New Year's Resolution: Learn a Language!

The Vineyard Haven Public Library now provides a new way to learn a language! Mango Languages is an online language-learning system teaching actual conversation skills. You can access Mango from your home computer or mobile device, and login using your library card. Library patrons now have access to 68 languages and 17 ESL courses. To get started, visit the library homepage and click on the Mango icon to begin!

Final Tisbury Housing Workshop December 15th

Along with the five other towns on the Vineyard, Tisbury has begun a process to produce a Housing Production Plan (HPP). The HPP can be a guide to the Town’s decisions in addressing housing that is affordable for our workers, families, elders and children.  In Tisbury, the “how” of being proactive will be balanced with the equally important question of “where” it can happen.

Please join the conversation on Thursday, December 15, 2016 at 6:30pm at the Tisbury Senior Center, for the final interactive community workshop to examine the “who, how, where and when” in Tisbury. The workshop will be professionally facilitated by planning consultants from RKG Associates, Inc., JM Goldson Community + Planning.

For more information including information presented and gathered at earlier meetings, visit the Tisbury HPP page on the Martha's Vineyard Commission website http://www.mvcommission.org/tisbury-housing-production-plan

Best Books of 2016: A List of Lists

Some choices for the best of 2016, from the media, associations, and readers:

American Library Association (ALA)
Notable Books For Adults:
http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/notablebooks/lists/2016
Notable Books For Children:
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncb
Best Fiction for Young Adults
http://www.ala.org/yalsa/2016-best-fiction-young-adults

Bookpage
http://bookpage.com/bestof2016

Goodread's Choice Awards
http://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2016

The Guardian Best Books of The Year
http://www.theguardian.com/books/bestbooksoftheyear

Kirkus Reviews
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/issue/best-of-2016/section/fiction/

LA Times Holiday Book Guide
http://www.latimes.com/books/la-ca-jc-holiday-books-guide-20161201-htmlstory.html

Library Journal
http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2016/12/best-of/ljs-best-books-of-2016/

Library Reads
http://libraryreads.org/favorite-favorites-2016-libraryreads/

Mother Jones
http://www.motherjones.com/media/2016/11/notable-best-books-2016

National Public Radio's Book Concierge‬, guide to 2016's great reads
http://apps.npr.org/best-books-2016/

New York Times Notable Books
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/23/books/review/100-notable-books-of-2016.html

Publisher's Weekly
http://best-books.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2016

Seattle Times
http://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/books/the-best-books-of-2016-from-our-critics/

Smithsonian's Best Books About Science of 2016
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/best-books-about-science-2016-180961274/

The Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/top-50-books-year/

Wall Street Journal Best Books of 2016 for People of a Certain Age
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-books-of-2016-for-people-of-a-certain-age-1480302421

Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/entertainment/2016-best-books/

Literary Programming Survey

Philip Weinstein, the Alexander Griswold Cummins Professor of Literature, emeritus at Swarthmore College, will present a multi-part literature workshop in Fall 2017, sponsored by Vineyard Haven Library. We would like your input to help select the topics that will be covered. Dickens? Shakespeare? Donna Tartt? You can help us decide!

Follow this link to the survey:
Take the survey

Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GCQ32HC

Friends Mini Book Sale FREE DAY December 17th

Each month the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Library hold "mini" book sales to raise funds for children's programs and other initiatives. This month, instead of offering books for sale, the Friends will be liquidating excess stock from their monthly book sales for the bargain price of free!

The free book day will be Saturday, December 17th, from 10am to 2pm. Free books for children, adults and teens will be given away. The Friends will also be selling their reusable library tote bags for $2 each, which can be used to bring your free books home and also make great stocking stuffers and can be used as gift wrap.

Art in the Stacks: Phyllis Dunn

The Friends of the Vineyard Haven Library are pleased to present an exhibit of photographs by Phyllis Dunn. Her photographs will be on display on the art wall on the lower level during regular library hours, until the end of December. According to the artist, life on Martha's Vineyard has given her the opportunity of photographing the environment and the beauty that surrounds her, especially water scenes that draw her in.

The Vineyard Haven Public Library's "Art in the Stacks" space features rotating monthly exhibits and is managed by the Friends of the Library. The library also has a permanent collection of artworks that are displayed throughout the year, including 12 paintings by Vineyard artist Captain John Ivory. Artists interested in showing their work may contact the library at (508) 696-4210.

Tisbury Housing Workshops and Survey

Along with the five other towns on the Vineyard, Tisbury has begun a process to produce a Housing Production Plan (HPP). The HPP can be a guide to the Town’s decisions in addressing housing that is affordable for our workers, families, elders and children.  In Tisbury, the “how” of being proactive will be balanced with the equally important question of “where” it can happen.

Please JOIN our conversations  - SAVE these dates:

Thursday, November 17, 2016 at 6pm, Tisbury Senior Center

Thursday, December 15, 2016 at 6pm, Tisbury Senior Center

We invite you to participate in these very important interactive community workshops. During these three sessions we will examine the “who, how, where and when” in Tisbury. The workshops will be professionally facilitated by planning consultants from RKG Associates, Inc., JM Goldson Community + Planning.

You can also participate by taking this brief 5 minute survey. Tell us about your housing needs and your priorities and concerns about housing issues: Take The All Island Planning Board Housing Survey

Printed copies of the survey are available at the Library.