One Book, One Philadelphia celebrates 10 years - Free Library of ...

VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 1FALL 2011OFF theSHELFA PUBLICATION OF the Free Library of PhiladelphiaOne Book, One Philadelphia celebrates 10 yearsinsideThe Free Library’s Year of Dickens, 100th Anniversary of the Oak Lanebranch, a Q&A with bestselling author Jennifer Weiner, and more!

The Free Library’s extensive Map Collection containsmore than 130,000 cartographic creations, from detailedworld atlases to historic maps of the Delaware Valley,that illuminate how our region has developed over TIME.OFF theSHELFFree Library ofPhiladelphiaPresident and DirectorSiobhan A. ReardonAssociate DirectorDr. Joseph McPeakVice Presidentof DevelopmentMelissa GreenbergVice President ofExternal AffairsSandra HorrocksDirector ofCommunicationsand Brand MarketingAlix GerzWriter/EditorMichelle Saraceni ShefferPRODUCTION ASSISTANTEileen OwensFree Library ofPhiladelphia Foundation1901 Vine Street, Suite 111Philadelphia, PA 19103215-567-7710freelibrary.org/supportofftheshelf@freelibrary.orgOff the Shelf is publishedtwice annually for supportersof the Free Library ofPhiladelphia Foundation andshowcases the Library’seducational, economic,and cultural contributionsto the region.FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIABOARD OF TRUSTEESChairRobert C. HeimMembersSteven M. AltschulerChristopher ArleneJacqueline BarnettDarwin BeauvaisPeter A. BenolielGirard S. ClothierPatricia A. CoulterStephen M. CurtisPamela DembeW. Wilson Goode, Sr.Melissa GrimmNancy D. KolbNoel MayoStephanie W. NaidoffWilliam R. SassoChairWilliam R. SassoMembersPaul D. AddisCynthia AffleckRenee AmooreJames H. AverillPhyllis W. BeckPeter A. BenolielSheldon BonovitzGeorge DayAndrea EhrlichMarie FieldDaniel K. FitzpatrickElizabeth GemmillW. Wilson Goode, Sr.Daniel GordonRichard A. GreenawaltAndrew T. GreenbergElizabeth GrenaldRobert C. HeimJohn J. SorokoSherry A. SwirskyNicholas D. TorresIgnatius C. WangShelly YanoffEmeritusGloria Twine ChisumArmand Della PortaEx-OfficioMichael DiBerardinisDeputy Mayor for the Environmentand Community ResourcesIrv AckelsbergFriends of the Free LibraryFREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA FOUNDATIONBOARD OF DIRECTORSJohn ImbesiLinda E. JohnsonAlexander KerrGerald MaginnisMarciene S. MattlemanLeslie Anne MillerStephanie W. NaidoffPatrick M. OatesDerek N. PewSusan G. SmithMiriam SpectorJennifer WeinerJay WeinsteinWilliam L. WilsonHONORARY BOARDTobey DichterA. Morris Williams, Jr.In memoriamThe Free Library is sad to report the passing of two membersof its Board of Trustees: Leslie Esdaile Banks andJerome Shestack. They will be sorely missed.From the President and DirectorWelcome to the inaugural issueof Off the Shelf, a beautiful newmagazine devoted to highlightingthe renowned programs,rich collections, and essentialservices that—together with ourhardworking staff—make up theFree Library of Philadelphia.In these pages you will find news from our 54-branch system, profilesof our many special collections, and thoughtful, compelling features.You will also find ways that, as a supporter, you can help our Librarycontinue to grow and flourish.Our first feature story focuses on the 10th anniversary of one of the FreeLibrary’s most recognized programs: One Book, One Philadelphia.For the past decade, One Book has inspired a love of literacyand of community in the hundreds of thousands of Philadelphianswho participate. Here you’ll read about the history of the programas well as the vision for its future; you’ll get perspective from theauthors and individuals who bring it to life; and you’ll be remindedof the joys of reading and the power of community.I hope you enjoy reading the first issue of our magazine as much asI enjoyed working with our team to bring it to fruition. We inviteyou to send us your comments in response to the stories you read inOff the Shelf. And remember, you can always check us out online atfreelibrary.org/publications.Siobhan A. ReardonPRESIDENT AND DIRECTORWHAT’S INSIDE6 A Decade of One Book, One PhiladelphiaExamining the legacy of the Free Library’s flagship cultural program4 News & Notes5 Focus On: Dickens 20129 From the Neighborhoods10 The Final Word11 Wish List

