Move to Interim Library: Schedule Updates & Frequently Asked Questions

 

A major renovation of the library building at 200 Main Street will begin in the coming weeks. During construction, library services will be available at our "satellite" library at 15 Church Street. As we prepare, some library collections are being put into storage or relocated within the building -- if you are having trouble finding something, please ask! 

When will the library building close for renovations? 

• The library building at 200 Main Street will remain open through Tuesday, April 15th, then close for construction, to reopen following completion of the renovation.
• The library will be closed to the public on Wednesday, April 16th and Thursday April 17th, in order to complete the move to the satellite library at 15 Church Street. Library phones will be down for the day.
• The Church Street Library is planned to open with limited services at 1pm on Friday, April 18th, and will be open for regularly scheduled hours throughout the renovation of 200 Main Street.

What will be available at the Church Street Library?

• More than 10% of the library collection will be moved to the interim library, including new and popular items for all ages.
• The library will continue to purchase new books, subscribe to magazines and newspapers, and recieve delivery from other CLAMS libraries and the Commonwealth Catalog.
• Some regular library programs will be temporarily paused or offered at other locations, please refer to our event calendar for the most up-to-date information.
• The interim library will have public computers, scanning, and printing services, but no table seating for internet use. WiFi hotspots and chromebook computers will be available to checkout for home use.

The Library will be temporarily closed on Fridays, to allow staff to prepare for moving the collection. Hours will be expanded following the move to the satellite library.

Preventing and Managing Kidney Disease

On Thursday, April 24 at 6:00 PM, the Vineyard Haven Library welcomes Dr. Danielle L. Saly of the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital for a presentation on preventing and managing kidney disease. This event will be held at the Katharine Cornell Theater at 51 Spring Street in Vineyard Haven (above the Tisbury Town Hall). Free and Open to the public. No registration required. 

Danielle L. Saly, M.D., will provide an overview of chronic kidney disease, including what signs and symptoms to be aware of, and the biggest risk factors for its development. She will review the importance of healthy lifestyle choices, good blood pressure management, and good diabetes control as they relate to the development of kidney disease.

Dr. Danielle Saly is a clinician educator at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She serves as the Director for Quality and Safety for the Division of Nephrology at MGH and is Medical Director of Martha’s Vineyard Hospital’s Dialysis Unit. She obtained her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine and completed her Internal Medicine Residency and Chief Resident Year at Yale New Haven Hospital. She completed a Nephrology Fellowship at the combined Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital Fellowship during which time she obtained her Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  

Her research interests focus on the role of renal replacement therapy for patients with advanced liver disease who are not candidates for liver transplant, as well as serious illness conversations regarding dialysis initiation. When she is not caring for patients, Dr. Saly enjoys exploring Martha’s Vineyard with her husband, two daughters, and Portuguese water dog, Wally. 

 

For more information, please contact the library at vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org or (508) 696-4211.

 

Free Concert with Touring Folk Artists Hungrytown

 

At 6:00 PM on Tuesday, April 22nd, the Vineyard Haven Library presents a concert by the indie folk artist duo, Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson, of Hungrytown. The concert will be held in the Katharine Cornell Theatre at 51 Spring Street in Vineyard Haven (above Tisbury Town Hall). This event is free and open to the public, made possible by a gift from the estate of Ruth Redding. No registration required.

Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson, through their years of worldwide touring and tireless devotion to many classic genres of music, have crafted Hungrytown into a true artistic hybrid. Lyricist Rebecca Hall is credited with compositions “that sound as timeless as any traditional songs” (Northern Sky, UK) while producer/multi-instrumentalist/husband Ken Anderson is lauded for his “remarkable affinity for instrumental embellishment” (No Depression) and for crafting Hungrytown’s “gorgeous vocal harmonies” (Folk and Roots, UK). 

Hall and Anderson met in New York City, where they had already been performing regularly--Hall as a jazz singer, and Anderson as a drummer for a variety of psychedelic pop bands. Their introduction to folk music came later, when a close friend--who died young due to a tragic misdiagnosis--entrusted to them her collection of 1960s folk albums and her guitar (which can be heard on all of their albums). 

Inspired by the grit and true-to-life experiences she heard in these traditional ballads, Hall wrote the lyrics that later became her first songs, aided by Anderson’s flair for musical arrangement. 

