Vineyard Haven Library Joins a Nationwide Reading of "It Can't Happen Here"

On Wednesday, October 26th at 7pm, Vineyard Haven Library will join theaters, universities and libraries across the country to imagine the rise of fascism in America with a reading of Sinclair Lewis's semi-satirical "It Can't Happen Here." The play was adapted by Tony Taccone and Bennett S. Cohen from the novel by Sinclair Lewis, and will be performed by the Peter H. Luce Play Readers. Admission to this event is free, and doors will open at 6:30pm.

Published in 1935, "It Can't Happen Here" tells how the fictional Senator Buzz Windrip, a charismatic and power-hungry politician, is elected president. Windrip easily defeats his opponents, including President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then quickly becomes a dictator, enacting martial law and throwing dissenters into labor camps. Shortly after it was published, the novel was recreated as a play and opened in 21 cities nationwide on October 27, 1936.

This year, the Sinclair Lewis estate is allowing libraries, theaters, schools and other institutions to hold readings of "It Can't Happen Here" royalty-free. The readings coincide with the opening of the play at Berkeley Repertory Theater in Berkeley, California.

The reading at Vineyard Haven Public Library will be performed by the Peter H Luce Play Readers, under the direction of Paul Doherty. For more than 15 years, the Peter H. Luce Play Readers have met every Wednesday at the Tisbury Senior Center, to read plays of every era and of every genre, from the Greek and Roman classics to the cutting-edge works of contemporary playwrights... and everything in between. The group is named for its founder, Peter Luce, who died in 2007.

Read more about the Nationwide Reading on the Berkeley Repertory Theater website:
http://www.berkeleyrep.org/season/1617/10650.asp#tabbed-nav=reading

Halloween, Sunday Hours, and Holiday Closings

Vineyard Haven Library will be open special evening hours for Halloween on Monday, October 31st. We will stay open until 8pm that evening so your family can take a break from trick-or-treating and enjoy cider and candy provided by the Friends of the Library.

Sunday, November 6th will be the first Sunday of the season that the library will be open. The library will be open from noon-4pm throughout the winter, except for a few holiday weekends.

For the sixth year, The Library will be hosting a series of crafting classes for adults and teens, offered monthly on Sunday afternoons throughout the winter. The classes are supported by the Friends of the Library and led by artist in residence Jennifer Langhammer. The classes are free of charge and materials are provided. This year’s Adult Craft series at the Vineyard Haven Library will begin Sunday November 13th at 1pm, with mini weaving.

The library will be closed for the Veterans Day holiday on Friday November 11th. The library will also close early at 1pm on Wednesday November 23, 2016, and remain closed on Thursday November 24th and Friday November 25th for Thanksgiving. The library will be open regular hours on Saturday and Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend.

Library awarded $10,000 Grant

Vineyard Haven Public Library has been awarded a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant for $10,000 from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). The grant program, called "Mind in the Making," supports the development of innovative programming and spaces that encourage invention and tinkering, where children ages 0-6 can explore simple concepts in tactile, real ways. This kind of space fuels a child's natural curiosity and teaches valuable lessons by helping them develop fine motor skills, problem solving abilities, and peer relationships. Vineyard Haven Library will use the funding for enhancements to the Children's Room and Children's programming, and creativity kits that can be borrowed by parents and caregivers, or used in local preschools.

Libraries use LSTA grants from the MBLC in a variety of ways, including implementing literacy programs that benefit all ages, increasing library access to underserved populations, providing advanced automation services, training staff, and preserving valuable historical documents. Two other Martha's Vineyard libraries also received LSTA grants this year: West Tisbury, for Health Literacy, and Oak Bluffs, for Serving People with Disabilities.

In addition to the direct library grant program, the MBLC uses LSTA funds to support statewide programs and services, including summer reading programs, databases, the Commonwealth eBook program, the Commonwealth Catalog (the new virtual catalog), and mass.gov/libraries which provides information and resources for residents. LSTA is administered on the federal level by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in the Commonwealth by the MBLC. More information about LSTA can found at www.mass.gov/mblc.