Lowell Reads First Film Night Thursday, June 28th @ 6:30pm

Lowell Readers! To help contextualize Great Expecations, we're going to be giving you an opportunity to take in some biographical information about Charles Dickens in film form this Thursday, June 28th @ 6:30pm. First up is an hour long documentary called Charles Dickens: A Tale of Ambition and Genius, which paints an informative and insightful overview of Mr. Dickens' life.

 Then we'll be showing two thirty minute episodes of BBC's Dickens in America featuring Miriam Margolyes. This show followed Margolyes as she retraced Dickens' 1842 trip to America—we'll be watching her as she prepares to leave England, and as she visits Lowell and other New England stops along Dickens' trail.

This film night, along with all the other Lowell Reads Great Expectations programming is free and open to the public. If you have any questions please contact me, Sean Thibodeau, Community Planning Librarian at 978-674-1542 or sthibodeau@mvlc.org. See you Thursday!

Independent Film Night - Thursday, June 14th @ 6:30 - King of Devil's Island

You won't want to miss next month's Independent Film Night at the Pollard (2nd Thursday of every month). On Thursday, June 14th @ 6;30PM we'll be showing King of Devil's Island a film by Marius Holst. Stellan Skarsgard stars in this stirring Norwegian film. (A perfect sentence for a pirate to arrr-ti-culate) The film is based on a true story of Norway's infamous Bastøy Boys Home correctional facility. The story begins with the arrival of a new inmate who immediately clashes with the administration and governor (Skarsgard) by refusing to accept their culture of constant abuse and torment. Ultimately, he leads the other boys to stand up for themselves on an ill-fated mission to reclaim their humanity from the corruption of unchecked power.

King of Devil's Island is in Norwegian with English Subtitles. Run time 116 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.

Three Films in Three Days

It's always exciting to see the jersey barriers go up on Arcand Drive, because then you know Winterfest is almost here. We just wanted to remind you the Pollard is joining the fun with our own little disparate film fest tonight, tomorrow and Saturday.

PROTEKTOR - TONIGHT 6:30PM

First up is our monthly independent film night (2nd Thursday of every month) featuring the WWII inspired film from the Czech Republic, Protektor. This film, by Marek Najbrt, is a winner of 9 Czech Lions (Czech Academy Awards) and tells an intimate story of a husband and wife torn apart by the limitations imposed by the occupying German Nazis. If nothing else, it's interesting to witness the effects of the WWII German occupation of Czechoslovakia from the perspective of a modern Czech filmmaker. Protektor has not been rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. The run time is 102 min. and it is in Czech with English Subtitles.

GOING BLIND - TOMORROW 1:30PM

Then, tomorrow as part of our See What You've Been Missing! Low Vision Open House, we will be screening the documentary Going Blind by Joseph Lovett. After years of suffering from diminishing vision due to glaucoma, Mr. Lovett decided to reach out to investigate and document how people all over the world respond to vision loss. The Lowell Film Collaborative has written a nice piece about the film and Mr. Lovett we appreciate them helping spread the word. So, come on by to the Vision Station Open House and see the station Demo from 12pm-1 and stay for a facinating documentary at 1:30PM. Not Rated. Run time is 82 min.

THE SMURFS - SATURDAY 1PM

There's something winterly about the Smurfs. Not in the sense that they're cold and cheerless, quite the opposite. But there's something about them that smacks of winter. Not sure quite what. Perhaps it's their blue skin? Or their white pants? When it came time to pick our annual family Winterfest matinee it was clear that the little guys were going to get the nod. So, come on by if your downtown enjoying the arctic fun at this Saturday's winterfest and warm up for a spell in the library with a modern take on a cartoon classic. The Smurfs—directed by Raja Gosnell and starring Neil Patrick Harris, Sofia Vergara, and Hank Azaria—is rated PG. Run time is 103 minutes.

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.

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.

Everybody, let's rock @ PML's 2nd Annual Elvis Birthday Matinee - Saturday January 7th @ 1PM

Mark your calendars and shine your shoes for the Pollard's 2nd annual Elvis Birthday celebration, Saturday, January 7th @ 1PM. This year's feature is Jailhouse Rock and it's sure to chase away those winter blues. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. A-thank you very much.

Movie Matinee: To Have and Have Not

We're screening another fall classic this Saturday at 1pm. Howard Hawk's classic To Have and Have Not. Starring Humphrey Bogart and the screen debut of provocative 19 year old Lauren Bacall, this movie is has Nobel Prize written all over it. It's based on an Ernest Hemingway novel and William Faulkner had a hand in writing the script. It's a spicy romance, sure to warm your heart and spur your senses. Free and open to the public. This screening is made possible by the Friends of the Pollard Library.

Movies Movies

As our region slides back into autumnal weather this week we're glad we have some fun indoor activities for you to enjoy. And what is the best indoor activity? That's right, watching great films. We have not one, but two films for you to enjoy this week.


On Thursday, October 13th, at 6:30pm we'll be showing The Colors of the Mountain as part of our ongoing Independent Film night. This film's story is as poignant as its scenery is awe-inspring.


