Library News

Jacob Edwards Library

July 2024

Library Hours

Monday & Thursday 9 am - 8 pm

Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 9 am - 5 pm

Curbside pickup is available during library hours!

Please note: the Library will be CLOSED on

Thursday, July 4th in observance of Independence Day.

Summer Reading

Summer Reading for all ages will be held from June 24th - August 2nd.

Lunch for patrons 18 and under will be held Monday-Friday, beginning Monday, July 1st, from 11 am to 1 pm.



Introducing Princh!

We are happy to announce that we have a new printing solution at our library - Princh!

To print from your mobile phone or a tablet:

1. When printing at the library: locate the print guide poster near the printer and scan the QR code.
2. When printing remotely: open your browser, go to print.princh.com and enter the 6-digit printer ID to select the printer (109281).
3. Upload your document(s).
4. Adjust the settings.
5. Enter your email address.
6. Proceed to the Print Release Terminal to pay for and finalize your print job.

To print from your laptop:

1. When printing remotely or at the library: open your browser, go to print.princh.com and enter the 6-digit printer ID to select the printer (109281).
2. Upload your document(s).
3. Adjust the settings.
4. Enter your email address.
5. Proceed to the Print Release Terminal to pay for and finalize your print job.

If you require further assistance, we have instructions available at the Library, and you can always ask staff for help.

Did you know that the Library has a number of free passes and discount coupons to local museums and attractions that you can check out with your library card? See the list of offerings here!

Chess Park

This is a conceptual rendering of the future Chess Park that will be located on the Southeast corner of the Library accessible from Main Street. Joseph Coan, Landscape Architect created the rendering. The plan was approved at the Board of Trustees meeting on September 26, 2023. The Trustees, Staff, and Friends are very excited to share this future development for the community!

At the Town Council meeting March 25, 2024, management of the funds raised through the fundraising efforts was approved by the Council:

"Vote the creation of a Chess Park at the Jacob Edwards Library and to allow the Town Manager to work with the Finance Department to establish and create an account to receive donations." 

Summer Reading

The summer reading program will be held from June 24th - August 2nd.

Teens and adults can sign up here: 2024 Summer Reading Sign Up

For adult participants, two prizes will be awarded in August - each program attended, activity completed, or item checked out will earn you a ticket for a chance to win!

Lunch for patrons 18 and under will be held Monday - Friday from 11 am - 1 pm beginning Monday, July 1st.

Mindfulness Meditation with Iris

Wednesdays, July 3rd, 17th, & 31st

3:00 - 4:00 pm

The Jacob Edwards Library is pleased to host Iris Vega, certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher and mentor, to present a series of sessions.

Inviting Mindfulness Meditation into your daily routine is an opportunity to cultivate awareness and presence.

You may bring your Yoga mat if you prefer doing the practice lying down.

Sponsored by Friends of Jacob Edwards Library.

July Art Exhibit

Michael Moore

Meet & Greet

Thursday, July 11th

6:30 - 7:30 pm

The Jacob Edwards Library is pleased to host an exhibit by photojournalist Michael Moore. The show will be on display throughout the month of July, during library opening hours.

From the Artist:

"I am a Southbridge native. I moved to New Hampshire at the end of 1985 and still make my home there.

Photography, for me, was mainly a hobby for several years, although a fairly serious one. I was shooting and processing black and white film and making prints from the start at age 18. I am mainly self taught but have studied the work of and with world renowned photographers. At age 25, I was fortunate to stumble upon photojournalism and quickly realized it was the career for me. I worked as a freelancer for 5 years at the Southbridge News, including teaching photography at the Pomfret (CT) School for 3 years, before taking a job as the chief photographer at the Keene (NH) Sentinel where I remained for 35 years. The quality of life in southwestern New Hampshire is what has kept me there.

The importance of news photography can not be overstated. Simply put, it is the documentation of life on our planet, human or otherwise, through photographs, whether regionally or globally. It is critical to a democratic society and archives a history of mankind.



A photojournalist may be called upon to photograph an endless array of subject matter, either planned or on a moments notice. I hope to demonstrate that to the viewers of this exhibit."

Sponsored by Friends of Jacob Edwards Library.

In July, the group will discuss "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law" by Mary Roach.

"What’s to be done about a jaywalking moose? A bear caught breaking and entering? A murderous tree? Three hundred years ago, animals that broke the law would be assigned legal representation and put on trial. These days, as New York Times best-selling author Mary Roach discovers, the answers are best found not in jurisprudence but in science: the curious science of human-wildlife conflict, a discipline at the crossroads of human behavior and wildlife biology.

Roach tags along with animal-attack forensics investigators, human-elephant conflict specialists, bear managers, and “danger tree” faller blasters. Intrepid as ever, she travels from leopard-terrorized hamlets in the Indian Himalaya to St. Peter’s Square in the early hours before the pope arrives for Easter Mass, when vandal gulls swoop in to destroy the elaborate floral display. She taste-tests rat bait, learns how to install a vulture effigy, and gets mugged by a macaque.

Combining little-known forensic science and conservation genetics with a motley cast of laser scarecrows, langur impersonators, and trespassing squirrels, Roach reveals as much about humanity as about nature’s lawbreakers. When it comes to “problem” wildlife, she finds, humans are more often the problem - and the solution. Fascinating, witty, and humane, Fuzz offers hope for compassionate coexistence in our ever-expanding human habitat." - Provided by publisher

Financial Wellness

Thursday, July 18th

6:30 - 7:30 pm

The Jacob Edwards Library is pleased to host a financial wellness program by Cornerstone Bank.