Soon afterwards, Hall released two solo albums, Rebecca Hall Sings! (1999) and Sunday Afternoon (2002), both produced by Anderson.  In the winter of 2003, the duo moved to the green hills of Vermont and decided to pursue a full-time career as touring musicians. They released their first CD, Hungrytown, in 2007; Any Forgotten Thing in 2011; and Further West in 2015. The couple continue to spend about half of each year on the road, especially roads in North America, Europe and New Zealand. 

Hungrytown's music has received extensive radio airplay worldwide and has appeared on several television shows, including The Daily Show and Portlandia.

For more information, please contact the library at (508) 696-4211 or send an email to vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org. 

Author Talk: The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club A Novel by Martha Hall Kelly

Save the date!

At 6:00 PM on Wednesday, July 9th, the Vineyard Haven Library welcomes New York Times bestselling author Martha Hall Kelly for a reading, discussion and signing of her new, World War II-era historical novel, The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club (Ballantine Books, May 27, 2025). This event will be held at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, July 9th, 2025 at the Katharine Cornell Theatre, with books available for purchase through Bunch of Grapes Bookstore.

Two sisters living on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II find hope in the power of storytelling when they start a wartime book club for women in this spectacular novel inspired by true events, from the New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls.

“A dreamy beach book that also sizzles with tension . . . another winner by one of the best historical fiction writers around.”—Fiona Davis, author of The Stolen Queen

2016: Thirty-four-year-old Mari Starwood is still grieving after her mother’s death as she travels to the storied island of Martha’s Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts. She’s come all the way from California with nothing but a name on a piece of paper: Elizabeth Devereaux, the famous but reclusive Vineyard painter. When Mari makes it to Mrs. Devereaux’s stunning waterfront farm under the guise of taking a painting class with her, Mrs. Devereaux begins to tell her the story of the Smith sisters, who once lived there. As the tale unfolds, Mari is shocked to learn that her relationship to this island runs deeper than she ever thought possible.

1942: The Smith girls—nineteen-year-old aspiring writer Cadence and sixteen-year-old war-obsessed Briar—are faced with the impossible task of holding their failing family farm together during World War II as the U.S. Army arrives on Martha’s Vineyard. When Briar spots German U-boats lurking off the island’s shores, and Cadence falls into an unlikely romance with a sworn enemy, their quiet lives are officially upended. In an attempt at normalcy, Cadence and her best friend, Bess, start a book club, which grows both in members and influence as they connect with a fabulous New York publisher who could make all of Cadence’s dreams come true. But all that is put at risk by a mysterious man who washes ashore—and whispers of a spy in their midst. Who in their tight-knit island community can they trust? Could this little book club change the course of the war . . . before it’s too late?

Martha Hall Kelly is the New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls, Lost Roses, Sunflower Sisters, and The Golden Doves. Born and raised in Massachusetts, Martha was inspired to write this novel by her mother’s family, the Smiths, who settled on Martha’s Vineyard in 1891. She received journalism degrees from both Syracuse and Northwestern Universities and worked as an advertising copywriter for many years before becoming a novelist. With more than two million copies of her books sold and translated in fifty countries, Martha lives in Litchfield, Connecticut, and Hobe Sound, Florida.

Photo: © Frank Cordoba

This event will be held at the Katharine Cornell Theatre, above the Tisbury Town Hall, at 51 Spring Street in Vineyard Haven. Registration not required. For more information, please contact the library at vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org or (508) 696-4211.

Library Temporarily Closed on Fridays, Starting March 14th 2025

 

We have Library Renovation News!

The town has just received bids for the general contractor for the planned renovation and addition project, which is now expected to begin in the coming weeks. When construction is underway, the library building at 200 Main Street will be closed to the public, and library staff will be providing services from a temporary satellite location. More details will be announced soon, through our newsletter and on the website.

The Library will be closed on Fridays beginning March 14th, to allow staff to prepare for moving the collection. Friday hours will resume following the move to the temporary building.

Sign up for 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten!

Book by book, step by step, help your child get ready for school and start a lifelong love of reading and learning!

