Come meet Ellen and her dog Ricky as they read stories about people and their assistance dogs and answer your questions about service animals. Ricky was trained by the NEADS organization. Recommended for ages 4 and up. Tuesday, May 8 at 3:30 p.m.
Author: Lauren Pfendner
Books & Bites: Eric Hurowitz
Author Eric Hurwitz will speak on his book Massachusetts Town Greens: A History of the State’s Common Centers at May’s Books and Bites.
Eric Hurwitz’s Massachusetts Town Greens: A History of the State’s Common Centers
Monday, May 14th
11am, Library Assembly Room
The state of Massachusetts still has and continues to celebrate its town or village greens. These greens date back to Colonial times when they served as the centers for towns. Today, many town greens continue to be the center of town events, fairs, and other gatherings. Massachusetts Town Greens explores the history of these remarkable greens and provides a guide to current events. In addition to speaking about his book, Eric Hurwitz will present a PowerPoint slide show of beautiful photos of the town greens of Massachusetts.
Eric Hurwitz holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Suffolk University in Boston, MA and spent 20-plus years as a reporter, assistant editor, and public affairs specialist in the public and private sectors.
All are welcome to attend this free program. Refreshments will be provided. Books will be available for purchase and signing. The Assembly Room is handicapped accessible. This program made possible by the Friends of the Belmont Public Library. Click here to learn how to join the Friends or renew your membership.
Margot Livesey: The Hidden Machinery
New York Times bestselling author Margot Livesey offers a masterclass for those who love reading literature and for those who aspire to write it. Through close readings, arguments about craft, and personal essays, Livesey delves into the inner workings of fiction and considers how our stories and novels benefit from paying close attention to both great works of literature and to our own individual experiences.
Friends Author Series
Margot Livesey
Thursday, April 19th
7pm, Library Assembly Room
“Livesey writes with wisdom and insight about the craft of writing, proposing to expose what the professional author conceals that the apprentice fiction writer needs to know.” Publisher’s Weekly
“A smart, unpretentious guide.… Would-be writers will find this both useful and inspiring, while general readers can simply enjoy Livesey’s keen insights and engaging prose.”Kirkus, ¬ Review
MARGOT LIVESEY is the New York Times bestselling author of Mercury, The Flight of Gemma Hardy, The House on Fortune Street, Banishing Verona, Eva Moves the Furniture, The Missing World, Criminals, and Homework. Her work has appeared in the New Yorker, Vogue, and the Atlantic. Born in Scotland, Livesey currently lives in the Boston area and is a professor of fiction at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.
The Friends Author Series is made possible by the Friends of the Belmont Public Library. Click here to learn how to join the Friends or renew your membership. All are welcome to attend these free events. The Assembly Room is handicapped accessible.
Friends Music Series: Mike Block
Pioneering multi-style cellist, singer, composer, and educator, Mike Block returns to the Library this spring. Hailed by Yo-Yo Ma as the “ideal musician of the 21st-Century”, and acclaimed by the NY Times for his “vital rich-hued solo playing”.
Mike Block
Saturday, April 7th, 3pm
Library Assembly Room
Mike Block’s Music on Saturday performance is supported in part by a grant from the Belmont Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
View upcoming Friends Music and Author Series programs here, or visit belmontpubliclibrary.net/fopbl to find out how you can support our programming.
East Wing Closed for Renovations
The Library’s East Wing, which houses our main non-fiction collection, is closed temporarily for renovations. While access to our non-fiction materials is limited during this time, please know that we are making every effort to ensure patrons can still get the resources they need.
*The West Wing, which houses non-fiction published in the last year, is now available. Any older non-fiction books that are returned to the library during the renovation will be temporarily shelved in the biography stacks of the West Wing. We are also in the process of creating a few carts with top-circulating books, which will be available to browse in our Reference Room.
*We are always able to reserve books from other Minuteman libraries, either to be picked up in Belmont or at the owning library.
*Patrons still have access to our online resources. This includes:
- electronic book and audiobook versions of thousands of non-fiction books, available through Overdrive & Hoopla
- Online resources, including full textbooks, newspaper articles, scholarly journals and more. Please visit our subject guide to browse our databases by topic.
*For those students completing school projects, our reference collection and friendly reference librarians are at your disposal. May we suggest Conflicts in America History?
