HOLIDAY HOURS. The library will be closed on Monday, February 16, for Presidents Day.
WAYLAND READS. This year’s Wayland Reads selection is “The Opposite of Loneliness” by Marina Keegan, who grew up in Wayland. The opening event will be on Sunday, March 1, from 3-4:30 p.m. The program will begin with several readings from “The Opposite of Loneliness” 
offered by those who knew Marina during her years either living in Wayland or studying at Yale. The moderator, Beth McNamara, Marina’s high school English teacher for two years, will then take questions from the audience for the panel and open up the discussion on Marina, her writing, and her legacy. This event will take place at the Lecture Hall at Wayland High School. Our line-up of events includes personal essay writing workshops, book discussion groups (including one led by award-winning critic Joyce Kulhawik on Saturday, March 7, at 11 a.m.), and a panel moderated by Steve Grossman of Wayland people who are following Marina’s entreaty, “Let’s Make Something Happen to This World!” For more information about these events, go to waylandlibrary.org.
GET UP TO SPEED WITH LIBRARY TECH CLASSES
We’re offering some informal workshops to help you learn about how new technology intersects with library services that we offer.
- Using Ancestry.com, Monday, February 9, 7-9 p.m.
- Intro to the iPad/iPhone, Tuesday, February 10, 2-3 p.m.
- Intro to the New Library Catalog, Thursday, February 19, 3-4 p.m.
- M.J.’s Apps for iPads, Friday, February 20, 10-11 a.m.
- Creating the Ultimate Road Trip with Online Tools, February 23, 7-9 p.m.
Space is limited, and registration is recommended for all classes. Register by going to “Events” at waylandlibrary.org or by calling the library at 508-358-2311.
HOW TO FIND YOUR NEXT GREAT READ Do you struggle to find a good book to read, often wandering bookshelves for something that grabs your attention? Or, do you read the latest bestsellers or recommendations from friends to find those disappoint you? If so, this workshop on Wednesday, February 25, at 11 a.m. is for you. We will introduce you to online tools that will make finding your next great read easy and fun. Tools include Novelist, Books & Authors and GoodReads. Workshop limited to 10. For more information, contact librarian Rachel Sideman-Kurtz at 508-358-2311. The workshop will be held in the Raytheon Room.
Sparky’s Puppets: Stories from Snowy Lands. During vacation week, on Tuesday, February 17, from 2:30-3:15 p.m., Sparky’s Puppets will perform several snowy tales, including a story about Jack Frost, and another tale about a boastful bear who goes ice fishing. For ages 3 and up.
LET’S GET CRAFTY! During February vacation, on Wednesday, February 18, from 3-5 p.m. kids ages 4 and up can drop by to make all kinds of colorful and playful crafts during this workshop led by librarian Elise Katz. It’s time to get crafty!
PARENT/CHILD BOOK GROUP. The next meeting of the Parent/Child Book Group will be on Tuesday, February 24, from 7-8 p.m. in the Children’s Room. This is a group is for children in 4th and 5th grade, with a parent. Each month we discuss a different book and decide together what next month’s book will be. This month we will talk about “Gilda Joyce: Psychic Investigator” by Jennifer Allison. Led by Youth Services Librarian Pam McCuen. Questions? Call the Children’s Room at 508-358-2308.
BOOK GROUPS FOR ADULTS Our book groups generally meet monthly. Drop in and check one out! Upcoming dates are:
- Non-Fiction Book Group: Tuesday, February 24, 7-9 p.m., “The Hare with Amber Eyes” by Edmund de Waal
- Evening Book Group (rescheduled due to snowstorm): Wednesday, February 11, at 7 p.m., “The Beautiful Mystery” by Louise Penny
- Armchair Travel Book Group: Wednesday, February 11, at 11:30 a.m., “At the Tomb of the Inflatable Pig: Travels Through Paraguay” by John Gimlette
- Noontime Book Group: Friday, February 13, at 12 noon, “Flight Behavior” by Barbara Kingsolver
UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF EMPATHY THROUGH NEUROSCIENCE AND PRACTICE. Helen Riess, M.D. is the next speaker in the library’s Great Presenters Series. Dr. Riess tells us that humans are hardwired for empathy. Her talk on Tuesday, March 3, from 7:30-9 p.m. will describe the underlying science of empathy, the evolutionary advantage model for prosocial behavior, and the benefits of empathy in healthcare and human relationships. Dr. Riess is Director of the Empathy and Relational Science Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Her research has won numerous awards and she recently gave a TEDx talk on “The Power of Empathy.”
MASTERS OF ITALY WITH FRANK SMITH. Classics scholar Frank Smith is back this spring teaching a four-week course that traces the history, art, and culture of the Italian provinces of Lazio, Umbria, and Tuscany. The course will begin with the Etruscans, move on to the Romans, and will journey through the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, ending with the world of Michelangelo and his contemporaries. Class notes will be made available. Suggested background readings for the class can be found on the event listing on our website calendar at waylandlibrary.org. The class will meet on the following Tuesdays: March 17, 24, 31 and April 7 from 1-3 p.m.
GREAT DECISIONS. The Great Decisions Program empowers readers to discuss global issues shaping U.S. foreign policy and the world. The library has sponsored a Great Decisions group for many years. This year’s first meeting will be on March 6 in the Raytheon Room, and the topic under discussion will be U.S. Trade Policy.
Read to CORBYN THE SAMOYED. Children are invited to read to Corbyn, a beautiful Samoyed, in the library’s Raytheon Room on Saturday, February 14, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Call 508-358-2308 to sign up for a 15 minute slot. Corbyn and her owner Helen are certified through Pets and People Foundation to give read-to-a-dog programs.
ESOL Tutor Training Class. Training classes for new ESOL tutors are scheduled for five Monday mornings 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., starting February 23. If you are interested in participating or have questions, please contact Ginny Steel, ESOL Program Director, at 508-358-7517 or email virginia@thesteels.com.
