Volume 9 No. 2 | January 30, 2025

TUTORIAL:

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

THIS SATURDAY

So much more than just BINGO.

Over 30 baskets in a basket raffle.

An amazing chance of your winning.

Over 30 gift baskets and gift certificate packages for the event. Larger baskets include beginning birder, bakery, tea & treats basket, coffee basket, selection of wines/nips/beer items, at the movies basket, Woosox tickets, golf items, various restaurant gift certificates. 

Most have values ranging from $25-$200 

Also a 50/50 Raffle

Cash Bar

bring your own snacks and food

Everyone must be 21+ years of age

and this is a cash-only event

Entries Due This Month! February 21st

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- Only unpublished poems may be submitted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

CLICK HERE

if you think you might be interested in

becoming an active friend of the GPL

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

TEEN PROGRAMS

Book Bingo Challenge

February 1 to June 12, 2025

Win a small prize for each challenge you complete: a Jellycat or Squishmallow for reading 5 books in a row and an after-hours pizza party for you and up to 10 friends for filling out the entire Bingo sheet! Pick up sheets and complete rules in the Teen Room.

READING

Return of the Teen Book Subscription Book Box

Youth ages 13-20 with a library card in good standing can sign up for a Book Subscription Box which will include a library book picked out just for you as well as reading accessories and snacks to make your vacation week complete. This program is limited to 20 participants. Stop by the Teen Room for more details.

ACTIVITIES

Shorty Shorts: Short Form Filmmaking

Tuesdays, 2/4, 2/11, 2/22, 3-4pm in the Teen Room

Join GCTV’s Bella Levavi and make videos on topics and trends that interest you plus learn how to use all kinds of cool filmmaking equipment along the way.

Mid-Winter Movie Marathon & Crafts

Friday, 2/21, 10am to 4pm, in the Teen Room

Stop by the Teen Room for winter-themed movies and crafts all day long!

VOLUNTEER

Teen Advisory Board

Monday, 2/10, 4-5pm, Teen Room

This month, we’ll be making cards for the Library’s homebound patrons.

Tween Programs and Events

ACTIVITIES

Lights, Camera, Action: Make a Movie in a Day!

Tuesday, 2/18 1-3pm

Intended for ages 8-18.

Come to the library for the afternoon and make a movie using a list of scavenger hunt style prompts. The final product will then be entered in GCTV’s annual film contest. Pizza will be served at the beginning of the program. Pre-registration is required.

Middle School Meet Up (drop-in)

Wednesday, 2/12 2:30 - 4pm in the Tween Area for ages 10-13

Crafty Teen & Tween Fake Food Mix-Ups

Youth ages 10-18 are invited to the Children’s Activity Room to relax, have fun and create works of art inspired by food

Thursday, 2/20, 1-3pm: Painting with Cake-Decorating Tools

Thursday 2/27, 3-4pm: Tiny Pipe Cleaner Pastries

Book to Movie Club

Friday, 2/28, 5:30pm in the auditorium at GHS

Check a copy of Wild Robot out from the library and then watch the movie at the High School!

Children's Programs and Events

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

STORY TIMES

Storytimes with Mya and Winston

Join the library’s new friends Mya and Winston the dog for a story time, meet and greet, and talk about service dogs.

Thursdays, 2/6 & 2/20 @3:30 pm

Thursdays, 2/23 & 2/27 @10am

ACTIVITIES

Scavenger Hunt

Tuesday, Feb. 18 through Saturday, Feb. 22

Drumming Class

Intended for ages 5-7, Tuesday, 2/18 @2pm

Pre-registration Required

FOR CAREGIVERS

Babywearing with Jennifer Hydefrost

Intended for caregivers of ages 0-3; older children welcome to play nearby

Wednesday, 2/26, 10:45-11:45 am

Book Babies

Intended for birth -18 months

Tuesdays, 2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25 @10am

Toddler Time

Intended for 18-36 months

Wednesdays, 2/5, 2/12, 2/18, 2/26 @10am

GPL Lego Club (drop-in)

Intended for ages 3+

Mondays, 2/3, 2/10, 2/24, 3:30 - 5 pm

Chess Club

Intended for ages 10+

Wednesdays 2/19 & 2/26, 2:30-4pm

*VACATION* Lego Club

Intended for ages 3+

Friday, 2/21 from 2:30-4pm

How to Protect Yourself from your Computer

Wednesday, February 26

2:30 pm, Community Meeting Room

Join Marc-Anthony Arena on Wednesday, February 26 at 2:30 pm in the GPL Community Meeting Room for “How to Protect Yourself from Your Computer”.

Every week, intelligent, successful people complain they feel stupid or report that their computer guy called them stupid or that they've been scammed. Really, they've just been thrust into an industry that continually complexifies itself in order to intimidate. Marc-Anthony Arena will help you de-mystify your computer, save money, show you how to protect yourself from scams, and answer your computer questions! 

Known as The Computer Exorcist, Marc has accumulated extensive Windows, Mac, Mint, and electronics experience. Once he discovered that the vast majority of headaches, security issues, and tech expenditures are completely unnecessary, he wrote a book, launched a podcast, and embarked on a speaking tour, to explain the industry in Plain English. 

Copies of his book will be available for purchase.

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

LOCAL ARTISTS' EXHIBITS ARE NEW AT THE LIBRARY

A B&W Photography Exhibit

Clouds in Shades of Gray

Paul Jablon

at the 

Conference Room Gallery

February 1 – 28

The concept of clouds is as ephemeral as clouds themselves. For a photographer they can overwhelm, draw your eye to distraction, or create movement. They can be the paintbrush of light and hue. As they move and change they create different visual and emotional feelings. They can be overtures or minuets. Since I have first held a camera I have been obsessed with them as they bring sense of drama or tranquility.

Opening Reception

 Tuesday February 4, 2025 from 6 to 8 pm

This program is free and intended for all ages

Storytimes with Mya and Winston

Thurs. February 6, 20 3:30 pm

Thurs. Feb 13, 27 10:00 am

Children's Activity Room

Join the library’s new friends Mya and Winston the dog on Thursdays in February for a storytime, and 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. 

Chess Club

Wed, Feb 19, 26

4 pm

Children's Room 

Drop by the GPL Children’s Room on Wednesdays in February for chess club meetups.

Learn the game with experienced instructor Andy Friedman and enjoy free play with other chess enthusiasts. No experience is necessary. This program is intended for kids age 10+; children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult.

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

This 90 minute program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for kids age 10+.

Library Closed Monday, February 17

for Presidents Day

We will reopen on Tuesday, February 18 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.