May 2014 News
Sturgis Library
Barnstable Village

Mary Sturgis Shaw is reunited with her family

Sturgis Library is pleased to accept the donation of a portrait of Mary Louisa Sturgis Shaw (1812-1870), one of the five daughters of Captain William Sturgis and his wife Elizabeth Davis Sturgis. The Sturgises also had a son, William Watson Sturgis, who died in a boating accident as a teenager.

The portrait of Mary is the gift of S. Parkman "Parky" Shaw of Brookline, Massachusetts. He is a descendant of the noted Boston Shaw family. He presented the painting to Library Director Lucy Loomis and Library Trustee Dan Santos during a visit to his home in April. Also present were Sturgis family descendants Roger Warner and Clover Swann.

Mary Louisa Sturgis was the wife of Robert Gould Shaw, Jr. Both Mary and Robert were the children of prominent merchants in the China trade. They lived at 44 Beacon Street in Boston for many years. Robert Gould Shaw's nephew, also named Robert Gould Shaw, was the famous commander of the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, an impressive black infantry unit that saw extensive combat during the Civil War. There is currently a fascinating exhibit at the Massachusetts Historical Society, running through May 23rd, highlighting the men of the 54th Regiment and Augustus Saint-Gaudens' memorial to them.

Mary and Robert had one daughter, Mary Louisa "Loulie" Shaw (1842-1873), who died at the age of 31. She had no children.

The portrait originally belonged to the children of Mary Sturgis's sister Caroline Sturgis Tappan. It passed out of the family sometime in the 20th century, and was later purchased at auction by Parky Shaw.

We are indebted to Mr. Shaw for his very generous donation. Mary's portrait will hang in the Hooper Room with her parents William and Elizabeth Sturgis, two of her sisters (Ellen and Caroline), and her nephew William Sturgis Bigelow.

Upcoming Programs for Adults

The Painter: Author Lois Swann

Saturday, 3 May @2:00 pm

Inspired by a true story, The Painter plunges the reader into the life of an Italian artist, Lorenzo Frasca, who emigrates to America in the closing days of WWII. His skill, founded in Renaissance technique, sustains him through extraordinary service to his native country after Italy joins the Allies, his disastrous marriage to a madwoman, his care of her fragile daughter, grinding labor painting apartment hallways for survival, finding love and his Muse. Art itself steers him through incalculable loss and brings him to the patronage of a Spanish prince who challenges a mature Lorenzo to create his masterpiece.

The Painter takes readers on an artist's grand tour, infusing the narrative with visions of landscapes, paintings and the complex beauty of the Alhambra.

Lois Swann, novelist and poet, is the author of The Mists of Manittoo and of its sequel, Torn Covenants. A native New Yorker, she presently resides on Cape Cod with her husband, a sea captain.

This talk is free, but registration is required. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Luminaries of Early West Barnstable: Author James H. Ellis

Saturday, 17 May @2:00 p.m.

West Barnstable is unique among historic colonial Cape Cod hamlets. A quartet born there in a 56-year span in the 18th century marked this village on the map forever. James Otis Jr., "the Patriot," led the intellectual revolution and helped shape American independence. His sister, Mercy Otis Warren, broke free of the defined roles for women of her time to become a significant political activist, dramatist, poet and historian. War hero John "Mad Jack" Percival rose to the highest rank in the U.S. Navy and saved the USS Constitution from the scrap heap before sailing it around the world. America's magistrate Lemuel Shaw influenced the country from his seat as chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court. Join author James H. Ellis as he traces the stories of West Barnstable's luminaries and their profound village legacy.

This talk is free, but registration is required.

Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Monthly Book Discussion Group

The book group meets the third Tuesday of the month at 1:10 p.m. New members are always welcome. You can email Antonia at sturgisreference@comcast.net to be added to the group email list (which means books will be ordered for you in advance). May's selection is "Sandcastle Girls," by Chris Bohjalian. The group will take a hiatus over the summer and start again in September.

Upcoming Adult Programs:

History Along Route 6A: 7-13 June. There will be programs in Barnstable and Yarmouth Port all week, presented free or at reduced cost--check our web site in the coming weeks for details.

"A Most Remarkable Enterprise,"
by Captain William Sturgis, presented by Dr. Mary Malloy, Tuesday, 10 June @6:30 p.m.

Photos and Fun at Sturgis Library

Stop by Sturgis Library's flickr page to view photos of two great April events -- Library Snapshot Day and LibraryPalooza 2014.

