February 2024

edgartownlibrary.org 508-627-4221

Library Hours

Monday: 10am-5pm

Tuesday: 10am-6pm

Wednesday: 10am-6pm

Thursday: 10am-5pm

Friday: 10am-5pm

Saturday 10am-5pm


Library closures this month:

Monday, February 19 - Closed for President's Day


Questions?

Please CLICK HERE to visit our website and learn more.


Still have questions? We’re here to help. Please call us at 508-627-4221 or email info@edgartownlibrary.org with your inquiries or special requests.

The Friends of the Edgartown Free Public Library are a volunteer organization whose mission is to raise funds and support the library and its programs. To make a donation, please read their latest Annual Appeal Letter and consider supporting the Friends today.


Want to join? The Friends' next monthly meeting will be held via Zoom on Thursday, February 1st at 9:30am, and all are welcome to attend. Please email director@edgartownlibrary.org for the link to the meeting.

Adult Programs Survey

We want to hear from you! In the new year, we're looking to hear your perspectives on adult programs at the library. Through this survey, we hope to gain valuable information about how we can better serve our patrons and offer an exciting array of programs in 2024. The survey is anonymous and takes less than five minutes to complete; click here to get started.

Adult Programs

[Online] College Admissions & the Changing Landscape of Affirmative Action

Tuesday, February 6

7pm - 8pm

In 2023, the United States Supreme Court ruled in a landmark decision that race-based affirmative action programs in college admissions processes violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. How has this decision impacted students and college applicants? Join Dr. Anthony Abraham Jack of Boston University and Prof. Christina J. Cross of Harvard University for an educational discussion.


Registration is required.


This program is funded by the Friends of the Watertown Public Library, in collaboration with other Massachusetts libraries.


For more info and to register, click here.

Ukulele Jam Group

Tuesday, February 6

Tuesday, February 20

4pm - 5:30pm

Join in for a ukulele jam session twice a month, every other month. Players of all ages and levels are welcome. Brief instruction will be included with an emphasis on strumming and having fun. The group will provide a few extra ukuleles, but please bring your own uke or other stringed instrument if you have one.


The library also has two ukuleles available for patrons to borrow using their library card. Please contact us or inquire at the circulation desk to learn more.

Salt Water Wednesdays: Edgartown Bay Scallops

Wednesday, February 7

1pm - 2pm

Sign up for this monthly workshop where you'll leave with not only a filet (or some shellfish) for dinner, but also the knowledge of how to process your next catch. This month we will be learning how to shuck some of our island's finest bounty: local-harvested Edgartown bay scallops. Special thanks to the Edgartown Shellfish Department for harvesting these treasures.


Registration is required.


All shellfish are generously donated by the Edgartown Shellfish Department.


Please note: consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.


For more info and to register, click here.

Opera Club: Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann

Sunday, February 11

1pm - 4pm

Equal parts sensual, droll, and macabre, Offenbach's final opera has remained a firm audience favorite since its premiere in Paris in 1881. This enchanting John Schlesinger production from Covent Garden is led by tenor Vittorio Grigolo in the title role, with a dream cast of the various women in his life, including soprano Sonya Yoncheva and mezzo Kate Lindsey. Baritone Thomas Hampson sings Hoffmann's nemeses – all four of them. Evelino Pido conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Performance in French with English subtitles, the running time is three hours including intermission. All adults are welcome.


This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Edgartown Free Public Library.

Tech Time at the Anchors

Wednesday, February 14

11am - 12pm

Do you have questions about using your laptop, smartphone, iPad, or other devices? The Edgartown Library is partnering with the Edgartown Council on Aging to provide tech time sessions every month at the Anchors. Call 508-627-4368 to sign up for a 20-minute session.


You can also stop by the library during our open hours for tech help, or schedule a tech appointment by clicking here.


One Piano, Four Hands: Concert with Molly Sturges & Lisa Weiss

Saturday, February 24

6:30pm - 7:30pm

In this debut duet, pianists Molly Sturges and Lisa Weiss will perform side-by-side on the Mason & Hamlin piano in the library’s program room. Their concert will feature works by Mozart, Faure, Dello Joio, and Schubert, written especially for four-hand piano performances. Light refreshments will be served.


