Books to Die (or Kill) For

I am not generally a reader of “mysteries.”  By “mystery”, I mean those cute little series of “The Body In . . .” or “The Cat Who . .  .”, or  those infinitely numbered (or lettered) series featuring the same quirky private detective chasing the same villain down the same tortuous paths in book after predictable book.  

But I do like a well-written crime novel . Secret guilty pleasure: if it is a police procedural that features a hard-bitten, angst-ridden, middle-aged detective at odds with his superiors and still in love with at least one ex-wife, I may even read a whole series. I listen to Michael Connolly’s Harry Bosch novels, and read all of Ian Rankin’s books until he retired John Rebus.  I am now working my way through the audio versions of Tana French’s four “Dublin Murder Squad” books, each with its own haunted protagonist.  Richard Price’s gritty novels, set in New York City, and those of George Pelecanos, set in Washington, D.C., bring the streets of those cities alive -- literary versions of The Wire.

So I was intrigued by the new anthology Books To Die For:  The World’s Greatest Mysteries, selected by the World’s Greatest Mystery Writers. Editors John Connolly and Declan Burke, themselves modern masters of the genre, asked 119 mystery authors from 20 countries to select one - just one - crime novel that for them represents the best of the canon, and to write about it. What they got were thoughtful, personal essays that not only express the contributors’ “passionate advocacy” for their selections, but also reveal a good bit about the writers themselves - their inspirations, their prejudices, their own creative odysseys.

The selections are arranged chronologically by publication date, starting with Edgar Allan Poe’s The Dupin Tales and Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities and ending with Mark Giminez’s 2008 The Perk. (Who?) Included are the familiar (Raymond Chandler, Ed McBain, Dennis Lehane), and the relatively obscure (Newton Thornburg, Derek Raymond).  Many of the contributors are themselves the subject of another’s essay. The author most frequently mentioned?  Josephine Tey.

Many of these books are now out of print and hard to find. But we’ve pulled together all that we have here at RPL and put them together for your browsing pleasure. Come see the “Books To Die For” display in General Collections at the Main branch.

Negro Leagues Baseball Players Coming To RPL

                                                 
 Next Friday, August 10th at 4:30 p.m., former baseball players from the Negro Leagues will be at the Main Library to talk about their experience in the league and Civil Rights struggle in the 1950s and 1960s. Surviving members who will participate in an interview questionnaire are Henry Mason, Joe Durham, Mamie Johnson-Goodman, and Pedro Sierra. This program is “FREE” and is open to the public.

About The Negro Leagues

Negro League Baseball was established February 13, 1920 at a YMCA in Kansas City, Missouri. The person who was a key figure in getting the league established was Andre "Rube" Foster and he served as the president. There was close to 3,000 men and three women who played baseball for a Negro League team and fewer than 175 Negro Leagues members are still alive today.

 About the visiting players 

Born in Marshall, MO, in 1931, Henry “Pistol” Mason was offered a position on the Kansas City Monarchs baseball team at 19 years old. On opening day in 1952, Mason pitched sixteen innings to defeat the Philadelphia Stars. In 1955, Mason broke barriers by becoming the first African American to play for the Schenectady Blue Jays, a Philadelphia Phillies farm team. After two seasons, with records of 12-4 (1955) and 14-7 (1956), leading the league with seven shutouts and placing second in the league with 176 strikeouts, Mason joined the Phillies in 1958 and played until 1962. After retiring from baseball, Mason became a pastor in Kansas City. He moved to Richmond, VA, in 2001.

Joe “Pop” Durham, a native of Newport News, VA, began his professional baseball career as an outfielder in 1952 with the Chicago American Giants. The St. Louis Browns signed him in 1953. The following season, Durham reached the major leagues with the Baltimore Orioles, the second African American to play for that franchise. On September 12, 1954, he became the first African American to record a home run for the Orioles. In his major league career, Durham spent time with the St. Louis Cardinals, served as a scout for amateur free agents, and as the Orioles Community Coordinator. He became coach of an Orioles minor league team in 1990 and retired from coaching in 1996. He currently lives in Maryland and serves as an Orioles Baseball Club representative.

Mamie “Peanut” Johnson was born in 1935 in Ridgeway, SC. At 18 years old, she was recruited as a pitcher for the Indianapolis Clowns and reported to training camp in Portsmouth, VA. Johnson played professional baseball from 1953 to 1955 winning 33 games, losing eight, and having a batting average from .262 to .284. Johnson was one of only three women to play in the Negro Leagues. After her baseball career, Johnson worked as a nurse for thirty years. Prior to the 2008 MLB First Year Draft, Johnson and other living players from the Negro League were drafted by Major League franchises. Johnson was selected by the Washington Nationals, the team closest to her current residence of DC.

