Shelburne Free Public Library

Another snowy day...

2011-02-01T10:47:00.002-05:00

A snowy Tuesday, but the library will be open today. I will open at the usual time of 3:00 and stay until 7:00. If you can't get in today, don't worry. No fines will be charged for items due today.

Library closed

2011-01-18T09:08:00.001-05:00

The Shelburne Free Public Library will be closed today due to the snowstorm. See you Thursday, Jan. 20.

Cheerio!

2010-08-19T13:05:00.003-05:00

When I find myself frustrated by the state report I have to complete and with which my short fuse burns very low...I step aside and catch up with book orders. And that makes library life all happy again and worthwhile!

Ordered and backordered almost 100 books today, and also ordered several DVDs. Some of these DVDs include Date Night, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Glee Season 1, Last Song, and various other entertainments.

Now back to the blankety-blank ARIS. Which is so rewarding as it nets the library under $2000 per year. But I guess every little bit helps and that covers quite a few new books!

Keep on reading...

Moving right along...

2010-08-14T13:57:00.003-05:00

Well, no takers for the program today. So we move along to the next project,which is for me to complete the ARIS state aid report, figure out how to do Interlibrary loans correctly without WMRLS to help, order some new books and DVDs for fall. One of which is the new Louise Penny, due out in October!

One resolution is to keep this blog updated regularly...

Oh, and get back to work on the library long-range plan which is on hiatus until fall.

If anyone with preschool children is interested in a fall storytime, please contact me with days of the week and times of day that might work for you. Email me at eburnham@cwmars.org

Final summer program this Saturday!

2010-08-10T17:32:00.003-05:00

The final program for the summer will be this Saturday, August 14, from 1-3 p.m. Please note the change of date!

We will do a potpourri of green crafts, including unusual picture frames and envelopes. Several participants in the Altered Books workshop of last week expressed an interest in continuing work on their creations, so they will have that opportunity.

Come join in, we will have fun, and ice cream sundaes for refreshments.

Go Green @ the library

2010-06-22T10:18:00.002-05:00

The days are longer, the air is warmer, the kids are out of school...must be time for summer reading at the library! Our theme this year is recycling, going green, re-purposing found objects into art. Come join me for the first of four Saturday afternoon craft workshops beginning on July 10, from 1-3 p.m.

For details, come see me at the library and sign up to participate in the workshops and other activities, including the ever-popular scavenger hunts.

This makes Libby happy...

2010-04-22T16:59:00.001-05:00

A new Maisie Dobbs! Good one too...

Spring announcements

2010-03-27T09:32:00.001-05:00

Lots and lots of new books have arrived, as the publishing industry is very busy in the spring. Most notable to our library is the publication of a book by local author, landscape architect, and library neighbor, Sue Reed. Sue has written an excellent and timely book called Energy-Wise Landscape Design. She graciously donated a copy to the library and it is available for borrowing.

Anyone wishing to purchase their own copy of Sue's book are advised that the author realizes a better profit from a direct sale of the book, rather than through amazon.com. So contact Libby at the library to facilitate the process!

New Year, new books

2010-01-07T18:32:00.002-05:00

It's always fun to be checking in new books and getting them on the shelf quickly, which is easy to do since our library is a member of C/W MARS. The books come processed and when I attach a barcode and the library stamp, I can then add the book to the system and it hits the shelf! Usually not for long, especially with popular titles.

Some new books include Anne Tyler's Noah's Compass; Jude Deveraux's Days of Gold; Tracy Chevalier's Remarkable Creatures; T. Jefferson Parker's Iron River; and Richard Doetsch's The 13th Hour.

Good reading to begin 2010...

Holiday closings...

2009-12-17T17:04:00.000-05:00

The Library will be closed on Thursday Dec.24 and Thursday Dec.31. Merry Christmas and Happy 2010!

Inclement weather

2009-12-10T16:44:00.001-05:00

Before venturing out in bad weather, please call the library to see if it is open. I can usually make it here to leave a message on the machine. I also contact radio station WHAI, and TV station Channel 22 to post closing information.

Enjoy the snow and the winter holidays!

Grant award

2009-10-29T17:32:00.003-05:00

I am pleased to announce that the library has received a grant award of $250 from the Bridge of Flowers Road Race grant program. The money will be used to hold a series of storyhours for preschoolers. These storyhours will be held in early 2010.

I wish to thank the Bridge of Flowers Road Race committee, the Bank of Western Massachusetts, and all of the other sponsors of the race for the grant awards.