• • • BY Michelle Saraceni ShefferA Decade ofOne Book, One PhiladelphiaThe young woman strode up to the Q&A microphone at the end of the aisleand asked Sherman Alexie to sing. She wanted to hear a Native Americansong, a song he perhaps learned as a child growing up on the SpokaneIndian Reservation on the other side of the country, nearly as far away fromPhiladelphia as one could be without leaving the mainland United States.Alexie—author of the 2011 One Book, One Philadelphia selections, WarDances and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian—playfullywarned of his lukewarm vocal talents before breaking into a traditionalstick game song. He made it just a few notes into the tune before theaudience of more than 400 Philadelphia high school students, who allhad read The Absolutely True Diary in class and received a free personalcopy thanks to One Book and the Field Family Teen Author Series,joined in with a double-dutch rhythm, marrying the urban and therural, the African American and the Native American, uniting culturesthrough the common language of music and the shared themes of asingle book.For building community across culture and class, gender andgeneration, through the act of reading is what lies at the heart of theFree Library of Philadelphia’s acclaimed One Book, One Philadelphiaprogram. Each year for the past decade, One Book has united tensof thousands of Philadelphians around a shared reading experiencecentered on a common work of thought-provoking literature. A jointproject of the Free Library and the Mayor’s Office, One Book, OnePhiladelphia has grown from a modest Library program into a valuedmainstay of the city’s educational and cultural life.Regional media outlets are abuzz each fall with the highly anticipatedselection announcement. People pack the Parkway Central Library eachspring for the special Grand Finale event with the featured author. Andin just 10 years, the program has extended its reach deep into the region,growing its list of community partners from a small handful of 45 in2003 to more than 650 in 2011. Built upon the solid foundation laid bythe first One Book Chair, Stephanie Naidoff, none of these achievementswould have been possible without the passionate leadership of current,longtime One Book Chair, Marie Field.“In my view, One Book, One Philadelphia tapsinto the fundamental desire of people to belongto an interconnected, caring, positively engagedcommunity,” says Field. “I sometimes think ofOne Book as a wonderful classroom in which weare all reading, learning, and growing together.”“Marie Field’s tireless work as the Chair of One Book, One Philadelphiahas really made the program what it is today—a powerful sourceof unity in an age when so much seems to divide us,” says MayorMichael A. Nutter. “By joining together through reading and discussion,Philadelphia becomes a stronger, more vibrant city.”Throughout the course of eight inspired weeks each year, people fromacross the city meet up in neighborhood libraries, churches, and cafésto discuss the featured selection and enjoy a wide range of programsand events related to its themes. Nuanced and sensitive exchangesabout homelessness and mental illness arose from Steve Lopez’s TheSoloist; Dave Eggers’s What is the What and Carlos Eire’s Waiting forSnow in Havana shed light on the plight of refugees struggling foridentity in the land of the free. One Book participants have been treatedto Lenni Lenape dance performances and bountiful Persian feasts. Theyhave explored the atrocities of war, the indignities of slavery, and theever-present power of hope—all through a shared reading experience.TOP: Sherman Alexie,right, discusses hisfilm The Business ofFancydancing withTemple University’sGary Kramer at MooreCollege of Art andDesign as part of the2011 One Book, OnePhiladelphia GrandFinale.BOTTOM: Free LibraryPresident and DirectorSiobhan A. Reardon,left, joins One BookChair Marie Field andMayor Michael A. Nutterto announce the 2011 OneBook, One PhiladelphiaFeatured Selections.by the numbersEACH YEAR, THE ONE BOOK, ONE PHILADELPHIAFEATURED SELECTION IS CHECKED OUT OF THELIBRARY AN AVERAGE OF 3,000 times.SINCE ITS INCEPTION, ONE BOOK HAS PROVIDEDFREE BOOKS TO MORE THAN 44,000 studentsIN PHILADELPHIA.IN 2010, AREA SALES OF THE COMPLETE PERSEPOLISoutpaced all other markets INTHE COUNTRY.More than 650 COMMUNITY PARTNERSPARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM EACH YEAR.79% of participating teachers HAVEUSED THE PROGRAM AS A TEACHING TOOL FORMORE THAN ONE YEAR.IN 2011, ONE BOOK HOSTED more than115 programs IN AND OUTSIDE OF LIBRARYLOCATIONS.{ 6 }{ 7 }

