Consumer Education from Mass AGO

 

Know your rights, and how to protect yourself! The Office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey offers online educational trainings to empower the residents of the Commonwealth and the people serving them. All programs are free, to register visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ag-healeys-winter-webinar-series-tickets-105859197710

• Consumer Rights - Wednesday, January 6th at 2:00 PM
• Landlord and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities - Monday, January 11th at 10:30 AM
• Workers' Rights - Wednesday, January 13th at 2:00 PM

Chromebooks & Hotspots Now Available to Borrow

The Vineyard Haven Public Library is now loaning out Chromebooks to patrons for one-week periods. Chromebooks are web-based laptops that enable you create documents using your own Google Suite/Gmail account. You can also browse the web without a Gmail account or access webmail through other Internet Service Providers. You will need to have an Internet connection in order to use a Chromebook, so if you don't have one, you may want to also borrow one of the library's Wifi hotspots.

Chromebook borrowers must be 18 years or older (or have a parent or guardian borrow on his or her behalf) with a library card in good standing and must sign a user agreement assuming responsibility for the device. If you are not familiar with Chromebooks, we would be happy to give you a brief lesson on the basics. For any questions or to place a hold on a Chromebook, please contact Ruth Konigsberg at 508-696-4211 x115 or rkonigsberg@clamsnet.org. 

Sign Up for a Holiday Movie Bundle!

 

Snow is coming and school will soon be letting out for winter break. There's no better time to curl up with some holiday movies and popcorn! Our children's librarians will be creating holiday movie bundles for kids and adults that include two to three movies, snacks and activities. Please fill out this form and Jennifer and Emily will make you a customized kit that you can pick up between Sunday 12/20 and Tuesday 12/22. Pickup will be contactless and items will be checked out to your library account. Please note, while we will try to honor specific movie requests, we cannot guarantee it! 

New Magazines Now Available on Overdrive!

 

 Just some of the magazines now available for free with a CLAMS card through Overdrive. 

    Some of the most expensive magazine subscriptions, such as the New York Review of Books, The Economist and the The New Yorker, are now available for free for CLAMS cardholders through Overdrive Magazines. Looking for a lighter read? Overdrive Magazines also has US Weekly, Star, and even the U.K.'s famous gossip-and-celebrity rag Hello! You can also find inspiration in cooking, craft, home decorating and photography magazines; or pursue special interests in sports, technology or hunting and fishing. You can even practice a language by borrowing international magazines, or dig deep on global subjects such as the Harvard Business Review Brasil in Portuguese. 

    You can browse Overdrive Magazines by clicking here. If you haven't created an Overdrive account, you will need to do so. Then log in using your library card number and the password (usually the last four digits of the card.) If you have any problems or questions, call us at 508-696-4211. 

The Best Books of 2020

Three notable books of 2020 that may have flown under your radar. 

It has been a big year of reading for many of us, as the pandemic has limited our movements and solitary activities have replaced social gatherings. We are more thankful than ever for the wealth of great books the year has brought, from The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett to Barack Obama’s long-awaited memoir A Promised Land, both of which have been chosen by critics and readers alike as two of the standouts of the year. Here, the Library has compiled some of the end-of-the-year lists of the best books of 2020. We will continue to update this list as the awards come in! For more reading recommendations, visit our Shelf Service page or call the library at 508-696-4211. You can place holds through the online catalog and and use curbside services for contactless pick up.  