Museum passes

2009-10-06T13:58:00.002-05:00

The library now has two museum passes to borrow. We have purchased passes to Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory and Gardens, and to Mass MoCA, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

Passes may be checked out for one week, and there is a $1.00 fine per library day if they are returned late. Passes may not be renewed, and if lost, the replacement fee will be the price of the passes.

Enjoy!

Road race is coming!!!

2009-08-27T16:43:00.003-05:00

The first annual Book it to the Library road race to benefit the Western Mass Regional Library System will be held on Saturday, October 3. The race is a 5K run, and a 2-Mile Fun Run, beginning at the Regional Library Headquarters in Whately.

We are hoping for lots of participants, to help raise money for the vital services provided by WMRLS. There will be free tee-shirts for the first 150 people to register, and prizes in age categories.

Register by following the link to the Road Race in the upper right of this page.

Come and enjoy the beautiful fall weather and burn a few calories for a good cause!

New books are on display

2009-08-27T16:38:00.002-05:00

The tables in the Children's Room are overflowing with lots of new books, come in and see!

I wish students, teachers, and parents a great start to the new school year.

Starship Adventure ends tomorrow!

2009-08-17T11:50:00.003-05:00

Our summer reading program, Starship Adventure @ your library, ends tomorrow, Tuesday August 18. Come in for the Tuesday "Crafts & Cupcakes," and enjoy the last cupcakes of the season.

And instead of a take-home craft kit, you may help with an out-of-this-world flannel rag quilt that I will put together and donate to Project Linus. I need help cutting out squares of batting to put into the flannel squares. When the quilt is complete, I will display at the library. Here is some information about Project Linus:

The Project Linus Mission

Project Linus is comprised of hundreds of local chapters and thousands of volunteers across the United States. Each volunteer and local chapter all work together to help us achieve our mission statement, which states:

First, it is our mission to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.”

Second, it is our mission to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.

Together we have distributed over three million blankets to children in need since our inception in 1995.

Starship Adventure continues...

2009-08-05T17:07:00.002-05:00

Starship Adventure @ Shelburne Free Public Library continues for 2 more weeks. The "Crafts & Cupcakes" programs on Tuesdays have been lots of fun. Anyone visiting the library on Tuesdays are treated to a cupcake, and kids in the summer program can pick up a weekly craft packet to take home. This week features Spacey games and recipes.

Starship Adventure @ your library

2009-07-07T13:43:00.003-05:00

Starship Adventure @ your library, the summer reading club, begins today. Come in and register, do a drop-in craft, and have a cupcake! When you register you will receive a logbook to record your summer reading, and a bookmark. Registering qualifies you to receive discount coupons to Massachusetts attractions, and allows you to borrow a telescope which is only available to Starship Adventure participants.

Activities change weekly, and are designed for casual socializing with your friends out on the library lawn, and take-home crafts.

In the library you will find a mini-planetarium. Crawl inside and identify the constellation, which changes weekly. Correct identification wins you a grab bag prize.

Also join in the missing comet hunt beginning on Thursday July 9. If you find it you win a grab bag prize.

Late spring notes

2009-05-21T16:27:00.002-05:00

As the fiscal year winds down, new books are still coming in, and on order. Also new DVDs! I am looking ahead to the annual summer reading program which will begin right after the 4th of July. Our theme this year is Starship Adventure @ your library! There will be books and crafts, incentives, refreshments, and other good reasons to visit the library and keep reading during the lovely summer months.

New books!

2009-04-30T11:48:00.002-05:00

I've just added some new books to the collection today. Here are some of the authors represented: Elizabeth Berg, Iris Johansen, David Baldacci, Stuart Woods, Jude Deveraux, James Patterson, and others. Always a pleasure to open a box of new books!

Memorial donations

2009-04-09T17:14:00.002-05:00

I don't often write about memorial donations on this blog, but I am making an exception today. When Shelburne resident Jerry Redeker died suddenly, his family designated our library as one of the places to send memorial donations. Jerry was an avid reader and library user. The library has received over $1000 in his name, and I will be able to purchase at least 100 books using this money. When you see a memorial book plate in a volume you are reading, think about Jerry, and the Redeker family.

Paying fines online

2009-03-05T17:07:00.002-05:00

ECommerce has come to the library. You may now pay your fines online with a credit card, and make donations online through the public catalog. Brochures are available at the library explaining this procedure. A reminder: if you have fines amounting to $10 or more, you will not be able to place holds or check anything out until the fines are paid down. We hope this method of payment will be a convenience.

Bookmobile visit

2009-03-05T17:03:00.002-05:00

The Bookmobile visited the library on March 3, and I was able to select a new batch of books on CD, some large print westerns, a shelf full of fiction, and some DVDs and childrens' books. Nice to have these materials!