We are hopeful that we will re-open the East Wing in April once the work is completed. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email the Library.
Writing Your Memoir
Award-winning author, instructor and editor Lynette Benton will teach you how put your life or family stories down on paper. This four-week course will cover:
- how to get started and keep writing
- engaging your readers
- resources for memoir and family history writing
Thursdays, March 29th, April 5th, April 12th, and April 19th
3-4:30pm
Flett Room
Space is limited. Register in person, online or by calling 617 993-2870.
March Author Talks & Books Discussions
Belmont Book Discussion
The Sympathizer
Wednesday, March 21st
3PM, Flett Room
Join us for a discussion of The Sympathizer, by Viet Thanh Nguyen. This group meets in the Flett Room on the third Wednesday of every other month. No registration is required and all are welcome. See the Belmont Book Discussion book selections and dates for 2018.
The Friends Author Series, Books and Bites, and Belmont Book Discussion are made possible by the Friends of the Belmont Public Library. Click here to learn how to join the Friends or renew your membership. All are welcome to attend these free events. The Assembly Room is handicapped accessible.
Past March Author Talks and Book Discussions
Author Olivia Hoblitzelle will discuss her book Aging with Wisdom. “Drawing deeply on her own experiences as well as stories and studies about aging from other cultures, Hoblitzelle (Ten Thousand Joys & Ten Thousand Sorrows) explores the ways that readers can nourish their inner lives and spirit even as their bodies age and facilities diminish.” – Publisher’s Weekly Review
Friends of the Library Author Series
Olivia Hoblitzelle: Aging with Wisdom
Thursday, March 15th
7pm, Library Assembly Room
Renewable Energy: There is More Than Enough
Tuesday, March 6
7-9pm, Library Assembly Room
7-9pm, Library Assembly Room
Dr. Mara Prentiss discusses how we can shift entirely to renewable energy. Her book is a very clear and readable resource for the energy revolution that many nations are already implementing. How can we accomplish this in the US, and how fast? And how can we overcome the resistance from the fossil fuel industry? Brought to you by Science for the Public, Belmont Media Center, and Belmont Public Library. On average renewable energy can supply more than 100% total current and future US energy consumption, but at each moment we need the actual supply to meet the actual demand. Moving toward an all electrical energy economy can make this dream a reality.
Dr. Prentiss is author of Energy Revolution: The Physics and the Promise of Efficient Technology. For more information, visit Energy: Be the Change
Books and BitesTalk on Little Women
Monday, March 12th
11AM, Assembly Room
Librarian Miriam MacNair will discuss Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. The novel Little Women is one of the most loved works of fiction in all of American literature. Set in New England during the Civil War, Little Women tells the story of the unforgettable March sisters–Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy.
Civic Literacy with Sen. Will Brownsberger
State Senator Will Brownsberger will be at the Library to discuss :
- The importance of local and state elections
- How you can help shape state policy
- Current issues being debated on Beacon Hill
Monday, March 19th, 7pm in the Library Assembly Room
EVERY VOTE COUNTS is part of the Citizen Literacy Series : science-media-civic literacy for an informed, engaged public.
Belmont Book Discussion
Join us March 21 at 3PM for a discussion of The Sympathizer, by Viet Thanh Nguyen. This group meets in the Flett Room on the third Wednesday of every other month. No registration is required and all are welcome.
See the book selections and dates for 2018.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Belmont Public Library.
Fireside Chat: The Internet of Things
Smart devices are on the rise – we’ll discuss what you need to know about the Internet of Things. Scott Donnelly, VP Technical Solutions at Recorded Future, and Detective James Siracusa of the Belmont Police Department will discuss voice activated home assistants (Alexa), remote cameras and smart technology like Wi-Fi enabled thermostats. Moderated by IT Advisory Committee’s Glenn Wong.
Tuesday, February 27th
7PM, Library Assembly Room
Scott Donnelly
About the speaker:
Tackling national and corporate security for over a decade, Scott and his team at Recorded Future work closely with leading cyber security teams at Fortune 1000 companies and government organizations. They help develop cyber threat intelligence capabilities for threat hunting, risk mitigation, and incident response. Scott is a sought after speaker at cyber security events and regularly contributes to recordedfuture.com’s blog. He holds an MBA from Georgetown University and a BA in Political Science from Villanova University.
Sponsored by the Belmont IT Advisory Committee.