Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Holidays are silver, blue, and white at the library


Happy Holidays from the staff at the Oak Bluffs Public Library. We have decorated the library with all recycled, reused, and re-purposed materials. Our Christmas trees have received lots of attention. We made them out of old paperback books. See if you can tell what publication we used to make the large trees. Hint: think close to home.
We hope to see you during the holidays.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

"Fall back" on November 6

Get an extra hour of sleep on Sunday, November 6th. Or show up somewhere an hour early, if you forget to set the clocks back. Just a friendly reminder from your library:)

Friday, August 26, 2011

Open Hours after Labor Day

Starting September 6th, the week after Labor Day, the library will again be open 40 hours a week:

Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: 10 to 6
Thursday: 10 to 8
Saturday: 10 to 4

Friday, August 19, 2011

Author Talk: Dr. Chester P. Soliz

On Wednesday, August 24th, at 2 p.m. Dr. Chester P. Soliz discusses his book, The Historical Footprints of the Mashpee Wampanoag. Book signing to follow. Refreshments will be served.

Monday, August 08, 2011

Screening of a documentary film, The Presumption of Guilt

Screening of the Documentary Film, The Presumption of Guilt
Based on the best selling book by Charles Ogletree, directed by award-winning director Hafiz Farid. Thursday, August 18, 6 pm in the Meeting Room.
Q&A to follow with the director Hafiz Farid.

Notes from the publicist:
Shortly after noon on Tuesday, July 16, 2009, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a renowned Harvard professor acclaimed for his work on racial justice, was arrested by a Cambridge police sergeant. The reasons for the arrest would come under scrutiny, raise questions about racial profiling, and set off a firestorm in the media, finally culminating in a much publicized “beer summit” where the policeman and the professor came face to face at the White House. Here, one of the country’s foremost experts on civil rights puts the now infamous event in the context of the complicated history that exists at the intersection of race, class, and crime in America.
From the book THE PRESUMPTION OF GUILT: THE ARREST OF HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. AND RACE, CLASS AND CRIME IN AMERICA by Charles Ogletree

“In the documentary film, THE PRESUMPTION OF GUILT, we aim to use the camera lens to highlight the complex issue of Race, Class and Crime in American society and to shine the light on that dreaded subject that we have failed to confront, but simply cannot ignore. Einstein once said that racism is America’s worst disease. We sincerely hope and pray that this book and film will be used as a tool to help find the cure. We must be honest enough to admit that racism is an adult disease and courageous enough to stop passing it on through our children." Hafiz Farid, Director

Oak Bluffs Week at the Museum!

Oak Bluffs Week: The Martha's Vineyard Museum is celebrating Oak Bluffs. With the exhibit, Your Town, Our Island, seasonal and year round Oak Bluffs residents are encourages to come tour the Museum for free the entire week. The Museum is open Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Discounts on memberships to the museum, too!
The Museum is on 59 School Street in Edgartown.
Here is a link to their web site:
http://marthasvineyardhistory.org/

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Book Talk: A Shred of Hope, by Yuliana Kim-Grant



Ms. Kim-Grant will discuss her book from 2 to 4 pm Wednesday afternoon, August 10th, at a book signing in the library Meeting Room.
Yuliana Kim-Grant received her MFA in Creative Writing Fiction from Emerson College. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and son, and in Oak Bluffs.
Here is a review of the book by Jack Shea in the Martha's Vineyard Times:
http://www.mvtimes.com/marthas-vineyard/article.php?id=6649

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Opening Reception ~ Art by Della Hardman


West Africa - Mother and Child
Photo by Della Hardman


Opening Reception - Art by Della Hardman
On Saturday, July 30, from 2:00pm-3:30pm

The annual DELLA HARDMAN DAY, a celebration of the arts established by the Town of Oak Bluffs in 2005, was inspired by the life of Della B. Hardman, PhD (1922 -2005), Vineyard artist, civic activist & writer who chronicled cultural and social events in Oak Bluffs for the Vineyard Gazette for nearly a decade.
The Oak Bluffs Public Library, in conjunction with the seventh annual celebration on July 30th, 2011, is hosting a show of Della’s photographs and textile art, which will be on display at the library from July 30th to August 12th.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

New open hours for July and August

In July and August the hours are the same on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. On Thursday we will be opening at 2p.m.
The trustees had to make the difficult decision to reduce open hours for July and August from 40 to 36 hours per week. The town is not able to fill the Reference Librarian's position for now, and since we are already short-staffed, this makes it difficult to properly staff the library during the busiest time of the year.
We hope that, with some additional summer help, this reduction in open hours will be sufficient, and we are able to provide the level of service our users expect when we are open.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Origami!















Origami is the ancient Japanese art of paper-folding, which appeared shortly after the invention of paper nearly two thousand years ago. It was first a privilege that only the rich and the ruling class could enjoy. As paper became cheaper to manufacture, it became an art enjoyed by more and more people until it became popular among all cross-sections of societies across the globe. No cutting, gluing, or taping is allowed in traditional origami.

