Library Matters The official newsletter of the Dearborn Public Library

I N T H I S I S S U E

Classics Revisited 2

Children’s Programs 3

Teen Programming 4

Elmore Leonard

appreciation 5

Music We Love 6

Fall Computer Workshops 8

Muslim Journeys

program 9

Classic Horror Movie

Family Night 10

September-October 2013 Volume 6 Issue 5

THIS ISSUE’S

QUOTE

“Buying books would

be a good thing if one

could also buy the time

to read them…”

—Arthur Schopenhauer

dearbornlibrary.org

E V E R Y O N E ’ S R E A D I N G P R O G R A M R U N S S E P T E M B E R - O C T O B E R

The “Everyone’s Reading” program

returns to the Dearborn Public Library

this fall. “Everyone’s Reading” is a

community-wide reading program

sponsored by metro Detroit public

libraries in Oakland and Wayne

counties. Now in its twelfth year,

“Everyone’s Reading” promotes

community dialogue through the

shared experience of reading and

discussing the same book. This year’s

“Everyone’s Reading” selection is The

Secrets of Happy Families: Improve

Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner,

Fight Smarter, Go out and Play, and

Much More by Bruce Feiler. Mr. Feiler

is one of America’s most versatile

voices on contemporary life. He writes

the “This Life” column about today’s

families for the Sunday New York

Times and is the author of six

consecut ive New York Times

bestsellers. He is also one of only a

handful of writers to have four

consecutive New York Times nonfiction

best-sellers in the last decade.

The author will speak about The

Secrets of Happy Families and his

experiences as a writer on the

following dates: Tuesday, October 29

at 7 PM at the Hindu Temple of Canton

44955 Cherry Hill Rd. Canton, MI, and

Wednesday, October 30 at 10 AM at

Temple Beth El, 7400 Telegraph Rd.,

Bloomfield Township, MI. Due to

popular demand, a ticket will be

r e q u i r e d f o r B ru ce F e i l e r ’ s

appearances. Tickets are free but

limited. Contact the library for more

information and ticket availability;

also check back at the library’s

website dearbornlibrary.org for further

announcements of programs related

to “Everyone’s Reading.”

P a g e 2 L i b r a r y m a t t e r s

The free book discussion group

“Classics Revisited” returns this fall at

the Henry Ford Centennial Library,

16301 Michigan Ave.

All sessions are open to the public

and no registration is required.

Sessions take place on the third

Wednesday of each month from

September through May, from 7:00-

8:00 p.m. in the Ford Collection

Room. Multiple copies of each work

are available for checkout at all

library branches. If interested, reserve

your copy today! Further information

on each book and its author is also

available through the Literature

Resource Center database via the

Online Resources page on the

library’s website, dearbornlibrary.org.

The schedule of readings is as

follows:

Sept 18: How to Win Friends and

Influence People by Dale Carnegie

One of the best known motivational

books in history: Since it was released

in 1936, How to Win Friends and

Influence People has sold more than

15 million copies. Carnegie’s first

book is timeless and appeals equally

to business audiences, self-help

audiences, and general readers alike.

Carnegie bel ieved that most

successes come from an ability to

communicate effectively rather than

from brilliant insights. His book

teaches these skills by showing

readers how to value others and

make them feel appreciated rather

than manipulated.

Oct 16: Inferno by Dante (Mark Musa

translation)

This vigorous translation of Inferno

preserves Dante's simple, natural

style, and captures the swift

movement of the original Italian

verse. Mark Musa's blank verse

rendition of the poet's journey through

the circles of Hell re-creates for the

modern reader the rich meanings that

D a nt e ' s p o e m h a d f o r h i s

contemporaries.

Nov 20: Heart of Darkness by Joseph

Conrad

Dark allegory describes the narrator's

journey up the Congo River and his

meeting with, and

fascination by,

Mr. Kurtz, a

m y s t e r i o u s

personage who

dominates the

unruly inhabitants

of the region.

Masterly blend of

a d v e n t u r e ,

c h a r a c t e r

development, and

p s y c h o l o g i c a l

penetration. Considered by many to be

Conrad's finest, most enigmatic story.