This program has been generously funded by the Friends of the Edgartown Free Public Library.

12 Months 12 Books Book Club

Tuesday, February 20

4pm - 5pm

Join Library Director Lisa Sherman in taking on the 2024 Reading Challenge! All year long, book group participants may select a book of their choosing based on each month's theme, and we'll get together to discuss our selections. Theme-related book recommendations for this month are offered here, but participants may select any book related to the theme. February’s challenge is “a book with a color in the title.”


The 2024 Reading Challenge is brought to you by the Massachusetts Center for the Book. It gives people of all ages in Massachusetts a chance to set and meet the goal of reading a book each month in a specific category and to share their experience within their reading community. Participating readers can enter to win prizes. Bookmarks with all monthly themes are available at the circulation desk. For more information and to sign up, click here.

“Living Fully, Dying Prepared” Workshop Series

Tuesday, February 27

5:30pm - 6:30pm

Join local death doula and community educator Jelisa Difo for part two of an immersive "Living Fully, Dying Prepared" Community Workshop Series. This three-part monthly series introduces end-of-life planning through a sampling of sections and exercises from the book, The Death Doula’s Guide to Living Fully and Dying Prepared by Francesca Lynn Arnoldy. Each workshop builds on the previous one, but participants are not required to attend all three.


Adults of all ages and stages of life are welcome.



This month's theme: Exploring End-of-Life Planning and Funeral Arrangements


Registration is required.


For more info and to register, click here.

Chef Look Cooks - Food Look-Alikes: Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Thursday, February 29

2pm - 3:30pm

Join us for the library’s new cooking series all about making look-alike food from surprising ingredients. This month, Chef Look will be tackling a hearty homestyle favorite: chicken and dumplings. We’re going to stick with pillowy-soft drop dumplings for this look-alike, but the ingredients might surprise you. Come hungry to our next program, and learn how you can make dumplings out of just about anything.


Registration is required.


This program has been generously funded by the Friends of the Edgartown Free Public Library.


For more info and to register, click here.

Weekly Adult Programs

Drop-in Mah Jongg

Mondays

1pm - 3pm (no program on 2/19)

Come to the library every Monday for our drop-in Mah Jongg sessions. These sessions do not include formal instruction, but they will provide a chance to practice what you have learned! Experienced players are encouraged to join. Mats, tiles, and cards will be provided, but please bring your own if you have them. 


Note: there will be no program on February 19.



Drop-in Knitting Group, with Cindy Bonnell

Wednesdays

3pm - 5pm

Master knitter Cindy Bonnell presides over a sociable group of knitters on Wednesday afternoons. Experts and aspiring knitters of all levels of experience are welcome to bring their projects and drop in for support, inspiration, and advice.



Restorative Reset, with Jelisa Difo

Wednesdays

5:30pm - 6:30pm

This class will explore Restorative Yin postures done close to the ground to promote deep rest and encourage physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. Appropriate for all levels, restorative yoga is practiced at a slow pace and focuses on long holds, stillness, and deep breathing. A limited number of yoga mats and props are available; if you have your own, please bring them with you.

Vintage Valentines Film Night

Thursdays

6pm - 8pm

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we’re showcasing some of the most beloved romance movies of the 20th century. This marriage of classic Hollywood and French New Wave cinema is a delight for cinephiles and romantics alike. Shown with English subtitles. Dessert and light refreshments will be served. Click on the titles below for more information.



These programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Edgartown Public Library.

Teen Programs

Teen & Tween Poetry Workshop Series, with Claudia Taylor

Thursday, February 8

Thursday, February 22

3pm - 4pm

Teens and tweens ages 12-18 are invited to participate in this series of poetry writing workshops, hosted by Programs Coordinator and poet, Claudia Taylor. In each workshop, you will learn about a different technique or prompt for writing poetry, and have the chance to write and share your work with others in a fun and positive environment. Snacks will be provided.


