Poets Lee McCormack, Arnie Reisman and Rose Styron will present their work at the Vineyard Haven Public Library on Wednesday, April 1st at 7 pm, in a reading to kick off National Poetry Month. After the readings, the library will host a reception with refreshments
and an opportunity to meet, greet and mingle with these three stellar
poets. It will be an evening to remember.
Lee McCormack, the first Martha’s Vineyard Poet Laureate whose work has reached out to large audiences not only at Pathways, but also on Facebook, is a very well-known poet on Martha’s Vineyard, where he has lived for over forty years. Mr. McCormack has worked with such poets as Thomas Lux, Galway Kinnell, Charles Simic, Robert Pinsky, Sharon Olds, and others in what he terms “his criminal pursuit of poetry.”
Arnie Reisman, columnist, radio personality, and the current Island Poet Laureate and director of the Vineyard Playhouse poetry reading series, is nationally known, although perhaps not as well-known yet for his poetry. Mr. Reisman moved to the Vineyard four years ago with Paula Lyons, his wife and co-panelist on the weekly comedy quiz program "Says You!" – now in its 19th year. His new play "Not Constantinople" will premiere this June at the Vineyard Playhouse.
Rose Styron, poet and international human rights activist, has published three books of poetry – (From Summer to Summer – Viking, 1965; Thieves’ Afternoon – Viking, 1973, By Vineyard Light – Rizzoli, 1995) collaborated on translations of two books of Russian poetry – (Poets on Street Corners, 1968 and Modern Russian Poetry – Viking, 1972). Ms. Styron’s work has appeared in Harper’s, the Yale Review, the Hopkins Review, and American Poetry Review among other distinguished periodicals. In 2009 and 2010 Ms. Styron was a resident fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics and its Carr Center for Human Rights. She has chaired PEN’s Freedom To Write Committee and the RFK Human Rights Award, and currently serves on the board of the American Academy of Poets.
The Vineyard Haven Public Library hosts a wide range of cultural and literary events, but this one will be a singular opportunity to hear the work of three brilliant, imaginative and very different poets. Their styles reach across a wide spectrum, but their impact on audiences is always unforgettable.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Register For 2015 Great Decisions Discussion Group
Register online
The Vineyard Haven Public Library Great Decisions Discussion Group will meet for 8 sessions on Thursday evenings at 7pm, beginning April 2nd.
A Great Decisions Discussion Group is composed of interested individuals who want an opportunity to learn and participate in the foreign policy decision-making process. The Foreign Policy Association (FPA) has published the Great Decisions briefing book, a well researched annual publication covering eight timely global topics to be read by group participants in order to prepare for each discussion. At each meeting we will show a 30 minute documentary film on that week's topic, to be followed by a moderated discussion.
Please register online or at the library. The briefing book may be purchased for $22 from the FPA website. (A limited number of books will be for sale at the library.)
Topics and meeting dates:
Thursday April 2
Russia and the Near Abroad
As calls for closer ties with the EU failed to be met, Ukrainians took to the streets in in November 2013. As the movement later known as the Euromaidan, or “Euro Square,” pulled western Ukraine closer to its European neighbors, another powerful force threatened to tear away the country’s eastern half: Russia. Putin’s pushback against European expansionism has the West wondering: If Putin’s Russia isn’t afraid to take an aggressive stance against Europeanization in Ukraine, what does that mean for the rest of Russia’s neighbors?
Thursday April 9
Privacy in the Digital Age
The idea of “privacy” has undergone significant changes in the digital age, as has the idea of privacy “harm.” Fearful of British spying, influence and intervention, the founding fathers granted citizens significant protections in the Constitution. Now, the tables have turned: Concerns about what some see as a U.S. “dragnet” and unwarranted privacy intrusions have compelled other countries to revamp their own privacy protections. Legislation, both at home and abroad, hasn’t kept pace with technological developments, leaving some wondering if privacy as we know it is long dead.
Thursday April 16
Sectarianism in the Middle East
Many of the current conflicts in the Middle East have been attributed to sectarianism, a politicization of ethnic and religious identity. From the crisis in Iraq and Syria to the tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the struggle between Sunni and Shi‘i groups for dominance is tearing apart the region and shows no signs of abating. But for all the religious discourse permeating the conflict, much of its roots are political, not religious. How does sectarianism fit into a larger narrative of the Middle East? How have governments manipulated sectarian differences? And finally, what is the U.S. doing about it?
