Adults
Wood Library offers recreation, education, and information for adults of all ages and reading levels through a variety of materials, services, and programs.
Please contact Amy at adiscenza@pls-net.org if you have program suggestions.
Upcoming Programs:
Hobart & William Smith Speaker Series @ Wood Library
When Away Is Here: Garbage, Geographies, & Sustainability in the Finger Lakes
Wednesday, January 14th / 7:00 PM
– Prof. Darrin Magee
The northern Finger Lakes region is home to the three largest solid waste landfills in New York. Combined, they accept more than 10,000 tons of garbage each day, the majority of which originates from out of the region. Trash imports have changed landscapes, lifestyles and economics of the Finger Lakes, yet their sustainability from an economic or environmental standpoint are highly questionable. This talk will summarize the regional and national geographies of garbage and discuss implications for economic, environmental and cultural sustainability in the region. And, can we ever get to zero waste?
Women’s World-Wide Progress, Or Not, Since 1995
Wednesday, January 21 / 7:00 PM
In 1995, the Fourth United Nations World Conference on Women was held in Beijing. 189 Nations committed to a policy agenda for women’s advancement. But, what has happened around the world these past 20 years? Kathleen Hendrix will speak and answer questions about women’s status world-wide and the politics of international conferences.
Are women’s rights losing ground or making progress?
What has it meant for men?
Why a Fifth Conference been not been called?
Kathleen Hendrix is a consultant to Vital Voices, a women’s empowerment nongovernmental organization, and to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Humanitarian Prize. She worked at the Department of State on preparations for, participation in, and follow-up to the 1995 UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and was a member of the U.S. delegation. She was Associate Director of the President’s Interagency Council on Women, the US follow-up mechanism to the conference.
Book Launch: The Guest House
Sunday, January 18th / 12:30 – 3:00 PM
Author Jacqueline Johnson lost all faith in the healing process during the debilitating effects of chemotherapy and radiation. But that changed as she experienced the liberation of vulnerability and doorways opened through pain. Her book chronicles a surprising and life-enhancing journey through cancer.
Come help us celebrate the book launch of The Guest House, a Journey of Discovery through Cancer on Sunday, January 18, 2015 from 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. Enjoy some refreshments, listen to Jacqueline read some selections and buy a signed copy.
Hobart & William Smith Speaker Series @ Wood Library
Solar or Wind Energy for Your House? Yes, Now Really Is the Time
Wednesday, February 11th / 7:00 PM
-Prof. Thomas Drennen
If you have ever wondered whether you could power your house from the sun or wind, this is the talk for you. Due to engineering advancements, cost reductions and generous state and federal incentives, there has never been a better time to take the next step toward making your house greener. Professor Drennen will discuss renewal energy options for homeowners. He will share his own experiences with having solar installed, including the economics and what you can expect once a contract is installed. And for those without a south facing roof or open land, there are still options available to consider, including purchasing shares in wind farms.
Dr. Drennen has a B.S in Nuclear Engineering from MIT, and a Ph.D in Resource Economics from Cornell University. He is Chair of the Environmental Studies Program. He specializes in energy issues. He has taught at HWS since 1997.
Aristotle’s Email: Friendship in the Cyber Age
A Speakers in the Humanities lecture by Timothy J. Madigan
Wednesday, February 25th / 7:00 PM
In Book VIII of his Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle categorizes three different types of friendship: friendships of utility, friendships of pleasure, and friendships of the good. The latter, Aristotle states, are the most important, and the rarest. Such friendships of the good require time and intimacy — to truly know people’s finest qualities you must have deep experiences with them, and close connections. “Many a Friendship doth want of intercourse destroy”, Aristotle warns us. And yet, for those of us living in the frenetic 21st Century, it can be difficult to maintain such ties. E-mail, texting, Facebook and other such technological realities have added a new wrinkle to Aristotle’s threefold schemata. Thanks to them, and the wonders of the internet in general, it is now easier than ever to stay in touch with people from throughout one’s life. Often discussions of personal relationships in the Cyber Age dwell upon the negative: the superficial connections, the dangers of identity theft, and the reality of information overload. In this talk, I argue that technology has made it possible for friendships of all three categories to thrive and prosper in ways Aristotle could never have anticipated. Perhaps the very concept of “friendship” is in need of new categories in light of such new possibilities for staying intimately connected.
Ongoing Programs:
Adult Book Club w/ Carol Cimino
The Adult Book Club meets the third Tuesday of the the month at 2:00pm. Please note: the group does not meet during the months of December, July, and August.
Computer Classes
Every month Wood Library offers several computer classes that are free and open to the public. All skill levels are welcome. Registration required for many of the programs. See http://woodlibrary.org/adults/tech2014/ for more information.
History Book Club
The History Book Club is a partnership between Wood Library and the Ontario County Historical Society and Museum. The History Book Club meets at 6:30pm the third Wednesday of the month (unless otherwise noted) during September, October, and November followed by a January potluck. Meeting place alternates between library and museum. The group reads 3 books and watches one documentary on a theme. The 2014 theme is the Prohibition Era. The club began in Fall 2007 with a grant from the New York State Council on the Humanities. Note: this is NOT a drop-in book discussion. If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact Preston Pierce, OCHS Educator, at 394-4975 or educator@ochs.org by July 31st.
Wood Library Café
The café meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month, 10am to noon. It serves as a community meeting place where adults can socialize, play board and card games, read newspapers and magazines, and enjoy coffee, tea and items from a mid-morning menu. Conversation Table open to all.
For a complete listing of all events visit the Online Calendar.