Book talk: “The Best Women's Travel Writing: True Stories from Around the World,” with Lavinia Spalding and Natalie Baszile

The Vineyard Haven Public Library is pleased to welcome editor Lavinia Spalding and author Natalie Baszile for a conversation about the latest edition of “The Best Women's Travel Writing: True Stories from Around the World.” This event will be held at 4:00 pm on Friday, July 24th, at the Vineyard Haven Library, located at 200 Main Street in Vineyard Haven. Free and open to the public, no registration required.

Volume 13 of this award-winning series features twenty-seven inspiring and thoughtful writers as they traverse the planet, crisscrossing all seven continents and exploring the ways travel can illuminate, heal, inform, and transform a life. The essays probe themes as diverse as the locations, immersing us in experiences of kindness, adventure, nature, friendship, strength, marriage, motherhood, spirituality, the environment, belonging, healing, history, identity, romance, and resilience. This beautiful and far-ranging collection helps us celebrate an appreciation for other cultures while proving that travel can be a profound gateway to connection, self-awareness, and an expanded worldview. 

Lavinia Spalding is the seven-time series editor of "The Best Women’s Travel Writing," author of “Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Keeping Traveler” (named one the best travel books of 2009 by the L.A. Times), and co-author of four other books, including “This Immeasurable Place,” one of NPR’s best books of 2017. She has published two Modern Love essays in the New York Times, and her writing also appears in The Walrus, Longreads, Tin House, AFAR, River Teeth, Post Road, Off Assignment, The Guardian, and many other national and international publications. Her work has been widely anthologized, has won gold SATW Lowell Thomas and SOLAS travel writing awards, and has been noted in “The Best American Travel Writing.” She lives with her family in New Orleans. Spalding will be in conversation with Natalie Baszile.

Natalie Baszile is a writer and filmmaker. Her new novel, "Friends and Family," will be published in October 2026. Natalie’s previous novel, "Queen Sugar," was adapted for seven television seasons by writer/director Ava DuVernay and co-produced by Oprah Winfrey. Her non-fiction work includes the book "We Are Each Other’s Harvest: Celebrating African American Farmers, Land & Legacy" and has appeared in National Geographic, The Bitter Southerner, O, The Oprah Magazine, and numerous anthologies. Natalie’s documentary film, HARVEST, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. A native Californian, her southern roots stem from Louisiana, South Carolina, and Alabama. She lives in the Bay Area. 

For more information, please contact the library at vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org or (508) 696-4211.

The Tristan Israel Band in Concert!

The Vineyard Haven Public Library is pleased to welcome The Tristan Israel Band for an evening of true “Americana” music, with roots in folk, rock, blues, and even some jazz. This program will be held at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, July 21st at the Vineyard Haven Public Library, located at 200 Main Street in Vineyard Haven. Free and open to the public. No registration required.

An island classic, The Tristan Israel Band plays mainly original tunes written by Tristan Israel, along with a few covers. The band is composed of Tristan Israel, Paul Thurlow and Nancy Jephcote. Tristan sings vocals and plays acoustic guitar and harmonica, while Paul plays bass, piano, keys, electric guitar, percussion and backing vocals, and Nancy Jephcote plays the fiddle. 

For more information, please contact the library at vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org or (508) 696-4211.

One Book, One Island: 1776

The Martha's Vineyard Library Association invites you to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by reading 1776 by David McCullough, and joining an all-Island book discussion led by constitutional scholar and author Jack Fruchtman, 3pm Saturday, July 11th at the West Tisbury Library. Copies of 1776 are available at all island libraries for check out.

Based on extensive research in both American and British archives, 1776 is the story of Americans in the ranks, men of every shape, size, and color, farmers, schoolteachers, shoemakers, no-accounts, and mere boys turned soldiers. And it is the story of the British commander, William Howe, and his highly disciplined redcoats who looked on their rebel foes with contempt and fought with a valor too little known. But it is the American commander-in-chief who stands foremost -- Washington, who had never before led an army in battle.

Jack Fruchtman, who lives in Aquinnah, taught constitutional law and politics for over 40 years. He is the author of seven books and has edited, coedited, or annotated another seven. He has written studies of the thought of Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Rush, and Joseph Priestley, among other eighteenth-century figures. His most recent books are American Constitutional History (second edition, 2022) and The Supreme Court and Constitutional Law (fourth edition, 2025).

This program is sponsored by the Martha’s Vineyard Library Association & The WETA Grant Fund.

