All posts by Brian Herzog
Chelmsford Winterfest 2015, Feb 6th to Feb 8th!
Chelmsford Winterfest 2015 is this weekend – Friday, February 6th through Sunday, February 8th.
A complete list of Winterfest events is available at https://www.chelmsfordlibrary.org/winterfest/, along with a map of event locations. There are lots of fun happenings all around town – but be sure to check out the events taking place at the library:
- Saturday, Feb 7th: the Children’s Department will be hosting performers Davis Bates and Roger Tincknell with songs and stories for WinterFest, at the main Library at 10:30 a.m.
- Sunday, Feb 8th: the popular WinterFest Social from 2-4 p.m. This is also the kick-off event for Chelmsford’s One Book program, so we will be handing out copies of The Sandcastle Girls along with a program brochure and a colorful bibliography of books about Armenia and the Armenian Genocide. Armenian folk music and dance songs will be provided by Ara Jeknavoroian and Harry Alexanian.
- Sunday, Feb 8th: start of the Center Village ArtWalk. Eleven artists and nine businesses in Center Village are participating in the Artwalk, so stroll around the Center and viewing the displays in the shop windows. Then, cast your vote for your favorite – a People’s Choice ballot will be available at the library, or you can vote online at https://www.chelmsfordlibrary.org/winterfest/artwalk
- Sunday, Feb 8th: opening of the WinterFest Photography Contest February Photography Exhibit. There will be a “People’s Choice” ballot box for the public to vote for their favorite photographs in each of the 3 categories. On Sunday the Cultural Council will hand out awards for the juried prize for each category, but the People’s Choice award won’t be announced until the end of the month. The Cultural Council will also recognize the 2015 grant recipients.
We’ve had plenty of snow already this year, and this weekend is the time to get out and enjoy winter!
Seconds, a graphic novel by Bryan Lee O`Malley
Ok, I’ve been on a binge of graphic novels this past month. But, that’s because there are so MANY that are SO GOOD!! This one has to be my reigning favorite (outside of the Marvel and DC Universes that is). It tells the story of a rather prickly restaurant owner and chef, Katie. The restaurant, Seconds, is doing a brisk business and Katie wants to open an additional restaurant across town. The location is in a less desirable area but the building has historic charm. Life is good.
After a series of mishaps and accidents at the restaurant, her life is starting to seem not so good. One night after work, she falls asleep wishing she could reverse all the bad that has happened. Waking in the night she finds a mysterious girl crouching on her dresser. (Stay with me here) As the girl slowly disappears from view, Katie finds a small notebook and a red mushroom left behind.
Within the notebook is a recipe for a do-over, a second chance to make things right. All Katie has to do is write down her mistake in the notebook, eat the mushroom, and things will go back to the way they were. Katie, a type-A personality, cannot be happy with making things the way they were however. She succeeds in finding the source of the red mushrooms and begins redoing her entire life over and over to disastrous results.
With chibi-like characters, bright coloration, and unusual framing for a comic, it is a delight to the eyes yet remains a cautionary tale. How many second chances can you have without your life becoming unrecognizable as your own? The answer lies within.
People of the Book, a Novel Conversations Selection for February.
This book has been on my nightstand for a long time and I finally had the time to read it. Stitched into a series of vignettes, the story follows the life of a 500 year-old illuminated Haggadah. Hanna Heath, a book conservator tasked with the job of ensuring the stability of the book, travels from her home in Australia to Sarajevo, Bosnia where the book is under heavy guard. Upon taking the book apart to restitch and fix small holes in the binding and seams, she finds evidence of where the book has been throughout its 500-year history. The story alternates between the present (in this case 1996) and the past. The story of the Haggadah is told in reverse chronology – moving steadily backwards, ending with the creation of the drawings that become the Haggadah.
Not only a story of a book as the title would suggest, but in many ways a history of the Jewish struggle to exist in a world that found reason after reason to make that as difficult as possible. For a student of history as I am, I found more questions than answers that have led me onto more history books about the history of the Jewish people.
If you have never seen an illuminated Haggadah take a look. They are absolutely gorgeous. I had no idea until now that they existed.
Bottom line: I am told that it is a tough book to read because of the alternating plot lines. I didn’t have the same sensation perhaps because I listened to it. Try it and see and then come join us at the main library on February 6th, 2015 at Noon to discuss.
NB: I checked this book out of the Chelmsford Public Library. I received no compensation from this review.
Last Weekend To Donate Books!
This weekend is the last chance people will have to donate books to the library until Spring.
Since the Dutton House next door to the library could not be sold to be moved, the Selectmen have approved its demolition. The work of clearing the building for demolition is to begin immediately, which also means that the house can no longer be used for book sale storage.
Therefore, starting on Tuesday, January 20th, 2015, the library cannot accept any book donations until the Dutton House is replaced with a new storage building. Plans for a storage building, additional parking, and more green space will be finalized by the Spring. We’ll update everyone when the library will be able to once again happily accept donations from our patrons.
We apologize for this interruption in accept donations, because the library truly appreciates the generosity and support of the Chelmsford community.
Digital Services at the Chelmsford Library
Are you paying for a subscription to a service like Amazon, Hulu, or Netflix to receive digital books, movies, music and television? Did you know that similar services are available for free through your library?
With just a library card, you can download bestselling eBooks, like John Grisham’s Gray Mountain; full-color magazines, like National Geographic; classic films, like “To Kill a Mockingbird;” and popular television shows, like “Wallander” and “MI-5.” You can even download and keep up to five songs per week. Whether it’s Mozart or Megan Trainor, select from among 8 million songs to keep for as long as you want.
Connect to any of these services from the library’s webpage at https://www.chelmsfordlibrary.org/econtent/. For assistance with these services, contact or visit the library, sign up for a one-on-one help session, or register for one of the Tech Talk workshops held each month. The next workshops are scheduled for January 28 at 10 a.m. and February 4 at 10 a.m. Bring in laptops or mobile devices for help setting up, or just attend to learn more. Contact the library’s Reference Desk with questions at askus@mvlc.org or 978-256-5521 x211.
Updates to Library Hours and Programs During the Holidays
November and December are busy months for everyone, including Library volunteers and staff. As a result, a few of our scheduled programs and operating hours have been changed to accommodate the holiday season:
Library Hours:
You can view our complete listing of library hours, but the changed days are:
Thanksgiving
Wednesday, Nov 26: Main library open 9:30-5:00, MacKay Branch open 1:00-5:00 – we close at 5:00 PM for Thanksgiving
Thursday, Nov 27: Closed all dayChristmas
Wednesday, Dec 24: Closed all day
Thursday, Dec 25: Closed all day
Friday, Dec 26: Closed all dayNew Year’s
Wednesday, Dec 31: Main library open 9:30-1:00 – we close at 1:00 PM for New Year’s Eve
Thursday, Jan 1: Closed all day
Library Programs:
Our online events calendar is the most up-to-date source for library programs, but the updates we know about so far are:
- Both advanced and beginners English Circles will not meet on Dec 23 and Dec 30
- The Writers group at the main library will not meet Wed Dec 17th
- The Knitting Group at MacKay will not meet in December
- TSSG (technical skills share group) will not be meeting in November or December
- The teen programs Rainbow Loom Club on Dec 16, Drop-In Minecraft on Dec 23, and the Rocky Horror Sing-A-Long on Dec 30, have all been cancelled
Please check our online events calendar for program and hours information, or contact the library at 978-256-5521 if you have any questions. Happy Holidays!
It’s November – Play With Your Food!
Find the Value of Your Antiques!
If you’re curious about the history or value of some of your antique furniture, vintage toys, or just old stuff, the library has quite a few resources that can help.
Every year we get updated copies of price guides for coins and money, stamps, sports cards, and other collectibles. There are encyclopedias and picture guides for almost every subject too – toys to cigars to watches to clothing. Most of these are in the non-fiction shelves downstairs, and the Reference staff is happy to help you locate the right book.
Chelmsford residents also have access to an online antique pricing resource called P4A Antiques Reference (P4A stands for “Price For Antiques”) – it’s a quick way to check how much an antique might be worth, based on what similar pieces have sold at recent auctions.
The focus is on collectibles and historic Americana, including furniture, china, glassware, folkart, brass, silver, iron, artwork, and major antique collectibles, with complete information on when, where, and for what price the antique was sold. The database will also provide a little background information on each item, including date, maker, etc, based on the information that was provided at the auction.
Because antiques are described differently by different people, don’t give up after your first search. Try describing your piece in various ways, and also try the country of origin, material used, and maker, if possible.
If you have any questions about the P4A Antiques Reference database, please contact the Reference Desk.
October 2014 Flu Clinics for Chelmsford Residents
The Chelmsford Board of Health has an upcoming flu shot clinic, available to Chelmsford residents. An annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons who want to reduce the risk of becoming ill with influenza, or of transmitting influenza to others.
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Ages 6 months or older
Location: Chelmsford Senior Center
75 Groton Rd, Route 40
North Chelmsford, MA 01863
EVERYONE regardless of age MUST bring all health insurance cards!
If you have any questions you may call Sue Rosa, RN at the Chelmsford Board of Health (978) 250-5243.
What is Your Choice for One Book Chelmsford 2015?
It’s time to make your selection for the book Chelmsford will read in 2015!
To commemorate the first World War, our next One Book Selection will take place during the years that the Great War was fought. The Friends, Trustees, and the Staff have come up with three nominees and we would like YOU to make the final decision. Please vote for the one you think the town should read. In addition to this voter choice, the staff will also choose a World War I non-fiction title and a children’s book as companion books for the One Book Chelmsford program.
Voting will be open until November 4th, 2014 (election day), and the winning book will be announced on Wednesday, November 5th. The choices are:
| Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear 
|
Regeneration by Pat Barker 
|
The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian 
|