The Birds of Winter at Memorial Hall Library

Brush the snow off your feathers for two seasonal bird programs at Memorial Hall Library this January.  Local penguin expert and award-winning author, Dyan deNapoli will speak about the world’s largest animal rescue, and author, naturalist, and photographer John Rockwood will give a multi-media presentation on the Winter Birds of New England.  Fly over to Memorial Hall Library this January for an exciting programming series!

The Great Penguin Rescue on January 15, 2013 at 7:00 pm.  Please register for this program at mhl.org/eventcalendar or 978-623-8401, x31.  Snow date January 29.

While working as a Senior Penguin Aquarist at Boston’s New England Aquarium, Dyan flew to South Africa to help supervise the rehabilitation of 20,000 penguins that were covered with oil after a cargo ship named the MV Treasure sank off the coast of Cape Town. The oil spill occurred at the height of the best breeding season ever recorded for the African penguins, threatening half of the global population of this now-Endangered species. The ensuing rescue effort was historic in its size and success rate. More than 12,500 volunteers came from around the world to save the penguins, donating more than 556,000 hours of backbreaking labor. Due to the tremendous international response to the crisis, 95% of the penguins were successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild. This presentation will be accompanied by dramatic photographs taken during the rescue.

Dyan’s 2011 TED talk about this historic rescue has been translated into dozens of languages and has been viewed 300,000 times on www.TED.com and Youtube.  Before becoming ‘The Penguin Lady,’ Dyan worked closely with the penguin colony at Boston’s New England Aquarium for nine years. To date, she has taught approximately 250,000 worldwide people about penguins. Dyan has been the featured guest on numerous television and radio shows including CNN’s Situation Room, BBC Radio 5 Live, CBC Radio-Canada, Sierra Club Radio and others. In 2008, she authored the penguin chapter for the New Book of Knowledge encyclopedia. Her book about the Treasure oil spill rescue, The Great Penguin Rescue, was published by Simon & Schuster in October of 2010.  It was favorably reviewed by The New York Review of Books, Midwest Book Review, the Boston Globe and others. The New York Post put it on their ‘Required Reading’ list, calling it “a real-life eco-thriller with a happy ending.” It won a 2011 Silver Nautilus Book Award, was chosen as a “Must-Read” book in the 2011 Massachusetts Book Awards, and was named “One of the best sci-tech books of 2010” by Library Journal.

Dyan is a member of the National Marine Educators Association, Massachusetts Marine Educators Association, the Author’s Guild, Grub Street writing center, North Shore Business Forum and Mensa. As The Penguin Lady, Dyan shares her expertise and passion for penguins with adults and children of all ages at grade schools, colleges, libraries, museums and assisted living facilities. She has been the onboard penguin expert on nature cruises to Antarctica and to the Galapagos Islands. Dyan donates 20% of the proceeds from her book and from every public appearance to penguin rescue groups. She is on Twitter and Facebook as The Penguin Lady. Visit www.thepenguinlady.com for more information.

Winter Birds of New England on January 22, 2013 at 7:00 pm.  Please register for this program at mhl.org/eventcalendar or 978-623-8401, x31.  Snow date January 29.

John Rockwood's Winter Birds of New England show includes a spectacular mix of incredible photos and video clips of typical New England Winter birds such as Cedar & Bohemian Waxwings, Northern Cardinals, Bald Eagles, Screech Owls, and Common Loons.  In addition, see photos of some rare New England Winter visitors, including the Ivory Gull, Northern Hawk Owl, Great Grey Owl, and Snowy Owls.  John will share many amusing antidotes about taking the photos as well as fascinating facts about these avian species.

John Rockwood is a professional photographer, naturalist, lecturer, and published author.  John has had numerous photos published in Birds & Blooms, and Natural New England Magazines.  John is the author and photographer of the book, Adventures with Grapenut.
To learn more about John or to see more of his photography, visit loonphotog.net.
 
Other January Adult Events at Memorial Hall Library:
 
Boston Black Catholic Choir on Sunday, January 13 at 3:00 pm - Meyer Chambers brought together members of the local black Catholic community to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Since 1992, the choir has traveled nationally and internationally over their 20-year ministry.  The choir has performed internationally as well as churches, prisons, shelters, and other venues in the Northeast.

The Friends of Memorial Hall Library Winter Book Sale will be January 25-27. Preview Night, January 23 from 6:30 to 8:30pm, $20 admission per person (free for Friends members).  The regular sale hours are Friday, January 25 from 9am to 4:30pm, Saturday, January 26 from 9am to 4:30pm, and Sunday, January 27 from 1 to 4:30pm. 

Career Networking Group from 10-11:30am on Thursday, January 17: “Interviews” and on Thursday, January 31: “Follow-Up Interviews”

MHL’s Monday Movie Night on Monday, January 28 7:00 pm - Attend the movie, and enter to win the DVD after watching it!

Creative Café: Monthly Craft Night meets on Monday, January 7 at 7 pm – Join a group of fellow crafters for a creative and fun evening.  Meet other crafters, and work on your own projects! Open to adults who knit, crochet, scrapbook, and create other portable crafts. The Creative Café meets on the first open Monday of each month.

Conversational English Group Winter session begins on January 7 from 10 am-noon.   Weekly sessions for students who have studied formal English and would like to practice their speaking and listening skills.  New members are welcome.  To register, contact Carolyn Fantini at 978-475-4602.

Writers’ Group meets on Thursday, January 10 at 7 pm - Join the Memorial Hall Library writers' group for writers of adult fiction, nonfiction, and memoirs. This group provides constructive advice and feedback on each other's works in progress.  The group meets on the second Thursday of the month.

All events are sponsored by the Friends of Memorial Hall Library.  For more information and other events visit www.mhl.org, or call 978-623-8401, ext. 31 or 32.  Programs are held at Memorial Hall Library, 2 North Main St., Andover, MA.