July 18-20 Book Sale - Library Friends of Oak Bluffs

The Library Friends are at it again! The Friends organized and operated a book sale booth during the recent Harbor Festival in Oak Bluffs (see pictures below).

Now they have organized a huge book sale for the weekend of July 18-20, at the Parish House in the Campground.
For full details visit our Events Calendar.

The Library Staff would like to thank all of the members of the Library Friends of Oak Bluffs for their hard work and dedication. Their support and contributions are vital to the library's services!

Current Events Lecture - Brigitte Lent

On June 17, Brigitte Lent, a former Language Specialist at the U.S. State Department, lectured on the timely topic of:

"World Population, Food Supplies, and Climate Change as a Security Matter".

If you missed this evening of thought provoking discussion, you can read a copy of Lent's lecture online now!

Fictions of Race in 20th Century America - Phil Weinstein

On Thursday evening the library hosted a well attended book discussion on "The Known World" by Edward P. Jones.

The Oak Bluffs Public Library was pleased to take part in the Fictions of Race in 20th Century America Book Discussion Club, for which the topic was race in America in the 20th century, as probed in fiction by four of the century's most prominent novelists.

Thank you to Phil Weinstein of Aquinnah, Professor of English at Swarthmore College, who led an informative and insightful discussion. The library would also like to thank Jennifer Christy, Library Director of the Aquinnah Library, for organizing the book group.

Here is a complete list of the novels that were discussed by the book group:

Go Down Moses, by William Faulkner
Native Son, by Richard Wright
The Confessions of Nat Turner, by William Styron
Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison
The Known World, by Edward P. Jones

A Barrier Reef Revealed - Michael Wooley

Michael Wooley, Local Artist & Swim Instructor, "wowed" an audience of 60 people with his breathtaking images and videos of a barrier reef off the coast of Belize. Brain Corals, Nurse Sharks, Sponges, Barracudas & an assortment of other undersea creatures were on display.

Michael provided a fun and educational narrative throughout the presentation.

At the end of the slide show the audience peppered Michael with interesting questions, and showed off some of their own knowledge of the sea!

Graphic Novel Slideshow & Talk

The library would like to thank Don Hinkle for his interesting slideshow & talk regarding Graphic Novels. This popular and expanding genre of reading material is a fun and fascinating subject!



Here are a few recent additions to the library's graphic novel collection:
Graphic classics v. 7: Bram Stoker



Storm



Satchel Paige : striking out Jim Crow



Biowulf



Search for more Graphic Novels Now!

May Book Discussion Group - "The God of Small Things"

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy is a story about how the loss of childhood innocence of the book's central characters mirrors the growing pains of modern India. Many important Indian issues are at the heart of the book. Prominent among them are the caste system, communism, religion, and India's history.

The discussion group had a lively conversation about modern-day India, as two of our members had traveled there recently and shared their discoveries and reactions to the country that is home to so many of the earth's people.

Next month we are combining our book group with an Island-wide book group that is exploring "Fictions of Race in 20th Century America." English Professor Phil Weinstein will lead the discussion about The Known World by Edward P. Jones. The meeting will be held at the library on Thursday, June 26th at 5:30 pm. Copies of the book are available at the downstairs circulation desk.

Della Hardman Day - Photography Contest!

The Oak Bluffs Public Library, in conjunction with the annual celebration of Della Hardman Day on Saturday, July 26^th, is sponsoring a photography contest to select 14 images featuring Martha’s Vineyard that reflect Della Hardman’s legacy theme:

“savor the moment.”

The winning entries will be published in the Oak Bluffs Public Library Calendar for 2009.

The entry deadline is June 14, print out an entry form (including the contest rules) today!

Please contact the library by phone 508-693-9433 for more information.

Book Discussion Group - "Mountains Beyond Mountains"

The book discussion group met on April 23 to discuss the book "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder. This non-fiction effort by Kidder focuses on the life and work of Dr. Paul Farmer and the Partners In Health Organization.

Much of the book takes place in the country of Haiti where Farmer works diligently to improve health care services to its impoverished citizens.

Farmer specifically focuses on the treatment of Tuberculosis and Aids and in conjunction with Partners In Health he brings his new and unique techniques to other countries around the world (Peru, Russia, etc...).

One group member mentioned that they really enjoyed Kidder's other books as well. You can find more of Kidder's books in the CLAMS Catalog:

1. House
2. Home Town
3. Among Schoolchildren
4. Old Friends
5. My Detachment: A Memoir
6. The Soul of a New Machine
   

The book that the discussion group will read for the May meeting is "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy. Please pick up the book at the downstairs checkout desk and join us for our next stimulating book group discussion!

National Library Week - Letter to the Editor

Many patrons saw the library's letter to the editor published in the recent issues of the Martha's Vineyard Times and Martha's Vineyard Gazette newspapers. In case you missed it, here is the letter that we sent in celebration of National Library Week 2008:

National Library Week 2008

To the Editor:

April 13-19 is National Library Week, a time to celebrate the contributions of libraries, librarians and library workers in schools, campuses and communities nationwide - and the perfect time to discover how you can join the circle of knowledge @ your library.

Library use is up nationwide among all types of library users, continuing a decade-long trend, and it’s easy to see why. Libraries are places where everyone can go to discover the world. With free resources like books, magazines, DVDs and computer and wifi access, libraries help people find new jobs, do better in school, tackle projects and learn new ways to improve their health.

Everyday, libraries in big cities and small towns, colleges and universities, in schools and in businesses help transform their communities. At our library, people of all backgrounds can come together for community meetings, lectures and programs, or to do research with the assistance of a trained professional.

What can you discover? National Library Week is the perfect time to find out. Join your family, friends and community. Join the circle of knowledge @ your library.

Respectfully,

Danguole Budris
Library Director
Oak Bluffs Public Library

Overdrive -- Audio Books & Music Downloads

As of April 1st you will be able to browse, check out, and download digital media with your library card 24/7. The Oak Bluffs Library has subscribed to OverDrive which will enable library patrons to install free software, browse and check out titles, and download them to a desktop or laptop. Simply go to clamsnet.lib.overdrive.com and learn about the system requirements and how to get set up for the downloads.

To access these digital materials you will need: A valid CLAMS library card issued by one of the libraries that participate in the CLAMS OverDrive service.

You can begin browsing titles to check out by clicking on the OverDrive picture or link on the Oak Bluffs Public Library's homepage. Start using this fast and convenient service today!