Together with 50 or 60 other Garden Cinema patrons, I recently watched, then discussed, the 2023 documentary Join or Die. This film elucidates political scientist Robert Putnam’s groundbreaking research compiled in his popular 2000 book titled Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Bowling Alone famously mapped out "the half-century story of America’s civic unraveling." The film, like the book, details concerning trends: Americans stay at home more and more; we go out less and less; and we participate less and less in civic clubs, religious organizations, and bowling leagues. It appears that this "decades-long decline in community connections could hold answers to our democracy’s present crisis," and offer clues to the decline in our personal mental health.

Dire though that may sound, I can't help but smile broadly as I compile this newsletter, realizing how our library has become a powerful antidote to "bowling alone": it offers a spate clubs —French Club, Chess Club, Teen Advisory — and both opportunities and spaces for people to come together to learn, practice crafts and skills, and create community. In addition to the regularly-scheduled chess club, knitting group, writers' workshop, conversational Italian practice, MahJong group, Spice Club, Ukulele Players, etc., each month this newsletter highlights unique activities which, ultimately, bring together hundreds of people.

For example, in April, we will gather to learn about and discuss unsung abolitionists with local authors Tom Weiner and Dr. Almicar Shabazz. Parents and their children will share time together with local author Patti Williams, reading about courageous woodland creatures uniting to fight the pollution of their water supply. On a daily basis, teens will join together to form positive peer groups and take leadership roles with the library. Some will explore the menstrual cycle with local doula, group facilitator, and educator Martha Hoffmann, then have the chance to share experiences, ideas, and questions in a supportive environment. And Instructor Victoria Speth is a young creative who loves to share her passion for sustainable and imaginative crafting; on Earth Day, she will lead participants in making "Earthalopes" in the MakersSpace. This list is just the tip of the activities-iceberg. 

Indeed, our library is truly the heart of our city and the cornerstone of our democracy. Please share your insights and ideas with any of the GPL librarians about how we might make the library even better. They want to hear your ideas, and are excited to welcome you as a volunteer. Democracy is not a thing, but a series of actions we must do together. 

***

As usual, step-step tutorial on how to use the newsletter in tandem with the Library calendar is available in the PDF below. The calendar is not only useful for perusing and tracking events, but it's also where you can register for some of the registration-required offerings mentioned below.



​Many thanks for ​being a friend to the Library,

- Paul & Celine

*note: If possible, please read this newsletter on your desktop. It's not optimized for mobile devices, though it's certainly readable on them.

FRIENDS OF THE GPL

EVENTS

Adult Programs and Events

MAKERSPACE "SPRING ROUNDHOUSE SERIES"

Pre-Registration is required for these programs;

please see the library’s website

Upcycled Sewing with Heidi: Bucket and Sun Hats

Mon + Tue, 3/31 + 4/1, 5:30-7:30pm

Tiny Laundry: Make a Miniature Washer & Dryer

Wednesday, April 9, 5:30-7:30pm

Wax Resist Batik Egg Decorating

Friday, April 11, 2-4pm

Simple Rugmaking

Monday, April 14, 2-4pm

Sketching Local Landmarks

Wednesday, April 23, 5:30-7:30pm

Crocheting Tiny Mice

Saturday, April 26, 10am-12noon

Felt Flower Bouquets

Monday, April 28, 10am-12noon

LIBRARY PROGRAMS at the FINAL WINTER FARMER’S MARKET AT THE LIBRARY THIS SEASON!

Saturday, April 5th, 10AM - 1PM

Highlights Include:

• Homeworks Energy Information
• Greenfield Recycling Program
• Make a Bag with Greening Greenfield

IN OUR GALLERIES THIS MONTH

Home is a River: Photographs by Alix Kaplan

Conference Room

Opening Reception: April 2, 5-7:30pm

The T-Shirt Project:

an installation by the Children’s Advocacy Center

Community Room

Coffee Reception: April 18, 12 noon

Greenfield Arts Walk at GPL

Friday, April 25, 5-8pm

CELEBRATE NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK

April 6 - 12, 2025

Whatever draws you in, the library has something for everyone! We'll have special drawing & reading displays all week long.

