just Fit Us?: Finding Meaning in the Cosmos" will be held at the Newton Free Library on Tuesday, October 29, 7:30PM.

Gould is at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, where he is director of the NASA-Smithsonian Education Forum on the Universe. In addition to scientific research, he has produced films for the NOVA Science Series on public television, testified on environmental policy before the U.S. Senate and produced numerous museum exhibits.

To get more information about the Cosmic Questions Exhibition, please click here to go to the Museum of Science's website.

LIBRARY POETRY READING SERIES FEATURES ELIZABETH MCKIM,
LAINIE SENECHAL AND JUDITH STEINBERGH

The Newton Free Library Poetry Reading Series will present Elizabeth McKim, Lainie Senechal and Judith Steinbergh reading their poems on Tuesday, October 8, 7:00PM.

Steinbergh has published five books of poetry including Writing My Will and A Living Anytime. She has taught poetry to students and adults of all ages for years, and visited many classrooms in the Newton and Brookline Public Schools. Steinbergh was a Bunting Fellow at Radcliffe and a winner of the Wordworks' Washington Prize.

McKim is a poet, performer and teacher who has published four books of poetry. She is a founding member of Vox Pop Poetry and World Music Ensemble and a senior lecturer at Lesley University. In 2000 she won the Boston Poetry Lifetime achievement and the Best Female Performing Poet award at the Cambridge Poetry Festival.

Senechal is a painter and a poet who has read and been featured at many venues throughout the state. Her poems have appeared in Dasoku, The Aurorean, Larcom Review, South Boston Literary Gazette,

Ibbetson Street and many others. She has co-authored a collection of poetry, Chalice of Eros. She was also included in the anthology, City of Poets: 18 Boston Voices.

The fall series will conclude with a reading on November 12.

LIBRARY FRIENDS PRESENT "ONE NEWTON, ONE BOOK,"
A CITYWIDE READING AND DISCUSSION OF "A LESSON BEFORE DYING"

The Friends of the Newton Free Library invite Newton’s readers to take part in One Newton, One Book, a citywide book reading. Participants will read Ernest Gaines’ powerful novel of race, injustice and resistance, A Lesson Before Dying, then join in various events at the Library the week of October 7 – 12.

On Monday, October 7, 7:00PM, the Friends will screen the HBO video adaptation of the novel starring Cicely Tyson, Don Cheadle and Mehki Phifer.

On Wednesday, October 9, 7:30PM, there will be a panel discussion on capital punishment moderated by Friends’ Board member and attorney Robert Klivans, featuring Sheriff DiPaola of Middlesex County and Suffolk University law professor and attorney Michael Avery.

For more information on this panel discussion, please click here.

Book discussion groups will be held on Thursday, October 10, 7:30PM at the Main Library. To pre-register, please call 617-796-1408.

Other discussions need no pre-registration:

Monday, October 7, 10:30AM at Auburndale
Wednesday, October 9, 10:30AM at Waban
Wednesday, October 9, 10:30AM at Nonantum
Friday, October 11, 10:30AM at Newton Corner
Saturday, October 12, 10:30AM at the Main Library, Meeting Room A
Young Adults, Thursday, October 10, 4:00PM at the Main Library, Meeting Room A.

A Lesson Before Dying concerns an African American man wrongly convicted of murder in 1940s Louisiana and the local teacher persuaded to visit him in prison to teach him to face his execution with dignity. It offers strong characters who grapple with universal questions: Can one person effect change in a society in which traditional ways of behavior are firmly entrenched? What is the role of religion as death approaches? How does one balance conflicting loyalties? How does one preserve one’s convictions and personal beliefs in the face of constant attack and struggle?

The book won the 1993 National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction and was chosen for citywide readings in Seattle and Chicago. The author’s previous novels include The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.

The Friends have purchased additional copies of A Lesson Before Dying for the Library. Barnes & Noble, Borders and New England Mobile Book Fair are offering a 20% discount off the cover price.

For further information, please call the Friends at 617-796-1408.

"ONE NEWTON, ONE BOOK" Events
Mon Oct 7	10:30am	Branch Book Discussion No registration required	AUBURNDALE
Mon Oct 7	7:00pm	Video screening of "A Lesson before Dying"	MAIN LIBRARY
Wed Oct 9	10:30am	Branch Book Discussion No registration required	WABAN
	10:30am	Branch Book Discussion No registration required	NONANTUM
	7:30pm	Panel Discussion on Capital Punishment	MAIN LIBRARY
Thu Oct 10	4:00pm	Young Adults Book Discussion Group	MAIN LIBRARY
Thu Oct 10	7:30pm	Main Library Book Discussion Groups Registration Required	MAIN LIBRARY
Fri Oct 11	1-:30am	Branch Book Discussion No registration required	NEWTON CORNER
Sat Oct 12	10:30am	Main Library Book Discussion Group No registration required	MAIN BRANCH
For more information please call (617) 796-1408

LIBRARY FRIENDS PRESENT
PANEL DISCUSSION ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

In conjunction with a citywide reading and discussion of Ernest Gaines’ A Lesson Before Dying, the Friends of the Newton Free Library are hosting a panel discussion on capital punishment at the Newton Free Library, on Wednesday, October 9, 7:30PM. Moderated by Friends’ Board member and attorney Robert Klivans, the panel will feature Sheriff DiPaola of Middlesex County and Suffolk University law professor and attorney Michael Avery. The subject will be discussed in the context of the book, a powerful story of race, injustice and resistance centering on an African American man wrongly convicted of murder in 1940s Louisiana and the local teacher who is persuaded to visit him in prison to face his execution with dignity.

