Sarasota County’s popular One Book, One Community initiative is back for 2020. The coming One Book selection is Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women by Kate Moore, detailing the history of radium used in watchmaking, and voicing the stories of the women who were exposed to its harmful effects. This book is not for the faint of heart but is an important read and an opportunity to consider the past honestly so as to make us wiser in the present and more responsible in the future. It is a true, though little known, story that is certain to provoke conversation, motivate further learning, and inspire a reaction.
Radium Girls is one of many untold stories of women whose history was made invisible that have found their way into the light in recent years. Your library card is your open invitation to explore these fascinating and complex stories!
Come into Elsie Quirk and check out books like Making My Pitch: A Woman’s Baseball Odyssey by Ila Jane Borders, et al.; Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar; Rejected Princesses: Tales of History’s Boldest Heroines, Hellions, and Heretics by Jason Porath; or The Queens of Animation: The Untold Story of the Women Who Transformed the World of Disney and Made Cinematic History by Nathalia Holt. Or read these books digitally using your library card to access the cloudLibrary collection.
If you prefer movies, try Hidden Figures; The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio; The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks; Big Eyes; or the classic A League of Their Own, disparate but enlightening stories of women’s experiences and contributions that are often inadequately acknowledged.
Want more of an overview than a long read? From the Sarasota County Libraries website, you can search our databases of newspaper, journal, and magazine articles to learn about remarkable sculptor Edmonia Lewis, pioneering computer programmer Grace Hopper, Nurse and spy Edith Cavell, fierce and fascinating ruler Wu Zetian, or journalist and original “bra burner” Amelia Bloom for whom bloomers are named. And, of course, if you don’t find what you’re looking for, or you’re not sure what you’re looking for, we invite you to step up to the reference desk and ask a friendly librarian!
If in-person learning is more your cup of tea, Elsie Quirk is excited to host J. Elke Ertle, author of Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, on November 14th at 2 p.m. Ms. Ertle lived in West Berlin during the Cold War for 21 years. Join her as she shares her experiences and speaks about the factors that led to the construction and fall of the Berlin Wall.
Calendar of Library Events This Week:
Friday
- Spanish Study Group 10:15 a.m.
Saturday
- Spanish Storytime – 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. Bilingual stories, songs, and activities for ages 3-11. Everyone welcome!
- Suncoast Writers Guild Long Writers 10:15 a.m. – Noon.
- Englewood Indivisible Meeting 3 p.m.
- Humane Society Orientation 12:15 p.m.
Monday
- All Sarasota County Libraries closed for Veterans Day
Tuesday
- Master Gardener Plant Clinic 10 a.m. – Noon. Get free answers to your Florida gardening and landscaping questions. This is made possible through a partnership with UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County.
- Englewood Camera Club 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday
- Affordable Care Act Assistance 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- Popcorn Science 3:30 p.m. Enjoy fun food science activities and learn all about popcorn! Yum! Registration is required and limited to children ages 5-11.
- Teen Gaming Unplugged 5:30 p.m. We’ve got old classics like Clue and Monopoly, newer classics like Apples to Apples, and classics to-be like Zombie Dice and Sheriff of Nottingham. Limited to ages 11-18.
Thursday
- Family Storytime 10:30 a.m. For ages 0-5. Interact and participate with your child in a variety of early literacy and school readiness activities that feature stories, music and movement, and crafts.
- Short Story Discussion Group 10:15 a.m. The Short Story Discussion group meets the second Thursday of each month. Readings will be from “The Best American Short Stories of the Century” (expanded edition, 1999), edited by John Updike. A copy is available for preview at the Reference desk. All are welcome!
- Quirky Knitters 1p.m. – 3 p.m. All are welcome to knit and chat.
- The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall 2 – 3 p.m. Author J. Elke Ertle discusses her experiences living in West Berlin during the Cold War.
