Upcoming Library Events & News
March, 2019
 

The Jacob Edwards Library is honoring Women's History Month with an exhibition of art, crafts and handwork created by local artists.  This annual group show celebrates the exceptional talent of artists based within a 20-mile radius of Southbridge, and will feature multi-media works.  The exhibition will be on display throughout the month of March.

For our tween and teen-age patrons, we will celebrate Teen Tech Week the week of March 3-9.  Stop by the Library to learn about the electrifying technical offerings available here and on our website!

The Children's Room will be celebrating  Dr. Suess' birthday on National Read Across America Day this morning. However, the program we had planned with special guest Pamela Garde and her guide dog Ume, has been postponed due to the weather!  
We will be re-scheduling! 

The annual Friends of the Jacob Edwards Library book sale will be held from Thursday, March 28 through Saturday, March 30.  Stop in for great deals on your favorite books, movies and music.  Adult and children's titles will be available. 

We are excited to announce that the number of subscribers to our monthly newsletter has eclipsed 1500.  The newsletter is a great way to stay informed of opportunities for learning, making, playing and communicating at the Library.

There is always something going on or something to do at the library! Feel free to drop in anytime!
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Please read on for all of this month's upcoming events and news.



Featured Exhibit:  Women's Art & Craft Show
  -Film Screening:  102 Not Out
- Ben Goldfarb author talk
-Dr. Beth O'Leary Anish  presentation

Ongoing Events: Book Club & Knitting
Community Yoga &  Saturday Chess Club

 Teen Events
Children's Corner

Library Hours & Holiday Closings:

Monday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Tuesday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm 
Sunday: Closed

The Library will be closing at 1:00 pm on Friday, March 22, 2019 
t o facilitate a  staff training.



Stephanie Cyr,
Adult Services Librarian


The Staff, Trustees and Friends are delighted to welcome new Adult Services Librarian: Stephanie Cyr to the team. Stephanie grew up in Southbridge and has hit the ground running! Lots of exciting plans are being put together including for Teen Tech Week. Stay tuned!

Hope you will drop in and introduce yourself to Stephanie! 





staffpicksMarch's JEL Staff Picks

Looking for a good book? Here are some that JEL staff have recently enjoyed! Clicking on the title will take you right to  the library's catalog, where you can check to see if it's available, and put a hold on popular titles.




crusty-paint-tubes.jpg Please join us in welcoming the artists behind March's featured exhibition.

In honor of Women's History Month, the Women's Art & Crafts Show highlights the creative works of local artists.  This multi-media display will feature a variety of artworks, as creators showcase their talents in fiber art, painting, ceramics, photography, calligraphy and more.  This exhibition is a testament to the wide-ranging artistry that exists within a 20-mile radius of Southbridge.  We invite all visitors to discover more about local artists and crafters throughout the month of March.

An Opening Reception will be held on Thursday, March 7 at 6:30 pm. All are welcome, light refreshments will be served.
boxofficeFilm Screening - 102 Not Out
Thursday, March 14 at 6:00 pm

" A 102-year-old man wants to be oldest man alive, but his irritable 75-year-old son hates aging."

Rated PG. Running time 107 min.

Presented as part of the Library Box Office series, sponsored by the Friends of the Jacob Edwards Library.
Thursday, March 7 at 6:30 pm


The Jacob Edwards Library is pleased to present author Ben Goldfarb.  We are delighted he accepted our invitation to present in Southbridge while he is visiting the area.  The event is free and open to the public. All are welcome!

Ben Goldfarb is an independent environmental journalist and the author of Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2018), which the Washington Post called "a masterpiece of a treatise on the natural world."  He holds a Masters of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a B.A. in English and Environmental Studies from Amherst College.

Copies of the book will be available at the event for purchase from Booklovers Gourmet. A book signing will be conducted after the presentation. 

