H1N1 and Seasonal Flu Information

Do you have questions about the flu? Flu.gov provides one-stop access to U.S. Government information on H1N1, avian and pandemic flu.

Most of the publicity this year has focused on the H1N1 flu (swine flu), but there are thousands of different strains of viruses that can and do cause the flu.

Both seasonal flu and H1N1 are contagious, and their symptoms are the same. Only by seeing your doctor can you be sure if you have the seasonal flu or the H1N1 virus.

Staying Healthy

The two most basic practices a person can do to help prevent catching and spreading germs and viruses are hand washing and covering your cough.

Hand Washing: People in the United States are being advised to be very diligent about hand washing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information on their web site about when and how you should wash your hands.

Covering Your Cough : Another important way to prevent the spread of diseases is to properly cover your cough. The CDC provides information on covering your cough.

Other Healthy Practices: There are several other steps the CDC recommends as ways to prevent the spread of flu and other diseases:

• Avoid close contact with those who are sick or when you are sick
• Stay home when you are sick. Keep your children home if they are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Practice other health habits of getting plenty of sleep, being physically active, drinking plenty of fluids and eat nutritious foods.

Additional Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): information on the Seasonal Flu and H1N1 (Swine) Flu

Martha's Vineyard Hospital: Flu Information page includes updates on vaccinations.

Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH): Flu Website includes Frequently Asked Questions about Seasonal Flu and H1N1 (Swine) Flu; and Factsheets in English and Portuguese.

Massachusetts Public Flu Clinic Finder: http://flu.masspro.org/clinic/ flu locator web site listing public flu clinics in Massachusetts.

Medline Plus: Flu information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

All-Island Seasonal Flu Immunization Clinic (Nov. 11, 2009): Information and Registration Form.

The New Emergency Services Facility

On Tuesday, October 27th at 7pm, Joe Tierney, Jeff Pratt, Chief John Shilling will present a program outlining the design and plans for the new Tisbury Emergency Services Building to be constructed on Spring Street, near the Tisbury Elementary School. The building will house the town’s fire trucks and engines, ambulances and related apparatus and have a meeting room large enough to hold public meetings. The building has been designed by an architectural firm with input from all constituencies including the Fire Department, Ambulance Service, Board of Selectmen, Tisbury School and PTA, and the general public at two public hearings during early phases of the design.

The presentation will include time for comments and questions. The plans will be presented to voters at Town Meeting, November 17th. Pictures of the proposed design are available on the Tisbury Town Website.

Looking for a Flu Clinic?

Looking for a Flu Clinic? http://flu.masspro.org/clinic/ is a flu locator web site that lists public flu clinics in Massachusetts. Currently, the clinics listed are providing season flu immunizations and some clinics are offering pneumococcal (“pneumonia”) immunizations.

The site also has links to the most current information on both seasonal and H1N1 vaccines from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the CDC. When it becomes available, the site will list public clinics that provide H1N1 swine flu immunizations.

Also, a seasonal flu immunization clinic for adults age 18 and older will be held on Wednesday, November 11, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School. Vehicles must register at one of two staging areas at Waban Park in Oak Bluffs or at the Ag Hall in West Tisbury. Those arriving by bicycle, on foot or by public transportation may report directly to the high school.

It is recommended that you attend this clinic if you: are 50 years of age or older; an adult under age 50 with a chronic medical condition being treated by a physician; will be pregnant during the flu season; or if you are a health care worker or first responder with direct patient contact. A registration form is required; pick one up at the library, or download and print the online version.

October Dates to Remember

Monday, October 12th, the library will be closed for the Columbus Day holiday.

On Saturday, October 17th, the Friends of the Library will hold their monthly "mini" book sale at the library, from 1pm-3pm.

Sunday, October 18, will be the first Sunday of the season that the library will be open. The library will be open from noon-4pm throughout the winter, except for a few holiday weekends. To celebrate, the Friends of the Library will host an open house beginning at noon on Sunday, with light refreshments. There will also be an "encore" of the Friends mini book sale, from 1-3pm.

