Delayed Opening at 1pm Wednesday January 31st

Vineyard Haven Library will open late at 1pm on Wednesday, January 31st, due to staff training. The library will be open from 1-6pm that day. We regret any inconvenience.

Tax Forms and Other Resources

 

The library has both federal and state forms and instructions for 2023 tax returns. If there's a specific schedule or additional form that you need, we would be happy to print them (up to ten pages). We also have J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax 2024 available to check out and for in-library use. Finally, you may qualify for free tax help from the AARP. Contact your town's council on aging for more information. Tisbury residents can email Catie Blake at CBlake@tisburyma.gov. Additional AARP Tax Aide Locations are available by clicking here. Appointments required. 

Virtual Event: The Amistad Trials: What Price Freedom?

Register: https://bit.ly/3Udct6q

Join us online at 6pm Tuesday February 7th, for a virtual talk presented by the Honorable Dennis J. Curran, retired Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court. 

The issue of slavery versus freedom rears its ugly head in this first civil rights trial in American history, more than two decades before the Civil War explodes in 1861. This case pits the American government against the Spanish government, the President against his own Secretary of State, the executive branch versus the judicial branch, and abolitionists against slave traders. It even prompted a former President to appear before the Supreme Court to condemn the policies of a present Administration. This case finally received the recognition it deserved from Stephen Spielberg’s 1997 Academy Award-nominated feature film, Amistad.

The Honorable Dennis J. Curran was an associate justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court, appointed to the seat by former governor Mitt Romney in 2006. He has taught the practice of Political Science and Law at Tufts University and Roger Williams University of Law. He was born and raised in Boston.

This free event is sponsored by the Vineyard Haven and Chilmark Public Libraries.

Register: https://bit.ly/3Udct6q

New Program: Call the Tech Pro!

 

Heathy Aging Martha's Vineyard has announced a new program to provide Vineyard residents age 60 and over with a tech pro who can come to your house to provide in-person tech support. Great for issues such as: setting up a new smart phone, if you are locked out of your accounts, or think you have been hacked. If your computer is old or doesn't work, the tech pro will help diagnose the problem and recommend the next step. This service is free thanks to a grant from the Executive Office of Elder Affairs and in conjunction with all four Island Councils of Aging. To get on the list for Call the Tech Pro, please call 508-693-7900 x.246 or email Cindy Trish at ctrish@hamv.org. 

Adopt A Drain in Tisbury

 

Adopt A Drain in Tisbury! Tisbury Waterways, Inc. (TWI) has launched a new Adopt-a-Drain program, funded by a grant from the Edey Foundation. There are 639 stormwater drains in Tisbury. If those drains are clogged with leaves and debris, rainwater and polluted water pours down our roads and into our waterways. While the DPW focuses on the drains on the busiest streets, TWI volunteers (like you!) who join the program, can maintain stormwater drains on neighborhood streets. Your participation keeps waterways safe for plants and animals and clean for swimming and our enjoyment. Check out the TWI website to register and join the effort and read the recent MV Times story!

Great Decisions 2024 Now Open for Registration

 

Great Decisions, the foreign policy discussion group sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association and hosted by the Vineyard Haven Public Library, is back for 2024! The 8-week program will meet every Thursday, from 6 to 7 pm, in a hybrid format (on Zoom and in person at the Library) starting Thursday February 1st. 

The program consists of topical discussions with pre-assigned reading from the Great Decisions Briefing Book, available for purchase at the library for $25 made out to the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Library (or you can purchase directly from the Foreign Policy Association by clicking here.) There are also half hour videos each watch to watch in advance. The weekly topics are outlined below and we often seek "hosts" from the participants for a topic that is of interest to them. 

To register, please click here. Registering for the first session will register you for the entire 8-week course. Participation is limited to 25 people. If you have any questions, you can contact Ruth Konigsberg at rkonigsberg@clamsnet.org or 508-696-4211, x. 115. 

Session One, February 1st, 6 pm: Mideast Realignment

The United States and Middle East are at a crossroads. In spite of a reduced presence in the Middle East, the U.S. still has significant national interests there and the area is a key arena for global power politics. Can the U.S. continue to defend its interests in the Middle East and globally with a lower level of military and political involvement, or should it recommit to a leading role in the region?

Session Two, February 8, 6 pm: Climate Technology and Competition

Will the United States and China, with other powerful countries following suit, approach current and future climate initiatives with an increased commitment to trade protectionism and nationalism, by various measures including trade restrictions? Or could a growing spirit of international accord develop to confront the “common enemy” of climate change?

Session Three, February 15, 6 pm: Science Across Borders

Scientific advances benefit from collaboration between researchers, but what happens when material, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) is controversial and important to a nation’s national security? Is there a middle ground between sharing information and denying access? How can we regulate cooperation?

Session Four, February 22, 6 pm: US-China Trade Rivalry

China’s economic rise and its current policies of increasing the role of the state in the economy have led some U.S. policymakers to seek to deny China access to U.S. technology and investment. This is seen as a necessary corrective to decades of predatory Chinese economic policies. Is this a wise strategy, and how effective can it be?

Session Five, February 29, 6 pm: NATO’s Future

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has come under increased scrutiny, not because NATO troops are involved in the conflict, but because of its role in relations between Russia and its neighbors. Will expanding membership in NATO protect countries, or will it further provoke Russia?

Session Six, March 7, 6 pm: Understanding Indonesia

Despite its large size, Indonesia remains virtually invisible to most Americans. But as one of the world’s largest democracies, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, and as an economic driver of ASEAN, why does it fly below the radar? What are current issues in U.S.-Indonesian relations, and what role can the country play in Asia?

Session Seven, March 14, 6 pm: The High Seas Treaty

Areas of the seas beyond national jurisdiction comprise the high seas, which are facing a degradation of ecosystems due to climate change and the increase in human activities, such as shipping, overfishing, pollution, and deep-sea mining. The recently negotiated High Seas Treaty, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction treaty, will attempt to address these issues. How difficult will it be to convince nations to participate?

Session Eight, March 21, 6 pm: Pandemic Preparedness

Looking back at the covid-19 pandemic, there are many lessons to take away in terms of domestic and international policies. Although this pandemic seems to have waned, how can we apply these lessons to future pandemics? Will countries cooperate, and will a consensus emerge on how to manage global health challenges?