Dec 18: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

In early nineteenth-century England, an

orphaned young woman accepts

employment as a

g o v e r n e s s a t

Thornfield Hall, a

country estate

owned by the

m y s t e r i o u s l y

r e m o t e M r .

Rochester. With a

heroine full of

yea rn ing , the

dangerous secrets

she encounters,

and the choices

she finally makes,

Charlotte Bronte's innovative and endur-

ing romantic novel continues to engage

and provoke readers.

Jan 15: The Good Earth by Pearl Buck

Through this story of one Chinese

peasant and his children, Nobel Prize-

winner Pearl S. Buck traces the whole

cycle of life, its terrors, its passion, its

persistent ambitions and its rewards. Her

brilliant novel—beloved by millions of

readers throughout the world—is a

universal tale of the destiny of men.

Feb 19: The Art of War by Sun Tzu

Complexities of meaning and historical

i n t e r p r e t a t i o ns i l l us t r a t e th e

timelessness of Sun Tzu's treatise on

war.

Mar 19: The Call of the Wild by Jack

London - a tie in to The Big Read

Dearborn (www.bigreaddearborn.org)

Superb details, taken from Jack London's

firsthand knowledge of Alaskan frontier

life, make this classic tale of endurance

as gripping today as it was over a century

ago. One of literature's most popular and

exciting adventure stories, The Call of the

Wild will enrich the reading experience of

youngsters, and rekindle fond memories

of a favorite among older generations.

Apr 16: Julius Caesar by William

Shakespeare

Great tragedy based on Plutarch's

account of the lives of Brutus, Julius

Caesar, and Mark Antony. Evil plotting,

ringing oratory, high tragedy with

Shakespeare's incomparable insight and

dramatic power. Reprinted complete and

unabridged from an authoritative English

edition.

May 21: Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Mrs. Dalloway details a day in the life of

Clarissa Dalloway, a fictional high-society

woman in post-World War I England. It is

one of Woolf's

b e s t - k n o w n

novels. It tells the

story of Clarissa's

preparations for a

party of which she

is to be hostess.

With the interior

perspective of the

novel, the story

travels forwards

and back in time

and in and out of

the characters'

minds to construct an image of Clarissa's

life and of the inter-war social structure.

C L A S S I C S R E V I S I T E D R E T U R N S T H I S F A L L

P a g e 3

Tot Time (Ages 2-3 years), 10:30

a.m.

Children with a caregiver are

invited for stories, songs, and fun.

Space is limited. Registration

required.

Thursdays, September 19, 26;

October 3, 10, 24, 31*

*October 31st is a Halloween

themed storytime. Costumes

encouraged! Registration begins

September 5.

Preschool Storytime (Ages 3-5

years), 2 p.m.

Join us for fun stories,

f ingerplays, and a craft.

Caregivers must remain in the

library. Space is limited.

Registration required.

Thursdays, September 19, 26;

October 3, 10, 24, 31*

*October 31st is a Halloween

themed storytime. Costumes

encouraged!

Registration begins September 5.

Stroller Stories (All Ages), 10 a.m.

Books and walking are both good

for our hearts. Bring your stroller,

your children, and your walking

shoes. We will meet out-side near

the Michigan Avenue entrance.

Weather permitting – no rain

dates. No registration.

Tuesdays, September 10, 24;

October 8, 22

Preschool Art Experience (Ages 3-

5 years), 11 a.m.

Preschoolers will create works of

art using lots of fun materials!

Unlike our usual storytime crafts,

the process is more important

than the finished product. Be

prepared to get messy!

*Smocks encouraged but not

p r o v i d e d . P l e a s e d r e s s

appropriately!

All programming listed below will take place at the Henry

Ford Centennial Library

Participants arriving more than 5

minutes after the scheduled program

time will not be admitted. Due to

space limitations, strollers may not

be allowed inside the program room

or the auditorium. Children must be

the required age on or before the

first date of the program. Residents

and cardho lders a re g ive n

p re ference . Ind iv iduals with

disabilities who require special

accommodations, auxiliary aids, or

services to attend or participate in

these programs should contact their

local library or TDD 313-943-2193.

