Volume 7 No.5 April 30, 2024



In This Issue:

• Four Star Farms: Beer , Wine & Cider May 16

• Poets Seat Poetry Contest Winners Teens and Adults

• Join us! Library at the Pride Parade June 15

• Local Author: Sarah Pirtle, An Outbreak of Peace, May 15

• Writing Workshop May 8, 15, 22, 29

• GPL Goes to the Movies May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

• Mystery Readers Book Club May 1

• Learn to Use Kanopy May 20

• Learn to Use Libby May 21

• Learn to Use Hoopla May 22

• Japanese Folktales & Origami for Families with Motoko May 18

• Author Event for Grades 5 & 6, Rebecca Carara, Worst Case Collin May 8

• Virtual Video Tour Library

• Local Author: Joan Livingston, Missing the Deadline May 29

• Tween Tuesday for Middle Schoolers - DIY Stickers, May 7

• PJ Storytime May 1

• Exploring Non-Fiction: Naomi Klein, Doppleganger May 21

• GPL Wants Your ZINES for our Zine collection

• Make a Duct Tape Wallet for MS & HS May 16

• Spice Club - Marjoram, Pick up starting May 7

• Teen Advisory Board May 6

• Teen Room Craft Kits resents: Available for GPL

• Garfield Party - Teen Room May 28

• Scrabble Night May 7 & 21

• Lego Club May 6, 13, 20

• Meditative Writing, History Room May 7, 14, 21, 28

• Book Babies Storytime May 7, 14, 21, 28

• Toddler Storytimes   May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

• Preschool Storytimes   May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

• Mystical Adventure with Mac May 20

• Button Making with Maddie & Izzy May 30

• Read Along and Doodle with Krystal May 15

• Story Time for Children - by teens for K - 3 May 11

• Crochet with Shannon (for MS & HS) May 22

• Chess Club May 6, 13, 20

• Conversational French May 21

• MahJong May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

• Greenfield Ukulele Players May 3 & 17

• Virtual Author Talk: Douglas Brunt, Genius, Power and Deception on the Eve of WWI May 1

• Virtual Author Talk: R.F. Kuang, Asian American Representation in Literature, May 21

• Virtual Talk: Nina Simon, Mother-Daughter Murder Night, May 8

• Collaborative Resolutions Group, Nina Gordon & Jake Cuhn May 21

• Health Care Options for Seniors on Medicare, Rory Joyce, May 17

• Life Path Health Education Workshops May 14

• Greenfield Community College, Mass Connect Free College Program, Aaron Hellem, May 7

• Crafterschool: Worm Marionettes May 21

• WordPress Meetup May 8

• Drop in Knit and Crochet May 7, 14, 21, 28

• Learn a New Language, Transparent Language Free online

• New Digital Legal Resources Available free forms on line 

• Teen to Go Kits Ages 12 - 18 Nine Available

• Notary Services, Free at the GPL

• Museum Passes Check them out

• Library Closed Memorial Day Weekend May 25 - 27

• Library Hours, Check it out

• Mobile Hotspot Lending Program devices to borrow

• Jigsaw Puzzle Exchange Take a Puzzle, Leave a Puzzle

• Free Digital Resources including some changes

• Sign up on Beanstack: 1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Bring your friends and family to this beautiful country farm for a spring afternoon and evening. Watch the sunset from inside, on the patio, or in a field.

Pints for Programs @

The Brewery at Four Star Farms

Thursday May 16th, 4pm-9pm

Come drink great beer, and more, for a good cause!

Kid-friendly event!

Our generous hosts in Northfield are donating a portion of full-beer pours all day, 12 - 9pm. Feel free to come early and enjoy a picnic & a drink of beer, wine or hard cider on this beautiful property.

On-site food truck, Port No.3, available 3-8pm, with outside games, indoor/outdoor seating. Make it a day!

Invite friends and see more details

at our Facebook event page.

Explore the brewery and their offerings here.

Port No.3 food truck info here.

Pints for Programs is a fundraising series at local breweries. A portion of the profits from each event goes directly to the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, which funds the myriad programs hosted by the library.

Congratulations to all the

winners, finalists, and participants

in the 2024 Poet's Seat Poetry Contest!

