Milton Public Library announces adult programming for January 2024

During the month of January, the Milton Public Library is offering some enjoyable programs for adults and families. The Milton Knitting Group continues on Thursday, Jan. 4, at 7:00 p.m. and on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 10 a.m., both held in the lower level Conference Room. Drop in to share your knitting project, find companionship, and learn tips and tricks. (Please note that this program is not a class to teach beginners but instead a group activity for people who already have some facility with the craft.)  No signup is required, but if you would like to start receiving reminder Emails from the organizer, send a message to [email protected] and she will make sure you are added to the list.

Then, on Tuesday, Jan. 9, at 7:00 p.m., there will be a virtual talk via Zoom called “The Life of the American Black Bear.”  The speaker will be photographer Bob Michelson, as he follows biologists who study the American Black Bear in the wild, by visiting a bear den after cubs are born in early March in Northern NH. Black bears are now expanding south and east throughout their range, which means they are denning as far east as Worcester County and Merrimack Valley in Massachusetts. Advance registration is required to attend and use this link to sign up:  https://tinyurl.com/2bmxjr5n .

Adult Yoga continues in the New Year on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 7:00 p.m., with Instructor Sheila Armstrong and there will be a second yoga class this month with Instructor Marianne Zullas, on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 11:00 a.m.To sign up for either of these programs, visit our website: www.miltonlibrary.org and click on “events” to find the registration forms (individual date signup is required).  Attendance is limited and registration opens about 3 weeks before each date.

The Celebrity Book Club will hold its next meeting on Thursday, Jan. 11, at 7:00 p.m.  This hybrid program will be a discussion of The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion, which was recommended by Toni Collette. To reserve the book, call the Reference Dept. or go online at www.miltonlibrary.org. Please register in advance at our website, and indicate your preference for in-person vs. virtual (Zoom) when you sign up.

On Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 6:30 p.m., our monthly movie is back with the film “Book Club – The Next Chapter.” The film stars Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candace Bergin, and Mary Steenburger (c2023). No signup is required to attend. A close-knit group of four women entering their golden years decide to embark on a non-holds-barred luxury excursion to Italy, and it is a delightful fictional travelogue. The women experience a crazy series of madcap adventures along the way to keep us laughing!  It is rated PG-13 for profanity, alcohol use, and minor sexual content, and the running time is 1 hour, 47 minutes so it is not suitable for children. (The movie snow date is Jan. 24.)

Writer-in-Residence Hallie Ephron will be giving a series of workshops this Spring to help those who are interested in learning to write better, and perhaps get their work published.  On Monday, Jan. 22, at 7:00 p.m., Hallie will help writers discover how to mine your own experience to write a personal essay that brings your memories to life on the page and finds meaning in them. Author Suzette Standring will join Hallie to share insights and writing tips.

Come prepared to write!  This class is called: “Intro to Writing from Personal Experience” and you need to sign up in advance at our website to attend. Go to: www.miltonlibrary.org, click on “events” to find the registration form for this workshop. Also participants will have the opportunity to register for a series of follow-on personal essay writing workshops as part of a small group with whom they can share their work. This series includes 3 workshops held on Jan. 29, Feb. 12 and Feb. 26, and will conclude with a public reading on March 18. Registration for the Jan. 22 program opens on January 1st, and to learn more about the Writer-in-Residence Program, visit www.miltonlibrary.org/about/writer-in-residence.

There will be a virtual presentation on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom called: “Armchair Travel: Experience the Rainforest and Wildlife of Belize” with Naturalist and Photographer Joy Marzolf. Located in Eastern Central America, Belize shares a border with Guatemala and Mexico. From the crystal blue ocean waters and inland to the nearby mountains, it is amazingly diverse. Wildlife along the South coast, and nearby rivers, includes magnificent tiger herons, fast flyers like the cinnamon hummingbird and the peregrine falcon, and larger swimmers like manatees and crocodiles. Come join Joy from the comfort of your armchair to learn all about this beautiful place!  Please sign up in advance to receive the Zoom link and you may register here starting Jan. 2^nd: https://tinyurl.com/4v44d5t5

And finally on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 6:30 p.m., there will be a Zoom event called: “Virtual Tech Talk: A Guide to Starting Your Own Podcast” with digital nomad and online security expert, Ken Gagne. Podcasting is a fun way to engage with your audience, have your voice heard, and stand out from the crowd. What makes podcasting so popular, and how do you know what to podcast about? From recording hardware and editing software to finding and interviewing guests, we’ll review how to get started with podcasting in this informative 90-minute presentation.  Advance registration is required to receive the Zoom link, and you may sign up here starting Jan. 9th:  https://tinyurl.com/ycx3auuj

All of these programs are kindly sponsored by the Friends of the Milton Public Library and are free and open to all, and they will be held in the Keys Community Room, unless otherwise specified. Questions? Email [email protected] or call the Reference Dept. at (617) 898-4964.  The MPL is located at 476 Canton Avenue, and we encourage you to join us at the MPL in the New Year for some fun and educational programs!