Library News

Jacob Edwards Library

July 2023

Library Hours

Monday & Thursday 9 am - 8 pm

Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 9 am - 5 pm

Curbside pickup is available during library hours!

Massachusetts Statewide Digital Equity Survey

Time needed: 5 minutes

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) wants to hear from you about your experiences with getting and using internet service. Your input will help the State make sure that everyone can have access to high-quality and affordable internet service, devices, skills training, and digital support.

The survey is completely anonymous. Questions are optional, unless specified otherwise. You may skip all optional questions. You can exit the survey at any point and return to the same page where you left by coming back to this website. We do not ask for any personally identifiable information (e.g., name, email, address). We collect demographic information so that we can make sure we are representing all neighborhoods, towns, cities and demographic groups across the Commonwealth, and to enable municipal planning efforts as well as statewide planning.

Thank you for your time and participation. Information you share here will help us develop the Massachusetts Digital Equity Plan and ensure equitable internet access for all.

Click here to take the survey!

Adult Summer Reading Program

That's right - summer reading is NOT just for kids!

Adults can sign up by using this form or in person at the Library.

You can earn tickets for our prize drawings by signing up, attending programs, participating in challenges, and, of course, reading! Two prizes (a model bookstore and a scrapbook kit) will be awarded at the end of the program!

Sponsored by Friends of Jacob Edwards Library.

Model Bookstore

Scrapbook Kit

July Art Exhibit

Acrylics and Watercolors of Art Furtado

Meet & Greet

Thursday, July 6th

6:30 - 7:30 pm

JEL is pleased to host the work of artist and educator Art Furtado.

Artist's biographical sketch and statement:

"I was born and grew up in Arlington, MA. As a child, I discovered that drawing and painting gave me great pleasure. My parents encouraged us to work diligently at whatever we were doing. In Junior High School West I had a great art teacher and was also introduced to photography.

After high school, I attended Boston State College and Boston University where the interest in art became my motivation to teach and encourage others with the same interests and possible career choices. I graduated with a B.S. in Education and Art. My graduate studies were in art and education at various colleges but much of my coursework was at the Worcester Art Museum Education Department.

My teaching career began in 1969 at the former Charlton Middle School/High School. In 1973 Shepherd Hill High School opened and I became a member of the Art Department. I taught there for 35 years, retiring in 2004, after a long successful, and enjoyable career.

My style of painting could be described as American Realist and my favorite artists would be Winslow Homer and John Singer Sargent.

After retiring, I traveled to the West Coast and to the Carolinas while continuing my artwork in watercolors and drawing. Some paintings in this exhibit were done on the West Coast trips. Most of my subjects are from local traveling along the New England Coastline. I’ve had numerous shows and exhibits over the years. I was also teaching photography in my last years of teaching. I worked at the Center of Hope for about 7 years working with the clients.

I am now a member of the Ruth Wells Center for the Arts (QVCAH) and have been in the past for many years. The pen and ink of that building is here on loan for this show. I also teach privately.

There is an Open Studio that Charlie Gaulin and myself oversee on Thursday afternoons at the Center for working on individual art projects."

Sponsored by Friends of Jacob Edwards Library.

For July's book club meeting, we have chosen one of the summer reading choices for Bay Path students - The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green.

Multiple copies in various formats will be on hold - please ask for a copy at the Information Desk.

From the publisher:

"The Anthropocene is the current geologic age, in which humans have profoundly reshaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony of essays adapted and expanded from his groundbreaking podcast, bestselling author John Green reviews different facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale—from the QWERTY keyboard and sunsets to Canadian geese and Penguins of Madagascar.

Funny, complex, and rich with detail, the reviews chart the contradictions of contemporary humanity. As a species, we are both far too powerful and not nearly powerful enough, a paradox that came into sharp focus as we faced a global pandemic that both separated us and bound us together.

John Green’s gift for storytelling shines throughout this masterful collection. The Anthropocene Reviewed is an open-hearted exploration of the paths we forge and an unironic celebration of falling in love with the world."

Recommendations for future titles are always welcome!

Beekeeping

Thursday, July 13th

6:30 - 7:30 pm

JEL is pleased to present Ken Warchol, beekeeper and program director of the Worcester County Beekeepers Association.

Ken has been keeping bees for over 70 years and is the apiary inspector for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He was part of the Harvard University team studying Colony Collapse Disorder and maintains over 125 hives all over Central Massachusetts.

Sponsored by Friends of Jacob Edwards Library. 

Blues and the Poetry of the Harlem Renaissance

featuring Robin O’Herin

Thursday, July 20th

6:30 - 7:30 pm

The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual, social, and artistic explosion that took place in Harlem, New York, From about 1918-1937. It was a blossoming of African American culture, particularly in the creative arts, and the most influential movement in African American literary history. 

The performing arts were an integral part of the Harlem Renaissance, and The Blues permeated the poetry and art of that period. Blues music, which was already being played in juke joints across the South, reached a broader audience through vaudeville, which preceded and overlapped the time of the Harlem Renaissance.

Learn more about this seminal time period in American History and the incredible music that permeated it in a historical concert with 2022 Capital Region acoustic blues finalist, and touring artist, Robin O'Herin.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Southbridge Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. 