The library will be presenting a variety of special programs throughout the month. Visit our website or stop in the library to view a detailed calendar of events!

A Message From the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

From: Robert C. Maier, Director of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
To: Massachusetts Libraries and Library Users

The Board of Library Commissioners budget cap for FY2011 is a 16% reduction in total funding from this year (FY2010). This is a much more dramatic cut than we have been required to take at this point in the budget-making process than in preceding years, and the resulting reductions in program funding require Board direction.

In order to assure that the library community can comment on the potential impacts of this budget, the location of the October 1 Board meeting has been changed to the Sargent Memorial Library in Boxborough. The regular monthly meeting will be called to order at 10:00 and run until about 11:30. At that time the Board will take a half hour break and at Noon convene a budget comment session. Please take this opportunity to comment to the Board on how to direct a 16% budget cut. The Board asks that speakers limit their presentations to 5 minutes to assure that all who wish to be heard have that opportunity. Written comments for the record are requested and electronic versions of comments are most useful. It is not necessary to appear in person to comment. Comments may be submitted to robert.maier@state.ma.us.

To give a sense of the magnitude of this reduction, one option under consideration is: reduce funding to regions and library of last recourse by 28% (use the remainder of this fiscal year to develop a consolidation plan with the regions), reduce funding to automated networks by 27%, reduce funding to the talking book programs by 16%, level fund State Aid to Public Libraries and the agency administrative account. Clearly, each of these is challenging for the Board, for our libraries and for the residents we serve.

Please take these opportunities to let us know what you think. The Board can make the best possible budget recommendations only after hearing from a broad segment of the library community. This is going to be a very challenging year for all of us and there is no end in sight to the fiscal challenges facing the Commonwealth. Revenues continue to decline and federal stimulus funds used to balance the FY2010 budget will not be available in FY2011. The road back will be rocky at best, so the changes we make in FY2011 should be viewed as permanent.

The Board will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, October 6 at the agency offices beginning at 10:00am. The purpose of this special meeting is to consider the comments received on October 1 and determine how to meet the 16% reduction. The Board’s budget submission which must meet the cap is due October 9.

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Robert C. Maier, Director
Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
98 North Washington Street, Suite 401
Boston, MA 02114
Ph (617) 725-1860 x249

Draft Ocean Management Plan Now Available

The library now has two printed copies of the draft of the Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan available for review. The plan is the subject of the public hearing at 6pm tonight at the Katharine Cornell Theater.

The draft is also available online from the Massachusetts Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

Members of the public may also request a printed copy of the draft plan by sending an email to czm@state.ma.us.

Events Added to Library Schedule

Tuesday, September 22nd, at 7:00 PM
Jeanne Campbell: The Galapogos
Following in the footsteps of Darwin, the Campbell family set out on an excursion sailing from island to island in the Archipiélago de Colón (Galapagos Islands). Stopping at the various islands, Jeanne Campbell documented their discoveries. Jeanne will present her slide show and talk about the Galapagos including shots of Lonely George, the giant tortoise that is the last of his species.

Wednesday, September 23rd, at 7:00 PM
Film Screening
The library has extended the series of films featuring performances by older adults. Based on a true story, Helen Mirren stars in this comedy about a group of Yorkshire women who produce a nude calendar to raise money for leukemia research under the auspices of the Women's Institute. "They dropped everything for a good cause."

Tuesday, September 29th, at 7:00 PM
Peter Cabana: Wind Economics 101
This lecture will begin with the basics of wind generated electricity and then follow up with what has happened in Europe, and plans for the United States and Massachusetts. Pete will leave plenty of time to discuss The Massachusetts Oceans Management Plan, which outlines areas to build large-scale commercial wind farms, and the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act, which would streamline approval of land-based wind turbines around the state.