by Beverly Ewart
Inspired by the Smithsonian’s installation https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-launches-new-womens-futures-month-national-mall-debut-120-statues, this week we are featuring stories and biographies of intelligent, courageous, and curious women who have stepped out into previously uncharted fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics:
Bicycling With Butterflies: My 10,201-Mile Journey Following the Monarch Migration by Sara Dykman. Outdoor educator and field researcher Sara Dykman made history when she became the first person to bicycle alongside monarch butterflies on their storied annual migration–a round-trip adventure that included three countries and more than 10,000 miles. Equally remarkable, she did it solo, on a bike cobbled together from used parts. Her panniers were recycled buckets. In Bicycling with Butterflies, Dykman recounts her incredible journey and the dramatic ups and downs of the nearly nine-month odyssey. We’re beside her as she navigates unmapped roads in foreign countries, checks roadside milkweed for monarch eggs, and shares her passion with eager schoolchildren, skeptical bar patrons, and unimpressed border officials. We also meet some of the ardent monarch stewards who supported her efforts, from citizen scientists and researchers to farmers and high-rise city dwellers. With both humor and humility, Dykman offers a compelling story, confirming the urgency of saving the threatened monarch migration–and the other threatened systems of nature that affect the survival of us all. ~ Provided by publisher.
The Rose Code: A Novel by Kate Quinn. 1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything, but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl. Imperious self-made Mab, works the legendary code breaking machines as she conceals old wounds. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart. 1947.
The Smallest Lights in the Universe by Sara Seager. In this luminous memoir, an MIT astrophysicist must reinvent herself in the wake of tragedy and discovers the power of connection on this planet, even as she searches our galaxy for another Earth. Sara Seager has always been in love with the stars: so many lights in the sky, so much possibility. Now a pioneering planetary scientist, she searches for exoplanets–especially that distant, elusive world that sustains life. But with the unexpected death of Seager’s husband, the purpose of her own life becomes hard for her to see. Suddenly, at forty, she is a widow and the single mother of two young boys. For the first time, she feels alone in the universe. As she struggles to navigate her life after loss, Seager takes solace in the alien beauty of exoplanets and the technical challenges of exploration. At the same time, she discovers earthbound connections that feel every bit as wondrous, when strangers and loved ones alike reach out to her across the space of her grief. Among them are the Widows of Concord, a group of women offering advice on everything from home maintenance to dating, and her beloved sons, Max and Alex. Most unexpected of all, there is another kind of one-in-a-billion match, not in the stars but here at home. Probing and invigoratingly honest, The Smallest Lights in the Universe is its own kind of light in the dark. ~ Provided by publisher.
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty ; illustrated by David Roberts. Ada Twist is a very curious girl who shows perseverance by asking questions and performing experiments to find things out and understand the world.
Girls Who Code: Lights, Music, Code! by Jo Whittemore. When Maya starts spending a lot of time with Maddie, an old friend, her friends from the coding club worry she won’t finish her part of the project, coding the lights and music for the winter dance.
State and Federal Tax Forms are available at CFL. Ask for them at the front desk, or give us a call.
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS: Virtual Preschool Storytime happens Wednesdays at 10:30am. Join us!
We also invite you to check out the archive on our website to view one of the many virtual story times posted since April 2020. Scroll down the webpage for older content.
There are now new Preschool Take & Make Crafts available each week. Pick one (per child) up in the Children’s Room, or request them via curbside.
If you are finding yourself short on time, or you aren’t yet comfortable visiting the library with your little ones in person, please remember that curbside service is still very much an option! Just give us a call or send an email, and we will pack up your books, check them out, and hand them to you from the front door of CFL. Hope to see you there!
PARDON OUR DUST: Our handicap-access ramp is still closed to the public for renovation until further notice (but we are GETTING THERE!). We apologize for the inconvenience, but we think you will appreciate the improvements!
MORLEY BRANCH is open on Tuesday 1pm-3pm; Wednesday 4pm-6pm; Thursday 10am-12pm. Masks are required. There is a computer available for your use, but it’s a good idea to call first to check on availability. Scheduled appointments are encouraged, but not required. Call for more details: 315-379-0066.
RENSSELAER FALLS BRANCH is open onTuesdays from 11am – 5pm. Masks are required, and those who are under age 12 must be with an adult. Call the library (315-344-4155) for additional information.
WE WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE DAY ON TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2022
A great way to find out what’s happening at our Morley and Rensselaer Falls Branches is to check out their Facebook pages:
Morley: https://www.facebook.com/MorleyBranchLibrary
Rensselaer Falls: https://www.facebook.com/RensselaerFallsLibrary
Canton Free Library’s Hours: 9am-6pm Monday – Friday; 10am-3pm Saturday. For more CFL news, stay tuned on Facebook, Instagram, or our website. Find new additions to our collection on our website: cantonfreelibrary.org. To renew your current checkouts, login to ncls.org; you may also renew via email at canlib@ncls.org, or by calling (315) 386-3712 (choose option 1, “For curbside service” on the menu – we continue to offer curbside service for your convenience).
Explore STEM fields @ your library!