At the library: First rule of the Ciné Club: Join the Ciné Club! | Guest columns

The library film club started in 2018. It was initially described by the staff member who started the group as “like a book club but for the movies”. And it’s still “like a book club but for the movies”, and it’s still going strong even during the pandemic. We meet via Zoom on the third Wednesday of the month from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – check out the Virtual Film Club page on the library website calendar for more details! We plan to start meeting in person at the library again, but for now we will continue to meet on Zoom.

The group chooses three movies to watch at home based on a theme, and then we discuss them at the next meeting. I order the DVDs through the Rhode Island Library System for anyone who needs them. Besides talking about all three movies, we like to share recommendations of other movies and TV series that we watch. We don’t follow a strict format in our discussion, except for the choice of themes and the three films that we will watch next month. As it says in the description of the Film Club on the library website, “It’s always fun and laughs are guaranteed!”

Some of the themes that we have produced are: the films of the birth years of the members of the group; films directed by Clint Eastwood, Robert Altman and Ida Lupino; films starring well-known actors such as Meryl Streep, Sidney Poitier and Robin Williams; cooking films; films on alcoholism; British films. A new theme that we are starting is that each of us will choose three of our own favorite movies for the group to watch. I think it’s a great way to learn more about movies you wouldn’t normally choose and share our favorite movies with others. We now have a regular core of people at the Film Club, but we would like new members to join us! There’s no attendance requirement – if you can’t make it monthly, that’s fine. We hope new moviegoers will join us and bring your ideas to the group. So grab your favorite snack, sit back and enjoy the show!

Most Popular Books

1. “Apples never fall” by Liane Moriarty

2. “The Last Thing He Said To Me” by Laura Dave

3. “The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles

4. “The Judge’s List” by John Grisham

5. “Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr

6. “Peril” by Bob Woodward

7. “Better Death By Lee Child

8. “State of Terror” by Hillary Rodham Clinton

9. “La folie des foules” by Louise Penny

10. “The Palace of Paper” by Miranda Cowley Heller

Most Popular DVDs

1. “The Crown: The Complete Fourth Season”

2. “Free boy”

3. “Jungle cruise”

4. “Easttown Mare”

5. “Respect”

6. “Pig”

7. “Palm Springs”

8. “Calm waters”

9. “Snake eyes: the origins of GI Joe”

10. “The Green Knight”

This week

MONDAY – 6 pm-6.30pm, Dungeons & Dragons – Meet in the children’s room to play Dungeons & Dragons, a fantastic tabletop role-playing game for ages 8-12! No previous experience is necessary; we’ll show you how it works. Register on our website at www.westerlylibrary.org.

TUESDAY – 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Family Story Time – Join us in the Terrace room on the 3rd floor for a family story hour and take-out crafts! The program will target children from birth to 11 years old when accompanied by a caregiver; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Community Resource Advocate – Our volunteer Community Resource Advocate is available to help you connect to local services / resources. Email him at lawyer@westerlylibrary.org; 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Virtual Afternoon Book Discussion – New members welcome! This month’s pick is “My Antonia” by Willa Cather. Please contact Caroline at cbadowski@westerlylibrary.org for meeting details; 2:30 p.m., Virtual Tech Social – We meet on Zoom every Tuesday to answer your technical questions. Pre-registration is required; 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Knit and Crochet Club – The Knit and Crochet Group meets weekly on the Reference floor.

WEDNESDAY – 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Family Story Time – Join us in the Terrace room on the 3rd floor for a family story hour and take-out crafts! The program is aimed at children from birth to 11 years old when accompanied by a caregiver.

THURSDAY – library closed for veterans day

FRIDAY – 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Project Outreach Veterans Assistance – Members of the Project Outreach of Westerly organization will have a table set up outside the old Library Main Reading Room on the second Friday of each month. They will be there to help veterans navigate the benefits and other services available.

SATURDAY – 10:15 am-11am, Zumba in the Park – Try Zumba for a fun workout! Classes are FREE and will take place on the lawn near the gazebo, weather permitting.

Hannah Beldock is a senior associate at the Westerly Library.