Monster Summer at Muhlenberg Library

Welcome to Monster Summer

All summer long at Muhlenberg Library, we will be delving into all things monster!

ADULTS: we have a special line-up of classic Universal and Hammer Monster Movies planned for you in July and August. TEENS: join us for Teen Monster Movies on Friday afternoons in June and Dr. Frankenstein's Lab in August.  CHILDREN: explore the human body with the Mad Scientists program!

And this is just the start! Watch this space for announcements of even more great events and book recommendations. You can also quickly access this page at: bit.ly/monstersummer2014

 

Monster Movies

In the 1930s and 40s, Universal Pictures produced some of the most indelible monster movies of all time. We highlight four black-and-white classics from the era, starring Boris Karloff (Frankenstein, The Mummy, Bride of Frankenstein) and Bela Lugosi (Dracula).

Later in the 1950s and 60s, Hammer Films updated these films for a new generation in vivid Eastmancolor and gained a cult following (that continues to this day) for their luxurious, period sets and committed performances by Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

DATE FILM YEAR TIME DIRECTOR
July 3, 2014 Frankenstein 1931 70 min James Whale
July 10, 2014 Dracula 1931 75 min Tod Browning
July 24, 2014 The Mummy 1932 73 min Karl Freund
July 31, 2014 The Bride of Frankenstein 1935 75 min James Whale
August 7, 2014 The Curse of Frankenstein 1957 82 min Terence Fisher
August 21, 2014 The Mummy 1959 88 min Terence Fisher
August 28, 2014 Brides of Dracula 1960 85 min Terence Fisher
September 4, 2014 Horror of Dracula 1958 82 min Terence Fisher

Please note Horror of Dracula has been rescheduled for Thursday, September 4. All film screenings are FREE, begin at 5:15 p.m., and will be held in the third floor community room of Muhlenberg Library. Seating is first-come, first-served.

 

Dr. Frankenstein's Lab

This is a FREE hands-on, science-based workshop series for teens. You'll learn about how things work and experiment with paper planes, electrical circuits, boats, and silly putty. You'll even get to participate in design competitions! For ages 12-18.

DATE TITLE DESCRIPTION
August 8, 2014 Let It Fly! Learn about the basic principles of aerodynamics by folding different kinds of paper planes, predicting how they'll fly, and then observing their actual flight behavior.
August 21, 2014 Light It Up! Explore the differences between conductors and insulators by going hands-on with a simple circuit.
August 22, 2014 What Floats Your Boat? Discover how to use model building to gain first-hand experience of concepts such as buoyancy and density.
August 29, 2014 Let's Make Silly Putty! Learn how to make two different formulations of Silly Putty with varying properties.

Please note: Light It Up! has been rescheduled for Thursday, 8/21 at 3:30 p.m. Registration is limited to 15 participants. Sign up by visiting Muhlenberg Library or calling 212-924-1585.

 

Mad Scientists

Join us for four sessions as we observe, model, and build the human body. All programs are FREE. For ages 6-11.

DATE TITLE DESCRIPTION
July 23, 2014 The Respiratory System Observe the respiration of a goldfish and build a working model of a pair of human lungs.
August 6, 2014 Inside/Outside Skeletons Build a human bone and observe an insect’s exoskeleton in action.
August 20, 2014 Hands, Fingers, & Thumbs Thumbs up! Build a working model of a hand and see what you can grasp.
August 27, 2014 Eye See You How do we see? How do insects see? Build two different types of eyes and find out!

Registration is limited to 15 participants. Sign up by visiting Muhlenberg Library or calling 212-924-1585.

Photo by Kit Perren, CC BY-NC 2.0

 

Monster Summer Reading Kick-Off

Please join us for the official Monster Summer Kick-off on Wednesday, June 18! CHILDREN & PARENTS: we will have crafts, board games, and story time from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. TEENS: Come play video games, listen to monster music, and win prizes from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Photo by Jennifer Rodgers, CC BY-NC 2.0

 

Teen Monster Movies

Throughout June, we will be screening Japanese monster movies (or Kaiju) on Friday afternoons at 3:30 p.m. For ages 12 to 18. Please contact Thomas Knowlton (thomasknowlton@nypl.org) if you have any questions!

DATE FILM YEAR TIME DIRECTOR
June 6, 2014 Mothra 1961 81 min Ishiro Honda
June 13, 2014 King Kong Vs. Godzilla 1962 87 min Ishiro Honda
June 20, 2014 King Kong Escapes 1967 92 min Ishiro Honda
June 27, 2014 Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidora:
Giant Monsters All Out Attack
2001 105 min Shusuke Kaneko

All film screenings are FREE and held in the third floor community room of Muhlenberg Library. Seating is first-come, first-served.