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307 Hawthorne AvenueDerby, Connecticut 06418

www.derbynecklibrary.orgemail: headlibrarian@biblio.org

A Regional Library

Derby Neck Library

Over a century of service to the Valley Community

Privately Funded

Currents

VOL. 11 ISSUE 3 May - June 2018

See the movie, and then learn the truth. Join us on Tuesday, May 8 at 6:30pm when Marian O’Keefe, a docent and researcher from the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, will present the truth about the life of the great showman and one-time mayor of Bridgeport. She has traveled widely collecting pictorial representations of his entire fascinating life and career, from his birth in bethel to his setting up the circus, discovering Tom Thumb, traveling in Europe, and the promotion of the growing city of Bridgeport. Always highly informative and exceptionally humorous, Marian makes local history fun. Don’t be taken in by the recent Hollywood fantasies, but learn the exciting true biography of Barnum.

Edible Flower Power with Mary Newman We like to look at them, they make us truly smile, but why on earth would anyone want to eat them? Join us on Thursday, June 14 at 6:30pm when co-author of Edible Flowers: A Global History, Mary Newman, shares examples of flowers that have a long history as a tasty ingredient in a variety of cuisines, from ancient Greek dishes to today’s molecular gastronomy and farm-to-table restaurants. Looking at flowers’ natural qualities: their unique and beautiful appearance, their pungent fragrance, and their surprisingly good taste, Newman will tie this culinary history into a larger cultural one, showing how flowers’ symbolic and religious connotations have added value and meaning to dishes in daily life and special occasions. Learn what flower products are available locally and what flowers are most easily grown even in the tiniest of gardens.

On Wednesday, May 16 at 6:30pm, we will be hosting respected photographer and independent �lmmaker Lydia Douglas for a screening of her pioneering documentary Nappy. Through this documentary �lm, Douglas sought to capture the beginning of the contemporary Black Women’s “natural hair movement.” The screening will be followed by a Q&A and discussion with Douglas. There is no registration required for this free event.

The True Life of P.T. Barnum

NAPPY, a Short Independent Film Screening

Summer Reading Is Here! On June 25, Summer Reading will officially begin at the Derby Neck Library and for the first time we will be having a dedicated Summer Reading program for adults! In addition to a host of great events during the summer months, adults will also have the opportunity to win some great prizes by showing their love of books and reading. Once per day from June 25 to August 16, when you checkout a book from the library, a staff member will give you an entry for one of seven summer raffles. Every week, we will do a random drawing for winners. For teens and tweens, the Summer Reading Readathon will be a little different from years past. Books and reading are still the main ways to earn points, but now just like adults, you will have to check out books from the library to earn your points. Every day that you come to the library and take out a book, you will earn points that you can spend any way you want on a host of prizes. See the teen brochure in June for the full details. And of course, plan to attend our many great events for chances to win even more prizes and have tons of fun along the way!

ANDREW’SPICKSQueen to Play (Caroline Bottaro, 2009).

recurring children’s programs

There have been a lot of movies about chess. More than there have been about dressage or water polo, anyway. The genre seems to have originated with the minute-long “A Chess Dispute” (1903) by the British film pioneer Robert W. Paul, a contemporary of the Lumière brothers. A few decades later the Soviet short “Chess Fever” (1925) was released. It was co-directed by the great Vsevolod Pudovkin, who was fresh off co-writing and acting in Lev Kuleshov’s very entertaining satire The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr. West in the Land of the Bolsheviks (1924), and who would later go on to direct three of the most acclaimed films of the silent era: Mother (1926), The End of St. Petersburg (1927), and Storm Over Asia (1928). I haven’t seen “Chess Fever” yet, for which I can only plead guilty to criminal negligence. Nor have I seen The Chess Players (Satyajit Ray, 1977) or Zatoichi and the Chess Expert (Kenji Misumi, 1965) or The Luzhin Defence (Marleen Gorris, 2000), which is based on a novel by Nabokov, or The Dark Horse (James Napier Robertson, 2014) or Black and White Like Day and Night (Wolfgang Petersen, 1978) or Hans Richter’s experimental feature 8 x 8: A Chess Sonata in 8 Movements (1957), a collaboration with Jean Cocteau, Marcel Duchamp, and Paul Bowles that Richter described as “part Freud, part Lewis Carroll” (and which he filmed partly at his summer home in Southbury, CT). This list testifying to my ignorance is hardly exhaustive, but it does illustrate chess’s worldwide popularity and its ability to attract the attention of a pretty diverse mélange of cinematic artists. Of course you cannot mention “chess” and “film” in the same breath without thinking of one of the greatest films ever made, The Seventh Seal (Ingmar Bergman, 1957), but that incomparable masterpiece by one of my favorite filmmakers falls well outside our (admittedly narrow) purview—as does the second James Bond film, From Russia with Love (Terence Young, 1963), which features a famous chess sequence. But there are some “chess movies” proper which I can personally recommend: Searching for Bobby Fischer (Steven Zaillian, 1993), Pawn Sacrifice (Edward Zwick, 2014), Queen of Katwe (Mira Nair, 2016), and Caroline Bottaro’s delightful French confection Queen to Play. Less intriguing, perhaps, than the ones I haven’t seen, and certainly less recherché. I’ll grant that none of them is a towering masterpiece, but they’re all good movies, and for now that will have to do.

