BPL Blog
Posted by JDavanza on Mon, Mar 02
Thriller is one of the most popular genres for readers because of its fast pacing, plot twists, high stakes and emotional appeal. While there is no unchallenged definition of a thriller, most agree that the genre has grown past the original spy and techno categories to include much of current suspense fiction, while overlapping with traditional mystery, adventure, horror, and science fiction. Hybrid categories range yet further to fantasy, romance, and historical fiction. Because current...
Posted by JDavanza on Fri, Feb 27
Director’s notebook
March, 2009
“Location. Location. Location.”
That is supposedly the chant that realtors or business people are always intoning when they consider what will make a house or a business succeed.
Now, how about this location?
Concord, Massachusetts … in the mid eighteen hundreds, when it earned its reputation as “the biggest little place in America”. A quiet and unexceptional, rather quaint New England town on the outside; but inside, behind the doors of the cottages and...
Posted by JDavanza on Mon, Feb 23
This Wednesday, February 25 at 9 PM watch the cable TV interview with author Ron Carlson.
Ron Carlson is this year’s Reading Across RI pick for his novel Five Skies. The interview on the Library Cable Program L TV is hosted by Deborah Barchi. She and Ron have a great time talking about writing, and Ron reveals many hints about how an experienced writer tackles a serious writing project.
If you’re interested in reading or writing, you will enjoy this interview.
Posted by JDavanza on Sat, Feb 21
Event NotebookFebruary 2009The Big ScreenWe were sitting in the auditorium at a little past noon today. We had just finished watching the film A River Runs Through It when Debbie, my boss, says:“It’s wonderful to see a movie on the big screen. At home it’s…” and she finished the sentence by holding her index finger near her thumb to indicate so small.She said a mouthful with that gesture. In expanding their collections to include film, libraries offer patrons a whole other...
Posted by JDavanza on Wed, Feb 18
Question: What do the following organizations have in common?
Audubon Society of RI Environmental Center
Blithewold Museum and Gardens
Coggeshall Farm
Haffenreffer Museum
Herreshoff Marine Museum
Mashantucket Pequot Museum
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Science, Boston
Mystic Aquarium
Mystic Seaport
Norman Bird Sanctuary
Plimoth Plantation
Providence Children’s Museum
RI School of Design Museum
Roger Williams Park and Zoo
Answer: You can get passes for free or reduced...
Posted by JDavanza on Fri, Feb 06
Abraham Lincoln without a beard?
Well, even Abe was young once.
In honor of Abraham Lincoln’s 200'th birthday, join us at Barrington Library, Wednesday, February 11 at 7PM as we show “Young Mr. Lincoln”, the much-honored film directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda.
Posted by JDavanza on Fri, Feb 06
When is a peanut not just a peanut?
When it’s the center of successful entrepreneurial effort in a small African village!
Learn more and be inspired on Thursday, February 12 at 7 PM as Barrington Library presents a special PBS Frontline presentation entitled Stories From a Small Planet. Topher Hamblett, Barrington Resident and President of the Foundation for West Africa will provide commentary and lead a discussion.
Posted by JDavanza on Mon, Feb 02
Wil GregersenLibrarian of Type
Posted by JDavanza on Thu, Jan 29
The death of noted author John Updike has left the world a little emptier for me. He is a writer I’ve enjoyed on a personal level and one whose work has enriched the Barrington Public Library’s literary discussion series for many, many years. The literature he produced presents a calvalcade of sense impressions, myth, dreams and reality that reflect post-WWII American Society on up to a minute ago with uncanny accuracy and insight. Better, he is a writer who makes you think about the world...
Posted by JDavanza on Thu, Jan 29
Library Director’s Notebook
February, 2009
When does a book of fiction earn the exalted title “literary fiction”? Well, that’s a tough one. I was joking with a friend the other day about this and I quipped, “you know a book can count as literary fiction if it ends sad, and there’s very little kissing in it!”
What I meant was that literary fiction doesn’t follow easy formulas. Where many writers of popular fiction ensure strong sales by having the good guys come out on top and...
