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TIDINGS
eNewsletter of the EPL
Chatham, MA
Winter 2020
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"Connecting Chatham to the World" |
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News from the Friends of EPL |
This edition of the Tidings may look a little different to many of you. From it’s inception The Tidings has been the newsletter of the Friends of the Eldredge Library. With this edition the Tidings will become a joint newsletter of the Friends and the Library. Originally it was mailed to members of the Friends but as computer usage and the reliability of the internet became more certain it was emailed to Eldredge Library patrons, supporters and Friends members. The savings on postage and printing allowed the Friends to increase their support to the Library. Did you know the Friends contribute to Library programs for children and adults? The Tidings gives both the Friends and the Library staff an opportunity for longer articles of interest while the monthly emails focus more on Library Programs and events.
Like so many groups and organizations, the FEPL Board has been meeting via Zoom. We welcomed two new members to the Board, Mary Ann Chamberlain as Vice President and Leslie Borkoski as Secretary. Rosanne Geylin completed her term as President but we are so very, very fortunate that she has stayed on the Board as co-chair of Ways and Means. She has left big shoes to fill.
The Friends membership appeal was mailed out last month. Thank you for renewing your membership and welcome to our new members. Your support is appreciated!
The book sale room remains closed but please stop by and check out the free book cart at the Library Lane entrance. There are an assortment of books, including some holiday books and puzzles. I know many of you, like me, will miss the Spring semester of the Learning Series (see below). If you are looking for a way to get involved with the Friends, the Learning Series Committee welcomes your participation.
Wishes for a healthy and happy holiday season from the Friends.
Ann Hosmer
President, Friends of the Eldredge Public Library
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A Message From Youth Services
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It’s been an exciting Autumn for Youth Services! We’ve loved welcoming back our readers to the EPL during browsing appointments. Seeing our library families and sharing the new materials with them has been fantastic. Chatham’s commitment to children and families is inspiring and impactful – THANK YOU for being literacy champions!
A middle school student and his family attended one of the first browsing appointments this fall. He stepped into Youth Services, inhaled deeply (through his mask) and said, “I’ve really missed the smell of the library!” Moments like this reveal how important our Library is to our kiddos – they don’t just miss the library materials, they miss everything about the EPL when they can’t be here!
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Throughout the fall, your Youth Services team provided outreach to the community, including virtual visits to classrooms to connect with the teachers and students, answer questions, and give virtual tours of the Library.
Creativity was the name of the game in providing virtual programming during this time. This included weekly preschool Storytime; weekly Tot Talk for caregivers of infants and toddlers; monthly book discussion groups for students in elementary school, middle school, and high school, and adults. We’ve also provided Take & Make Craft Kits, special events for families, activities for tweens and teens, a twice monthly Radio Storytime on WOMR, and a Halloween Storywalk™ on the front lawn of the Library! We have more exciting programs planned for this winter! A special thank you to the Friends of the EPL whose generosity and incredible support allow us to provide so many programming opportunities in Youth Services. Thank you for all you do for the Eldredge Public Library!
Meghan Kemp
Youth Services Librarian
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Season’s Readings 2020!
Sharing New, Notable, and Near-n-Dear Children’s and Young Adult Literature
Are you wondering what books to purchase for the readers on your holiday list? Do you need some great suggestions for your reluctant reader? Are you struggling to meet the demands of your avid reader? Are you looking for some great additions to your classroom library? Or, are you simply a fan of what’s trending in children’s and young adult literature?
Fear not, kindred spirits, The Eldredge Public Library’s Youth Services team will still offer a hefty list of recommended titles for young readers, but, sigh, we will not meet in person...or enjoy the extraordinary selection of seasonal desserts usually on hand. The Season’s Readings 2020 list will be available for download early December on the EPL’s website or ready to take from the Children’s Room Season’s Readings display. If you would like to preview the books on the list, make a browsing appointment by calling the Library at 508-945-5170.
This list is ideal for parents, grandparents, educators, and book lovers looking for gift ideas and worthy titles to share at home and in the classroom. As always, do not hesitate to reach out to Meghan, Leah, or Tammy for more personal suggestions for your young readers, and please don’t forget to shop at our awesome local bookstores, Where the Sidewalk Ends and Yellow Umbrella Books!
Tammy DePasquale
Assistant Director and Head of Youth Services
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FEPL Learning Series
Our community of adult learners enjoyed the Fall 2020 Learning Series with eight classes attended by 538 registrants. People signed in not just from the Cape, but from as far away as Alaska and Florida. The numbers suggest that moving to online registration and presenting through Zoom were useful tools to help us continue bringing the community engaging topics from talented presenters. The Learning Series will be taking a break in the Spring while they reorganize and reimagine the next semester.
The FEPL board is looking for about 20 people to join the core committee for developing the next fall semester. We are looking for those who enjoy teaching, planning, scheduling, organizing, marketing, coordinating on-site classes and running Zoom meetings and webinars if needed. The rewards are many - keeping the brain actively engaged, socializing with friends and strangers, and acknowledging the wonderful skills of people who make up our community. Contact Dan McPhee, volunteer coordinator for the Friends or talk to committee members about details of this activity.
The Learning Series Committee has a combined mission to develop adult learning classes that are informative, accessible, educational and fun, as well as raise funds for the Friends of the EPL to support the Library.
Many thanks to Kerry Brown, Tom Quill, Alison Kaar, Sherie Burson and Iris Leigh for making the Fall 2020 Learning Series semester a success. CoChairs Regina McDowell and Joanna Schurmann announced that they will be retiring from the committee that they were proud to be a part of for a combined count of 20 semesters.
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FEPL Membership
Our Friends membership drive has begun, and if you haven’t yet responded, it is never too late. Your membership supports youth and adult programs and equipment, museum discount passes, technology needs/upgrades in all areas of the Library and so much more. Thank you for being a Friend!”
Joan Craig and Bette Hahner
Co-chairs, FEPL Membership Committee
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Upcoming Virtual Programs |
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Happy Holidays from the Staff, Trustees and Friends of the Eldredge Public Library!
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