Library Program

Discover Films @RRPL

MaryLeave a comment

Did you know that RRPL is an online provider of entertainment to our patrons? We offer entertainment through the streaming services AcornTV, Hoopla and Kanopy. Simply go to our website here. Click on the streaming service of your choice, create an account with your library card and begin browsing.

On a monthly basis we offer two separate programs, Film Club and Streaming Stories Spotlight, which highlights a film selected from one of our streaming services.

In March, Film Club will be discussing Ex Machina, a 2014 science fiction psychological thriller.  If you are a fan of West World, you will love this film.  It’s a clever sci-fi narrative with high level intrigue and unpredictability.  We will meet on March 25th at 7pm, and you can sign up here.  The film is currently streaming on Kanopy. 

Ex Machina (2014) - IMDb

Also in March, Streaming Stories Spotlight will highlight Float Like A Butterfly, a 2018 film about Irish Travellers, boxing and female emancipation. The film is currently streaming on Hoopla. You can view our review of this film here.

Float Like a Butterfly (2018) - Rotten Tomatoes

February is Women in Horror Month

NicoleLeave a comment

For the past twelve years, February has been celebrated as Women in Horror Month, a topic very near and dear to my heart. According to the Women in Horror Month website, “Women in Horror Month (WiHM) is an international, grassroots initiative, which encourages supporters to learn about and showcase the underrepresented work of women in the horror industries. Whether they are on the screen, behind the scenes, or contributing in their other various artistic ways, it is clear that women love, appreciate, and contribute to the horror genre.” WiHM aims to help horror works by and featuring women reach a wider audience. This inclusive and positive movement is open to everyone, of course, just as they believe the horror genre should be open to everyone.

WiHM recently announced that as of March 1, 2021 there will no longer be an official WiHM organization, but that they have found there is more than enough content, traffic, and engagement to bring this celebration to communities year round. So, Women in Horror Month might look different moving forward as everyone is now encouraged to choose their own month to celebrate, but I look forward to seeing the creativity and innovation from this community in the years to come!

You can take a look at events going on around the country celebrating WiHM here. Two events I was particularly excited about this month are the “Females of Fright: Zoom Edition” live author panels, both offered for free, thanks to the Horror Writer’s Association! The first panel took place on Friday, February 12th but luckily you can watch it on the HWA’s YouTube channel here. The first panel included Zoje Stage, author of Wonderland, which just so happens to be the next title up for discussion in our Novel Scares book club. Interested in joining us on March 18th to discuss this great creepy novel? Sign up here! The next “Females of Fright” panel is Friday, February 26th at 8 pm (EST) and you can register here.

Looking for more resources for WiHM? Check out two of my favorite blogs, RA for All: Horror, and Ladies of Horror Fiction. Finally, I want to share a recent discovery that is full of dark and horrific literary treasures- including some up and coming women authors- Nightmare Magazine. You can read and listen to full articles for free on their website, and the February 2021 issue includes this *amazing* short story from author E.A. Petricone, “We, the Girls Who Did Not Make It.” I cannot stop thinking about this piece and look forward to reading more from her!

Happy reading and stay safe and warm!

Discover Book Club Kits@ RRPL

MaryLeave a comment

We know how difficult it is to choose a book for your next book group meeting, and to find enough copies for all the members of your group. We would like to make this easier for you by offering Book Club Kits to our patrons. You will receive 8 copies of the same title, a set of discussion questions and other pertinent information about the book or author, all inside a canvas library bag, to be checked out on the library card of the patron picking up the kit. The loan period for the kit is 6 weeks. We own 18 Book Club Kits, 12 fiction book titles and 6 nonfiction book titles. I’d like to share with you one of our newly selected book titles, Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell..

“On a summer’s day in 1596, a young girl in
Stratford-on Avon takes to her bed with a
fever. Her twin brother, Hamnet, searches
everywhere for help. Why is nobody at
home? Their mother, Agnes, is over a
mile away, in the garden where she grows
medicinal herbs. Their father, a playwright,
is working in London. Neither parent knows
that one of the children will not survive
the week.