On a recent Tuesday evening in April, our library's Community Room was filled to capacity with an intergenerational show of listeners eager to lend a generous ear to the finalists in the annual Poet's Seat Poetry contest. Topics ranged widely, from the personal and introspective to the global and usefully critical; from the wistfully retrospective to the immensely topical. As usual, there were truly excellent cookies, which audience members and poets enjoyed while mingling amid ServiceNet's recently-hung community art exhibit (on view through the end of May). Get out your pens — it's never too early to begin drafting a poem to submit to the contest next spring!

WINNERS:

The two winning poems in the Youth 12-14 category were Lessons from the World by Summit Wicks-Lim, and Life Lines by Christian Keeney.

In the Youth 15-18 category, Calvin Scott took 1st prize with their poems Man vs Mind and Note to Self (but not my own).

Among the Adult category entries, 3rd place was awarded to Moonlight Ride by Scott Barrows; 2nd place to "Sky lets down to dark..." by Eric Malone. We celebrate Joannah Whitney and her 1st-place Untitled poem.

Summit Wicks-Lim

Christian Keeney

Calvin Scott

Joannah Whitney

Another snazzy event brought to you by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library!

library-lovers marching during

Pride Week in Franklin County —

JOIN US!

The Greenfield Public Library, in cooperation with the Friends of the GPL, are looking for folks to march alongside our banner at the Franklin County Pride Parade on Saturday, June 15th.

Follow this link to sign up with us!

Sarah Pirtle

Wednesday, May 15, 6:30 pm

Community Meeting Room

The Greenfield Public Library welcomes local author Sarah Pirtle on Wednesday, May 15 at 6:30 pm, to discuss her novel An Outbreak of Peace.

Sarah Pirtle’s novel takes place in Franklin County in the 1980’s. In 1987 it received a national award for outstanding book of the year on world peace and was reviewed in the LA Times and the Boston Globe. Now it returns expanded with local people — Juanita and Wally Nelson, Randy Kehler and Betsy Corner — as additional characters in the book.

An Outbreak of Peace reveals true local events along with a fictional plot; teenagers in West County ask their town meeting to vote to declare peace, meaning that everyone will choose something to do that helps build the community. 

In the book the village is named Larkspur but geographically it’s based on Conway. One of the intriguing aspects of the book are the 80 illustrations by local young people which are woven into the story. When Sarah traveled to NYC to receive the award she brought along one of the twenty young people who worked with her for four years on a project to draw hopes and fears for the future that morphed into the story. 

She is finding that adults like the book as much as young readers. For example, Mary Mosley from Ashfield, says: "I'm blown away by this book. You make peace tangible and thinkable which is crucial in these times. I'm amazed at how much you understand young people. We come right in close to each character and care deeply about them. We need this book. Community heals the heart and soul and this story shows us how." 

Copies of her book will be available for purchase.

This program is free and open to the public.

Wednesday Night Writers Workshop

May 8, 15, 22, 29 6 pm

Local History Room

Writers are invited to attend a weekly informal gathering on Wednesday nights at 6 pm, in the GPL Local History Room, to workshop their prose and poetry in-progress. Everyone is welcome to bring three single-spaced or six double-spaced pages max and enough copies so that everyone can read along and provide feedback. Writers will take turns reading their work aloud, with a volunteer moderator leading the discussion. Writers aren’t allowed to talk while being critiqued.



This program, made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for ages 12 and up. 

Thursday, May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

2 pm

(except the 23rd when it is a double feature at 11 and 2)

Meeting Room

May 2: A Hollywood actor who has risen from vaudeville to become a silent film star must make the difficult transition to sound films. 

May 9: D'Artagnan arrives in Paris trying to find his attackers after being left for dead, which leads him to a real war where the future of France is at stake. He aligns himself with Athos, Porthos and Aramis, three musketeers of the King.

May 16: This documentary takes a critical look at the history of Western thought by examining the remains of Adolf Hitler’s private library.

May 23, 11:00 am: Mr. Bennet is an English gentleman living in Hartfordshire with his overbearing wife and 5 daughters. There is the beautiful Jane, the clever Elizabeth, the bookish Mary, the immature Kitty and the wild Lydia. The family's future happiness and security is dependent on the daughters making good marriages.

May 23, 2:00 PM: In her mid-thirties, still single and still being set up with dates by her mom, Bridget decides she needs to make a change in her life. She uses her diary as a confessional and she begins to wonder if she will ever find true love.

