Collection Highlights for March 2015

The month of March is fast waning, but don't worry! You still have time to check out our featured collections before April begins.

Women's History Month - For Kids!

Picture Books, Non-Fiction, and Chapter Books

We set up a display of books - both fiction and non-fiction, historical, and modern - about women and girls going on adventures, shaping the past, looking to the future, and generally being awesome.

Staff Picks

• Eugenie Clark: Adventures of a Shark Scientist by Ellen R. Butts & Joyce R. Schwartz
• Nikki & Deja: The Newsy News Newsletter by Karen English
• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
• Loud Emily by Alexis O'Neill
• Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees by Franck Prévot

Holiday Display Cart

Ready for spring? So are we! Come take a gander at our books and movies celebrating the coming of spring and the holidays of Passover and Easter.

Staff Picks

• The Passover Journey: A Seder Companion by Barbara Diamond Goldin
• Here Comes T-Rex Cottontail by Lois G. Grambling
• At Jerusalem's Gate: Poems of Easter by Nikki Grimes
• The Four Questions by Lynne Sharon Schwartz
• Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward

Women's History Month Adult Display

We also have a display of adult books about women and by women (though anyone is free to check them out!), on display in front of the circulation desk! Includes fiction and non-fiction and we've included pictures of some of our favorite authors to give you inspiration for reading.

Staff Picks

• The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler
• When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple ed. by Sandra Martz
• The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud
• Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
• She Matters: A Life in Friendships by Susanna Sonnenberg

Springtime Programs

It might not feel that way outside, but spring IS here and we have a new line-up of upcoming programs! Come in, check them out, we'd love to see you there.

Children's Programs

Asterisks indicate registration is required.

Hall currently has two storytimes - 1, 2, 3, Play with Me! for children ages 1-3 and their caregivers, and Kick-Off to Kindergarten, for children ages 4-5. The storytimes run in seven-week sessions. Our next session will begin the week of March 30th, so if you haven't signed up, there's still time!

Asterisks indicate registration is required.

We're expanding our kids clubs! In addition to our ongoing Lego Club, which meets every other Wednesday for children in grades K-3, we'll be adding a Minecraft Club! This club will meet on the first Thursday of the month from April-June, space is limited, so be sure to register!

Teen Programs

We're currently accepting volunteers under age 18 who need hours to fulfill a quota set by school, church, scouts, or another organization which requires volunteer hours to fulfill a course or another requirement. The library can offer between two and four hours of work per volunteer, per week.

Adult Programs

Our regular Tai-Chi classes meet Monday nights from 6:30PM - 7:30PM.

This month's Book Club selection is The Story Hour by Thrity Umrigar, it will be discussed on Wednesday, March 25th. The Book Club meets on the last Wednesday of the month at 6:30PM. The follow month's book will be Norwegian by Night by Derek Miller - this book is the Read Across Rhode Island book of the year!

The Spring Concert Series will be wrapping up on March 28th with a performance by soprano Blythe Walker.

John Wiening performs on the classical guitar.

Poetry Out Loud will meet on Saturday, April 11th from 2:00PM-3:30PM; it is a community poetry sharing event in honor of National Poetry Month.

A community sewing group, Sew Seeds of Love, meets on the second Monday of each month at 5:30PM for the purposes of completing a sewing project for charity.

The Civil War Roundtable will be meeting at 6:30PM on the third Wednesday of every month through June. The April meeting will be about the David Willis House in Gettysburg and the speaker for the May meeting will be Kathy Wright of the American Civil War Museum.

The library's Seed Library will begin with a kick-off event on Saturday, April 25th.

There will be a Children's Clothing Swap on Saturday, May 2nd from 2:00PM-3:00PM and a Baby and Toddler Clothing Swap from 3:00PM-4:00PM.

The Cranston High School East Chamber Music Orchestra will perform on Thursday, May 7th from 5:00PM-7:45PM.

Songs for Springtime

We polled the staff to find out which soundtracks they like to listen to in springtime (and despite the snow on the ground, we're optimistic that spring will show up eventually).

Juno: Music from the Motion Picture - "Consists of cheerful, upbeat, occasionally silly songs with a pop-folk vibe."

Eat, Pray, Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - "Has some very pretty samba songs which seem happy and springlike to me and a wonderful version of 'S'Wonderful' sung by Joao Gilberto. It also has 'Harvest Moon' by Neil Young which is a favorite love song - 'In spring, a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love' - isn't that so?"

