'Muslim Journeys' Discussion Series Begins May 30

The series will kick off with a discussion of the book, "House of Wisdom: How Arabic Science Saved Ancient Knowledge and Gave Us the Renaissance."

The Somerville Public Library is launching a new book discussion series called "Muslim Journeys," according to an announcement from the city of Somerville. The discussion series is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association and "aims to familiarize the American public with Islam and the cultural heritage of Islamic civilizations around the world," the announcement says. The first event in the series, which takes place May 30, will be a discussion of Jim al-Khalili’s book, House of Wisdom: How Arabic Science Saved Ancient Knowledge and Gave Us the Renaissance. The book brings readers into the world of the "Arab Enlightenment," a period of Islamic history known for tolerance and intellectual and …

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Sunday: Free Teen Creataive Writing Program

Somerville writers Ethan Gilsdorf and Becky Tuch will lead writing exercises in a variety of genres, from fantasy fiction to lyric poetry. It's for teens aged 13 to 17, and the first class begins Sunday.

Somerville Spring Book Sale Planned, Volunteers Needed

The book sale benefits the Friends of the Somerville Public Library.

Patriots Lineman Ryan Wendell Reads to Somerville, Medford Kids at Tufts [PHOTOS]

Wendell visited Tufts University Sunday as part of the "Read by the River" fair.

New England Patriots player Ryan Wendell, an offensive lineman, was at Tufts University Sunday as part of the 13th annual "Read by the River" carnival, organized by Tufts Hillel. The event promotes education and early childhood literacy. Wendell read to elementary-school kids from Somerville and Medford, and he also signed a few autographs. According to the New England Patriots Facebook page, he read from the children's book, "Let's Go, Patriots!"

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Patriots Lineman Ryan Wendell to Visit Tufts Sunday

The Patriots player will read to as many as 850 kids from Somerville and Medford.

New England Patriots offensive lineman Ryan Wendell is scheduled to visit Tufts University Sunday to read to children and sign some autographs, according to an announcement from the university. Wendell is visiting as part of the "Read by the River" carnival, sponsored by Tufts Hillel. This year marks the 13th annual "Read by the River" event. About 850 elementary school kids from Somerville and Medford, and their families, are expected to attend, and there will be face painting, arts and crafts and performances for kids. The carnival promotes literacy. It takes place from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Gantcher Center, 161 College Ave., Medford.

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What's On Your 'Must Read' List for February (and Maybe March)?

James Patterson's cover girl looks like Mandy Moore, to me, and Dan Brown has another book coming out.

For all your voracious readers out there, here's a look at some of the hottest books of February, according Barnes & Noble: "Inferno" by Dan Brown: This book doesn't even hit the shelves for three more months, but pre-orders make it one of the hottest books right now. Brown, of NH – an of course, "Da Vinci Code" fame, will likely have another movie deal on his hands: About the book: In the heart of Italy, Harvard professor of symbology, Robert Langdon, is drawn into a harrowing world centered on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces…Dante’s Inferno. Against this backdrop, Langdon battles a chilling adversary and grapples with an ingenious riddle that pulls him into a landscape of classic art, secret …

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Blog: Book Clubs Are for More Than Books

Blogger Judy Mintz discusses the inner workings of a book club.

February Deals for Somerville Public Library Card Holders

Popcorn at Somerville Theatre, bowling shoe rentals at Sacco's Bowl Haven and discouts at Kickass Cupcakes are among the deals library cardholders can get.

VIDEO: Can Somerville's Library Smash Lexington, Belmont and Arlington's?

The "Library Card Challenge" pits four communities against each other in February.

The gauntlet has been thrown. The Somerville Public Library is officially in a showdown with Lexington, Arlington and Belmont, and as Somerville's library director, Maria Carpenter, said, "We are fiercely competitive." The challenge is to see which community can increase its new library card registration the most in February (percentage increase this February, compared to February 2012). “When I started as library director in April of 2012,” said Arlington's Robbins Library Director Ryan Livergood, “one of the things I wanted to do was get out in our community and remind people of the value of a library card.”  Belmont’s library director, Maureen Conners and Lexington’s Koren Stembridge joined Carpenter and Livergood Jan. 31 at a press …

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Courtney O'Keefe

11:30 am on Monday, February 4, 2013

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Somerville Library Unveils 'The Awesome Box'

The Awesome Box lets residents recommend awesome books and "mind-blowing" reads to each other.

Maybe The Who will write a song about it: "The Awesome Box." It's a new initiative at the Somerville Public Library, conducted in partnership with the Harvard Innovation Lab, that lets residents share awesome books with each other by placing them, you guessed it, in something called the Awesome Box. If you check out a library book and think it's awesome, put it in the box. If you want to see what books your neighbors think are awesome, you can visit the Awesome Box website. The first book in the box: "Fifty Shades of Awesome." Okay, that last bit was made up. Here are more details from the Somerville Public Library: SOMERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY UNVEILS “AWESOME BOX” PROJECT Partnership with Harvard University Innovation Lab Helps Residents …

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