Many to thanks to every who participated in Snapshot Day by allowing us to take their photo and leaving a quote about the Library. The resulting photos and quotes will be gathered into book form and be available for browsing here at the library in the coming months.

And thanks to all who attended LibraryPalooza! A great time was had by all!

CLICK here to view photos!

Plant and Garden Sale

Sturgis Library presents their Annual Plant and Garden Sale on Saturday, June 7th from 9 am to 3 pm.

We will be accepting donations of plants for the sale, so divide your perennials now and pot them up so they'll be well established. Plants should be labeled with the name/variety, potential height, and anything you might know about growing conditions. Donations of plants will be accepted starting June 2nd.

We will also be accepting donations of new or gently used garden-related items -- garden tools or decor, garden furniture, decorative pots, baskets, bagged compost, etc. Garden items can be dropped off at the Library during regular library hours starting April 15th.

For more information, contact the Library:

508-362-6636 sturgislibrary@comcast.net

www.sturgislibrary.org

Sally Cabot Gunning Author Talk and Reception

Sturgis Library and Tales of Cape Cod are pleased to present their second annual historical author lecture this summer. Last year's sold-out event featured Nantucket author Nathaniel Philbrick.

This year, Brewster author Sally Cabot Gunning will speak at the Barnstable Village Hall / Comedy Club on Thursday, July 10th, 2014 at 6 PM. Sally will discuss her latest novel, Benjamin Franklin's Bastard, as well as her Satucket Series of historical novels -- Widow's War, Bound, and The Rebellion of Jane Clarke -- which are set in part on Cape Cod.

Sally brings history to life as she weaves her tales of life in Revolutionary-era America. Cape Cod becomes a character in many of her novels along with real historical figures including James Otis, Joseph Warren, Benjamin Franklin and others. You can learn more about Sally and her books on her website: www.sallygunning.com.

Sally's talk will be followed by a reception with delicious food, wine, beer, and light refreshments. Sally will sign and sell copies of her books, and be available to answer questions.

Tickets are $25 each and went on sale April 1st, 2014. To purchase tickets, stop by Sturgis Library during regular library hours or call us at 508-362-6636 to charge your tickets to your credit card.

Seats are limited -- last year's event sold out quickly -- so purchase your tickets soon!

Exhibits and Displays

The following artists will be featured in the coming months:

Simpkins Room Gallery

May 2014: Tracy Lindholm Nee oil paintings
June 2014: Senior Center Artists -- various media
July 2014: Taylor Sijan -- Drawings, jewelry, etc.
August 2014: Just Jill Today -- photographs
September 2014: Annette MacAdams
October 2104: Kurt Vonnegut exhibit
November 2014: Hugo Rizzoli, Mixed Media
December 2014: KrisMarie Photography

Lobby Exhibits & Displays

May 2014: Soutache Bead Embroidery & Jewelry by Patty Lange & artifacts from the Coast Guard Heritage Museum
June 2014: Senior Center artists -- various media
July 2014: Tom Prince's collection of Native artifacts and a 375th anniversary of Barnstable exhibit
August 2014: Jill Conway origami and crafts and a 375th anniversary of Barnstable exhibit
September and October 2014: Kurt Vonnegut exhibit
November 2014: Crafts by Magda Brancato
December 2014: Holiday Sale

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Do you have artwork, photography, sculpture, crafts, a collection, or other interesting items to exhibit? Contact Lucy Loomis at 508-362-6636 or drop her an email at sturgislibrary@comcast.net

You can get more information about our exhibit spaces on our website. To see a list of upcoming exhibits and displays, check out the Now Showing page.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of exhibited art, photography, and crafts benefits the Sturgis Library. Proceeds are used to enhance library services and programs.

New Sturgis Library Website

We're pleased to announce that our new website launched at the end of March. When you visit the website in April, you'll notice that it has a new look and new functionality. All the links you're used to are still accessible from the main menu, but we've added an easy CLAMS search box on the main page, quick links to our Events Calendar, and the ability to share pages and posts via email and social media. Over the next several months we'll be adding new features and options to help keep you informed.

Two new features that save time are the ability to send us messages right from the website to sign up for museum passes and to register for programs online.

To reserve a museum pass, visit our Museum Pass page and fill in the form at the bottom. A staff member will get back to you within 24 hours to confirm availability.

