February 2012
 

One Book One Island Events Feb. 12 -19

One Book One Island, a community reading project , has chosen Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon for 2012. The project distributed free copies of the book in January and will host a series of free events between Feb. 12 to Feb 19.

Free events include:
An invitation to join the weekly bird club walk at 8 am on Sunday, Feb. 12. Birders meet in the parking lot of the Nantucket High School, followed by a pot luck brunch at the Maria Mitchell Association Natural Science Museum, 7 Milk Street.
Also on Sunday, Feb. 12 at noon, at the MMA Natural Science Museum, Vern Laux, ornithologist with the Linda Loring Nature Foundation, will give a talk called “Birds of Prey.” The lecture will be followed by a tour of the Edith F. Andrews Ornithological Collection.
 

Two book discussions: one on Monday, February 13 at 5 p.m. at Sherburne Commons, 21 South Shore Road, facilitated by Nantucket Atheneum Executive Director Molly Anderson. And again on Thursday, February 16 at 1:30 p.m. at the Saltmarsh Senior Center, Washington Street Ext., facilitated by Fifi Greenberg.
 

Two film screenings of the 1941 film version of “Maltese Falcon” featuring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor and directed by John Huston. First at 7 pm, Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the Coffin School, 4 Winter St. and again Thursday, Feb. 16 at 2:30 pm at the Saltmarsh Senior Center, Washington Street Ext., when the book discussion scheduled for 1:30 p.m. concludes.

A special presentation on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. from San Francisco author and private investigator Josiah “Tink” Thompson who will discuss his investigative and mystery writing experiences. Gosnell Hall, Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. Museum doors will open at 6:30 pm Reception to follow
 

And, Sunday Feb. 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. a program called “Jazz People” -An Afternoon of Poetry featuring Poet Regie Gibson and ‘30s Jazz with Musician Paul Connors. African Meeting House, York & Pleasant Sts.
For more information visit www.nantucketatheneum.org/programs-events/for-adults/one-book-one-island-2011.
 

Installation of Heating & Cooling System Continues

Workmen installing the Atheneum’s new heating and cooling system have prepared a place in the garden for the new condensers and are now working on ductwork above the ceilings on the first floor and the basement level.

The library closed to the public on Tuesday, January 24th because of the construction project and plans to re-open on Tuesday, February 21st.

The project includes replacing the current heating & cooling system and replacing it with a more efficient and environmentally friendly system that will save the library money.

During this period the Atheneum has suspended:

· public access to the building

· all book and media circulation

· adult and youth programs

· computer access in the Great Hall.

Patrons will  be able drop off materials in the outside bins and no late fees will be charged. Patrons are encouraged to use our website to  download materials and to access to our reference databases. We will have telephone and email service to answer questions throughout this period.  We are grateful for your understanding and patience during this important project and we look forward to serving you again in late February.

Moby-Dick Reading Marathon Clocks In at 25.5 Hours

Eighty people took turns reading Herman Melville's classic American novel Moby-Dick during the Nantucket Atheneum's first ever Moby-Dick Reading Marathon on January 21 and January 22. The reading, which included all 135 chapters and the epilogue, took 25.5 hours.

The Atheneum thanks all the readers who gamely braved a snowstorm and lack of sleep to come to the library to participate. We also thank the audience members who came to listen and support their family, friends and neighbors at all hours. 

One reader, Phil Roosevelt, beautifully captured the spirit of the event in a blog post on Barron's magazine website.
Here is the link:  Whale of a Tale
 

Nantucket Bookworks Shares The Love

February is Love Month at Nantucket Bookworks. The store will give a portion of each day’s sales to a different Nantucket nonprofit.  Bookworks has chosen Monday, February 13th to benefit the Atheneum.
Thank you  Nantucket Bookworks!