Reasonable advance notice is

required. Registration must be made

by phone or in person at any

Dearborn Public Library location.

STORYTIMESSTORYTIMESSTORYTIMES

Mother Goose Storytime (Ages 6-

23 months) 9:35 a.m. OR 10:45

a.m.

Babies and toddlers are invited to

their first literature experiences

along with songs, fingerplays, and

movement. One caregiver per

child is recommended. Space is

limited. Registration required.

Fridays, September 13, 20, 27

Registration begins August 30.

Fridays, October 11, 18, 25

Registration begins September

27.

S E P T E M B E R - O C T O B E R C H I L D R E N ’ S P R O G R A M S

V o l u m e 6 , i s s u e 5

Monday, September 16

Registration begins September 2.

Monday, October 21

Registration begins October 7.

CRAFTSCRAFTSCRAFTS

Tween+ Craft (Grades 4+)

First Saturday of the month, 2 p.m.

Space is limited. Registration

Required.

Deco Picture Frames: Saturday,

September 7

Keep those summer memories alive

by decorating a wooden picture

frame to keep them in. Registration

begins August 23.

Mutant Animals: Saturday, October

5

Junior Frankensteins can join us in

recombining puppets and stuffies

from the dungeon. Registration

begins September 21.

Third Thursday Crafts (All ages), 11

a.m.—7 p.m.

Drop-in craft. Younger children may

need adult assistance. Crafts

available while supplies last.

Thursday, September 19

Fill your fish bowl then punch and

sew around the edges for a fun fine

motor activity.

Thursday, October 17

Create a funky monster, a la Dr.

Frankenstein!

continued on next page...

S E P T - O C T C H I L D R E N ’ S P R O G R A M S , c o n t ’ d

P a g e 4 L i b r a r y m a t t e r s

EVENTSEVENTSEVENTS

The Ultimate Library Card Guessing

Game (All Ages)

September 3-13

There are about 98,000 people living

in Dearborn, but how many of them

have library cards? Visit the Children's

Help Desk to make your guess.

Dork Do-Gooder (All Ages)

September 1-October 12

Pick up a participation sheet starting

September 1 and become part of Nik-

ki Maxwell’s Do-Gooder team! Squeee!

Bring back your completed sheet on

Dork Day, October 12, for an exclusive

prize pin. While supplies last.

Culinary Crafts (Grades 6-12)

Tuesday, September 17, 6:30 p.m.

Deck out cupcakes, crispy treats, and candies to look like minions.

Registration begins September 3.

Tech Demolition (Grades 6-12)

Monday, September 23, 6:30 p.m.

Destroy a variety of tech gadgets with the help of some tech enthusiasts and

an assortment of demolition tools. All tech & safety gear provided.

Registration begins September 9.

Kaplan ACT Practice Test (Grades 6-12)

Saturday, October 5, 10 a.m.—2 p.m.

Take a free practice exam and learn what to brush up on before the big day! Bring a #2 pencil and calculator.

Results of the test and follow-up strategy session will be given on Saturday October, 12 at 4 p.m. Space is

limited. Registration begins September 21.

TAG (Grades 6-12)

Thursday, October 3, 6:30 p.m.

First meeting of the school year! Hang out, voice your opinion, help plan

programs, and earn volunteer hours. No registration.

Pumpkins (Grades 6-12)

Wednesday, October 16, 3 p.m.

Celebrate teen read week by decorating a pumpkin in literary style.

Pumpkins provided. Registration begins Oct. 2.

Duct Tape Crafts (Grades 6-12)

Monday, October 21, 6:30 p.m.

With a little help, learn to make something cool. Supplies provided. Registration begins Oct. 7.

S E P T E M B E R - O C T O B E R T E E N P R O G R A M M I N G

Pumpkin Patch Game (All Ages)

October 28 - November 1

Halloween is here, and what would

Halloween be without some treats?

Visit the Children's Help Desk to play a

fun game and win a prize. Children

may play the Pumpkin Patch Game

once a day, each day.

Let’s Go to the Movies

When Good Ghouls Go Bad (2001, PG,

98 min.)

Join us for a craft in the Children’s area

at 1:30 p.m. & a movie in the auditori-

um at 2 p.m.