Registration is required.


This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Edgartown Public Library.


For more info and to register, click here.

Kids & Families

Active Animals: Creative Movement

Thursday, February 29

10:30am - 11am

Join us as we explore the space around us through various animal progressions. By mimicking the sounds and movements of our favorite animals, we engage our imaginations and our muscles all while having fun with our friends. Geared toward ages 2-5, but all are welcome.

Spread the Love

All month long in the Children's Room

Drop in to make cards to take home to loved ones, or for the library to share with others in the community.

Move It Mondays

Mondays

10:30am

(no program on 2/19)

Every Monday our Program Room will be open for music-based play and fun. We will provide the playlist as well as instruments and fun props to encourage creative movement and play between you and your littles. Geared toward ages 1-5, but all are welcome!

Drop-in Play-Doh Group

Tuesdays

10:30am - 12pm

Create and play using our collection of Play-Doh and sculpting toys in the Children's Room. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult caregiver.

Crafts with Kim

Wednesdays

10:30am - 11am

Join Edgartown Animal Control Officer Kim Andrade for a new craft every week. Geared toward ages 1-5, but all are welcome.

Fit Camp with Bonnie Kingsbury

Wednesdays

3pm - 4pm

(no program on 2/28)

This after-school youth fitness program will offer healthy activities incorporating simple cardio, agility, and mind-over-matter drills. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult caregiver.


This program has been generously funded by the Friends of the Edgartown Free Public Library.

Wiggle with the Words Storytime

Thursdays

10:30am

(no program on 2/29)

Join Elyce in the Program Room for a movement-based storytime using fun props and interactive stories and songs. This program is geared toward ages 1-5, but all are welcome.

Big Little Muscles with Abbey

Fridays

10:30am - 11:30am

Join us for this new program focused on promoting physical health for young children. Led by Abbey Entner, we will start with opening stretches and movement, then open play with tumble toys and music. Geared toward ages 1-5, but all are welcome.

Story Walk at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary

The Edgartown Library and Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation have partnered to bring you a story walk every month.

This self-guided activity takes place at the Sheriff's Meadow Sanctuary and is for children of all ages and their caregivers.

Book Besties

Let us find the perfect books for your child

Too busy to make requests and browse online? Let us do the choosing for you! Just fill out this form with some details about your child's reading preferences, and our talented library staff will place items on the hold shelf for you to pick up.



CLAMS and Library Services

Free Extended WiFi


Get connected with free outdoor WiFi from the Edgartown Library. Bring your laptop, tablet, or smartphone to enjoy free internet access 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


You can enjoy the library's WiFi from the comfort of your car in both of our parking lots, or, when the weather agrees, outdoors, where there is plenty of seating.

Lendable Technology

Chromebooks
Chromebooks run the Chrome operating system and use Google services such as Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

WiFi Hotspots
Need internet access? Check out a mobile WiFi hotspot from the Edgartown Library to get internet on the go.

For more information, click here.

Library Card Signup


For information on how to sign up for a library card, click here.


To apply for a library card online, click here..

Browse New Library Materials


Click on the lists below to find our newest and most popular titles. Please contact us if you need assistance putting items on hold - we are always happy to help.


New Adult Fiction

New Adult Nonfiction

New DVDs

Inkjet Cartridge Recycling Program

Support our local Vineyard League by recycling ink jet cartridges. The League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard has drop boxes for collecting used printer inkjet cartridges in all six towns, including at the Edgartown Library. Cartridges are sent to a recycler, keeping them out of landfills. Please note, inkjet cartridges are the only kind that can be accepted.


Questions? Contact Irene Ziebarth at 202-680-8076, or ireneziebarth@gmail.com.

Digital Services
There are several digital services you have access to as an Edgartown Library patron, and as a Massachusetts resident. From listening to audiobooks, to streaming Oscar-winning films, to getting free access to the New York Times online, check it all out by
email: info@edgartownlibrary.org 
website: edgartownlibrary.org
phone: 508.627.4221

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