Picking up on the fall classic theme from September's showing of Casablanca, this Saturday October 15th, at 1pm we'll show another fall classic, this time starring Lowell's own Bette Davis. We've picked one of her more famous films, Dark Victory. This one gets a three handkerchief rating for it's tear-jerking capabilities so be prepared.

Casablanca this Saturday 9/17 @ 1PM

You must remember this...

This coming Saturday, September 17th at 1PM, we're showing one of the most loved movies of all time. #2 on the AFC's 100 Years 100 Movies List. That's right—Casablanca. Free and open to the public. This film is unrated and the running time is 102 minutes. This screening is made possible by the Friends of the Pollard Library.

Independent Film Night Thursday, August 11th @ 6:30 - Illegal - a film by Olivier Masset-Depasse

Join us at 6:30PM on Thursday, August 11th for the latest installment of our Independent Film Series: Illegal - a film by Olivier Masset-Depasse (2010). This is an elegant little film about a former teacher from Russia living illegally in Belgium with her fourteen year old son. They are caught one day by the Belgian authorities. Her son escapes arrest but she is taken into custody and threatened with imminent deportation. What follows is her struggle to maintain her dignity while she attempts to gain freedom for her and her son. 95 mins. In French and Russian with English subtitles. This screening made possible by the Friends of the Pollard Library.

The Pollard Library Independent Film series occurs the 2nd Thursday of every month! Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences.

Independent Film Night Thursday, July 14th @ 6:30 - If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle - a film by Florin Serban

Join us Thursday, July 14th for the latest installment of our Independent Film Series: If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle by Florin Serban (2010). A Romanian love story of sorts. The story takes place in a prison where the inmate protagonist, Silviu has only two weeks left to go before he's released. But when his mother, who abandoned him long ago, returns and threatens to take his brother away -- his brother whom he was forced, by their mother's abandonment, to raise as a son -- the two weeks begin to feel like eternity. He can find no quarter for help and is driven to a surprising act of defiance in a desperate grasp for freedom. This is a nuanced psychological drama you won't want to miss. 93 mins. In Romanian with English subtitles. This screening made possible by the Friends of the Pollard Library.

The Pollard Library Independent Film series occurs the 2nd Thursday of every month! Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences.

"The Last Pow Wow Oak" by Andrew Szava-Kovats. 1PM, Saturday, June 18, 2011

Join us for a special screening of the latest documentary by local filmmaker Andrew Szava-Kovats. "The Last Pow-Wow Oak" (2011) 60 mins. Unrated. This documentary tells the story of the historic 300 year old Pow-Wow Oak Tree on Clark Road in Lowell's Belvidere neighborhood, where Native American gathered for Pow-Wows and Revolutionary War Militia gathered on their way to Lexington and Concord. We're thrilled to announce the screening will be followed by a Q&A with the director himself, Andrew Szava-Kovats. For more information about the film and the efforts surrounding documenting and preserving the tree please see the film's website or Lowell Film Collaborative's wonderful write up on the movie and our screening.

Independent Film Night Next Thursday, June 9th @ 6:30 - Helena From the Wedding - a film by Joseph Infantolino

Join us next Thursday, June 9th for the latest installment of our Independent Film Series as we show Joseph Infantiolino's Helena From the Wedding (2010). This film is a bittersweet drama about love and commitment and features the beautiful Gillian Jacobs from NBC's Community as the eponymous Helena. A group of friends gather in a modernly rustic cabin in the woods of upstate New York to ring in the New Year and the tensions mount as they look to find reasons to celebrate the past and/or look forward to the future but they're essentially looking for peace in the present. This is a beautifully acted, deftly written drama, you won't want to miss. 89 mins. In English. This screening made possible by the Friends of the Pollard Library.

Saturday Matinee - "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" - May 14th @ 1PM

Those of you who celebrated Star Wars Day last Wednesday (May, 4th...as in "May the Fourth Be With You"...) might already know that this Saturday, May 14th is George Lucas's birthday. Did you know it's also Cate Blanchette's. We thought we'd pay homage to both by showing a movie to which they each contributed their talents. So come on down for the latest action packed installment of the Indiana Jones series. Rated PG-13. 122 min. Saturday, May 14th @ 1PM. Ground Floor Community Room. This showing is made possible by The Friends of the Pollard Library.

Independent Film Night This Thursday, May 12th @ 6:30 - How I Ended This Summer - a film by Aleksei Popogrebsky

How I Ended This Summer (2010) - a film by Aleksei Popogrebsky. 130 min. Unrated.

We have a special treat for you this Thursday, May 12th @ 6:30PM. We're taking a trip with us to a place where winter never ceases—The Arctic Circle—and you thought winter was over! This latest film in our Thursday Night Independent Film Series is a psychological drama set in an meteorological station on an island far in the Russian arctic. The station has a staff of two men who have been given the job of recording readings from their radioactive surroundings. One of the men is a gruff seasoned vet and the other a college kid complete with mp3 player. But when the college kid gets some disturbing news that he decides for a while to keep from the vet the consequences of his decision are startling. This is a compelling study in human nature and a stripped down, almost allegorical story for the human condition.