Saturday, October 19 No registration.

Space is limited. No Strollers please

Fall Break Drop-in Activities:

Dork Day (All Ages): Saturday, October

12, 2-4 p.m. Be dorky with us. Drop in for

crafts, Wii, and a raffle based on the

Dork Diaries. While supplies last.

Gamer Day (All Ages): Monday October

14, 2-4 p.m.

Day off school? Kill some time with

board games and Wii on the big screen.

Time with the Wii is limited.

Scrap Craft (All Ages): Tuesday October

15, 2-4 p.m.

Come and create with our odds and

ends. See where your imagination takes

you. While supplies last.

Fall Foam Craft (All Ages): Wednesday,

October 16, 2-4 p.m.

Celebrate the season with a fall foam

collage. While supplies last.

V o l u m e 6 , i s s u e 5 P a g e 5

E L M O R E L E O N A R D : A n a p p r e c i a t i o n

I don’t remember exactly when or

what made me pick up my first

Elmore Leonard book. All I

remember is that the vast

majority of my reading during my

college years was devoted to

Leonard’s work. In fact, when I

think about those years, the first

thing I recall is the number of

hours spent with his books in the

library or at home, and not the

classes I took or the professors I

had. So it goes without saying that

I have a particularly fond place for

Elmore Leonard and his books

when I think about that specific

time in my life, and that is why his

passing on August 20 strikes me

as a particularly difficult one to

deal with.

There were many things I admired

about Leonard’s writing: the

stripped-down economy of the

prose; the witty, profane dialogue

and how it skillfully revealed

character; the twists, turns and

complications of the plots.

Several of his characters I can still

vividly recall despite not having

read about them in years: escaped

convict Jack Foley and U.S.

marshal Karen Cisco in Out of

Sight; loan shark Chili Palmer and

mobster Ray Bones in Get Shorty,

gunrunner Ordell Robbie and

stewardess Jackie Burke in Rum

Punch. There are so many others.

I was lucky to twice hear Leonard

give public readings; once was

with my dad at the Detroit Public

Library, and the other was with my

sister at the University of Michigan.

Both times he was a blast, reading

his profanity-riddled dialogue just

perfectly and getting big laughs

from the audience. He was patient

and gracious while signing books

afterwards.

There is something profoundly

melancholy about the people,

places and things that influenced

and enriched your life slowly fading

away. I had a similar reaction in

March when Roger Ebert, another

major influence on my early years,

passed away. These figures, of

course, are not family, but they

feel like it. Their presence was

very real, and very much attached

to particular passages of my life. It

is in this sense they hold a

significant place in my memory,

and why they’re missed, even

though their work remains.

—Jeff Lelek

L i b r a r y m a t t e r s

Get Some Satisfaction…With The Rolling Stones

By Sarah Kalmoni

When we’re in

the mood to

listen to some

classic rock,

nothing satisfies

better than

pulling out a

Rolling Stones

CD. Since 1962, The Rolling Stones have paved the

way of incorporating blues into rock. They are

considered one of the artists known for being a part

of the British Invasion. It all started when Keith

Richards and Mick Jagger met as adults, sharing a

love of music. They were childhood friends and went

to school together, until Jagger moved to another

city. In 1960, Jagger and Richards became

reacquainted when Jagger formed his first band with

Dick Taylor, playing blues songs of musicians such

as Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and Little

Richard. Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts later joined

the band within the next few months. “Rollin’

Stone”, Muddy Water’s song, inspired the band to

name themselves The Rolling Stones.

After adopting their new name, The Rolling Stones

landed a record deal with Decca Records. Their first

single, a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Come On”, reached

#21 on the charts. They started playing gigs regular-

ly and released their cover version of The Beatles, “I

Wanna Be Your Man.” Their manager thought that

the band should work in a different direction, and

make an effort to write their own songs. Their first

album was mostly cover songs, with the exception of

“Tell Me (You’re Coming Back)”, which became their

first original Jagger/Richards composition. The

Rolling Stones released a cover version of “It’s All

Over Now”, which reached #1 in the U.K. After a

brief tour in the U.S., The Rolling Stones released

another cover, “Little Red Rooster”, which became

their second #1 U.K. hit, an unexpected hit for a

blues song.

