A blog for young readers (and YA lovers) from the Providence Athenaeum.
The Providence Athenaeum is a unique library and cultural center in the heart of Providence, Rhode Island. Growing out of the Providence Library Company (fourth library in the United States), the Athenaeum as we know it was formed in 1836. Our handsome building on the corner of Benefit and College was completed in 1838.
We are one of the few surviving membership libraries in the nation. Student memberships are available - visit or call for more information.
This blog is updated by one of our circulation assistants (and YA enthusiast), RJ. Follow us to find out what's new in our Young Adult corner, or just for a daily dose of literary shenanigans.
You can follow the Ath on twitter or facebook. Our catalog and much more information about us can be found at our homepage.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
The polls have closed and the voters have chosen - it was a close call, but after fifteen grueling rounds of competition, Batman owns the night.
Thank you to everyone who followed the tournament all summer and checked out any of our Own the Night staff picks! You can celebrate Batman’s victory by checking out one of the Providence Athenaeum’s graphic novels or films that feature the Caped Crusader.
Don’t forget to vote in the FINAL ROUND of our Who Will Own the Night Tournament. Winner announced Monday!
Movies On the Block
Want to catch a free film tonight? Get to the corner of Westminster and Union Street tonight at dusk to see the 2008 superhero thriller The Dark Knight!
What do our two final contenders in the Who Will Own the Night Tournament have in common besides strength, honor, determination, resourcefulness and good looks?
Librarian sidekicks. No wonder they’ve made it this far. Don’t forget to vote - winner announced Monday!
Who Will Own the Night Tournament, FINAL ROUND: Buffy vs. Batman
This is it. After besting round after round of competition - dark and twisted characters from all corners of literature, mythology, film and folklore - two heroes are left standing. Buffy Summers versus Bruce Wayne - Slayer versus Batman.
These two icons have also conquered across mediums - Batman moving from comics to TV to film, Buffy moving from film to TV to comics - and their legions of loyal fans would probably be more excited to see them team up than go head-to-head. Buffy snarking about Batman’s fancy equipment, Batman frowning upon Buffy’s distracting relationship problems - it’s sitcom-quality hijinks waiting to happen! But for our purposes, only one can come out on top.
She’s faced off with undead baddies and demons galore, he’s outmatched every criminal mastermind Arkham Asylum has to offer. Buffy’s got the superpowers, but can she pierce Batman’s armor? Can the ruler of the Gotham rooftops triumph over the savior of Sunnydale?
What do you think? Who’s left standing? Vote for the final time: who will own the night?
Who Will Own the Night Tournament, Round Fourteen Winner!
It’s Batman! The Dark Knight overcame all obstacles and defeated the mighty Cthulhu. If anyone could do it, it would be Batman… or maybe his competitor in the next round.
That’s right, tomorrow is the FINAL ROUND of our Who Will Own the Night Tournament, and the Caped Crusader is going up again the chosen one: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Check back here tomorrow to vote!
As always, you can come into the Athenaeum to see the full bracket of contenders and vote in person. And this is the last week to check out our summer Staff Picks on the Own The Night theme!
LAST CHANCE to vote in the second-to-last round of our Who Will Own the Night Tournament! Batman or Cthulhu? You must choose!
Don’t forget to vote in Round Fourteen of our Who Will Own the Night tournament - the winner of this one goes into the FINAL ROUND! Ack! Summer is almost over!
Who Will Own the Night Tournament, Round Fourteen: Batman vs. Cthulhu
In celebration of the 2012 summer reading theme across Rhode Island, Own the Night, every Monday our blog will feature two night-dwellers or otherwise creepy characters facing each other down. Vote on one below, or come on in to the Athenaeum to vote in person and see the full bracket of all the contenders!
Rulers of the night, haunting specters in the minds of men, major icons to nerds everywhere – this week Batman takes on Cthulhu.
Can’t you just picture the caped crusader exploring Providence for answers about H.P. Lovecraft’s Elder God? Batman perched above the Turk’s Head building, or Bruce Wayne sitting in the Athenaeum surrounded by ancient volumes, hunting for a copy of the Necronomicon? If there’s anyone who could find Cthulhu’s weak spot, it’s the world’s greatest detective – but what would happen if he came face to face with the giant itself?
What do you think? Who’s left standing? Who will own the night?
Who WIll Own the Night Tournament, Round Thirteen Winner!
It’s Buffy! While one astute voter pointed out that Katniss might unexpectedly take this one, as she has a strong tendency towards defying odds, the rest of you were completely assured that Buffy would take Katniss out of the running - she won in a landslide.
That means Buffy will be in the final round! Check back here tomorrow to vote on who her ultimate competitor will be - it’s going to be a tough one.
As always, you can come into the Athenaeum to see the full bracket of contenders and vote in person. Only two weeks left to check out our summer Staff Picks on the Own The Night theme!
