Beat Them at their Own Game!

October 12, 2014October 12, 2014 / Susan O. / Leave a comment

Are you tired of feeling boggled when that internet meme comes around, pretending that it’s SOOOO impossible to think up a movie title without the letter “T” in it? Beat them at their own game and look super-smart to all your friends: here’s 100 easy movie titles that never use the letter T – and there’s a lot more than that! How many have you seen? If you haven’t seen them all, check out our catalog and watch one today!

Apo calypse Now
Life of Pi
Black Swan
Blood Diamond
Million Dollar Baby
Donnie Darko
Ghandi
High Noon
Fanny and Alexander
Groundhog Day

Roman Holiday
Slumdog Millionaire
Alien
Scarface
Up
Die Hard
Elysium
Blade Runner
Rebecca
Casino

Fargo
Cool Hand Luke
Kill Bill
Annie Hall
Wizard of Oz
Life of Brian
Ben-Hur
Django Unchained
Amelie
Rush

A Clockwork Orange
Lawrence of Arabia
Godzilla
X Men
Anchorman
2001: A Space Oddysey
Raging Bull
Rocky
On Golden Pond
Halloween

Ordinary People
Freaks
Avengers
Superman
Frenzy
Jaws
Son of God
Dumb and Dumber
Casablanca
A Boy and his Dog

Iron Man
Pride and Prejudice
Eraser Head
Cinderella
Pinocchio
Cars
Shane
Duck Soup
Unforgiven
Amadeus

Princess Mononoke
King Kong
Bonnie and Clyde
Wall-E
Finding Nemo
Free Willy
Born Free
Space Jam
Mary Poppins
Psycho

Mulan
Speed
Bambi
Frozen
Planes
Goodfellas
Seven Samurai
Hell Boy
Rear Window
Jurassic Park

Ocean’s Eleven
Saw
Jailhouse Rock
Help
Scream
RED
Juno
Unbreakable
Speed Racer
Hairspray

Being John Malkovich
Spider Man
American Psycho
Jerry McGuire
Zelig
Robocop
Rain Man
Children of Men
Airplane!
Nebraska

Make Your Party a Success with Help from the Library

September 30, 2014October 7, 2014 / Mary / Leave a comment

Recently, a friend of mine threw her annual summer party. Every year it’s something different and this year’s theme was Around the World.

No, she didn’t mean Around the World in 80 Days, the famous story of Phileas Fogg the most punctual man in the world. She provided a culinary and artistic world tour for her lucky guests. And she told me she could not have done it without the library.

There was tea and sushi in a Japanese garden. A German Biergarten. Shrimp on the barbie ala our mates in Australia. Indian cuisine. Asian. Every continent was represented. She even had a table of cookies with a red and white striped pole nearby labeled North Pole.

And the music! Depending on where you wandered in her house and yard, you could hear everything from Celtic harp to Caribbean steel drums.

How was the library involved? All of the recipes she used came from cookbooks she borrowed from the library. Wonderful titles such as My Paris Kitchen, It’s All Greek to Me, and Simple Thai Food stood proudly on each table. Guests could thumb through the books for interesting international recipes.

The music was all from Putumayo, a company devoted to world music. The background music consisted of World Party, Vintage France, Italian Café, Celtic Tides and many, many others.

My friend told me she got the idea for the party from the wide range of international cookbooks she saw on display at the library. When she confided her project to me, I had mentioned that she could also get a variety of world music at the library, too.

It was a memorable, multicultural evening. a world tour that never left town. I can hardly wait to see what next year’s party brings.

And, in case you were wondering, on the table that held the cookies from the North Pole, all the recipes cards simply said Mrs. Claus.

Check out our Putumayo collection and our cookbook collection:

10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know You Can Do at the Library

September 16, 2014October 7, 2014 / Mary / Leave a comment

Sure, everyone knows you can check out books, audiobooks, movies, and music but did you know you can learn how to use a computer? Put on a puppet show with your kids? Take a cooking class? Today’s libraries are full of a wide variety of interesting, fun, and even unusual things to do.

Here’s a small sample:

Watch a Movie. For free.

We show movies nearly every week at our library. From classics like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Some Like it Hot to blockbusters like Divergent and Frozen, you can watch a wide range of shows. BYOP. (Bring Your Own Popcorn.)