Adult

The Boston Globe's 55 Best Books of 2020

Boston Public Library’s Favorite Staff Reads of 2020

Goodreads Choice Best Books of 2020

The Guardian’s Best Books of 2020

Library Journal’s Best Books of 2020

The New York Times 10 Best Books of 2020

The New York Times 100 Best Books of 2020

Times Critics’ Top Books of 2020

The New Yorker ’s Best Books We Read in 2020

New York Public Library Best Books of 2020

NPR’s Best Books of 2020

Publisher’s Weekly Best Books of 2020

TIME’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2020

Vineyard Gazette's Local Authors in 2020 

Young Adult

Goodreads Choice Best Young Adult Fiction 2020

Children

American Library Association’s Notable Children’s Books of 2020

New York Public Library's Best Books for Kids 2020

Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Books of 2020

The Washington Post’s Best Children’s Books of 2020

 

 

Core Collection: Alternative Classics

Our National Indigenous history month has just ended, but we'd like to share some relevant reading suggestions available from Vineyard Haven Library that are included in our new "Core Collection". Inspired by the Alternate Classics Core Collection developed by a team of staff at Denver Public Library, we've identified books in our library's collection to recommend to readers looking to explore wider perspectives.

The 175 fiction and nonfiction titles in this collection are "great works from around the world that may not traditionally be thought of as classics... they are diverse and capture many different voices; they are enduring and important works of literature and narrative non-fiction that speak to the human condition, and are exemplary representations of a particular community, idea, or experience."

To view all titles in the collection with links to our catalog to place a request, visit https://www.vhlibrary.org/alternative.shtml
 

A Century of Dishonor: A Sketch of the United States Government's Dealings with Some of the Indian Tribes  By Jackson, Helen Hunt 9780806127262 Check Our Catalog First published in 1881 and reprinted in numerous editions since, Helen Hunt Jackson's A Century of Dishonor is a classic account of the U.S. government's flawed Indian policy and the unfair and cruel treatment afforded North American Indians by expansionist Americans. Jackson wrote the book as a polemic to "appeal to the hearts and conscience of the American people", who she hoped would demand …More

Ceremony  By Silko, Leslie Marmon; Introduction by McMurtry, Larry 9780143104919 Check Our Catalog "Demanding but confident and beautifully written" (Boston Globe), this is the story of a young Native American returning to his reservation after surviving the horrors of captivity as a prisoner of the Japanese during World War II. …More

Crazy Brave: A Memoir  By Harjo, Joy 9780393073461 Check Our Catalog Narrating the complexities of betrayal and love, "Crazy Brave" is a memoir about family and the breaking apart necessary to find a voice. Harjo's tale of a hardscrabble youth, young adulthood, and transformation into an award-winning poet and musician is haunting and unique. …More

Custer Died for Your Sins: Shadows from the Past and Portents for the Future  By Deloria, Vine 9780806121291 Check Our Catalog It seems that each generation will have to read and reread Vine Deloria's Manifesto for some time to come, before we absorb his special, ironic point of view and what he tells us, with a great deal of humor, about U.S. race relations, federal bureaucracies, Christian churches, and social scientists. This book continues to be required reading for all Americans, …More

House Made of Dawn (50th Anniversary Edition)  By Momaday, N. Scott 9780062909954 Check Our Catalog A special 50th anniversary edition of the magnificent Pulitzer Prize-winning classic from N. Scott Momaday, with a new preface by the author A young Native American, Abel has come home from war to find himself caught between two worlds. The first is the world of his grandfather's, wedding him to the rhythm of the seasons, the harsh beauty of the land, and the …More

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States  By Dunbar-Ortiz, Roxanne 9780807057834 Check Our Catalog 2015 Recipient of the American Book Award The first history of the United States told from the perspective of indigenous peoples Today in the United States, there are more than five hundred federally recognized Indigenous nations comprising nearly three million people, descendants of the fifteen million Native people who once inhabited this land. The centuries-long genocidal program …More

Lakota Woman  By Crow Dog, Mary With Erdoes, Richard 9780802145420 Check Our Catalog This is the powerful autobiography of Mary Brave Bird, who grew up in the misery of a South Dakota reservation. Rebelling against the violence and hopelessness of reservation life, she joined the tribal pride movement in an effort to bring about much-needed changes.  …More

Love Medicine  By Erdrich, Louise 9780062206312 Check Our Catalog The first book in Erdrich's Native American tetralogy that includes The Beet Queen, Tracks, and The Bingo Palace is an authentic and emotionally powerful glimpse into the Native American experience--now resequenced and expanded to include never-before-published chapters. …More