Winter musings

2009-01-29T18:27:00.003-05:00

All Shelburne town departments received word today that effective immediately, there is a spending freeze for non-essential purchases. This includes out-of-town meetings, mileage, office supplies, cell phones, etc. I want to assure our patrons that library materials are not on this list; though I will make every effort to keep within reasonable spending limits. I will think carefully about each book ordered. Arms librarian Laurie Wheeler and I will be sharing our order lists, to help cut down on duplication, especially for the expensive audiobooks.

We have also been asked to submit revised FY 2010 budget requests which reflect both a 10% and a 15% decrease in our operating budgets. Our level-funded budget was just submitted, and this new request will be a challenge. There isn't much fat here (other than the librarian!) but we will try to make these painful cuts without jeopardizing our certification status with the state.

Stay tuned as we try to work in a spirit of cooperation with our town officials, and still keep the libraries viable.

Libby

Winter greetings

2009-01-05T10:59:00.004-05:00

I wish all of my library patrons a happy 2009. I expect that this year will be a challenging one financially in the library world, and I hope that the Massachusetts Library Systems will not receive a disproportionate amount of cuts as the state struggles in this financial climate.

As for our library, I continue to purchase books, DVDs and audios that I hope everyone will make use of. Spread the word that the library is a good place for free entertainment!

Libby

Holiday closings...

2008-12-18T18:27:00.002-05:00

Just a reminder that the library will be closed on two consecutive Thursdays, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, so please plan your visits accordingly. Come in a get a supply of movies for holiday viewing, or reading for the long night of the solstice.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!

Good grief!

2008-12-04T17:09:00.002-05:00

Well, as Charlie Brown says, "Good grief!" I haven't updated this blog in a long time, too busy with life and work. I've been working a part-time job doing barcoding at the Clark Art Museum Library in Williamstown. That ends soon...so I will decorate this library for the holidays. The Christmas books and CDs are on display, the Hannukah books are also on display. There are plenty of craft books for those who want to make gifts instead of purchase them.

Also new books are arriving all the time. Just today I received the new Patricia Cornwell, and the new Iris Johansen.

So, enjoy the coming of the holidays. Need some new recipes? The best butter cookie recipe I've ever had is in Susan Branch's Christmas from the Heart of the Home cookbook.

Libby

New to the collection

2008-10-14T17:17:00.003-05:00

Several memorial contributions have been received to honor former Shelburne resident Clara Barnard, who died recently. With these donations I have purchased a new set of books for the children's room. This set is called The New Solar System, and really helps to update our planet collection.

New books for fall...

2008-08-31T18:20:00.002-05:00

Good news for Archer Mayor fans! His latest book, The Catch, will hit the shelves in October. I am starting a list of reserves for this, so let me know if you want to be on it. Also expected this fall are new books by John Sandford, Stuart Woods, Dennis Lehane, Robert Parker, Lorna Landvik, and Anita Shreve, to name just a few of your favorites.

Scavenger Hunt winners announced!

2008-08-12T12:11:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Team Neeley! They are the winners in the Wild Reads Scavenger Hunt, with 48 points.

Second place with 44 points is Team Walker-West, and third place with 43 points is Team Mills.

Extra points were awarded for getting the weekly materials in on time. I had a lot of fun seeing what you all found, and I hope you had fun too. Enjoy your prizes!

Computer down

2008-08-07T15:47:00.001-05:00

This afternoon, during a power failure, the main computer appears to have died. I will not be able to check things in or out on the computer until the problem is solved, so you will not find your records up to date. Sorry about the inconvenience.

Wild Reads craft program

2008-07-29T15:10:00.002-05:00

Come and have fun with flies on Thursday, July 31, from 7-8 pm. We will read some stories about flies, and make a fly-catching frog. Also be prepared for a special project!

This is the last Wild Reads program for the summer. Last week we made snake pals out of old neckties, and the week before that we crafted a wild creature puppet. We have a small but loyal group who attend the craft sessions, and I hope that everyone has had fun!

Wild Reads craft program

2008-07-14T14:45:00.005-05:00

The second Wild Reads craft program will take place on Thursday, July 17, from 7-8 pm. We will read a couple of classic picture books, and then use various materials to create a wild thing puppet. We'll use feathers, beads, sticky paper, pine cones, and other things to make our puppets unique.

Last Thursday 7 people had a good time creating tissue paper collages. Here is a picture of one of one collage, with a cheetah silhouette as the background. An easy and relaxing craft project.

