There are a lot of grins to be seen around town as the clouds roll away and the temperatures climb. People are walking around outside for pleasure rather than pulling their coats tighter and thinking, Must get indoors, Must get indoors. People who haven’t had any fun for months are thinking it might actually be time to start enjoying themselves again, and are looking into movie schedules and searching the arts calendars.
One of the jolliest treats for those of us of a certain acquisitive nature happened just last week, with annual Literacy Volunteers Book Sale, which drew the accustomed crowds of collectors and bibliophiles to the West Farmington Elks Club, giving all and sundry a handy excuse to add to their personal libraries.
In a merry mood of sharing collections, a new local organization – to which, Full Disclosure, I belong – calling ourselves The Shiretown Bookers (subtitled The Community Friends of Mantor Library, because of our frequent use of that helpful facility) are delighted to announce the exhibition “Harry Potter’s World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine”, presented in cooperation with the U.S. National Library of Medicine, and including related books from our local collections. Running from May 13th through June 19th, the exhibit will be held in a new display space provided by Mantor Library at 116 South Street in Farmington.
In 1997, J.K. Rowling introduced the world to Harry Potter and a literary phenomenon was born. Millions of readers followed Harry to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he discovers his heritage, encounters new plants and animals, and perfects his magical abilities. Although a fantasy story, the magic in the Harry Potter books is partially based on Renaissance traditions that played an important role in the development of Western science, including alchemy, astrology, and natural philosophy. Incorporating the work of several 15th and 16th century thinkers, this seven-part exhibit uses material from the National Library of Medicine to explore Harry Potter’s world, its roots in Renaissance science, and the ethical questions that affected not only the wizards in Harry Potter, but also the historic thinkers featured in the series.
Reid Byers, president of the Bookers, said, “We are very grateful to Mantor Library for the opportunity to share the NIH exhibition and these fascinating books with the community. The Library provides a lot of other important services to the Farmington community that we hope to make known more widely.”
The Shiretown Bookers hope to support the university library by fostering its relationship with the community. The group will provide exhibits and lectures on literary and library subjects as a way to promote community awareness of UMF Mantor Library and its services.
“We are delighted to welcome the Shiretown Bookers inaugural exhibition to campus,” said UMF president Kathryn A. Foster. “This is a wonderful opportunity for UMF and the community to come together and share their love of literature. Collaborative programming such as this supports all of Farmington and invigorates both the campus and the community.”
For your external springtime wanderings in search of amusement, pop by Mantor Library for an opening reception to celebrate the Harry Potter Exhibition. It’ll welcome you on Wednesday, May 13 between 5 and 7 in the evening, and you can chat with the Bookers, peruse the exhibits, and even have a beer or glass of wine at the cash bar (though, unfortunately, I doubt that Butterbeer will be on the list.)
A summer exhibition, which will run from June 22nd to September 30th, will be entitled “The Joy of Booking: highlights from members’ collections.” As the group’s personal exhibition, it will introduce some of the members’ specific collecting interests and additional community opportunities at Mantor Library.
To indulge in more vernal revelry, I have just heard from my friend Jayne Decker that the Emery Center is repeating one of last year’s most entertaining events, the Irish Pub evening. Once again the Emery performance space will be transformed into an Irish pub, and a very persuasive job they do of it, too. There will be a special Irish pub menu created for the event, along with various stouts and other Irish potations available at a cash bar.
The entertainment this year will be provided by the popular local traditional band Talisker. This all happens tonight, May 8, with doors opening at 6:30, and the band starting up at 7.
The Emery Center’s Irish festivity is highly appropriate this year, as Jayne has just recently directed a socko production of The Cripple of Innishmaan for Theater UMF, and you were likely a part of its sold-out audiences. But if we’re lucky the pub night (which is all free except for the bar) will be an annual event as an end-of-the-year celebration.
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