May 30: From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. 

Doors open 30 minutes before the show starts. Outside food and drink are allowed. All movies start at 2 p.m. and run until completed, unless otherwise indicated. 

For more information contact Jeremiah Rood at librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org or call (413) 772-1544.

Movies are free to the public, thanks to the generous support of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library.

Wednesday, May 1

6 - 7:30pm

Conference Room

Do you read mysteries? Join us at the GPL on Wednesday, April 3, at 6 pm, for our new Mystery Readers Book Club, facilitated by Karen Larsen. Come discuss what you are currently reading, and get recommendations from other readers!

For more information, contact Lisa Prolman at librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org or call (413) 772-1544.

This program is free and intended for ages 14 and over

Learn to Use Kanopy

Monday, May 20, 10 am

Conference Room

Have you always wanted to learn how to use Kanopy to watch movies and documentaries -- for free with your Greenfield Public Library card (sorry, but it only works with a GPL card) -- but haven't gotten around to asking the Information Services staff how to do it? Now is your opportunity!  

On Monday, May 20 at 10am, Lisa Prolman will be teaching a class on using Kanopy for anyone who wants to learn how to access this fabulous resource. You can bring your own device or use one of ours! If you need to use one of our devices, registration is required (we only have 7!).

For more information, or to register for a device, contact us at librarian@greenfield-ma.gov, or call (413) 772-1544 x5103.

This program is free, and open to all Greenfield Public Library Card holders.

__________________________________________

Learn to Use Libby

Tuesday, May 21, 11 am

Conference Room

Have you always wanted to learn how to use Libby to read ebooks, listen to e-audios on your phone, iPad, or tablet, or read magazines -- for free with your library card -- but haven't gotten around to asking the Information Services staff how to do it? Now is your opportunity!  

On Tuesday, May 21 at 11:00 am, Shawn Fellows will be teaching a class on using Libby for anyone who wants to learn how to access this fabulous resource.

You can bring your own device or use one of ours! If you need to use one of our devices, registration is required (we only have 7!).

For more information, and to register for a device, contact us at librarian@greenfield-ma.gov, or call (413) 772-1544 x5103.

This program is free, and open to all Massachusetts Library Card holders. 

________________________________________________________________________

Learn to Use Hoopla

Wednesday, May 22, 2 pm

Conference Room

Have you always wanted to learn how to use Hoopla to read ebooks or graphic novels, listen to audiobooks or music, or watch episodes of television show -- for free with your Greenfield Public Library card (sorry, but it only works with a GPL card) -- but haven't gotten around to asking the Information Services staff how to do it? Now is your opportunity!  

On Wednesday, May 22 at 2pm, Pamela McBride will be teaching a class on using Hoopla for anyone who wants to learn how to access this fabulous resource. You can bring your own device or use one of ours! If you need to use one of our devices, registration is required (we only have 7!).

For more information, or to register for a device, contact us at librarian@greenfield-ma.gov, or call (413) 772-1544 x5103.

This program is free, and open to all Greenfield Public Library Card holders.

Japanese Folktales & Origami

for Families with Motoko

Saturday, May 18, 11:00 am

Community Meeting Room

Join us in the Community Meeting Room on Saturday, May 18, at 11:00 am for a special family storytime! Families with children aged 5+ are invited to join Motoko for folktales and origami.

This program is free, but registration is required. Register through the events calendar on our website at https://greenfieldpl.libcal.com/event/11483512.

For more information, contact Children’s Librarian Ellen Lavoie at ellen.lavoie@greenfield-ma.gov or call (413) 772-1544 x5104. 

This program is funded in part by a grant from the Greenfield Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council, along with support from the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library.

Mass. Kids Lit. Fest. Author Visit

Rebecca Caprara

Wednesday, May 8, 4:00 pm

Join us on Wednesday, May 8, at 4:00 pm as we welcome Children’s Author Rebecca Caprara to the GPL to talk with 5th and 6th graders about her middle-grade book Worst Case Collin; she will also lead a short writing workshop. Participants will get their own journal to write in and decorate. Plus there will be a raffle for journal swag and a copy of the book! 

Massachusetts Center for the Book will have copies of the book available for sale and signing. 