Wild Reads craft program

2008-07-08T07:27:00.002-05:00

Everyone is invited to participate in a Wild Reads craft program on Thursday, July 10, from 7-8 pm here at the library. We will look at a couple of picture books illustrated with collage, and then you can turn your imagination loose and make your own tissue paper collage.

This craft can be simple, or complicated, depending on the age of the participants. All ages are welcome.

Summer Reading kick-off

2008-06-19T13:28:00.002-05:00

Everyone is invited to the Wild Reads at Your Library summer reading program kick-off party, on Tuesday July 1, from 4-7 pm. Come make a wild sundae and enjoy other refreshments. Then plan on participating in the summer programs. There will be story and crafts programs, a fun scavenger hunt, a puzzle quest, activity sheets, readings logs, and coupons.

Laurel in bloom

2008-06-13T07:29:00.003-05:00

The mountain laurel around the library is just beautiful this year, and in full bloom now. The bushes are very old, and tall. It is nice to glance out the windows while I'm working and see the flowers.

Another advantage of working in an old stone building - the interior stays relatively cool, even in the heat of the summer, and we can stay comfortable with fans. The humidity can be a problem for some of the older books, and the basement. Two new dehumidifiers will be purchased soon, one for the basement and one for the main floor. Those will help stabilize the humidity levels.

I'm working on a new book order, to be submitted as soon as the new fiscal year replenishes the book budget!

New this week...

2008-05-20T14:23:00.002-05:00

Just added to the collection: Unaccustomed earth by Jhumpa Lahiri; Audition by Barbara Walters; Forward from here by Reeve Lindbergh; Twenty wishes by Debbie Macomber; Love the one you're with by Emily Giffin; The Soloist by Steve Lopez; The Whole Truth by David Baldacci, and several more.

And in the young adult collection: Go big or go home by Will Hobbs; How not to be popular by Jennifer Ziegler; Smiles to go by Jerry Spinelli; Deep down popular by Phoebe Stone; Monster Blood Book one: Foundling and Book two: Lamplighter by D.M. Cornish.

What I've been reading: Forward from here, leaving middle age and other unexpected adventures by Reeve Lindbergh. Wonderful!

New magazine policy

2008-04-10T17:26:00.002-05:00

I'm pleased to announce that several new magazine subscriptions will be added to our collection soon. The new magazines will be New Yorker, Northern Woodlands, Organic Gardening, Seed, Mother Jones, Bon Appetit, Psychology Today, Vanity Fair, Garden Design, Scientific American, Unte, Health, Natural Home, E, and the Economist. I hope this selection will prove to be a good one, satisfying the various interests of our patrons.

The new magazine circulation policy is now in effect too. Magazines may be borrowed for one week, rather than two. Current issues do circulate here, which is not common in most libraries. So with everyone's cooperation, the one week circulation time will get more magazines to more people.

New audio books

2008-03-20T17:38:00.002-05:00

Several new books on CD have just arrived. I am adding Night Soldiers by Alan Furst; The Great Upheaval by Jay Winik; Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen; The Ghost War by Alex Berenson; and Here if you need me by Kate Braestrup. More are on order, thanks to two monetary donations which are earmarked for audio books.

Winter weather

2008-03-12T07:36:00.002-05:00

In my 20 years as librarian here I've never seen water in the basement - until now. During last weekend's heavy rain the library cellar filled up with 1.5 feet of water. I didn't know about it until I received a low-temperature alert from the alarm company. The water was gone but the furnace was off. There is a very thin layer of silt on the floor and on the bottom two steps. Things had floated around, including a bookcase which landed at the bottom of the steps. But I don't store anything in the basement that matters, so we didn't lose anything.

The furnace works fine, and today is being cleaned. Let's hope this ice will melt soon, since the ice around the building (and everywhere else) is what caused the rain to come in - nowhere else for it to go!

Welcome Laurie and Liz...

2008-03-06T10:16:00.002-05:00

I would like to welcome two new library directors to our towns. Laurie Wheeler has just been hired as the director of the Arms Library in Shelburne Falls. Her energy and enthusiasm will invigorate the Arms Library. And Liz Jacobson-Carroll is the new director of the Buckland Public Library. I look forward to meeting her!

It is fun to have two new people to add to our eclectic mix of Hilltown library directors. Time for a spring meeting of our Hilltown library group so that we can welcome both ladies with refreshments and conversation.

I enjoyed my time substituting at the Arms Library on Mondays, and came away with a much better understanding of the issues this library faces as it explores its relationship with the Town of Shelburne.