Did you know that by reading, writing, talking, singing, and playing with your child that you can help foster their reading development? 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a program that encourages all families and caregivers to read 1,000 books with their young children before they enter kindergarten.

When you register your child for “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” at Vineyard Haven Public Library, you will receive a log to record your child’s progress. In the log, there are lots of tips to help parents and caregivers to read, write, talk, sing, and play with their children in meaningful ways that will help them to be ready to read when they enter kindergarten!

Studies have shown that families who start reading aloud to their children at birth help to strengthen their language skills and build their vocabulary – two important tools for beginning to learn to read when they enter kindergarten. By participating in 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, you will be introduced to the Association for Library Service program called Every Child Ready to Read. Every Child Ready to Read has targeted pre-literacy skills and identified fve practices, or activities, that can help children enter school ready to learn to read.

How the Program Works

• Visit the library to register your child, at any age before they enter kindergarten, for this free do-it-at-home program
• Your child will receive a reading log to record the books you read together
• This month when you visit the library to register, you can also pick up some free board books and other rewards, while supplies last!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can sign up for this program? Any child from birth until kindergarten.

Do I have to read books from the library? You can read books from anywhere, not just library books.

Can I count books that are read to my child in school, or by a nanny or day care provider? Yes! Any and every book your child hears counts for this program.

What if my child wants to read the same book over and over? Repetition is key to learning. Each time you read the book, it counts.

My child likes to listen to books on the computer/iPad/eReader/etc. Can I count them? As long as your child listens to the whole book, it counts.

Will I have time to read 1,000 books with my child? It's easy! 3 books a day for 1 year = 1,095 books. 1 book a day for 3 years = 1,095 books

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten was started by the 1,000 Books Foundation, whose objectives are to promote reading to newborns, infants, and toddlers and to encourage parent and child bonding through reading. The 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program at the Vineyard Haven Public Library is funded by the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Public Library.

Virtual: Tick Ecology, Behavior, and Protection Measures for 2025

Click here to register and make sure you're prepared for the 2025 tick season: https://forms.gle/BNVtW45YR6j2W8NT8

At 2:00 PM on Friday, March 28, biologist Patrick Roden-Reynolds of the MV Tick Program and the Inter-Island Public Health Excellence Collaborative returns for a virtual presentation on Tick Ecology, Behavior, and Protection Measures for 2025.

With the main tick season right around the corner, Patrick will discuss the best tips and tools to keep yourself safe, including the latest prevention measures he uses on a daily basis to prevent tick bites..

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. 

The Martha’s Vineyard Tick-borne Illness Reduction Initiative (aka the Tick Program) is dedicated to reducing the number of ticks and tick-borne illnesses on Martha’s Vineyard through education, advocacy, and cooperation with other organizations and individuals. The Tick Program is an initiative of the Inter-Island Public Health Excellence Collaborative of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

This event will be held via Zoom. The program will be recorded and sent via email to all registrants within 48 hours of the event. For more information, please contact the library at vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org or (508) 696-4211.

The Way We Wore: Island Textiles & Fashion Before 1850

At 6:00 PM on Tuesday, March 18th, local historian Norah Van Riper returns to the Vineyard Haven Library for another interactive program about Martha's Vineyard History, entitled “The Way We Wore: Island Textiles & Fashion Before 1850.” This event will be held on the upper level of the library, with refreshments provided by the Friends of the Library. 

Today, wool and linen are considered luxury fabrics, but for most of Western history, they were the fibers that everyone of every social status wore and used on a daily basis. Sheep arrived on Martha’s Vineyard with the earliest English colonizers and flax became an important crop on their farms. The sheep were so successful that wool became the Island’s premier cash crop for nearly two hundred years! But what changed, and why? This interactive program demonstrates (almost) the entire process of taking raw wool and flax and turning them into useful textiles by hand. This program is presented in historical costume from a modern perspective. 

Itinerant historian Norah Van Riper has been in the museum and living history trades for the better part of twenty-five years. Her focus is primarily on historical agriculture and domestic life in New England before the Industrial Revolution, however, she’s known to dabble in a number of other subjects and periods. Her real passion lies in giving voice to the forgotten and misunderstood people of the past. She lives in Vineyard Haven

For more information, please contact the library at (508) 696-4211 or send an email to vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org. 

