July 2015
   
In This Issue
Summer Updates!

In June we kicked off our Summer Reading Program 2015 with participants signing up across all of the branches and big Kick-off parties attended by hundreds! Registration is open through August 14th, but be sure to sign up online now to start logging your minutes for reading and participating, and become eligible for great prizes. Be sure to check out the info below for some great events happening all summer long!

Free meals for Kids! We are excited to once again be partnering with the Worcester Public Schools and the Worcester County Food Bank for the Summer Food Service Program. Every Monday through Saturday at select WPL locations the food truck will stop for 15 minutes with free meals for ages 17 and under. Visit worcpublib.org for schedule of locations and times. The Summer Food Service Program is brought to you us by the USDA.
Youth Services - Main Library

There are so many awesome programs going on this July as part of the 2015 Summer Reading Program! If you haven't signed up yet be sure to do so and start tracking your reading at worcpublib.org or ask a librarian for help. Don't forget all the great prizes you can win!

You won't want to miss the production of Perseus and Medusa, which will be presented by the Tanglewood Marionettes on Saturday, July 18 at 2 p.m. You will accompany Perseus through personal trials and glorious quests in this lavish show featuring beautiful, hand-crafted marionettes, scrolling sets, exotic music, and much more! You'll want to get there early for the best seats!

The Youth Services Department is also featuring several series during the summer months, like the Community Heroes Visit the Library Series, which will bring heroes including firefighters, police officers, and more to visit the library and tell stories!

They'll also host several Superhero Training Camps where you can train to be the best Superhero you can be!

The weekly Movie and Lunch Matinee will take place every Saturday at 1 p.m. Lunch is provided by the Summer Food Service Program, be sure to pick it up from 12:30 to 12:45 p.m. Movies include How to Train Your Dragon 2, Big Hero 6, and Brave!

Be sure to check out the event listings calendar for all the amazing events happening throughout the summer!
Teen Services - Main Library

July 6th, 1 to 3 p.m.: Plushie Heroes are adorable and easy to make! Come learn to make a stuffed version of your favorite character, or make your own hero from scratch. We'll provide all the materials, you just come to the teen room ready to sew!

July 7th, 1 to 2 p.m.: Love comics and Manga? Want to geek out with fellow fans? Come to Graphic Novel Bookclub, where any and every comic is part of the conversation. Join us, and you are sure to find like-minded comics aficionados. Newbies are encouraged to come too!

July 8th, and 22nd, 5:30 p.m.: The theme for Teen Summer Reading might be Unmask, but today we want you to do just the opposite - put on your mask and join in our Cosplay Contest! We'll have a panel of judges, as well as fantastic prizes for the best costumes! Need help on your costume, want to share your skills, or just wanting to finish the last details with company around to admire your work? Come to the Teen Room at 2 p.m. on July 14th for the Cosplay Contest Costume Prep Party, hosted by your Teen Advisory Group!
 
July 29th, 6 p.m.: Vines have evolved into an artform, with Viners working to tell complex jokes and stories in a very short period of time. Send your best Vines (or any six second movie, if you don't have a smartphone and the app) to [email protected] with your name and age for our Vine Contest, and on the day of the program, we will play them all and the people in attendance can vote on the best! Prizes for the winners!

Check out the events calendar at www.worcpublib.org for more information, and more teen events - we can't list them all!
Adult Programs

Have you signed up for our Summer Reading Program yet? If not, there is still plenty of time for you to Escape the Ordinary! Register online and track the number of books you read this summer. We'll encourage you along the way with some incentives to keep you reading. Ask us for more details. And when you feel the urge to put the book down, the library will be hosting some fabulous programs this month to help you escape.

July 7th, 7 p.m.: Long-time WCVB-TV Chronicle reporter, Ted Reinstein will be here to regale us with local stories. The author of New England Notebook: One Reporter, Six States, Uncommon Stories will share with the audience unusual tales he has encountered in his travels through the region.
 
