Did you see that Bruce Harley is going to be here at the library this Thursday? He really knows his stuff! He's going to talk about ways we can save energy (and $$$) in our homes. I'm sure he'll have a few tips that you haven't thought of before.

So please plan to be here at 6 p.m. this Thursday, Dec. 11, up in the third floor Community Room. I think you'll be glad you came.

kw

It's been awhile...

Whew! It sure has been a long time since we posted anything on this blog. Sorry about that folks. Hope you're still with us.

There's a great concert coming up next Monday, Nov. 24, here at the library. Gospel / blues singer Robin O'Herin will offer free performance beginning at 6 p.m. The concert will last an hour or a bit longer. Hope you can make it.

Just a note: The library will be closing this Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m. so that staff can get ready for Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday!). The good news is that we will be open our regular hours that Friday and Saturday.

Best to you and yours for the holiday!
kc

Craft Circles Reconvene

The library's Thursday evening "Knitting and Crochet Circle" and Monday evening "Handcrafts Circle" are starting up again for the fall/winter season. Each drop-in group meets weekly on its respective night from 6 to 7:30 in the library's Main Parlor. What a way to get inspired and motivated to work on making your holiday gifts!

The Monday group welcomes anyone whose handcraft is portable and not too messy; the Thursday group is for yarn workers. Both groups offer mutual instruction and support. Feel free to come when you can -- just bring your own project and supplies.

kc

Book Sale!

Don't forget that the library's book sale is this coming Friday and Saturday, September 26 and 27! On Friday it is from 9 to 5; on Saturday from 9 to 1. This is your chance to get some great deals on those volumes you've been wanting!! Also it includes books on tape and CD, and videos.

Have you read . . .

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon? What an interesting book! Of it, BookPage says, "Imagine having the capacity to calculate every prime number up to 7,057, but an utter inability to express anger, love or fear. That's the brilliant, bewildering reality for Christopher John Francis Boone, the 15-year-old narrator of Mark Haddon's whimsical first novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time."

Haddon's small volume will be the focus of the Happy Bookers book discussion on Tuesday, October 4, at 6 p.m. at the library. Copies of the book are currently available at the library. It's a quick read, and we'd love to hear your opinion!

Free Movies!

Did you know that you can download nearly 300 PBS videos through our digital catalog using your library card?

And how do you reach the digital catalog? There's a link on the library homepage in the right-hand menu, about half-way down, "Electronic Books and Movies Catalog," that will take you there. Or you can go directly the the site by clicking HERE - but be sure you have your library card handy, because you'll need that to get access. Your number is right below the barcode on the back of your card. You also can download audio books from that site. Just one more service brought to you by the North Adams Public Library and the Central & Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing Network (C/WMARS)!

Happy July!

It's a new month, and time to consider summer reading.

Are you planning a vacation? The library has tons of books on travel, both within the US and elsewhere. Driving? Take along a book on tape or CD.

Time at the beach or the lake? How about some light reading -- if you tell the reference staff what authors you like, they'll help you find other authors whose work you also may like.

Time for look into your family's history? The library offers free access to Ancestry.com and NEHGS databases, as well as loads of information on local folks. Did you know we have the Transcript back to 1844? Local births, marriages and deaths from c. 1781 to about 1906?

Summer time is reading time, and we've got lots to offer. Or, for those ranier days, we have hundreds of movies and dozens of topics on non-fiction DVDs. Hope you'll be in soon to check it out.
kc

Library411 : R.I.P

Yes, we've discontinued our Library411 eZine. Staff time is stretched to the limit, and something had to go. Since there were only about 30 subscribers, it was decided that we would put that project on indefinite hold. For those of you who subscribed, Thank You.
kc

Reporting back

There were 26 of us at last week's "Muffins for Memories" program. Marcia Sarrouf baked muffins made from recipes in a 1940s cookbook found in the library's archives, and they were far less sweet than the muffins in today's cookbooks! She also arranged for others to bake modern muffins to share. The library provided coffee and tea.

Stories abounded. Emcee Justyna Carlson read articles from the May 3, 1948 North Adams Transcript, and related stories about each article. Her stories got the group talking, and one shared memory led to the next, and on and on. Some participants were surprised by how much they could remember of those long-ago days!

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Participants suggested we do more "Muffins for Memories" programs. Library and Historical Society personnel are considering schedule one reflecting on the 1950s in North Adams. Stay tuned for further information.

Muffins for Memories : 1940s on the Home Front

Come reminisce with us, and share your stories or the stories you've been told about North Adams in the 1940s this Thursday, May 21, at 6 p.m. in the library's third floor Community Room.