Art in the Stacks: UNSEEN CONNECTIONS

Hoft Farm Road 8x10 oil, Rebecca Everett

The path, 6x8, oil, Lynne McCauley

Almost Home, 5x8, oil, Judith Drew Schubert

The Friends of the Vineyard Haven Library are pleased to present a cooperative exhibit featuring Island-inspired oil paintings by Lynne McCauley, Rebecca S. Everett and Judith Drew Schubert. This exhibit will be on display in the lower level of the library during regular library hours from today through the end of March.

Featured artists, Lynne McCauley, Rebecca S. Everett and Judith Drew Schubert, connected through an online art course, led by renowned instructor and artist, Ian Roberts. The three Vineyard-based artists discovered each other while participating in the virtual course alongside over 600 other students worldwide. Judith found Lynne in their small critique group, while Rebecca spotted Ann DuCharme (who is unable to participate in the exhibit due to other commitments) through the platform’s geographic search feature.

For the past nine months, the four have been meeting regularly to critique and discuss the challenges of painting and being productive artists. The insights, support, and understanding found in their meetings and growing friendships have become an invaluable part of their artistic lives.

Lynne McCauley is dedicated to exploring the interplay of color and light in landscapes, still life and abstract compositions. With a background in design, she has refined her skills through workshops and master classes, including studies with Ian Roberts, Margaret McWethy, and JSS Civita in Italy. Deeply inspired by atmospheric perspective, Lynne translates fleeting moments into expressive paintings, aiming to evoke emotion and energy in her viewers. Whether painting en plein air or in the studio, her work is a dynamic reflection of her artistic vision.

Rebecca S. Everett, a Harthavener, has spent her life immersed in the beauty of the island. As an undergraduate at MICA, she discovered her visceral love for oil painting, in a 1981 course by Raul Middleman. Encouraged by her cousin Bill Abbe, a renowned island painter, Rebecca honed her artistic voice focusing on the Vineyard landscape. Working en plein air and in the studio, her compositions capture the island’s light, texture, movement, and color with a deep sense of place. 

Judith Drew Schubert is a professional fine art painter based on Martha’s Vineyard, primarily working in oils. Painting en plein air is the start, if not the finish, to most of Judith’s warm season landscape or seascape compositions. However, with New England weather, her Oak Bluffs Arts District studio offers her the light, space and warmth to continue painting in the cold dark of winter. Judith has found that her long career as a fabric designer has translated well into seeing flow and design in land, sea or animal compositions.

Art in the Stacks is an initiative of the Friends of the Library to provide artists an opportunity to show their work, and for library patrons to enjoy art throughout the year. 

Traditional Storytelling for Adults with Nancy Binzen

Rescheduled from January! 

At 6:00 pm on Wednesday, February 26th, the Vineyard Haven Library welcomes storyteller Nancy Binzen for a wildcrafted evening of traditional folktale and myth from around the world–especially for adults. 

Storytelling isn’t just for children. Traditional storyteller Nancy Binzen will entertain us with two to three tales, including the myth of the Red Bead Woman from Siberia and the tale of the Selkie Bride from the Orkney Isles. Both stories are centuries old and revolve around a woman discovering and reclaiming her true identity, although their journeys are quite different.

Nancy Binzen has a BA in Theatre Arts, a Certificate in Storytelling from Dominican University, and has studied with noted mythologist, Martin Shaw. She’s been telling traditional tales for 25 years and is a seasonal Vineyard Haven resident. 

This event will be held on the upper level of the library, with refreshments provided by the Friends of the Library. For more information, please contact the library at (508) 696-4211 or send an email to vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org. 

Virtual Author Talk: Extreme Survival with Michael Tougias

Interested patrons may register here. 

The Vineyard Haven Public Library and the Edgartown Free Public Library are pleased to co-host a virtual book talk and slideshow with New York Times bestselling author Michael Tougias on his recent book, Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds. The program will be held at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, February 25th via Zoom. This program is generously funded by the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Public Library and the Friends of the Edgartown Public Library.