Born in Cuba in 1938, Pedro Sierra’s baseball career began in 1954 when, at 16 years old, he went to pitch for the Indianapolis Clowns. He played for the Clowns from 1954 to 1955, and then for the Detroit Stars from 1956 to 1958. After two-and-a-half-years in the U.S. Army, Sierra played with the Minnesota Twins (1962-1966). While in the Canadian Provincial League (1967-69), Sierra led that league in wins and shutouts and was named team MVP. In 1970 he played for Washington Senators farm teams and from 1971 to 1975 Sierra joined Mexican teams. After a distinguished 22-year baseball career, in 1976 Sierra began working for the Montgomery County (Maryland) Department of Recreation, a job he held for 25 years. Sierra currently resides in Maryland.

We also have a wonderful display of books based on African American baseball players during that era. Come by the Main Library and check out some of these titles.

This program is presented by The Center for African American Genealogical Research, Inc. and the Urban League of Greater Richmond.

Information about the players is provided by The Center for African American Genealogical Research, Inc.

Books That Shaped America

The Library of Congress has begun its multi-year “Celebration of the Book” with an exhibition entitled “Books That Shaped America.” The books were selected by the Library’s curators, not because they were the best books, but because they were the most influential. The Library is soliciting public comment and suggestions for future extensions of the list through an online survey, available at The LOC website.

We at the Richmond Public Library are joining the Library of Congress in the debate, with our own exhibition of the 88 “Books That Shaped America.”

Intern Brad Krautwurst considered the 88 titles and organized them into seven broad categories, from "More American than Apple Pie: Influential Figures in American Mythos" (including books by American luminaries such as Benjamin Franklin and Frederick Douglass) to "Movers and Shakers: Books that Changed Public Thought" (with titles running the gamut from Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged to Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique) to "And the rest . . . Eclectic selections that defy categorization" (The Joy of Cooking, Alcoholics Anonymous). Brad's thoughtful commentary and selections from the Library of Congress's curators' comments accompany the books, some of which are coming up from the library's stacks for the first time in many years.

We invite you to visit the display, located in the General Collections department of the Main library, and complete our version of the Library of Congress survey. Tell us which books were most influential, which of the books most influenced you, and what books should be on the list but aren't. We will compare our patrons' choices with those compiled by the Library of Congress at the end of the exhibit, which will run through September 29th.

From Child Star to Greater Success: Dr. Danielle Spencer-Fields

Dr. Danielle Spencer-Fields, who played Raj's sassy sister, Dee from the 1970's hit show, What's Happening!! (1976) will be at the Main Library to discuss her book, Through the Fire...Journal of a Child Star. She will also be available for book signing.

With her love of animals, Danielle Spencer attended the University of California-Davis for two years  to pursue her degree in veterinary medicine. She then took a break from her studies to play her character, Dee, in What's Happening Now!! (1985).

Danielle Spencer went back to school and attended Tuskegee University Veterinary School, in Tuskgeee, Alabama and became a veterinarian in 1996. She also portrayed a veterinarian in several films. Danielle now lives in southern California with her husband, dogs and cat.

In this memoir, she talks about the tragedies and challenges she faced growing up and how she changed her life around and became a successful vet.

 

She is in this month's issue of Ebony and People Magazine's June 5th online article.

Danielle is also speaking at a fundraiser for Tim Kaine on the 28th of July.

This program will be held at Main, July 23rd from 7-8:30 p.m.

June First Friday

That's right, June is already upon us! This Friday is First Friday and as always, we've got a great lineup of events and art exhibits.

Our 7th Annual Poetry Slam, sponsored by the Friends of the Richmond Public Library, will take place at 7 pm in the basement auditorium. The slam will be hosted by Tom Sanchez Prunier, founder of SlamRichmond. Local poets are invited to compete for cash prizes on a first come, first serve basis. The conpetition is free and open to anyone who wants to enter.

"Channel Surfing," an exhibit from Richmond artist Jessica Sims, will be on display in the Gellman Room throughout June. These abstract paintings are inspired by television imagery of the late 80s and early 90s. There will also be live music from Dave Shiflet during the exhibit opening celebration from 7 to 9--another great reason to come out.

The 2011 Virginia Vistas Photo Contest winners will be on display in the Dooley Foyer. The winners of this photo contest sponsored by Scenic Virginia are on display at RPL each year, and they are always gorgeous. I'm excited to see the gems the contest produced this year.


