Library News

Jacob Edwards Library

February 2026

Library Hours

Monday & Thursday 9 am - 8 pm

Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 9 am - 5 pm

Saturdays 9 am - 1 pm

Curbside pickup is available during library hours!

Please note: the Library will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2026 in observance of Presidents' Day.

Jacob Edwards Library Chess Park and Performance Space

“A place for everyone across the Board”

The Chess Park Ad Hoc Committee has started fundraising for the project and looks forward to developing an open-air venue. The library has hosted a chess event on Saturdays for some years. To access the rendering (created by Joseph Coen, Landscape Architect) proposed for the space on the southeast corner of the library property and most detailed information, please visit the Chess Park page on the Library's website.

Questions? Please contact Bernadette Meade at bmeade2979@gmail.com.

Hoopla Spotlight

Programming

JEL programs are always free and all are welcome.

Mindfulness Meditation

Friday, February 6

2:00 - 3:00 pm

Mills Room

Inviting Mindfulness Meditation into your daily routine is an opportunity to cultivate awareness and presence. The Jacob Edwards Library is pleased to host Iris Vega, certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher and mentor, to present a series of sessions.

You may bring your Yoga mat if you prefer doing the practice lying down.

Southbridge Chess Club

Saturdays, February 7 & 21

10:00 - 11:30 am

Come play, learn, and connect! A friendly environment for all ages and skill levels, from complete beginners to seasoned players. Boards provided. Bring a friend, bring your moves, or just bring curiosity.

VIRTUAL PROGRAMS

Please note that these programs will take place via Zoom. An access link will be sent to the email provided. These programs will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

Workshops For Job Seekers (Wednesdays at 9:30 am)

February 11: Expert Strategies When Unemployment Strikes At Midlife

Register directly on Zoom

Finding yourself unexpectedly unemployed is deeply unsettling, personally and professionally. When it occurs at midlife, it is all the more challenging. Discover successful strategies that workers who experienced long-term unemployment can use to piece their well-being back together. Led by Kelly A. Clark, PhD, author of Getting Back to Work - How to Piece Your Well-Being Back Together When Unemployment Strikes at Midlife.

February 25: Assessments - Working From The Inside Out

Register directly on Zoom

Companies in 2026 employ a vast array of tools to find the perfect hire. Job seekers must be prepared to deal with AI, neuroscience, and a host of possible behavioral assessments. Do these tools actually work? Is it possible to beat them? How can we best prepare, so we present our best self?

March 11: "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) with Resume & LinkedIn Coach Virginia Franco

Register directly on Zoom

Virginia Franco, founder of Virginia Franco Resumes, will hold an AMA for job seekers. She welcomes any questions about resumes and LinkedIn writing.

Evening Programs (Wednesdays at 7 pm)

February 4: An Evening For People Who Love Animals - Melanie Kaplan & E.B. Bartels Discuss Their Books

Register directly on Zoom

Authors Melanie Kaplan (Lab Dog: A Beagle and His Human Investigate the Surprising World of Animal Research) and E.B. Bartels (Good Grief: On Loving Pets, Here and Hereafter) will discuss their new books on important topics of interest to pet owners and animal lovers.

February 11: The Art Spy - The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland

Register directly on Zoom

Author Michelle Young discusses her new book, The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland. A riveting and stylish saga set in Paris during World War II, The Art Spy uncovers the true story of how an unlikely heroine infiltrated the Nazi leadership to save the world's most treasured masterpieces. The book was longlisted for the 2025 American Library of Paris Book Award. 

February 18: The Political Debate Over The Size & Use Of U.S. Military Forces During The Civil War

Register directly on Zoom

Author Cecily N. Zander will give a presentation based on her latest book, The Army Under Fire: The Politics of Antimilitarism in the Civil War Era. Winner of The Center for Civil War Research's 2025 Wiley-Silver Prize (best first book on Civil War history), The Army Under Fire is a pathbreaking study focusing on the fierce political debates over the size and use of military forces in the United States during the Civil War era. It examines how prominent political figures interacted with the professional army and how those same leaders misunderstood the value of regular soldiers fighting to reunify the fractured nation. 

February 25: Burglary At The Louvre - How Can Writers Top This?

Register directly on Zoom

The world is fascinated by the recent jewel robbery at the Louvre, and so are the Curators of Crime, mystery authors Connie Berry, Lane Stone, Nina Wachsman, and M. A. Monnin. In this presentation, the Curators of Crime will examine the public’s fascination with the recent burglary of Napoleonic jewels at the Louvre and discuss how as authors they have used the same elements in their books. They cover the crime itself, the police investigation and their procedures for nailing the thieves, the psychology and motives that prompt such a bold theft, and how the intrinsic and historical value of the jewels make them targets and add to the public’s fear of their loss.

March 4: Bestselling Author Kate White In Conversation With "The Death Investigator" Barbara Butcher

Register directly on Zoom

Author Kate White will discuss her new thriller, I Came Back For You, in conversation with Barbara Butcher, host of "The Death Investigator" on Peacock and the author of What The Dead Know.

Thank you to the Tewksbury Public Library for these programming partnership opportunities.

