William Marchione speaking on Italian-American Immigration

Italian-Americans in the Greater Boston Area: Beginnings

William Marchione, teacher, author and President of the Brighton Historical Society presents the history of the early Italian experiences in the Boston area. Mr. Marchione will trace the role Italians played in the life of Boston from earliest times down to 1910. The main themes will include the changing attitudes of Bostonians toward Italy and Italians; the significant contributions Italians made to the cultural life of Boston prior to 1890; the beginnings of Boston¹s first Italian neighborhood in the North End; the mainsprings of the massive turn-of-the-century 20th century Italian immigrant influx into the United States: and, finally, the highly prejudicial climate that prevailed here at the time and how Italians adjusted to it.

Wednesday, October 24, at 7 PM in the Watertown Savings Bank Room

Naveed Nour Photography Exhibit

Join us for Naveed Nour's Photography Exhibit October 1-30, 2007 in the T. Ross Family Gallery at the Watertown Free Public Library, and the photo salon on Oct. 2 from 6:30-8:30PM

In Boston and Stockholm they call it the T. In Cologne, it is the U-Bahn. Londoners ride the Tube and Parisians commute on the Metro. Once you are on the underground train in either city, the experience is all the same. Naveed Nour's photographs offer a unique view of commuting beneath metropolitan cities.

Join internationally acclaimed photographer Naveed Nour at the Photo Salon to learn why and how he created his photographs. Photography enthusiasts are encouraged to bring their own photographs for a show and tell, and a casual conversation on why we love to take pictures. Please feel free to join us, even if you do not take photographs.

To learn more about Naveed Nour please visit www.naveednour.com.

This exhibit has been made possible through a generous grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and in collaboration with the Watertown Free Public Library.

Staff Picks and Recommendations: Ellie and Stephanie

Ellie says, "I have started a new mystery, Kilt Dead by Kaitlin Dunnett. It is set in Maine but refers to many things Scottish and I think there is romance, too. I am listening to the audio CD of Prisoner of Azkaban –the
3rd in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.

A historical biography that I highly recommend is The Peabody Sisters: Three Sisters Who Ignited American Romanticism by Megan Marshall. Ms. Marshall gave a reading of the prologue of her book earlier in the month. There was a connection to Watertown in that the Peabody sisters’ grandmother—Eliza Hunt Palmer lived in the Hunt Tavern that was on Galen St."

Stephanie says, " I just started to read Austenland by Shannon Hale- the main character was unlucky in love probably due to her obsession with Mr. Darcy and the book Pride and Prejudice. Then she is given by her deceased aunt a trip to an estate where people pretend they are in the regency England of Austen’s day – will she find her own Mr.Darcy?!!

I agree with Ellie on The Peabody Sisters and must add it got me more fascinated than ever with the whole cluster of genius that existed in Concord, MA with Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry D. Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and the Alcott family (the somewhat eccentric Bronson and his daughter Louisa May). It led me to read the book American Bloomsbury by Susan Cheever and I just finished The Concord Quartet by Samuel A. Schreiner, Jr. Both deal with this amazing bunch of people."

Two Great Readings This Week!

We have two great readings happening this week at the Watertown library!

On Wednesday, September 19th, Judy Salzman will read from her new novel, The Original Amateur at 7:30 PM in the Watertown Savings Bank room.

On Thursday, September 20th, Dan Shaughnessy, Boston Globe sports reporter and author of the new book, Senior Year: A Father, A Son and High School Baseball will speak at 7:00 PM in the Watertown Savings Bank Room.

Come join us this week and see two great authors at your library!

Madeline Drexler Exhibit Reception, Sunday, September 9, from 3:00-4:30 PM

Join Madeline Drexler at the reception for her exhibit, Passing Secrets: A Year on the River’s Edge, in the library's T. Ross Family Gallery in the on Sunday, September 9, from 3:00-4:30 PM.

The exhibit will be showing through September 29th.

September's Database of the Month: Digital Sanborn Maps.

September's Database of the Month at the Watertown Free Public Library: Digital Sanborn Maps.

ProQuest Information and Learning's Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970 provides digital access to more than 660,000 large-scale maps of more than 12,000 American towns and cities. In electronic form, Sanborn Maps take on much improved value over the microfilm versions of the same maps, allowing for greater flexibility of use and improved viewing possibilities. Users have the ability to easily manipulate the maps, magnify and zoom in on specific sections, and layer maps from different years.

Come in to the library to check out the Digital Sanborn Maps!

Adult Book Discussion Group First Meeting, Sept. 5th

The Adult Book Discussion Group will have its first meeting of the season on September 5th at 7 p.m. on the second floor. They will be reading A Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. Books can be picked up at the circulation desk. All are welcome.

Book Give-Aways in the Children's Department all October!

We are having an OCTOBER FEST of book Give-Aways in the Children’s Department!

During September, please come in and fill out a slip with your name and phone number. During October we will draw out a name every day so that we will have 31 winners! The winners are to come with their library card to choose their book.

Library Closed on Labor Day

Just a reminder that the Watertown Free Public Library will be closed on Monday, September 3rd in observance of Labor Day.

Summer Hours End September 8th

Summer's coming to an end and so are our summer hours.

Starting September 8th, the library will be open Saturdays 9:00 to 5:00, and starting September 9th, the library will be open Sundays 1:00 to 5:00. Come and visit us on the weekends!

Remember, we will be closed on Labor Day, September 3rd.

Gayle Roberts-Cullen Retires after 41 Years at the Library

Gayle Roberts-Cullen retired as secretary after 41 years of service to the library. She began working in the Cataloging Department right out of high school and in 1989 was named secretary in the Administrative Office.

The library staff held a retirement dinner for her on July 27 where she was given knitting bag and memory book of her years at the library.

Friends from the library and Town Hall joined Gayle for a farewell coffee on July 29th. Gayle is skilled in knitting and hopes to volunteer in a local yarn shop. She has also joined the library knitting group that meets on Tuesday evenings.

Bookmaking workshop at the library

Twenty patrons attended the Bookmaking workshop sponsored by Project Literacy on Tuesday, August 14th. The instructor, Janet Scudder, is a Watertown artist and teacher at the Arsenal Center for the Arts. Janet was a relaxed, inspiring teacher, and came with lots of ideas, and supplies. The participants were so busy that few stopped to even taste the refreshments. Janet pulled related books from the library, and some checked the books out after the event. A few ESL patrons, some librarians, and a mixed age group of patrons attended.

Want to know about activities at the library? Check out our community calendar!