Hamnet is a novel inspired by the son of a
famous playwright. It is a story of the bond
between twins and of a marriage pushed
to the brink by grief.

Above all, it is the tender reimagining of a
boy whose life has been all but forgotten, but whose name
was given to one of the most celebrated plays ever written.”

http://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk
© Women’s Prize for Fiction

Cowan Pottery Museum Needs Your Help!

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The Cowan Pottery Museum wants to hear from you! As the Museum plans its 2021 programming, we seek your feedback on how the Museum can expand its services. What type of programs would you like offered by the Museum? In what new ways can we provide more information about our collection? Please, click here to submit your feedback before December 1.

5Days4Democracy: Advocacy

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Welcome to day 4 of City Club Cleveland’s 5 Days For Democracy! I hope you’ve been enjoying the great content shared and have hopefully learned something new along the way. Today, as we welcome October, we celebrate advocacy!

What is advocacy? Advocacy is most simply defined as any action that speaks in favor of, recommends, argues for a cause, supports or defends, or pleads on behalf of others. Read more about what advocacy means and the different types of advocacy (community advocacy vs. legal advocacy) in this article from the Philanthropy Journal. You may wonder- how is advocacy different from lobbying? Well, lobbying is a type of advocacy in which you advocate for a or against a specific legislation, but not all advocacy means lobbying!

What activities comprise advocacy work? There are *so many* ways that Americans of all ages can get involved in work to support their beliefs and views. Here are a few examples of advocacy work:

  • Organize: Organize a meeting or rally with others who share your views to mobilize for change! This could be coffee with your neighbors over Zoom, it doesn’t need to be a big meeting to make big change.
  • Educate Legislators: Provide information to legislators on issues you care about. Many non-profits help you to advocate by providing fact sheets or scripts to use when reaching out to legislators. Not sure who represents you? Find out using Ballotpedia.org here.
  • Research: We librarians know the importance of research! Find relevant resources that exhibit your story. Check out this list of institutes and think tanks put together by the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy. Find legislation that affects you and track it’s progress in Congress here at GovTrack.us .
  • Nonpartisan Voter Education: Inform your community on the issues you care about and how to vote for change! Nonpartisan groups like the League of Women Voters can help you to become an advocate and get involved.
  • Lobby: As a member of the general public, you can advocate for or against specific legislation through grassroots lobbying efforts! It is citizen participation in government and a great way to make your voice heard.

Feeling like you are already working hard as an advocate? The Ohio ACLU shared this list of useful tips on how to become a better advocate, including the importance of challenging our own biases when we look to become an advocate for others. The ACLU is another great resource for those looking to get involved, and you can check out the Ohio ACLU’s advocacy page here .

It might seem more challenging to be an advocate now amidst the pandemic, but according to the Institute for Free Speech, “Even when we’re stuck at home, the groups we join to support shared causes continue to give us a voice in Washington and our state capitals.” thanks in a large part to online advocacy! Use social media to organize virtual letter writing campaigns with friends or use Twitter to engage with public officials. You don’t need to leave your house to be an awesome advocate.

Image from the Institute for Free Speech.

10 Great Biographies & Memoirs to Celebrate the 19th Amendment

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Did you know that 2020 marks 100 years of women having the right to vote in the United States? You can find more information, including great reading lists for all ages, educational videos, and how to get involved in the celebration at www.womensvote100.org and www.2020centennial.org. Special events have been happening all year! On August 26, 2020 buildings and landmarks across the country lit up in purple and gold as part of the nationwide Forward Into Light Campaign, named in honor of the historic suffrage slogan, “Forward through the Darkness, Forward into Light.”

One way you can help to celebrate this awesome and important anniversary is to read a book about a suffragist! Below you will find 10 great biographies and collected biographies that reveal more about U.S. suffragists of note and a few contemporary feminist titles as well.