“I cannot think of another program that inspires so many people,touches lives so profoundly, and brings diverse peoples together incountless ways that help fulfill the promise of Philadelphia as the Cityof Brotherly and Sisterly Love,” says Field. “I love seeing how peopleparticipate with such enthusiasm and hearing how they open up andtalk to each other about things that matter.”“One Book, One Philadelphia is a shiningexample of the immense power of literacy andcommunity,” said Siobhan A. Reardon, Presidentand Director of the Free Library. “By unitingdiverse audiences around real-world issuesthrough the shared act of reading, One Book hasremained a steadfast cultural and educationalbeacon in the City of Philadelphia for the past 10years. I am so proud of One Book, One Philadelphia,and I cannot wait to see what the next 10 yearshave in store!”TOP: Marjane Satrapi,author of the 2010featured selection, TheComplete Persepolis, speaksto a packed audience atParkway Central Libraryabout growing up in Iranduring the tumultuous 1979Iranian Revolution.BOTTOM: The 2010 OneBook Kick-Off Eventfeatured a performanceof traditional Persianmusic by Philadelphia Orchestracellist and InterculturalJourneys DirectorUdi Bar-David, right,Iranian composer KazemDavoudian, left, and musicianKave Mazhari.With community-based programs similar to One Book popularthroughout the country, featured authors too recognize the value andthe uniqueness of One Book, One Philadelphia. “No other city does itlike this and reaches into so many segments of the population,” saysSherman Alexie, whose books are frequently chosen for One Book-likeprograms nationwide.Philadelphia native Lorene Cary, author of the inaugural One Bookselection, The Price of a Child, cites the diverse audiences she spoke{ 8 }with throughoutthe city as having aprofound effect onher writing. “Thatexperience has mademe so conscious ofcraft and form,” saysCary. “And it has madeit very clear to me thatthere is no excuse foranything less than thegreatest accessibilitySome of the youngestOne Book fans get a hands-on ballet lesson fromformer Pennsylvania Ballet Principal Dancer WilliamDeGregory after they enjoyed a special performanceinspired by Maria Tallchief, the famed Native Americanprima ballerina, during the 2011 One Book season.with the most sophistication that I can figure out how to do as an artist.”If uniting people through literature is the goal of One Book, OnePhiladelphia, the program couldn’t have been more successful thanin its 2010 season. Megan Young and Siamac Yamin-Afshar wereintroduced by a mutual friend and quickly discovered a shared love ofMarjane Satrapi’s The Complete Persepolis—which happened to be theOne Book, One Philadelphia selection that year.“The first night we went out together—as friends—was to the [OneBook] kickoff event,” says Young. “The following week, we wereback in the same seats to see Steven Kinzer speak about his book,All the Shah’s Men. By the time Persepolis Quizzo at the WynnefieldBranch rolled around, we were much more than friends, andthings had gotten serious enough that I met his parents for thefirst time at a panel discussion on the freedom of the press inIran at the Constitution Center!” Young and Yamin-Afshar cite OneBook as having made the early stages of their relationship evenmore special by fueling endless hours of conversation. They weremarried at the Free Library in April 2011.Similar stories of making connections and building communityare common across every year of One Book, One Philadelphia. Incelebration of the program’s 10th anniversary in 2012, the Free Libraryis planning an array of retrospective special events, incorporating thestories of past authors and participants, in addition to a robust varietyof programming surrounding the recently announced 2012 featuredselection, Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work by HaitianAmerican author Edwidge Danticat. A powerfully moving collectionof essays and memoir, Create Dangerously makes an impassioned casefor immigrant writers to bear witness against oppression, sometimesimperiling their own and their readers’ lives. Danticat’s focus onthe crucial importance of books and reading and the courage oftenrequired for both makes Create Dangerously an especially fittingselection for One Book, One Philadelphia’s 10th anniversary year.Amid the fervent planning of the 2012 season, Field takes amoment to reflect on the legacy of One Book, One Philadelphia.“The most rewarding part about One Book is knowing that ithas become a Philadelphia tradition that touches the lives ofindividuals and the community as a whole,” she says. “What weobserve is the tip of the iceberg. There is a great ripple effectbeneath the surface. I hope it goes on and on.”One Book, One Philadelphia kicks off its 10th anniversary season on January 25.Eight inspired weeks of programming—including craft workshops, paneldiscussions, film screenings, and book clubs—run through March 17. To learnmore, visit freelibrary.org/onebook.LEFT AND RIGHT: The interiorand exterior of the OakLane neighborhoodlibrary in 1911. Courtesyof the Print andPictures Department.Oak Lane Library Remains Cornerstone of Tight-Knit CommunityBranch celebrates 100th Anniversary in DecemberDrop in to the Oak Lane Branch of the Free Library on any givenafternoon, and you’re immediately struck by what a thoroughlymodern place it is. Kids crowd around