Volume 9 No. 1 December 30, 2024

TUTORIAL:

Click on the image to the right for a PDF of the newsletter & calendar tutorial. Or, scroll to the bottom of the newsletter.

Bingo to Benefit the Friends

Saturday

February 1, 2025, 6:00pm

Greenfield Moose Lodge, 20 School Street

Bingo, 50/50 and Gift Basket Raffles, and a Cash Bar!

The Friends of Greenfield Public Library



34th Annual Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest

Submissions for 2025 are now open!

Guidlines:

- Open to all Franklin County residents and to students attending Franklin County schools

- Categories: Adult and Youth Poets (with two groups: 12-14 and 15-19)

- Poets may enter up to 3 poems

- No individual poem may exceed three pages

- Only unpublished poems may be submitted

- Previous first place adult winners may not enter

- Top-placing youth poets may resubmit when they enter a new age category

Submitting your poem:

- Poems may be submitted online in a Google form (preferred) or by mail or hard copy to GPL

- For submitting online (preferred) go to: https://forms.gle/bZmDCa7QWXKhBpVr5. You will be asked

to enter your poem manually and also include an attached pdf or text file.

Submitting a Hard Copy:

- Mailed submissions, send to: Poet’s Seat Contest, Greenfield Public Library, 412 Main St, Greenfield MA 01301. These must be postmarked no later than February 21, 2025.



- Indicate “Adult” or “Youth” poet on the front page. Youth poets must write age in lower right-hand corner, and circle.

- No identifying information on front page of poem

(except youth poet age)

- On the reverse side, write name, mailing address, phone # and email address

- Youth poet entries must also include phone &/or email of parent or guardian or teacher

- Poems will not be returned

- Notification of receipt will occur after the submission deadline

via email unless a self-addressed stamped envelope is included with entry

Deadline for submissions: February 21, 2025

Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest Ceremony, 4/29/25, 6-7:30pm

Location to be announced at a later date

There are many ways to be a Friend of the library.

Save your gently used books,

put them aside in a box,

for the next

Friends Book Sale

happening on May 10, 2025 from 10-1.

We will let you know beforehand when you can bring them in.

The Friends would like to thank so many of you who supported the programs at the library by buying Restaurant Raffle Tickets.

The winners were picked on December 7th.

Winner of the Green Package

Aimee Heon

Winner of the Yellow Package

Jarice Hanson

For detailed information about the many excellent programs presented at the library, listed below, click on the purple "Visit the Full Library Calendar" button,

which you'll find throughout the newsletter:

Teen Programs and Events

Teen programs are intended for youth ages 13 - 20 unless otherwise noted

Pokemon Party

Friday, January 10, 3:30 - 4:30pm, Teen Room

Teen Advisory Board

Monday, January 13, 4:00 - 5:00 pm,Teen Room

Relaxing Coloring Pages with Alcohol Markers

Friday, January 17, 3:30 - 4:30pm, Community Meeting Room

Tween Programs and Events

Crafty Teen & Tween Mix Ups: Pop Poms! 

Thursday, January 2, 16, 30, 2:30 - 4:00 pm, Children’s Activity Room

Tuesday Tik Tok Club for Tweens and Teens

Tuesday, January 7, 14, 21, 28, 3:00 - 4:00 pm, Teen Room

Middle School Meet Up (drop-in)

Wednesday, January 15, 2:30 - 4:00 pm

Children's Programs and Events

An adult is required to be present with children under 8 participating in GPL programs

Little Artists (drop-in)

Friday, January 3, 10,17,24, 31,10:00 - 11:00 am 

Box Day! (drop-in)

Friday, January 4, 9:30 am - 2:00 pm 

Storytimes with Mya and Winston, Children’s Activity Room

Thursday, January 9, 23 at 3:30 pm

Thursday, January 16, 30, 10:00 am 

Babywearing with Jennifer Hydefrost

Wednesday, January 22, 10:45 - 11:45 am

Teen Advisory Board Polar Bear Story Time

Friday, January 31, 3:30 pm, Children’s Room

Ongoing Children's Programs and Events

An adult is required to be present with children under 8 participating in GPL programs

GPL Lego Club (drop-in)

Monday, January 6, 13, 27, 3:30 - 5:00 pm

Book Babies with Ellen Lavoie

Tuesday, January 7, 14, 21, 28 10:00 am

Toddler Time with Ellen Lavoie

Wednesday, January 8, 15, 22, 29, 10:00 am 

Contemporary Fiction Book Discussion

Wednesday, January 15

2:00 pm, Conference Room

Join Naomi Lehman, on Wednesday January 15, at 2:00 pm for the new GPL Book Discussion group, “Contemporary Fiction.”

Naomi will initiate the Contemporary Fiction book group with a discussion of the novel Erasure by Percival Everett, which was the basis for the award winning film “American Fiction.” The discussion will also reference the movie.

Erasure, published in 2011, is a blistering satire about race and publishing. In the novel, Thelonius “Monk” Ellison, an African-American author has had his latest manuscript rejected by seventeen publishers, while a first novel, “We’s Live in Da Ghetto,” written by a woman who once visited “some relatives in Harlem for a couple of days” is enjoying meteoric success.

How Monk deals with his outrage serves as a scathing indictment of American culture. Everett writes with humor, sarcasm, irony and at the same time brings empathy and insight to his characters and sheds light on the African American experience.

Naomi Lehman recently moved to Greenfield after living in Arizona for 22 years. She is always reading several books simultaneously, mostly fiction, and has led and participated in three book groups. Naomi loves discussing books and always learns from and enjoys other viewpoints and interpretations and is very excited about this new group.

For more information, contact Pamela McBride at librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org, or call (413) 772-1544.

