Sherlock Holmes Film Festival

The annual Sherlock Holmes Film Festival, presented by the Illustrious Clients of Indianapolis, returns on Saturday, August 3rd, from 12-4:30pm. This year, watch three well-known actors' interpretations of Sherlock Holmes in various adventures. The lineup is as follows:

• "Terror by Night" -starring Basil Rathbone as Holmes
• "The Red-Headed League" -starring Jeremy Brett as Holmes
• "The Hound of the Baskervilles" -starring Peter Cushing as Holmes

Seating is limited and individual registration is required, so reserve your seat today. Light refreshments will be provided. Come for one film or stay for all three, and spend an afternoon with fellow Sherlock Holmes fans watching the master sleuth on the big screen. Don't forget to check out our Sherlock Holmes books and DVDs while you're here, my dear Watson.

Birthday Party Carnival

 Join us at the End of Summer Carnival on August 2nd from 5:30 – 7:00 PM.  

You don’t want to miss the carnival games and prizes, the face painting, and the bounce house, which will take place in the 5th Street parking lot.  The Zionsville fire and police departments will also be present throughout the evening, and we will have live music!  

Whole Foods Market will be raffling off $25 Gift Cards for the Grownups, and they generously donated Veggie Straws for the kids to enjoy.

The games are free thanks to the Friends of the Library, but hot dogs and drinks will be available for purchase, so be sure to bring a little cash if you’re hungry.  

Please Register for this night of fun. 

SOAR in for a good time!

SOAR (Seniors Out and About Reading) is a group of congenial, seasoned readers that convenes every three weeks at the Library.  No advanced reading or registration is required, simply join tag-team librarians, Ellen and Barbara, on the second floor, as we talk about books we’ve handpicked to tickle your reading fancies. Typically, we zip through about 10 to 15 books, both fiction and nonfiction (the majority of which are available in Large Print), giving thumbnail sketches, relevant reviews, and personal opinions. Next we open the floor for you to tell us about any good books you’ve read lately.  Lastly, we’re on hand to assist with specific research requests or track down elusive titles. If you want to find a good book, expand your reading horizons, or just kick back and enjoy an hour in the company of like-minded readers join us for SOAR. The next SOAR will be Monday, August 5, from 2:30 - 3:30 PM.  For a complete schedule visit the Library's calendar of programs and events or pick up a bookmark at the reference desk in Teen & Adult Services.

Changes to the Teen Area

Summer is perhaps the busiest time for anyone working in a library, but leave it to us to make ourselves even busier.  However, it's all in the name of teens, so as the teen librarian, I'm okay with being extra, extra busy.  It all started several months ago we added paint to the walls in the teen area. 

After that, we moved the shelves around and added tables and chairs next to the windows, providing teens with a great place to do group study.  The past two weeks we've added a few more elements to the teen area, this time with new chairs and a fabulous rug! 

This is just a small change we've made and we are still not done.  For the latest addition, you'll have to have a seat in one of our new chairs and look at the opposite wall.  That's right, we're not going to show you all the fun stuff online, you'll have to come in and see them.  Now, we will still be making changes in August and possibly in September, so you'll need to keep stopping by to see the latest changes.

Call the Midwife

“Why did I ever start this? I must have been mad! There were dozens of other things I could have been—a model, air hostess, or a ship’s stewardess. The ideas run through my head, all glamorous, highly paid jobs. Only an idiot would choose to be a nurse. And now a midwife. . .”  Thus begins Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth, now available at the Library.  You may already be familiar with the acclaimed BBC drama based on Worth’s remembrances.  (The series, distributed by PBS, is now in its second season on WFYI; the Library has Season 1.)  If not, you’re in for a treat. Worth writes about life in London's working-class East End in the 1950s when midwives--not obstetricians--delivered babies at home with little fuss and even less anesthesia. The memoir opens with Worth's arrival at Nonnatus House, a training center for midwives. Worth (played by Jessica Raine in the series) is fresh out of nursing school, and it is through her eager, inexperienced eyes, that we come to know the compassionate and sometimes quirky nuns, as well as their memorable patients. Chapter by chapter, we follow Jenny as she pedals on her rounds, ultimately coming to appreciate not only her personal achievements, but the heroic efforts of this entire band of dedicated nurses. So, if you're in the mood for a compelling drama with plenty of heart, Call the Midwife is just what the doctor ordered.