All programs will be drop-in with no registration required. We welcome patrons from all towns to come and enjoy the programs. Prethrees classes are for ages Birth-3yrs and offer age appropriate stories, finger plays, Nursery rhymes, puppets, coloring pages and music. Name tags and a different theme are provided each week. Classes regularly occur on Mondays at 10am.Mommy and Me: Art Partners is for all ages. Working together you will explore different mediums such as crayons, markers, colored pencils, watercolor pencils, paint and finger paint. Both you and your child can open up a new expressive world to explore as you share time together creating your own art. All supplies will be provided. Classes regularly occur on Mondays at 11am.Been There Done That Movin’ On Twos and Threes is for children who have been coming to the classes for a while and are capable of following more specific directions to musical games and are ready to learn new songs. Each week a different type of instrument is introduced and shared. Classes regularly occur on Tuesdays at 10am. Music and Movement programs are for ages Birth to 5 and use instruments, scarves and singing to enhance children’s language proficiency. Songs and dancing combine to help children learn about rhythm and practice motor skills needed to improve their communication abilities. Scarves and musical instruments add to the fun. Classes regularly occur on Thursdays at 10am and 11am.

Join us on Monday, June 4 at 6:30 p.m. for another originally and thoroughly researched view of area life, work, and leisure by Pat Sweeney. This program focuses on the beginnings of the Derby Neck Library, the washout of the Ousatonic Dam, the rapid growth of local industries, area social events, the bicycle craze, fashions, and more.

The Valley in the 1890s

The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln Professor Hamish Lutris expert on the Civil War and the life of Abraham Lincoln returns to our library on Thursday, May 10 at 6:30pm to discuss the qualities and strategies that made Lincoln’s presidency a success, as he guided the nation through our darkest period. How was the cabinet selected and employed, how were military decisions handled, how did Lincoln’s humble beginnings combined with his law career influence his use of language and storytelling to be an effective leader. Learn the answers to these and other questions with a highly qualified and expert lecturer on Lincoln.

On Tuesdays from 12:00–3:00pm, the Derby Neck Library hosts our adult program series Afternoon Tea V! This program series features an hour’s worth of episodes of TWO shows, a traditional TV series at noon followed by a streaming-only show on services like Netflix and Hulu at 1pm, followed by an hour of discussion. Throughout, there will be tea, coffee, and biscuits for refreshments. There is no fee for this program and no registration is required. Join us!

STAFF:Ian Parsells, Head LibrarianKathleen Gordon, Children’s LibrarianPatricia Sweeney, Reference LibrarianRoberto Carmona, Head of CirculationChristina Baclawski, Andrew Bisaccia, Stephen Bisaccia, Bonnie Chevarella, Kim MacDonald, David Makusevich, Christopher Ochoa, Norman Strumello, Kristina WarrengerBOARD OF DIRECTORS: John Walsh, President; Shirley Erickson, Vice President; Maureen Coffey, Linda Coppola, Tim Dillon, Laura Donahue, Rick Dunne, Michael Flora, Karen Kemmesies, Richard Knoll, John Rak, Bruce Sill, Fr. Christopher Tiano.

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- Miss Kathi

FROM THE

By Patricia E. Sweeney

ARCHIVES . . .

Literary Club Events

D&D Sundays D&D Sundays

With Spring in the air, it is time to plan for Summer Reading! This year’s theme is “Libraries Rock”! While Miss Kathi’s programs will continue throughout the summer, there will also be many special programs presenting music, animals and family fun. Summer Reading will begin on June 25th and end on August 15. With your children out of school for two months, now is the time to read to and with them to help show how much fun reading can be. Choose something to read together about a new subject you may not know about yourself. That way you and your child can explore together. Take turns choosing a subject and then come to the library and find a book to check out that you can read together. Children learn by watching, so take some time out for yourself this summer by relaxing with a good book or magazine from the library. We have a variety of magazines for both children and adults on a variety of topics. In the lineup along with Phil Rosenthal are other fun activities like mini golf and goat yoga, so keep an eye on the next flyer, our website, Facebook and library flyers for the exact dates!

Daytime On Monday, May 21 at 12:30 p.m., the Women’s Forum will discuss two short stories -- “Anyuta” by Anton Chekhov and “The Waltz” by Dorothy Parker. Copies of the two are available by asking at the circulation desk. Join us for an informative and entertaining session.On Monday, June 18 at 12:30 p.m., the Women’s Forum will watch a PowerPoint presentation by Pat Sweeney on “The Valley in the 1890s.” This program focus on the beginnings of the Derby Neck Library, the rapid growth of local industry, fashions, the great Dam Break, the bicycle craze, and more. Feel free to bring a light lunch. We serve coffee and tea at each meeting.EveningOn Monday, May 21 at 6:30 p.m., the Evening Book Club will meet to discuss “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, a celebrated French author. On Monday, June 25 at 6:30 p.m., the Evening Book Club will focus on “Mom & Me & Mom” by Maya Angelou. The copy of each book for discussion is available at the library prior to the meeting night. Come join us for a stimulating, informative session seated near our fireplace in the Reading Room.