Virginia Vistas Photo Contest Best in Show, "Snow Goose Sunset" by Ron Hugo

 In the Dooley Hall you'll see "Cuban Street Scenes," an exhibit of images from Richmond photographer Ralph R. Sell sampling the diversity of the contemporary Cuban experience.

"The Illuminations of a Scribe," colorful, vivid paintings celebrating harmony, balance, and the circle of life from Richmond artist Alonzo Boyd will be on display in the 2nd Floor Gallery.

We hope you'll be able to stop by the Main Library on Friday night during First Friday Art Walk. The library will be open until 9 pm for the festivities. Hear some poetic performances, listen to live music, and enjoy some works of art from local artists. See you then!

Saturday Events@ Main

If you are out and about this weekend and looking for something to do, the Main Library is the perfect place to be. Come join us for these programs.

The Chamber Music for the River City will be having a free concert, Legends, in the Gellman Room at 12 noon. The concert will be depicting watery tales of beauty and mystery told through the music of Debussy, Szymanowski and Richard Strauss.









As part of the event series, Why Children's Books, Anita Silvey, author of Everything I Need to Know I Learned From a Children's Book, will be here Saturday at 2 pm. This will be the last program for the event.


 

Children's Day!

This Saturday is Children's Day at the Main Library! We're hosting lots of fun family events to end Children's Book Week. Hear stories, create your own book, make a hat, hear from local authors, and more. The fun begins at 10:30 and continues until 2:30.  



Theatre IV Does Storydrama Workshop @ the Library

Theatre IV came to the Main Library to do a storydrama workshop with a group of preschoolers in the Children's Department. In conjunction with the Theatre IV musical "Seussical", the teaching artist did an amazing interactive story time with "Horton Hatches and Egg". The children were engaged in helping Horton "hatch" the egg.

   

Cat in the Hat came by to help them as well. He suggested they READ A BOOK FOR IDEAS! They were able to solve the problem with inventive imagination. It was a great event for all.

African American Genealogy Workshop

Since the 1940 Census was made public several weeks ago, a lot of people have been using this resource for their genealogical research. There is some time left for those who are still interested in viewing this information. The 1940 Census can be accessed here: http://1940census.archives.gov/.

This Saturday at 1 pm, Genealogist Pat Clark will provide her services for a genealogy workshop. It is free and open to the public.

If you have questions and need answers, this is the perfect opportunity for you to attend this workshop.

May 5th is Free Comic Book Day@ Main

Free Comic Book Day is an annual celebration to promote the joy of reading to kids by independent comic book stores. Each year, the giveaway is the first Saturday in May. Thanks to the generosity of the local comic book store, Nostalgia Plus, the Main Library will be giving away FREE comic books to kids. Come and visit the Children's Department and ask for a comic book. One book per child while supplies last!

"Why Children's Books" Events

"WHY CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Inspiring Generations" is an exhibit on display now at the Main Library. It explores the power of children's books through stories shared by notable Richmonders. If you want more information on the exhibit and the people involved, you might enjoy reading this article written by Bill Lohmann for the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The "Why Children's Books" exhibit will be on display through May 29th. If you enjoy reading the stories and hearing about the experiences of the Richmonders featured, you might like to attend some of the events associated with the exhibit.

On Tuesday, April 24th at 6:30 and on Tuesday, May 8th at noon, Dr. Leila Christenbury will be in the Main Library's Special Collections Room to lead a community discussion about favorite children's books and the future of children's literature in the digital age.

On Saturday, May 12th from 10:30 to 2:30, we'll be holding "Children's Day" at the Main Library. Celebrate Children's Book Week and the exhibit with authors Meg Medina and Gigi Amateau, Megan Hicks and her storytelling magic show, crafts with the Children's Museum of Richmond, readings from the exhibit, and more. This event promises to be fun for the whole family.

Anita Silvey, author of Everything I Need to Know I Learned From a Children's Book, will be at the Main Library on Saturday, May 19th at 2 pm. Silvey's book is what inspired the Friends of the Library to sponsor the "Why Children's Books" exhibit, and we can't wait to hear her discuss the topic of children's literature.
 

Ready, Set, Grow!

Only two more weeks to contain your enthusiasm about gardening!

Marlene Sehen, our favorite gardener, is back again for our second annual container gardening class.

Via Our Enchanted Garden

On Saturday, April 28th, head on over to the Main Library to learn how to grow your own food. Bring your curiosity and container and we will provide the information, compost, seeds and plants to help you start your own container garden. The two-hour class will start at 10 am. 

Via hddod

April First Friday @Main

Even though libraries will be closed for Good Friday, the Main Library will open at 7 p.m. for First Friday Art Walk. With the helpful hands of the volunteer organization, HandsOn, the evening will be filled with many activities for people of all ages.  

