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The Yarmouth Port Library Newsletter
297 Main Street (Route 6A), Yarmouth Port, MA 02675
yarmouthportlibrary.org * 508-362-3717 * Fax: 508-362-6739
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Happy Holidays! While we may not be able to gather in person for programs at the library, Leslie, Carrie, and Carol have come up with numerous innovative ways to keep you involved with YPL. Read below and check the website for information on upcoming virtual programs and reading recommendations. And...it is Campaign Membership time! Please consider a gift to YPL. The Yarmouth Port Library is your community library and, while it is public (open to everyone!), it relies on donations to continue to operate. Thank You! And have a wonderful and safe holiday season!
Lee Peters, Editor, The Yardarm
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YPL Is Open - In Person And Virtually!
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While we can't gather as in the past, we rely on creative alternatives...
by Dinah Wolff, President
As we approach nine months of library operations guided by COVID accommodations, we're all learning ways to deal with restrictions; fortunately for all, our staff and volunteers have demonstrated their ability to deal with patrons' varying preferences, from telephoned requests with curbside pickup to monitoring safe visitor numbers for those who choose to browse the collection on their own. I'm just happy the building has reopened!
While we can't gather as in the past, we rely on creative alternatives, such as our recent (and sold out) Spaghetti Supper To Go. While all missed the usual Jack's Outback II event, we had good support for a bagged version to cook at home. Special thanks to Donna Fulton for her donor solicitation for the main components, to Jean O'Toole for breadsticks, and to those volunteers who readied the bags for pickup.
Librarians Leslie Altman and Carrie Bearse have found new virtual ways to engage the public, whereby our patrons can participate using their home computers. Please check our website at yarmouthportlibrary.org to see what's coming up, and contact the library with questions about access, if necessary.
I encourage you all to have a look at The Chapter One Project on our website, listen to a recording, and consider contributing one yourself.
Sadly, there will be no Christmas Stroll this year, but the library will be decorated as usual for the season, and hand-knitted items will again be for sale. Donations from local knitters are welcomed.
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Hand Knit Items for Sale - Donations Welcome!
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Just in time for the Holidays!
 Starting after Thanksgiving Week, the library's knitters will again be selling small hand knit items, such as hats, mittens, socks, and scarves, to benefit the library. Hand knit baby things, cuddly creatures, novelty items, and tree ornaments are welcomed as well.
Now in its eighth year, this sale has increased in popularity, so in addition to the efforts of the library's Knitting Group, we welcome donations from anyone in the community. If you're interested in participating, please bring your hand knit contributions to the library, and give them to anyone behind the Circulation Desk.
We ask that you label your items with your name, size, yarn content, and any relevant washing instructions, and thank you in advance for helping to support our library.
The Library's Knitting Group meets on the 1st and 3rd Mondays at 9:30 AM in the Reading Room, and welcomes knitters of all levels. For information, contact Dinah Wolff at 362-7660 or by email at dg.wolff@gmail.com
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It's The Giving Season
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Food Donations Needed
Please bring your non-perishable food items to the library during our open hours, and we will take donations to the pantry for you.
In these difficult times, anything you can give will be warmly appreciated.
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Update On Programs
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We always welcome your suggestions!
We have had successful virtual programs in the past few months, in conjunction with other CLAMS libraries. Our plan is to reschedule programs originally scheduled for spring and summer 2020 and to bring some more exciting programs to you in 2021.
"Identifying Family Photographs"
Thursday, December 10th at 7 PM
Presented by Maureen Taylor, the "photo detective."
Click here for a link to register. Anyone interested in history, genealogy, or family will find something to love about this program.
Lecture Outline:
1. The 5 Basic Questions: Who, What, Where, When, and Why.
2. Studying the Provenance.
3. Studying the Photo Format.
4. Researching the Photographer.
5. Clothing Clues (in terms of fashion, work, and geography)
6. Captions: Are they true?
Maureen Taylor is an internationally recognized expert on historic photograph identification, photo preservation, and family history research.
Christmas Sing-along
Monday, December 21st at 5 PM
New Church (Yarmouth Port) Virtual Christmas Carol Sing-along.
Celebrating 150 years.
Details to follow.
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Lighting Updated At YPL - Thank You Cape Save!
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Mention YPL to Cape Save when you schedule the work they
propose, and the library will receive $100 per referral.
by Ann Petrou, Trustee
The Yarmouth Port Library was recently able to take advantage of huge savings provided by Cape Save. We were able to update the majority of the fixtures in the building to accommodate LED bulbs. The areas on the entire first floor as well as the office on the second floor were all updated.
