Winterfest Matinee - The Smurfs - Saturday, February 11th @ 1PM

Hello Blue Saturday. As part of Lowell's Annual Winterfest celebration we'll be offering you a chance to warm up with the smurfiest of all family films: The Smurfs at 1pm, Saturday, February 11th. So come on by and take a break from all the smurfy wintry action outside. Stay and warm up for a bit, or for the whole film either way we're looking forward to welcoming you. This 2011 film is rated PG and the run time is 103 minutes. This screening is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Delayed opening for staff training this Thursday, February 2nd

In addition to being Groundhog's Day, this Thursday is the first Thursday of the month, which means we will have a delayed opening to accommodate staff training. Library Hours 11am-9pm.

See What You've Been Missing! Friday, February 10, 2012 9am-3:30pm

The Pollard Memorial Library invites you to See What You’ve Been Missing—during a special open house to celebrate our new low vision resources. With generous support from the Pollard Library Foundation, the Lowell Lions’ Club, and other individuals, the Pollard Library has been able to purchase new equipment to help us better serve visually impaired patrons.

Schedule of Events:

9am-3pm: On Sight Mobile Clinic
The New England Eye Institute’s On Sight Mobile Clinic will be offering comprehensive eye exams for adults. The mobile clinic’s van will be parked in front of the library on Merrimack Street.

12pm-1pm: Demonstration Of Low Vision Resources—Thank You To Donors
Following a demonstration of the new equipment, Pollard Library will publically thank the donors who, through their generous support, have made the library’s Low Vision Workstation possible. We will also highlight other resources for the visually impaired available in the library and in the greater Lowell community.

1:30pm-3:30pm: Film “Going Blind”
This award winning documentary by Joe Lovett profiles individuals from across the country of different ages and many backgrounds who are coping with the experience of vision loss. Lovett himself has lost a large portion of his vision as a result of glaucoma.

If you have questions please contact Beth Brassel, Young Adult Librarian, ebrassel@mvlc.org 978-970-4118. We look forward to welcoming you!

Independent Film Night - Thursday, February 9th @ 6:30: Protektor

Our Independent Film selection for February won 9 Czech Lions (Czech Republic's equivalent to the Academy Awards). Set in Prague at the outbreak of World War II, it tells the story of Emil, a radio reporter and Hana, his movie star wife who are at first oblivious to the Nazi threat but soon are forced to face the implications of Hana's Jewish heritage. As the story progresses the restrictions increase for Hana and Emil is forced to take drastic measures to protect her. This film is lush with period details and the taut plot will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The film is in Czech with English Subtitles. Run time 100 minutes. Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. The Pollard Library Independent Film night occurs on the 2nd Thursday of every month. The events are free and open to the public. Made possible by the Friends of the Library

Superbowl Saturday Matinee - The Blind Side - February 4th, 1PM

Well, thanks to Billy Cundiff and the good fortune of our New England Patriots, Michael Oher won't be playing in the Superbowl but you can join us at 1pm on the Saturday of Super Bowl weekend (February 4th) as we screen the movie that made him famous. That's right, we'll be showing the academy award winning movie The Blind Side, starring Sandra Bullock. It'll get you right in the mood to cheer on our hometown team! This 2009 film is rated PG-13, run time is 129 minutes. The screening is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Non-Fiction Book Club: The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee, Thursday, February 2, 2012 @ 6:30PM

I'll have to admit that I did not enjoy reading last month's book selection but the discussion it generated at the book club meeting was well worth the slog. This month's book is challenging in a different way. The story is engaging and fascinating, the subject matter is somewhat disturbing (especially to my inner hypochondriac). The subject, of course, cancer. The most dreaded of all diseases. I'll defer to the cover jacket to give you a better sense of what Dr. Mukherjee has accomplished with his biography of cancer:

The Emperor of all Maladies is a magnificent, profoundly humane "biography" of cancer—from its first documented appearances thousands of years ago through the epic battles in the twentieth century to cure, control, and conquer it to a radical new understanding of its essence. Physician, researcher, and award-winning science writer, Siddhartha Mukherjee examines cancer with a cellular biologist's precision, a historian's perspective, and a biographer's passion. The result is an astonishingly lucid and eloquent chronicle of a disease humans have lived with—and perished from—for more than five thousand years.

Don't miss this month's discussion—it's going to be grand. Not only that, but we'll be voting for the titles to be discussed in April and May. If you want more information, or a ballot please let me know at sthibodeau@mvlc.org. Happy reading!

The Library will be closed Monday, January 16th in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

This coming Monday, January 16, 2012 the library will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. You can learn more about the life and legacy of this great American Civil Rights Leader at your local library, or online at The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

Indpendent Film Night - Karen Cries on the Bus - Thursday, January 12th 6:30pm

Firstly, thank you Elvis fans for making this afternoon's 2nd annual birthday matinee a success! It was great to see the lasting impact he's had on the lives of so many.

Secondly, film lovers take note: our Independent Film Night continues this Thursday, January 12th @ 6:30pm with an audacious new Colombian film titled Karen Cries on the Bus.



We know, the title does not evoke the most cheerful connotations and you might be hesitant to subject yourself to this film especially during the dreary days of January, but trust us when we tell you that this movie is uplifting. It's about a woman rediscovering what's important in life after coming to a crossroads in her unfulfilling marriage. It is, in many ways, the perfect movie for January, which is after all, named for Janus the Roman god of beginnings and transitions.

The film is in Spanish English Subtitles. Run time 98 minutes. Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. The Pollard Library Independent Film night occurs on the 2nd Thursday of every month. The events are free and open to the public. Made possible by the Friends of the Library.

Revolving Museum Multimedia Group Show this Friday, January 6th from 6-8pm

Our friends at the Revolving Museum just let us know that this Friday, January 6th, 2012, they will be holding a gallery reception for our first show of the new year: the Revolving Museum Multimedia Group Show. The reception is from 6:00pm-8:00pm, and you can see works (old and new) from all of the staff at the Revolving Museum plus some of their close friends and students. The museum is located at: 290 Jackson St. Lowell, MA 01852