If you are a fan of biographies and memoirs, we have an exciting virtual event next week with Eliese Colette Goldbach, the talented and acclaimed author of Rust: A Memoir of Steel and Grit. There are still spots open for this Zoom program- register here!

What to Read During Hispanic Heritage Month

Megan1 Comment

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Morena-Garcia, a terrifying twist on classic gothic horror, follows the experiences of a courageous socialite in 1950s Mexico who is drawn into the treacherous secrets of an isolated mansion. It is also the subject of the December 17th meeting of our horror book discussion group, Novel Scares. Register now to join us, via Zoom.

True Crime Addict by James Renner Review

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True Crime Addict: How I Lost Myself in the Mysterious Disappearance of Maura Murray by James Renner

Investigative journalist James Renner was just eleven in 1989 when ten-year-old Amy Mihaljevic disappeared from Bay Village, Ohio. This disappearance marked the beginning of his interest and obsession with true crime. For many suburban Northeast Ohio children and teens this case was their first introduction to crime and the impact on their lives was immediate. How could something like this happen in broad daylight in a small, white, suburb? This desire for answers led Renner to a career in journalism.
Fast forward to 2011. James begins investigating the mysterious 2004 disappearance of Maura Murray, a University of Massachusetts student who vanished following a car wreck in rural New Hampshire. Maura was an athlete, a former West Point cadet, and a nursing student at UMass. On February 9 she emailed professors letting them know she would be absent for a week due to a death in the family. Later that night she was involved in a single car accident hundreds of miles away. By the time help arrived Maura was gone.
What happened to Maura Murray? The question remains unanswered today.
This case fascinated Renner and dragged him down a rabbit hole of research that took a toll on him personally. True Crime Addict is part investigative journalism, part confessions of a true crime addict.

If this case interests you, join me and Sherry next Wednesday, September 9 for a Zoom discussion.
Register here to and you will be emailed the link: http://rrpl.evanced.info/signup/EventDetails?EventId=26155&backTo=Calendar&startDate=2020/09/02

~Megan

Virtual One Community Reads: Fall 2020

staceyLeave a comment

I’m finding it difficult to manage the intense ups and downs of this year -like pretty much *everybody* I talk to, and I feel like we all need:1) a seriously quality nap -maybe every day?, 2) more upbeat news on a regular basis, and 3) a way to contribute to the good things we see happening in the World. Maybe joining the conversations during our virtual One Community Reads helps you with at least two of the three items in the previous list?

For the second time this year all nine public library systems and our community partners in Cuyahoga County are working together to host a One Community Reads, a chance to engage and discuss timely and important topics. From August through December, you’ll be able to read a variety of books, attend virtual programs throughout Cuyahoga County, and join the conversation. And consider this -think of how easy it will be to attend an East Side or Downtown program from the comfort of your West Side couch!

A full list of events is available on OneCommunityReads.org

Events hosted by Rocky River Public Library:
Let’s Talk About Race – Presentation and Q&A
Wednesday, August 19, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
Join Dr. Ronnie Dunn, Chief Diversity Officer at Cleveland State University, for a discussion on race and racism, the Black Lives Matter movement, and policing in the United States. This was a virtual program held on Zoom. (It’s over but worth noting -imho)

Booked by the Lieutenant
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
Thursday, August 27, 6:30 -8:00 pm
Read to learn more about how guilt and fear can create defensiveness, how white fragility protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively, before joining a discussion of ideas led by Lt. George Lichman. Register at: https://bit.ly/2XN8ZcE to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

Ida Finds Her Voice: Author Visit
For families of all ages
Tuesday, September 15, 7:00 pm
Join Kate Anderson Foley, Ph.D. and Jenifer Anderson-Smith for a reading of their book Ida Finds Her Voice and a conversation about listening to one’s inner voice. We will discuss ways to advocate for kindness and social justice. This will be an opportunity for our youth and our experienced adults to better understand how to find the hero inside ourselves. Register at: https://bit.ly/2PTqLGZ to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