Over $4000 worth of work was done by Cape Save electricians for free. They removed all of the old bulbs and ballasts and the only cost incurred by YPL was the disposal of the old fixtures. Thanks to Peter Brightman, this was done for under $50! You can have Cape Save visit your home for an energy assessment and possibly take advantage of saving money. Mention YPL to Cape Save when you schedule the work they propose, and the library will receive $100 per referral.
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YPL Is Up And Running
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As long as we can do so safely, we will continue to welcome you
to our warm and cozy place...
by Leslie Altman, Librarian
Late fall is usually a time for me to relish the cooler weather and the joys of being at home, inside by the fire, reading a good book, planning family visits for the holidays to come. Nothing is happening "as usual," however, during this difficult period in all our lives. As long as we can do so safely, we will continue to welcome you to our warm and cozy place where you can visit and find books to read or listen to and films to watch.
Many thanks to all the volunteers and patrons for a successful "spaghetti supper to go." As you know, our programming has been limited since we reopened in June. Since then all the programs have been virtual but still worthwhile: a virtual tour of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, a fun cooperative mystery-writing experience with Jeannette de Beauvoir, and a dramatization of the life of Susan B. Anthony in honor of the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage.
On December 10th we are joining with other CLAMS libraries to host Maureen Taylor, the "photo detective." In this virtual program you can learn some methods of identifying the photos of family members you may not be able to name. In connection with that program, we have brought some of our genealogical materials downstairs to the Reading Room for easier access, and we invite you to use our computer to investigate your own genealogy through Ancestry.com. It's another way to "get together" with family when we can't have in-person visits. We are happy to help you with joining these virtual meetings. Just ask! We are here to help in any way we can.
If you have suggestions for future programs, please let us know. We wish that we could hold programs in the library, but for now, for your safety, we are avoiding any gatherings in the building. You are welcome to come in to browse, but we appreciate your making your visits as efficient as possible. We thank you for your cooperation.
Unfortunately, COVID has also taken its toll on the publishing industry. Many titles have been delayed. Recently, I received a duplication in an order - the result of my ordering the book in May, when it was slated to be published, and then again in October, when it finally was. (I returned the duplicate.) Several reasons for delays in publication include supply chain issues (paper for printing, for example, and delayed shipments of books); backups at the presses; and decisions by editors to postpone titles, especially books by first-time authors, in order to allow for book tours and other in-person publicity at the time of publication.
DVDs: The situation for DVDs is even more difficult. With most movie theaters closed, filmmakers are delaying the release of films that have already been produced, and the production of new films is postponed or cancelled. Meanwhile, more people rely on streaming services, which may hasten the demise of the DVD industry. Just to give one example, Tom Hanks's new movie "Greyhound," a WWII film, was to be released in June 2020. Now it is available, but only on the Apple TV+ streaming service. Similarly, Disney's new live-action version of "Mulan" is available only on Disney+.
In order to provide you with free DVDs we have continued to build our classic video collection. I've added a list at the end of this article: you may find something you missed or something you would love to see again. You can create your own "binge box." Just ask us if you need advice.
Book Group: The YPL Book Group has continued to meet - in person outside this summer, but now only virtually. We welcome everyone to discuss the titles the group has chosen. Although we do not meet in December, in January we will discuss The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley and in February "The Splendid and the Vile" by Erik Larson, a nonfiction tale centered on Churchill during the Blitz. Early reports say the book is definitely worth reading. Stay tuned for upcoming titles, which will be chosen soon. Newcomers are always welcome. We look forward to meeting again in person as soon as we can safely.
Gale Room: I am pleased to say that the Gale Room, now complete, will have one of my watercolor paintings on display. The gift comes in part from the Bray Farm Book Club, in memory of someone who was a member of the group. The Gale Room is a quiet place to read or study. We look forward to hosting small groups there as well, when we can again meet in the library.
Meanwhile, it is a pleasure to be able to see at least your eyes above your masks, and we are grateful to be able to provide you with a place to interact with us and with our materials. Best wishes to you all for a winter season with joy in the moment and hope for the future.
Classic DVDs to see again or for the first time -
Time to binge & turn on the DVD player!
Binge Boxes: We have ready-made binge boxes for you - classic comedies, romances, musicals, or murder mysteries. Some titles included in these boxes are Night at the Opera, Bringing Up Baby, Annie Get Your Gun, Maltese Falcon, and many more.