The Rolling Stones released their second album, The

Rolling Stones No.2 in 1965, which reached #1 in

the U.K. and #5 in the U.S. According to Wikipedia,

“the first Jagger/Richards composition to reach #1

on the U.K. singles charts was "The Last Time"; it

went to #9 in the U.S. It was also later identified by

Richards as "the bridge into thinking about writing

for the Stones. It gave us a level of confidence; a

pathway of how to do it." Brian Jones later joined

the band. Their next single, “(I Can’t Get No)

Satisfaction”, became their first international hit,

spending four weeks at #1 on the charts. And their

creativity didn’t stop there. Aftermath, released in

1966, was their first album to feature only Jagger/

Richards original songs. “Paint It Black” was one of

the classic songs that featured the sitar, which

captured Middle Eastern flair so well. Jones played a

variety of instruments, which also inspired to feature

the dulcimer on songs “Lady Jane”, and the

marimbas for “Under My Thumb”.

The Rolling Stones continued working and releasing

new material. Their popularity kept growing, and at

M U S I C W E L O V E E s s a y s b y l i b r a r y s t a f f o n t h e i r f a v o r i t e s o u n d s

P a g e 6

continued on next page...

P a g e 7

this point, they started experimenting with drugs,

and the band was caught by police on some drug

raids. Regardless of the difficulties at this time, the

Rolling Stones continued to record and tour Europe.

Their next album, Their Satanic Majesties Request

was released in 1967, which was recorded during

their drug hiatus and court appearances. For me, it

is one of my favorite albums for The Rolling Stones.

This album had a psychedelic theme, and had great

songs like “Sing This All Together”, “Citadel”, “In

Another Land”, and “She’s A Rainbow”. Brian Jones

continued having drug problems, and wasn’t getting

along with the rest of the band. Mick Taylor joined

the band after Jones was let go. Sadly, Jones passed

away in 1969. Two days after his death, The Rolling

Stones paid tribute to Jones by playing their

scheduled free concert to an audience of 250,000

fans.

The Rolling Stones musical style continued to

develop, and they had a talent for experimenting

with different sounds and instruments. Let It Bleed,

released in 1969, featured “Gimme Shelter”, which

is a great song, with a famous solo by Merry Clayton

singing along with Mick Jagger. “You Can’t Always

Get What You Want” is a special song with wonderful

harmonies by a great chorus. “Midnight Rambler”,

another nice song, highlights the harmonica

brilliantly. The Rolling Stones kept on working, and

continued to release a set of successful albums such

as Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St., and Goat Heads

Soup. Ronnie Wood joined the band around the time

when they released It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll. The title

song is awesome, but “Till the Next Goodbye”, “Time

M U S I C W E L O V E , c o n t ’ d

V o l u m e 6 , i s s u e 5

Waits For No One”, “Luxury”, and “If You Really

Want To Be My Friend” are all excellent songs in

their own right. The Rolling Stones’ ingenuity really

shines on their Black and Blue album. “Cherry, Oh

Baby” is a beautiful reggae song. Even The Rolling

Stones can do reggae and sound really good doing

it. “Hand of Fate” is a song that I love singing along

to the chorus. “Memory Motel” and “Fool To Cry”

are also really deep songs with emotion.

In conclusion, The Rolling Stones remain one of

rock’s greatest musicians today. Even in their 70s,

they haven’t shown any signs of slowing down. They

continue to perform live shows and never cease to

amaze their fans. Their famous songs helped to put

them on the map, but I discovered that the songs

that weren’t hits are equally as great and deserve to

be listened to. They sang about a lot of topics and

had fun with experimenting with unique instruments

throughout their 50 year career. So the next time

you feel like rocking or want some satisfaction,

check out one of our Rolling Stones CDs at any one

of our locations. You’ll be glad you did.

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rolling_Stones

P a g e 8 L i b r a r y m a t t e r s

F A L L C O M P U T E R W O R K S H O P S A T H F C L B E G I N I N S E P T E M B E R

Basic computer workshops continue at the Henry

Ford Centennial Library with classes scheduled

through November. All sessions listed below take

place in the Computer Training Room at Henry Ford

Centennial Library and are free of charge. Interested

patrons can visit or call the Reference Desk at (313)

943-2330 to register during the appropriate

registration dates listed below.