This program is free and intended for ages 16 and older.

Storytimes with Mya and Winston

Thurs. January 9, 23 3:30 pm

Thurs. January 16, 30 10:00 am

Children's Activity Room

Join the library’s new friends Mya and Winston the dog on Thursdays in January for a storytime, meet and greet, and talk about service dogs.

For more information, contact Ellen Lavoie at ellen.lavoie@greenfield-ma.gov or call (413)772-1544

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free for kids ages 0-12. 

Little Artists (Drop In)

Fridays, January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

10:00 am - 11 am

Children's Room 

Join us for art activities on Friday mornings in January. This program is for kids ages 0-5 and their caregivers.

For more information, contact Ellen Lavoie at ellen.lavoie@greenfield-ma.gov or call (413)772-1544

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free for kids ages 0-5 and their caregivers.

Roundhouse Craft Program Winter Edition

Upcycling with Heidi: Applique Hand Warmers

Mon. Jan 27 &

Tues. Jan 28

5:30 - 7:30 pm

Makerspace

This two-session workshop will teach participants the art of Alabama Chanin-inspired reverse appliqué, using recycled materials to create unique and functional hand warmers. The technique blends hand-sewing with creative upcycling, perfect for crafters of all skill levels who want to explore sustainable fashion.

Space for this workshop is limited, attendees must pre-register

and attend both the Monday and Tuesday evening class.

Pre-register here: https://forms.gle/bZUJJvTmnpDjXDXK8  

For more information, contact Francesca Passiglia: francesca.passiglia@greenfield-ma.gov or call

(413) 772-1544

This program is a collaboration between Greenfield Public Library and the Franklin County Fair. This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library is free, and intended for teens and adults, ages 13+.

For More Info on Some of the Programs Just Click Here

THESE DAYS IN JANUARY

Tuesday, December 31, at 12:00 pm, and Wednesday, Jan 1

The Library will close on Tuesday, December 31 at 12 :00 pm, and remain closed on Wednesday, January 1 for the New Year Holiday. We will reopen on Thursday, January 2, at 9:30 am. 

Library Closed Monday, January 20 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The Library will be closed on Monday, January 20, for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We will reopen on Tuesday, January 16 at 9:30 am. 

Greenfield Public Library Hours

Monday - Wednesday: 9:30 am – 8 pm

Thursday - Friday: 9:30 am – 5 pm

Saturday: 9:30 am – 2 pm

For security purposes, the upstairs floor closes 15 minutes before closing time. Main doors are locked 5 minutes before closing.

Check us out 24/7 at at our website for e-books, audiobooks, movie streaming, music, and research fun.

Tutorial on How to Use This Newsletter

What follows are instructions about how to access full, detailed descriptions of programs, using the GPL calendar. We will walk you through the process of using this newsletter in concert with the GPL calendar to learn all about Library events that pique your interest. You'll find very helpful tips on using both the "monthly view" and "day/list view" functions on the library calendar. Even if you've used the calendar in the past, I can't recommend enough reading through this. Happily for many, the "day/list view" will give you access to something similar to the extensive listings detailed in past newsletters, including every program with a description and poster.

Images are embedded in the tutorial below, to help you navigate these valuable resources.

I. How to see full descriptions of particular programs of interest:

• First, browse the list of library offerings for the month in the "What's the Buzzz?" section of the newsletter. Choose the programs that you want to know more about and jot these down, with their dates, on a piece of paper.
• Then, click on the Visit the Full Library Calendar link, which you will find at the top and bottom of the event listings, and looks like this:

• This link will take you directly to the library calendar in "monthly view," which looks like this:

• You can now look at the list where you jotted down titles and dates after reading the newsletter, and click on a title that interests you by going to its date on the calendar.
• For example, if you are following these directions and click on the sample title "A Paranormal Journey," designated by the pink arrow above, you will come to a complete description of the program. The description will look something like this:

• Once you are finished reading about a specific event you've selected, you may want to look at the complete description of another program. Click on your computer's "back," or "last screen," arrow (see pink arrow in image above) to do so.
• This will take you back to the monthly calendar and you can scroll up or down until you find the date of the next program you are looking for, then click on the program's title to see its full description. 
• You can also see program lists for upcoming months by selecting a given month under "2024" on the left side of the page. However, keep in mind that those calendars are largely populated with ongoing events, and continue to fill out as the librarians develop future programming as the current month goes on.

II. How to access the "list view" of every library program for the month, including brief descriptions and posters

If you would like to scroll through every program for the month, with a more complete description of each program than the "monthly view" offers (much like previous versions of the Friends Newsletter), follow these instructions to change to the "day/list view" on the calendar. This will bring up a list of events that looks something like the image below, allowing you to scroll up and down through the programs to your heart's delight. You will also be able to click on a given program in this view to see its fullest description (very lengthy descriptions are truncated in this view).

• To access the calendar in "day/list view," click on the Visit the Full Library Calendar link anywhere in the newsletter, just as you did before.
• Then, change the calendar view from the current "Monthly View" to the "Day/List View" by clicking on the three horizontal lines, indicated below with a curving pink arrow:

• Please note: If you are having trouble seeing the full list of programs, click on "Clear All," indicated by the straight pink arrow in the image above. This will get you out of "day view" and back into the full list of programs.

• There will be several pages of listings for you to peruse this way; just click through to additional pages by selecting a page number or using the ">" button at the bottom of each page:

___________________

As with any change in procedure, it might take a bit of noodling around to master GPL calendar use successfully. We very much hope that this tutorial helps even "non-techie" folks to master this set of resources fairly quickly.

And we would love to hear from you about how this new format is working for you. Just a quick note to this email would be fabulous, if you're so moved: newsfgpl@gmail.com