My People the Sioux  By Standing Bear, Luther Introduction by Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk 9780803293328 Check Our Catalog When it was first published in 1928, Luther Standing Bear's autobiographical account of his tribe and tribesmen was hailed by Van Wyck Brooks as "one of the most engaging and veracious we have ever had." It remains a landmark …More

There There: A novel  By Orange, Tommy 9780525520375 Check Our Catalog One of the 10 Best Books of the Year--The New York Times Book Review Winner of the Center For Fiction First Novel Prize One of the Best Books of the Year: The Washington Post, NPR, Time, O, The Oprah Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Entertainment Weekly, The Boston Globe, GQ, The Dallas Morning …More

To view all titles in the collection with links to our catalog to place a request, visit https://www.vhlibrary.org/alternative.shtml
 

Dufftown, Scotland Virtual Tour on December 8th!

 

1:30 pm Tuesday, December 8th 
Online: Arm Chair Travel Tour to Dufftown, Scotland

Join us online as Vicky Keough takes us on a tour of her hometown, Dufftown, Scotland. Dufftown is located on the River Fiddich and is near the remains of the Auchindoun Castle. Dufftown also hosts a Highland Games event every July (usually). It produces more malt whisky than any other town in Scotland -- in fact, a signpost on the way into Dufftown declares it the "Whisky Capital of the World".

To register or for more information, contact our Program Coordinator Anne McDonough at amcdonough@clamsnet.org.

WiFi Hotspots Now Available to Borrow!

Vineyard Haven library is now lending out WiFi hotspots to patrons for two-week loan periods. WiFi hotspots are portable devices that allow you to connect to the Internet through your phone, laptop or tablet. Multiple devices in the same household can use WiFi hotspots, and you can also take them with you wherever you go (although not outside the continental U.S.!) If you’ve never used a hotspot before, we will be happy to instruct you on the basics.

Vineyard Haven library cardholders may contact the library to request a hotspot. Please note that you will be asked to fill out a user agreement before checking out the hotspot. Hotspots are non-renewable and must be returned in person to an employee at the library. Please do not place them in the book drop! Questions? Call or email Reference Librarian Ruth Konigsberg at 508-696-4211 x115.

In addition to hotspots the library has other equipment you can borrow, including a digital projector, and Kindle Paperwhite eReaders that come preloaded with popular books! We'll be adding additional hotspots soon, along with Chromebook computers to use at home.

Museum of Bad Art: An Introduction

Please join us online on Monday, December 14th at 6 pm for an introduction to the Museum of Bad Art. MOBA collects, exhibits, and celebrates art that will be seen in no other venue. The pieces in the MOBA collection range from the work of talented artists that have gone awry, to works of exuberant, although crude, execution by artists barely in control of the brush. What they all have in common is a special quality that sets them apart in one way or another from the merely incompetent.

MOBA is a community-based, not-for-profit institution dedicated to the collection, preservation, exhibition, and celebration of bad art in all its forms and in all its glory. MOBA was founded in the fall of 1993 and presented its first show in March 1994. The response was overwhelming. Since then, MOBA's collection and ambitions have grown exponentially.

In this online presentation, Museum Director Louise Reilly Sacco will share MOBA history, philosophy, and lots of art. She will explain how MOBA interprets the art, compare it to classic art, and share the adventure of building MOBA to a worldwide phenomenon. This is art too bad to be ignored!

To register or for more information, contact our Program Coordinator Anne McDonough at amcdonough@clamsnet.org.

LUCY IN THE FIELD WITH FLOWERS Artist Unknown 30” x 24”, oil on canvas Rescued from trash in Boston, MA This single painting planted the seed that grew into MOBA. The motion, the chair, the sway of her breast, the subtle hues of the sky, the expression on her face--every detail combines to create this transcendent and compelling portrait.

