Rensselaerville Library Notes for Wednesday, July 24, 2019
On July 27 at noon, author Darryl McGrath will be at the Rensselaerville Library to discuss her new book, “I’ll Be Home: The Writings of Jim McGrath.”
Jim McGrath was chief editorial writer for the Albany Times Union. His editorials and commentaries charted many of the most critical issues in New York and the country: the death penalty, civil liberties, historic presidential campaigns, the economy, terrorism and more.
The book is both a tribute to a memorable newspaperman and an insider’s perspective on politics and life through the lens of an editorial writer, a position that Jim described as “a great seat at a really weird show.”
“American Creed”
On July 28 at 4 p.m. there will be a free Screening of “American Creed.” a documentary examining the values and beliefs that hold Americans together, followed by a Community Conversation, facilitated by Paul Grondahl, Director of the New York State Writers Institute.
The idea for this film grew out of conversations between two Stanford University professors, political scientist and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David M. Kennedy.
Kennedy was drawn to history in large part to determine whether the United State has a “national character,” and if so, what defines it and how it changes over time. This program is an outgrowth of these enduring questions locally.
The screening will be followed by community conversations and refreshments. This free event is provided by Citizen Film, the Rensselaerville Library, the Carey Institute for Global Good, and WMHT. This event will be at the Carey Institute Guggenheim Pavilion.
“Path to Discovery”
Research the “Path to Discovery” with Dr. Joseph Heyman on July 30 at 6:30 p.m.
How did we get here — flying around the world, landing on Mars, man on the moon, driving cars at 65 miles per hour, watching TV, living healthy, searching the web?
It all came from research, perhaps the most exciting lifework one can have! In this discussion, we explore the past and how research is the path to discovering new and exciting futures.
Dr. Heyman will share stories from his 37 years at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. There are some OTU’s (Out of This Universe) from his career that you may find amazing. He will share stories about solar wind, hiring an astronaut, the Space Shuttle, the Viking Lander on Mars, aircraft, wind tunnels and heart-lung machines.
Block Party
Tickets are now on sale for the Aug. 3 annual Block Party fundraiser for the library and the volunteer fire department at https://www.rensselaervillelibrary.org/block-party.html.
More information on our programs may be found at www.RensselaervilleLibrary.org.