Attendees are encouraged to read the book before the panel discussion.

MORNING PROGRAMS AT THE LIBRARY
	Virginia Tashjian Booktalk Former Library Director Virginia Tashjian will speak at the Main Library recommending a Potpourri of New Fiction and Non-Fiction on Thursday, October 24, 10:30AM.
	Newton Corner's book group will discuss The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd on Friday, October 25, 10:30AM at Heritage at Vernon Court in Newton Corner. This discussion was postponed from last month.
	At the Waban branch, the book group will discuss Sijie Dai's Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress on Wednesday, October 30, 10:30AM.

Turn Garbage into Composting!

Whether you live in a house or apartment, if you'd like to improve your soil while getting rid of nearly half of your household garbage, come to an Easy Composting Workshop at the Library on Monday, October 21, 7:00PM.

Learn how to turn coffee grounds, tea bags, vegetable scraps, yard waste and even paper towels into black gold that will transform your soil into rich, fertile earth. Ann McGovern of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection will lead a workshop that will cover the basics of composting, different types of bins, indoor worm composting for apartment-dwellers, and how compost can eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides in your yard and garden.

This program is co-sponsored by the City of Newton's Composting Committee and the Green Decade Coalition/Newton.

Exercise and Nutrition Program

Brigham and Women's health care professionals will present programs on exercise and nutrition at the Library this fall. On Tuesday, October 22, 7:00PM, Tara Mardigan, MS, RD, MPH, will speak on "Healthy Hues: The Colors You Can Eat for Improved Nutrition." This program will address the theories behind the nutrients in food colors. Learn how to improve your health and the appeal of your meal.

"The Truth about Exercise and Nutrition" will take place on November 13, 6:30PM - details will follow in the November newsletter.

"I'm Not Racist, Am I?"
A Panel and Discussion

The Newton Human Rights Commission and the Foundation for Racial, Ethnic & Religious Harmony will present a series of public programs on racism this year; the first two will be held at the Library and will feature a bi-racial team of panelists.

Most Newton residents consider themselves open to diversity and averse to bias and bigotry. But it is systems of privilege, and not only individual racist acts, that undercut our community ideals. The "I'm Not Racist, Am I?" series will encourage people to reflect on the meaning of unearned advantage.

On Wednesday, October 16, 7:00PM – "Coming to Understand Race Privilege" will be presented by Dr. Peggy McIntosh, Associate Director of the Wellesley Center for Research on Women and author of White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack; and Dr. Robin Cook-Nobles, Director of Counseling at Wellesley College/The Stone Center, former Coordinator of Multicultural Services, with special expertise in working with racial minority populations. After the presentation, audience members are invited to share reactions to the talk and their own related experiences.

On Wednesday, November 6, 7:00PM, there will be a screening of the film"The Color of Fear," a searching and honest exploration of racism. A discussion will follow. More details will be in the November newsletter.

Friends Annual Meeting

The Friends of the Library cordially invite all library devotees to their Annual Meeting on Thursday, October 31, at 7:30PM in Druker Auditorium. The Nominating Committee has selected the following slate for election that evening: President, Dixie Borus; Vice-President, Beverly Spencer; Treasurer, Lora Martino and Secretary, Nancy Grissom. Library Director Kathy Glick-Weil is the featured speaker.

The Friends welcome all newcomers to learn more about their organization and their activities that evening

LIBRARY LOVERS' EVENING TO BE HELD AT WESTIN

Celebrate the success of the Newton Free Library, "one of the city's crown jewels," (Newton TAB, 10/3/01) at its festive Library Lovers' Evening. This year's gala will be held at the Westin Hotel in Waltham on Sunday, October 20 at 6:30PM, with an RSVP date of October 16. Enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, mingle with famous authors, then sit down to an elegant dinner, coffee and dessert. M.C. William Novak will offer amusing and insightful tributes to several distinguished authors including: Tom Perrotta whose darkly comic novel Election was made into a major motion picture, stress reduction specialist Jon Kabat-Zinn, Boston Globe sports columnist Michael Holley and cookbook author Franco Romagnoli, the former host of the PBS series "The Romagnolis' Table."

Novak is co-author of the best-selling autobiographies of Lee Iacocca, Nancy Reagan, Tip O'Neill, Magic Johnson and co-editor of The Big Book of Jewish Humor.

Funds raised from the event will go towards installation of a wireless network that will allow patrons to connect to the Internet with their laptop computers in the Library.

Tickets are $75 and may be reserved with a check made payable to the Trustees of the Newton Free Library. Mail to: Development, Newton Free Library, 330 Homer Street, Newton, MA 02459. For further information, please call 617-796-1407.

W A N T E D :

People to sell interesting merchandise at the Friends' Gift Cart in the lobby of the Main Library. Help the Friends' raise money for the Library. Flexible hours. Contact Margaret Sudbey, Volunteer Coordinator, at 617-796-1400 or email msudbey@mln.lib.ma.us for details.

Please Don't Save Seats!

When attending a Sunday after-noon concert, please do not save more than one seat as this deprives others of attending the concert. The rule is first come, first served.

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