No more rainy day blues

When the weather turns rainy and you can't go to the beach, join us for CRUMMY WEATHER CRAFT DAYS in the Children's Room. There will be crafts, music, board games, giant puzzles, and more. The special drop-in crafts will be available from July 1 through August 28 as long as it's raining outside.
Don't be sad to see the rain. Come to the library where the fun is.

No more book donations for the Friends book sale

The Friends of the Oak Bluffs Library are victims of their own success. They asked for used books and received an overwhelming response from our generous patrons and new friends. The July sale will be a big success thanks to all of you. No more donations please! The space is full!

Donate Your Used Books, CD's and DVD's

Do you need to make some room in your house? Donate your used books, CD's, and DVD's to support the Oak Bluffs Public Library. The Library Friends of Oak Bluffs are gearing up for their Summer Book Sale. The Friends are looking for used books across all categories, for all ages, including hardcover and paperback, fiction and nonfiction, DVD's and books on CD, as well as recent textbooks and travel books. They must be in good shape, with no missing pages, water damage or mold.

Drop off your donations at the Oak Bluffs Public Library, Tuesday - Saturday, during library hours. Please do not leave books outside the library when it is closed. If you have a lot of books to donate, please help us by calling e.l. Edwards in advance at 508-693-8326. If you can’t get your book donation to the library, call for a pick-up.

Authors Visit and Birding Talk & Walk @ Your Library

Many interesting programs are planned for the month of May @ your library. Including author visits by Carol McCleary and Susan Wilson, a slideshow about a birding expedition to New Zealand by Susan Whiting, and a FREE Vineyard birding walk with local birding expert, Susan Whiting! Please click on the links below to learn about these events and more @ your library:

Saturday, May 8 at 2:30 PM - Author Visit, Carol McCleary Ms. McCleary will discuss her new novel The Alchemy of Murder, featuring Nellie Bly, the world's first investigative reporter and other historical characters such as Jules Verne, Louis Pasteur and Oscar Wilde. Learn more...

Thursday, May 13 at 6:30 PM - Author Visit, Susan Wilson Local author, Susan Wilson, will discuss her latest novel One Good Dog. Publisher's Weekly says, "...Old Yeller's got nothing on this very good man and his dog story." Fiction readers and dog lovers alike will not want to miss this event! Learn more...

Thursday, May 20 at 6:30 PM - Birding in New Zealand - Slideshow by Susan Whiting Please join Susan B. Whiting, local birding expert and co-author of Vineyard Birds 2, for a recap of her voyage on the Southern Ocean where she visited a string of New Zealand's offshore islands rarely visited by man. Learn more...

Saturday morning, May 22 - FREE Vineyard Birding Tour - Susan Whiting Please join Susan B. Whiting, local birding expert and co-author of Vineyard Birds 2, for a free Vineyard birding tour. The number of participants will be limited, please call the library to sign up. Learn more...

National Library Week - April 11 - 17

During National Library Week April 11 – 17, we are encouraging community members to use the “Library Savings Calculator” to learn how much money they are saving by using their local library.

To calculate your savings visit:
http://oakbluffslibrary.org/library_calculator.shtml

National Library Week - Facts:

Americans check out an average of more than seven books a year. They spend $33.56 a year for the public library—about the average cost of one hardcover book.

Americans go to school, public and academic libraries nearly three times more often than they go to the movies.

Reference librarians in the nation’s public and academic libraries answer nearly 5.7 million questions weekly. Standing single file, the line of questioners would span from Long Island, New York, to Juneau, Alaska.

A 2009 poll conducted for the American Library Association found that 96% of respondents agreed that public libraries play an important role in giving everyone a chance to succeed because it provides free access to materials and resources.

*Facts taken from the "Quotable Facts About America's Libraries 2010" produced by the American Library Association

3rd Annual Savor the Moment Photography Contest

The Oak Bluffs Public Library, in conjunction with the annual celebration of DELLA HARDMAN DAY on Saturday, July 31st, 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 2011. An exhibition is planned of a representative sample of the works submitted. The contest is open to all who wish to participate.

Entry deadline: May 29, 2010

View and print an entry form online, or pick one up at the library during your next visit. Please speak to a library staff member or read the entry form for more details.

Workshop for Nonprofit Grant Seekers Introduces GRN:MV

The library recently hosted a two-day workshop for nonprofit grant seekers that attracted over 30 attendees. The workshop focused on how to find and apply for grants using a collection of print and online resources referred to as the Grant Resource Network: Martha's Vineyard (GRN:MV), available at the Oak Bluffs Public Library. It includes access to online grant databases provided by Associated Grant Makers of Boston (includes over 400 local funders) and the Foundation Center (includes 97,000 national grant makers).

If you missed the workshop, please visit the library during our open hours to use the collection. You can also contact the Martha's Vineyard Donors Collaborative to arrange for a trainer to assist you when using the grant databases. Send an E-mail to grnmv@mvdonors.org to make an appointment with a trainer.

The GRN:MV was made possible by the collaboration of Associated Grant Makers, the Oak Bluffs Public Library, and the Martha's Vineyard Donors Collaborative, and also a grant from the Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation.

Winter Reading Series & Technology Fair!

The library has two very exciting programs coming soon that you will not want to miss:

Thursday, March 11 at 5:30 PM - Winter Reading Series

Samuel Leader and Greg Shultz, Fiction Fellows at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown will talk about their writing. Refreshments Served. Read more...

Saturday, March 20 at 1:00 PM - 2nd Annual Technology Fair

Community, school, library and business leaders will present examples of new information and communication technologies to the public. This is a free event and one lucky attendee will win an MP3 Player courtesy of the Library Friends of Oak Bluffs. Read more...

Computer Classes Full - Signing Up Alternates

The series of computer classes that are being offered at the library are filled to capacity. The library will continue to sign up alternates for the classes so that if someone cancels their seat will be filled. Please call 508-693-9433 and speak to a library staff member to sign up as an alternate. The computer classes have been made possible in part by a generous donation from the Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank.

Black History Month - Displays & Resources

The Martha's Vineyard chapter of the NAACP has created a display at the library to honor former presidents of the local chapter and to commemorate the centennial celebration of the NAACP. The display is located on the top floor of the library near the stairs. You can learn more about the NAACP of Martha's Vineyard by visiting their website at http://www.mvnaacp.org.

The library has also created a display consisting of materials related to Black History Month, including the highly acclaimed African American National Biography, Africana, The Underground Railroad: an encyclopedia of people, places and operations and Harlem Renaissance Lives. These resources are very helpful for students doing homework assignments, researchers, and anyone interested in learning more about black history.

Please come to the library and visit these two displays celebrating Black History Month.