For First Friday, we will have the Richmond Youth Jazz Guild performing. The Richmond youth jazz guild was created in 2008 as a way to bring jazz and acoustic instrument playing back into the lives of youth in the Richmond metropolitan area.

This month’s art exhibition in the Gellman Room is “Edward Abbey’s Southwest”. Inspired by Edward Abbey’s literary works, Richmond photographers, Al and Linda Warfield present colorful, vivid images of landscapes, flora, and fauna of the southwest.

In the Dooley Foyer, Dooley Hall & 2nd Floor is, “Why Children’s Book: Inspiring Generations”. It is an exhibit featuring over fifty essays from Richmond community leaders.

For the Richmond Writers Series in Special Collections, best-seller author, David L. Robbins, will discuss his creative process and the upcoming premiere of the play Scorched Earth on April 13th at the Barksdale Theater. 

We look forward to seeing you on First Friday.

UNPACKING THE 2010 CENSUS: New Realities of Race, Class, and Jurisdiction

Join us at the RPL Main Library on Wednesday, April 11, 6:30 - 8:30 for Unpacking the 2010 Census: New Realities of Race, Class, and Jurisdiction. This program will help us examine the dramatically changing landscape of human needs and what we must do collectively to address the plight of our neighborhoods and to build a just and inclusive community. The Unpacking the 2010 Census program was conceived, researched and designed by Dr. John V. Moeser, a renowned urban planning expert, Senior Fellow at the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement at the University of Richmond, and a member of the Hope in the Cities Council.

In March of 2011, Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones launched his anti-poverty commission to focus on employment, education, transportation, and health.  Heroic efforts are being made by countless volunteers to address the consequences of our unequal systems, but as yet there has been no deliberate attempt to educate people on the underlying causes and alter the basic structures that would enable Richmond area residents to move out of poverty.

The Census project is presented in partnership with the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities and is supported by a grant from The Community Foundation.

The project aims to:

-Provoke long-needed discussion about new policy options to address poverty and structural inequity in the region. The disparities in public education, access to transportation, healthcare, and affordable housing are rooted in the structures of our economic and political systems, and their historical context.

-Educate people on the underlying causes. This approach is unique in that it highlights the role that history has played in the current situation, and how we all have the power to make history ourselves, by taking action now to alter the basic structures that would enable Richmond area residents to move out of poverty.

-Create a grassroots domino effect where those who have taken part in a facilitated discussion will be empowered to share what they have learned with others in the community.

We want as many voices as possible in these discussions! Please call and reserve a space for what promises to be a rigorous and enlightening evening: 804-646-7223

"Why Children's Books" Exhibit

Did a children's book change your life? Do you have special childhood memories attached to a certain book? 

There is a wonderful exhibit coming to Richmond Public Library in April that explores the role of children's books in our lives. "Why Children's Books: Inspiring Generations" will feature essays from many notable Richmonders including Shaka Smart, Michael Rao, Alex Nyerges, Jack Spiro, Mayor Dwight Jones, Tim Kaine, Anne Holton, Jason Mraz, and many more. These essays are personal stories from all over Richmond on children's books that make a real difference. Each story illustrates the power of children's books and their ability to inspire us.



The exhibit will be displayed at the Main Library beginning April 12th and will be up until May 29th. The essays will also be available to view at RPL branches during the month of September. "Why Children's Books" was organized by the Friends of the Richmond Public Library, a volunteer-based group that supports library services and programs across our city.

March First Friday Exhibits & Events

It's First Friday! And it will be a beautiful night for Art Walk. The galleries in the Main Library will be open tonight from 7 to 9 pm and will feature work celebrating Youth Art Month. Stop by to see art created by some talented students in Richmond City Public Schools. The artwork will be up throughout the month of March.

The Richmond Writers Series, presented by the Friends of the Richmond Public Library, will continue tonight with a discussion of The Joshua Plant, presented by playwright Amy Berlin. Local actors will perform a reading of the play. This event starts at 7 pm and promises to be an intimate evening featuring several members of Richmond's performing arts community. 

Volunteers from HandsOn Greater Richmond will offer crafts and activities for children during First Friday festivities, making the Main Library a family destination during your Art Walk tonight. We hope you'll be able to stop by to enjoy some fabulous student art and the Richmond Writers event. As always, these programs are free and open to the public.

Teen Tech Week- Geek Out@ RPL

In March, the Main Library will be offering special events and programs during the week of March 5-10, 2012 for teens and tweens.

What is Teen Tech Week?  