The Pollard Library Independent Film series occurs the 2nd Thursday of every month! Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences.

Red Sky in Morning...Coming this Saturday

That's how the saying goes correct? "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailors take warning." Well, we're predicting a red sky over the Pollard this Saturday Morning because there's quite a storm brewing in the afternoon. One might even say, The Perfect Storm. That's right! We're showing the movie that put Linda Greenlaw on the map at 1PM this Saturday, April 23rd in anticipation the Pollard Memorial Foundation's Author Night with Linda Greenlaw next Thursday, April 28th. The movie's free, but the Author night is a benefit for the Foundation so they are asking for a $40 donation payable at the door. Please let the Community Planning Department know if you have any questions about either event. 978-970-4118.

April Nears...

April is the cruelest month, breeding  - T.S. Eliot, The Wasteland

We know you're excited! April begins on Friday, and apart from the usual April foolery type shenanigans, April 1st means National Poetry Month has begun. It's time to celebrate and the Pollard is here to help. You can find some great resources and ways to celebrate at the Academy of American Poet's webpage including text and audio recordings of some of the best American poets ever to grace the page. And information about their fun programs such as Poem In Your Pocket Day - April 14, 2011.

The University of Massachusetts Lowell has an impressive line up of poets reading in the Month of April. Including former U.S. Poet Laureate Kay Ryan, Tom Sexton, Marilyn Chin, Michael Casey, and Nicholas Samaras. Full calendar available on page seven of this attractive brochure.

On Thursday April 21st at 7PM the Pollard will be hosting a Common Threads poetry discussion group sponsored by the Massachusetts Poetry Festival May 13-14th in Salem. To sign up or get more information about this discussion you can contact Sean Thibodeau, Community Planning Librarian 978-970-4118 or sthibodeau@mvlc.org. And don't forget our area is rich in poetic resources. Support your local purveyors of things poetic including Bootstrap Productions, Loom Press, and the historic Grolier Poetry Bookshop. Read your local poets. 

April is also Autism Awareness Month and more can be info can be obtained at our The Pollard Library's Autism Guide and at the Autism Society website.

Also, in the month of April, the Pollard Memorial Foundation is bringing to our reference area (aka Memorial Hall) the great writer and captain Linda Greenlaw for their Annual Meet the Author Night, Thursday April 28th @ 6PM ($40 Donation to benefit the Foundation). We're also showing the movie that made Ms. Greenlaw a household name, The Perfect Storm on Saturday, April 23rd @ 1PM.

April will also bring the 4th Annual Lowell Film Festival! April 28-30th to be exact. The Pollard is proud to be hosting two movies on Saturday April 29th (John Brown's Holy War at 11AM, and World Peace and Other 4th Grade Achievements at 2PM). The festival's theme this year is "Lowell on the Churn: Civil War - Present" which ties in with this April being the 150th Anniversary of the commencement of the Civil War (or as the Memorial Hall commemorative plaque in the Pollard Library states, "The War of the Rebellion"). There will be tours of the Pollard and other downtown Civil War sites lead by Richard Howe, Jr. Full schedule available here.

And as if that weren't enough, The City of Lowell is kicking off celebrations for Lowell's 175th Anniversary with an event on Monday April 11th from 4:30-6:30 at City Hall.

Of course, all of this is not to mention the Friend's of the Library's Monthly book donation drop off at the Lowell Senior Center this Saturday April 2nd from 9am-12pm (all books to be sold at their Annual Booksale on May 21st at the Senior Center), or our monthly Non-Fiction Book club meeting next Thursday, April 7th @ 6:30 where we'll be discussing River of Doubt by Candice Millard, or our monthly Independent Film Night where on Thursday April 14th we'll be showing Bad Day to Go Fishing, or our great April School Vacation events, details of which can be found at our Children's Department Blog.

There is no doubt April is going to be a fun action packed month here at the Pollard and around the city. Don't miss it!

Don't Miss The Perfect Storm - Saturday, April 23rd 1PM - FREE

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Linda Greenlaw in The Perfect Storm

On Saturday, April 23, 2011 at 1PM, to gear up for the Pollard Memorial Foundation’s Author Night with Linda Greenlaw (Thursday, April 28th at 6PM - $40 Donation per person) we’re showing a free screening the movie that first brought Ms. Greenlaw to the public’s attention. Set in 1991, The Perfect Storm, starring George Clooney, local favorite Mark Wahlberg, and of course Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Linda Greenlaw, depicts the plight of one sword-fishing ship, the ill-fated Andrea Gail, and her crew during the greatest storm in modern history. While friends and family on shore could only worry and hope to rescue them, a brave crew, fight nature and struggled for survival against hurricane force winds and hundred foot waves. The film is Rated PG-13 with a 130 minute run time. This screening is made possible by The Friends of the Pollard Library.