To register for a program, visit the Events Calendar, click on a program or event, and leave a reply at the bottom of the page with your name, number of people wishing to attend, and your contact information. A staff member will get back to you within 24 hours to confirm that there is space left in the program.

Can You Suggest a Good Read?

Staff Reads:

Here are some current and recent reads from our staff members:

Antonia: "Where the Wild Things Are," by Maurice Sendak (children's picture book) and "Good Night, Teddy," Barron's Educational Series (cloth book).
Lisa: "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time," by Mark Haddon (fiction, Asperger's). and "The Four Seasons: Poems," edited by J. D McClatchy (non-fiction, poetry).
Cathy: "Rainwater," by Sandra Brown (historical fiction, Depression-era) and "The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happen to a Good Person," by Harold S. Kushner (non-fiction, spirituality)
Magda: "The Postcard Killers," by James Patterson and Liza Marklund (fiction, thriller) and "The Monuments Men : Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History," by Robert M. Edsel with Bret Witter (non-fiction, WWII, art).
Karen: "The Stone Boudoir: Travels through the Hidden Villages of Sicily," by Teri Maggio.
Katherine and Lucy: "The Goldfinch," by Donna Tartt (fiction, coming-of-age, art)

Upcoming Programs for Kids and Teens

Thursday, May 15^th 11am

Dress A Firefighter & Touch A Truck

Chief Pulsifer from BFD joins us for a very special story hour. He'll read a story, transform a regular man into a geared-up firefighter (with some help from the kids) and then take them all outside to explore a REAL fire engine! Appropriate for children ages 3 through 5.

(DROP IN -- No registration necessary)

Saturday, May 31^st12-3pm

Teen Artists Coalition of Cape Cod

The Art of Bookmaking

Become a self published author! Create your own personal journal, illustrate a flipbook, make some mini books from recycled materials or bring personal items of inspiration to assemble a one-of-a-kind story in pictures and words.

(Advance Registration Required, Ages 13+)

Preschool Storytime

koala Come join us for Drop-In Preschool Storytime every Thursday morning at 11:00!

There will be NO STORYTIME on April 24th and May 29th.

Miss Megan will share stories, songs, fingerplays, and more! The program is geared to children ages 2-5 and their parents or caregiver, but siblings are welcome to attend. No need to register -- just drop in!

Keep an eye on our events calendar or follow us on facebook to hear about the latest programs for children, young adults and their families.

Save the Dates

There are so many great programs and events coming up in 2014. In addition to the programs and events listed in this newsletter, there are a number of other great programs in the works. Mark your calendars now so you don't miss a thing! There will be additional information on these and other events in our upcoming newsletters.

375th Anniversary of the Town of Barnstable exhibits and events starting May 4th through December, 2014.
History Along Route 6A -- first weeks of June
Kurt Vonnegut Celebration -- Columbus Day Weekend, October 10-11-12, 2014. Sponsored by the Sturgis Library in conjunction with Barnstable Historical Society, Tales of Cape Cod, Cape Cod Art Association, Barnstable Comedy Club, and more! A lively series of lectures, a walking tour of the village, and cultural events celebrating the life, writing, and work of former Barnstable Village resident Kurt Vonnegut. You won't want to miss this event-packed weekend!

If you have questions about these or other events, contact the Library at 508-362-6636 or send us an email at sturgislibrary@comcast.net.

Library Hours & Holidays

Sturgis Library will be CLOSED on Monday, May 26th for Memorial Day.

Regular hours are:

Monday                                      10 AM to 5 PM
Tuesday                                      1 PM to 8 PM
Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday       10 AM to 5 PM
Saturday                                     10 AM to 4 PM
Sunday & major holidays                 CLOSED

Do you have questions about the Sturgis Library? Contact us:

Sturgis Library Board and Staff

Ted Lowrie, President, Board of Trustees
Sue Angus, Vice President, Board of Trustees
John Ehret, Treasurer, Board of Trustees
Colin Campbell, Secretary Trustees

Lucy Loomis, Library Director
Antonia Stephens, Assistant Director/Adult Services Librarian
Megan Nickerson, Youth Services Librarian
Karen Horn, Circulation Supervisor

For a complete list of staff and Board members, click here.

Phone & Fax:
Phone: 508-362-6636
Fax: 508-362-5467

Email:

sturgislibrary@comcast.net

Website:
http://www.sturgislibrary.org

Check our
Events Calendar

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Newsletter header photo credit: Lucy Loomis