the children’s librarian buzzingabout the latest social networking tools; adults use the library’s onlinedatabases to search for new jobs; and shelves feature materials thatdidn’t exist a decade or two ago—they’re packed with graphic novels,audiobooks, and DVDs.Yet the Oak Lane neighborhood library is nearly a century old, poisedto celebrate its 100th anniversary this December. Opened in 1911—aresult of the efforts of the Ladies Review Club of Oak Lane, the LibraryAssociation, and funding from Andrew Carnegie—the library wasnestled among large single-family homes in a sprawling, shadyneighborhood that got its name in honor of a beloved oak tree thatblew down during a storm in 1860.As the city’s population grew, the neighborhood became more compactand families of immigrants from Germany and Ireland, many of whomworked in factories nearby, moved in. Each passing decade broughtnew demographic changes; today, many of Oak Lane’s 15,000 residentsare African American, and the factories that dotted the area early onhave disappeared. In their stead, busy neighborhood groceries, smallbusinesses, and daycare centers pepper the tight-knit community.“This is such a wonderful, diverse community,” notes Deb Ahrens,head of the branch. “The residents of Oak Lane take such great pridein their neighborhood—such as the Tree Tenders, Friends of the OakLane Library, and Oak Lane Community Action Association. I’m reallyenjoying being here.”But, as they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same.While the neighborhood demographics have changed and the Oak Lanebranch has grown into a dynamic and digitally savvy organization, itsrole as a true cornerstone in community has remained unchanged.Take those lively kids, for instance. Ellwood Elementary School is rightacross the street from the library, and—Ahrens says cheerfully—“itgets a little happy in here every afternoon.” Many of the studentsare eager to spend time with children’s librarian Kate Bowman-Johnston, discussing their favorite books and getting her expertfrom theNEIGHBORHOODS{ 9 }MIDDLE: A logo from the Oak LaneLibrary used in 1911.recommendations for what to read next. And when school lets outfor the year, the students often spend even more time at the libraryto participate in Summer Reading and enjoy a multitude of creativeliterary activities, from drawing their own comic after reading agraphic novel to using a reference resource to identify some of themany international flags displayed around the room.Current Oak Lane resident Patricia Smith brings her grandsons to thelibrary to participate in Summer Reading and develop their interestin books. “[My grandsons] are involved in two other reading projectsduring the summer, but we especially look forward to the Oak LaneLibrary,” she says. “[Oak Lane] consistently provides a great programthat will encourage their academic efforts.”Thirty or 40 years ago, the relationship between kids and librarianswasn’t quite as informal as it is today, but elementary students stillfilled the branch to learn and interact with friends. “The library wasa very important part of my development when I was in elementaryschool,” says Lee Davidson, who grew up in the neighborhood. “I spentmany hours there, reading everything I could get my hands on.”Residents of Oak Lane today continue to rely on the Free Library asthose who came 100 years ago did. While customers who walkedthrough the doors in 1911 were likely seeking print-based materials,today’s customers rely on the branch not only for these types of itemsbut also for free Wi-Fi, computer access, tips on digital media, and, ofcourse, those popular Tai Chi classes that have been a staple at Oak Lanefor three years.Through all the years and all the changes, the Free Library has remaineda celebrated keystone of the Oak Lane community and stayed true to itsmission: to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity.The Oak Lane branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia will celebrate its 100thanniversary on December 7. To learn more about the history of the Oak Laneneighborhood, check out Oak Lane, Olney, and Logan by Marita Krivda Poxon,Rachel Hildebrandt, and the Old York Road Historical Society.• • • BY DAVID LIGHT