How to Talk to Your Children About Racism
Thursday, September 17, 6:30-7:30 pm
Racism is an important parenting topic that many struggle or are uncomfortable with, but these conversations are necessary in this time of bias and violence against people of color. Join Adrianne Fletcher, PhD., Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at Case Western Reserve University, for a frank discussion on how to talk to your children about race and racism. Register at: https://bit.ly/3adGIAP to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

We Read Together, We Stand Together Beanstack Program and Discussion Group
Mondays, 7:00-8:00 pm
This new discussion group is a community collaboration that will provide students in grades 6-12 and their interested parents or guardians with an opportunity to read diverse voices and have conversations on a variety of topics. Grades 6-12 and parents/guardians. @Rocky River Public Library.

Monday, September 21, Initial Meeting to introduce participants to Beanstack suggested readings and format for future discussions. Register at: https://bit.ly/3kufXwR to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program,

Monday, October 5 Topic: African American Voices Register at: https://bit.ly/31F6WZ7 to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program,

Monday, October 19 Topic: Social Injustice and Voting Rights Register at: https://bit.ly/2XKYzuc to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

Monday, November 2 Topic: Poverty and Homelessness Register at: https://bit.ly/3afxqEp to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

Monday, November 16 Topic: Native American Voices Register at: https://bit.ly/3fMxDjQ to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

Monday, December 7 Topic: Diverse Abilities Register at: https://bit.ly/3fINJLm to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

Monday, December 21 Topic: Asian American Voices Register at: https://bit.ly/3gJTXM8 to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

Adult Rocky River Readers Book Club
Aperiogon by Colum McCann
Thursday, October 8, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
This novel is based on the real-life friendship of two men, an Israeli and a Palestinian. Bonded over the experience of losing a child to war, these fathers decide to use their grief as a weapon for peace. Register at: https://bit.ly/3kH7XZE to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

An Outrage: Film Discussion with Dr. Gilbert Doho
Wednesday, October 14, 7:00-8:00 pm
Dr. Gilbert Doho, Head of the Ethnic Studies Department of Case Western Reserve University will moderate a remote discussion on the film An Outrage by Hannah Ayers and Lance Warren, a film addressing the history of lynching in the U.S. Register at: https://bit.ly/3iwHr3h to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.
Celebrate Multicultural Diversity Day
For all ages
Monday, October 19, 4:00-4:45 pm
Join us virtually as we share multicultural books, songs, rhymes, activities, and other resources that reflect the diversity of our community. Register online to receive an invitation to join this event. Participants will be able to pick up a packet prior to the program with directions and materials to use during the program. Register at: https://bit.ly/3ab32eD to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

Booked by the Lieutenant
Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do by Jennifer L. Eberhardt, PhD
Wednesday, November 4, 7:00–8:30 pm
Read to learn more about unconscious racial bias through the author’s personal stories, her research, and learn strategies to address one of the central controversies of our time before joining a discussion of ideas led by Lt. George Lichman. Register at: https://bit.ly/3kvVrvH to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

Observe World Kindness Day
For all ages
Friday, November 13, 11:00-11:45 am
Help us make the world a better place by promoting acts of good kindness through stories, songs, crafts, and other activities that can be shared with others in the community. Register online to receive an invitation to join this event. Participants will be able to pick up a packet prior to the program with directions and materials to use during the program. Register at: https://bit.ly/2F3u386 to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

Novel Scares Book Discussion
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Thursday, November 12, 7:00 -8:00 pm
After a disturbing event from their youth puts them in a desperate struggle for their lives, four American Indian men are tracked by an entity bent on revenge in this blending of classic horror and sharp social commentary. Registration required. Register at: https://bit.ly/2FcUqZx to receive a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the program.

-Stacey