December 10, Library Hours. The Center Book Group. The Mitten Tree Awaits Donations. Dave Newmark Paintings

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1 Weekly Library News December 10, 2015 Library Hours The Milford Town Library will close at 1pm on Thursday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) and remained closed until Monday, December 28 at 9am. The Library will also close at 1pm on Thursday, December 31 (New Year s Eve) and remain closed until Monday, January 4, The Center Book Group The Center Book Group, previously known as the Senior Book Group, will meet on Tuesday, December 15 th at 10am at the Milford Senior Center to discuss The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows. Barrows, the co-author of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society brings us a wise, witty and exuberant story that takes place in 1938 in the fictional town of Macedonia, W.Va. The stars of this small-town drama are the members of the Romeyn clan, whose history is revealed mostly through the eyes of its women. But we also hear from city girl Layla Beck, daughter of a U.S. Senator, who is exiled by her father to rural Macedonia to find employment in the Federal Writers Project. This is a spell-binding tale of family secrets and hot summer southern weather. A joy to read. For more information about the Center Book Group or to reserve a copy of The Truth According to Us, please call the library s Information Desk at , ext.219. The Mitten Tree Awaits Donations The Annual Mitten Tree set up in the Children s Room is bright with lights and is gathering its hanging of mittens, gloves, scarves, and hats that will be given to local charities to help warm hats and hands during the coming cold days. New handmade or store bought items are very welcome to be hung on the Mitten Tree any time before December 19 th. Thanks to all the generous patrons who have already donated items this year and in the past, we have been able to deliver several hundred items to people in need. We really appreciate the outpouring of support and kindness that the public has demonstrated over the years. Dave Newmark Paintings During December, paintings by local artist Dave Newmark will be on exhibit at the Reference Desk at the library. He is a return artist having shown at the library a few years ago. Dave s curiosity about the world and the people in it is immediately evident in pieces he s selected for this exhibit featuring five portraits and a compelling double portrait, and two landscapes.

2 A wonderfully vivid portrait of Ronald Reagan and another painting of an old man lighting a cigarette capture the sense of the grit and ruggedness of the American West. A painting of Beacon Hill homes with an American flag and a glimpse of a large church in the background also feels familiar and traditional. A striking double portrait recreates the iconic 1984 photo of the Afghan girl Sharbat Gula and later photo of her taken by journalist Steve McCurry 17 years later in Rounding out the portraits is monochrome painting of an old woman with dreadlocks, a Muslim girl, and a blue man in ceremonial makeup. A vivid Italian seascape, Manarola Squared, features unique and bold brushstrokes where blocks of color which viewed up close are just blocks of color, but when viewed from a distance, become a bright and coherent scene. Dave is also an adjunct member of Sal Ferreira s Artists Atelier that meets in the Young Adult Room of the library. Books with Beane The Milford Town Library is pleased to offer a new program to children in grades 1-3 called Books with Beane. Children can sign up for 20-minute reading sessions with Beane, a beautiful and gentle Golden Retriever. Dogs make excellent reading companions for young ones working on their reading aloud skills. Studies show that students can improve their skills through the non-judgmental and relaxing time spent reading to gentle and furry friends. Beane and his handler have been trained through Dog B.O.N.E.S., an acronym for Dogs Building Opportunities for Nurturing and Emotional Support. (Registration is required. To schedule an appointment, please call the Youth Services Department at , ext 216. Contemporary Book Group The Contemporary Book group will meet on Wednesday, December 30 th at 7pm in the Children s Program Room to discuss Let s Pretend This Never Happened: a Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson. This is a book for fans of Tina Fey and David Sedaris, as Jenny Lawson of Internet fame (she s The Bloggess) makes her literary debut. Lawson realizes that the moments that define us are often the ones we d most like to forget those mortifying ones we d like to pretend never happened. Her own life gives her plenty of comic material. Her bizarre upbringing in rural Texas with farfrom normal parents, her extremely awkward high-school years and her 15 year marriage provide lots of laughs accompanied by pictures with captions (these things need proof). To reserve a copy of Let s Pretend This Never Happened or for more information about the Contemporary Book Group, please call Shelley at , ext. 2 or , ssgamat@cwmars.org. Page 2

3 Old Milford Football Photos on Display Check out the Adult Display Case this month and see all the old Milford Football team photos on exhibit. Many of the photos are from a scrapbook donated by the family of Ernest Roberti. These photos include the Milford High Football team of 1925, and unidentified players # 25 and 17. Also exhibited are a program for the Northbridge High vs. St. Mary s High Thanksgiving Day game circa 1930s, a Red Oates cartoon from the Milford Daily News of 1964, and the Marlboro/Milford High Football games from Most of the photos are from the 30s or 40s, and the difference in the uniforms from today is amazing. There are many familiar names, although not all of the pictures have names attached. Perhaps some of our patrons can help us name these long ago athletes. Come take a look. Disaster Preparedness for Seniors Even if you aren t a fan of Game of Thrones, you know winter is coming and other potential disasters could happen at any time. Seniors may be especially vulnerable due to limited mobility or other factors such as limited eyesight or medication side effects. The American Red Cross recently published a useful booklet, Disaster Preparedness for Seniors By Seniors and the library has copies available. The guide suggests a three steps in any preparedness plan: 1. Get a Kit 2. Make a Plan 3. Be Informed. The kit should be ready to go and kept in the same place. An easy to carry container such as a backpack, duffel bag or small suitcase on wheels is best. Label your bag, cane, walker, braces or other equipment you might need. Pack enough non-perishable food for at least 3 days along with a manual can opener. Foods that don t require cooking are best. Other items to include are cash/coins, batteries, matches, cell phone (fully charged), flashlight, a whistle, changes of clothes, personal hygiene items, blanket, photocopies of personal documentation and insurance info, extra set of keys. There s much more in the booklet about family evacuation and escape plans, meeting places, free Red Cross shelters, and what to do in the aftermath of a disaster. ComCat: One Search. All Stacks The Milford Town Library has joined hundreds of Massachusetts libraries to provide a new service called the Commonwealth Catalog or ComCat. According to library director Sue Edmonds, It gives our residents access to millions of items beyond our local collection. It also helps us save money. We couldn t possibly afford to buy every book our patrons need. When Milford s network, CWMARS, doesn t have an item, residents can use the Commonwealth Catalog (commonwealthcatalog.org) to search through all participating libraries in Page 3

