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TIDINGS
eNewsletter
of the EPL
Chatham, MA
Summer 2025
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| "Connecting Chatham to the World" | | |
Take a Tote, Leave a Tote
Have you ever been stuck with a towering stack of books and no way to carry them home? To reduce the prevalence of single-use bags, Eldredge Public Library is launching a “Take a Tote, Leave a Tote” program. If you would like to contribute, please bring your clean, reusable totes to the circulation desk. Who knows? This may just come in handy for you at a moment of need!
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News from the Trustees
As our season shifts to summer, the Trustees offer heartfelt appreciation to Bob Lear as he leaves our board after serving for 10 years. Thank you, Bob, for your steadfast wisdom, commitment, and leadership. I also will share strides we are making toward achieving the Certificate for the Sustainable Library Initiative (SLI). This initiative represents a vital effort by our library to embrace sustainability, foster community connections, and be a leader of libraries on Cape Cod.
Trustee SLI Committee: Advancing Social Cohesion and Collective Impact Our Trustee SLI Committee is working to complete sections on Social Cohesion and Collective Impact. These sections highlight civic literacy, community partnerships, and connections spanning nonprofit and profit enterprises. Below are examples of some of the exciting connections we're making:
- We are exploring options for a remote book drop-off and pickup to facilitate library services while minimizing patrons' trips particularly during the busy tourist season.
- Supporting voter registration initiatives and civic-minded displays to promote civic engagement.
- Collaborating with profit businesses,eg. Candy Manor, Merchants Egg Hunt, Webinars in collaboration with the Chatham Chamber.
- Partnering with our local government to expand accessibility to our library.
- Additionally, the Trustees are placing an emphasis on employee recognition. Encouraging service outside the library and health/ wellness initiatives are key components of the Social Cohesion section. We are also crafting an incentive structure to encourage staff to pursue further education related to library management, ensuring our team is equipped to meet future challenges.
SLI Staff Committee: Focus on Materials and Sustainability The SLI Staff Committee is currently concentrating on the Materials section of the certificate program, aiming to reduce waste and promote environmental stewardship. Plans include:
- Minimizing printing and transitioning to electronic files and documents to reduce paper use.
- Utilizing office paper scraps for internal purposes and recycling cartridges and toner.
- Introducing a Keurig recycling box to manage waste more effectively.
- Installing a bottle-filling station to encourage the reuse of water containers and reduce single-use plastic.
- We are also seeking donations to further enhance our sustainability efforts. A few specific items include: A set of reusable dishes (4-6 large plates, small plates, and bowls) for our "Reading in the Kitchen" monthly program.
- Recyclable bags to support our initiatives.
A Shared Sense of Progress As you can see, there is much momentum behind our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Library Initiative Certificate. I look forward to sharing many more updates as we continue this important project.
Dee Burlin
President, EPL Board of Trustees
| | News from the Friends of EPL | |
I find myself in a reflective mood. My term as President of the Friends is ending in June, coinciding with a recent move to the South Shore. When we first began coming to the Cape many years ago, we had a home in South Chatham and occasionally visited the South Chatham Library, a short walk away for our young children. When we moved closer to town, we shifted to using the EPL and came to really appreciate its importance and value. Retirement provided greater opportunity to utilize the Library and time to volunteer with the Learning Series and then the FEPL Board. I have thoroughly enjoyed both experiences and will miss them.
Though Chatham has been a constant in our lives for over forty years, my wife Ann and I have lived in a number of communities over the past fifty plus years, each of them quite different. Yet, whether we were in small towns or large cities and suburbs, we valued the libraries and never failed to compare them to EPL. Size and resources varied greatly, but to our good fortune, they all shared some common elements with the EPL: welcoming and knowledgeable staff, a sense of peace and quiet energy, and a relaxed air only possible in a community space that is safe and open to all, true hallmarks of our library.
So, as we entered into our most recent relocation planning, we did take into account the words of Albert Einstein, “The only thing that you absolutely have to know is the location of the library.” During our search among several South Shore communities, we visited the libraries of each one. All were impressive, and each had distinct qualities to make us feel we would enjoy being active patrons wherever we ended up. Our final choice was Hingham, and already, the Hingham Library has reminded me of EPL. Shortly after returning the first books I had borrowed, I received a call informing me that I had left a bookmark in one text. To the unknowing, the bookmark was just folded paper with a crayon design, when in fact it was created by my now ten year-old granddaughter when she was three - a precious gift from a fellow lover of books. I immediately said to Ann, “That’s an EPL- level of care and concern.”