In Eager, environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb reveals that our modern idea of what a healthy landscape looks like and how it functions is wrong, distorted by the fur trade that once trapped out millions of beavers from North America's lakes and rivers.  The consequences of losing beavers were profound: streams eroded, wetlands dried up, and species from salmon to swans lost vital habitat.  Today, a growing coalition of "Beaver Believers"-including scientists, ranchers, and passionate citizens-recognizes that ecosystems with beavers are far healthier, for humans and non-humans alike, than those without them. From the Nevada deserts to the Scottish highlands, Believers are now hard at work restoring these industrious rodents to their former haunts.  Eager is a powerful story about one of the world's most influential species, how North America was colonized, how our landscapes have changed over the centuries, and how beavers can help us fight drought, flooding, wildfire, extinction, and the ravages of climate change. Ultimately, it's about how we can learn to coexist with our fellow travelers on this planet.

Reviews and Praise:

"The book lodges itself among the ranks of the best sort of environmental journalism." - Boston Globe
Thursday, March 28 at 6:30 pm

The Jacob Edwards Library is pleased to present Dr. Beth O'Leary Anish.

Dr. O'Leary Anish will uncover two fascinating, yet largely unknown fiction authors: Harry Sylvester (whose mother was Irish American, daughter of translator Jeremiah Curtin) and Ellin Berlin (wife of Irving Berlin, and heiress to her Irish grandfather's silver mining fortune; her maiden name was Mackay).

While Sylvester and Berlin both wrote multiple novels, this talk will focus on Sylvester's Moon Gaffney (1947), and Berlin's Lace Curtain (1948).  Both novels provide examples of Irish-American authors thinking about their changing communities in the post-World War II years.

Dr. O'Leary Anish is Associate Professor of English at Community College of Rhode Island.  Her areas of academic interest are contemporary Irish and Irish-American Literature, Literature of the American Immigrant Experience and Post-Colonial Theory.
ongoingOngoing Events

Book Club 
Monday, March 4
6:30 pm

The book club will meet to discuss Grief Cottage by Gail Godwin   this month.
  
This is a no-commitment book club, attend as many or as few meetings as you like! The group meets on the first Monday of every month. 

Copies of April's discussion book 
( In the Midst of Winter  by Isabel Allende) 
will be available at the Information Desk 
for checkout.
Knitting
Knitting with Sonya
Every Tuesday, 
10:30 am - 12:30 pm

Stop by and join our knitting circle in the Reading Room every Tuesday! 

All handcrafters (not just knitters!) are welcome to join, whatever your level experience. Stuck on your current project or wanting to learn a new technique? Chances are one of the group will be able to lend a hand!  Drop by for a few minutes or stay for the full two hours. 
We hope to see you there!




Community Yoga with Jennifer Brouillard of Roots To Fly Wellness
CANCELLED for Saturday, March 2
9:30 - 10:30 am
join us on Saturday, April 6th

Bring water and a mat if you have one; extra mats will be available to borrow.  This will be a vinyasa class with modifications for all levels.  Class will focus on positive affirmations, breath work and movement.  Come and build some positive energy in our community. 

"Individually we are one drop. Together we are an ocean."
-Ryunosuke Satoro

Beginning Saturday, March 2 at 9:30 am


The Jacob Edwards Library is pleased to announce a new program: Saturday Chess Club.  This drop-in club will be held on Saturday mornings in the reference area of the Library.  All are welcome to attend!


Instructor Ben Marinelli will lead attendees through chess strategy, and guests will be able to test their skills using available game boards.  For those who wish to time their play, four newly acquired clocks are also on hand.



childrensWelcome to the Children's Corner!

Check here to find out about upcoming events in the Children's Room.
Celebrate Dr. Suess' birthday on
National Read Across America Day with special Guest Pamela Garde and her guide dog Ume!

Special Event POSTPONED 
Pamela Garde, is a member of General Federation of Women's Clubs and GFWC/CT Newington/Wethersfield Woman's Club.  She is the club chairman of Public Issues, which promotes safety. 

Pam will read Dr. Seuss braille books in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday and will then do a presentation with her guide dog, Ume.  She will be happy to answer questions on how Ume keeps her safe.  There will be a free raffle for all children in attendance.

Join us Saturday March 2, 2019 - POSTPONED -
from 10:30 am-11:30 am
All are welcome!

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Story Times

Story Time
Wednesdays at 10:30 am
Stories & Songs for 3-4 year olds, but all ages are welcome to join us. Come for story time, and stay for the craft!

