April Calendar Features Big Read Programs for All Ages
March 27, 2018 — The Library celebrates its "One Book, One Community" festival in April with a variety of programs that bring the Big Read 2018 title "Station Eleven" home with preparedness sessions, escape rooms, films, panels and exhibits.
April 3
Mandel Meets the Bard, 7-8:30 p.m. for adults at Missouri State University’s Meyer Library, room 101. Emily St. John Mandel's science fiction novel, "Station Eleven," begins where "King Lear" ends. While a knowledge of Shakespeare can enrich our reading of Mandel, we might also ask, "How can Mandel help us read Lear?" James S. Baumlin, Distinguished Professor of English at Missouri State University, will discuss how Shakespeare remains relevant to contemporary culture. In MSU's Meyer Library, room 101. Free parking available from 6-9 p.m. in Lot 19 across from Meyer Library, and in the Bear Park South parking deck at Grand Street and Holland Avenue.
April 5
Adulting 101, 6 p.m. for adults in the Library Station Santa Fe Room. Wish you had classes on how to be an adult? This month’s topic is Emergency Preparedness with the American Red Cross.
April 6
"Station Eleven" Escape Room, 6-8 p.m. for adults and teens age 13 and older in the Library Station Santa Fe Room. An outbreak of a deadly flu is sweeping the globe, killing thousands of people. It's up to your problem-solving skills to find the cure before the flu kills everyone. Inspired by the book "Station Eleven," this escape room will have your heart pounding as you race against the clock to save the human race from extinction. Register in teams of up to six. Registration starts March 26; call 616-0683.
April 7
"King Lear" at the Moxie, noon-3 p.m. for adults at Moxie Cinema, 305 S. Campbell Ave. #101. An aging monarch resolves to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, with consequences he little expects. Admission is free.
Emergency Preparedness for Kids & Families, 2-4 p.m. for families with kids in grades K-5 in the Library Station Frisco Room. Join our friends with the American Red Cross for an interactive, family preparedness program where kids learn how to create their own emergency supply kits using a pillowcase. Kids will personalize their pillowcases while parents learn what they can do to make sure the whole family is prepared for emergencies. Materials will be provided; seating is limited. Registration starts March 24; call 865-1340.
April 12
The Traveling Symphony Showcase, 6 p.m. for adults in the Library Center auditorium. In "Station Eleven," a group of actors and musicians calling themselves the Traveling Symphony, go around the Great Lakes, performing classical works to communities that formed after the pandemic. The Ozarks Technical Community College Fine Arts Department presents "The Traveling Symphony Showcase" – an innovative community-based theater project inspired by this year's Big Read. Directed by program head Jonathan Herbert, actors will perform excerpts from the Traveling Symphony's repertoire as self-created characters inspired by "Station Eleven."
An Evening with Emily St. John Mandel, 7-9 p.m. for adults in the Library Center auditorium. International best-selling author Emily St. John Mandel sits down with Community Relations Director Kathleen O’Dell for an interview-style discussion of her writing and the major themes of "Station Eleven." Copies of her book will be available for purchase and signing after the event.
April 13
"Station Eleven" Escape Room, 5-9 p.m. for adults only at the Schweitzer Brentwood Branch Library. An outbreak of a deadly flu is sweeping the globe, killing thousands of people. It's up to your problem-solving skills to find the cure before the flu kills everyone. Inspired by the book "Station Eleven," this escape room will have your heart pounding as you race against the clock to save the human race from extinction. Register for this after-hours event in teams of up to six. Registration starts March 26; call 883-1974.
April 14
Pandemics: The Big Picture, 2-4 p.m. for adults in the Library Center auditorium. In "Station Eleven" a fictional pandemic wipes out nearly 99 percent of Earth's population. Real life pandemics have affected the ways societies deal with adversity. Deborah Corcoran, instructor from Missouri State University’s Department of Geography, Geology and Planning, will talk about historic attempts to cope with pandemics including the persecution of immigrant and minority populations, nursery rhymes and art. Russell Conroy, director of Safety and Emergency Preparedness at Mercy Hospital-Springfield, will explain how hospitals develop disaster response plans and how local hospitals would respond to a pandemic.
April 18
Lost Signal Survival Game Night, 7-9 p.m. for adults age 21 and older at the Lost Signal Brewing Company, 610 W. College St. Hang out with friends while you learn to play card and board games with one common theme – survival. Metagames Unlimited staff will teach you how to play.
April 19
Author Visit: John M. Barry, 7-9 p.m. for adults in the Library Center auditorium. "Station Eleven" makes us ponder, "What if?" but John M. Barry's "The Great Influenza" explores what actually happened when at the height of WWI, history's most lethal influenza virus erupted in an Army camp in Kansas, moved east with American troops, then exploded, killing as many as 100 million people worldwide. John will talk about his award-winning book and sign books.
April 20
Tour of National Audio Company: The Great American Cassette Company, 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. for adults at the National Audio Company, 309 E. Water St. Take a guided walking tour of the last factory in the United States that still manufactures cassette tapes. President Steve Stepp will lead a tour and explain why there is still a demand for cassette tapes and highlight his unique machinery. Each tour limited to 25 participants. Registration starts April 2; call 883-5341.
April 21
Ghosts, Madness and the Frustrations of Staging "King Lear," 2 p.m. for adults. Schweitzer Brentwood Branch Library. Shakespeare’s "King Lear" has always been difficult to stage. Christopher J. Herr, theater professor at Missouri State University, explores how theater artists since the 17th century have wrestled with the cruelty and bleakness of the play and its staging difficulties.
April 22
Pandemic Board Game Night, 3 p.m. for grades 8-12 in the Schweitzer Brentwood Branch Library. Try your hand at this strategic, cooperative board game as you work with other players to prevent worldwide death and destruction.
April 23
Cults in America: Fact and Fiction, 7 p.m. for adults. Library Center auditorium. In "Station Eleven," a cult leader called The Prophet weaves through the storyline, becoming a major plot point. A panel of Missouri State University professors will provide an overview of cults in America, looking at how they form, why they’re appealing and their depiction in popular culture. Panelists include Dr. Christie Cathey, Psychology Department; David Embree, Religious Studies; Dr. Etta Madden, English Department.
April 26
Seed Saving for the Self-Sufficient, 6-8 p.m. for adults in the Library Station Santa Fe Room. Learn how to save seeds from tomatoes, lettuce, beans, peas and more from Master Gardener Gina Marie Walden. Registration starts April 12; call 616-0683.
April Exhibits
- A World Without People: Big Read Photography Contest Winners and Selected Entries, Library Center
- Museum of Civilization: Technology From Our Past, Library Center