Our Top Ten Borrowed Fiction Books in 2017

This year we have compiled our top 10 fiction checkouts for adults, young adults (teens), and children's books. Gail Honeyman took the number one adult fiction spot this year with Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.  Paulette Jiles was a close second with News of the World.  In third place, The Stars are Fire by Anita Shreve. Somerville adult readers also…

Staying Safe in Extreme Cold

“Winter is here”–Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones, Season 6, Episode 10. The Boston area’s white Christmas has given way to bone-chilling cold. According to National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Simpson, local temperatures are and will be 20-25 degrees colder than normal into the next week. Frostbite is possible after as few as 30 minutes outside….

A Face Like Glass

In This Book, Craftsmanship Is a Matter of Life or Death In the underground city of Caverna, the setting of Frances Hardinge’s novel A Face Like Glass, a sip of wine can rewrite memories, a bite of cheese can spark visions, and certain perfumes make the wearer literally irresistible.  Its citizens’ facial expressions, too, are…

Giving Where It Counts

Today (Nov. 28) was Giving Tuesday, a day designated by the United Nations and New York City's 92nd Street Y as a universal day of giving, as a way to establish a contrast to the consumerism of the holiday season. But despite that rampant consumerism, the month of December is when Americans are most likely to donate…

Public Notice: Green Line Extension Project Change

The state Department of Transportation has just issued a Notice of Project Change for the Green Line Extension. The extension from College Avenue in Medford to the Mystic Valley Parkway has been delayed for fiscal reasons. The Notice of Project Change is intended to initiate further Massachusetts EPA review of the Mystic Valley Parkway Extension…

Meet Julie and Lilly!

Welcome to our latest installment of Meet the Staff on the Library blog! This October, we would like to introduce you to two of our newest staff members, Julie and Lilly. These two women bring a lot of great ideas, previous library work experience, and enthusiasm to their jobs at the SPL. Though Julie and…

Meet the Staff: Tech Services and Business Office Edition

This month on the blog and in our e-newsletter, we’re introducing you to our amazing staff from Tech Services and the Business Office! (If you’re joining us from our e-Newsletter, welcome to the blog!) You might have seen these wonderful women around the Library, filling in wherever needed. You’ll often see Patty and Wendy in…