A Few Top-Rated Fitness DVDs

We all like the best.  We want to read the best books and eat the best food.  This also holds true when it comes to workout DVDs.  The last thing we want to do is waste time doing a boring, ineffective exercise routine. 

In order to give you the best options, we provide DVDs that have received great reviews from their users, as well as from fitness professionals.  The following DVDs have received five stars from www.collagevideo.com  customers, as well as receiving the “Staff Favorite” seal of approval.

Paul Katami’s “Ultimate Kettlebell Workouts for Beginners” teaches a safe and effective method to get the most out of this fitness tool.  Choose from 3 workouts.  The first is an easy tutorial, the second uses the kettlebell for an effective multi-muscle-group session.  The third session focuses on the abdominals, using both standing and floorwork.  Paul gives you many options for exercising with this versatile piece of equipment.

“Slim Sculpt” by Ellen Barrett is another favorite.  Ellen uses large, fluid movements to lengthen and tone the body.  During the standing portion, light weights are used.  She seamlessly transitions from one exercise to the next, flowing through a 20 minute standing routine.  When she moves to the floor, the class takes on a traditional Pilates feel.  This one is a favorite for her friendly, straight forward instruction and unique take on full body exercise.

"Give Me 10: Core Cuts" comes from Amy Dixon.  This DVD includes six 10-minute ab focused workout sessions.  Each workout has a different feel; some are on the floor, while others are done standing.  You move from gym-style exercises to Pilates to yoga.  If your abdominal muscles need a challenge, you will find it here.

These are just a few of the DVDs at your library that are considered among the best. 

Texas Roadhouse Cut & Taste

New to grilling? Love to grill? Whether a novice or a pro, learn how to better grill your favorite cuts of meat, and how to cut them correctly before grilling, at the Texas Roadhouse Cut & Taste at the Library at 7pm on Monday, July 29th. Have your grilling questions answered by a Texas Roadhouse expert, watch a demonstration of how to best cut steak and pork, and taste a sample afterward. Seating is limited and individual registration is required, so register today and enjoy a taste from the grill on a warm summer evening with your friends and neighbors.

While you're here, check out the Library's large collection of books about grilling all sorts of foods. Keep things safe when grilling by following tips from the Hearth, Patio & Barbeque Association, which include using long-handled utensils and never leaving a lit grill unattended. They also advise to be ready to extinguish flames by having baking soda (to control a grease fire) and a fire extinguisher nearby.

Seats for this program will fill quickly, so register yours today. Bon appetit!

Donald Davidson: Indy 500

Think you know your Indianapolis 500 trivia? Meet Donald Davidson, renowned Indianapolis Motor Speedway Historian and veritable bank of Indianapolis 500 knowledge. An avid follower of the British Grand Prix as a boy in England, he learned of the Indianapolis 500 and became determined to visit the United States to attend the race. He memorized the names and dates, facts and figures of every Indianapolis 500, and his ability to recount them on demand was, and still is, unparalleled.

His first visit to the Indianapolis 500 in 1964 proved momentous and serendipitous, as his personality, drive and uncanny memory earned him a resounding welcome into the inner circle of racing legends and broadcasters. He was invited to be a guest speaker during the 1964 broadcast of the race, and the rest, as they say, is history. Inducted into the Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2010, he is the only member who was never a race car driver.

On Monday, July 22 at 6pm, Donald Davidson will be at the Library to talk about the Indianapolis 500 and answer your questions. Don't miss this special opportunity to meet a local, and worldwide, legend. Register your seat today and don your black and white attire for this unique event.