The event is free, but registration is required. Register through the Library Events Calendar at

https://greenfieldpubliclibrary.org/

For more information, contact Children’s Librarian Ellen Lavoie at ellen.lavoie@greenfield-ma.gov or call (413) 772-1544 x5104.

Sponsored by Massachusetts Center for the Book and the Mass Kids Lit Fest, this program is free and intended for students in 5th and 6th grade.

Launch Your Tour

Although many of you are using the new library, some of you have not had an opportunity to visit and partake of the services offered. In order for you to get your bearings even before visiting and to get a feel for the services offered, you have an opportunity to take a virtual library tour.

It is a wonderful, brief, yet comprehensive, video tour of the new library facilities produced by librarian Pamela McBride and Philippe Simon of GCTV. Just click on the link below and enjoy.

https://youtu.be/fi492ogvBSA

Joan Livingston

Wednesday, May 29, 6:00 pm

Community Meeting Room

The Greenfield Public Library welcomes local author Joan Livingston on Wednesday, May 29 at 6:00 pm, to discuss her seventh novel in the Isabel Long Mystery Series, Missing the Deadline.

Joan Livingston, author of novels for adult and young readers, is a longtime journalist who  worked her way up from being a correspondent paid by the inch to editor-in-chief for award-winning newspapers in Western Massachusetts and New Mexico. Her most recent gig was top editor for the Greenfield Recorder, Athol Daily News, and Daily Hampshire Gazette. She left journalism in 2022 to concentrate on writing fiction.

Livingston draws upon her own experience as a journalist to create Isabel Long, a sassy, savvy widow who uses the skills she acquired in the same business to solve cold cases in the fictional hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. 

She relies on her deep knowledge of rural Western Mass., where she lives in Buckland, to create realistic characters and settings. Most of her 14 books published thus far are set in that part of the state. She is currently working on the eighth in her mystery series plus a young adult novel.

Copies of her book will be available for purchase.

This event is free and open to the public.

Tween Tuesday (drop-in)

at the Greenfield Public Library

Tuesday, May 7th, 2:30 - 4 pm

Join us on May 7, from 2:30 - 4 pm at the Greenfield Public Library for Tween Tuesday, a monthly activity program especially for tweens aged 8-12… with an after school snack! This month we will be making our own stickers using coloring pages, clear packing tape and parchment paper!

For more information, contact Children’s Librarian Ellen Lavoie at

ellen.lavoie@greenfield-ma.gov or call (413) 772-1544 x5104.

This program, made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for ages 8 -12.

For more information, contact Children’s Librarian Ellen Lavoie at ellen.lavoie@greenfield-ma.gov or call (413) 772-1544 x5104. 

This program, made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for ages 0 - 12. 

Exploring Non-Fiction Book Discussion

Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World

Tuesday, May 21, 6:30 pm

GPL Conference Room

Join us at the GPL for our bi-monthly book discussion as we explore different authors and genres, on Tuesday, May 21, at 6:30 pm in the GPL Conference Room. This month we are exploring Memoir and Social Science with Naomi Klein’s book Doppelganger: a trip into the mirror world.

What if you woke up one morning and found you’d acquired another self―a double who was almost you and yet not you at all? What if that double shared many of your preoccupations but, in a twisted, upside-down way, furthered the very causes you’d devoted your life to fighting against?

Not long ago, Naomi Klein had just such an experience―she was confronted with a doppelganger whose views she found abhorrent but whose name and public persona were sufficiently similar to her own that many people got confused about who was who. Destabilized, she lost her bearings, until she began to understand the experience as one manifestation of a strangeness many of us have come to know but struggle to define.

In Doppelganger, she turns her gaze inward to our psychic landscapes, and outward to the possibilities for building hope amid intersecting economic, medical, and political crises.? The result is a revelatory treatment of the way many of us think and feel now―and an intellectual adventure story for our times.

Copies of the book are available at the library.

For more information, contact Pamela McBride at librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org or call (413) 772-1544. 

This program, made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for ages 14 and up.

New Collection:

Zines at The Greenfield Public Library

Greenfield Public Library is building a circulating zine collection for our new library. We want this collection to highlight local creators as much as possible, especially patrons of GPL!