MONTHLY PROGRAMS

Talk to an Assessor

Tuesday, April 1, 4-5:30pm, Study Room B

Spice Kit: Herbs de Provence

Tuesday, April 1, while supplies last

Writer’s Workshop

Wednesdays at 6pm in the Local History Room

WordPress Meetup

Wednesday, April 9, 6pm in the Conference Rm

Greenfield Ukulele Players

Fridays, April 4 and 18 in the Conference Room

LOCAL AUTHORS

Tom Weiner and Dr. Amilcar Shabazz -

In Defiance: 20 Abolitionists You Were

Never Taught In School

Wednesday, April 16, 6pm, Community Mtg Rm

Kai Carol Jud - Life of Kai: a Memoir of Awakening

Wednesday, April 23, 6pm, Community Mtg Rm

HAPPENINGS & TALKS

Author Talk with Kostya Kennedy -

The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America

Monday, April 7, 6pm, Community Mtg Rm

The History of Hip Hop Music and Dance

Tuesday, April 8, 6:30pm, Community Mtg Rm

Intro to Tracking the Menstrual Cycle

Saturday, April 12, 11am, Conference Room

Greenfield Recycling Program - Meet & Greet

Tuesday, April 22, 12-3 pm, Community Mtg Rm

Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest Celebration

Tuesday, April 29, 6pm, Community Mtg Room

IN THE MAKERSPACE

Drop In and Draw with Kemah

Weekly on Tuesdays, 11am-1pm

Drop In Knitting & Crochet

Weekly on Tuesdays, 5:30-7:30pm

Make a Sturdy Reusable Bag

Saturday, April 5, 10am-1pm

GPL Zine Club Presents: Layout & Printing Workshop

Monday, April 7, 6pm

Rise up with Focusing Expressive Arts

Monday, April 14 and April 28, 6:15 pm

Collaging with Victoria

Friday, April 18, 3:30-4:40pm

Earthalopes with Victoria

Tuesday, April 22, 3-5pm

CONVERSATION GROUPS

Community Conversations 413

Casual Conversation for English Language Learners. Everyone

Welcome! Wednesdays at 4:15pm, various locations

Conversational Italian

Monday, 4/7 at 6:30pm in the Local History Room

Conversational French

Tuesday, 4/22 at 5:30pm in the Conference Room

BOOK DISCUSSIONS

Literary Teas: North Woods

Tuesday, April 15, 6:30pm, Conference Room

Bookends: Running with Sherman

Thursday, April 24, 5:30pm, Conference Room

Children of the Night:

The Horror Readers Discussion Group

Monday, April 28, 6:30pm, Local History Room

GAMES

Library Chess Club

Mondays 5:30pm - 7:30pm in the Board Game area

Drop-in Scrabble Night

Tuesdays 4/1 & 4/15, 4:30pm - 6:30pm, Board Game area

INFORMATION SESSIONS IN THE MAIN LOBBY

NELCWIT

Tuesday, April 8, 2-4pm

Greenfield Public Library Foundation

Wednesday, April 9, 4-6pm

MassHire: Dept of Developmental Services

Thursday, April 10, 10am-12pm

Greenfield Community College

Tuesday, April 15, 10-11:30am

Greenfield Recycling Program

Tuesday, April 15, 2-4pm

LifePath

Thursday, April 17, 2-4pm

Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority

Thursday, April 17, 2-4pm

Master Gardener’s Association

Saturday, April 19, 10am-12noon, GPL front patio

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

PROGRAMING FOR ADULTS, TEENS, TWEENS & CHILDREN

Local Author Talk with Kai Carol Jud

Wednesday April 23, 6:00 pm

Community Meeting Room

The Greenfield Public Library welcomes local author Kai Carol Judd for a talk on her book Life of Kai: a Memoir of Awakening. Kai Carol Jud is a mystic, wanderer of the cosmos, traveler on the edge, and storyteller. She is a psychotherapist and tarot reader whose embodied spiritual path and study of shamanism have taken her through the ecstasies and challenges of life and death.

Copies of Kai’s book will be available for sale.

For more information, contact Lisa Prolman at librarian@greenfield-ma.gov, or call (413) 772-1544.

Registration is suggested and can be done on the library’s calendar at https://greenfieldpl.libcal.com/event/14079148. 

This program, sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and open to the public.

Monday, April 7, 6:00 pm

Community Meeting Room

The Greenfield Public Library, in collaboration with The Griswold Memorial and Montague Public Libraries, welcomes Kostya Kennedy, celebrating the release of his new book The Ride: Paul Revere and the night that saved America.

Kennedy’s The Ride, called “a skillful separation of truth, legend, and what lies between in a canonical American story" (Kirkus Reviews), helps mark the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s infamous ride warning Massachusetts colonists that the British were coming.

Kostya Kennedy is Editor in Chief of Premium Publishing at Dotdash Meredith, and has written for numerous outlets including The New York Times, Time, FiveThirtyEight.com and The New Yorker. His best-selling and award-winning books include True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson, 56: Joe DiMaggio and the Last Magic Number in Sports, and Pete Rose: An American Dilemma.

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, The Griswold Memorial Library, and Montague Public Library, is free and open to everyone in our community. 

LIBRARY

GENERAL INFO

&

GREAT RESOURCES

Click for lots more about the Greenfield Public Library!

Select Library Services, with links:

• GPL Notary Services
• Meeting Room Policy/Request Form
• Mobile Hotspots
• Program Proposal Form (for presenting programs at the library)
• Study Rooms (one reservation/day; up to 3 reservations/week)

Quick Links to More GPL Resources:

• Consumer Reports (GPL cardholders)
• Craftsy (Greenfield residents only)
• Gale Legal Forms (All CW MARS cardholders)
• Greenfield Recorder archives
• Hoopla (GPL cardholders)
• Kanopy (GPL cardholders)
• Libby/Overdrive (All CW MARS cardholders)
• New York Times subscription (GPL cardholders)
• Transparent Languages (All residents of MA)
• Museum Passes

Volunteer at the GPL