Award Winning Author to Speak

Join William Landay on Monday, November 26 at 7:00 pm for a riveting talk on his acclaimed thriller Defending Jacob. Seating is limited and will be provided on a first come, first served basis. Doors open at 6:30 pm. The talk will be followed by a book signing with books provided by New England Mobile Book Fair.

Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than twenty years. When a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided when his fourteen-year-old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student. Award-winning author William Landay has written the consummate novel of an embattled family in crisis - a suspenseful, character-driven mystery that is also a spellbinding tale of guilt, betrayal... and of the terrifying speed at which our lives can spin out of control.

William Landay is the author of The Strangler, a Los Angeles Times Favorite Crime Book of the Year, and Mission Flats, winner of the Creasey Memorial Dagger Award for Best First Crime Novel and a Barry Award nominee. Landay is a former district attorney who holds degrees from Yale and Boston College Law School.

Job Seekers Series

The Job Seekers, Career and Professional Development Series continues on Tuesday, November 27 at 7:00 pm with a program titled Expanding Your Network for Job Seekers & Professional Growth. Coaching and consulting expert Tammy Gooler Loeb will facilitate. The program is for people who are considering a career transition, currently engaged in a job search or are interested in re-defining their career.

Networking… the thought of it leaves many people feeling reluctant. Too often these thoughts create a self-fulfilling prophecy that can negatively impact the process. The holidays are an especially good time to engage with people in natural ways that build positive and productive connections. Come to this interactive forum which will explore some of the most effective ways to access and expand your personal and online networks. The session is designed to inspire and provide you with new ideas and approaches to make connections, get the information you seek and meet with success in all of your professional pursuits.

Tammy Gooler Loeb brings over 25 years of professional experience to her work. Tammy holds an M.B.A. from Boston University, is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach by the Coaches Training Institute and is also a graduate of the Co-Active Space Leadership Program.

A Program with Val Walker, Author of The Art of Comforting

Do you feel awkward and inadequate about offering comfort or find yourself at a loss for the right words? In The Art of Comforting, author Val Walker reminds us of the importance of making real connections and advises us how to be there for the people who need us. An experienced rehabilitation counselor, Walker consulted 13 top professionals from a variety of fields who use comforting skills on a daily basis in their work. Their advice informs us how to comfort loved ones dealing with serious adversity, illness, divorce and death, and is also applicable to everyday situations. Join Val Walker on Monday, December 3 at 6:30 pm for a program that is cosponsored by Circle of Caring at Hospice of the Good Shepherd. The talk will be followed by a book signing with books provided by New England Mobile Book Fair. Participants will learn:

• What to say and what not to say
• How to give bad news in a comforting way
• Activities that provide comfort in times of trial
• How to identify and utilize your personal strengths to comfort
• What to write in a card when comforting someone
• Activities to help children deal with disappointment
• Ways to comfort ourselves and combat “compassion fatigue”

Val Walker holds a Masters of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University. She guided veterans with service-related disabilities in their transition from the military to civilian life while working with Veterans' Affairs. She has developed and facilitated support groups, guided grieving families and trained bereavement volunteers. For the past five years she has been speaking and writing about comforting, working to revive what she believes is a lost art in our society.

Sustainable Operations: Real-Life Opportunities and Pitfalls

During the past two decades there has been growing pressure on schools, businesses and other organizations to pay more attention to the environmental and resource consequences of the diverse range of operations they manage. Join Marc Fournier, Interim Director of Plant Operations and Sustainability at Lasell College, for a program that will explore the real life opportunities and pitfalls of designing and implementing sustainable operations. The program will take place on Tuesday, December 4 at 7:00 pm and is cosponsored by the Newton Tree Conservancy, Newton Conservators and Green Decade/Newton. Topics will include:

• Urban forest management
• Reuse and recycling
• Toxics reduction
• Lean/green operations
• The triple bottom line (profit, people and the planet)
• Green fleets, energy efficiency, water conservation and climate change strategies

With 30 years experience in recycling and waste management, Marc Fournier is a LEED Accredited Professional and Massachusetts Certified Arborist. A former Environmental Analyst with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Marc's experience includes the development and implementation of the waste management program at UMass Amherst: a program that achieved a remarkable recycling rate of 57 percent – one of the leading in the nation! He teaches night courses in Environmental Management, Global Warming and Sustainable Operations Management in the UMass Boston College of Management Graduate MBA program.

Computer Classes

Stop by the library and sign up for a free one-session computer class in Internet, PC Basics or other topics. For more information call 617-796-1380 or see class schedule.