FOR $25,000Wish ListThe Free Library is one of the most important educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia. The City of Philadelphiaprovides funds for the operations of the Free Library system, including staffing at our 54 locations. Through the generosityof individual gifts, the Free Library Foundation supports many of the Library’s incredible programs, which advancesliteracy, guides learning, and inspires curiosity by enriching the cultural fabric of our region. The Wish List below detailsjust a few of the many ways your support of the Foundation can enhance and improve the Free Library of Philadelphia:Jennifer Weiner is a member of the Free LibraryFoundation Board of Directors—and a bestsellingauthor. In her novels, she plumbs life’s messinesswith witty, honest characters who face real issues likerelationships, careers, family dynamics, and more. Sheis the author of eight no. 1 New York Times bestsellers,including Good in Bed and In Her Shoes, which wasadapted into a critically acclaimed film starringCameron Diaz, Shirley MacLaine, and the city ofPhiladelphia. Weiner is now forging a path in televisionas the creator and executive producer of State ofGeorgia, a new ABC Family comedy starring Raven-Symoné. Weiner found a brief moment during herbusy schedule to chat with us:OTS What role have libraries played in your life?JW Before I was a writer, I was a reader, and I spent many happyafternoons at the Simsbury Public Library, where I’d fill shoppingbags with enough books to last me through the week. The idea thatyou could pick out and take home any book you wanted for free wasmind-blowing when I was a six-year-old. It kind of blows my mind now.OTS How did you become involved in supporting andadvocating for the Free Library of Philadelphia?JW I was very lucky to get a very generous advance for my first twobooks. After a wild shopping spree at Target where I finally was ableto purchase name-brand dog food, I decided that what I wanted todo with the money was support causes that were important to me,and the Library was first on the list. I became a member of the PepperSociety, and, eventually, a member of the Free Library FoundationBoard of Directors. I believe that great stories serve an importantfunction in the world—they take us out of our own heads; they showus other experiences, other ways of living; they tell us that we’re notalone. I also think that basic literacy—the ability to read and fill out ajob application—is essential, yet we know that many Philadelphianscan’t. For those two reasons, libraries are essential, and I can’t imaginea writer who wouldn’t want to support them.OTS As a bestselling author, you’ve written eight hitnovels and a short story collection over the past decade.How has the publishing industry changed over the courseof your career? How have these changes impacted you bothas a writer and as a reader?JW I remember, years ago, telling my publisher that I wanted tostart a weblog, and having my publisher ask, very sincerely, “What’sa weblog?” I had my own website before that became standardoperating procedure, and was using social media because I liked it,not because it was required. These days, the internet has changedeverything. In some ways, it’s leveled the playing field—even writerswhose books don’t get widely reviewed can build an audiencethrough the smart and judicious use of mediums like Facebook andTwitter. In other ways, it’s made an author’s job harder—we have to{ 10 }be our own marketing and promotional team, and we have to workat building our brands (an awful term, but there it is) on a daily basis,because readers have come to see us not just as authors but aspersonalities and content providers, good for a joke or a blog post ora recap of The Bachelor on a daily basis. I’m lucky in that I’ve alwaysliked social media, and having a newspaper background means thatthe idea of writing for an audience every day doesn’t bother me, butI know writers who find the whole thing agonizing, and wish we werestill in the days of Salinger, where you could drop off a book at yourpublisher’s office, then vanish off the map.OTS Your new television show, State of Georgia, is nowairing on ABC Family. How does writing for TV differ fromwriting a novel? Do you prefer one medium over the other?JW Writing novels is very interior, very quiet work. It can be fantastic,when the work’s going well, but it can also be a little bit lonely: It’sjust you, and the characters in your head, with your agent and youreditor waiting patiently (and not so patiently!) on the sidelines.Television’s much more collaborative: You work in a writers’ room,pitching jokes, riffing on ideas, telling stories. It’s social, and it’s fun, butthere’s necessarily an element of compromise. Your co-writers haveideas; the network has input; the actors might say things in ways younever imagined. I feel very lucky that I have the balance of solitary,independent, introspective fiction and the raucous, collaborative teameffort of TV.OTS You’re a prodigious and prolific user of Twitter(@jenniferweiner), and Time magazine recently named youamong its top 140 Twitterers. How has social media enabledyou to build strong relationships with your readers?JW Twitter functions as a virtual water cooler, a place to talk to