Library and Literary Events

Benjamin Franklin who founded the nation’s free library system would have been electrified to see Cathedral Village’s light-filled, contemporary Library. Four spacious book-lined alcoves with tables and chairs and a setting of arm chairs and sofas mean having comfortable places to browse through books or newspapers. (In the quiet of the evenings, alcove settings are often used for card games.)

 

A reading room adjacent to the Library with CCTV equipment, that provides magnification and contrast adjustment, for residents with visual difficulties as well as privacy, especially for writing or reading personal mail.

 

The Library Committee welcomes residents to participate in cataloging books and periodicals, arranging exhibits of new books, and processing returns.

 

Books and Periodicals

• Over 6,800 books including large print books
• Arranged using a modified Dewey Decimal System
• Card files to search by Title or Author       
• Self-check-out system      
• Daily Newspapers       
• Local newspapers       
• The New York Times       
• Wall Street Journal       
• Weekly and monthly periodicals       
• Jewish Exponent       
• Catholic Standard and Times       
• Atlantic Monthly

 

Reference Books

• The History of Cathedral Village as recorded in The Villager, the monthly magazine written by residents for residents and prospective residents. Over 300 editions, since January of 1980, are kept in the Library.    
• Reference books and periodicals, and The Villager, are not permitted beyond the Library but a staff member will copy pages at your request.

 

Talking Books Library

• A separate Committee of residents maintains a lending library of books recorded on CDs and tapes.  

 

Video Recordings

• A  committee of residents maintains the self-monitored check out system for the lending library of VCR tapes and DVDs:    
• Over 800 DVDs and VHS tapes of commercially recorded movies, documentaries, and some home-recorded programs of interest.   
• Over 550 CDs of classical music, light classical, Broadway shows, operatic performances and more.

 

Other Activities for Literary Lovers

 

Movie Committee

• Residents select movies to be shown in Cathedral Hall on Saturday nights       
• Matinee repeats are shown on Monday afternoons

 

Play Reading Committee       
Seven Play Readings are “staged” throughout the year and always earn rave reviews in The Villager. A Resident Committee selects six plays and Directors who cast the roles as in recent productions of A Quiet War and Arsenic and Old Lace. The seventh play chosen is open to all who wish to play parts or participate in any way. The June 2010 open play reading was Royce Ryton’s Crown Matrimonial.

 

“The Villager” Committee       
The Villager Committee works with their Editor to produce the residents’ monthly magazine from September through June. Those who write, sketch, type or proofread are all welcome to join. Reporters submit articles on events in the news, report and critique art shows, concerts and other events at the Village, submit original writings on everything from Cold Fusion to experiences growing up in foreign countries, to original poetry and humorous grammar lessons about every day misuse of the English language. Articles are interspersed with original line drawings.