Press release:
Attend a library program- from home! To register for either of these programs, visit batavialibrary.org/calendar
Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. on Zoom: James Herriot- The Simple Life of the World’s Most Famous Veterinarian
Join Anglophile and former UK resident Claire Evans as she recounts the life and times of Alf Wight, an unassuming country veterinarian who practiced for 50 years in one of England’s most beautiful places, the Yorkshire Dales. He rose to international fame later in life under the pen name James Herriot as he recounted the heartwarming animal stories and colorful characters of a bygone era, inspiring a film and multiple television series. Of the latest TV adaptation of “All Creatures Great and Small,” shown on PBS’ Masterpiece, The Guardian said, “Switching it on was the television equivalent of taking your brain out and dunking it into a bucket of warm tea (Yorkshire, obviously).” Bask in the visual beauty of Claire’s recent Yorkshire Dales visit and learn the surprising story of the vet whose books still entertain millions.About the presenter: Claire Evans is a former journalist, attorney, and college lecturer who started her love of most things British as she and her mother watched countless Britcoms on PBS. She went on to study abroad in London and, against the odds, she married a Brit she met in Peoria, Illinois. They moved to England, where they lived for a number of years. Outside of her work for a legal advice charity, Claire became a student of historical sights, pub dining, and tea shops. Her business, Tea with Claire, grew from friends asking for travel and relocation advice. For more, visit teawithclaire.com
Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. on Zoom: Meet Belle Greene
Art historian Dr. Daria Rose Foner will introduce Belle da Costa Greene (1879-1950), one of the most prominent librarians in American history. Belle was hired as J. Pierpont Morgan’s personal librarian in 1905, eventually becoming the director of what was then known as the Pierpont Morgan Library. Born to Black parents, Belle spent her adult life passing as white. Belle’s life is the inspiration for several fiction books, notably The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.About the presenter: Dr. Daria Rose Foner is an art historian and native New Yorker. She is currently a member of the Old Master Paintings department at Sotheby’s, New York. Prior to joining Sotheby's, she was the Research Associate to the Director at the Morgan Library & Museum. She completed her Ph.D. at Columbia University and is a Fulbright Award Recipient. She received her B.A. from Princeton University and her M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge.
