Move that bus!

Don't close the books on libraries! Save our Regions! Equality of service across the state! All rallying cries to take to Boston on Library Legislative Day on March 9, 2010. It's easy to get there. Sign up to take the bus sponsored by the Friends of WMRLS. You can catch it in Whately, West Springfield, Palmer or at the CMRLS headquarters in Shrewsbury. Leave the driving (and parking and tolls) to Travel Kuz. $20.00 for WMRLS and CMRLS Friends members, $25.00 for non members - lunch included! Click this link for the complete information.

“A Tale for Ten Towns”

What if everyone in Deerfield, Erving, Greenfield, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Wendell, and Whately read the same book?
 
The idea behind A Tale for Ten Towns is to create a kind of community-wide book club throughout our ten towns. Reading great books provokes us to think about ourselves, our environment and our relationships. Talking about great books with friends, family and neighbors often adds richness and depth to the reading experience. We hope you will read and enjoy Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell and…

• Talk about it with your friends and neighbors.
• Attend the book discussions and related programs.
• Share thoughts about communicating across barriers.
• Read more for pleasure and encourage your children to do so.
• Meet new people and share ideas.

All programs are free and open to the public.

Be sure to stop by any one of the ten town libraries to pick up a copy of Julie and Julia in hardcover, paperback or audio. Discussion guides will also be available.

Registration/Books Available:  February 8—20, 2010

Program Length: February 22—March 20, 2010

Attend any event at any of the ten participating libraries and be entered to win:  An autographed copy of Julie Powell’s latest book, Cleaving: a Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession (2 copies).

Raffle Drawing to be Held: 18th Annual Poet’s Seat Poetry Contest Awards Ceremony; Thursday, April 29, 2010; 7pm; Stoneleigh Burnham School.

Financial Support: A Tale for Ten Towns is supported in part by federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners; grants from the Deerfield and Whately Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency; Montague Public Libraries; New Salem Public Library; Friends of the Greenfield Public Library; Friends of the M.N. Spear Memorial Library; Friends of the Northfield Public Library; Friends of the Sunderland Public Library; Friends of the Tilton Library; Friends of the Wendell Free Library; Friends of the Whately Library; The Greenfield Recorder; and Rick Roy Photography.

About the Book:  Nearing 30 and trapped in a dead-end secretarial job, Julie Powell reclaims her life by cooking every single recipe in Julia Child’s legendary Mastering the Art of French Cooking in the span of one year. It’s an hysterical, inconceivable, redemptive journey – life rediscovered through aspics, calves’ brains, and crème broulee.

About the Author: After spending a long, long time working as a temp, Julie Powell now writes in her pajamas in Long Island City, Queens, where she shares a “loft” apartment with her husband Eric; their dog, Robert; their cats, Maxine, Lumi, and Cooper; and their snake, Zuzu Marlene.

Events:

  

 Deerfield Public Library (Tilton)

• “Cooking for Food Allergies” presented by Julie Cavacco; Thursday, March 4, 2010; 6:30pm.
• “The Life and Times of Julia Child” presented by Professor Judy Holmes; Monday, March 8, 2010; 6:30pm; Deerfield Town Hall.
• “Soupçon of Soups;” Saturday, March 13, 2010; 11am.
• “Chocolate Cake Challenge;” Monday March 15, 2010; 6:30pm.
• Community Book Discussion, Julie and Julia, and 30-Second Julia Child Impersonations; Thursday, March 18, 2010; 6:30pm.

 Erving Public Library 

• Community Book Discussion, Julie & Julia/Cooking Demonstration by Carol Gregory; Sunday, March 14, 2010; 4-6pm.

 Greenfield Public Library

• Youth Craft; Tuesday, February 23, 2010; 10am.
• Movie Night, Julie and Julia Friday, March 5, 2010; 6-8pm.
•  Pub Quiz; Sunday, March 7, 2010; 3-5pm; Greenfield Grille.
•  “Food, Glorious Food: Exploring the Exciting World of Food Blogs” presented by Shelley Quezada, MBLC; Wednesday, March 10, 2010; 6pm.
•  Community Book Discussion, Julie and Julia; Monday, March 15, 2010; 1pm; Bart’s Café, Greenfield.
•  Youth Book Discussion, Green Eggs and Ham; Wednesday, March 17, 2010; 10am.
•  Community Book Discussion, Julie and Julia; Wednesday, March 17, 2010; 6pm.
•  Community Book Discussion, Julie and Julia; Thursday, March 18, 2010; 3pm; People’s Pint, Greenfield.
•  Community Book Discussion, Julie & Julia; Friday, March 19, 2010; 2pm; 99 Restaurant, Greenfield.

 Montague Public Libraries

• “Behind the Scenes on Food TV” with Lou Ekus; Wednesday, March 3, 2010; 7pm; Montague Center Library.
• Community Book Discussion, Julie & Julia; Tuesday, March 9, 2010; 7pm; Millers Falls Library.
•  Community Book Discussion, Julie & Julia; Monday, March 15, 2010; 7pm; Carnegie Library in Turners Falls.

 Northfield Public Library (Dickinson Memorial)

•  Community Book Discussion, My Life in France; Wednesday, March 3, 2010; 10am.
•  “Food for Thought: New England Community Cookbooks;” Friday, February 26, 2010; 6:30pm.
•  Afternoon Movie, Julie & Julia; Thursday, March 11, 2010; 12:30pm.

 New Salem Public Library

•  “Blogging for Fun” presented by Karen Powers; Saturday February 27, 2010; 10:00am. 
• Community Book Discussion, Julie & Julia; Sunday, March 7, 2010; 3pm.
•  French Cooking with Karen Powers; Tuesday, March 9, 2010; 3pm.

Shutesbury Public Library (M.N. Spear Memorial)

•  “Mastering the Art of French Dessert Making” with Shutesbury Pastry Chef, Pam Ososky; Sunday, February 28, 2010; 2pm; Shutesbury Elementary School.
•  Movie Night, Julie and Julia Saturday, March 6, 2010; 7pm; Shutesbury Town Hall.

 Sunderland Public Library

•   Movie Night, Julie and Julia Wednesday, March 3, 2010; 7pm.
• Community Book Discussion, Julie and Julia Wednesday, March 10, 2010; 7pm.
• “Cooking, Provencal Style” presented by Stockbridge Farm; Tuesday, March 16, 2010; 7 pm.
• “If You Can’t Take the Heat…Hard Work and Delicious Rewards in the Food World” presented by Betty Rosbottom; Wednesday, March 24, 2010; 7 pm.
• Community Hors d’oeuvres Potluck; Friday, March 26, 2010; 6pm.

 Wendell Free Library

•   Movie Night, Julie and Julia (and movie/book comparison discussion); Friday, March 5, 2010; 7pm.

 Whately Public Library (S. White Dickinson Memorial)

• Movie Night, Ratatouille; Wednesday, February 17, 2010; 3pm.
• Community Book Discussion, Julie & Julia; Monday, February 22, 2010; 6:30pm.
• Movie Night, Julie and Julia; Monday, March 1, 2010; 6pm.
• “Cooking with Herbs—Julia’s Way” presented by Stockbridge Farm; Wednesday, March 10, 2010; 7pm.

