On Sunday, March 7th at 2:00 pm at the Town Hall Richard Little, Geology Professor Emeritus of Greenfield Community College, will present a program entitled “Dinosaurs, Dunes, and Drifting Continents: the Geology of the Connecticut River Valley.” The program will cover 600 million years of geologic history illustrating how the Connecticut Valley Region (including Royalston) evolved into the beautiful rocks and landscapes we see today. Richard will show us where we were before Pangea and how the break-up of this ‘supercontinent” resulted in the Connecticut Valley. With humor and adbundant illustrations, he will tell us about armored mud balls, dinosaurs, lava flows, glaciation, Lake Hitchcock, and our human links to our local geology. This program is generously funded by a grant from the Royalston Cultural Council and sponsored by the Friends of the Phinehas S. Newton Library. Delicious refreshments will be served. For more information contact the library at 978-249-3572.

Learn about the world at your library as guests from around the world show a bit about their home culture, including geographic features, songs, games, language, and food. This years’ program meets weekly on Thursdays from 3:30 - 4:30 pm. Students from RCS can take the bus with a written note. All welcome. Free. The line up includes vists to:

March 18 Surinam with Elizabeth Farnsworth, who will have just returned from this northern South American country.

April 1 Bosnia with Athol High School exchange student and musician Edin Huljdek.

April 8 Italy with Patrizia DeLibero, a noble Roman

April 15 China with recent immigrant Yi Chi, an Athol High School student.

Why are some places considered sacred? What does sacred mean and why are millions of people attracted to special space all over the world? On Friday, March 26 at 7 pm. at the Royalston library, there is an opportunity to travel through the eyes of a pilgrim who is led by an inner calling to places where the sacredness is a real experience. From Tibet to Nepal, India, Uzbekistan, the Middle East, and Africa. Patrizia De Libero, talks about her experience on journeys to the East. Originally from Italy, Patrizia De Libero (or as she notes, “now for the help of Grace, Patrizia Brown”) is a newlywed Royalston resident and pilgrim who helps people organizing journeys to sacred places connected to the Christian tradition for the Vatican. She will also discuss places connected to her personal travelling and researching before being employed by the Vatican. These places are connected to the Sufi, Sikh, and Buddhist traditions. Free. Refreshments served. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.