Madison Public Library October 2023
All lecture programs are online via Zoom unless stated otherwise.
You will receive Zoom instructions and online meeting information in your registration confirmation email in addition to a reminder email prior to the date of the program.
Please register at madisonnjlibrary.org.
The Gilded Age Houses of “Dark Shadows”, Cult Classic Soup Opera
Tuesday, October 3rd @7pm
While the memorable storylines of the Gothic hit TV series, Dark Shadows, helped it become one of the most popular soap operas of the 1960s, it was the mysterious, vast, and shadowy mansions — with their endless number of secret rooms, hidden tunnels, and cobwebbed halls — that arguably made the show and its future spinoffs into one of the greatest cult classics of all time. While the show was heavily fictionalized and shot mostly on a studio set, the mansion exteriors they featured were very much real. Through vintage photos and rare archival floor plans, it’s time to explore six of the real-life mansions as seen in this landmark TV series, along with their shocking stories of murder, suicide, and scandals, worthy of their own Dark Shadows storyline.
Led by architect, historian, and Dark Shadows fan, Gary Lawrance.
Adult Open Craft Night
Monday, October 9th 6:00pm-8:00pm.
Held at Madison Community Art Center, 10 Kings Road
Have no time or space to finish up all those craft projects? Take n Makes waiting to be assembled? You are not alone! Join us for some quiet time away from the kids and the dirty dishes. Relax with friends and fellow crafters. Bring along anything you want to work on or enjoy doing the craft I will provide, just in case.
Adult Craft Club
Tuesday, October 10th 10:30am-11:30am
Held at Madison Community Art Center, 10 Kings Road
Make an adorable scarecrow to display this fall. All supplies included.
Spanish Conversation Hour
Tuesday, October 10th @5pm
Come practice your Spanish with us! This program is for adults that already have a foundation in the language.
A Cultural History of the Grateful Dead with author Peter Richardson
Tuesday, October 17th @7pm
Routinely caricatured by the mainstream media, the Grateful Dead are usually portrayed as grizzled hippy throwbacks with a cult following of burned-out stoners. Peter Richardson in his book, No Simple Highway corrects that impression. This presentation places the band in the broad sweep of American culture and depicts them as one of the most popular, versatile, and resilient ensembles in the second half of the twentieth century. Finally, it argues that the Grateful Dead’s success cannot be separated from the deep utopian chords they struck among two generations of American youth.
How To Send Your Kids to College Without Going Broke
Wednesday, October 18th @7pm
Join Jodi Bloom, college funding expert and founder of Cornerstone College Solutions, as she helps families with children of any age figure out how to pay for college without jeopardizing retirement.
The Life and Time of Alexander The Great
Monday, October 23rd @7pm
Of those called, “the Great,” no one is better known throughout the world as Alexander of Macedonia. This lecture will explain the important events preceded his birth, how he used his short lifetime to change world history, and how his death set in motion not only a changed Greece, but a changed world.
This is presented by Professor Alexander Clemente. Alexander is a Professor of History at the County College of Morris and has taught at William Patterson and Montclair State University.