Tougias describes Extreme Survival as the culmination of his life’s work of interviewing and researching the toughest survivors over the past three decades. Some of these survivors from history include: John McCain, Mary Rowlandson (captive during King Philip’s Indian War), Howard Blackburn, Captain Bligh, Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, mountain man Hugh Glass, Admiral Byrd, Shackleton, WWII pilot James Whittaker, Teddy Roosevelt, JFK (PT109), USS Indianapolis survivors, and many more, from mountain climbers to early explorers of the new world.

Drawing from over 100 of these interviews and historical accounts, Tougias will share what he has learned about decision-making, survival, and resilience, and discuss how these lessons can inspire all of us when facing life challenges. Tougias will also touch on his newest book, The Power of Positive Fishing, a chronicle of 25 years of striped bass fishing off Cape Cod.

Michael Tougias is the author of 30 bestselling and critically acclaimed nonfiction narratives, including seven survival and rescue books. Some of his books include The Finest Hours (now a Disney movie), A Storm Too Soon, Overboard, and The Waters Between Us.  He is also the author of the True Rescue book series and the True Survival book series, both for middle grade readers.  

For more information, please contact the Edgartown Library at (508) 627-4221 or programs@edgartownlibrary or the Vineyard Haven Library at (508) 696-4211 or vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

How to Talk to Your Doctor about Alpha-Gal Syndrome

RECORDING AVAILABLE: https://vimeo.com/1054242614.

The Vineyard Haven Library and the Martha’s Vineyard Tick Program are pleased to host a virtual presentation on how to discuss alpha-gal syndrome with healthcare providers. Speakers include Candice Matthis and Debbie Nichols of Two Alpha Gals, Sharon Forsyth of the Alpha-gal Syndrome Awareness Campaign, and moderator Lea Hamner of the MV Tick Program. The program will be held at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, February 5th via Zoom. 

This program is designed to empower alpha-gal patients with the knowledge to take control of their health. Participants will gain insights into preparing for appointments, understanding necessary tests, and communicating symptoms. 

Candice Matthis and Debbie Nichols, founders of Two Alpha Gals (TwoAlphaGals.com) and the Alpha-gal Foundation (AlphaGalFoundation.org), are dedicated to helping individuals navigate life with alpha-gal syndrome without sacrificing joy. Through their personal experiences and commitment to community building, they provide valuable resources and support for those affected by this condition.

Sharon Forsyth was diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome in 2019. Frustrated by the lack of available information and support, she organized the Alpha-gal Syndrome Awareness Campaign and created AlphaGalInformation.org to assist others navigating this complex condition. More recently she co-founded two nonprofits, the Alpha-gal Alliance and the Alpha-Gal Alliance Action Fund (alphagalaction.org/)

Lea Hamner is an epidemiologist for the MV Tick Program / 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 Martha’s Vineyard Tick-borne Illness Reduction Initiative (aka the Tick Program) is dedicated to reducing the number of ticks and tick-borne illnesses on Martha’s Vineyard through education, advocacy and cooperation with other organizations and individuals. The Tick Program is an initiative of the Inter-Island Public Health Excellence Collaborative of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

Interested patrons may register here. The program will also be recorded and available on the library Vimeo channel within 48 hours of the event. 

“How to Talk to Your Doctor about Alpha-Gal Syndrome” is a part of an on-going series on tick ecology and tickborne diseases organized by the Vineyard Haven Library and the MV Tick Program that included a September 2024 presentation on Tick Ecology with biologist Patrick Roden-Reynolds, an October 2024 presentation on Tickborne Illnesses with epidemiologist Lea Hamner, and an October 2024 presentation on Alpha-gal Syndrome with Dr. Scott Commins. Recordings of those presentations are available on the library’s Vimeo channel here: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11413322. 

For more information, please contact the library at vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org or (508) 696-4211.

Author Talk: The Oyster Book by Dan Martino

At 6:00 pm on Tuesday, February 18th, the Vineyard Haven Library welcomes local author and oyster farmer Dan Martino for a discussion of his newly published book, The Oyster Book. This event will be held on the upper level of the library, with refreshments provided by the Friends of the Library. The Oyster Book peels back the fascinating global history of the oyster and examines its place in our culture and food system. The book also provides an overview of the current state of oyster farming and a glimpse of the promising environmental solutions oyster farming offers in this age of food challenges and climate change.