  Library Information

1.  Sara Woodbury, Director, swoodbur@cwmars.org, Tilton Library, 75 N. Main St., South Deerfield, MA, 413-665-4683
2. Barbara Friedman, Director, ervinglibrary@netscape.net, Erving Public Library, 17 Moore St., Erving, MA , 413-423-3348, www.erving-ma.org/18.html
3. Sharon Sharry, Director, ssharry@cwmars.org, Greenfield Public Library, 402 Main Street, Greenfield, MA, 413-772-1544, http://www.greenfieldpubliclibrary.org/
4. Susan SanSoucie, Director, librarydir@montague-ma.gov , Montague Public Libraries, Carnegie Library, 201 Avenue A, Turners Falls, 413-863-3214, Millers Falls Library, 23 Bridge Street, Millers Falls, 413-659-3801, Montague Center Library, 17 Center St., 413-367-2852, http://www.montaguepubliclibraries.org/
5. Diana Smith, Director, n_salem@cwmars.org, New Salem Public Library, 23 South Main St., New Salem, MA, 978-544-6334
6.  Debra Kern, Director, dmemlib@cwmars.org, Dickinson Memorial Library, 115 Main Street, Northfield, MA , 413-498-2455, http://www.northfieldpubliclibrary.org/
7.  Mary Anne Antonellis, Director, mnspear@verizon.net, M.N. Spear Memorial Library, 10 Cooleyville Rd., Shutesbury, MA, 413-259-1213, www.shutesbury.org/library/
8. Shelia McCormick, Director, Director@SunderlandPublicLibrary.org, Sunderland Public Library, 20 School St., Sunderland, MA, 413-665-2642, http://www.sunderlandpubliclibrary.org/
9. Rosie Heidkamp, Director, rheidkam@cwmars.org, Wendell Free Library, 7 Wendell Depot Road, Wendell, MA , 978-544-3559, http://www.wendellfreelibrary.org/
10. Tiffany Hilton, Director, library@whately.org, S. White Dickinson Memorial Library, 202 Chestnut Plain Road, Whately, MA, 413-665-2170, www.whately.org/library.htm

 Contact: Sharon Sharry, Greenfield Public Library, ssharry@cwmars.org, 413-772-1544 x109

Growing Up WILD Workshop

A BIG THANK YOU to Pam Landry, Education Coordinator, MassWildlife, who led this week’s Growing Up WILD workshop. Growing Up WILD is an early childhood education activity guide (ages 3 to 7) that builds on children’s sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them. Through a wide range of activities and experiences, it provides a foundation for developing positive impressions about nature while also building lifelong social and cognitive skills. This interactive six-hour hands-on workshop included crafts, music, conservation activities, reading and math connections and much more.

Reads More About ... MassWildlife's Growing Up Wild Project

Register soon for our next WMRLS MassWild Life Nature and Wildlife workshops – held in 2 western Massachusetts locations!

• Project WILD ~ Friday, April 9 at the Lenox Memorial Middle High School Library

• Project WILD ~ Friday, April 16 at the Great Falls Discovery Center, Turners Falls

~ Janet Eckert, WMRLS

Choose Privacy Week - May 2 to 8

From the Privacy Revolution Website:

"We kicked off Choose Privacy Week at a fun and exciting event on Saturday, January 16 during the ALA 2010 Midwinter Meeting. A full room of librarians and privacy advocates welcomed Hal Niedzviecki, author of The Peep Diaries: How We’re Learning to Love Watching Ourselves and Our Neighbors, for a thought-provoking talk on how the digital phenomenon of "peep culture" is affecting our ideas about privacy, individuality, security, and even humanity today. Full video coming soon!"

WMRLS is closed on Wednesday, February 10

Dear Western Massachusetts Libraries:

With worsening road conditions expected throughout the day today across our 4 county area, the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System will be closed on Wed. Feb. 10. Regional delivery will not take place. Please alert staff at your library whose work involves delivery tasks.

The WMRLS Executive Board will hold its meeting by a conference call at 2 p.m. this afternoon, as detailed in emails to board members yesterday and this morning.

Thank you for your understanding.

~ John Ramsay, WMRLS Regional Administrator

2010 Statewide Summer Reading Program Update

2010 Summer Reading Program

Our annual 2010 Massachusetts Regional Library Systems/MBLC Statewide Summer Reading Program is one of the many benefits of your WMRLS membership.

The following WMRLS member libraries are participating in this year's MRLS/MBLC Statewide Summer Reading Program

1. Adams Free Library
2. Agawam Public Library  
3. Arms Library, Shelburne Falls
4. Becket Athenaeum  
5. Belding Memorial Library, Ashfield
6. Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield 
7. Buckland Public Library  
8. Bushnell Sage Library, Sheffield
9. Cheshire Public Library
10. Chicopee Public Library
11. Clapp Memorial Library, Belchertown
12. Clarksburg Town Library
13. Cushman Library, Bernardston
14. Dalton Free Public Library
15. Dickinson Memorial Library, Northfield
16. East Longmeadow Public Library
17. Edward Public Library, Southampton
18. Emily Williston Memorial Library, Easthampton
19. Erving Public Library
20. Field Memorial Library, Conway
21. Gilbertville Public Library
22. Goodwin Memorial Library, Hadley
23. Grace Hall Memorial Library, Montgomery
24. Granby Public Library
25. Granville Library
26. Greenfield Public Library
27. Griswold Memorial Library, Colrain
28. Hamilton Memorial Library, Chester
29. Hampden Free Public Library
30. Hatfield Public Library
31. Heath Free Public Library
32. High School of Commerce Library, Springfield
33. Hinsdale Public Library
34. Holland Public Library
35. Holyoke Public Library
36. Hubbard Memorial Library
37. Huntington Public Library
38. Jones Library, Amherst
39. Lanesborough Public Library
40. Lee Library Association
41. Lenox Memorial Middle & High School Library
42. Leverett Library
43. Lilly Library, Florence
44. M.N. Spear Memorial Library, Shutesbury
45. Mason Library, Great Barrington
46. Middlefield Public Library
47. Monson Free Library
48. Montague Public Libraries
49. Monterey Library
50. New Marlborough Town Library
51. New Salem Public Library
52. North Adams Public Library
53. Northfield Farms Field Library
54. Otis Library and Museum
55. Paige Memorial Library, Hardwick
56. Palmer Public Library
57. Pelham Public Library
58. Peru Library
59. Porter Memorial Library, Blandford
60. Richmond Free Public Library
61. Robertson Memorial Library, Leyden
62. Rowe Town Library
63. Russell Public Library
64. S. White Dickinson Memorial Library, Whately
65. Sandisfield Library
66. Shaw Memorial Library, Plainfield
67. Shelburne Free Public Library
68. Slate Memorial Library, Gill
69. South Hadley Public Library
70. Gaylord Memorial Library, South Hadley
71. Southwick Public Library
72. Springfield City Library
73. Storrs Library, Longmeadow
74. Sunderland Public Library
75. Tilton Library, South Deerfield
76. Tyler Memorial Library, Charlemont
77. Wales Public Library
78. Ware Jr. Sr. High School Library
79. Warwick Free Public Library
80. Wendell Free Library
81. West Springfield Public Library
82. West Stockbridge Public Library
83. Westfield Athenaeum,Westfield
84. Westhampton Memorial Library
85. Wilbraham Public Library
86. Williamsburg- Meekins and Haydenville Libraries
87. Williamstown Public Library
88. Worthington Library
89. Young Men's Library Association, Ware

~ Janet Eckert, WMRLS

The UMass Amherst Library Celebrates Major Expansion of Learning Commons

The University of Massachusetts Amherst will hold an event celebrating the expansion of the Learning Commons at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, where students have access to research tools and assistance, academic advising, tutoring and writing assistance - all in a comfortable, high-tech environment that fosters small group interaction. The event will be held February 8, 2010, 2:00 p.m., Lower Level, Du Bois Library, UMass Amherst campus.

Among those attending the ceremony will include Robert C. Holub, UMass Amherst chancellor; James V. Staros, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, and Jay Schafer, director of Libraries.

The expansion of the acclaimed facility includes a 20-percent increase in the size of the Learning Commons, to about 30,000 square feet; a 60-percent boost in seating, from 250 to 450, and eight new group study rooms. Overall, the Learning Commons houses more than 200 multipurpose work stations equipped with PCs and Macs, and more than 400 ports for connecting to the campus network and the Internet.

Deadline to order 2010 "Go Green" Incentive Items from JanWay

Visit the JanWay website to order incentive items to compliment your 2010 Library Summer Reading Program ~ Deadline to order items is today!

Please note: All Massachusetts libraries that are a member of a regional library system are welcome to order these items – academic, public, school, and special libraries.

Western MA Library Club Gift to WMRLS

Last year the Western Massachusetts Library Club (WMLC) voted to donate any 2009 new member fees to WMRLS. This week WMRLS received a donation from the Club with a matching gift from an anonymous donor. The WMLC has a long history of supporting the Western Region through the Humphry Fund which provides an annual gift for the purchase of materials for the WMRLS Professional Collection. The Professional Collection holdings are available on the C/W MARS database; the collection includes materials on improving library skills. Thank you for your generosity Western MA Library Club!

~ N. Janeen Resnick, Assistant Regional Administrator

Springfield & Worcester Libraries offer "Chat with a Librarian"

The following message was posted to the WMRLS email discussion list on Wednesday, February 3:

Hello all,

I've already received some gratifying interest in the new Worcester/Springfield "chat with a librarian" service.

MBLC has asked me to remind everyone that if you have a link to the old MassAnswers service on your website, to please remove it. MassAnswers ended last December and the link is now dead -- you should also remove any MassAnswers logos still on your sites:

http://massanswers.org/  (the old, dead link)

You can determine pages that still have such links by using Google Advanced Search:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=link:http://www.massanswers.org/&start=10&sa=N

Also, if you would like to use our chat with a librarian icon or our Springfield chat banner to market the service to your own patrons, please feel free to download them and add them to your website (thanks to Ping at Worcester for the design):

Chat icon: http://www.springfieldlibrary.org/icons/chat_sm.gif

Springfield chat banner: http://www.springfieldlibrary.org/images/sclqp.jpg

Again, if you would like the javascript to 'imbed' a chat Qwidget (chat box) on your website, please contact me.

The chat box (or Qwidget) is on our Reference page:

http://www.springfieldlibrary.org/ref/reference.html

And a larger chat box is available through our Question Point page:

http://www.questionpoint.org/crs/servlet/org.oclc.admin.BuildForm?&page=frame&institution=11073&type=2&language=1

Chat is live and available to the public Monday through Friday, 3 - 5:30 pm.

And thanks to everyone for your continued interest in this service!

Donna L. Goldthwaite

Regional Reference & Internet Services Librarian

Supervisor, Foundation Center Cooperating Collection

Springfield City Library

220 State St.

Springfield MA 01103

413-263-6828 x437

dgoldthwaite@springfieldlibrary.org

Web 2.0 Encore at WMRLS: Today Delicious

“Delicious (formerly del.icio.us, pronounced "delicious") is a social bookmarking web service for storing, sharing, and discovering web bookmarks.” (Wikipedia)

We are using it as a tool for staff to push out links to our patrons. Instead of a list of links on our website that is static, we can use tags and a link feed to push out new bookmarks to patrons. Also, the tools for link clean up make dead links easy to maintain.

~ Jennifer Hawkes, Electronic Reference Librarian, Chicopee Public Library

WMRLS Night at the MassMutual Center A Grand Success!

John Ramsay, Administrator of the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System (WMRLS) prepares to drop the ceremonial puck at the Springfield Falcons Game on January 23, 2010 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Accompanying him for the faceoff are Wally, The Green Monster (Red Sox Mascot) and opposing captains for the Falcons and the visiting Hartford Wolf Pack.

Some 150 WMRLS supporters, from all 4 western counties, attended the match, which was a fundraising benefit to honor WMRLS. During the puck drop, the announcer read off this message to the large, near-capacity crowd: “John and the Western MA Regional Library System want you to know that, in difficult economic times, people use their libraries more. Right now, and for the last 10 years, usage has risen to all-time highs. Please support your local libraries at town meetings, and encourage our legislators to support State funding of library services, especially the Regional Library Systems.”

To cap off a great evening, the home team tied the game in the third period and won it in a thrilling overtime.