What’s Happening at the Library? — Oct. 7 Edition

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WESTFORD — Assistant Library Director Kristina Leedberg has shared the most recent edition of “What’s Happening at the Library?” with WestfordCAT.

Holiday Closure: In observance of Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day, the Library will be closed on Mon., Oct. 10, 2022. The Library will re-open on Tues., October 11 at 10 a.m. 

Unless otherwise noted, all of our programs are generously funded by the Friends of the Library, Inc.

Director’s Corner: Due to increased construction costs, all 12 libraries (including Westford) who are currently on the wait list for construction grants from the MBLC are reaching out to the Governor, State Legislators and the Legislative Library Caucus requesting surplus or state ARPA funds in the October Commonwealth supplemental budget. Click here if you wish to send an email to your state representative and state senator asking them to allocate these funds in the state’s supplemental budget. Town residents must vote on full project funding at both the October 17 Special Town Meeting, WA Gymnasium at 7:00PM and at the November 8 local ballot. 

Stony Brook School ARSJ Book Club: Wed., Oct. 12 at 2:00 p.m. Come to Room 119 after school to discuss the YA edition of Just Mercy and have some insightful discussions with your peers. The Anti-Racist Social Justice Book Club is led by Stony Brook students and supported by teachers and librarians. We discuss fiction and non-fiction books. Everyone is welcome and open dialogue beyond the text is encouraged! 

Virtual The Forgotten Nations-Native Tribes of New England: Thu., Oct. 13 at 7:00 p.m. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Meeting via email. Colonization happened early on in the New England area, as early as 1609, so many Native Nations and tribal histories were lost. Learn about the Nations that called this land home, where they are now and the thriving communities keeping their histories alive. Led by Heather Bruegl, an Independent Indigenous Consultant and Historian. Bruegel is a citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and a first line descendent Stockbridge Munsee. She is the former Director of Education at Forge Project and travels frequently to present on Native American history, including policy and activism. Hosted in collaboration with the Tewksbury Public Library. Register here. 

Diwali Crafts: Sat., Oct. 15 at 2:00 p.m. We will have a variety of Diwali themed crafts; something for everyone. Older kids can decorate a clay diya and try paper quilling. Younger kids can make a firework craft with colorful cellophane paper and straws. We will also have coloring sheets for the very young. It is up to the parents what you want to try with the kids! Register here.

Friends’ Annual Meeting and Featured Speaker-In Person: Tue., Oct. 18 at 7:00 p.m. Bina Venkataraman is an American journalist, author, and science policy expert. She is currently Editor-at-Large at The Boston Globe and a fellow at New America. Since 2011, she has taught in the program on science, technology, and society at MIT. In The Optimist’s Telescope, she draws on her reporting from around the world and new research in biology, psychology, and economics to explain how we can make decisions that benefit us over time. She highlights the surprising practices each of us can adopt in our own lives—and the ones we must fight for as a society. The Optimist’s Telescope is a book brimming with the ideas and insights all of us need to forge a better future. There will be a short business meeting preceding the program.  No registration required.

Virtual Wives, Lovers, and Spies – Women of the Civil War: Thu., Oct. 20 at 2:00 p.m.  Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Meeting via email. Explore the lives of some noteworthy women from both the Union and Confederate sides of the Civil War. Learn the fascinating stories of women who broke barriers and made bold and courageous efforts to support their individual causes. In the process, the ladies would find themselves in circumstances they never could have imagined. Led by historian Jo Ann Tufo, a writer, lecturer, and performer, her realistic and haunting portrayals of various historic figures have delighted audiences for more than thirty years. Register here.

YA Writers’ Club: Fri., Oct. 21 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Calling all writers! Get together to support each other through the ultimate writing challenge: National Novel Writing Month! Many successful authors have written their first drafts during NaNoWriMo! We will draft our novels, track our progress online, and meet to share ideas and advice. If you don’t want to participate in NaNoWriMo, you’re welcome to come share ideas and encourage others. Register here.

Friends of the J.V. Fletcher Library October Book Sale: Fri., Oct. 21, Sat., Oct. 22 and Sun., Oct. 23 A Friends Members Only Sale will be held on Friday evening from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. A Friends membership (which may be purchased at the door) is necessary for attending this sale. The entire public is invited Saturday for an all-day sale, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and for the $5.00 Bag Sale on Sunday, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. So much stock! So little time!

YA Crafternoon: Mon., Oct. 24 at 3:00 p.m. Come to the Meeting Room to hang out, listen to music, and get crafty! We will make pumpkins out of books, as well as create some DIY decorations for our upcoming Halloween party.

Did You Know?   The Library has an “Author Alerts” service. Get notified by email or text message when any member library of the Merrimack Library Valley Consortium orders new titles by your favorite authors or performers. Sign up here for Author Alerts.

Staff Recommends: This week’s staff pick is Nora Goes Off Script, by Annabel Monaghan. “Nora Hamilton knows the formula for love better than anyone. As a romance channel screenwriter, it’s her job. But when her too-good-to work husband leaves her and their two kids, Nora turns her marriage’s collapse into cash and writes the best script of her life. No one is more surprised than her when it’s picked up for the big screen and set to film on location at her 100-year-old-home. When former Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, is cast as her ne’er do well husband Nora’s life will never be the same.”

If you have questions or need assistance, please call us at 978-399-2300 or send us an email at westfordlibrary@westfordma.gov.

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