Story time postponed

2008-02-22T10:09:00.002-05:00

The Seasonal Saturday story hours scheduled for February and March have been postponed until better weather reaches us in the spring. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause participants.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T17:20:00.002-05:00

Hi all, come in today and get a special chocolate treat!
New books are coming in almost daily. A new one with great reviews is Shavetail, by Thomas Cobb, set in the Arizona Territory of 1871. If you enjoyed Lonesome Dove, try this one.

In new non-fiction some choices are Write it when I'm gone, remarkable off-the-record conversations with Gerald R. Ford; and Bananas: how the United Fruit Company shaped the world.

Dewey's Decimals

2008-01-31T10:42:00.000-05:00

Have you ever thought about how the non-fiction collection is organized, or is that just a librarian thing?? Well, here is your chance to learn a little about the system of knowledge organization that Dewey used to manage a library collection. Library users in our small libraries encounter these numbers every time they browse the non-fiction collection.

Dewey's Decimals for the month of February features a display of books in the 000's. Come and see what this odd group of numbers includes.

Winter storytime coming soon...

2008-01-31T10:34:00.000-05:00

The library will have two Seasonal Saturdays story hours in February, and two in March. Here are the dates: Feb. 9 and 23, and March 8 and 22. Young children and their families are invited to listen to stories and make a craft. The story hours take place from 12:30-1:30. Please call the library at 625-0307 to register.

New Year, new books

2008-01-09T09:55:00.000-05:00

Happy 2008 to all. I have just added several new books to the collection. New mysteries include The Crazy School by Cornelia Read and Capitol Conspiracy by William Bernhardt. Getting rid of Bradley is by the always entertaining Jennifer Crusie. Joe McGinnis has written a new true-crime book called Never Enough. There are many other new novels, including titles by Sue Miller, Geraldine Brooks, Janet Evanovich, and Douglas Preston.

Seasonal Saturday today!

2007-12-22T10:46:00.000-05:00

The weather is cooperating, so today is our final Seasonal Saturday story hour, from 12:30-1:30. We will read some gingerbread stories and do a related craft.

The Bookmobile visited on Dec. 19, so a new supply of audio books on CD has arrived, as well as some different large print, fiction, and westerns.

I would like to wish a Merry Christmas to all of my library people! May your holidays be filled with warmth, good food and good companionship.

Libby

Seasonal Saturday #2

2007-12-06T16:52:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday we made two crafts at story hour. First, Libby read the new Olivia Christmas story, which was a hit! Then after two more stories, we made a "countdown to Christmas" Santa. The Santa face was made from a paper plate, then 25 rings of beard were added. Children can either add a ring a day to grow Santa's beard, or remove a ring a day to shave Santa!

For our snack we made marshmallow snowmen on a cupcake base, and decorated the snowmen with thin mints, frosting, and fruit-on-a-roll. This messy and tasty idea came from Family Fun magazine.

Here's a hint about what we will make on Saturday, Dec. 8: peek-a-boo, I see you and I recycled too!

Sign up for story hour by contacting Libby at the library.

Story time preview...

2007-11-28T16:18:00.000-05:00

As promised, here is a hint about what you will be making if you come to Saturday's program.

Santa looks weird without his beard, but beards take a while to grow....

This will be a fun activity to help count down the days until Christmas.

Seasonal Saturdays

2007-11-27T20:18:00.000-05:00

I am pleased to announce the return of story hour on four Saturdays in December. Beginning this Saturday, Dec. 1, come join in to hear some holiday stories, make a related craft, and have some refreshments. This Seasonal Saturday program will take place from 12:30-1:30, in the children's room.

Preregistration is required, so call the library at 625-0307 or email me at eburnham@cwmars.org

Check back on the blog for a preview of this week's craft....

What are your favorite new books?

2007-11-06T13:40:00.000-05:00

I wonder what everyone has been reading lately? The new Richard Russo has had a waiting list, as well as the new Archer Mayor and Robert Parker. Two of my newest favorite reads have been a novel called The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney, and a nonfiction memoir by Kate Braestrup called Here if you need me.

How about you? What have you enjoyed this fall?

Porch sale books

2007-10-29T20:11:00.000-05:00

Today I added several books to the porch sale shelves. All are children's chapter books. It is hard to discard books from the children's collection, but the shelves were bursting and I needed to make room for new books.

I will soon be weeding the children's picture books and the children's paperbacks, so keep checking the porch for new items. You can find book treasures at a bargain "price" !

New this week

2007-10-16T08:50:00.000-05:00

I am pleased to announce that the library now has a new computer for patron use. The old PAC died, and we purchased a new Dell. So come in and check your email again, use the internet, and the library catalog. Thank you all for your patience.

