Free Arts & Crafts Video Classes with Creativebug!

Martha's Vineyard library cardholders now have unlimited free access to Creativebug, our new online crafting resouce! Sign-up with your library card to take hundreds of easy to follow, beautifully produced, creative video classes. The classes are pre-recorded so you can enjoy them any time and at your own pace. Some of the class categories are: Art & Design, Sewing, Knitting, Food & Home, and Kids. There are easy and quick projects as well as more in depth courses. We hope you enjoy this easily navigated and accessible addition.

Create your account by visiting this link and entering your 13 digit library card number:
https://www.creativebug.com/lib/marthasvineyard
If you need help with Creativebug or any of our digital library resources, please email us at vhpl_mail@clamsnet.org, or give us a call at (508) 696-4210 -- leave a detailed message and a librarian will return your call.

Access to Creativebug is sponsored by the Martha's Vineyard Library Association and available to all Martha's Vineyard CLAMS Cardholders.

Introducing the New CLAMS Library App!

CLAMS is proud to introduce the new CLAMS Library Network app! Available for iOS and Android, this app has a broad range of features and functions that will make your library experience a whole lot simpler.

Our app makes it easy to browse our collection, get details on items, make a selection, place a hold for later pickup, and even renew items previously checked out. You can check out eBooks and eAudiobooks with the touch of a button, then listen to them in the Libby or OverDrive app.

If you’re on the go and searching for the nearest CLAMS library, check out the Library Info feature, which shows location addresses and hours nearest to you with links to their websites. We’ve also added our Featured Lists so you can browse Top Requests, Coming Soon titles or New York Times Bestsellers and request the ones you want.

The Manage Accounts tool lets you add multiple library cards — a great feature for families! Don’t have a library card? Request one through the app.

Available now in the App Store and Google Play

Search for the CLAMS Library Network to download to your mobile device.

This app replaces the current app which is no longer supported as of May 1

A Summer of Art, Online with Elizabeth Whelan

Vineyard Haven Library is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Whelan's art programs on Zoom will continue weekly at 11 am on Wednesdays throughout the summer. These events are held on the Zoom meeting platform, so an email address and internet access are required. Prior to each event, email erwhelan@gmail.com or call the library in order to receive the Zoom access code.

The complete projected schedule is below:

May 13 - Botanical Drawing
May 20 - Intro to Drawing the Human Head
May 27 - Composition Tips & Tricks for Drawing and Painting
June 3 - Intro to Gouache Painting - my fave travel color paints
June 10 - Urban Sketching - remote sketching trip via Zoom!
June 17 - Intro to Drawing Hands (and tips on painting them)
June 24 - Getting Fabric Folds Right in Drawing and Painting
July 1 - Abstract Drawing and Painting with Impact
July 8 - Intro to Drawing Feet (and tips on painting them)
July 15 - Building a Vibrant Art Collection
July 22 - Meaningful Still Life Drawing and Painting
July 29 - Painting Materials - what the Pros are using now
August 5 - Art Collecting as Experience
August 12 - Painting a Portrait (with demo)
August 19 - Drawing and Painting Groups of People
August 26 - More Sketchbook Tips for Drawing and Painting
September 2 - Drawing the Human Head, Various Ages

Register Now for Island-Wide Trivia Night on May 16th!

Register here: https://bit.ly/3c7TjFP

On Saturday, May 16th at 7PM, the Martha's Vineyard Library Association is hosting a night of zany, interactive, light-hearted trivia fun with The Trivia Brothers! The Trivia Brothers deliver questions that are timely, balanced and fun. Challenge your family and friends, and join us online!  BONUS: there's a secret weapon at the end of each game called “The Equalizer” that gives daring teams the chance to come from behind and win it all!

Registration is required for this free event that will take place online via Zoom. On the afternoon of the event, all registrants will receive an email with specific details on how to participate.

(You can register for a team, but each team will use ONLY ONE smart phone or tablet to enter the game and submit the answers.)

Fun for friends and family!

A Message from the Martha's Vineyard Library Association

Martha's Vineyard libraries are working together on a plan to reintroduce library services that have been suspended due to the current public health crisis. We are consulting with local public health officials as well as following guidance created specifically for libraries for safe handling of circulating materials.

There are some unique concerns for libraries because unlike retail stores and takeout restaurants, libraries circulate materials that need to be returned and may be handled by many individuals.

Our phased resumption of services plan will begin when the stay-at-home advisory is lifted, and we will keep you updated about our service levels at each step of the way. In the meantime, we will continue to offer you digital materials, services, programs and support.

New! Free Home Access to Ancestry Genealogy Database

Previously only available for in-library use, Ancestry Library Edition will be available remotely while the library is closed. A Vineyard Haven Library Card and PIN are required to access this resource from home. Ancestry Library Edition  contains millions of records from all over the world including censuses, vital records, immigration records, family histories, military records, court and legal documents, directories, photos, maps, and more.

Also available at home is the complementary resource HeritageQuest Online, provided by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. HeritageQuest Online is designed for genealogy and family history research. It includes over 25,000 books, the entire US Census, and other expanding collections, making it one of the largest collections of genealogy material in the country. 

Free Online Classes from the Library

Library cardholders who are just beginning to explore family history can learn more through online classes available on-demand and at your own pace.

The "Great Courses" collection on our Kanopy streaming video platform includes "Discovering Your Roots: An Introduction to Genealogy," a comprehensive 15-part introduction to the basics of genealogy research. 

"Genealogy 101" is one of the hundreds of classes available through the library's "Universal Class" online learning center. New users can create an account using your library card number.

Free Internet Resources

Free online resources for local genealogy research include the Dukes County History and Genealogy Web Site, the Tisbury History and Genealogy Web Site, and the Portuguese Genealogy Project of Martha's Vineyard.
 
The USGenWeb Project is a group of volunteers working together and having fun providing free online genealogy help and information for every U.S. state and county. 

American Ancestors is a membership organization, but anyone can register for a free Guest account to watch select how-to videos, webinars and courses and search more than 20 exclusive databases.

Genealogy eBooks on Overdrive

The CLAMS Overdrive eBook collection provides downloadable reference books that can be read on any device, including the popular titles Genealogy Online, Genealogy Online For Dummies, AARP Genealogy Online, and How to Do Everything Genealogy.

New to eBooks? Download the free Libby app to discover, check-out, and read eBooks and eAudiobooks from the CLAMS Overdrive collection, as well as the collections of other participating library networks statewide. For one-on-one assistance contact a librarian by emailing vhpl_mail@clamsnet.org, or calling (508) 696-4210 (leave a detailed message and a staff member will return your call.)