Basic Computer Workshops

Basic Computers Friday, September 13

1:30 PM—3:30 PM Registration: Sept. 6-11

Internet Basics Friday, September 20

1:30 PM—3:30 PM Registration: Sept. 13-18

Intro to E-Mail Friday, September 27

1:30 PM—3:30 PM Registration: Sept. 20-25

Intro to Microsoft Word Friday, October 4

1:30 PM—3:30 PM Registration: Sept. 27-Oct. 2

Intro to Microsoft Excel Friday, October 11

1:30 PM—3:30 PM Registration: Oct. 4-9

Working With Digital Pictures Friday, October 18

1:30 PM—3:30 PM Registration: Oct. 11-16

Basic Computers Friday, October 25

1:30 PM—3:30 PM Registration: Oct. 18-23

Internet Basics Friday, November 1

1:30 PM—3:30 PM Registration: Oct. 25-30

Intro to Microsoft Word Friday, November 8

1:30 PM—3:30 PM Registration: Nov. 1-6

Intro to Microsoft Excel Friday, November 15

1:30 PM—3:30 PM Registration: Nov. 8-13

Get ahead of the pack! Order a Big Read t-shirt

today!

The Big Read Dearborn begins next spring, but you

can sport your very own wolf t-shirt for $15. All

proceeds will go to the Friends of the Library—

Dearborn. Sizes range from small to XL.

B I G R E A D T - S H I R T S A V A I L A B L E N O W ! H U M A N R E S O U R C E S

D E P T . T E M P O R A R I L Y M O V I N G T O H F C L

The City of Dearborn’s Human Resources

Department will be temporarily moving from City

Hall to the third floor mezzanine of the Henry Ford

Centennial Library starting September 3. The

department will be open for city business from 9:30

AM to 5 PM Monday-Friday.

V o l u m e 6 , i s s u e 5 P a g e 9

M U S L I M J O U R N E Y S P R O G R A M S R U N S E P T E M B E R -D E C E M B E R

What was happening in Asia and North Africa while much of Europe

was languishing in the Dark Ages? You might be surprised to learn that

it was a time of adventure, discovery, innovation, and cross-cultural

interaction. Come and explore 1,000 years of history from East to West

during the first global age.

In the “Muslim Journeys” program, local scholars will lead discussions

on five specially-selected books about this sometimes overlooked, but

vibrant, time in world history. You are invited to read the books and

join the discussions — FREE. The discussions are scheduled approxi-

mately three weeks apart to give you time to read each book.

To receive the books and other program materials, please register in

person at the Adult Reference Desk at Henry Ford Centennial Library,

16301 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn. All events will be held at Henry

Ford Centennial Library, unless otherwise indicated. For more

in fo r mat ion , p le ase ca l l 313 -943 -233 0 o r v is i t

www.dearbornlibrary.org

Tuesday, September 17, 2013—7 p.m.

Reorient your understanding of the past as Stewart Gordon, Senior Research Scholar for the Center of South Asian

Studies at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, leads a discussion on his book When Asia Was the World. Registration

begins August 26.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013—7 p.m.

Explore the foundations of modern science in 9th century Baghdad as Rayne Allinson, Assistant Professor of History at

the University of Michigan-Dearborn, leads a discussion on the book House of Wisdom: How Arabic Science Saved Ancient

Knowledge and Gave Us the Renaissance. Registration begins September 16.

Blockbusters Free Film Series—Koran by Heart

Monday, October 14, 2013—7 p.m.

Every year, about one hundred of Islam’s best young students from around the world come to Cairo for

the International Holy Koran Competition. Koran by Heart follows three young scholars, a girl and two

boys, all ten years old, as they compete against students who, in some instances, are nearly twice their

age. FREE, registration not required.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013—7 p.m.

Learn how Muslims, Christians and Jews lived together peacefully for eight glorious centuries as Imran Aijaz, Assistant

Professor of Philosophy at the University of Michigan-Dearborn leads a discussion on the book Ornament of the World.