otherwriters and readers who you may never get to meet face to face. It’salso the perfect medium for the busy working mom. You can dashoff a 140-character joke or observation waiting to pick up your kidfrom nursery school, or standing in line at the coffee shop, and adozen people will tweet back at you. You can have debates aboutimportant topics (Why isn’t Obama reading more women’s fiction?Why doesn’t the New York Times review Jodi Picoult as frequentlyas John Grisham?) or just talk about the antics on The Bachelor. Forme, Twitter’s invaluable because it gives readers access to my voicewhile they’re waiting for the next book. It’s a way to stay currentand relevant and contribute to the conversation in a timely fashion,instead of thinking something and saying, “Oh, I guess I can put thatin my novel, which will be published next year.”OTS Fill in the blank: “To me, the Free Library ofPhiladelphia is the Free Library of ________.” Why?JW Inspiration. You can walk through those doors and find a greatstory, or figure out how to tell one. You can get help with a smallbusiness loan, or get a hundred ideas for what your business shouldbe. You can hear an incredible novelist or poet read from her work,and have a discussion about a novel you might never have found onyour own. You can watch your children discover the world of fiction.Libraries are amazing places, where so much can happen, and somuch can change.FOR $25,000 a branch can provide after-schoolprogramming for thousands of children four days aweek throughout an entire school year.FOR $20,000 Behind the Screens, a film literacyprogram for teens, can be presented in six branchesfor two months. Filmmaking equipment is includeD.FOR $10,000 the Free Library can purchase—at a greatdiscount—more than 1,500 books, including picturebooks and audiobooks for children.FOR $5,000 The Free Library can provide 20 programsfor job seekers on writing a résumé, conducting anonline job search, and preparing for an interview.UPCOMINGAUTHOREVENTSFOR MORE Info:215-567-4341freelibrary.org/authoreventsNOV 15 • 7:30 PMFREEClaire TomalinCharles Dickens: A LifeNOV 17 • 12:00 PM NOV 17 • 7:30 PM NOV 22 • 7:30 PM NOV 29 • 7:30 PMFREE TICKET REQUIREDFREE FREEAdam GopnikThe Table Comes First:Family, France, and theMeaning of FoodDEC 1 • 7:30 PM DEC 6 • 7:30 PM DEC 7 • 7:30 PM DEC 13 • 7:30 PM DEC 15 • 7:30 PMFREE FREE TICKET REQUIREDFREE FREERandall KennedyThe Persistence of theColor Line: Racial Politics andthe Obama PresidencyMeelya Gordon Memorial LectureFOR $2,500 a series of 10 English-as-a-Second-Languageclasses can be offered in a branch.FOR $1,000 One is recognized as part of the George S.Pepper Society, the most generous group of LIBRARYsupporters, and enjoys exclusive opportunities to meetwith renowned authors.FOR $500 the Free Library can add 75 ebooks to itscollection to be downloaded and read by hundreds ofindividuals.To learn how you can make a gift to the Foundation,visit freelibrary.org/support or call 215-567-7710.NOV 1 • 7:30 PMTICKET REQUIREDJeffrey EugenidesThe Marriage Plot: A NovelHorace W. GoldsmithEndowed LectureGeorge McGovernWhat it Means toBe a DemocratPaul FarmerHaiti After the EarthquakeNOV 5 • 2:00 PMFREENorton JusterThe Phantom Tollbooth50th AnniversaryAnita HillReimagining Equality:Stories of Gender, Race,and Finding HomeSOLD OUT AUDITORIUMSimulcast Available{ 11 }NOV 8 • 7:30 PMFREEAnthony HorowitzThe House of Silk:A Sherlock Holmes NovelMarc VetriRustic Italian FoodEdward J. LarsonAn Empire of Ice: Scott,Shackleton, and the HeroicAge of Antarctic ScienceNOV 10 • 7:30 PMTICKET REQUIREDUmberto EcoThe Prague CemeteryMichael CannellThe Limit: Life and Deathon the 1961 Grand Prix CircuitLuis Alberto UrreaQueen of America

The Free Library is one of the mostimportant educational and culturalinstitutions in Philadelphia. TheCity of Philadelphia providesfunds for the operations of the FreeLibrary system, including staffingat our 54 locations. Through thegenerosity of individual gifts, theFree Library Foundation supportsmany of the Library’s incredibleprograms, which promote literacyand enrich the cultural fabric ofour city.To learn how you can make agift to the Foundation, visitfreelibrary.org/support or call215-567-7710.One Book 2012Kick off CelebrationJanuary 25, 2012 • 7:30 p.m.Parkway Central Library, Montgomery Auditoriumfreelibrary.org/onebookJoin us for a festive celebration to officially kick off the10th annual One Book, One Philadelphia season, featuringEdwidge Danticat’s Create Dangerously. The evening will bededicated to exploring Haiti’s cultural heritage through music,nd dance, featuring KuumbaDrum and Dance Ensemble.The kick-off celebration is freeand open to the public. Findout more details online atfreelibrary.org/onebook.