East Branch News, October 2020

Hello from the East Branch Library! We are excited to share two big programs in October. Both programs are free and everyone is welcome to participate. Learn to Baby Sign with Baby Kneads, a 4-week class that teaches parents and caregivers to sign with pre-verbal children ages 5 months and up, starts on Wednesday, October 7th. Contact Meghan to register…

Sam Walter Foss: SPL Librarian, Journalist, and Poet, 1858-1911

We have had some amazing library staff over the years. One of our more famous staff members is librarian Sam Walter Foss. Sam Walter Foss was born in Candia, New Hampshire in 1858 to Dyer and Polly Foss. Sam spent his childhood helping with his father’s farm and would later attend Portsmouth High School. After…

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Climate Change, Climate Justice, and Racial Justice

It may seem that the news is all bad—COVID-19, hurricanes, forest fires–but by no means should we give up. Climate Preparedness Week is coming September 24-30, and the Massachusetts Library System has partnered with CREW (Communities Responding to Extreme Weather) to host free virtual programs on the intersections of climate resilience and social and racial justice. In keeping…

Inside is Closed, But There’s A Lot Going On Around the Library

Even though you can’t come inside, you can still visit the Central Library. Check out the SHS construction – it’s impressive! Make your way up the ramp (you never know who you’ll meet!) and hang out to play chess or use the wifi.   Have a peek at the garden and see what we’ve got growing….

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Chance Reads for ArtBeat 2020

The theme of this year’s ArtBeat (July 10-18) is chance, featuring virtual performances and real life art installations exploring the unexpected and unplanned. In honor of the festival—and the uncertain times we’re living in—we at SPL decided to recommend some books that engage with the risky and unpredictable.  Our first stop is New Orleans in the early…