Toddler Time
Fridays from 10:30 - 11:15 am
Stories & songs for 2-3 year olds, but all ages welcome. Playtime and music before and after.

Hora de Cuentos
Monday, March 18th at 6:30 pm
Lunes, 18 de marzo a 6:30 pm
Join us for stories and songs in Spanish and English on the third Monday night of each month.


Tinkering Thursdays
Thursdays, 3:00-4:00pm

STEM-related hands on activity using everyday and recycled items to design your own creations!



Ask the staff about
Snap Circuits!

green-circuit-board.jpg
Crafty Wednesday
Every Wednesday

Stop by the Children's Room any time on Wednesdays to do a special craft. This is a drop-in program that runs all day. Simply stop by the Children's Room desk to get your craft supplies, and take home a masterpiece. 

 
Construction Club
Tuesdays,  3:00 - 4:30 pm
Saturdays, 10:00 am - Noon

We'll bring the LEGO bricks, you bring the ideas! This is a drop-in program, so there is no need to register. Best for children over 5.

Completed Lego projects go on display in the Children's Room for a whole week. If you are in the library, stop by the Children's Room to see different Lego projects on display. 

librarynewsLibrary News

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Discounted and Free Admission to Museums & Attractions

Did you know? The library offers passes to a variety of area museums and attractions! 
 
Locations include:
Old Sturbridge Village
Eric Carle Museum
Ecotarium
Zoo at Forest Park
Magic Wings
Mystic Aquarium
Roger Williams Park Zoo
Tower Hill Botanic Gardens
Worcester Art Museum
Salem Witch Museum 
USS Constitution Museum
Massachusetts ParksPass
AJ Petro Pool (seasonal)
 
See  our website for details.
Thank you to the Friends of the Jacob Edwards Library for sponsoring this program!
Stargaze with our Telescope!

The library now has a telescope which can be checked out and taken home - just like a book. Use it to spend a night stargazing in your own back yard! Who knows what you will see?


Instructions and tips on what to look for are included. Must be checked out by an adult 18 or older. 
Please ask at the desk for more details!

Library eBooks

Looking for free eBooks? Look no further than the library! You can download FREE ebooks to your computer or device, as well as digital audiobooks.

To browse our collection, click here. Or on your mobile device or eReader, download the Overdrive app to get started. All you need is your library card number!

If you have questions or are having trouble, please ask us! Drop by, call, or email!

 
New bags available!

The Friends of the Library now have these fantastic new book bags available for sale! You can purchase bags at the Information Desk.

All proceeds support FOJEL, who provide funding for library events and programs (including, but not limited to, Summer Reading & Museum Passes).

Only $5 each, available in black, navy and maroon, 
they are perfect for carrying your library materials home!

The annual BOOKSALE is coming up 3/28-3/30

Thursday 1 pm - 8 pm
Friday 9 am - 5 pm 
Saturday 9 am - Noon


student_help.jpg
bookBook a Librarian!


You can now "Book a Librarian!" 


Contact us to schedule a personalized 
20-30 minute session.


Possible topics include:
-Help downloading eBooks
-Using your new mobile device or tablet
-Book recommendations
-Using the library catalog
-Placing holds & using your online account
-Setting up an email account
-Getting started on your research paper
-Formatting a Word document



Call 508-764-5426  
to schedule an  appointment.


Jacob Edwards Library
Upcoming Meetings


The Friends of the Library will hold their next meeting on  Monday, March 18
at 6:00 pm.

 
The Friends extend an invitation to all library patrons to join their group. To learn more, please visit  FOJEL's page on our website.


______________________


  The  Board of Trustees  of the Jacob Edwards Library will next meet on 
Tuesday, March 26
at Noon 
in the Mills Room. 
 
All meetings are open to the public.
We hope to see you at the library soon! Maybe you will drop in and play a game of chess or complete some of the pieces in our ongoing jigsaw puzzle? 

In the meantime, stay warm and snuggle up with a good book!

Sincerely,

The Jacob Edwards Library Staff
Programs at Jacob Edwards Library may be recorded for Southbridge Public Access TV 
and/or photographed for promotional purposes.

Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved.