Please download the library’s strategic plan here: Message from the Chair (PDF / 1 page) Strategic Plan Summary (PDF / 4 pages) Complete Strategic Plan (PDF / 40 pages) Completed…side of the building to parts of the community where they are wanted and needed. The library aims to be a gathering space for our community to access each other’s ideas and a place where information about vital services can be found. Through the goals set-out in this plan, we will improve services to children, teens, and families to ensure everyone has access to tools that spark curiosity and nurture learning. We will also expand access to local h…
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State Income Tax forms arrive
January 16, 2015 — The 2014 Massachusetts Resident Income Tax and Massachusetts Nonresident or Part-Year Resident Income Tax booklets have arrived, and can be found in the reference room. For information about tax forms in…The 2014 Massachusetts Resident Income Tax and Massachusetts Nonresident or Part-Year Resident Income Tax booklets have arrived, and can be found in the reference room. For information about tax forms in the library, where to find forms online, and local tax assistance, please see our community resource page on taxes….
Bach’s Chaconne on nyckelharpa
In these times of isolation and anxiety, here’s something gorgeous and sublime to help you reconnect with joy and remind everybody why the arts matter. Torbjörn Näsbom connects two of…yed, in one form or another as it evolved, for more than 600 years. It’s used mostly for Swedish folk music, which I could do a dozen staff picks on, but many musicians are playing other repertoire on it. Listen and enjoy 13 minutes of 16-string deliciousness. There’s more Bach and traditional Swedish nyckelharpa tunes on Torbjörn’s YouTube channel. It’s a delight from beginning to end (and I hope it never ends). For information in English about t…
Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration
This video celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s music and influence was entirely created during quarantine and includes performances by Bernadette Peters, Michael Cerversis, Josh Groban, Patti LuPone, Neil Patrick Harris, and…sis, Josh Groban, Patti LuPone, Neil Patrick Harris, and many other extremely talented people. We have solo performances, duets, and even large ensembles (these last come across surprisingly well given the difficulties of making music as an ensemble during quarantine). We also here from a few non-singers—Steven Spielberg being the most memorable in my mind—but it is, of course, the music that makes this two-and-a-half hour long celebration worthwh…
A Passion for the Planet
This live performance of Geoffrey Hudson A Passion for the Planet was recorded in Northampton, at Smith College’s Sweeney hall, and performed by the Illuminati Vocal Arts Ensemble with the…climate crisis go away. But perhaps, by forming an emotional connection with the topic, it can help us confront the stark realities. And when we see those realities—and truly take them in—maybe then, together, nourished by hope, we can work together to find a way forward.” – Geoffrey Hudson…
Amazing Grace
I missed this film when it was showing at Amherst Cinema in the Before Times, so I was very excited to find it on Hulu. [It’s available on a variety…uments Aretha Franklin’s 1972 recording of her live gospel album, also called Amazing Grace. She recorded the album over two nights at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles with her own band as well as the Southern California Community Choir. All of this is just preamble to say it’s wall-to-wall heavy hitters! Feast your eyes on the choir’s costumes, the bands’ suits, the reactions of the audience, the animated choir direction fr…
NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts
I recently discovered this delightful corner of the internet and have treated myself to these eclectic short musical sets ever since. I’ve experienced some great new artists and some sets…l you can get out to your next live performance….
Crash Course World History
Library users may know John Green best as the author of such popular books as The Fault in Our Stars and An Abundance of Katherines, but he is also a prolific YouTube…e treats us to occasional tangents and jokes, but the content remains focused and extremely informative, and he doesn’t shy away from difficult topics like imperialism, fascism, and slavery. Each episode is just over ten minutes long. The length is appropriate for an easily digestible summary that leaves you curious and interested to learn more about a topic. Episodes include The Agricultural Revolution, The Silk Road and Ancient Trade, Mansa Musa…
Stuff You Should Know
It can be a challenge to find a podcast that is very educational and informative, and at the same time is really funny. It can also be a challenge to…a wide variety of issues. Thousands of episodes are available on this weekly podcast that started in 2008. Check out this sampling of topics from 2017: How Dictators Work Are Artificial Sweeteners Really Bad for You? How Pacifism Works (and could it?) The Black Panther Party Pain Scales – Yeeow! Why Isn’t the US on the Metric System? How Foreign Accent Syndrome Works Is A Head Transplant a Real Thing? Most of the podcasts are an hour, but Chuck a…
No Such Thing as a Fish
Way back in 2003 Stephen Fry began hosting the delightful comedy trivia quiz show QI. The most visible stars of that show were the host, Stephen Fry, and the many…out the episodes with special guests such as Stephen Fry, Cariad Lloyd, and John Hodgman. (The latter is, I must say, perfectly suited for the show.)…
Invisibilia
Bernie Krause was a successful musician as a young man, playing with rock stars like Jim Morrison and George Harrison in the 1960s and ’70s. But then one day, Bernie…f a recent episode intrigues you, you will want to check out a podcast called Invisibilia. Produced by National Public Radio, Invisibilia explores the underlying forces that influence our behavior, ideas, and assumptions. Topics are wide-ranging and are told in an engaging and narrative fashion. One recent episode discussed a city councilor candidate who insists he is black, while his opponent accuses him of pretending to be black. The podcast ask…
Spelling Bee
Like most librarians, I love words and games that involve language. This new one from the New York Times challenges you to come up with as many words as you can using…words as you can using just the 7 letters they provide. You can play it in fits and starts and it’ll track your progress throughout the day, making it very user-friendly during this strange, interruption-filled and routine-free time we’re currently living in. And lest you become too impressed with yourself, Spelling Bee has a rating system, from “Beginner” to “Genius”, to put you in your place….
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