Collaborating Organizations Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County Bookmarks C.G. O’Kelly Library at Winston-Salem State University Greensboro Public Library Leadership Winston-Salem Reynolda House Museum of American Art University of North Carolina School of the Arts Library Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Winston-Salem Foundation Z. Smith Reynolds Library, Wake Forest University We’d like to thank our Forsyth County Public Library Board of Trustees and various Friends of the Libraries groups who support us. Follow us on @teencentralFCPLTumblr:Follow us on @fcpubliclibraryInstagram:@fcplteensFollow us on @FCPublicLibraryTwitter:@FCPLTeensLike one of our Facebook pages: FCPublicFCPLFCPL4KidsLibrary4Teens The LibrarianPersonal FORSYTH COUNTY
We hope that you’ll embrace this book and explore the issues it presents. Thanks to our community partners and staff, we’ve put together two months of programs, events and community conversations that are highlighted in this guide. We hope to see you at one of our events soon.
As Gilded Age titan J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene is a figure to be reckoned with. She’s a bold, charismatic woman who manages to buy rare books and art out from under the noses of far more experi enced bidders. But Greene harbors a secret that could lock her out of the glittering world she moves in and plunge her into disgrace.
As this year’s On The Same Page community read, “The Personal Librarian” provides us with a range of themes that seem to speak to this time in our history. Who hasn’t wanted to escape into a world of fantasy and glamour in the last few years? For that, we have the Gilded Age setting of this book. Who isn’t wrestling with the displacements and inequities our three-year (and counting) pandemic has revealed? We can relate to Greene’s struggles to use her talents in a world that requires her to keep essential facts about her identity a secret. And for many readers, who love books of all kinds, there’s a glimpse into the fascinating world of rare books, art and libraries.
Brian Hart Library Director
She is a Black woman who has chosen to live as white. “The Personal Librarian,” a novel by Marie Bendict and Victoria Christopher Murray, tells the story of the real-life Belle Marion Greener, who worked for Morgan and his son, from 1905 until shortly before her death in 1950.
Adult Alexander, Kianna. "Carolina Built” (2022). Ardizzone, Heidi. “An Illuminated Life: Belle da Costa Greene's Journey from Prejudice to Privilege” Bennett,(2007).
Stinson, Kathy. "The Lady with the Books: A Story Inspired by the Remarkable Work of Jella Lepman” Weatherford,(2020).
Kiernan, Denise. “The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation's Largest Home” (2018).
Chung, Arree."Mixed: A Colorful Story" (2022). Clark-Robinson. "Let the Children March" (2018).
Carole Boston. "Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library" (2017).
Thompson, Laura. “Heiresses:The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies” (2021).
AuthorstheMeet
Young Readers
Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray Sunday, Nov. 13 at 2 p.m. Central Library
Teens and Young Adults
Marie Benedict and Victoria Murray Christopher will read from their book, discuss their writing process and take questions from the audience. A book signing will follow the program.
Lenwood G. Davis, William J. Rice, and James H. McLaughlin. “African Americans in Winston-Salem/For syth County: A Pictorial History” (1999).
Brit. “The Vanishing Half: A Novel” (2020). Chase-Riboud, Barbara. “The Great Mrs. Elias” (2022). Coates, Ta-Nehisi. “Between the World and Me” (2015). Cooper, Anderson. “Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty” (2021). Davis, Fiona. “The Magnolia Palace: A Novel” (2022).
Ruffin, Amber and Lamar, Lacey. “You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism” (2021).
Recommended Reading
Grabenstein, Chris. "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" (2013). Michalak, Jamie. "Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter" (2021).
Frazier, Sundee T. "The Other Half of My Heart" (2011).
Rose, M.J. “Cartier's Hope” (2020).
Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than 10 years of experience as a litigator. She’s a graduate of Boston College and the Boston University School of Law. She’s the author of “The Mystery of Mrs. Christie,” “Lady Clemen tine,” “The Only Woman in the Room,” “Carne gie’s Maid” and “The Other Einstein.” She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.
Penfold, Alexandra. "All Are Welcome" (2018).
Hackwith, A.J. “The Library of the Unwritten" (2019). Haig, Matt. “The Midnight Library” (2020).
Stewart, Jeffrey C. “The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke” (2018).
Rhodes, Jewell Parker. "Black Brother, Black Brother" (2020). Thomas, Angie. "The Hate U Give" (2017). Williams, Alicia D. "Genesis Begins Again" (2019)
Rosen, Renee. “The Social Graces” (2021).
Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Griffin, John Howard. “Black Like Me” (1962).
Larsen, Nella. “Passing” (2011, originally 1929).
Gross, Michael. “Rogues’ Gallery: The Secret History of the Moguls and the Money that Made the Metropolitan Museum” (2009).
Lovett, Charlie. “The Bookman's Tale” (2013).
Tanabe, Karin. “The Gilded Years” (2016).
Victoria Christopher Murray has written more than 30 novels, including “Stand Your Ground,” an NAACP Image Award winner for outstanding literary work in fiction and a Library Journal best book of the year award. She has an MBA from the New York University Stern School of Business.
Reading and Discussion of “The Personal Librarian” With the Authors
Kranish, Michael. “The World’s Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor, America’s First Black Sports Hero” (2019).
Senna, Danzy. “Caucasia” (1998).
Thursday, Oct. 20 at 4 p.m.
Dr. Amber C. Albert
Central Library 660 W. Fifth St., Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101
6. “Just because I’m a librarian doesn’t mean I have to dress like one.” Belle makes this jaunty remark to someone she meets at a ball in the Vanderbilt mansion (p. 59). How do librarians typically dress in your experience? How do they tend to carry themselves? In what ways does Belle subvert your idea of what it means to be a librarian?
Angela Mazaris
11. How do the racial issues in this book relate to what’s going on in the world today? How have race relations improved in our country and how have they remained the same?
Exhibit: Never Before Published: First Editions from the Wake Forest Library Rare Books Collection exhibition
Carver School Road Branch
Thursday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m.
Reynolda Book Club
9. This novel deals again and again with the concept of ownership, when it comes to the possession of rare books and priceless works of art, or even a proprietary attitude over another living person. For instance, during their last emotional exchange in Chapter 31 (p. 242-247), Mr. Morgan claims to “own” Belle. The title of the book itself is “The Personal Librarian.” With all that in mind, what does it signify when Belle opens up the Pierpont Morgan Library to the public?
Aug. 1, 2022 – Jan. 31, 2023
Are you the family detective? We’ll talk about how to find the secrets, how to ask your relatives about them, and what to do with the information you find. Email maygm@forsyth.cc or call 336-703-3075 to register.
3. When Belle was 17, she overheard a passionate argument between her parents (Chapter 2, p. 15-20). Her mother Genevieve reported their race to census workers as white and her father Richard, an advocate for equal rights, strongly objected. He went so far as to accuse Genevieve of turning her back on her people, herself, and him. Who did you sympathize with at this moment and why?
10. Were you satisfied by the ending of the story? Has the book changed you? Have you learned something new?
Teatime336-703-2910atthe
Branch Programs
Secrets in Genealogy
Dr. Amber C. Albert, manager of community and academic learning at Reynolda House, will lead Reynolda Book Club members in a discussion of “The Personal Librarian.” Participants will also receive a special tour of the bungalow’s library.
4. Working for the Pierpont Morgan Library was Belle’s dream job. Imagine how she felt walking into the library on that first day. Do you love libraries? What’s your dream job?
Special collections and archives, room 625 Z. Smith Reynolds Library WFU campus Megan Mulder, curator of the above exhibit, will host a presentation on the exhibit. Please register at archivers@wfu.edu.
Discussion: Never Before Published: First Editions from the Wake Forest University Library’s Rare Books Collections
Special Collections & Archives, Room 625, Z. Smith Reynolds Library, WFU campus
Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 3 p.m.
Reynolda House Museum of American Art
4915 Lansing Dr. Winston-Salem, N.C. 27105
Tea is not just a beverage, but a social event. In honor of this year’s On the Same Page book, “The Personal Librarian”, we will have tea, treats, and talks discussing this chosen book. Email leonarzl@ forsyth.cc to register.
Privileged336-703-3030Information:
“The Personal Librarian” Discussion
1. What was your overall impression of the book? If you described it to your friends on social media and had to sum it up in one tweet, what would you say in 140 characters?
Amber Smith
Presented with support from Bookmarks Festival.
Reading Garden (weather permitting)
2. For the most part, “The Personal Librarian” takes place in New York City between the years 1905 and 1948. How important was the setting and time period to the story? Do you think it was accurately portrayed?