Something's Gotta Give - "Again Samba songs (what's with me and samba?) and some songs in French - Paris = Spring."

Riverdance: Music from the Show - "When I think of Spring this is the Soundtrack I go to. Celtic upbeat springy etc. (Beautiful composed music.)"

P.S. I Love You: Music from the Motion Picture - "Has some good songs on it."

Leap Year - "May be a day in February, but the movie takes place in Ireland and the Soundtrack is spunky."

The Sound of Music: Original Broadway Cast Recording - "The hills are alive, these are a few of my favorite things; spring-like."

Now & Then and Akeelah and the Bee - "Fun 60s pop & Motown! Play these with the windows a down cruising down the highway."

Rhode Island Heart Gallery Display

Haley and Seth

Alexis and Jake

The William Hall Library is happy to have a beautiful display of pictures of children currently in foster care who are looking to be adopted by a loving family. Our display is part of the tenth annual Heart Gallery put on by Adoption Rhode Island. From their flyer -

"The children featured in this Heart Gallery are a representation of the hundreds of children in foster care that are waiting for families of their own. The children in this Gallery are beautiful, they have many talents, they hope for better tomorrows, they worry about the unknown, they have waited too long, they dream of belonging to a family. The children in this Gallery are hopeful that as this beautiful exhibit travels across our state, a family might see them and just know they are the child for them."

Miguel

Ryan

We encourage our patrons to come in, look at the pictures, and learn the children's stories.

Kayley

Makayla

 

Edward

Rashae

Carlos

Elisamuel and Joshua

James and Alyssa and Michael

Jenise

                       

February New Releases

It's getting to the end of the month, but there's still time to check out our new releases in children's and teens!

Picture Books

Pirate, Viking & Scientist by Jared Chapman
"A pirate and a Viking fight to become the very best friend of a kid scientist, who meanwhile devises the perfect formula for all three friends to play together."

The Sheep Go on Strike by Jean-François Dumont
"When the sheep on a farm go on strike rather than having their warm coats sheared off, the other animals begin taking sides until, at last, a compromise can be reached."

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña 
"A young boy, C.J., rides the bus across town with his grandmother and learns to appreciate the beauty in everyday things."

The Gentleman Bat by Abraham Schroeder
"A gentleman bat takes a stroll through the city, where he dances in the town square and meets a ladyfriend before a sudden downpour dampens his evening activities."

Green is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors by Roseanne Greenfield Thong
"A little girl discovers all the bright colors in her Hispanic American neighborhood."

Chapter Books

Starring Jules (as Herself) by Beth Ain
"Jules is an ordinary seven-year-old girl, concerned with school and friends and other ordinary things--until a chance meeting with a casting director leads to an audition for a television commercial."

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
"Fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health."

The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson
"Jackson Greene has a reputation as a prankster at Maplewood Middle School, but after the last disaster he is trying to go straight--but when it looks like Keith Sinclair may steal the election from Jackson's former best friend Gabriela, he assembles a team to make sure Keith does not succeed."

Dappled Annie and the Tigrish by Mary McCallum
"Annie enjoys spending time in the hedge at the end of the garden where she can keep cool and talk to the creatures that live there."

Guts & Glory: The American Civil War by Ben Thompson
"An educational collection of amazing-but-true facts about the Civil War shares accounts of such events as female spies fighting for the Rebel cause, cavalry rides in enemy territory, and the reelection of President Lincoln."

Teen Books

Shutter by Courtney Alameda
"Seventeen-year-old Micheline Helsing is a tetrachromat--a girl who sees the auras of the undead in a prismatic spectrum. As one of the last descendants of the Van Helsing lineage, she has trained since childhood to destroy monsters both corporeal and spiritual...With an analog SLR camera as her best weapon, Micheline exorcises ghosts by capturing their spiritual energy on film."

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
"In the town of Fairfold, where humans and fae exist side by side, a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives awakens after generations of sleep in a glass coffin in the woods, causing Hazel to be swept up in new love, shift her loyalties, feel the fresh sting of betrayal, and to make a secret sacrifice to the faerie king."

Paper Airplanes by Dawn O'Porter
"The story of the strong bond of friendship between two fifteen-year-old girls in Guernsey in the mid-1990s, who became friends through their shared loneliness, and dysfunctional families, despite their differences in personality and ambitions."