Local author Dan Martino is an internationally renowned oyster farmer, who owns and operates Cottage City Oysters, the first oyster farm in Oak Bluffs history, and the first open ocean oyster farm in New England. Dan and his brother Greg founded Cottage City Oysters in 2014, with the mission of "growing the best damn oysters that we can in the most environmentally positive way possible." After farming the ocean for over a decade, Dan decided to compile his knowledge into his first book, The Oyster Book. For more information, please contact the library at (508) 696-4211 or send an email to vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

Great Decisions 2025 Reading and Discussion Group

Interested patrons may register here.

The Vineyard Haven Public Library's annual foreign policy reading and discussion group begins at 6:00 pm on Thursday, February 6th and will meet weekly for a total of eight sessions. Great Decisions is America's largest discussion program on world affairs. In advance of each meeting, participants read one article and watch a 30-minute video on a particular topic that has been chosen by a panel of foreign policy experts. 

The dates and topics for 2025 are below. Note that February meetings will take place in the library with a Zoom option, while March meetings will likely be entirely virtual. 

Session #1: 6 pm, Thursday, February 6th, in-person and via Zoom 

American Foreign Policy at a Crossroads (Author: G. John Ikenberry)

The U.S., polarized and divided, faces a world overflowing with challenges, dangers, and uncertainties. Conflict and disorder have become the defining features of world politics. This chapter will explore the contours of the U.S. foreign policy debate as it plays out in a world of multiple and escalating crises and domestic polarization

Session #2: 6 pm, Thursday, February 13th, in-person and via Zoom 

U.S. Changing Leadership of the World Economy (Author: Daniel Drezner)

Under President Biden, the U.S. has advanced new ideas about trade, technology, industrial policy, competition with China, and the organization of the world economy. For most of the postwar era, the U.S. has tied its global leadership to cooperative agendas aimed at creating a more open-world trading system, but that has apparently come to an end. What are America’s options and opportunities as a leader of the world economy? How will America’s “foreign policy for the middle class” and strategic competition with China impact its leadership role? How can the postwar rules and institutions of the world economy be made safe for economic nationalism and great power competition?

Session #3: 6 pm, Thursday, February 20th, in-person and via Zoom 

U.S.-China Relations (Author: Thomas J. Christensen)

Washington’s relations with Beijing have reached an ominous low ebb. Both American political parties have identified China as the country’s preeminent geopolitical challenger and, in the eyes of many, a systemic threat. What is driving this deterioration of Sino-American relations, and what are America’s strategic options in the face of Chinese power and ambition?

Session #4: 6 pm, Thursday, February 27th, in-person and via Zoom 

India: Between China, the West, and the Global South (Author: Leslie Vinjamuri)

India is an emerging major power in world affairs, occupying a pivotal position between China, the United States, and the Global South. Its population size, economy, and geopolitical location ensure that it will be an influential voice in debates and political struggles over global order. What are India’s choices and opportunities for regional and global leadership? How will it maneuver between China and the United States, and what is its role as a voice of the Global South? What opportunities exist for Washington to work with India?

 

Session #5: 6 pm, Thursday, March 6th, via Zoom only

International Cooperation on Climate Change (Author: Josh Busby)

The 2015 Paris Agreement established a UN-sponsored framework for negotiations on climate change and global warming. In subsequent COP meetings, experts and political leaders have come together seeking common cause for this growing global crisis. What is the future of these efforts, and what have they yielded? What is the U.S. role in fostering cooperation on climate change? In a divided country, what are the possible futures for American policy leadership?

Session #6: 6 pm, Thursday, March 6th, via Zoom only

The Future of NATO and European Security (Author: Kori Schake)

European security is more uncertain than it has been for decades. Putin’s Russia has launched a war with Ukraine on its doorstep, and America’s uncertain role as leader of NATO and security provider has been called into question with the failure of Congress to pass supplemental military support for Ukraine. What are Europe’s options, and how might developments on both sides of Western Europe – in Ukraine and across the Atlantic – impact its choices? What are America’s stakes in NATO and Europe’s strategic dilemmas?