Maps and the Map Center

Thursday, February 12

6:30 - 7:30 pm

Join Andrew Middleton of The Map Center in Pawtucket, RI for a fun and informative talk on how maps tell all sorts of stories. Learn how historical and contemporary maps are designed to convey information, but also how they have been designed to present particular world-views. Andrew will also tell the story of how he became the owner of the oldest map store in New England.

Andrew Middleton is a geographic information systems specialist, consultant, and published cartographer who has been steering the 72-year-old Pawtucket staple back into the limelight with beautiful maps from around the world that challenge us to see the places we love in new ways.

Sponsored by Olive I. and Anthony A. Borgatti Donor Advised Fund GWCF.

Wednesday, February 18

2:00 - 3:00 pm

In honor of Black History Month, in February the group will discuss Harlem Shuffle by Coleson Whitehead. Books are available at the Circulation Desk for checkout.

"'Ray Carney was only slightly bent when it came to being crooked....'

Harlem Shuffle's ingenious story plays out in a beautifully recreated New York City of the early 1960s. It's a family saga masquerading as a crime novel, a hilarious morality play, a social novel about race and power, and ultimately a love letter to Harlem. But mostly, it's a joy to read, another dazzling novel from the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning Colson Whitehead." - Provided by publisher.

Home Garden Workshop: Growing and Storing Onions

Thursday, February 19

2:00 - 3:00 pm

The Jacob Edwards Library is pleased to present a workshop on Growing and Storing Onions with Christie Higginbottom.

Understanding the life cycle and day-length sensitivity of onions is the key to knowing how best to grow, harvest and store them. This workshop will include instructions for starting onion seeds indoors under lights, and growing onions from sets. Garden culture will be explained, as well as how to know when onions are mature to harvest for long term storage.

For twenty years Christie Higginbottom supervised the historic horticulture program at Old Sturbridge Village, researching, planning and planting the re-created kitchen and flower gardens at the museum’s historic households and the Paul Rogers Herb Garden exhibit. She has taught home gardening classes for the Northeast Organic Farmers Association, Bay Path Adult Evening School, and the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill.

Thursday, February 26

6:30 - 7:30 pm

The Jacob Edwards Library welcomes Crocodile River Music for a concert celebrating Black History Month.

African rhythms, history, and culture merge into an evening of movement, cultural exploration, and joy. Internationally recognized, the group consists of members from Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and the US. Crocodile River Music’s mission is to connect audiences with African artists and cultures through performance and education. They are a diverse group of people committed to presenting African art, music, and culture to audiences of all ages, backgrounds, and capabilities.

Sponsored by the Southbridge Cultural Council. The Southbridge Cultural Council is a local agency funded by Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Staff Picks

The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi

This fantasy told amidst sand and steel is a short one, the kind you can read in a single afternoon. One might assume, due to this brevity, that the world and characters contained within would be shallow, but this would be a terrible mistake to make. Utomi paints a rich and vibrant picture in this novella, one ready to grip your heart and squeeze hard enough to leave bruises behind.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Writing a novel not only set in a specific era, but attempting to emulate the writing conventions of that time period, is a daunting task. Waters proved herself more than up to it with this novel, capturing the evocative era of Dickens and Richardson in her style while giving it a significantly modern twist. This tale has two of the most potent leads in literature, and the maelstrom of thievery, betrayal, and love that arises between them doubles as a fascinating social commentary.

Illusion of Justice by Jerome F. Buting

Whether you’ve seen the documentary Making a Murderer or, like me, only know the case through reputation, this analysis of not only that trial but also several others like it, and the story they tell in aggregate, makes for a captivating read. The book was written to be easily understood regardless of what level of knowledge regarding the court system you enter with, and I’d be surprised if you finished it without learning something new in the process.

Thank you to Circulation Assistant Trish Hankins for her reviews.

Mass Center for the Book

Student Reading Challenge

Choose a book that fits the monthly challenge prompt. Library staff will happily help you find a book that fits the monthly theme - or see the display in the Teen area for suggestions. Then, fill out a short form to tell us about the book and enter into a raffle. Mass Center for the Book will run drawings for prizes.

Have fun and happy reading!

Mass Center for the Book

Student Reading Challenge

June 2025 - May 2026

The Jacob Edwards Library is thrilled to be partnering with Mass Center for the Book to promote their Student Reading Challenge. Pick up your passport in the Children's Room and participate by following the steps below:

• Choose a book that fits the monthly challenge prompt. Library staff will happily help you find a book that fits the monthly theme.
• Once you have read your book, bring your Passport to the Children's Room Circulation Desk and tell them what you read. They will give you a sticker for that month.
• Each month, the student (and a parent/guardian if the student is under 13) can fill out a short form to tell us about the book and enter into a raffle. Mass Center for the Book will run drawings for prizes. Monthly participation determines eligibility.

Have fun and happy reading!

Board of Trustees

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for

February 24 at 12 pm.

Details will be available on the Town of Southbridge website, under Public Meetings Calendar, for all public meetings.

All meetings are open to the public.

The mission of the Friends of the Jacob Edwards Library is to be the advocacy and fundraising arm of the Library. We raise money for items such as library programs, books, subscriptions, museum pass memberships, and other materials, as needed. 

The next meeting of the Friends is scheduled for

Monday, February 2 at 1 pm.

New members are always welcome!

See you at the Library!

Jacob Edwards Library

508.764.5426

jelibrary@cwmars.org