Evening Lecture Series: September Events

All programs at the Vineyard Haven Public Library are free and open to the public. Please join us!

Tuesday September 2nd, 7pm
Documentary Film: Under our Skin
A gripping tale of microbes, medicine & money, Under Our Skin exposes the hidden story of Lyme disease, one of the most controversial and fastest growing epidemics of our time. Slate Magazine called it “Head-spinning…riveting…a rigorously researched and highly thorough piece of investigative reporting.” Film screening will be followed by discussion with Dr. Enid Haller, Executive Director of the Lyme Center of Martha’s Vineyard.

Tuesday September 9th, 7pm
Get BUZZD, and A Taste of Honey
Set in the scenic natural beauty of Martha's Vineyard, "BUZZD: The Bee Kill Conspiracy" tells the story of corporate greed, mercenary killing and a new agricultural chemical that endangers the island ecosystem. On September 9th at 7pm, hear from Author Michael G. West, and sample honey provided by Monica Miller (who may or may not be the character Maya in the book).

Wednesday September 17th, 7pm
Tolstoy's Modern Epic: War and Peace
Philip Weinstein, the Alexander Griswold Cummins Professor of Literature at Swarthmore College, will present the first session of a six-part workshop on Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Professor Weinstein will be using the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation of the book. A limited number of copies are on reserve at the library, or may be requested through CLAMS. To prepare for the first class, please read Volume One, Parts One and Two.

Tuesday September 23rd, 7pm
Painting a life : Ray Ellis
Author Cynthia (CK) Wolfson will share stories and images from her new biography of the American artist Ray Ellis, "Painting a Life." CK writes an enthusiastic account of his artistic life. Ellis' paintings are interwoven with the text and document his evolution as an artist. Ellis himself wrote captions that accompany the paintings as give insight into his process as a painter.

Annual 5k Run/Walk & FREE Kid's Fun Run on September 14th!

On Sunday, September 14th, the Friends of the Library will host the annual Run for the Library. The USATF-Sanctioned 5k Run/Walk starts at the library with runners proceeding to the West Chop lighthouse and back. There will also be a FREE 1/2 Mile Fun Run for Kids (13 & under).

There will be prizes for winners in all age groups, and a raffle. 5k registration includes a t-shirt. 5k starts at 10 am; Fun Run for Kids starts at 9:45 am; Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

Save $5 by registering in advance. Registration forms are available at the library or downloaded from our website, www.vhlibrary.org.

Register for "Tolstoy's Modern Epic: War and Peace"

REGISTRATION FOR THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW CLOSED

Beginning in September, Philip Weinstein, the Alexander Griswold Cummins Professor of Literature at Swarthmore College, will present a six-part workshop on Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. The series will be held on Wednesday evenings beginning at 7pm at the Katharine Cornell Theatre at 54 Spring Street in Vineyard Haven. Class dates are September 17th, October 1st, 15th, & 29th, November 12th, & December 3rd.

"Not a novel," Tolstoy said about his epic novel, yet War and Peace is a supreme example of 19th-century Western fiction. Realistic, recognizable, filled with intricate and sympathetic characters, this novel does what great novels do: it informs and it entertains. It also does more: it seeks not just to rewrite history but to articulate the philosophy of history, intermingling the real and the invented in ways that baffled Tolstoy's critics. Reading 200 pages per session (every two weeks, for three months), we shall take the time necessary to do justice to Tolstoy's masterpiece.

In order to prepare enough materials the library requests that patrons register in advance, online or at the library main desk.

To prepare for the first class, it is recommended that participants read Volume One, Parts One and Two. Professor Weinstein will be using the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation of the book. A limited number of copies are on reserve at the library, or may be requested through CLAMS:

Request hardcover edition

Request paperback edition

Visit the Whalemobile! Program Aug. 6th from 4pm to 5pm, at the Tisbury School!

Wednesday, August 6 at 4 pm!

Cynde McInnis, owner of The Whalemobile, will be bringing her life-sized (43 ft.) inflatable whale, Nile, to Tisbury, as part of the Vineyard Haven Public Library’s summer reading program. Because the whale is too big to fit in the Library, the program will be held at the Tisbury School Gym.

The presentation begins with a slide show introducing the toothed whales and baleen whales that are found off the coast of Massachusetts in the Gulf of Maine. Sounds of each species and videos of humpbacks are included. 

After the presentation, children will meet Nile, a 27-year old humpback whale whom McInnis has seen almost every summer since 1994. They can go inside of the inflatable whale and see ways in which whales are similar to humans. Artifacts such as baleen, teeth and bones are available for children to see and feel.  

2014 is McInnis’ 21st season with Cape Ann Whale Watch out of Gloucester, MA as Lead Naturalist and Education Director. She has studied whales in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. She brings her passion for whales as well as her vast knowledge of these animals into schools to help shape future generations of ocean advocates. 

The Whalemobile aims to captivate kids and help them connect with the oceans, both emotionally and intellectually. Children will come away with knowledge of and a fascination for whales that will be a spark that inspires them to care about the oceans and the environment around us. 

This free program is supported by a grant from the Anderson Foundation to the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Public library.

Art in the Stacks: MV Art Association 60th Anniversary Exhibit

"Illumination Night" Watercolor by Gilberta Goodwin

The Friends of the Vineyard Haven Library are pleased to present an exhibit of artwork on loan from the Martha’s Vineyard Art Association's Old Sculpin Gallery, on display on the library’s Art Wall on the lower level from August 2nd through September 3rd, 2014.

Over the years the Old Sculpin Gallery has assembled a Permanent Collection of over 100  paintings by many of the Island’s most accomplished artists. The 2014 season marks the association’s 60th anniversary and in celebration of this special occasion, The MVAA’s Old Sculpin Gallery has assembled a Traveling Exhibit that will be visiting many areas of the Island.

The MVAA’s 60th Anniversary Traveling Exhibit includes works from the following Vineyard Artists: William Abbe, Mary Drake Coles, Gilberta Goodwin, Joseph Hazen, Patricia Reeve Mead, Ruth Appledoorn Mead, and Vaclav Vytlacil. The exhibit will move to the Oak Bluffs Library in September, and the West Tisbury Library in October.

"Art in the Stacks" is an initiative of the Friends of the Library to provide artists an opportunity to show their work, and for library patrons to enjoy art throughout the year. To learn more about the Friends or to become a member, stop by the Library or visit www.vhlibrary.org/libraryfriends.shtml.