Love the movies? We have DVDs and Blu-rays available for checkout and an ever-growing streaming video collection from Overdrive.

Build with Legos

Builder’s Brigade occurs twice a month. (Check out the Builders Brigade blog.) Kids and their parents get to express their creativity by building amazing Lego creations, which are then displayed in the children’s room. And for those who cannot wait for Wednesday afternoons to roll around, we have a stash of Legos always available at the Children’s Room at the Lego table.

If you are looking for some creative ideas for Legos try The Lego Ideas Book: Unlock Your Imagination.

Play Minecraft

Want to become a really super Minecraft player? You can borrow The Ultimate Player’s Guide to Minecraft from the library.

Schedule a computer lesson

We offer one-on-one lessons for beginning computer users. If you need help learning to navigate the Internet or would like a basic course in email or how to use Microsoft Word, contact our Reference Department to schedule an appointment. It won’t be painful. We promise.

If you can’t wait, you can peruse Teach Yourself Visually Android Phones and Tablets or Kindle Fire HD The Missing Manual

Go to a concert

On various evenings and weekends throughout the year, talented musicians and singers perform in the Mary Baldwin room. All concerts are free and open to the public, courtesy of the Friends of the Library. Check out our Calendar of Events for upcoming shows.

In between shows, you can find nearly every type of music in our collection from The Magic of Lang Lang (classical piano) to Diary of a Madman (Ozzy Osborne)

Try an Exercise Class

From Zumba for Kids to an introduction to the martial art of Hapkido, the library hosts a variety of fitness programs throughout the year. It’s a great way to sample an exercise program before actually enrolling.

Don’t know what to try? Check out Fitness for Dummies, which describes a variety of exercise programs from cardio training to yoga.

Change Your Lifestyle

Learn to mediate. Hear about the benefits of detoxification. Enjoy an evening delving into the characteristics of introverts versus extroverts. Talk to a professional decorator. Learn about nutrition.

Some good titles to get you going: Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening or The Clean in 14 Days Detox

Join a Drum Circle

Children (and adults) can learn the fundamentals of music while playing interactive rhythm games with drums and hand-held percussion instruments from around the world. And have the fun of making a lot of noise in the library!

If you love world music try the Putumayo Presents World Groove CD.

Food, Food, Food

Attend cooking classes and demonstrations. Meet cookbook authors and local chefs. And samples, samples, samples. Learn some new cooking skills, discover new recipes, and try out tasty treats.

While you’re at it, you can also peruse our cookbook collection, which offers everything from America’s Most Wanted Recipes to Weber’s Big Book of Burgers.

10. Grab a Cup of Coffee

Or tea or even a cup of hot chocolate. Our coffee bar has something for everyone. And what could be better than sipping the hot beverage of your choice while browsing for a good book. Or movie. Or audiobook. Or CD. Or graphic novel. Or…

Well, you get the idea.

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in September

September 2, 2014September 2, 2014 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

Summer may be over, but lots of great programming continues at Cheshire Library! Here are some of the special programs we’ve got lined up this month:

SAT Preparation Seminar

Tuesday Sep 2, 2014, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Prominent language arts tutor, Ellis Ratner will address all aspects of the Reading and Writing Sections, including sentence completion, reading comprehension, grammar and essay writing. Attendees will also receive, free of charge, and SAT Preparation Primer. Register on our website.

Reckless: True Story of the Legendary Korean War Pony

Thursday Sep 4, 2014, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Janet Barrett, author of They Called Her Reckless — A True Story of War, Love And One Extraordinary Horse, will appear to discuss the story of Reckless, a small Korean pony who became a real-life hero during the Korean War. She saved many lives, raised spirits and won the love and respect of all who knew her. Reckless hauled ammo, brought back dead and wounded Marines, boosted the troops’ morale, was awarded two Purple Hearts and finally brought back to the U.S., where she lived out her years at Camp Pendleton, California. Register on our website.

Zumba for Kids

Saturday Sep 6, 2014, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Join Tracy Brody in a great Zumba program designed just for kids!
Zumba is an easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired dance-fitness program. Classes specifically for kids are formatted in a way to make getting fit fun. Kids can just let loose and be themselves! Register on our website.