Registration begins October 7.

Saturday, November 9, 2013—2 p.m.

Another chance to see Greg Barker’s moving film, Koran by Heart, followed by a scholar-led discussion. This screening will

be held at: Arab American National Museum, 13624 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn

Tuesday, November 19, 2013—7 p.m.

Meet Hasan al-Wassan, also known as Leo of Africa, a 16th century Muslim diplomat sold into slavery as Camron Amin,

Assistant Professor of History at the University of Michigan-Dearborn leads a discussion on the book Leo Africanus.

Registration begins October 28.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013—7 p.m.

Meet a 12th century Jewish merchant whose life story was preserved in personal letters discovered in a

medieval Egyptian synagogue as Andrew Shryock, Professor of Anthropology at the University of

Michigan-Ann Arbor leads a discussion on the book In an Antique Land. Registration begins November

18.

P a g e 1 0 L i b r a r y m a t t e r s

B E L L I N I O P E R A A T H F C L

Join baritone Dino Valle and friends from the Bellini Opera

Theatre for a lecture and performance series of Bel Canto,

Italian classics and Neopolitan songs. Celebrating “2013:The

Year of Celebrating Italian Culture in the U.S.” The

presentations will continue throughout the rest of the year on

the following Thursday dates: October 17, November 21 and

December 19. All events are free of charge and will take

place at 7:00 PM in the auditorium of the Henry Ford

Centennial Library.

F O L D B O O K S S A L E S R E T U R N I N O C T O B E R

After a two-month hiatus, the FOLD book sale returns to Henry Ford

Centennial Library on Wednesday, October 2 from 9:30 AM to 6 PM.

We’re fully stocked with a fresh inventory of books, DVDs and music so

be sure to get here early!

Mark your calendar for the following upcoming book sale dates:

Wednesday, November 6

Wednesday, December 4

There will be no sale in January.

C L A S S I C H O R R O R M O V I E F A M I L Y N I G H T I N O C T O B E R

Join us on October 21 for a pre-Halloween evening of crafts,

snacks and a classic horror movie for the whole family. The

Blockbusters Monday night free film series will feature the 1948

horror-comedy Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein along with

a creature craft in the Children’s department and popcorn and

punch in the lobby. Kids can drop by and participate in the craft

anytime between 6 and 7 PM. Snacks will be available in the

lobby beginning at 6:30; all food or drink must be consumed in

the lobby, they are not allowed in the auditorium. The movie

begins at 7:00 and runs 83 minutes.

Be sure to join us for what promises to be a fun Halloween

evening for all!

M O V I E S W E L O V E

E s s a y s b y s t a f f m e m b e r s o n t h e i r f a v o r i t e f i l m s

V o l u m e 6 , i s s u e 5 P a g e 1 1

Abbott and Costello Meet

Frankenstein (1948)

By Jason Stanley

The horror and comedy genres

come crashing together in this

classic, as comedy duo Bud Abbott

and Lou Costello encounter the

famous Universal horror monsters

Dracula (Bela Lugosi), The

Wolfman (Lon Chaney Jr.) and the

Frankenstein Monster (Glenn

Strange). Out of all the storytelling

genres, both horror and comedy

usually tend to go hand in hand.

After all, a good way to combat a

good scare is a good laugh. Abbott

& Costello Meet Frankenstein was

one of the early examples of these

two genres coming together.

Bud and Lou both play package

handlers for a shipping company

when a shipment arrives for a

client who is opening a wax

museum. The museum curator

believes they are wax figurines of

C o u n t D r a c u l a a n d t h e

Frankenstein monster, but when

Abbott & Costello deliver the

packages, these figurines are

revealed to be the genuine articles!

Adding to the horror hijinks is

Costello intercepting a phone call

from Larry Talbot, a.k.a. the

Wolfman, which ensures the

monster trinity to be complete. As

the story progresses, Count

Dracula and his associates seek a

new brain for the Monster. From

whom would a good brain come?

None other than Lou Costello!!

