Adult Services | Lower Providence Community Library

Welcome to the Adult Services page of the Lower Providence Community Library website. Find upcoming Programs & Events, check out our Resources for Readers, and send us your recommendations for books, DVDs, and other materials you would like to have in the library. Also, please let us know if you have any ideas for programming. We would love to hear from you!

To register for programs, email Barbara Loewengart or call the library at 610-666-6640 for the Circulation Desk.

Adult Yoga

Classes for November: Mondays: November 5, 12, 19 & 26 from 5:45- 6:45pm. Fridays: November 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 from 3:15 – 4:15pm.
Classes for December: Mondays: December 3, 10 & 17 from 5:45- 6:45pm. Fridays: December 7, 14, 21 & 28 from 3:15 – 4:15pm.

Taught by certified yoga instructor Kamini Patel. Bring a mat or a towel and a $5 donation. Funds provide books and supplies to children in India.

Chair Yoga for Adults

Classes in December: Wednesdays, December 5, 12, 19 & 26 from 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm.

Gentle yoga for people with less mobility, led by certified yoga instructor Kamini Patel. Cost is $5/session. Funds provide books and supplies to children in India.

Meditation Sessions

Classes for December: Mondays at 7:15pm., December 3, 10 & 17.

Please join us for FREE meditation sessions. Open to all levels. Bring your active mind and wear comfortable clothing. Taught by Roger Shaughnessy, YT-200.

Movie Matinee

Monday, December 10 at 1:30pm. Crazy Rich Asians. Starring Constance Wu and Henry Golding. Rated PG-13.

Monday, January 7 at 1:30pm. Christopher Robin. Starring Ewan McGregor. Rated PG.

Come to the Movie Matinee and enjoy a free showing of a hit movie! This program is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Evening Book Discussion Group

On Wednesday, December 12 at 7:00pm the evening book group will be discussing Flowers of the killer Moon by David Grann. Evening Book Discussion meets at 7:00pm the 2nd Wednesday of each month, September through June.

In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Indian Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe.
Then, one by one, they began to be killed off. One Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, watched as her family was murdered. Her older sister was shot. Her mother was then slowly poisoned. And it was just the beginning, as more Osage began to die under mysterious circumstances.
In this last remnant of the Wild West—where oilmen like J. P. Getty made their fortunes and where desperadoes such as Al Spencer, “the Phantom Terror,” roamed — virtually anyone who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered. As the death toll surpassed more than twenty-four Osage, the newly created F.B.I. took up the case, in what became one of the organization’s first major homicide investigations.
But the bureau was then notoriously corrupt and initially bungled the case. Eventually the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including one of the only Native American agents in the bureau. They infiltrated the region, struggling to adopt the latest modern techniques of detection. Together with the Osage they began to expose one of the most sinister conspiracies in American history.
In Killers of the Flower Moon, David Grann revisits a shocking series of crimes in which dozens of people were murdered in cold blood. The book is a masterpiece of narrative nonfiction, as each step in the investigation reveals a series of sinister secrets and reversals.
But more than that, it is a searing indictment of the callousness and prejudice toward Native Americans that allowed the murderers to operate with impunity for so long. Killers of the Flower Moon is utterly riveting, but also emotionally devastating. (From the publisher.)

Book Discussion Questions

Discussion questions:

1. Trace the “path” by which the Osage Indians eventually landed on the swatch of land in what would become the state of Oklahoma. Talk about their treatment at the hands of the U.S. government and others over the years. What angered or shocked you most?

2. Describe the early days of the Bureau of Investigation, its founding under Theodore Roosevelt, its original purpose, structure and operation, as well as its corruption, ineptness and bungled investigation of the Osage murders.

3. What made young J. Edgar Hoover an unlikely choice to head the Bureau of Investigation? What was his vision for the bureau—why, for instance, a nationalized police force rather than the existing patchwork structure?
4. How would you describe Tom White? Talk about how he approached the investigation into the Osage murders? When he solved the crime, were you surprised by the identity of the mastermind? Or had you figured it out along the way.