Here are examples of origami, some designs being from long ago and others from more recent times. These models will be on display all summer long.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

One Book ~ One Island Event: Documentary screening

On Thursday, May 19th, 6:30 p.m., in the Oak Bluffs Public Library Meeting room, we'll be screening a documentary film: Farming the Future: Farm Life on Long Island. The film celebrates the more than three-century old family farmer way of life, examining the challenges of farming in suburbia and exploring solutions that can help farmers remain on the land. The one-hour documentary weaves interviews, historical photographs and contemporary footage to sew a vibrant tapestry of Long Island’s farming legacy from a historical, cultural and economic perspective. Farming the Future: Farm Life on Long Island features Farm Aid President and music legend Willie Nelson, Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, Congressman Tim Bishop, Assemblyman Michael J. Fitzpatrick, Suffolk County Legislator Jon Cooper, Long Island Farm Bureau Executive Director Joseph M. Gergela III, local bluegrass band Buddy Merriam & Back Roads, and a cross-section of Suffolk and Nassau counties farm families, including the Halseys, Tuthills, Grossmanns, Schmitts, Fosters, Kennedys, Talmages, and many more. Massapequa native, actor William Baldwin (Backdraft, The Squid and the Whale) narrates.
Although best known as the oldest suburban community in the country, Long Island housed nearly 3,000 farms in 1950. In 2005, only 700 remain, but Long Island farms continue to be the most productive in New York State, adding $150 million annually to the economy in the shadows of strip malls, as the region faces looming financial and environmental challenges. According to a 1997 study by American Farmland Trust, “Long Island is one of the top 20 most threatened agricultural regions,” reports Northeast Regional Director Jerry Cosgrove.
The program begins by exploring the history of farming on Long Island, highlighting the various ethnic groups that settled here and forever left their marks, including English, Irish, and Polish families. Viewers gain a sense of life growing up on a farm as the families share their emotional stories – the value system, work ethic and appreciation of nature, as well as the challenges of fighting natural and manmade factors beyond their control, such as weather conditions and real estate development pressures. The program also explores the ways that farmers have adapted to changing times, highlighting niche markets like the wine industry; flower production; direct marketing of produce to New York City restaurants; agri-tourism including pumpkin picking, corn mazes and music festivals held in the fields; and suburbanite support of local family farms.

After the screening, we would like to have a short discussion about the film's relevance to Martha's Vineyard.

Produced by Rudaitis Media. Producers: Ron Rudaitis and Sarah L. Rudaitis. Thank you to the authors for allowing the Oak Bluffs Public Library to screen the film!
From: http://www.wliw.org/productions/local-focus/farming-the-future-farm-life-on-long-island/325/

Friday, April 29, 2011

One Book - One Island 2011 events




The first of the One Book - One Island 2011 series of events were held at the libary: Wednesday we had a discussion of Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" led by Dawn Braasch, owner of the Bunch of Grapes bookstore, followed by "Local" lunch prepared by Jan Buhrman of Kitchen Porch and sponsored by Library Friends of Oak Bluffs. Thursday evening we hosted a panel discusion "Local&Sustainable", moderated by Nis Kildegaard, Reference Librarian, Edgartown Free Public Library, with Jim Athearn (Morning Glory Farm), Ali Berlow (edible Vineyard), Jan Buhrman (Kitchen Porch), Rebecca Gilbert (Native Earth Teaching Farm), Sidney Morris (Farm Institute, Thalia Scanlan (COMSOG) and others in the audience participating. Healthy tasty refreshments were prepared by Jan, and sponsored by Library Friends of OB. Thank you to all who participated!
More events are scheduled:
May 5, at 5p.m. at the Chilmark Library ~ Book discussion of Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle"
May 7, 4p.m. at the West Tisbury Library ~ Book discussion and signing, "Book of Duck Cookery", with Rebecca Randall Gilbert of Native Earth Teaching Farm.
May 19, 6:30 p.m. ~ Screening of documentary film, Farming the Future: Farm Life on Long Island.
A cheese making workshop at the Oak Bluffs Library is being planned for June 14th (check for the exact time and sign up at the library later).
The kids have not been forgotten: on May 7, children 3 years old and older are invited to a story time with Sondra, with a theme of "slow food" followed by seed planting to seed pods that the kids will be able to take home with them.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Congratulations to Sondra!

Congratulations to our Children's Librarian, Sondra Murphy, who was one of only five Librarians in the state to win Massachusetts Library Association's Kay Bader Scholarship to the Annual MLA Conference, which is being held in Danvers at the end of this month!

Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Spring Ahead One Hour


Just when you thought Spring would never arrive, it is time to turn your clocks ahead one hour. Early Sunday morning, March 13, at 2 am, spring ahead. Enjoy the sunlight!

Saturday, March 05, 2011

Visit us on Facebook


See all the photos of our first Stuffed Animal Sleepover. This morning the children will return to pick up their special pals and enjoy a breakfast with Sondra. It looks like all the stuffed animals had a wonderful time when the library was closed.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Early closing Wed., Jan. 12, 4 pm

The library will be closing at 4 pm today, Wednesday, January 12, due to weather conditions. We are sorry for any inconvenience.