Out of Nowhere by Maria Padian
"Performing community service for pulling a stupid prank against a rival high school, soccer star Tom tutors a Somali refugee with soccer dreams of his own."

Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin
"Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgement of gender preference."

Library Love: The William Hall Edition

Never let it be said we aren't suckers for shameless self-promotion - for the month of February, we asked our patrons to tell us what they like most about William Hall, here are some of the responses:

I love William Hall Library because...

"Peace (quiet/warm), embraces community, cozy."

"I can always get sports books. And I can always get lots of books :-)"

"I get terrific service and assistance."

"The movies and the people are great! Thanks." -Sean

"It has lots of stuff to enjoy without spending money. Plus the ceiling is very pretty." -J.C.

"Because there's books to look at." -Leo, age 5

"The people are nice and easy-going and helpful. It is not only warm, but the library is very cheerful."

"All of the staff is extremely kind and friendly (especially Sara)."

"There are so many books within walking distance!" -Sarah

"We have such a terrific and dedicated staff. Also I <3 William Hall Library because Loretta C. came up with this idea + made it happen."

"Kena + Loretta work here. It an institution in community - has been for years - offering many opportunities - story hours, knitting groups, citizenship classes, book group."

"I've been coming here for over 35 years! I'm so thankful as a parent and teacher for this warm, wonderful place <3"

"Staff is friendly and helpful. You always feel welcome."

"They are so helpful - and enlarged my model boat plans!"

"...because of its charm, the neighborhood feel, its books, it's friendly staff. What's not to love?"

"Everyone at the library is so helpful. I always walk in and see smiling faces, you can tell everyone loves working here!"

"I like getting books!" -One of our younger patrons

"It is a beautiful place, filled with beautiful people, who provide a beautiful service. It is a crown jewel of Edgewood!"

"...of the beautiful building and the awesome staff!"

"It's been my library since I was a kid! It smells and feels like what a library should feel and smell like. The staff is so knowledgeable and friendly! The best!"

"Been coming here since I was 5 - on my own. Love this place + the people who help me here."

"It provides access to a world of knowledge at my fingertips! (And it's down the street.) (And the people are the nicest.)"

"Very friendly staff. Love the old building. :-)"

"You guys are the greatest - please keep being my Valentine!" -Sandy J.

"It is historic, invaluable, and a pleasure to see so many friends!"

"I can escape through fiction. Also, I enjoy all of the free magazines."

"I met Adrienne here who is my friend and mentor!"

"I have been a patron here for 50 years. William Hall always has the books I am requesting and the librarians are always kind + cheerful <3"

"It is a beautiful building!"

"I love doing puzzles!" -Hazel

"They are a great service to me and the public! Thanks guys + girls!"

"My daughters love to read so much and we would be lost w/out the library. We even checked out books online when we lived in Tokyo!"

"The swell staff!"

"I love the librarians!"

"It is so big and it is so quiet."

"As a patron and an employee, the FUN never stops!"

"It is home to all the greatest love stories. <3" - Sara

"...of the excellence of the staff and the beauty of the building."

"It has books in it so when I am bored I can read." -Emma

"I love the librarians, and the quiet, and the books! <3" -Leslie

"The librarians are awesome!"

"The staff . The building. The books. The staff picks. The building is amazing + the staff!"

"The people who work here are the greatest - most helpful. Building beautiful too!"

"It's close to home and the staff is wonderful! <3"

"...of all the kind, wonderful people; great books and movies; atmosphere, and summer music outdoors!"

"Our whole family finds something good to read here!"

"It's my world. It's my window to future travel & my Valentine." -Bonni

"It is there I find the answers I seek & realize the dreams I have."

"A world of ideas is available to me for FREE."

"The staff gets me everything I want, make great recommendations, and I can walk here." -Arnold

"Beautiful! Convenient! Wonderful librarians!"

"Cheerful and friendly staff! <3"

"The beautiful ceiling and molding."

"Because of the holds option. Personal service."

"The employees are the best at there jobs."

"Words fail me. This library is the greatest." -Doug

Blind Date with a Book

For the month of February, Hall will be hosting a Blind Date with a Book program - come in, take a chance on a wrapped book from our collection, fill out a short survey form and return the form to be entered into a raffle to win a prize!

Our display is located on the table across from the computer lab.

Remember - don't unwrap the book until you've checked out! Survey slips must be filled out in full to qualify for entry, the slips themselves should be tucked inside your "date" book.