5. Grann writes that “history is a merciless judge.” What does he mean by that?

6. Talk about the last 70 pages of the book, in which Grann writes about working with current tribal members to uncover an even deeper conspiracy. By the book’s end, what were your feelings about the Osage nation, its history, and its people?

7. What is the significance of the book’s title?

8. Does this story have relevance to current events? Are there parallels regarding the Standing Rock Lakota nation and the Keystone pipeline?

(Questions by LitLovers.)

Evening Book Discussion List

Evening Book Discussion List 2018-2019

September – The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
October – Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro Kazuo
November – The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyle
December – Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
January – Exit West by Moshin Hamed
February – The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson
March – One Book, Once County selection
April – The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
May – Less by Andrew Sean Greer
June – The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Adult Coloring Book Class

Monday, January 14 at 1:00pm

De-stress and get creative! Join in for a fun, relaxed afternoon with pencils and markers at our Adult Coloring Book Class. We have lots of beautiful coloring book pages to choose from. You’re never too old to color! All materials provided. For more information, contact Barbara Loewengart.

Afternoon Book Discussion Group

Monday, December 17 at 1:00pm, we will be discussing Flight of the Sparrow by Amy Belding Brown.

On a bitter winter morning in 1676, the Puritan minister’s wife, Mary Rowlandson, is captured by Indians. Her home destroyed and her children lost to her, she becomes a pawn in the bloody struggle between English settlers and the indigenous people. Battling cold, hunger, and exhaustion, she witnesses harrowing brutality but also unexpected kindness. To her own surprise, she is drawn to her captors’ straightforward way of life, and when the opportunity comes to be ransomed back to the English, she begins to wonder if she will ever fit into colonial society again.(From the author.)

Book Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions:

1. What was your overall response to the novel? What did you feel? What did you learn?

2. Discuss Mary Rowlandson’s relationships with the three men in her life—Joseph, James, and Samuel. What does she give and what does she receive from each relationship?

3. Mary Rowlandson lives in a society ruled by men in which women were allowed few of the freedoms that we take for granted today. Identify those constraints, discuss how they might have helped or hurt the Bay Colony’s survival, and discuss how women might have found meaning in life despite them.

4. As an Indian captive, Mary feels freed from the constraint of “mutual watch,” the “relentless scrutiny of each other’s conduct required of all church members.” Discuss the idea of mutual watch as it plays out in the novel, and what it might be like to live under such a system. Can you think of any modern-day equivalents?

5. Mary experiences both cruelty and kindness at the hands of her Indian captors. Compare their behavior toward her to the cruelty and kindness shown her by her husband, Joseph, and other members of English society.

6. Discuss the various forms that freedom and imprisonment take in the novel. What role does the sparrow play in the author’s exploration of those ideas?

7. While living with the Indians Mary begins to find beauty, peace, and sacred mystery in the wilderness. How does she initially view the natural world and what inspires this change? Compare her experience of the natural world to your own.

8. Mary becomes convinced that slavery and physically punishing her children are wrong, and she stands up to her husband Joseph on these issues. What makes her so sure she is correct to reject them? Is mere conviction enough, or is something else required?

9. James Printer tells Mary, “We have both bought our redemption at a terrible price.” And Mary realizes that she felt redeemed when she followed the promptings of her heart. Discuss the many meanings of redemption in the novel.

10. The Puritan worldview differs markedly from our own. Discuss their beliefs as they relate to God’s love and punishment, child rearing, grief, the infectious nature of sin, slavery, obedience to authority, and salvation. In what ways are these ideas still part of current thought and practice? In what ways have our thinking changed?

11. Because their exposure to another culture has changed their beliefs and perceptions, both Mary and James feel estranged from their original people. Have you ever felt estranged from your own “group of origin”? Care to share your experience?

12. Have you read other “captivity narratives,” either those from previous centuries or those written by recent, contemporary captives (such as Elizabeth Smart and Jaycee Dugard)? How do they compare with Mary Rowlandson’s story?

13. What do you most admire about Mary? What makes her story relevant today?

14. What do you hope to remember about this novel six months or a year from now? Do you think that some part of it will remain with you for even longer than that?

(Questions by the author.)

A Different Kind of Book Club

Tuesday, December 18 at 6:30pm.