Session #7: 6 pm, Thursday, March 6th, via Zoom only

AI and American National Security (Author: Julie George)

The AI revolution is the leading edge of a larger high-tech revolution which promises to transform the world. Experts argue that international cooperation is needed to expand the opportunities these new technologies hold while protecting societies from their dangers. What are the key policy debates in this area, and what are the opportunities and limits on global AI rules of the road? How will the AI revolution impact American national security? What are its policy options to secure the benefits of AI and guard against its dangers?

Session #8: 6 pm, Thursday, March 6th, via Zoom only

American Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead (Author: Daniel Kurtzer)

The war in Gaza has brought the region to a crossroads. What are the possible outcomes of the war, and how might the United States use its influence to shape a long-term settlement that leaves both Israel and the Palestinians in a better position? How might Arab states in the wider region be brought into a settlement? What are America’s interests in the Middle East and how can it advance them?

Interested patrons may register here. Limited to 25 participants. Discounted briefing books are available for purchase at the library for $25, payable to the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Library. Copies of the briefing book are also available for in-library use at no charge. Alternatively, participants may purchase a copy on the Foreign Policy Association's website here. 

One week prior to each session, we will send all registrants an email indicating which article to read in the briefing book and providing a link to watch the video segment for the week. We will also provide a Zoom link for those participating virtually. 

This discussion group series is made possible by the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Library. For more information, please contact the library at (508) 696-4211 or send an email to vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org. 

Virtual: Creative and Personal Writing Series with Caroline Joy Adams

Participants may register by sending an email to vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org. For more information, please contact the library at (508) 696-4211. 

The Vineyard Haven Public Library is excited to offer a virtual series of personal and creative writing workshops with writing instructor Caroline Joy Adams. The workshops will be held via Zoom on the second Wednesday of each month from 2:00-3:30 pm, February through June. Topics include: Writing about Love, the Return of Spring, Haiku, Writing about Nature, and Travel Writing. 

Writers of all experience levels, backgrounds, and interests (including fiction and memoir writers, as well as poets) are invited to attend this Zoom-based series, where we will explore various topics and creative writing pathways, and create a supportive writing community together. Writing may take the form of memoir, poetry, fiction, essays, or creative non-fiction; all forms are worthy of exploration. Participants may attend all five sessions, or only one or two. 

Caroline Joy Adams, M.Ed., has been leading workshops for the Vineyard Haven Public Library since 2019. She is the author of seven published books and two new titles to be released this spring, including Great Travel Questions for Fun Conversations. Dividing her time between the sunny Southwest and coastal New England, she has taught college-level writing and led hundreds of art and writing workshops in diverse locations across the country.

Caroline creates a relaxed, inclusive, and comfortable atmosphere in all of her classes, whether held over Zoom or in person. Her goal is to inspire everyone to ignite their creative writing energies and get their words flowing, whether they are just beginning or have been writing for many years.

Workshop dates and topics are as follows:

February 12, 2025, 2:00-3:30 pm via Zoom – Writing About Love 

Valentine's Day is the perfect time to focus our creative energies on writing short love poems, love letters, tiny love stories, and more, perhaps in time to gift these well-crafted words to a loved one for this upcoming love-focused holiday. 

March 12, 2025, 2:00-3:30 pm via Zoom – The Return of Spring 

As winter wanes, and spring approaches, it is an excellent time to reflect on our lives and write about times when hope returned, and we were once again able to see the light of dawn, as we opened to a new life chapter.

April 9, 2025, 2:00-3:30 pm via Zoom – Have Fun with Haiku 

In honor of National Poetry Month, this workshop will explore the Japanese tradition of writing short bits of memoir in the form of Haibun and Haiku poetry, something everyone can learn and produce excellent results from within a very short time.

May 14, 2025, 2:00-3:30 pm via Zoom – Writing About Nature 

Wherever we live—by the sea, in the mountains, or even in a big city—nature, in all its many aspects, has a powerful impact on our lives and unfolding life stories. This workshop offers a chance to contemplate. and then write about and share some of our most memorable, beautiful, dramatic, or surprising nature-focused experiences. 

June 11, 2025, 2:00-3:30 pm via Zoom – Great Travels 

For those who love to travel, this fun, inspiring workshop offers a chance to contemplate, discuss, write about, and share some of our most memorable travel experiences and adventures—either those from recent times or from the long-ago past.

Participants may register by sending an email to vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org. For more information, please contact the library at (508) 696-4211.