Library and Historical Society staff have gathered images, stories, and other ephemera to jog our memories. These include ""Where did you do business?" (shops & government), "Do you remember?" (ads and prices), "Anything here look familiar?" (local photos that need identification), and "What was your favorite recreation?" (movies, books, etc.)

We hope you'll join us!

kc/rm

A week of vacation!

Vacation is just over the horizon! What are you planning to do?

REACH is offering two great programs in the library's Children's Department during Vacation Week.

On Tuesday, April 22, "Northern Berkshire Grows" - plant some seed to nurture and watch, and they'll be planted in the library's garden when the weather gets warm enough. At the same time you can learn about Community gardening!

Then on Wednesday, April 23, "Healthy Kids on the Mooove! presents "Cowabunga Calcium. Can you guess what this will be?

Both programs will run from 11 a.m. to noon. They are free and open to everyone!

Meanwhile, I'm heading out of town for a relaxing week with friends. Let's all enjoy great vacations!

The Robert Frost program last night was lots of fun -- wish more of you had been there! Which reminds me, the local Poetry Slam is coming up on April 22 at 6 p.m. here at the library in the third floor meeting room. Whether you are a poet or an appreciator, do join us -- it's sure to be a fun time. And the winner of our slam goes on to compete in the Regional Slam!

kc

Goodreads, too

Librarything looks like a great way to share your book reviews and keep track of what you've read. Another good site is Goodreads , which several library patrons use as well. Please share with us which you prefer, and why.
kc

LibraryThing

A couple of our fans put us as their library on LibraryThing, so we went to check it out. We set up an account, and hope you will become "friends" and share your book reviews and suggestions with us. We also are posting the book for the next Book Discussion, and you can add your reviews there as well.
Here's the link:
http://www.librarything.com/
jswidget.php?reporton=naplibrary&show=random&header=
1&num=5&covers=small&text=all&tag=alltags&css=1&style=
1&charset=&version=1"

Any other LibraryThing users out there? How do you use it? What do you think about it?

kc

We like this one!

The Jane Austen Book Club, a movie based on Karen Joy Fowler's 2004 novel, is making the rounds among the library staff, and the in-house reviews have been excellent! You don't need to know a lot -- or anything! -- about Jane Austen's books to enjoy this movie. Some claim it is a "chic flick" -- but many men enjoy it as well, and Austen fans will delight in the references and parallels.

We have one copy of the book and one copy of the movie (DVD) at the library, and can order the movie from other libraries if ours is out. Give it a look and let us know what you think!

napl

Who is your favorite Sleuth?

This month's Book Discussion was to talk about our favorite sleuths or investigators. Not too many folks showed up, so we thought we'd open up the question to our blogfolk: Who do you like best? Why?

We'll post ours after a few of you have posted -- we don't want to influence anyone too much ;-)

kc

Ceiling leak

Materials in the vault will be unavailable until further notice, due to several leaks in the vault ceiling.

kc

Library Closed Mon., Feb. 18

Hear ye, hear ye! The library will close for Presidents' Day on Monday, Feb. 18. Pick up your books and videos early, and avoid the rush!

New Chess Program for Youth

Our high school intern has begun an after school chess program for teens! It meets every Wednesday through March from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Young Adult area upstairs. Teens of all ages and chess experience are welcome. Come check it out!!

Tech Challenge: Online Genealogy

We held our first session about using Ancestry.com and FirstSearch this week. We should have waited. There were several technical problems logging all 8 computers onto our licensed Ancestry site, so we really couldn't do what we had hoped. Instead, we worked with folk on FirstSearch, the LDS free website, and did some demonstrations on Ancestry.

The good news is that we have fixed the problems. Our next class should work out better. We've offered a few spots in the next class to folks attending the first class, since it was a bit of a bust, but there are several registration slots still open. We will begin taking registrations on Monday, Jan. 28 at 662-3133. The class itself will be held Tuesday, Feb. 5 from 6 to 7:30.

Yes, even librarians are not infallible ;-)
kc

Update on yarn and craft opportunities at the library

Our knitting group has multiplied! Contrary to prior reports, our Monday group will continue in addition to our new Thursday group!

The Monday group will welcome all crafters whose hobby can be portable and not too messy -- the library prefers not to have glue or glitter or tiny beads or anything that can easily scatter brought in. But punch needlers, embroiderers, Temari ball makers, counted cross stichers and such are welcome to join with the Monday group.

At this time the Thursday group will stick with knitting and crochet, and hopes to grow to include everyone from beginner through advanced.

Both groups meet at 6 p.m. on their respective nights, and are to finish up by 7:45. Both meet in our main parlor.

Muppets at the library, pt 1

Found this youtube video on "Love the Liberry" - hope you like it (please keep the volume down within the library).