Nevins Memorial Staff

If you have noticed construction equipment, large piles of dirt and stones and lots of activity on the north side of the Library this past month, you have noticed that the Friends of the Library are beginning to build their long-awaited Library Garden!

This construction is the first phase of a plan to renovate and improve the grounds on the north side of the Library's new wing, which opened in 2002.  "The Friends of the Library have been working to raise funds for this project for over ten years.  We are absolutely thrilled that Phase I of this project is beginning...we have waited and worked for a long time to make this happen," said Carla Friedrich, President of the Friends of the Nevins Library. 

The first phase of the garden project will be a 600 square foot Children's Garden which will include benches for seating, and a small stage area for children's imaginative play or for outdoor story times.   Plantings beds will be included in this area which will be surrounded by low stone walls and fences.  The garden will be accessible through the Library's Children's Room, or through the Bi-Centennial Park on the north side of the library building.  The Garden is slated to open in late summer. 

The Methuen Historical Commission and the Nevins Library have cooperated to put together an exhibit that tells the story of Company B of the First Massachusetts Heavy Artillery in the Civil War. This company was comprised primarily of men who enlisted from Methuen in 1861. Following several years of duty in the Washington DC area protecting the forts around the capital, they were pulled into General Grant's Overland Campaign in 1864 and fought in some of the most savage battles of the War. One of their worst experiences was in May of 1864 at the Battle of Spotsylvania, where they lost many of their number in the bloody fighting. The exhibit relates the history of these men before, during, and after the war. Created by historian Dan Gagnon, the exhibit is sponsored by the Historical Commission and the Library. It will be on display at the Library throughout the summer, after which it will travel to other venues in the Greater Lawrence area. Accompanying the exhibit at the Library this summer is a display of the uniform and equipment of Civil War re-enactor and Historical Commission Chair, Joseph Bella. For more information on this exhibit please contact Krista McLeod at 978-686-4080 ext 10.

Please sign up on waiting lists since the summer months are ones that have spur of the moment family activities. To accommodate these circumstances, we ask parents to let us know if you are no longer able to attend a program you signed up for by calling us at ext. 26. This will allow us to offer your spot to another family on our waiting list.

Swimmy by Leo Lionni & The Swimmer by PuppeTree (4 to 8 year olds)

This is a unique opportunity to see two short shadow puppet shows which introduce families to the concept of ecology. The first show tells the tale of Swimmy by Leo Lionni. This is followed by an original shadow puppet and animation piece that answers the question, "What can one little girl do to clean up her river?"

Click here to register for this program 

July 30th -  10 amThe WhaleWhales of New England by Cynde McInnis (4th to 6th grade)  

Cynde McInnis will be making a presentation on the Whales of New England. Participants will also get a chance to see the inside of Nile the inflatable whale, and to see, touch and feel whale artifacts such as bones and baleen, lice and prey, as well as other artifacts. Registration is required for this program.

Click here to register for this program 

Visit our Indoor Storywalk

Parents and their children can stop by the Children's Department during the month of July and read the story Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis. Don't forget to stop by the Children's Desk at the end of your walk to pick up the craft activity.

Everyone knows about the magazine Consumer Reports , but are you aware that the same high-quality consumer research and information is available to you through the Library's web site?   Are you looking for a new car? Does your air conditioner blow hot air instead of cold? Is your vacuum cleaner sucking more than dirt? If you need to make some important purchases and you want to be more informed before doing so the Nevins Library provides an online subscription to Consumer Reports, which will allow you to view the ratings they give as well as some important issues to consider when purchasing an item. You get all the benefits of the print magazine as well as in-depth coverage and videos about all sorts of consumer items. Just visit our website, choose Reference tab and view the alphabetic listing to find Consumer Reports, input your library card number and you are good to go.

Click here to view our databases 

Next Month: Ancestry.com