Healthy Aging MV's 2020 Older Adult Survey

 

Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard is sponsoring an island-wide older adult survey - your chance to make your voice heard! If you are 60+ they want to learn about your life here on the island. This information will help inform future programs and prioritize island infrastructure to support our Older Adult population.

​You can fill out the survey in English or Portuguese online!
​
If you have not received a survey in the mail and want a printed copy delivered to your home, or you wish to request assistance in completing a survey over the phone, please contact Cindy Trish at ctrish@hamv.org or call her at (508) 693-4900 ext. 455

Printed copies can also be picked up at Vineyard Haven Library during our regular afternoon pickup hours between noon and 4pm.

For more information and instructions, you can watch Healthy Aging's instructional video.

​Thank you so much for your participation. Let's raise the voices of 100% of ALL our Older-Adults, both full-time and seasonal residents. We look forwards to hearing from you.

A Funny Program About Funny Programs

 

Join us online on Friday November 27th at 6 pm for a presentation by author Martin Gitlin, based on his book The Greatest Sitcoms of All Time. Marty is the the only author to have actually ranked the greatest sitcoms ever (the top six: Seinfeld, All in the Family, M*A*S*H, I Love Lucy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Cheers) based on wide-ranging criteria. 
 
This presentation will be a blast! Marty will show really funny snippets of sitcoms chronologically, from I Love Lucy and The Andy Griffith Show to Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory, and explain how they have evolved over the years in relevance, content, and humor. He will engage and challenge patrons with sitcom trivia, and will  impart a lot of information about sitcom history. Most of all, this will be fun! 
 
Please register for this fun event at:  https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEud-ugpzgjE9UNDKmptSBeB_kihJOVgKta

Please Take the Library Survey!

As we navigate through the current COVID-19 crisis, the library wants to continue to provide information, services and assistance to our community members.

Please take a few minutes to complete this survey - your responses will guide us as we plan what services to offer in the coming weeks. We appreciate your feedback and hope to see you soon!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BRJN723

All-Island Seasonal Flu Immunization Clinic Saturday, November 7

All-Island Seasonal Flu Immunization Clinic
Saturday, November 7, 2020
9 am – 1 pm
Staging areas open at 8 am

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: There will be two vehicle staging areas for the seasonal flu clinic, Waban Park in Oak Bluffs and the Ag Hall in West Tisbury. On the day of the clinic anyone driving to the clinic must register at one of the staging areas prior to being directed to the high school for your vaccine. VEHICLES SHOULD NOT REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE HIGH SCHOOL. Vehicles reporting directly to the high school will be turned away and advised to go to one of the staging areas to register. Walkers, bicycle riders and those arriving by VTA should go directly to the high school Performing Arts Center parking lot to check-in. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, ALL VACCINATIONS WILL BE ADMINISTERED OUTSIDE SO INDIVIDUALS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO USE THE DRIVE-THROUGH.

This is the only public seasonal flu clinic scheduled this year.
HIGH-DOSE VACCINE WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THIS CLINIC

Please complete the attached forms and bring them with you to the Flu Clinic (Forms available to download from the Town of Tisbury Website: https://www.tisburyma.gov/home/news/all-island-seasonal-flu-immunization-clinic)

General Directions:

• Fill out Parts 1 & 2 on the front of the vaccine administration form.
• Medicare Part B and some other insurances cover the cost of these vaccines and will be billed for this service. Fill in your Medicare number and/or other insurance information on the form. Remember to bring your Medicare and/or insurance card with you to the Clinic.
• If you do not have Medicare Part B or other insurance you will still be immunized free of charge
• Complete the screening questionnaire on the back of the vaccine administration form
• If you require vaccination confirmation complete and bring the confirmation letter for signing
• For your information an influenza vaccine information sheet is attached
• Only bring the vaccine administration form/screening questionnaire with you on the day of the clinic
• Wear a short-sleeved shirt to the clinic.

