Off the Shelf
By Sue Oliveira
March is going to be a busy month at the Webb City Public Library. We are continuing our multi-generational series of programs with an exhibit celebrating Native American art and culture. This will open on Monday, March 1st and will be open during regular library hours. The exhibit will contain art by Bob Tommey, Doug Hall, Jack Dawson and other local artists and displays from local collectors, including an exhibit from the Eastern Shawnee Tribe. Like last month's Ancient Egyptian Art exhibit, we will have hands on activities for the kids in addition to the regular exhibits. The exhibit will be staffed by volunteers from the Friends of the Library.
The exhibit will close on Saturday, March 6th. On that day we have a full day of programming scheduled that will interest people of all ages. At 10:00AM, Chief Bearskin will present a program on the culture and customs of the Wyandotte Tribe. He will dress in traditional Wyandotte costume. At 11:00AM, Paul Barton will give a talk titled, "The Culture and History of the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma." Mr. Barton is the tribe's Cultural and Historic Preservation Officer. At 1:00PM, we will have flute maker Gary Reed talk about creating traditional Native American style flutes. Mr. Reed is also a talented flautist and will perform using his flutes. Then at 2:00PM, we will have a talk titled, "The Iroquois Confederacy and the U.S. Constitution" presented by Calvin Cassady.
Refreshments will be provided on Saturday, so people will be able to come early and stay for all of the programs. All exhibits and programs are open to the public and free of charge.
March will also see a continuation of our Thursday evening Classic Movies. We are starting two new series that will alternate for 8 weeks in March and April. Dangerous Women will appeal to serious movie buffs and will begin on March 4 with showing of the 1945 classic "Leave Her to Heaven". Based on the bestselling novel by Ben Ames Williams, "Leave Her to Heaven" is a stylish psychological thriller starring Gene Tierney as Ellen, the beautiful wife of handsome writer Richard Harland, played by Cornel Wilde. Ellen jealously watches her perfect marriage unravel when Harland's world and invalid brother demand more and more of his attention. The dream marriage becomes a nightmare when the people close to Harland are murdered, one by one.
The second series is called Classic Stinkers and will feature movies so bad they're good. Lovers of tacky flicks will want to see this series. We'll start off on March 11th with the 1956 Sci-Fi masterpiece of camp, "Forbidden Planet" and go downhill from there until we reach the end of the series and the worst movie ever made. "Forbidden Planet" is a cheesy, space-opera retelling of William Shakespeare's "The Tempest". It stars Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen, and Robby the Robot.
Classic Movies will run every Thursday evening in March and April at 6:00PM except for April 15th. There is no charge for admission. A complete list of films is available at the library.
"Books Sandwiched In" is our monthly Mystery Book Club. The meeting date in March has been moved back a week. We will meet in the Lemons Room at noon on March 17th. If you are a mystery lover, bring a sack lunch and join us. The discussion book for March is Sue Grafton's "A is for Alibi". Drinks and dessert are provided by the library.
The library will be closed on Wednesday, March 31st to allow us to upgrade our automation system.