Cheshire Cats Classics Club – The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford

Monday Sep 8, 2014, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

The Cheshire Cats Classics Club will resume after a summer break on Monday September 8 at 7 p.m. at the Cheshire Public Library. The book club will read The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford in honor of the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I. Register on our website. Copies of this book may be borrowed at the library.

Our Health in the Balance: Toxic Lawn Pesticides

Tuesday Sep 9, 2014, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Concerned about your health, your children’s health, your pet’s health, and the health of the environment? Find out more when presenter Dr. Jerry Silbert, a physician trained in Pathology, Laboratory Medicine, and Environmental Health, speaks about toxic lawn pesticides and chemical trespass. Register on our website.

Builder’s Brigade

Wednesdays, Sep 10 and 24 2014, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Kids have the opportunity to use their best creativity to design buildings, creatures, and more using Lego and Mega blocks. They can work alone, or in a team with peers. A different theme is picked for each session and kids can build on that theme or build a creation of their own. At the end of each session, kids can put their creations on display at the library for all to see until the next club is scheduled! NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

Silly Song Sing-a-long

Saturday Sep 13, 2014, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Silly Song Sing-a-long is a mix of popular children’s songs, musical games, dance movements, and rhythms. Children and adults will be encouraged to participate and act silly along with Edward Leonard and his guitars, drums, and maracas. Register on our website.

Fab Film Saturdays: ERNEST AND CELESTINE

Saturday Sep 20, 2014, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Ernest & Celestine (2012). Academy Award Nominee (Best Animated Feature) and featuring the voices of Forest Whitaker, Mackenzie Foy, and more! This is the gorgeously animated story of an unlikely friendship between a bear, Ernest, and a mouse named Celestine. NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Bring your own snacks!
Running Time 1 hour, 20 minutes. Rated PG.

Occult and Demonology in the Civil War

Monday, Sep 22, 2014, 7:00 PM

Join Matthew Bartlett, local author and Gettysburg historian, as he discusses demonology and the occult in the Civil War. Register on our website.

Halloween Science Workshop – 2 Sessions

Saturday Sep 27, 2014, 1:15 PM and 2:30 PM

Explore a Halloween skeleton, the science of darkness, the inner workings of Halloween toys and gadgets, and live spiders and other scary creepy-crawlies in a fun hands-on workshop conducted by local naturalist and amateur scientist, Eric Nelson. Register on our website.

Small Business Lending
Monday Sep. 29, 2014, 7:00pm

Sheldon L. Pollock, Banking Consultant and former Bank CEO, will explain the points that a business owner should consider when applying for a small business loan. Register on our website.

Revisiting Fiddler on the Roof

August 23, 2014October 7, 2014 / Mary / Leave a comment

My family and I recently saw a live performance of Fiddler on the Roof. It was my daughter’s first time seeing the play and as we discussed it afterwards, I marveled at how my perspective of the show has changed over the years.

I first saw Fiddler in the 1970’s when I was a young girl. I always identified with Tevye’s daughters and their hopes and fears as they dealt with their roles in their traditional village and the changes overtaking their world.

Upon seeing the play again, as the mother of a twenty year old, I discovered that my perspective had shifted. When as a girl I could not understand Golde’s preoccupation with planning her daughters’ futures, as an adult I now saw her point of view. It’s not the “can my daughter make a good match” aspect of Golde that I mean; it’s the concern over the future of a beloved child.

When I was younger I watched as Hodel, the second daughter, boarded the train for Siberia so she could be with the man she loved, and I saw nothing but the romance and the adventure. Now as a parent watching that scene, I cringed at the thought of sending a child off to a far away place, perhaps never to see her again.

And the songs! My sisters and I would often sing the Matchmaker song. Now, as I watched the play, it was Do You Love Me that held my attention and Sunrise, Sunset that brought tears to my eyes.

My daughter was enthusiastic about the show and wanted to see the movie to compare it to the stage production. She borrowed the DVD from the library, along with the Broadway soundtrack.

We spent an enjoyable evening later that week watching the film version and had an animated discussion about Tevye’s daughters and the choices each made. I watched my daughter as she focused on Tevye’s daughters and thought of a stanza from Sunrise, Sunset. Swiftly fly the years…

If you would like to revisit Fiddler on the Roof or perhaps see it for the first time, you can find the movie, soundtrack, and the musical score all at the library.