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.