July 14th, 7 p.m.: Things will go from unusual to extraordinary when Jeff Belanger presents Weird Massachusetts. Jeff is the Emmy-nominated host, writer, and producer of New England Legends on PBS, and is the author of over a dozen books on the paranormal.


July 25th, 2:30 - 4 p.m.:Women in Comics: A panel discussion on the role of women in comics and graphic novels from the creation process to the portrayal of female characters. Featuring Dani Jones of Monster's vs. Kittens, Jennie Wood of Flutter, Robin Brenner of No Flying, No Tights, and Sorana Gatej from That's Entertainment!
 
Looking for more programs for adults? Check out our full July calendar now!
Branch Updates

Summer Reading Program excitement is underway at all the Library Branches! The Kick-off was a smashing success, and now it's up to you to keep track of your reading and earn prizes! The programs you attend at the Library also counts towards your Summer Reading minutes, so be sure to check out some of these great events!

The Goddard Branch will host Learn to Draw Superheroes with Debra Banna on July 15 from 3 to 4 p.m. Ages 10 - 17 are welcome! On Wednesday, July 29 from 4 to 5 p.m. they will welcome Malik the Magic Guy to perform a magic show all about the "Heroes" summer reading theme! There will be much more too, check out the schedule for more listings and details!

The Roosevelt Branch will have a visit from the Sir George & the Dragon Puppet Show on Thursday, July 2 from 4 to 5 p.m. The exciting show by Diane Kordas is for all ages. They will also offer Yoga with Mandy Roberge on Wednesday, July 29 from 3 to 4 p.m. for ages 8 - 17. For more on all the exciting happenings at this branch check out the schedule here.

The Tatnuck Magnet Branch will have Henna with Mandy Roberge on Wednesday, July 29 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. for all ages. They will also have some fun Hero themed programs including Superhero Fans Unite on Thursday, July 30 from 4 to 5 p.m. for ages 8 - 12. For more check out their schedule here.

The Frances Perkins Branch has some exciting events coming up including Cartooning with Mr. Frank on Wednesday, July 8 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., and Superhero Training with Jungle Jim on Friday, July 24 from 4 to 5 p.m. Be sure to check out their schedule for more events going on throughout the summer!

Great Brook Valley Branch is getting in on all the Summer Reading action with Kitemaking on Thursday, July 9 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Decorate a Superhero Cape on Thursday, July 23 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Check out their complete schedule here.

Libby and Lilly will be hitting the road all summer too, check out worcpublib.org for a complete schedule!
What's Online: AtoZ Databases

AtoZ Databases is the premier Job Search, Reference & Mailing List database, which includes 30 million business and executive profiles, and 220 million residents. Ideal for sales leads mailing lists, market research, employment opportunities, finding friends and relatives, and much more! All contents are available in Spanish, and all you need to avail yourself of this wealth of information is your WPL Library Card. Go to worcpublib.org, select Online Databases, and locate AtoZ at the top of Business & Finance. Happy Hunting! 
Best of 2015 Book Recommendations & Reviews
 

Adults

Teens

Children
    
  
Librarians at the Worcester Public Library are always ready to recommend books to patrons. Click on the book covers on the right to view suggested titles for adults, teens, and children. For more on what to read, browse our most requested titles, and the New York Times fiction and nonfiction bestsellers lists!  



By Naomi Novik

In my opinion, one of the most important elements of any fantasy novel is the seamless joining of plot and world building. Nothing irks me more as a reader than being taken out of the story in order to understand the background details. A good fantasy author will entwine these details into the tale without drawing attention to the effort. This tricky feat is beautifully accomplished by Naomi Novik in her newest novel, Uprooted.
Reminders

The One City, One Library Branches will have Summer Hours in effect beginning June 30. Please check the website for more details.

Please note, all branches of the Worcester Public Library will be closed on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day.

Look for the WPL table at the Out to Lunch Concert Series on the Worcester Common on Thursday, July 2 and Thursday, July 23!