A good credit score has a major impact on your finances, so it’s important to start strong and maintain a good score. Join Cornerstone Bank at the Jacob Edwards Library for a presentation that will give you the skills to build and maintain a great credit score!

Sponsored by Cornerstone Bank and Friends of Jacob Edwards Library.

Afternoon Author Talk

Eileen O'Finlan

Wednesday, July 24th

2:00 - 3:00 pm

The Jacob Edwards Library is pleased to host author Eileen O'Finlan, as part of the Afternoon Author Talk series. Among her titles are "Kelegeen", "Erin's Children", and her most recent publication, "The Folklorist. "

"1830s Birch Falls, Vermont

One by one Jerusha Kendall’s siblings fall victim to consumption, the scourge of the 19th century. Devastated by the loss of her children, Jerusha’s mother Mary is horrified over the outlandish folk remedy proposed by her dearest friend, Lavinia. Unable to divert the people of Birch Falls from carrying out Lavinia’s ghastly plan, Mary succeeds only in convincing them never to let Jerusha find out what they’ve done. But Jerusha knows a secret is being kept from her, and she is determined to uncover it.

1973 Middlebury, Vermont

Newly-minted folklorist Charlotte Lajoie accepts the position of Assistant Director at the New England Folklife Museum, the perfect first step in her career. But her sexist boss uses her to hide his incompetence and steal her ideas. Charlotte’s misery at work is assuaged only by a gift from her grandmother – the diary of their ancestor, Jerusha Kendall. Fascinated, Charlotte suspects that her family may have been involved in the 19th century’s New England Vampire Panic. Her discoveries could prove to be a goldmine for her career but only if she can outwit her jealous boss and pacify a vengeful ghost." - Provided by publisher

From the author:



"I was born, raised, and live in Massachusetts. I am a New Englander to the core with a passion for this region's history. Along with my home state, I am especially fond of Vermont where both my parents were born and raised and a great many of my enormous extended family live.

​

Besides books and history, I also love cats. I've had at least one cat since I was about six years old. I can't imagine life without one. They are beautiful, independent, self-assured creatures. The cats with whom I've been honored to share a home have all had intriguing personalities and captivating quirks. They are my little darlings."

Sponsored by Friends of Jacob Edwards Library.

Identity Theft and Scams

Thursday, July 25th

6:30 - 7:30 pm

A representative from the Community Engagement Division of the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell will present a comprehensive overview of common online, mail, and in-person scams, share how to prevent identify theft, as well as steps to take if your identity is stolen. Discussion to follow the presentation.

The Interestings

by Meg Wolitzer

"The kind of creativity that is rewarded at age fifteen is not always enough to propel someone through life at age thirty; not everyone can sustain, in adulthood, what seemed so special in adolescence. The summer that Nixon resigns, six teenagers at a summer camp for the arts become inseparable. The friendships endure and even prosper, but also underscore the differences in their fates, in what their talents become and the shapes their lives take." - Provided by publisher

Summer Reading

The summer reading program will be held from June 24th - August 2nd.

Sign up here: 2024 Summer Reading Sign Up

For teen participants, one prize will be awarded each week - each program attended, activity completed, or item checked out will earn you a ticket for a chance to win!

Complete the "Conservation Bingo" sheet to earn a ticket!

Paper copies are available at the Circulation Desk

Bookmark entries will earn a ticket

AND put you in the running to win an amazing prize

thanks to the Friends of Jacob Edwards Library!

Please pick up a paper copy from the Circulation Desk.

Teen Advisory Group

Tuesday, July 16th

3:00 - 4:00 pm

Open to Southbridge students/residents ages 12-18.

Join our Teen Advisory Group (TAG) and help us improve our library services for teens. At monthly TAG meetings, you will weigh in on library programs, services, and materials, earn volunteer hours, make new friends, and build your leadership skills.

Henry Lappen: Henry the Juggler

July 1, 2024 at 6:30pm

This performance is being supported by a grant from the Southbridge Cultural Council,

a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Ed the Wizard

July 8, 2024 at 6:30pm

This performance is being supported by a grant from the Southbridge Cultural Council,

a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Lawn Games

Tuesday, July 9, 11:00am

Wednesday, July 31, 11:00am

Join us in Tuesday July 9th and Wednesday July 31st for some fun and games on the JEL lawn. Come visit us for lunch and some outdoor fun!

Sponsored by Southbridge Family Resource Center.

Davis Bates Storyteller

A Summer Reading Song & Story Celebration!

July 15, 2024 at 6:30pm

This performance is being supported by a grant from the Southbridge Cultural Council,

a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Beekeeper Susan Engel

Wednesday, Jul. 17, 2:00pm

Join us on Wednesday July 17, 2024 at 2:00pm for a unique and informational presentation on beekeeping and the importance of bees.

Magic By George

July 22, 2024 at 6:30pm

This performance is being supported by a grant from the Southbridge Cultural Council,

a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Make and Take Fairy House with Mary Jo Maichack

July 29, 2024 at 6:30pm

This performance is being supported by a grant from the Southbridge Cultural Council,

a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Lego Club

Tuesdays

3:30pm - 4:30pm

Crafty Wednesday

All Day

Every Week



See you at the library!

Jacob Edwards Library

508.764.5426

jelibrary@cwmars.org