We have a few binge boxes compiled by a leading actor: James Dean, Buster Keaton, Vincent Price, Rogers and Astaire, or Frank Sinatra, to name a few.
We also have some of my personal favorites, which I would happily watch again: All the King's Men, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, Picnic, The French Lieutenant's Woman, Zoot Suit, and Dr. Zhivago, for starters.
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Here We Are, We Are Here.
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But physically what a wonderful place to be... in this caring and
comforting community with a great library in the middle of it all!
by Carrie Bearse, Assistant Librarian/Children's Services
Over the last few months, as we have been caught up in the pandemic mode of not really knowing what day it is (or perhaps even what month!) and struggling to get a grasp of what our new world will be like while missing the security of family and friends; I have been so heartened and uplifted by the routine of coming to work. Not just any work, but what I have come to consider essential work at this wonderful little library in this welcoming community, just a hop, skip and a jump from my own little home west on Old King's Highway.
It is my pleasure to welcome patrons with a smile (and once, also an apology to a patron knocking on the door because we were a tad bit late unlocking and putting out the flag). It is my pleasure to work with a group of smart, dedicated, and compassionate co-workers. It is my pleasure to work with all of YPL's fabulous volunteers who are here week after week, happy to do whatever is asked of them.
It is also my pleasure to acknowledge and appreciate the guidance and governance by the members of the Board of Trustees and Corporators who stop in occasionally, and in some cases daily; and who help sustain this library and allow us to thrive and serve the community. But mostly it is my pleasure to be here to serve you.
Although I do not plan on holding story time or other indoor library activities for children anytime soon (and that is probably best for the safety of all), we are here for you in many ways. I continue to make book selections for children and young adults (fiction and non-fiction) based on reviews and recommendations. As always, if there is a book you would like to see in the collection, please let me know. Although all of the books that I order are designed to enhance our collection, I have included a list of a select few that I feel are really charming or poignant in some way...all well worth a closer look!
I am also happy to make recommendations or gather books from our collection for take-away packs. I know that some people are still reluctant, and understandably so, to come into the library. Curbside pick-up is and will be available! I continue to record videos for our website featuring new or themed children's books - although I do know that most children (and parents!) are leery of more screen time. However, our website does have a wealth of information, so please check it out and see what is available.
I will continue to put out themed craft packs, from time to time, for kids to take home. Also, we are still encouraging and accepting Chapter ONE Project recordings, and it would be fabulous to have some young voices added to that collection.
Here we are, in this sort of limbo place between surreal, normal, and undetermined. But physically what a wonderful place to be... in this caring and comforting community with a great library in the middle of it all! We are here to help make these times a little more bearable; to offer a welcome hello, a great selection of books, audiotapes, and videos, and we hope perhaps something a little bit more.
Wishing your holidays and early winter are the best they can be.
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Extra Special Books for Children and Young Adults
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 The Boy and the Gorilla
by Jackie Azua Kramer
(J PICTURE)
|  Bright in the Night
by Lena Sjoberg
(J PICTURE)
|  Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away
by Meg Medina
(J PICTURE and Video)
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I Talk Like A River
by Jordan Scott (J PICTURE)
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13 Stories About Harris
by Amy Schwartz (J PICTURE)
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The Bridge
by Bill Konigsberg
(Young Adult Fiction)
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The Dog Days Of December
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 Celebrating Our Canine Companions!
Hey, YPL kids (or anyone young at heart!) please join us in celebrating our canine companions during this holiday season! What a fun way to spread simple joy through the barks (and a few meows!) of our favorite furry friends!
Each Thursday in December, we will be posting a dog (and cat) story on our website for you to view and enjoy. We will also have some dog and cat cutouts for you to decorate in holiday fashion!!! (Pick-up a craft pet pack when you come to the library or request via curbside pick-up.)
Happy Holidays! Woof! Woof!
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Winter Book Club Picks
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January:
Thursday, January 21st
at 2 PM
by Clare Pooley
Please note: You can listen to the first chapter on the Chapter One Project on the website. Click here
 The story of a solitary green notebook that brings together six strangers and leads to unexpected friendship, and even love.
Julian Jessop, an eccentric, lonely artist and septuagenarian believes that most people aren't really honest with each other. But what if they were? And so he writes--in a plain, green journal--the truth about his own life and leaves it in his local café.
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February
Thursday, February 18th
at 2 PM
The Splendid and the Vile
Shows how Churchill taught the British people "the art of being fearless."