Teen Tech Week is a national initiative aimed at teens, their parents, educators and other adults. Its purpose is to ensure that teens are competent and ethical users of technologies, especially those that are offered through libraries.

Some slots are limited. Must register to attend.

Here are the programs for Teen Tech Week.

Using Microsoft Publisher to Create Cool Advertisements
Monday, March 5, 2012
4:30-6:00 p.m.
Lower Level Computer Lab (Ages 10-18)
Only twelve Slots Available
Show your skills by designing your own 'Read' poster or bookmark.

eBook Madness for Teens
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
4:30-6:00 p.m.
Children’s Activity Room
An interactive workshop on how to download eBooks and eReaders with different gadgets.

Gaming@ your Library Part 1
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
4:30-6:00 p.m.
Lower Level Computer Lab (Ages 10-18)
Only Twelve Slots Available
Do you want to create your own video game and play it? This is an opportunity to use your creative skills to create an online game. For the first part of the program we are going to explore different games and do a quest that will show you how a game is created and allow you to get pieces to create your own.

Gaming@ your Library Part 2
(Must attend Part 1 of the Gaming Program)
Thursday March 8, 2012
4:30-6:00 p.m.
2nd Floor Computer Lab (Ages 10-18)
Only Twelve Slots Available
After part 1 of the gaming program, you will now have the opportunity to build your own game.

Geek Out with Pinterest
Friday, March 9, 2012
4:00-5:00 p.m.
Lower Level Computer Lab (Ages 10-18)
Only Twelve Slots Available
Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that allows you to collect and share things that interest you with others.

Teen Tech Week Wrap-Up Party
Friday, March 9, 2012
5:00-6:00 p.m.
For all those who attended, come celebrate this wrap-up party for Teen Tech Week! Snacks and drinks will be provided!

Visit from Richmond Symphony

Next Friday, we'll have special visitors from Richmond Symphony at the Main Library. They'll be sharing anectdotes about some of the instruments you'll find in the symphony. Kids of all ages are invited to this event featuring Sarah Valentine and Michael Boudweyns, guest performers for Richmond Symphony's Lollipops Saturday Concert, The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. The musical fun starts at 10:30 am. Groups are welcome, but must register ahead of time by calling (804) 646-4768. Bring your kids by to enjoy this delightful free program and they'll leave with a new appreciation of classical music and musical instruments.

Books & Ballet @ Main

In partnership with the Richmond Ballet, Tulsa-based dancer and choreographer discusses Li Cunxin’s captivating memoir, Mao’s Last Dancer. Cunxin, a Chinese dancer, captured the attention of the nation with his inspiring story of passion, perseverance, and devotion set against Communist China. Cong, whose experience echoes Cunxin’s, will speak about his life and dance career in relation to the bestselling book, and his World Premiere with Richmond Ballet. This event will be free and open to the public.

Thursday, March 1
6-7:30 pm
Richmond Public Main Library
Gellman Room

101 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA

Ma Cong will return to Richmond this March to create his second piece at Richmond Ballet. Watch his performance on March 23 at Richmond Ballet’s intimate Studio Theatre. For more information and tickets, please call Richmond Ballet at 804/344-0906, ext. 224.

Spring Tech Sessions

This Spring, we're starting a Tech Sessions series at the Main Library to help intermediate technology users navigate today's complicated information landscape. During the next few months and beyond, we'll be offering workshops on social media, Internet searching and security, eBooks, and more. Here are the Tech Sessions coming up in March, April, and May.

from humedini via Flickr

eBook Madness!
Want to learn more about eBooks and eReaders? Do you have questions about your device? Stop by for this informal session, play with some gadgets, and get your questions answered.

Main Library - Gellman Room
Friday, March 23rd, 3:00 - 5:00 pm


Facebook Clinic
Are you lost on Facebook but want to stay in touch with friends and family? Come to this informal open house computer lab clinic and bring your questions. Some general Facebook instruction will be provided, but the class format will be open to suit the needs of attendees.

Main Library - Conference Room G, Lower Level
Thursday, March 22nd, 3:30 - 5:30 pm


Internet Security Workshop
Are you concerned about your online safety and privacy? Come to this workshop for tips on ensuring your information is secure while you’re online.

Main Library - 2nd Floor Computer Lab
Saturday, April 21st, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm


Advanced Online Searching Workshop
Delve deeper into the Web! Use advanced search engine features and learn about research databases provided by Richmond Public Library.

Main Library - 2nd Floor Computer Lab
Saturday, May 5th, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm


Do you have a suggestion for a Tech Session topic? We'd love to hear from you. E-mail dana.smook@richmondgov.com or leave a comment below.