 

Library Renovation Project Updates

 

Update July 4th, 2026

We are working hard to complete the renovated library as soon as possible for you to enjoy this summer! Our plan is to have the 200 Main Street building open by July 21st, though some services and collections may not be immediately available upon opening. The Church Street Library will remain open regular hours this week, but our schedule and services may be reduced as our move progresses. 

Update June 22nd, 2026

You will see moving trucks at the library building at 200 Main Street this week as we begin to move shelving fixtures back into the building. The project is nearing completion, but renovation work is ongoing. The Satellite Library at 15 Church Street will remain open in June, and a July reopening date will be announced soon!

Virtual: Navigating the Alpha-Gal Diet with Prudence Athearn Levy of Vineyard Nutrition

The Vineyard Haven Public Library is pleased to welcome Prudence Athearn Levy, dietitian and co-owner of Vineyard Nutrition, for a virtual conversation about navigating life with Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS). Hosted in collaboration with the Martha’s Vineyard Tick Program and the Alpha-Gal Support Group of Martha’s Vineyard, this virtual program will be held at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, July 14th, via Zoom. Interested patrons may register on the Vineyard Haven Library’s event calendar. 

The presentation will explore some of the most common questions people have about food triggers, hidden mammalian ingredients, cross-contamination concerns, providing practical day-to-day strategies for living with AGS. Prudence will also elaborate on an important reality of AGS: not everyone reacts to the same exposures or at the same level. While some individuals are highly sensitive to trace ingredients, others may tolerate dairy and experience inconsistent reactions to mammal meats. The goal of this program is to provide practical guidance that helps those suffering from AGS to better understand their own triggers, navigate recommendations safely, and make informed choices without becoming overwhelmed. Prudence will be in conversation with local epidemiologist Lea Hamner of the Martha’s Vineyard Tick Program. Audience questions and participation are encouraged!

Prudence Athearn Levy, MS, RDN, LDN, earned her Masters’ degree in Human Nutrition from Colorado State University in 2003 and completed her dietetic internships through the University of Northern Colorado in 2004. Since then, Prudence has dedicated her work to providing medical nutrition therapy and nutrition counseling for nutrition-related diseases and conditions in clinical, community and outpatient settings. Her experience includes counseling and education for cardiovascular health, diabetes, weight loss, weight gain, eating disorders, food allergies including alpha gal syndrome (AGS), nutrition therapy for the management of gastrointestinal diseases, sports nutrition and all stages-of-life nutrition, from childhood to senior nutrition. Prudence provides nutrition counseling and recommendations in a variety of settings, but the majority of her practice is focused on one-on-one nutrition counseling tailored to meet the specific nutrition needs of each client. Her true passion is helping people achieve their nutrition goals with a positive perspective and the knowledge that they can realistically maintain them for life. Prudence’s diverse background in farming, advertising, literature and writing add to her nutrition perspective and experience. Prudence is an 11th generation islander (the first Athearn, Simon, came to the island in the mid 1600s) and thrilled to be practicing nutrition in her own community. Prudence is also an avid cyclist, runner, hiker, gardener, cook, and mother.

Lea Hamner, MPH, is a public health epidemiologist specializing in tick-borne diseases, Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS), and community-based public health systems. She works with the Martha’s Vineyard Tick Program, local boards of health, and the Inter-Island Public Health Excellence Collaborative, focusing on disease surveillance, public education, healthcare collaboration, and tick-borne disease prevention. With 10 years of experience in local public health epidemiology, Lea is recognized regionally and nationally for her work on AGS surveillance and advocacy. She is on the board of the Massachusetts Epidemiology Collaborative, the Alpha Gal Alliance and a steering committee member of the Alpha-Gal Expert Advisory Council. A graduate of Yale College and the Yale School of Public Health, she is passionate about translating complex science into practical, community-centered information and “bringing science to the community, and the community to the science.”

The Alpha-Gal Support Group of Martha’s Vineyard is a welcoming space to connect with others who understand the challenges of managing food allergies, lifestyle changes, and ongoing health concerns related to Alpha-Gal. The group provides: peer support & shared experiences; education & coping strategies; resources for managing symptoms & navigating care; and a safe, judgement-free environment. This support group meets at the Up-Island Council on Aging in West Tisbury from 5:00-6:00 PM on the third Thursday of each month. 

For more information, please contact the library at vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org or (508) 696-4211.