It is a story of political brinkmanship, but it's also an intimate domestic drama, set against the backdrop of Churchill's prime-ministerial country home, Chequers; his wartime retreat, Ditchley, where he and his entourage go when the moon is brightest and the bombing threat is highest; and of course 10 Downing Street in London.
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New Books and Media at YPL
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books, DVDs, and CDs at YPL.
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Book Donations
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Book Donations
We are currently not accepting book donations.
For further information please check the website.
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New Lending Model For Ematerials
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As always, we aim to make your borrowing experience better.
Look for a new lending model for ematerials beginning in December, called "Cost per Circulation." It should make wait time for ematerials shorter, as it allows for unlimited simultaneous use at a lower cost than purchase of the item.
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Tenth Annual Membership Campaign
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We nevertheless remain more than usually dependent on the generosity of our members to help us get through this difficult period.
We begin the tenth campaign under unusual circumstances, to say the least. Like all Cape Cod libraries, we were shut down in March. In May we were one of the first libraries to partially reopen with limited services, but as I write this, we're still not back to normal - open only 18 hours a week to limited numbers of patrons.
There is, however, some good news. At no time did we have to reduce or lay off staff, thanks in part to a Payroll Protection Loan from the federal government. The endowment has performed reasonably well, considering the impact of the pandemic and political turmoil. We had a successful plant sale in June and in October a "virtual" spaghetti supper brought in nearly as many dollars as the real thing (but of course minus the camaraderie of the actual event). A new quiet reading area, dedicated to the memory of Charles and Carolyn Gale, was established in the back of the library
We nevertheless remain more than usually dependent on the generosity of our members to help us get through this difficult period, as COVID infection rates are still climbing and any light at the end of the tunnel seems very far off. This year, for the first time, the Membership Campaign failed to exceed or come close to the stated goal of $40,000, falling short by nearly $10,000. As a result, for 2021 we have budgeted for only $30,000 in membership contributions, but with your help, we are hoping to do better.
If you are able to step up to a higher giving category, we hope that you will do so. If not, we ask that you make every effort to maintain your current level of giving, and if possible, consider an increase. Given our minimal funding from the Town of Yarmouth ($500), membership donations provide important support for our services and programs.
Membership Campaign letters will be going out soon to all past, present, and (we hope) future members of the library; return envelopes will be enclosed for your convenience. Thank you in advance for your contribution.
Les Peat, Treasurer, For the Membership Committee
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Amazon Smile - An easy way to donate to YPL
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If you do any shopping on Amazon, please go to Amazon Smile: smile.amazon.com
It is a simple and automatic way for you to support YPL
every time you shop, at no cost to you.
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Check The Website For The Latest YPL Info
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Please note:
During this "new normal" there is always the possibility of changes to the way the library may operate. Please visit the library's website for the most up-to-date information and for links to virtual programs.
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Mark Your Calendar - Ongoing Events
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ONGOING EVENTS
Knitting Group - Resumed!
First & Third Mondays at 9:30 AM.
Masks required. Social distancing.
Knitters of all levels welcome.
For information:
Contact: Dinah Wolff
Phone: 508-362-7660
Email: dg.wolff@gmail.com
YPL Book Club - Zoom In!
Third Thursday of each month at 2 PM.
Refreshments.
New members always welcome!
(Does not meet December, July and August.)
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For Children -
All programs have been postponed.
Storytime
Tuesdays at 11 AM.
For children ages 2 to 5, but all are welcome!
Play Cafe
Fridays from 10:30 AM to Noon
Books, toys, arts and crafts.
with Denya Levine
Last Friday of each month.
11 AM. All Ages.
Join in a multicultural sing-a-long with rhythm band and movement. Lively fiddling, spirited energetic fun.
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for up-to-date and detailed information on events.
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TEMPORARY LIBRARY HOURS
Tuesday - Friday, 10 AM to 2 PM
Saturdays, 10 AM to Noon
When normal hours return:
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Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
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Closed
Closed
10 AM - 4 PM
1 PM - 7 PM
1 PM - 5 PM
10 AM - 4 PM
10 AM - Noon
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Library Staff
Leslie Altman: laltman@clamsnet.org
Assistant Librarian/Children's Services
Carrie Bearse: cbearse@clamsnet.org
Circulation Assistant
Carol Riley: criley@clamsnet.org
Telephone: 508-362-3717 Fax: 508-362-6739 email: yarp_mail@clamsnet.org
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