Although some Universal horror

fans will naturally dismiss this

entry, Abbott & Costello Meet

Frankenstein is an important film

to both horror and comedy. By

1948, Bud Abbott and Lou

Costello were a very popular

comedy duo who achieved fame

in the 1930s via radio programs

that featured slapstick routines

such as “Who’s on First?” By the

1940s, the comedy duo had made

the big leap to the silver screen.

On the flip side, Universal Studios’

monster film franchise had

reached a crossroads. Between

1931 and 1941, each of the

monsters (Dracula, Frankenstein,

and The Wolfman) had been

introduced in solo films and

sequels. Starting with Franken-

stein Meets the Wolfman (1943),

Universal started bringing the

monsters together in various films

with mixed results. What was the

next step? Bring these two

franchises, Abbott & Costello’s

slapstick humor and Universal

Monsters, together into one film.

Sounds crazy, but it works. Bud

and Lou deliver the comedic

goods via their tall and skinny

straight man vs. short and fat

goofy guy routine. The rest of the

cast never disappoint, despite

franchise fatigue settling in. Lon

Chaney Jr. is back for his fifth go

around as the Wolfman, yet his

character’s sympathetic nature

reaches tediousness, as he finds

his sad story shot down by

Costello (at one point, Lou tells

Talbot that “When the moon is

full, I turn into a wolf myself”).

Hollywood stuntman Glenn

Strange does the best he can with

the Frankenstein Monster, who at

this point in the franchise is

reduced to sleeping in a coma

throughout most of the film, only

to awaken for the big finale as he

chases the comedy duo

throughout Dracula’s castle (Boris

Karloff, who eloquently played the

Monster in the first three Universal

“Frankenstein” films in the 1930s,

had moved on at this point). Only

Lugosi succeeds as he exudes

pure creepiness in what was

surprisingly his SECOND and last

onscreen appearance as Dracula.

Although the monsters might not

get the full attention they deserve,

Abbot t & Coste l lo Meet

Frankenstein is a film that

successfully brought two movie

franchises from two different

genres together. As a result,

Abbott & Costello got more

laughter out of moviegoers and

Universal’s monsters took on a

whole life. The film also

successfully brought slapstick

comedy together with horror, an

approach that’s been used to this

day. Abbott & Costello Meet

Frankenstein doesn’t have to be

taken seriously, but only wants to

entertain audiences of all ages

and it succeeds in spades.

Abbot t & Coste l lo Meet

Frankenstein will be shown on

Monday, October 21, 2013 at

7pm for “Classic Horror Movie

Family Night” as part of our

Blockbusters Free Film Series.

Library Matters September-October 2013

Layout, writing and editing by Jeff Lelek

with staff contributions as credited

The libraries are now open for regular hours according to the

schedule below. Please note holiday closures.

Henry Ford Centennial Library

16301 Michigan Ave. (313) 943-2330

Mon-Thurs 9:30-8:30

Friday 9:30-5:30

Saturday 9:30-5:30

Sunday 1-5

Bryant and Esper Branch Libraries

Monday 12:30-8:30 Tuesday 12:30-8:30

Wednesday 10:30-5:30 Thursday 12:30-5:30

Friday CLOSED

Saturday 12:30-5:30

Sunday CLOSED

The library will be closed on the following holidays:

Monday, September2 for Labor Day.

www.dearbornlibrary.org

L I B R A R Y A D M I N I S T R A T I O N

A N D I N F O R M A T I O N

L I B R A R Y H O U R S

DIRECTOR

Maryanne Bartles

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Julie Schaefer

LIBRARY COMMISSION

CHAIR

Marcel Pultorak

VICE-CHAIR

Nancy Zakar

SECRETARY-TREASURER

Jihan Ajami Jawad

Ali H. Dagher

Ryan Lazar

David L. Schlaff

Sally Smith

Antonia Straley

Robert Taub

VISION STATEMENT

“The Dearborn Public Library fosters the spirit

of exploration, the joy of reading, and the

pursuit of knowledge for all ages and cultures

starting with the very young.”

MISSION STATEMENT

“The Dearborn Public Library provides a broad

range of effective, courteous, quality services

and a balanced collection of materials for the

educational, informational and recreational

needs of the community.”

P a g e 1 2 L i b r a r y m a t t e r s