New books by John Grisham, John Sandford, Iris Johansen, and Ken Follett were added to the collection this week. The new book by Archer Mayor is on order and should be received soon!

New books today

2007-09-25T16:46:00.000-05:00

I have just added Dick Francis' new book, Dead Heat; Down River by John Hart, and The Age of Turbulence by Alan Greenspan.

And for kids, a funny novel by Gordon Korman called Schooled.

Call 625-0307 to reserve any of these titles.

New this week...

2007-09-20T10:53:00.000-05:00

Just cataloged and added to the collection 17 new adult fiction and non-fiction books. And for children, there are 14 new fiction, easy, and non-fiction titles! For kids, some of the titles include a beautiful new book about Dinosaurs, a book of mazes, and a sure to be popular book about trucks.

For adults, 2 "chilly" mysteries taking place in Alaska and Antarctica. New books by William Tapply, Tess Gerritsen, Valerie Martin, Richard Russo, and Philip Roth, among others.

The Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association in Deerfield is sponsoring a National Endowment for the Arts BIG READ program. They have provided all local libraries a copy of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Accompanying the book is a very interesting CD giving different perspectives on the book. Our copy is available for borrowing, and I hope you will participate in this event. Come to the library to see the display about this program.

Fun for fall

2007-08-27T14:53:00.000-05:00

Time for an update! New books are arriving daily. In addition to the new materials there are always good ideas to be had in the older books. How about some ideas for using your fall garden bounty? Have you started thinking about holiday gifts?? Come see what is available for crafting gifts and cards. And of course, you can get started on Halloween costumes anytime with some of the resources at the library.

The wireless high speed access is available not only inside the building during library hours, but outside as well. The network is Library and the password (or key) is Shelburne.

Summer Reading

2007-07-27T08:02:00.000-05:00

Catch the beat continues for one more week. Next Thursday, August 2 at 7 pm, come hear some stories about animal sounds and sounds of the ocean. Try out a new book which contains recordings of bird songs. And make an ocean in a bottle.

Someone will win tickets to the Big E, courtesy of the Western Mass Regional Library System! Drawing will be during the program on August 2.

This week's summer program...

2007-07-09T09:31:00.000-05:00

Join us at 7:00 pm on Thursday July 12 for a story and craft program. Special guest musician Kristoffer Danielsen will be accompanying the featured stories with his sousaphone! Come hear the story Tuba Lessons.

There is no story program in the morning that day.

Summer Reading this week

2007-07-02T13:25:00.000-05:00

The Summer Reading Program continues this week with ongoing sign ups, and a "Sound Safari" program on Thursday. This story and craft program is given on July 5 at 10:00 am and repeated at 7:00 pm. Listen to the sounds around us, and make a wind chime to take home.

The Library Trustees meet on Tuesday, July 3, at 7:30. Meetings take place at the library.

Announcing free wireless internet at the library

2007-06-19T13:38:00.000-05:00

The library now has wireless internet access, courtesy of Comcast. Come in to the library to use your laptop during library hours, or try hooking up in the street. You will need a password to access the network, and that is available in the library.

Summer Reading begins

2007-06-19T13:19:00.000-05:00

Back to the blog after an absence of several weeks! But today I can announce the beginning of the annual Summer Reading Program. Catch the beat @ your library is our statewide theme, and the library will have several story and craft hours with a musical touch.

Kids can begin to register for the program on Tuesday June 26, with our first program to be held on Thursday morning, June 28. Come hear some participatory stories about drums, make a drum to take home, and have a special drum snack. The program begins at 10 am, and ends at 11 am. The program will be repeated on the same evening, from 7-8 pm. Call to let the librarian know you are coming, at 625-0307.

Details about the summer reading program are available at the library, and a full calendar of events will be in your registration packet.

Stay tuned to this site for regular updates throughout the summer.

More on the busy week...

2007-05-07T09:06:00.000-05:00

I was so pleased to attend the Massachusetts Library Association's annual conference in Sturbridge. This took place over three days last week and I found interesting workshops to attend each day. The commute was easy, just over an hour each way, and the weather was beautiful. I thank the library Trustees for paying my registration fee. It has been many years since I attended the conference.

The keynote speakers were dynamic, and I learned a lot about technology in libraries. Some of the tech terms and sites I will need to follow up on, as I felt a bit clueless about many of the ideas mentioned! But I am sure that some of the programs I learned about can be applied to our little library.

My favorite program by far was "The Care and Feeding of Book Discussion Groups" led by library "celebrity" Nancy Pearl. If you are not familiar with Nancy Pearl, please let me introduce you to her books about books! I came away from her program inspired to start a book discussion group at my library, and there will be more info on that in the near future.

