Under the leadership of Dr. Mark Calkins, the Mechanics’ Institute offers bi-weekly Proust discussions on a semester basis. The new semester begins on September 14th. Register now!
Set in Bismarck's Germany, this tale of a socially suitable but emotionally disastrous match between the enchanting seventeen-year-old Effi and an austere, workaholic civil servant twice her age, is at once touching and unsettling.
This panel of experts and innovators discuss how technology and media platforms are transforming the election process through political messaging, connecting and motivating voters, and fundraising.
This first-rate biopic of pioneering gay Supervisor Harvey Milk won Oscars for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay.
THIS CLASS HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
Are you stumped by a plot or its subplots? Join Jessica Levine in an examination of E.M. Forster's Room with a View and F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby in order to glean basic story structure and determine the relationship between the novels' plots and subplots.
Reserve a 30-minute appointment to work one-on-one with a librarian. We can help with questions regarding your email, ebook readers, making the best use of the Library's online features, safely managing your social media accounts, or other computer- or technology-related questions.
Looking for timely business information? Developing a list of key contacts for sales or as a potential employer? Researching competitive intelligence or exploring industry developments? Through sample searches, class attendees will discover the breadth of information that can be retrieved using Hoover's Mergent Intellect – a powerful upgrade from Hoover's basic database offering.
Gore Vidal adapted his own play for this film about two front-runners, one principled, one ruthless, vying for their party’s presidential nomination.
San Francisco’s foremost literary festival, now in its 17th year begins, October 7 and runs through October 15. Mechanics’ Institute serves as one of the central venues for many great programs. Watch for an exciting week of author events, panels, and conversations! Be part of this literary movable feast!
Bring your lunch and curiosity to talk about ideas, stories, and concepts with fellow Mechanics' Institute members and staff. An informal discussion will follow the viewing. Walk-ins welcome. No registration required.
Set in Bismarck's Germany, this tale of a socially suitable but emotionally disastrous match between the enchanting seventeen-year-old Effi and an austere, workaholic civil servant twice her age, is at once touching and unsettling.
Why do you like some books, but not others? How come critics can't call your taste? And why do millions of people sometimes love books that you hate? Isn’t art subjective? We'll ask these questions and yours to a publisher with a track record for calling bestsellers, a literary critic, an expert on the neuroscience of value, and a neuroanthropologist.
Amidst an increased climate for international fiction, whether translated or originally in English, Litquake convenes this stellar selection of authors from Australia, Ecuador, France, and Romania, to discuss and read from their latest works.
Elaine Kamarck offers a bipartisan critique of three presidents' failures and explores how future presidents can succeed.
This tutorial demonstrates various web-based resources that access relevant information using Reference USA, Mergent Intellect, Thomas Net, and the Foundation Center.
From Delmonico’s to Chez Panisse, Ten Restaurants that Changed America is a daring and original history of dining out in America as told through ten legendary restaurants.
Susie Hara will introduce you to Kinetic Writing--a technique for enlivening your writing process with strategies for tapping into the body's sensory know-how.
John Travolta delivers a spot-on performance as a smooth operator nominee (who bears an uncanny resemblance to a 90s-era Democratic President) facing a sex scandal during an election.
Get the Grant! is open to writers who plan to apply to the Literature Cultural Equity Grant, the Literature Investing in Artists grant, or for a writers' residency program. Those applying for other writers' grants are welcome, though the focus will be on these specific grant opportunities.
In this beginner/intermediate class, we'll cover choosing a platform and setting up your blog, using Wordpress as an example for the demos.
In the ten years since the first Maker Faire in the San Francisco Bay Area, Maker Faires have exploded into a global sensation, with dozens of off-shoots around the world, from New York to Shanghai. Dale Dougherty—founder of Maker Media—has been on the front lines of this worldwide renaissance of creating, designing, inventing, and personalizing. In Free to Make, he acts as a tour guide to the phenomenon we now call the Maker Movement.
Join fellow Mechanics' Institute members for a librarian-led introduction to the annual NaNoWriMo writing challenge, tips on planning your piece, and ideas for setting your schedule.
In this stinging satire, Reese Witherspoon plays a determined over-achiever running for student council president, while Matthew Broderick is the history teacher just as determined to stop her.
Learn about the extraordinary history and culture of the nation's oldest Chinatown with local tour guide Rick Evans.
Take an autumn journey from the Financial District to the Castro District while learning about and enjoying San Francisco's architecture, history and vistas along the way.
Experience the city from a unique perspective! Veteran tour leader Rick Evans will take you on a memorable two-hour walking expedition of the Financial District. Discover the architectural beauty of landmark buildings, hard-to-find rooftop gardens, and unique open spaces that you've probably never noticed!
