Sunday Matinee at LSC to screen Birdman
Sunday Matinee will take place at the Library Service Center, 100 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton, at 1:30 pm on Sunday, March 8, with a showing of Birdman. Westchester Public Library films are free of charge and open to the public.
Fading actor Riggin Thomas (Michael Keaton), best known for his portrayal of the popular superhero Birdman, attempts to mount a comeback by appearing in a Broadway play. As opening night approaches, his attempts to become more altruistic, rebuild his career, and reconnect with friends and family prove more difficult than expected.
Enjoy munching popcorn while watching the movie.
Birdman is rated R and has a running time of 119 minutes.
For more information, call the Audio-Visual Department at 926-7696.
Bifocal Bookies at Hageman Library
Westchester Public Library offers four book discussion/review groups for those who love to read and to talk about what they’ve read. Bifocal Bookies takes place on the second Tuesday of each month at Hageman Library, 100 Francis Street, Porter, at 1 pm. There is no registration required; attendance is free of charge. Light refreshments will be served.
Copies of the current book are available on a first-come first-served basis. Stop in at the circulation desk at Hageman Library and sign one out to read. Books can then be returned for others to read before the discussion group meets.
On March 10, attendees will discuss What the Lady Wants by Renee Rosen, a novel about visionary retail tycoon Marshall Fields and Delia Spencer, the socialite whose heart he won.
Future books to be discussed include The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg and The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro.
For more information, call Hageman Library at 926-9080.
Downton Abbey Day at the Museum
Do you love watching and talking about the PBS series Downton Abbey? If so, join other fans at the Westchester Township History Museum, 700 W. Porter Avenue, Chesterton, on March 7, at 2 p.m. for Downton Day at the Brown Mansion.
Season 5 seemed to answer some long-awaited questions about everyone’s favorite TV Brits. But lingering concerns over Edith’s future and Mary’s unwillingness to marry left much to be anticipated in season 6. Join the recap of the good, the bad, and the Russians of season 5 at Downton Day.
As usual, scones and tea will be served.
The Westchester Township History Museum, a free cultural and educational service of Westchester Public Library, is housed in the Brown Mansion at 700 W. Porter Ave., Chesterton. The museum is open to the public Wednesday-Sunday from 1-5 p.m. Groups may make reservations for tours by calling the museum at 983-9715.
Friday Night Movie at Thomas Library: Tinkerbell/Neverbeast
Westchester Public Library will host Friday Night at the Movies on Friday, March 6, at 6:30 pm. Families are invited to view Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast at Thomas Library, 200 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton. No registration is necessary. Library films are free of charge and open to the public. Meet in the Children’s Department. Come dressed up as a fairy or as a neverbeast and have your picture take in the magical golden mirror. Munch on popcorn while watching the movie.
In Tinkerbell and the Legend of the NeverBeast, the distant roar of a fabled creature from an ancient myth sparks the curiosity of Tinkerbell’s fairy friend Fawn. Fawn is an animal fairy who isn’t afraid to break the rules to help an animal in need. But this massive creature with glowing green eyes is not really welcome in Pixie Hollow, where the scout fairies are determined to capture the mysterious beast before it destroys their home. Fawn, who sees the tender heart beneath his gruff exterior, must convince Tinkerbell and the rest of the fairies to risk everything to rescue the NeverBeast.
Tinkerbell and the Legend of the NeverBeast is rated G and has a running time of 76 minutes.
For more information contact the Children’s Department at Thomas Library, 926-7696.
DIY Dream Catcher craft at Thomas Library
Adults and teens are invited to join Meg Farwell for Westchester Public Library’s unique upcycling craft program, DIY Dream Catchers, on Tuesday, March 17, from 5:30-6:30 pm. DIY Dream Catchers will take place in the Bertha Wood meeting room at Thomas Library, 200 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton. Registration is required. Register via phone, 926-7696, or in person at the Reference desk.
Bring in your favorite old t-shirts to upcycle them into a dream catcher. All other supplies will be provided.
Upcycling is the process of converting waste or old materials into new materials or products of better quality of for better environmental value.
For more information or to register, call Thomas Library at 926-7696.
Significant Battles in American History
Significant Battles in American History will take place at Westchester Public Library with a look at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Join Thomas Murphy in the Bertha Wood room at Thomas Library, 200 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton, from 6-8 pm on Wednesday, March 4, with a repeat presentation on Saturday, March 7, from 10 am-noon. There is no registration required; attendance is free of charge.
On June 25, 1876 George A. Custer led the 7th Cavalry to the US Army’s worst defeat on the banks of the Little Bighorn River. This battle was preceded by 10 years of conflict on the “Plains” but also represented the high water mark for the plains Indians.