Tisbury Tennis & Pickleball Courts 2026 Season

Adult Tennis & Pickleball Clinics  

The Tisbury Open Space and Recreation Committee, in conjunction with the West Chop Club’s Director of Tennis, David McNamara, have formed a tennis outreach program in Vineyard Haven. Tisbury Taxpayers with all-access memberships can register for the Adult Tennis and Pickleball Clinics. For more info and to register, visit: https://app.courtreserve.com/Online/Portal/Index/8315

Adult Tennis Clinic Schedule
Church Street Courts
Monday 9:30 -11:00am Beginner/intermediate
Tuesday 5:30pm - 7:00pm Beginner/intermediate
Wednesday 9:30 -11:00am Beginner/intermediate
Friday 9:30 -11:00am Beginner/intermediate
Saturday 9:30am – 11:00am Advanced

Adult Pickleball Clinic Schedule
Lake Street Courts
Tuesday & Thursday
9:00am – 10:00am
10:00am – 11:00am

Kids Tennis Clinics June 22 - August 23

The Tennis pros from West Chop will be offering free tennis clinics for Tisbury kids at the Lake Street tennis court in Vineyard Haven. Bring your kids to Lake Street for the appropriate age group session to sign them up.

Where: Lake Street Park
When: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday afternoons

3:00 - 4:00         Ages 4-6 years
4:00 - 5:00         Ages 7-11 years
5:00- 6:00          Ages 12+ years

Book Talk--“Feed Us with Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food” by Elspeth Hay

The Vineyard Haven Public Library and the Chilmark Free Public Library are pleased to co-host Cape Cod author and journalist Elspeth Hay for a discussion about her new book, “Feed Us with Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food.” This event will be held at 12:00 PM on Thursday, July 16th, at the Chilmark Free Public Library, located at 522 State Road in Chilmark. Free and open to the public. No registration required, but space is limited. 

This collaborative program builds on two related initiatives: 

• Chilmark Library’s new Friends, Foraging and Fermenting club, which will hold its first official meeting in September. For more information, email Lynne McCormack at chil.programs@gmail.com or visit the Chilmark Library website;
• Vineyard Haven Library’s Science and Nature Book Club, which will read and discuss “Feed Us with Trees” at its July 1st meeting. For more information, email Liz Shick at vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org or visit the Vineyard Haven Library website. 

About the book:

GOLD winner of the 2026 Nautilus Book Award for Restorative Earth Practices, “Feed Us with Trees” is a new and ancient story about perennial nut trees, our ecological role as humans, and the future of food. The day Elspeth Hay learned that we can eat acorns, stories she’d believed her whole life began to unravel. Until then she’d always believed we must grow our staple foods in farmed fields—the same fields wreaking havoc on our land, air, and water. But all over the Northern Hemisphere, Hay learned, humans once grew our staple foods in forest gardens centered on perennial nut trees: oaks, chestnuts, and hazelnuts. In “Feed Us with Trees,” Hay brings us along as she gets to know dozens of nut growers, scientists, Indigenous knowledge-keepers, researchers, and food professionals—and discovers that in tending these staple trees, we once played a vital environmental role as one of Earth’s keystone species.

“Feed Us with Trees” is Hay’s hopeful manifesto about a brighter, more abundant future—and a critical look at the long-held stories we’ll need to rewrite to build it. It will appeal to environmentalists, regenerative farmers, permaculture enthusiasts, agroforesters, locavores, and anyone hungry for a more holistic, nutrient-dense diet rooted in wild foods and ancient knowledge.

About the presenter: 

Elspeth Hay is a writer, public radio host, and creator of the Local Food Report, a weekly feature that has aired on CAI, the Cape & Islands NPR Station, since 2008. Deeply immersed in her own local food system, she writes and reports for print, radio, and online media with a focus on food and the environment. Elspeth’s work has been featured in the Boston Globe, NPR’s Kitchen Window, Heated with Mark Bittman, The Provincetown Independent, and numerous other publications. Through her conversations with growers, harvesters, processors, cooks, policy makers, Indigenous knowledge-keepers, scientists, researchers, and visionaries, she aims to rebuild our cultural store of culinary knowledge—and to reconnect us with the people, places, and ideas that feed us. Elspeth lives with her family on Cape Cod, MA

For more information, please contact the Chilmark Library at chil.programs@gmail.com / (508) 645-3360 or the Vineyard Haven Library at vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org / (508) 696-4211.