4 one easy step and sort results by books, audiobooks, or DVDs. Next, they simply request the item and it s delivered right to Milford for pickup, usually within a few days. Last year, residents borrowed 6.5 million items from libraries outside their own community. Funding for the Commonwealth Catalog is provided by the MBLC and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The service is managed by Fenway Libraries Online with participation from the nine automated Massachusetts library networks and several public universities. Young Adult Programs Lots of movies this month for the YA group. Movies on Wednesday 12/16 from 6:30 8:30pm, and after school on Friday 12/18 from 3 5pm. On Saturday 12/19 a double feature Home Alone and Home Alone 2 will be playing from 10am 12noon and from 1 3pm. More movies the following wee, too. Teens, don t miss all these great movies! Check for the other titles on the YA Calendar in the YA or Children s Rooms. T.A.T.T.O.O and Lego Club and Magic Card Club continue as well. Printing Available for Microfilm Reader After several years of hit or miss or no printing at all from the Microfilm Reader that is used frequently by patrons primarily searching old issues of the Milford Daily News, we now have a printer that will print wonderfully clear copies. Those copies are still only 25 cents. Ask a Reference Librarian to help you the first or even second time you wish to print from the Microfilm Reader. It s a whole new experience. Not difficult, just different than the last one, if you can remember that far back. Color Copies & Scanning Now Available There s a new combination copier/printer/scanner now available for use at the library with black and white copies 20 cents per page and color copies 35 cents per page. Recently, this improvement was welcome news to a student doing a project on Mars, the red planet. The machine accepts nickels, dimes, quarters, and $1 bills. Library staff cannot break large bills, so please come prepared. Scanning a page(s) is free, but patrons need to supply their own USB flash drive for this feature. The copier/printer is located near the Information Desk. Reference Librarians are always available to help patrons with printing. Help the Food Pantry for the Holidays Page 4

5 The basket for the Daily Bread Food Pantry collection is still under the Friends of the Library Book Table, although the Book Table has been moved to its new location. The Food Pantry feeds an ever increasing number of people as the cold weather sets in, and the holidays only make those numbers grow. When shopping think about picking up an extra can or two of hearty soup, some oatmeal, toiletries, pasta, natural peanut butter or other nourishing items. Small bags of onions or potatoes on sale are also a good idea, as are winter squashes. A staff member at the library drops off the donations collected at the library to the Food Pantry every Monday evening. Drop-in Storytimes The Youth Services Department has decided to make all storytime sessions drop-in style so spontaneous visitors to the library can attend the programs too. In the past, some children were turned away because the registration was full. Now it s a first come first served basis. Before going in to the storytime, get a nametag at the children s desk. Once the tags are all gone, the session is full. There s something for babies, toddlers, and school age children. All programs are led by our dedicated children s staff and are designed to meet developmental needs of children. A calendar with all the scheduled programs is available in the Children s Room and on our website, Health Outreach Patrons needing help with Mass Health information or forms may be assisted on the second and fourth Mondays of each month from 2 to 6pm in the ESL Room on the Lower Level. Assistance is also available at the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center (near CVS and Papa Gino s, on Route 140) every Monday morning. The phone number is ESL News ESL classes will take a break after December 15 th and resume sometime after the New Year. English as a Second Language classes are held on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings from 7pm to 8pm in the ESL Room on the lower level of the library. These classes are free, drop-in style, and open to any adult who wants to learn to understand, and speak English better. No pre-registration is necessary. Students should bring a notebook, pen or pencil and dictionary to each class. Page 5

6 Citizenship classes, offered by Catholic Charities are held each Thursday evening from 6 to 8pm in the ESL Classroom. The fall session began a few weeks ago, but registration is on-going. The classes are free, but the textbook and CD cost $ Ongoing Programs Food Pantry donations from the library have been greatly appreciated. Donations are delivered weekly by a staff member. Museum Passes are available to many area museums, zoos and attractions thanks to the Friends of the Library. Membership to the Friends of the MTL continues to be only $10 a year. Book Sale Table has items for all ages replenished weekly. Drop-in Style ESL Classes on 7:00pm Lego Club on Mondays in YA 6:30pm Magic Club on Tuesdays in YA Room 6pm-8:30pm The Milford Town Library website is: Library News is compiled weekly by Reference Librarian Mary Frances Best Page 6