This Clinic is sponsored by: Martha’s Vineyard Boards of Health; Martha’s Vineyard Hospital; Island Health Care With support from: Martha’s Vineyard Medical Reserve Corps; Island Police Departments; Island Emergency Medical Services; Island Emergency Managers; Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools; Dukes County; MV Agricultural Society

Free Online Tutoring Offered by Martha's Vineyard Libraries

 

Through a generous grant from the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation, Martha’s Vineyard libraries have new tools to assist parents and students with the challenges of this unusual school year. The Martha’s Vineyard Library Association has partnered with Brainfuse, a national online education company, to provide free online tutoring and homework help to all Martha's Vineyard library cardholders. The program is available seven days a week to anyone with a library card issued by any of the six Martha's Vineyard libraries.

Brainfuse HelpNow is an online learning platform that provides real-time tutoring and homework assistance in core subjects (math, reading, writing, science and social studies), test preparation, and other learning tools. Brainfuse HelpNow provides support for learners of all ages, with an emphasis on assisting students in K-12 subjects. All tutors have at least three years of teaching experience and a bachelor’s degree, and over 80% of tutors have a Master’s degree or a Ph.D.in their field. Online homework help, writing assistance, and collaboration tools are available 24 hours a day, with live tutoring available from 2 pm to 11 pm. All live tutoring sessions are saved and can be replayed as well as shared with teachers.

In addition to school-age resources, Brainfuse's Adult Learning Center provides adult learners with access to GED preparation, U.S citizenship test preparation, resume assistance, Microsoft Office support, and career resources. Microsoft Office support allows patrons to ask questions about Excel, Word and PowerPoint. A writing lab, question center and the skills building resources are also included in the Adult Learning Center.

For more information or to register for a library card, contact your local library.
__________________________________________________________________________

The Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation provides philanthropic support for nonprofit community service organizations. The Foundation supports non-profit organizations that enhance the societal and economic development in the communities Martha’s Vineyard Bank serves.

The Martha’s Vineyard Library Association (MVLA), represents the public libraries located in all six towns on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. MVLA’s mission is to improve library services through cooperation and resource sharing among Island libraries, to promote community awareness and support of Island libraries, to provide a forum for sharing ideas, and to foster collaboration among Island libraries by developing special projects for our community’s benefit.

Free Consumer Training from the Massachusetts AGO

 

Know your rights, and how to protect yourself! The Office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey offers online educational trainings to empower the residents of the Commonwealth and the people serving them. All programs are free, to register visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ag-healeys-fall-webinar-series-tickets-105859197710

• AGO Assistance to Victims of Violence- Monday, October 26th at 10:30 AM
• AGO Assistance to Immigrants- Wednesday, October 28th at 2:00 PM
• COVID-19 Everyday Scams- Thursday, October 29th at 10:30 AM
• Winter Consumer Rights- Thursday, November 5th at 10:30 AM
• Landlord and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities- Tuesday, November 10th at 10:30 AM
• Workers' Rights- Thursday, November 12th at 2:00 PM

View Library Programs on Vimeo!

 

Many of Vineyard Haven Library's recent workshops, classes, author talks and and other events for adults are now available to watch any time, on any computer or device, through the streaming video platform Vimeo.

Visit our channel for on-demand viewing of popular programs you may have missed, including Wildlife Sketching with Elizabeth Whelan, Cooking With Chef Scott Ehrlich, Wildlife Trail Cameras with Sally Naser, The Secret Life of Lobsters with Jelle Atema, Why the Seas Rise" with Dr. Peter Neilley, and Professor Philip Weinstein's Seminar on Toni Morrison.

Visit our Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/user124269588

Commonwealth Catalog For Interlibrary Loans

 

The Commonwealth Catalog, also known as "ComCat", is now back in service after being suspended in March due to COVID-19. With access to millions of titles, the Commonwealth Catalog extends your library’s reach to all participating libraries throughout Massachusetts, with convenient pick-up at your local library.

To request books and other material, login at commonwealthcatalog.org using your CLAMS Card number and PIN.

What you should know about the Commonwealth Catalog:

Start local
Libraries share items across the state, but it’s always faster and more cost effective to check locally first, so if the CLAMS network doesn’t have the item, it’s time to look in the Commonwealth Catalog.