Thursday April 23
India Changes Course
Fed up with corruption, dynastic policies and ineffective public services, Indian voters catapulted Narenda Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party to power in the country's 2014 elections. For voters, Modi embodied real change and an India that wasn't stumbling, but running, to greatness. But for the U.S., change in India brings its own set of unknowns, heralding an age ruled by a prime minister new to national office and other policymakers who have been out of the public eye for a decade. Now, the U.S. has to determine how to best secure its interests as India asserts itself on the world stage.
Thursday April 30
U.S. Policy Toward Africa
Africa is in the midst of an unprecedented transformation. The continent is home to some of the fastest growing economies in the world, and it’s become a draw for foreign investors from across the globe. After the “Obamamania” of 2008 died down, though, the realization that Obama wasn’t going to overturn, or even prioritize, U.S. Africa policy kicked in. Still, the U.S. has promised to promote “strong institutions, not strong men,” and to favor good governance and healthy economies over profit. How can U.S. policy live up to its promise and values while securing its interests in the region?
Thursday May 7
Syria's Refugee Crisis
Syrians have for a century welcomed over a million refugees from Armenia, Palestine, Iraq and other countries around the region. Now, thanks to a multiyear civil war, they are on track to become the source of the world’s largest refugee population in a matter of months. As Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and other neighbors strive to accommodate the millions of Syrians, the risk of allowing Syrians to become dependent on emergency aid and forming a “lost generation” remains. Ultimately, though, the safety of displaced Syrians rests with the whole international community.
Thursday May 14
Human Trafficking in the 21st Century
Human trafficking represents a multibillion in international trade per annum and continues to be one of the fastest growing criminal industries. While undeniably a global phenomenon, the U.S., as one of the world’s leading human trafficking importers, bears a special responsibility to combat this practice. The U.S. and the international community have adopted various treaties and laws to prevent trafficking, but to truly understand and combat the issue, they must find the root causes enabling traffickers to exploit millions of victims.
Thursday May 21
Brazil's Metamorphosis
Brazil — it’s the “B” in the acronym BRICS, five emerging economies once seen as soon-to-be superpowers. After economic troubles in the 1990s, Brazil has risen to new global prominence — it’s drawing in more investment, working on global issues ranging from climate change to peacekeeping, and even hosting the 2016 Olympics. But some of Brazil’s trickiest problems — deep divisions over how to tackle serious income inequality, weak civic institutions and poor regional leadership — have held it back.
Register online
The Vineyard Haven Public Library Great Decisions Discussion Group will meet for 8 sessions on Thursday evenings at 7pm, beginning April 2nd.
A Great Decisions Discussion Group is composed of interested individuals who want an opportunity to learn and participate in the foreign policy decision-making process. The Foreign Policy Association (FPA) has published the Great Decisions briefing book, a well researched annual publication covering eight timely global topics to be read by group participants in order to prepare for each discussion. At each meeting we will show a 30 minute documentary film on that week's topic, to be followed by a moderated discussion.
Please register online or at the library. The briefing book may be purchased for $22 from the FPA website. (A limited number of books will be for sale at the library.)
Topics and meeting dates:
Thursday April 2
Russia and the Near Abroad
As calls for closer ties with the EU failed to be met, Ukrainians took to the streets in in November 2013. As the movement later known as the Euromaidan, or “Euro Square,” pulled western Ukraine closer to its European neighbors, another powerful force threatened to tear away the country’s eastern half: Russia. Putin’s pushback against European expansionism has the West wondering: If Putin’s Russia isn’t afraid to take an aggressive stance against Europeanization in Ukraine, what does that mean for the rest of Russia’s neighbors?
Thursday April 9
Privacy in the Digital Age
The idea of “privacy” has undergone significant changes in the digital age, as has the idea of privacy “harm.” Fearful of British spying, influence and intervention, the founding fathers granted citizens significant protections in the Constitution. Now, the tables have turned: Concerns about what some see as a U.S. “dragnet” and unwarranted privacy intrusions have compelled other countries to revamp their own privacy protections. Legislation, both at home and abroad, hasn’t kept pace with technological developments, leaving some wondering if privacy as we know it is long dead.
Thursday April 16
Sectarianism in the Middle East
Many of the current conflicts in the Middle East have been attributed to sectarianism, a politicization of ethnic and religious identity. From the crisis in Iraq and Syria to the tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the struggle between Sunni and Shi‘i groups for dominance is tearing apart the region and shows no signs of abating. But for all the religious discourse permeating the conflict, much of its roots are political, not religious. How does sectarianism fit into a larger narrative of the Middle East? How have governments manipulated sectarian differences? And finally, what is the U.S. doing about it?
