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Author: Lauren Pfendner

The Monster Within: Experience of the Outsider

Posted on by Lauren Pfendner
Join the Human Rights Commission, Belmont Against Racism, and the Library for a discussion about society’s inherent need to label what we don’t understand, inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
Thursday, October 18th
7pm, Library Assembly Room
Light refreshments served
One of the most poignant and disturbing aspects of Frankenstein is the monster’s experience of rejection and isolation due to his physical appearance. While Victor Frankenstein chooses self-imposed solitude in pursuit of his scientific ambitions, the monster’s suffering is imposed upon him by those he so desperately wishes to befriend. He is treated as the outsider, a reception that leads to devastating consequences. Who is the monster here?
Join a conversation about the monster within and the experience of the outsider.
How does someone come to identify as an outsider? How do we contribute to this outsider status? What are the consequences? How do bring others in?
Join us as we take perspective on this experience in our lives and society.

Free Guided Tour: MGH Museum of Medical History

Posted on by Lauren Pfendner

The Belmont Historical Society is pleased to sponsor a free field trip to the MGH Museum of Medical History and Innovation. The visit will include a guided and self-guided tour of the museum which contains interactive media displays, old and new medical instruments, and research stories. This will be followed by a tour of the famous Bulfinch Building (1821) and its Ether Dome.

Free Guided Tour
MGH Museum of Medical History & Innovation
Friday, October 19th, 10:00-11:00am
Meet at the museum, located at 2 North Grove St. in Boston, MA. It is just two blocks from the MBTA Red Line MGH/Charles stop.
Registration required

Registration is required for this program. To register, please click on the link above, call the library’s Reference Desk at 617-993-2870, or ask a reference staff member the next time you’re in the library.

 

 

We’re Turning Green and Purple this Month!

Posted on by Lauren Pfendner

Notice anything different about our website? In honor of and to raise awareness for our One Book One Belmont 2018 selection, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, we turned our website green (and purple, and light purple).

We’re also hosting a whole month of events, check out the calendar below, and visit our One Book One Belmont dedicated website, onebookonebelmont.com, for more information.

ITAC Tech Talk: Artificial Intelligence

Posted on by Lauren Pfendner

This Thursday, two experts will share thoughts and insights on artificial intelligence and its relation to fake news and microchips.

Information Technology Advisory Committee Tech Talk
Thursday, September 27th
7pm, Library Assembly Room

Harvard Professor Gu-Yeon Wei will discuss “deep learning”—machines solving problems and making predictions by identifying patterns and sifting through massive amounts of data— and how its being incorporated into everyday technology.

Then, AI researcher and founder of News-to-US, Dr. Bryan Loyall will turn our attention to how modern technology influences news consumption in his talk, Misinformation, Disinformation and Fake News — The shape of the problem and why it is likely to get worse before it gets better. Fake news, misinformation and disinformation came to many people’s attention during the 2016 presidential election, but it has not gone away now that the election is over. Rather, it has arguably gotten worse, and many of the fundamentals in the technology and societal landscape that enabled it to emerge at such a large scale remain in place. In this talk we will discuss what we know about misinformation in the modern technology and societal landscape.

Gu-Yeon Wei is Robert and Suzanne Case Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) at Harvard University.
Bryan Loyall, Ph.D. is technologist, researcher and entrepreneur who first focused on the accelerating misinformation problem in 2007.

Sponsored by the Belmont Information Technology Advisory Committee, the Belmont Public Library and Library Friends.

flyer for tech talk

FINE FORGIVENESS

Posted on by Lauren Pfendner

You Forgot? We Forgive!

Now through Saturday, September 22nd, bring in your overdue books or let us know about your overdue fines and we will make them… POOF… disappear!

 Please note: All overdue fines on BELMONT items will be eligible for forgiveness. Charges for lost or damaged items are not eligible, nor are fines from other libraries.

For more information, contact 617-993-2855.

 

Belmont Book Discussion 9/19

Posted on by Lauren Pfendner

Join us on September 19 for a discussion of Kathleen Grissom’s The Kitchen House.  This novel, set in the antebellum South, tells the story of an indentured servant and the slaves she lives among.  Copies are available in the library’s main lobby.  The Belmont Book Discussion group meets on the third Wednesday of every other month.

This year, we have added a special October meeting to discuss Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, our 2018 One Book One Belmont selection.

Kitchen House:  Wednesday, September 19 @3PM in the Flett Room

Frankenstein: Wednesday, October 17 @3PM in the Flett Room.  Copies available in the library’s Reading Room.

 

Getting the Most Out of Our Online Genealogy Resources

Posted on by Lauren Pfendner
Learn about three great genealogy resources, available through the library: Ancestry.com; American Ancestors; and HeritageQuest. We’ll discuss the highlights, and give you tips on how to get the most out of each.
Tuesday, September 11
11:00AM to 12:30PM
Assembly Room.
Registration is optional, but appreciated.

ELL Conversation Groups Resume

Posted on by Lauren Pfendner

Practice speaking English, improve your conversational skills, and learn about other cultures at the English language learning conversation groups here at the Library. Our groups meet:

Mondays, 10:00AM – 12:00PM in the Flett Room, beginning Sept. 16th

Wednesdays, 7:00PM – 8:30PM in the Flett Room, beginning Sept. 18th

No registration is necessary, just drop in. All meetings are free and open to the public. Please be aware that this is not an English class with a structured step-by-step curriculum. Instead, it is a chance to practice speaking, listening, and reading in a welcoming environment with guidance from the group leader. The skill level will be determined at the first few meetings, depending on the level of the participants. For more information please call the reference desk, 617-993-2870.

Porchfest at the Belmont Public Library

Posted on by Lauren Pfendner
The Library is participating in this year’s inaugural Belmont Porchfest!   On Saturday, September 8th, from 3-5pm, come to the front steps of the Library, for three great performances:
  • 3:00pm to 3:30pm: Katha, a Story from the Kathakas
  • 3:30 to 4:00pm: Namuna on guitar and ukulele
  • 4:00 to 5:00pm: A reading from Turkey Shoot by Geoffrey Dutton
Rain Date: Sunday, September 9

Back to the 80s & 90s Summer Reading Send-off

Posted on by Lauren Pfendner

Total gnarly blast from the past, dude!

Thursday, August 9th, 6:30-8:30pm, Library Assembly Room

Come skip-it, play with a Lite-Brite and beat your friends at the original MarioKart for Super Nintendo. We’ll also have 80s and 90s themed crafts, trivia, crafts, tubular snacks, and music that’s hecka cooooool.

Part of our Rock’n Summer Programming, sponsored by the Friends of the Belmont Public Library 

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