8. Two men play instrumental roles in Belle’s life: her employer, millionaire tycoon J. P. Morgan, and her lover, art historian Bernard Berenson. How would you characterize her relationships with them? Which of them do you believe understood Miss Greene the best and why do you say that?
7. In Chapter 20, Belle becomes reacquainted with a couple of her friends from Teachers’ College: Katrina, who works as an officer for the Woman Suffrage Party of New York, and Evelyn, who makes her living as an artist in Greenwich Village. How does Belle’s idea of womanhood evolve throughout the story?
5. The grandly opulent Pierpont Morgan Library (described on p. 30) and Belle’s fancy new office (p. 33) stand in stark contrast to the Greene family’s cramped apartment in the next chapter. In what other ways is the class struggle represented in this book?
Friday, Oct. 7 at Noon
Megan Mulder, curator
In book collecting circles, the mystique of the “first edition” is impossible to ignore. But what is a first edition anyway? Are they really more desirable or interesting than later editions? This exhibit will answer those questions with examples of first editions from authors including Jane Austen, Phillis Wheatley, Charles Darwin, Walt Whitman, Maya Angelou and many others.
Featured Programs
Library
Karen Thursday,FeeneyOct. 13 at 6 p.m.
Walkertown Branch 2969 Main St. Walkertown, N.C. 27051
Book nerds assemble! Are you smarter than our team of librarians? Join us for this in-person trivia night celebrating books and library history, the 1900s, and more. Gather your team of two to four friends and register as a group or individually. Prizes will be awarded to the top teams.
Curating Collectibles Series: Museum of StormyAnthropologyHarrell, Lam Museum of Anthropology
Banana Split Demonstration
Clemmons Branch
Join the Southside Book Club as we discuss the fictionalized account of the amazing life of librarian Belle da Costa Greene. For more information, call 336-703-2985.
Bring a treasured object from home - book, photograph, or document - and learn how to describe it like a museum professional. Dr. Amber C. Albert from Reynolda House Museum of American Art will lead this fun, hands-on cataloging workshop. The file you create will live on with your family as a record of its physical condition and personal significance
ea is not just a beverage, but a social event. In honor of this year’s On the Same Page book, “The Personal Librarian”, we will have tea, treats, and talks discussing this chosen book. Email leonarzl@forsyth.cc to register.
Central Library Reading Garden (weather Tpermitting)
The banana split was born in Latrobe, Pa. in 1904. As we celebrate this year’s community read, join Chef Floyd Davis in his tribute to this Gilded Age dessert.
Join us as we finally sit down to sort through all the many recipes, we’ve been hoarding. Have a child who’s living on their own for the first time?
The Personal Archivist: Archiving Your Family History
The club will discuss recipes from the American Gilded Age. Attendees will make, share, and discuss recipes from this era. One must bring a dish to share.
Be transported to the Gilded Age, as MaryAnn Molloy of Real World Ballroom discusses and teaches two popular dances of the times waltz and tango.
Banana Split Demonstration
6490 Shallowford Rd., Lewisville, N.C. 27023
MaryAnn Molloy of Real World Ballroom
Southside Book Club
Saturday,Fandom336-703-2990FrenzySept.
Be transported to the Gilded Age, as MaryAnn Molloy of Real World Ballroom discusses and teaches two popular dances of the times waltz and tango. Dance impacted the era by redefining social dancing for the new 20th century, while also changing stereotypes by bringing together all styles and cultures on the dance floor.
Monday, Nov. 14 at 6 p.m.
Recipe Thursday,ScrapbookingOct.13at 10 a.m.
Lewisville Branch
Friday, Sept. 30 at Noon
Clemmons Cookbook Club – American Gilded Age Wednesday,Cuisine Oct. 19 at 12:30 p.m.
Join us as we take a turn through the Gilded Age and we discuss the Edith Wharton classic, “The Age of Innocence.”
Tue, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m.
The collection manager of the Lam Museum of Anthropology, Stormy Harrell, will talk about the differences between personal and museum collections, why people are interested in collecting, and what happens to a collection in its lifetime. With hand-picked examples from the collections at Lam Museum of Anthropology.
Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 2 p.m.
Join us for a lively discussion of the On the Same Page 2022 title, “The Personal Librarian” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.
Angie Vincola, the October Book Lovers Book Club discussion leader, will facilitate a discussion of the 2022 OTSP title, “The Personal Librarian” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.
24 at 11 a.m.