Our library always has striven for the promotion of reading and learning at all age levels. Our founder Maj. Wilbur Osborne held an interesting contest back in 1898 to achieve these goals. He created fifteen rather detailed, highly specific questions on the era of the American Revolution and offered a prize to anyone answering them all correctly. The research for the answers could be done using books available at the library. The prize was a handsome set of novels written by Sir Walter Scott. The efforts were to honor the memory of Capt. Stephen Osborne, the major’s grandfather, who had served in the Revolutionary War. Here is a sampling of the questions: - Where was New Connecticut located? (an early name for Vermont)- Where was the Western Reserve? (in Northeastern Ohio, west of Pennsylvania)- What were the “firelands” of Connecticut? (located in the western section of the Western Reserve — a very large acreage set aside for residents whose homes and properties had been destroyed by the British during the revolution)

Computer ClassesLearn the basics of Microsoft Word and Excel, email, and how to search the Internet for whatever interests you. Start any day, but you can only attend once a week. Classes last an hour and are held on Mondays at 6pm and Tuesdays/Wednesdays at 10:30am.

Dinner and a MovieTaking place on the 1st Thursday of the month, adults are invited to the library’s Dinner and a Movie. Featuring movies new and old on Bluray, this popular program has something for everyone 18 and over! Dinner will be served at the half-way point with refreshments being served throughout. On May 3, we will be showing The Greatest Showman. June’s movie will be revealed on flyers in the building and on our Website.

On the first and third Sundays of the month, members of the D&D club will meet in the library from 1-5pm to play epic campaigns and enjoy the company of fellow enthusiasts. Refreshments are served throughout. All supplies provided. Contact club moderator, Ian Parsells at headlibrarian@biblio.org if you are interested in joining the group.

New programs are added frequently, so check in the Library and our Website for the most up-to-date schedule.

Calendar of EventsMay 2018May 1, 8, 15, 22 Been There Done That classes for children 10:00 amMay 3, 10, 17, 24 Music and Movement classes for children 10:00 & 11:00 amMay 7, 14, 21 Pre-Threes classes for children 10:00 am May 7, 14, 21 Mommy & Me: Art Partners for children 11:00 amMay 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Video Game Club (VGC) for Teens/Tweens 3:00–6:00 pmMay 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Teen Film Club 4:00 pmMay 6, 20 D&D Sundays for teens and adults 1:00–5:00 pmMay 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Afternoon Tea V 12:00–3:00 pmMay 5, 12, 19, 26 Needlers Club for adults 1:00–4:00 pm May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Computer classes for adults 10:30–11:30 am May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Computer classes for adults 10:30–11:30 am May 7, 14, 21 Computer classes for adults 6:00–7:00 pm

May 3 Dinner and a Movie: The Greatest Showman 5:30 pmMay 8 The True Life of P.T. Barnum 6:30 pmMay 10 The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln 6:30 pmMay 16 Friends of the DNL Monthly Meeting 6:00 pmMay 16 Nappy, a Short Independent Film Screening 6:30 pmMay 21 Women’s Forum 12:30 pmMay 21 Evening Book Club 6:30 pmMay 28 LIBRARY CLOSED (MEMORIAL DAY)

June 2018June 4, 11, 18, 25 Pre-Threes classes for children 10:00 am June 4, 11, 18, 25 Mommy & Me: Art Partners for children 11:00 amJune 5, 12, 19, 26 Been There Done That classes for children 10:00 amJune 7, 14, 21, 28 Music and Movement classes for children 10:00 & 11:00 amJune 5, 12, 19, 26 Video Game Club (VGC) for Teens/Tweens 3:00–6:00 pmJune 5, 12, 19, 26 Teen Film Club 4:00 pmJune 3, 17 D&D Sundays for teens and adults 1:00–5:00 pmJune 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Needlers Club for adults 1:00–4:00 pmJune 4, 11, 18, 25 Computer classes for adults 6:00–7:00 pm June 5, 12, 19, 26 Computer classes for adults 10:30–11:30 amJune 6, 13, 20, 27 Computer classes for adults 10:30–11:30 amJune 5, 12, 19, 26 Afternoon Tea V 12:00–3:00 pm

June 7 Dinner and a Movie for adults 5:30 pmJune 14 Edible Flower Power with Mary Newman 6:30 pmJune 18 Women’s Forum 12:30 pm June 20 Friends of the DNL Monthly Meeting 6:00 pmJune 25 Evening Book Club 6:30 pmJune 25 Children Summer Reading BeginsJune 25 Teen/Tween Summer Reading BeginsJune 25 Adult Summer Reading BeginsJune 28 Teen I-Spy Dinner and a Movie 5:00 pm