I also had fun looking at the exhibits, and searching for the answers to each day's raffle. The items I won for the library in the raffles more than equaled my registration fee! I won a nice basket of kid's books, and a Playaway - a pre-loaded book on MP3, which is a new techonology I hadn't seen before. Fun!

Attending MLA sent me home with lots of information and inspiration.

Busy week!

2007-05-07T09:01:00.000-05:00

On May 3 the author of The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs visited our Hilltown Community Reads party. Betty G. Birney spoke about her books, and from all accounts, the program was delightful. While this library was a sponsor of the program, I was unable to attend due to the ongoing Shelburne Town Meeting saga. I was so glad to hear that at least 40 people came to the party and had a great time! Thank you to all who participated, and to the Hilltown librarians who made the party happen. Keep on reading the book and thinking about your wonders....

More about the party...

2007-04-29T10:32:00.000-05:00

The Seven Wonders party will take place at the Arms Library, on Thursday May 3, at 7:00 pm. Has anyone created their "wonder" yet? I made mine this weekend, and will display it at the library this week. Since I like to work in fabric, that is the medium I used. It was fun to make.

Seven Wonders Party!

2007-04-28T10:08:00.000-05:00

We are so pleased to announce that Betty G. Birney, the author of our community read book, The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs, will be at a library party on Thursday May 3, 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend the party, and punch and cookies will be served. Bring your wonder stories, or artwork, or photography to share. There are still copies of the book to check out, so come in and read!

Seven Wonders!

2007-04-18T07:36:00.000-05:00

Can you discover a wonder in Shelburne? Join your neighbors in our West County towns for a community read in April and May. From April 23 to May 19 we will feature The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty G. Birney. This children's chapter book is fun for all ages and makes a great family read-aloud.

When you have finished the story, think about a wonder from your town, or in your life. Write a short essay, take a photograph, make a work of art, a scrapbook page: anything to celebrate your wonder.
Bring it to the library to share with others.

Try to identify the Mystery Wonders! See if you can figure out the location and name of the "wonders" pictured on the poster at the library.

Do some word hunts developed by Heath librarian Don Purington!

And best of all, come to a party on May 3 to meet author Betty Birney!

New DVD set

2007-03-28T08:43:00.002-05:00

I've just added a new set of DVDs to the collection. Where we live is a set of 6 DVDs by Steve Alves, and is a western Massachusetts films collection. It includes "Beneath the river;" "A Sweet tradition," a film about maple sugaring; "Together in time," about contra dancing; "Everyone's business," focusing on local entrepreneurs; "Life after high school," jobs at five local companies; and "Talking to the wall," which explores sprawl development in western mass.

Also new by a local author is a memoir by Joseph A. Parzych's Jep's place, hope faith and other disasters. Mr. Parzych grew up in Gill.

Spring story time schedule

2007-03-28T08:38:00.000-05:00

Spring story times are underway. On March 21 we read stories about spring, made spring flowers out of cupcake papers, and then ate some "happy birthday spring" cupcakes for a snack! Today we will read about rainbows, and make a beautiful rainbow to take home.

Story time will be held on these dates, all Wednesday mornings, from 10-11 a.m: April 4 & 18; May 9, 23 & 30; and June 6.

Some of our story time themes will be Easter stories, ducks, windy days, rainy days, spots, and socks!

New this week...

2007-03-19T12:55:00.000-05:00

Lots of new books are here. Among them are At some disputed barricade by Anne Perry; Gray ghost by William G. Tapply; Burning bright by Tracy Chevalier; Medicus, a novel of the Roman Empire by Ruth Downie; Sister mine by Tawni O'Dell; Sugar daddy by Lisa Kelypas; Innocent in death by JD Robb (Nora Roberts); Whitethorn woods by Maeve Binchy.

Those were just the new fiction titles. Here are some new non-fiction books: Heat, an amateur's adventures as kitchen slave, line cook, pasta-maker, and apprentice to a Dante-quoting butcher in Tuscany by Bill Buford; The Buried book, the loss and rediscovery of the great epic of Gilgamesh, by David Damrosch; The Father of all things, a marine, his son, and the legacy of Vietnam, by Tom Bissell.

Two good reads...

2007-03-12T09:29:00.000-05:00

I struck gold this weekend and read two terrific new books. A Long Way Gone, by Ishmeal Baeh is the memoir of a young boy caught up in the bloody conflict in Sierra Leone in the 1990's. His family is brutally murdered, and Ishmael becomes a boy soldier at age 12. A beautifully written, moving story. There is a perfect balance between the poignant memories of a boy whose childhood ended too quickly, the acts he was forced to perform to survive, and the insightful man he became. Baeh was eventually adopted by a New York woman, finished high school in the States, and went on to graduate from Oberlin.