A Different Kind of Book Club will focus on reading books with happy endings (romance, light fantasy, cozy mysteries and the occasional nonfiction). The group will meet the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm. On December 18, the club will be discussing Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber. On January 15, the club will be discussing The Assistants by Camille Perri and a second optional book, If Life is a Game, These are the Rules by Cherie Carter Scott.

Mindful Yoga

Wednesday, December 19 from 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Mindful Yoga is different than many traditional yoga practices in that there is less of a focus on postures and more focus on Mind/ Body/ Spirit awareness .
It is the practice of being in the present moment and is scientifically proven to reduce stress and improve well being. This class is for all levels including beginners. Taught by certified yoga instructor Kamini Patel.

Crochet Meet-Up

Wednesday, December 12 at 6:30pm.
Tuesday, December 18 at 6:30pm.

Join Colleen Ochotny, certified crochet instructor, for a casual crochet meet-up. Bring your projects and/or ideas and talk with other crochet enthusiasts. All are welcome.
Colleen Ochotny is a certified crochet instructor through the Craft Yarn Council. She has been teaching crochet for more than 5 years has been crocheting for morethan 30 years.

The Sleeping Mat Project

Wednesday, December 12 10:00 am—11:30 am

Did you know those plastic bags taking up space in your closet can be woven into sleeping mats for people who are experiencing homelessness in our community?

Join Bev Weinberg for this innovative, hands-on project. People of all ages and abilities are welcome. You will learn how to make plarn (plastic yarn) and weave it into colorful mats to make a difference for homeless people in our area. This project is sponsored by Integrate for Good, a project designed to expand opportunities for individuals of all abilities to share their time and talent through volunteerism in Montgomery County.

Bev Weinberg received her Bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies from the University of Pittsburgh and her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Temple University. Bev returned to and received her clinical doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy in 2016, along with a Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the Fox School of Business.

Bev is the project director of Integrate for Good, an innovative initiative designed to expand opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities to contribute their time and talent through civic engagement.

Memoir Writing Circle

Monday, January 7 from 6:30 – 8:00pm.

Join writers in finding their voice through memoir writing. The group will use writing prompts, poems, journal entries and images to discover the compelling themes and stories that comprise a memoir. The Circle will share their writing and read aloud to each other. Suitable for writers of all levels and experience.

Holiday Card Making

Monday, December 10 at 7:00pm

Sheetal Wagh will show you how to create Holiday Cards for you to take home. All materials provided. Registration required and limited to 15 participants.

Social Security

Tuesday, December 18 from 6:15pm to 8:15 pm.

This informative workshop covers the basics of social security and reveals strategies for maximizing your benefits. Learn the answers to your questions:
Will social security be there for me? How much can I expect to receive?
When should I apply for social security? How can I maximize my benefits?
Will social security be enough to live on in retirement? Other information offered includes how to minimize taxes on social security benefits, how to coordinate benefits with your spouse, why you should check your earnings record for accuracy, and how to decide whether or not to delay your benefits.
This program is most beneficial to those between the ages of 58 & 67.
Presented by John J. Crowley, MBA

Cercle Francais

Every Tuesday at 10:30am until 12 noon.

This is not a formal language instruction class, but is for individuals wishing to practice and improve their French language conversation skills. Native speakers are most welcome. We need you, too! Please register and we will notify you three days prior to each weekly meeting.

Canasta

Meets every Thursday at 11:45 until 2:00 in the Main Library.

Join us each Thursday to play and learn the social and exciting game of Canasta. Newcomers and experienced players welcomed! For more information, email Barbara Loewengart.

Mahjong Club

Meets every Tuesday at 12:30pm in the Community Room.

Are you interested in playing Mahjong? You are welcome to join our Mahjong club! You will need a playing card, available for purchase ($7.00) at http://www.nationalmahjonggleague.org For more information, email Barbara Loewengart.

Crafters Club

Meets every Wednesday at 10:00 am in the upstairs Board Room.

Do you have a craft you enjoy, or are you trying to finish a project? Meet with other knitting, crochet, jewelry making and cross stitching enthusiasts. All crafts welcome. Bring your own supplies. Learn and share ideas. All are welcome! For more information, email Barbara Loewengart.