Newport Folk Festival film at Library, 9/2

On Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 7 pm, the Library invites you to a free screening of the documentary film Festival! , about the Newport Folk Festival in the early 1960s.

Festival! is a terrific (and not often seen) concert film with stirring performances by Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Peter Paul and Mary, Son House, Donovan, Pete Seeger, and many more folk legends in the early 60s. It's also a nostalgia-inducing snapshot of an era just before the "youth culture" of the 1960s took hold. Director Murray Lerner interviewed the young folk fans in the audience, who are idealistic, well-educated, and just starting to question whether they want to lead the same kind of lives as their parents.

The film captures the dramatic episode at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival when Bob Dylan "went electric," upsetting the folk fans who had come to think of him as their favorite artist. For many people, the moment that Bob Dylan "left folk music" is the day that the "real" 1960s began. From then on, electric rock and roll would be the voice of the youth culture.

Festival! directed by Murray Lerner Tuesday, Sept. 2, 7 pm Free admission. Suitable for all ages. Hosted by author Steve Otfinofski. Stratford Library, 2203 Main St., Stratford CT (just off I-95's exit 32)

For directions or more information, see the library's website at http://www.stratfordlibrary.org/ or call us at 385-4164/385-4161.

Taste of the summer

Last week, the New York Times ran a story on how canning fruits and vegetables in your own kitchen is making a big comeback. Canning has always appealed to people who want to save money by growing and preserving their own food, but the "local food" movement has spurred interest in canning as well. Shoppers are discovering the wonderful flavors of locally grown food in farm markets (like Stratford's weekly farm market) and they are now realizing that canning and preserving is a way to keep the delicious flavors of summer on hand all winter.

If you're interested in canning and preserving, stop by the library and check out a book or two. We have do-it-yourself books on practically every topic, from canning to beekeeping to repairing your car.

What's on the New Book Shelf this week

Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Revival for Women Over 45 by Christopher Hopkins - This is a fun book to look at & get some ideas to update your look. Full of "before " & "after" photos. Italian Grill by Mario Batali - The TV chef's latest cookbook - delicious! For parents, two very different, yet timely topics: Overcoming School Anxiety by Diane Peters Mayer and So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids by Diane E. Levin Ph.D & Jean Kilborne Ed.D Butterfly by Thomas Marent - Gorgeous, gorgeous, facinating photos - a must see. From the Miller Antique experts, so you know the advice is sound: Care & Repair of Antiques & Collectibles by Judth Miller Royal Affairs: A Lusty Romp Through the Extramarital Adventures That Rocked the British Monarchy by Leslie Carroll - History with a spicy twist. Vet Confidential: An Insider's Guide to Protecting Your Pet's Health by Louise Murray D.V.M. - Tips on choosing a vet, what to expect at your pet's exam, pet insurance, vaccinations and more. Napkin Origami: 25 Fun & Creative Ideas for Napkin Folding - Who knew? Get ready for the Library's 60s Rock Film Festival with this book - Join Together: 40 Years of the Rock Music Festival by Marley Brant The Man Who Made Vermeers: Unvarnishing the Legend of Master Forger Han Van Meegeren by Jonathan Lopez - Art World Scandal. For writers: How Not to Write a Novel: 200 Classic Mistakes and How to Avoid them, Misstep-by-Misstep by Howard Mittleman & Sandra Newman - The title says it all. and Shimmering Images: A Handy Guide to Writing a Memoir by Lisa Dale Norton - Seems like everyone is writing a memoir, make yours stand out. All the new books are located in lobby.

Indie rock music comes to Stratford and settles down

When you think about "celebrity residents of Stratford," you might have to go back to the 1950s when Katherine Hepburn summered in a Stratford cottage while she starred at the Shakespeare Theatre. But recently, an indie rock band with a cult following has moved to Stratford -- the husband-and-wife musical duo Mates of State. Playing together since 1997, Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner have toured all over the world and appeared on TV shows like "Conan O'Brien." Even if you think you haven't heard of them, you may have heard their swirling, upbeat, slightly psychedelic music on a commercial for AT&T Wireless, here seen on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM7O81fGeR0 You won't catch Mates of State practicing in their Stratford garage this summer since they'll be on the road playing at Lollapalooza and the Austin City Limits festival. So if you're interested in checking out what your Stratford neighbors are up to, come down to the Stratford Library and borrow one of our Mates of State CDs.

Have you heard about this one?

Do you listen to NPR's Morning Edition program? Have you heard the "Crime in the City" segment? It features crime stories set in different cities around the world. This morning they featured author Matt Rees, an author who bases his stories in the Middle East. His soon to be released book, The Samaritan's Secret, will take place in the 2,000 year old Palestine city of Nablus. Unfortunately, it isn't due out until February 2009, and as soon as the library can place the order we will so that everyone can get on the waiting list. While you are waiting for the new one, be sure to stop by the library to get some of his older books (all featuring detective Omar Yussef): The Collaborator of Bethlehem and A Grave in Gaza. Read them now, so you are ready for the next one.

The Library has information like that? Wow

Are you having car trouble? Are you a do-it-yourself car repair person? Do you need an easy to use, reliable place to find FREE car repair information? If the answer is Yes, then you need to know about the Stratford Libray's car repair database called: Auto Repair Reference Center. This database contains information on:

• Approximately 25,000 vehicles from 1954 to the present
• More than 65,000 technical service bulletins & recalls issued by the original equipment manufacturer
• Wiring diagrams for easy viewing and printing
• Labor time guide & estimator
• Specifications & maintenance schedules
• Quick tips, a complete guide to vehicle ownership & maintenance
• Over 100,000 factory drawing and step-by-step photographs

Best of all, you can use this database in the library AND from home

More Staff Picks

Looking for some ideas for beach reading? Maybe one of these, recommended by Stratford Library Staff....

"Sinners and Saints by Eileen Dreyer is a well-written mystery, set in New Orleans. The female detective is a forensic nurse loaded with emotional baggage, searching for her missing sister. A real 'page turner' that is perfect for summer reading."

"In the book Three Girls and Their Brother by Teresa Rebeck, three gorgeous teenage sisters from a famous literary family suddenly become the "It" girls after a New Yorker magazine photo shoot. Follow the family mess that ensues. Funny, clever and sad in a few parts, it makes a great beach read."

"I'm reading Lee Child's latest Jack Reacher thriller Nothing to Lose. It's the same formula, of course, but very satisfying summer reading."

Come on in and stock up for August.