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Real Clothes, Real Lives: 200 Years of What Women Wore with Kiki Smith
Wed, Oct. 23 at 7pm
Professor Kiki Smith from Smith College will discuss her book on the history of women’s everyday clothing from the past 200 yrs. It spotlights items from the Smith College Historical Clothing Collection which have been deemed “the social uniforms of the many roles that women have held throughout the years,” providing a unique window into the experiences of women.
What started as a simple effort to protect a few interesting items from the jumble of abandoned stage costumes in the theatre department has evolved into a fascinating archive that chronicles through various fabrics, colors, textiles, textures, and clothing styles the untold stories of women’s everyday lives at work, at home, and at play.
Adopt-A-Cow Through Discover Dairy!
The Library has officially (virtually) adopted a calf from a dairy farm! This free program, offered by Discover Dairy, pairs calves with classrooms and afterschool programs. Our calf comes from Daona Farm in Shoreham, Vermont. Her farmer, Farmer Courtney, will be giving us regular updates on how our calf is doing (we find out the name of our calf next week!) Throughout the school year, we will be learning all about our calf, as well as dairy farming! We will be tying hands-on activities into our regularly scheduled kids’ programs.
Tweens and Teens
Mon, Oct. 21 at 6:30-8:00pm
Kids in grades 5-8 can are invited to an evening with food, craft, and/or activities! Come with friends and make some new ones. This month, we’ll try painting candles with melted candle wax. Register to join the fun! Call 585-6503 or email info@fitzlib.org.
Halloween at the Library
Thursday, Oct. 31
Don’t forget to stop by the library on Halloween for trick-or-treating! We have lots of books for you to check out, and we’ll be passing out sweet treats, too!
Save the Date! Teddy Bear Tea
Saturday, Nov. 9 at 10:30am
Dress up, bring your favorite teddy bear, and join us for refreshments, stories, games, and crafts! This event is open for kids in Pre-K through grade 2. Registration required! Call (603-585-3391) or email us (info@fitzlib.org) for more information.
Home Delivery – Available on a Trial Basis
Are you homebound (long or short term) and can’t get to the Library? We are trying a new program to deliver books once a week to those who cannot access our collection. Call (603-585-3391) or email us (info@fitzlib.org) for more information.
Pre-K Storytime
Join us for Pre-K Storytime every Wednesday at 10:30! i Storytime is a beneficial way for children to socialize (parents too!) while gaining literary proficiency and learning new skills. Children who are read to are statistically proven to do better in school. Give your child a jumpstart on success in life!
Big Kid (K-2) Storytime
Tuesdays 3:45 to 4:45 (after school)
Big Kid Storytime (for grades K-2) continues. We will be eating a snack, reading, and playing a game or creating a craft. Registration required! Call (603-585-6503) or email us (info@fitzlib.org) to sign up.
Wednesday Afternoons at the Library for Grades 1-6
Tuesdays 3:45 to 4:45 (after school)
Wednesday Afternoons at the Library (for grades 1-6) are happening every Wednesday from 3:45 to 4:45. Kids can take the bus from Emerson School. Come enjoy a snack and make a craft! On October 16, we will be introducing our new calf and making butter! Registration required! Call (603-585-6503) or email us (info@fitzlib.org) to sign up.
Stitch and Bitch!
Every Wednesday at 6pm
Whether you stitch, sew, embroider, crochet, like to color or prefer to just socialize, come join friends who like to craft and chat!
Coffee Hour
Saturday Mornings at 10am
Enjoy coffee, conversation, and a freshly baked treat with neighbors.
Book Club – Monday, Oct. 14 at 7pm
Monday, Oct. 14 at 7pm
Hula
by Jasmin Iolani Hakes
Books available
“A full-throated chant for Hawai’i. Part coming-of-age story, part historical family epic, all love. The pages fly by amidst fluid, furious language and captivating drama. This book breathes new life into island narratives…it’s impossible to come away unchanged.”
— Kawai Strong Washburn, Author
ALA Grant update:
In May of 2023, The Fitzwilliam Town Library was honored to receive a special grant from the American Library Association in the amount of $10,000. The funds have given us the opportunity to make purchases and adjustments in order to provide a more accessible library to all patrons. Changes made were based on community suggestions for improved accessibility during the summer of 2023, when a community forum was held:
- The purchase and installation of two sets of automatic door openers at the main patron entrance
- Stable stools for the children’s section as seating and access to resources
- Comfortable and over-sized upholstered chairs with device charging capacity
- Colorful carpet squares (defined seating) for children’s programming
- A second book return to be installed/located closer to the Library’s parking area and handicapped parking spaces (purchased with installation in progress)
Recently, the Library distributed a patron survey to assess perceptions of how essential/useful these improvements are The results were extremely positive!
Pioneer Valley Symphony Library Passes
Get a pass for up to 4 tickets to any Pioneer Valley Symphony concerts of the 2023-2024 season. Check out a pass, bring it to the box office before the concert of your choice to redeem. The box office opens 1-11/2 hours before each performance. Return your pass to the library so it can bring the joy of music to others! Visit pvsoc.org for the most up-to-date season information.
3-D Printer
Now patrons can use our 3-D printer for projects. Check out https://www.thingiverse.com/ for free project files. Then schedule a time with us to get your files ready to print.
New to our Library of Things
Hand Free Magnifier
This hands free magnifier allows users to have both hands free while getting the clearest view of the magnified object. It’s a suitable feature for those who are into sewing, crafting, reading books, and doing tiny electronic repairs but need a visual aid for making objects bigger and totally high definition. Check one out!
Fitzwilliam History and Information Page
There is a whole new page on the Fitzwilliam Library website (http://fitzlib.org) featuring Fitzwilliam-specific history and resources. You can find it under the 24HOUR-LIBRARY tab. Information will be updated regularly. Check it out!
Booklist Reader: Find it under 24-Hour Library above!
Click on the image to access this great free resource for all book lovers.
Booklist, the review publication of the American Library Association, proudly announces the launch of Booklist Reader, a new digital library patron–facing magazine featuring diverse readers’ advisory recommendations for readers of all ages.
Each month, Booklist Reader will showcase top-10 lists, must reads, interviews with (and articles by) top authors and illustrators, and adult, youth, and audio recommendations for all communities and all who love to read. Booklist Reader is also partnering with LibraryReads, an organization that each month publishes a list of the top 10 books read by library workers across the nation.
Continued Support for Library Programming!
Town Library while making everyday purchases on Amazon. Use the link below when shopping. Part of the proceeds will go to the Friends who fund books, programs and more for the Library.
Staff Book Recommendations
Cindi recommends…
Land of Milk and Honey
by C. Pam Zhang
“Haunting. . .[Foodies] will find Land of Milk and Honey a gourmand’s dream. . .tense, unnerving and creepy. . .an extremely atmospheric novel about the interplay of environmental destruction and class. The bittersweet aftertaste will leave you considering what you’d be willing to do — or resist doing — to experience the most essential pleasure.” —Ron Charles, The Washington Post
Kate recommends…
The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur
by Lev Grossman
“Satisfyingly epic but also fast-paced, this novel captures everything that’s grand and magnificent about the age of King Arthur while picking at its edges and delving into its darker depths. All fantasy and mythology fans will want to make time for this moving, entertaining epic. . . . This epic fantasy is sure to be a hit.”
—Booklist (STARRED review)
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