6365 James St. Clemmons, N.C. 27012
Grace Thursday,MaySept. 22 at 10 a.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 11 a.m.
Dance Through The Gilded Age
The banana split was born in Latrobe, Pa. in 1904. As we celebrate this year’s community read, join Chef Floyd Davis in his tribute to this Gilded Age dessert.
Friends Book Club
In “The Personal Librarian” Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of things he was a fan of and we can relate. And we bet you can too. Show off your fandom collections and learn about others’ collections, while trading cards, discovering a new anime, or geeking out over your favorite video game. All ages welcome.
Dr. Amber Albert, Reynolda House Museum of American Wednesday,ArtOct. 12 at 5 p.m.
Dance Through The Gilded Age
Thursday, Oct. 6 at 1 p.m.
Matinee Movie Madness – “Downton Abbey: A New Wednesday,Era” Sept. 28 at 2 p.m.
Book Lovers Book Club – OTSP Discussion Monday, Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Creating Family Recipe Books
Teatime at the Library
Learn how to select and preserve family heirlooms such as photographs, papers, and clothing/textiles. Each participant will receive a personal archiving kit. Presented by Karen Feeney, certified archivist and supervisor of the North Carolina Collection at the Central Library. Limit of 10 participants. Call 336-703-3070 or email feeneyke@forsyth.cc to register.
Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 11 a.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 6:30 p.m.
Grace May, librarian in the Central Library’s North Carolina collection department, will talk about documenting family history by creating a family recipe book. To register, visit or call the Clemmons Branch at 336-703-2920.
Watch “Downton Abbey: A New Era.” Downton Abbey’s Crawley family goes on a grand journey to the South of France to uncover the mystery of the dowager countess's newly inherited villa. 125 minutes. Rated PG.
MaryAnn Molloy of Real World Ballroom
Curating Collectibles Series: Cataloging Your Favorite Thing
Create a keepsake they’ll be happy to pass on for generations to come. Have you been meaning to get Granny’s famous pecan pie recipe on paper? Now’s the time. We’ll bring the supplies you bring some tasty recipes to share.
Monday, Sept. 26 at 5 p.m.
Are You Smarter than a Librarian Trivia Night Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m.
336-703-2940TuesdayatTwo Book Club
The banana split was born in Latrobe, Pa. in 1904. As we celebrate this year’s community read, join Chef Floyd Davis in his tribute to this Gilded Age dessert.
Bari Helms will compare the lives of Belle da Costa Greene and Katharine Smith Reynolds, creator of the Reynolda House estate and the wife of R. J. Reynolds. The program examines the role of women in the Gilded Age, social expectations and women's suffrage, as well as the themes of racism and the experiences of the Black women who worked at Reynolda.
Banana Split Demonstration
Book Club Discussion
Floyd Davis. He’ll prepare and share the history of the banana split, which was thought to originate the time period of the “The Personal Librarian.”
Be transported to the Gilded Age, as MaryAnn Molloy of Real World Ballroom discusses and teaches two popular dances of the times waltz and tango.
Join us for a special adult book club meeting where members will read and discuss “The Personal Librarian” in-person and virtually. Call the front desk to order a copy of the book at the library.
7125 Broad St., Rural Hall, N.C. 27045
make art, using patterns from the Art Deco artistic movement. On Tuesday, Nov. 1 (tweens) and Monday, Nov. 14 (teens), we’ll learn about the origins of buttons and stickers in the Gilded Age and make our own buttons and stickers. Registration is required. For more information and to register, email Stefanie at kellumsm@forsythlibrary.org.
Friday, Nov. 18 at 3:30 p.m.
Grace May, North Carolina Collection, Wednesday,librarian
Nov. 9 at 11 a.m.
Books336-703-2930&Brews
Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 21 at 11 a.m.
African American Reads Book Club
Sept.Overcoming336-703-2950Obstacles1-30
The banana split was born in Latrobe, Pa. in 1904. As we celebrate this year’s community read, join Chef Floyd Davis in his tribute to this Gilded Age dessert.
Friday Family Film - “Downton Abbey: A New Era”
Women of Influence: Belle da Costa Greene and Katharine Smith Reynolds
Book Club
Teen Programs: Monday, Oct.10 and Monday, Nov. 14 at 4 p.m.
Dance Through the Gilded Age MaryAnn Thursday,MolloyNov.3 at 1 p.m.
“The Personal Librarian” Book Discussion Thursday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m.