The presentation will include “Red Cloud’s War” against the US. Some other engagements will also be covered. Many of the army officers involved in the Indian Wars on the plains were veterans of the Civil War.
Significant Battles in American History will continue on April 22 and 25 with a look at the Battle of Midway. Each program will be presented on a Wednesday evening from 6-8 pm and repeated on the following Saturday from 10 am-noon.
History buff and American war enthusiast Thomas Murphy will present each program. Murphy is an RSVP volunteer and has presented a number of programs at the library.
For more information please call the library at 926-7696.
Nonprofit Network Night
The Westchester Public Library and the newly reopened Spa Banquet Center, 333 N. Mineral Springs Road, Porter announced they will co-sponsor Networking Night for Nonprofits on Wednesday, April 8, from 5-8 pm.
The evening is planned to be an opportunity for members of our nonprofit community to meet and mingle with representatives from our other charitable, civic, educational, governmental, social, and religious clubs and organizations and to learn more about the many programs and services they have to offer.
Every nonprofit organization in the area is invited to send 1-3 representatives to attend and provide a brief presentation about their group and its mission. Groups are also encouraged to bring flyers, pamphlets, brochures, business cards, and any other promotional material they may want to distribute.
There will be no fee to attend or to participate, but we would like for all attendees to call the library and register for the event to insure we will have adequate seating and refreshments.
If you belong to a non-profit organization located or operating within the Duneland area and would like to be invited, please contact the library’s Reference Department at 926-7696 by March 9, to be added to the guest list.
The library wishes to thank Great Lakes Catering for providing both the venue and refreshments for the event.
Costa Rica Presentation at Thomas Library
Escape the cold at Westchester Public Library! Join local biologist Joy Marburger in the Bertha Wood meeting room at Thomas Library, 200 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton, on Saturday, March 7, from 1-3 pm for a presentation on Costa Rica.
Marburger recently visited beautiful Costa Rica. She will discuss the culture, the agriculture, and the nature found there. Photographs from her travels will be included in her presentation.
Slightly smaller than Lake Michigan, Costa Rica (officially the Republic of Costa Rica) is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island.
For more information, call the library at 926-7696.
Chesterton Chess Club
The Chesterton Chess Club is open to all ages and skill levels. Meet at the Thomas branch of Westchester Public Library, 200 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton, on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 7-8:30 pm. The club is open to all ages and skill levels. Join fellow chess players at the tables by the Reference desk on the first floor of the library on March 5 and 19.
For more information please call the library at 926-7696.
Teen Library Council at WPL
Westchester Public Library’s Teen Library Council will meet at the Library Service Center, 100 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton, on Thursday, March 5, from 4-5 pm. No registration is necessary and there is no charge for attendance.
Teens in grades 6-12 are invited to help make a difference at the library and in the community Members of the Teen Library Council will recommend library programs, books, and more for Teen Services. Community service hours are available.
For more information please call Julia, Reference and Youth Services Librarian, at 926-7696.
Chesterton Writing Group at Thomas Library
Adult writers of all levels are invited to participate in the Chesterton Writing Group, sponsored by Westchester Public Library. The group meets two Thursday evenings each month in the Bertha Wood meeting room at Thomas Library, 200 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton. March meetings will be March 5 and 19, from 6-8 pm. Participation is free and open to the public; no registration is necessary.
Published and unpublished writers alike are welcome to share their work, learn more about publishing, and find support and inspiration from fellow writers. The group is for both fiction and non-fiction writers.
For more information, contact group moderator Stefan Barkow at Stefan.barkow@gmail.com or Thomas Library at 926-7696.
Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest
It was a dark and stormy night... Westchester Public Library will once again host its annual "Bulwer Lytton Fiction Contest" this March. The BLFC is a tongue-in-cheek contest held annually, which encourages applicants to produce a deliberately bad first sentence to a fictional novel.
Cultivate your wittiest one liner to wreak havoc on the literary world with your best dreadful opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels.
Compete for a prize in the following categories: HORROR, ROMANCE, WESTERN, SCI-FI, ACTION & ADVENTURE, MYSTERY, PROSE, GENERAL, and GRAND PRIZE (BEST OVERALL).
Each entry must be your own original and unpublished work. Entries are limited to a single sentence, not to exceed 50-60 words. There is no limit on the number of entries. For examples and inspiration, please visitwww.bulwer-lytton.com.
Applications can be found online at www.wpl.lib.in.us, and are available at the Thomas Library Reference Department, and Hageman Library. Entries can be submitted online or dropped off at the library. Contest runs from March 1 - April 1; winners will be announced on April 6.
For more information please visit or call the Thomas Reference Department at 200 W. Indiana, Chesterton, (219) 926-7696, or Hageman Library at 100 Francis, Porter, (219) 926-9080.