Afternoon Author Talk

One Door Closes:

Overcoming Adversity By Following Your Dreams

with Tom Ingrassia

Wednesday, July 26th

2:00 - 3:00 pm

JEL is pleased to host a presentation from Tom Ingrassia on the book One Door Closes: Overcoming Adversity By Following Your Dreams (co-written with Jared Chrudimsky).

Originally published in 2013, One Door Closes is being adapted as the documentary film, "One Door Closes: Korey's Courage", which will have its premiere in Worcester in September.

One Door Closes presents the inspiring stories of 16 people from all walks of life (including Mary Wilson of The Supremes; Scherrie Payne, Formerly of The Supremes; and June Monteiro of The Toys) who have overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles in order to achieve their dreams. Through their powerful, first-person stories, these dreamers share a road map guiding the reader to discover how to live their life with vision, courage, determination, and passion. Several of those profiled in the book live in Central Massachusetts.

In his lively presentation, Tom Ingrassia (who is the host of The Motown Jukebox on WCUW 91.3FM) will share his "author journey," the fascinating story of how the book came into being, how those profiled were chosen...and how he is taking the book from the written page to feature film.

Tom Ingrassia is a motivational speaker, award-winning author, success coach, and award-winning radio personality. In 2001, following a successful 25-year career in higher education, Tom re-invented himself as an entertainment manager, with the formation of Tom Ingrassia Productions. Along the way, he has worked with some of the legendary singers from the 1960s, including Mary Wilson (The Supremes). In 2006, Tom formed The MotivAct Group, offering holistic personal and professional development workshops, seminars, and individual coaching for success. An in-demand speaker, Tom travels the country with his motivational programs.

Sponsored by Friends of Jacob Edwards Library.

The Wind Knows My Name

by Isabel Allende

"Vienna, 1938. Samuel Adler is five years old when his father disappears during Kristallnacht—the night his family loses everything. As her child’s safety becomes ever harder to guarantee, Samuel’s mother secures a spot for him on a Kindertransport train out of Nazi-occupied Austria to England. He boards alone, carrying nothing but a change of clothes and his violin.

Arizona, 2019. Eight decades later, Anita Díaz and her mother board another train, fleeing looming danger in El Salvador and seeking refuge in the United States. But their arrival coincides with the new family separation policy, and seven-year-old Anita finds herself alone at a camp in Nogales. She escapes her tenuous reality through her trips to Azabahar, a magical world of the imagination. Meanwhile, Selena Durán, a young social worker, enlists the help of a successful lawyer in hopes of tracking down Anita’s mother.

Intertwining past and present, The Wind Knows My Name tells the tale of these two unforgettable characters, both in search of family and home. It is both a testament to the sacrifices that parents make and a love letter to the children who survive the most unfathomable dangers—and never stop dreaming. - From publisher

Services Spotlight

Library of Things

Did you know that JEL has a number of non-traditional items that you can borrow for free with your library card, such as hotspots, jigsaw puzzles, museum passes, and more? Check out what we have to offer here and keep your eye out as new items are continually being added.

Suggestions are always welcome!

Teen Summer Reading Program

Teens can sign up by using this form or in person at the Library.

You can earn tickets for our prize drawings by signing up, attending programs, participating in challenges, and, of course, reading!

One prize will be awarded each week!

Sponsored by Friends of Jacob Edwards Library.

Free lunch for patrons 18 and under will be held daily from 11 am - 1 pm, beginning July 5th.

For July's book club meeting, we have chosen one of the summer reading choices for Bay Path students - The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green.

Multiple copies in various formats will be on hold - please ask for a copy at the Information Desk.

From the publisher:

"The Anthropocene is the current geologic age, in which humans have profoundly reshaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony of essays adapted and expanded from his groundbreaking podcast, bestselling author John Green reviews different facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale—from the QWERTY keyboard and sunsets to Canadian geese and Penguins of Madagascar.

Funny, complex, and rich with detail, the reviews chart the contradictions of contemporary humanity. As a species, we are both far too powerful and not nearly powerful enough, a paradox that came into sharp focus as we faced a global pandemic that both separated us and bound us together.

John Green’s gift for storytelling shines throughout this masterful collection. The Anthropocene Reviewed is an open-hearted exploration of the paths we forge and an unironic celebration of falling in love with the world."

Recommendations for future titles are always welcome!

Welcome to the Children's Page

July

2023

Join us this Summer for some great programming and reading fun!

We will be offering

"FREE" lunch daily starting July 5, 2023

from 11am -1 pm

Daily programs and Summer fun await you at the JEL Children's room!

Tuesday Steam Club

Join us on Tuesday Mornings from

11:00am-noon



Activities include art, playdough, puzzles, building circuits, kinetic sand, tinkering and much more!

Lego Club

Tuesdays & Thursdays

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Crafty Wednesday

All Day

 Every Week



Tinkering Thursday

Join us on Thursday afternoons from

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Great for kids 5 and up



What is Tinkering?

"to take things apart, put things together, figure out how things work, and attempt to build and make creations using tools."

Remember to sign up for Summer Reading!

See you at the Library!

Jacob Edwards Library

508.764.5426

jelibrary@cwmars.org