Powerful search
The Commonwealth Catalog searches all participating libraries in one easy step and allows you to sort your results by material type: books, audiobooks, DVD. Right now eBooks are not a part of the search, but we’re working on it. If you’re looking for eBooks please visit mass.gov/libraries.

Millions of items
The Commonwealth Catalog gives you access to millions of items from libraries that hold unique collections such as Boston Public Library and UMass Amherst and other academic, special and public libraries.

While service has been restored, not all libraries are currently participating and delivery may take longer than in the past. Once you request an item through the Commonwealth Catalog it may take up to two weeks for your local library to receive it. We’ll notify you so you can stop by your library and pick it up. You’ll also return the item to your local library.

Funding for the Commonwealth Catalog provided by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Join the MV Haiku Club!

 

The MV Haiku Club will begin meeting on Tuesday September 29th at 6 pm, with four zoom-based sessions led by Caroline Joy Adams and hosted by Vineyard Haven Library. Each session will have a specific theme, and participants will receive a helpful, explanatory PDF file ahead of time with suggested reading and writing assignments for the week’s meeting. To register or for more information, contact adult program coordinator Anne McDonough at amcdonough@clamsnet.org.

Caroline Joy Adams is the author of five books, including The Power to Write: Seven Keys to Discover Your Writer Within and her forthcoming title, Have Fun with Haiku. Caroline Joy Adams has been a college professor of Writing and Humanities for many years, and has also taught hundreds of creative writing workshops.

Her approach to Haiku is as a short form of poetic writing that has many variations and flexible guidelines, rather than strict rules or adherence to one rigid traditional form.  As part of the MV Haiku Club you will be encouraged to write Haiku that ranges from the serious to the sublime, to the most imaginative and whimsical -- and no matter what you come up with, you are sure to be surprised and delighted by the direction your words will take you. 

September 29      Haiku as Memoir: Theme—Water. 

October 27           Haiku as Observation: Theme—Change.

November 24      Haiku as Tribute: Theme – Appreciation.

December 22       Haiku for the Holidays: Theme -- Celebration.

Backyard Book Browsing

 

Weather permitting, library patrons will have an opportunity to browse and checkout a selection of new books outdoors in the courtyard behind the library. By appointment only -- to participate, please register and the library will contact you to confirm arrival time.

Register for Tuesday September 22nd, 10 am to 12 pm
Register for Saturday September 26th, 10 am to 12 pm

For additional dates, visit our Online Event Calendar

Entry will be by the path behind the building from Greenwood Avenue. Participants will be required to wear a mask, sanitize hands prior to browsing, practice social distancing, and refrain from handling books they do not intend to check out. Browsing may be limited to 15 minutes per person.

There will be no building access, and book selection will be limited to items in the courtyard area. (If you are looking for a particular item, please call the library to arrange for contactless pickup during our scheduled daily pickup hours.)

Friends "Virtual" 5k Run/Walk for the Library

This year, the Friends of Vineyard Haven Public Library's annual 5k Run/Walk to benefit the library will be a "virtual" event! Register today, and run or walk a 5k anytime between Sunday September 20th and Sunday October 18th. All registered participants will be entered into a raffle drawing for gift certificates to the Bunch of Grapes Bookstore in Vineyard Haven!

The traditional 5K course for this race begins next to the library on Greenwood Avenue, turning left onto Main Street and proceeding up Main Street to the West Chop Lighthouse, then returning down Main Street to the library, but virtual participants can run or walk any 5k course of their choosing. Participants are asked to follow public health guidance including social distancing when completing their run or walk. If possible, show your support for the library by wearing a past year's race t-shirt, and sharing a selfie to the library's Facebook page!

There is no registration or fee required to participate, but a suggested donation of $25 will help the Friends continue to support library programs and services in the coming year. 

To register, visit the race website:
https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/VineyardHaven/VineyardHavenLibrary5kRunWalktotheChop