Learn the importance of preserving personal collections or collectibles to pass down to family members or to donate them to a museum. The Lam Museum of Anthropology will share how to create a provenance (the story behind a collection), how to clean and store items, and the legalities involved in donating a collection to a museum.
If you would like to participate virtually, email yisakrs@forsyth.cc to receive the Zoom link.
3185 Buchanan St. Winston-Salem, N.C. 27127
Rural Hall Branch
Curating Collections and Collectibles
MaryAnn Molloy of Real World Ballroom
STEAM for Tweens & Teens
See our “Overcoming Obstacles” display featuring extraordinary people who pursued their dreams despite the obstacles in their paths. Word search puzzles can be completed and turned in for a small prize. For children ages 8-12.
Join us as we discuss this year’s On the Same Page title, “The Personal Librarian.” Light refreshments will be provided. Call 336-710-7306 for more information.
Gypsy Road Brewing Company - 1105 E. Mountain St. In Kernersville
Thursday, Oct. 6 at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13 at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20 at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27 at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Can you solve a murder? Try your hand as a detective in this interactive Gatsby-themed escape room for adults. It’s up to you to figure out who the murderer is before time runs out. Space is limited. To register for a particular date and time, please email: marsonsg@forsyth.cc.
Banana Split Demo by Chef Davis Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 11 a.m. Enjoy a dessert demonstration by our own Chef
Reynolda Manor Branch 2839 Fairlawn Dr., Winston-Salem, N.C.
Tween Programs: Tuesday, Oct. 4 and Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 4 p.m.
336-703-2970ArtDecoFauxStained Glass
Thursday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m.
Be transported to the Gilded Age, as MaryAnn Molloy of Real World Ballroom discusses and teaches two popular dances of the times waltz and tango.
Join us for our showing of “Downton Abbey: A New Era.” Downton Abbey’s Crawley family goes on a grand journey to the South of France to uncover the mystery of the dowager countess's newly inherited villa. Rated PG.
Dance Through The Gilded Age
Monday, Sept. 26 at 4 p.m.
Banana Split Demonstration Oct. 12 at 11 a.m.
The banana split was born in Latrobe, Pa. in 1904. As we celebrate this year’s community read, join Chef Floyd Davis in his tribute to this Gilded Age dessert.
336-703-2980SouthsideCookbook Club
Saturday, Sept. 24 at 4 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 7 at 11 a.m.
Southside Branch
Monday, Sept. 26 at Noon
Explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math once a month in our programs for tweens ages 8 to 11 and teens ages 12 to 18. On Tuesday, Oct. 4 (tweens) and Monday, Oct. 10 (teens) we’ll
Banana Split Demonstration
Banana Split Demonstration
Bari Helms, director of archives and library at Reynolda House Museum of American Art Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m.
How to Create Family Oral Histories
Envy Murder Mystery Escape Room
Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m.
Belle da Costa Greene had an intense relationship with art historian Bernard Berenson, while visiting his villa in Florence. The Cookbook Club will share a potluck of Italian cuisine. Come by the branch in advance and pick out a recipe to make from one of our pre-selected cookbooks. You must bring a dish in order to attend the meal.
This program will show you how to record your family members’ oral histories through interview techniques. What better time to learn how to capture family memories as the holidays approach and as you gather with loved ones?
Do you like great books and great beer? Join us at Kernersville's Gypsy Road Brewing to enjoy a pint while discussing “The Personal Librarian” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. For more information about this program email GoldstLB@forsyth.cc or call at 336-703-2932.
Participants will create their own faux stained glass in the art deco style while discussing “The Personal Librarian.” Registration preferred. Call 336-703-2970 for more information.
Malloy/Jordan East Winston Heritage Center 1110 E. Seventh St., Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101
Friday, Oct. 14 at 11 a.m. The banana split was born in Latrobe, Pa. in 1904. As we celebrate this year’s community read, join Chef Floyd Davis in his tribute to this Gilded Age dessert.
Paddison Memorial Branch 248 Harmon Lane, Kernersville, N.C. 27284
Stormy Harrell, Lam Museum of Anthropology Monday, Nov. 7 at 6 p.m.
Cover-To-Cover336-703-296027106
Don't miss our special On The Same Page book club meeting to discuss “The Personal Librarian.” Copies of the book will be reserved behind the front desk. Please email falkowsz@forsyth.cc or call 336-703-2962 for more information.