The second wonderful read is the novel Traveler by Ron McLarty. I really enjoyed his The Memory of Running, and was looking forward to his new one. It was terrific! A very involving story about a man revisiting old friends he grew up with in East Providence, RI after the sister of one suddenly dies from an old bullet wound. I like authors who respect their readers and don't play emotional games with them, and this author is one of them. Beautiful use of language and great characters.

Story time returns!

2007-03-07T08:01:00.000-05:00

I am pleased to announce that a spring Story time series for preschoolers will begin on March 21. Join me in the children's room for "Wednesday Wonders" each week at 10:00 am. I will read stories and we will do some simple activities and crafts.

As the spring progesses, our story times will tie in with the activities planned for our Hilltowns Read project based on the book The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty Birney. Participants from all 7 of our West County towns, and Mohawk High School, will be reading this book and enjoying some fun programs together.

For further information on the new story time please call the library at 413-625-0307.

What's new this week...

2007-03-07T07:47:00.000-05:00

I have added several new audio books to the collection. They include an Agatha Christie mystery, Hickory, Dickory, Dock; Stalemate by Iris Johansen; Web of Evil by J.A. Jance; Returning to Earth by Jim Harrison; By the light of the moon by Dean Koontz; Damage control by Robert Dugoni; Grave tattoo by Val McDermid; Mistress of the art of death by Ariana Franklin; The Dead yard by Adrian McKinty; Promise of glory, a novel of Antietam by C.X. Moreau; The Big oyster, history on the half shell by Mark Kurlansky; There is no me without you by Melissa Faye Greene.

New DVDs

2007-02-24T11:24:00.000-05:00

Today I added several new DVDs to the collection. They are: The Departed, Man of the Year, Flicka, Keeping Mum, A Good Year, Flags of our Father, School for Scoundrels.

Call the library at 625-0307 to put a hold on any of these.

And for kids...

2007-02-19T14:10:00.000-05:00

One of my patrons just introduced me to the Toot & Puddle books by Holly Hobbie. How did I miss these?? The first delightful title is now part of the picture book collection, and I will be purchasing more. Thanks to Jennifer for telling me about these books,

Also just arrived is the 4th installment of Ann Brashare's "Sisterhood of the traveling pants" series. The current book is called Forever in Blue. Meg Cabot has written a new princess book called Princess on the Brink.

And we have Jane Yolen's latest, Sleep Black Bear, Sleep.

New books I've enjoyed reading

2007-02-19T14:00:00.000-05:00

Jimi Hendrix Turns Eighty by Tim Sandlin. I found this to be a funny/sad novel about aging hippies in an assisted living center. The story takes place in 2022. Guy Fontaine, a recent widower, experiences a funny blackout episode while playing golf. Admitted against his will to the Mission Pescadero, he meets characters who came of age in San Francisco during the 1960's. Eviction of a resident's forbidden cat touches off a rebellion against the smug administration and resident doctor which is at times over the top, but very satisfying. Actually the whole "management of the elderly" storyline scared the heck out of me! Oh yes, and Jenna Bush is President of the United States...

I've also just read Self Storage by Gayle Brandeis. Set in California in the months following 9/11, the story follows a young mother, Flan, who supplements her family's income by purchasing the contents of abandoned storage lockers and reselling on ebay and at tag sales. Flan's life is chaotic with 2 young and rather spoiled children, and a husband who is supposed to be writing his dissertation but instead watches soaps all day. Flan's fascination with a burka-ed Afghani woman next door leads to unforeseen complications in her life. Again, some of the story elements are a bit over the top, but on the whole it was a good read.

I'm about to start Traveler by Ron McLarty, and Family Ties by Barbara Delinsky.

What's new in fiction and non-fiction

2007-02-19T13:19:00.000-05:00

Recent books added to the collection include Judge & Jury by James Patterson; Flesh and Bone, a Body Farm novel by Jefferson Bass; Hide by Lisa Gardner; The Water Devil, a Margaret of Ashbury novel by Judith Merkle Riley; The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards; and Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra.

In non-fiction some new titles include Every Women's Guide to Diabetes; I Feel Bad About MyNeck by Nora Ephron; Stolen Voices: Young People's War Diaries; The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama; The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner; and The National Grasslands.

Welcome

2007-01-25T11:15:00.000-05:00

Thank you for visiting this blog. I will use it to keep folks up to date on new books and activities at the library. Please add your comments, questions, and reactions whenever you like!