I will miss the EPL, but it will remain a symbol of excellence in my mind. I have quoted from “Peanuts” before and want to end with one from Snoopy, “Good books make good friends”. I would add to that message, I am confident the Friends will continue to help ensure the EPL does the same.
Tom Reid
President, Friends of the Eldredge Public Library
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Friends Annual Meeting with Pippa Norris
Tuesday, June 10 @ 4:00
We hope you can join us for the Annual Meeting of the Friends of the Eldredge Public Library. Following a short business meeting our guest speaker is Pippa Norris.
Ms. Norris is a comparative political scientist who has taught at Harvard for more than three decades. She is the Paul McGuire Lecturer in Comparative Politics at Harvard's' Kennedy School for Government, an Affiliated Professor at Harvard's Government Department, and founding Director of the Electoral Integrity Project, Vice President of the World Values Survey and Co-Principle Investigator of the Trust in Democracy (TRUEDem) project. Everyone is welcome!
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You're Invited to Books in Bloom
Sunday, June 22 from 4:00-6:00 pm
Experience and explore the historic Eldredge Public Library in a unique way. Enjoy floral arrangements, inspired by books, displayed throughout the Library. This annual event is a fund-raiser sponsored by the Friends of the Eldredge Public Library. The event is open to all with an admission fee of $20. Tickets are on sale at the Library and at the door.
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Greetings from Youth Services!
Calling all artists, art appreciators, and colorful characters! The Eldredge Public Library invites YOU to Color Our World with art, stories, and creativity during our exciting 2025 Summer Reading Adventure!
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This summer, we’ll dive into artistic expression and the countless ways color appears in our lives: from radiant rainbows arching across the sky and vibrant flowers blooming in gardens, to brilliantly colored fish beneath the sea and delicious foods brightening our plates. Families, children, and teens are welcome to join us as we explore the vibrant world of imagination, creativity, and discovery through books, activities, and engaging programs all summer long.
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We’ve found a perfect community partner for this year’s theme, the Creative Arts Center! We’re so excited to work with them to provide colorful, collaborative activities and programs that will spark creativity throughout our Summer Reading Adventure!
The 2025 Color Our World Summer Reading Adventure runs from July 1st through August 16 and is open to infants, children, tweens, and teens.
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Registration for the Summer Reading Adventure is in-person beginning at our kickoff event on Tuesday, July 1st and any time after that in Youth Services.
- Earn “Rainbow Rewards” for completing a minimum of 120 minutes of reading and participating in two “Color Quests” each week.
- Programs will be held at the Eldredge Public Library. We also will be holding multiple virtual author talks with the writers of some of our favorite graphic novels and middle grade and young adult books.
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The summer calendar will be available on June 14th in Youth Services and on our website.
- Teen & Tween Night will be on each Thursday evening for students entering grades 5 through 12!
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Registration for July activities will open on our website on June 14th and registration for August activities will open on July 15th.
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We are tremendously grateful to the Friends of the EPL for their generous support of our summer reading program! Stay tuned to www.eldredgelibrary.org and our social media for news and information about Color Our World!
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Museum Passes
Looking for adventures for your guests this summer? Thanks to the generosity of the Friends, the EPL offers 18 museum discount passes. Reserve your pass online or stop by the Library!
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FEPL Book Sale
Make sure to visit the FEPL Book Sale located downstairs in the Forgeron Room! We are featuring a collection of genealogy books for sale in June. We really appreciate all of your donated items but before you bring them to the library, please check for mold and mildew. Please call ahead for book sale hours @ 508-945-5170.
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Dear Eldredge Public Library Friends, patrons and supporters,
First we want to thank the many folks who responded to our recent survey regarding the Friends of the Eldredge Library Learning Series.
Even as we bring our current season of programs to a close this spring, we are already incorporating many of the insightful suggestions from the survey in the formulation of our programs for the fall season.
We will be sending out information on our fall program in August, and we will look forward to seeing you.
The Friends of the Eldredge Library Learning Series Committee
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View our June programming newsletter!
Please note date correction:
- Marcellus Eldredge program is Thursday, June 26 @ 5:00 pm
- Greenhead Chronicles program is Monday, June 30 @ 11:00 am
| | See ALL of our upcoming programs - including the Virtual Speakers Series (which includes Lisa Jewell, Katherine Applegate and Smithsonian Scientists) | | |
Our ongoing programs for June include:
Please see our June Adult Calendar for dates, times and registration information.
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