New! Science and Nature Book Club Meets October 2nd!

The Vineyard Haven Library is excited to announce a new book group. The Science & Nature Book Club will meet at 3:00 PM on the first Wednesday of each month to discuss nonfiction books about science and nature. 

The first meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 2nd in the Vineyard Room at the Library. For this first meeting, we will read and discuss The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate--Discoveries From a Secret World by Peter Wohlleben. 

For subsequent meetings, titles will be selected by members of the book club in consultation with library staff. For more information and to be added to the email list, interested parties may contact Liz at lshick@clamsnet.org or (508) 696-4211. Everyone is welcome! 

Exploring Martha's Vineyard with TrailsMV

On Tuesday, October 1st at 6:00 PM, the Vineyard Haven Library is pleased to host a presentation by Nancy Tutko of TrailsMV entitled, “Exploring Martha's Vineyard with TrailsMV.” 

The presentation will introduce participants to the newly redesigned TrailsMV app and explain how to make the best use of its many features, including maps, property descriptions, event listings, and more. The talk will also provide an overview of the extensive and varied walking trails open to the public and featured on the app.

Nancy Tutko is the project manager for TrailsMV. She also leads local, regional, and international hikes for the Appalachian Mountain Club.

TrailsMV is a free mobile app, created by the Sheriff's Meadow Foundation in collaboration with other conservation partners on the island. Using state-of-the-art ArcGIS technology, the app serves as an interactive guide connecting users to over 220 miles of public walking trails on more than 100 protected properties across Martha’s Vineyard.

This program will be held in person at the library. For more information, please contact the library at (508) 696-4211 or vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

Tick Ecology and Tickborne Diseases via Zoom

At 2:00 PM on Wednesday, September 25th, the Vineyard Haven Library will host a virtual presentation on “Tick Ecology and Tickborne Diseases” by Biologist Patrick Roden-Reynolds and Epidemiologist Lea Hamner, experts from the Inter-Island Public Health Excellence Collaborative. The first part of this virtual presentation will cover the basics of tick ecology and behavior, including the most important tactics for preventing bites, with an emphasis on a ‘Before the Bite” mantra. The second part of the presentation will discuss tickborne diseases found on Martha’s Vineyard, including the new kid on the block: Alpha Gal Syndrome or red meat allergy. Patrick Roden-Reynolds is a Public Health Biologist for the Inter-Island Public Health Excellence Collaborative and Director of the Martha’s Vineyard Tick Program. His work focuses on education and surveillance of vector-borne diseases and their vector populations. Lea Hamner is an Epidemiologist for the Inter-Island Public Health Excellence Collaborative. She focuses on infectious diseases of public health significance and supporting data-informed decision-making to support healthier communities. The Inter-Island Public Health Excellence Collaborative of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket is a project funded by the Massachusetts Department of Health to fortify local public health monitoring and delivery. The initiative is led by the joint Boards of Health on Martha’s Vineyard along with Island Health Care and the Town of Nantucket. This event will be held via Zoom. Interested patrons may register on the library’s event calendar at www.vhlibrary.org to receive the Zoom link. The program will also be recorded and available on the library Vimeo channel (https://vimeo.com/user124269588) within 48 hours of the event. For more information, please contact the library at vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org or (508) 696-4211.

Upcoming Information Sessions on the Library Renovation & Addition Project

The Library Board of Trustees invites the community to attend one of our upcoming information sessions on the library renovation & addition project. This will be an opportunity to meet the design team and see the latest plans for this important project planned for 2025. Two sessions will be held at 6pm Wednesday September 11th, and at 6pm on Wednesday October 16th. Both events will be in-person at the library, and refreshments will be served.

Working with the Tisbury Town Administrator and other town departments, The Library Board of Trustees are undertaking a project for critical repairs to the existing library building, and for the construction of a meeting room addition. An open, spacious, and well-ventilated space for our community is more important than ever. The expanded and redesigned interior and exterior spaces will provide the flexibility the library requires to provide future services with greater safety and comfort. The project will break ground in 2025, pending completion of the capital campaign and appropriation of funding for building repairs at a fall/winter Special Town Meeting.

To learn more, visit the Building Project webpage, To support this project by making a donation, visit the Vineyard Haven Library Building Fund, Inc. Capital Campaign website.

Register for the 27th Annual 5k Run/Walk to the Chop and Kids Fun Run

  Register for the 27th Annual 5k Run/Walk to The Chop!

All registered participants will be entered into a raffle drawing for gift certificates or Friends merchandise



This year, the Friends of Vineyard Haven Public Library's 27th Annual 5k Run/Walk to benefit the library will be a "hybrid" event, with both in-person and virtual "run on your own" options. Advance registration is strongly encouraged, visit runsignup.com.

[In-person] The traditional 5k event will be held at the library on Sunday, September 22nd at 10 am. A free half-mile fun run for kids will be held at 9:45 am. The 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. Registration for the in-person 5k is $30 and includes a t-shirt.

[Virtual] For those who prefer to run the race on their own time, register today, and go virtual -- run or walk a 5k anytime, anywhere, between now and September 30th. Your donation of $25 for the "virtual" option will help the Friends continue to support library programs and services in the coming year.

Thank you to our Race Sponsors: Cape Cod 5, Cronig's Market & Healthy Additions, Donnelly + Co., The Green Room, Island Source, Martha's Vineyard Bank, Miller Sederholm Law Office, andVineyard Grocer