Thursday April 23
India Changes Course
Fed up with corruption, dynastic policies and ineffective public services, Indian voters catapulted Narenda Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party to power in the country's 2014 elections. For voters, Modi embodied real change and an India that wasn't stumbling, but running, to greatness. But for the U.S., change in India brings its own set of unknowns, heralding an age ruled by a prime minister new to national office and other policymakers who have been out of the public eye for a decade. Now, the U.S. has to determine how to best secure its interests as India asserts itself on the world stage.
Thursday April 30
U.S. Policy Toward Africa
Africa is in the midst of an unprecedented transformation. The continent is home to some of the fastest growing economies in the world, and it’s become a draw for foreign investors from across the globe. After the “Obamamania” of 2008 died down, though, the realization that Obama wasn’t going to overturn, or even prioritize, U.S. Africa policy kicked in. Still, the U.S. has promised to promote “strong institutions, not strong men,” and to favor good governance and healthy economies over profit. How can U.S. policy live up to its promise and values while securing its interests in the region?
Thursday May 7
Syria's Refugee Crisis
Syrians have for a century welcomed over a million refugees from Armenia, Palestine, Iraq and other countries around the region. Now, thanks to a multiyear civil war, they are on track to become the source of the world’s largest refugee population in a matter of months. As Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and other neighbors strive to accommodate the millions of Syrians, the risk of allowing Syrians to become dependent on emergency aid and forming a “lost generation” remains. Ultimately, though, the safety of displaced Syrians rests with the whole international community.
Thursday May 14
Human Trafficking in the 21st Century
Human trafficking represents a multibillion in international trade per annum and continues to be one of the fastest growing criminal industries. While undeniably a global phenomenon, the U.S., as one of the world’s leading human trafficking importers, bears a special responsibility to combat this practice. The U.S. and the international community have adopted various treaties and laws to prevent trafficking, but to truly understand and combat the issue, they must find the root causes enabling traffickers to exploit millions of victims.
Thursday May 21
Brazil's Metamorphosis
Brazil — it’s the “B” in the acronym BRICS, five emerging economies once seen as soon-to-be superpowers. After economic troubles in the 1990s, Brazil has risen to new global prominence — it’s drawing in more investment, working on global issues ranging from climate change to peacekeeping, and even hosting the 2016 Olympics. But some of Brazil’s trickiest problems — deep divisions over how to tackle serious income inequality, weak civic institutions and poor regional leadership — have held it back.
Register online
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Delayed Opening, Early Close Thursday March 5th
Vineyard Haven Library will have a delayed opening Thursday March 5th, opening at 12 noon.
Update: All library programs are cancelled today. The MV Photography Club meeting has been rescheduled for next Thursday, March 12th, at 6pm.
Update: The Library will close early at 4pm this evening.
Update: All library programs are cancelled today. The MV Photography Club meeting has been rescheduled for next Thursday, March 12th, at 6pm.
Update: The Library will close early at 4pm this evening.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Early Closing Tuesday February 17th
The library will close early at 5:30pm on Tuesday February 17th and the evening program is cancelled.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten at VH Library
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 five 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
- For every 100 books you read, your family will receive fun rewards
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
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 has been funded by a grant to the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Public Library from the Permanent Endowment for Martha’s Vineyard.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Library Closed Sunday February 15th and Monday February 16th
Vineyard Haven Public Library will be closed on Sunday February 15th and Monday February 16th, reopening at 10am on Tuesday February 17th.
Due to the anticipated storm a parking ban on public streets in Tisbury will be in effect from10pm Saturday until 7am Monday.
Due to the anticipated storm a parking ban on public streets in Tisbury will be in effect from10pm Saturday until 7am Monday.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Town Vision Planning Meeting Rescheduled for February 12, 7pm
The meeting will be held on Thursday, February 12th at 7:00 pm at the Tisbury Senior Center, 34 Pine Tree Rd. Community members are encouraged to attend this important meeting. For more information see the vision planning web page on the Town’s website or email the board at visionplan@tisburyma.gov.
Take the Tisbury Vision Planning Survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/tisbury_vision_plan
Visit the Tisbury Vision Planning webpage:
http://www.tisburyma.gov/Pages/TisburyMA_VisionPlanning/index
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