If you have a zine you'd like to see displayed, read, and circulated throughout Central/Western Massachusetts, please use the form below to submit information about your work:

https://forms.gle/R5e5dcNQHPJ5PpeSA

For more information, please contact Jesse Cole, Technical Services Coordinator, at jesse.cole@greenfield-ma.gov or call (413) 772 - 1544 x 5122

Drop by the Teen Room after school on Thursday, May 16 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm, and make your very own duct tape wallet.

For more information contact Teen Librarian Francesca Passiglia at francesca.passiglia@greenfield-ma.gov

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for middle and high school aged youth.

Do you love to cook and want to try new flavors and recipes? Stop by the library and pick up this month’s Spice Club Kit, available on Tuesday, May 7

In May, we’re cooking with marjoram, a perennial herb in the mint family. Included in this month’s kit are a sample of dried marjoram, recipes,information about the spice, and propagating and growing tips. 

Registration is not required, but supplies are limited. Spice Kits can be picked up at the second-floor Reader’s Advisory Desk, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Unavailable to make it into the library to pick up a kit? We have all the recipes for this and the other spices we’ve explored on our Spice Club Blog at https://gplibraryma.wordpress.com/ 

This program, generously supported by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for ages 13 and over.

Teen Advisory Board

Monday, May 6, 3:00 - 4:00 pm

Teen Room

Are you interested in being a teen volunteer at the library? Join us on Monday, May 6, at 3:00 pm as we practice for our upcoming story time read-aloud at the end of the week.

For more information contact Teen Librarian Francesca Passiglia at francesca.passiglia@greenfield-ma.gov

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for middle and high school aged youth.

Can’t make it to our amazing programs? Fear not, we’ll be launching a full menu of arts and crafts activities to use in the teen room. Premiering in January: Rubber Stamp Making, Zine Making, Friendship Bracelets and Manga/Anime Drawing. Kits may be borrowed from the teen services desk.

Funded by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, the kits are intended for use in the Teen Room only, for youth ages 12-20.

Garfield Party!

Tuesday, May 28 3:00 - 4:00 pm

Teen Room

There’s a brand new Garfield movie and we’re celebrating everyone’s favorite grouchy orange cat. Join us on Tuesday (because Garfield is not a fan of Mondays), May 28, from 3:00 to 4:00 pm to make air-dry clay cats, draw funny cartoons, have lasagna inspired treats and more…

For more information contact Teen Librarian Francesca Passiglia at francesca.passiglia@greenfield-ma.gov

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for middle and high school aged youth.

Drop in Scrabble Night

Tuesday, May 7 & 21

4:30 - 6:30 pm

Adult Game Area 

Spellmasters are invited to join a by-weekly game of Scrabble. At Scrabble night we welcome all levels of experience, and the emphasis is on having fun! Games start at 4:30 and 5:30 pm.

This program, made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for ages 12 and older. 

GPL Lego Club (drop-in) Monday

May 6, 13, 20

3:30 - 5pm

Come be a part of the kids' GPL Lego Club!

Legos will be available to play with in the Children's Room every Monday from 3:30 - 5pm. Complete one of the given challenges or make your own creation to be put on display until the next week.

For more information, contact Children’s Librarian Ellen Lavoie at ellen.lavoie@greenfield-ma.gov or call (413) 772-1544 x5104.

This program, made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and recommended for children age 3+. 

Meditative Writing (Drop In)

The Declaration of Independence and The U. S. Constitution

Tuesday, May 7, 14, 21, 28

Local History Room

This election season, stop by the Greenfield Public Library’s Local History Room on Tuesdays to copy and reflect on the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Take a break from the hectic, often frenzied, election news coverage to study, reflect, and increase your understanding of our rights as citizens of the United States. 

Copies of the documents and writing materials will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own!

This program is free and open to everyone in our community.

Book Babies with Ellen Lavoie

Tuesday, May 7, 14, 21, 28 at 10 am

Story time is back, babies! 

Join Children’s Librarian, Ellen Lavoie, in the new Children’s Room for reading, lap bouncing, and singing on Tuesdays at 10:00 am. It’s a great way to meet other babies, new parents, and caregivers! 

Recommended ages for this 30-minute program are birth-18 months. 

For more information, contact Children’s Librarian Ellen Lavoie at ellen.lavoie@greenfield-ma.gov or call (413) 772-1544 x5104. 

This program, made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and open to the public. 



_______________________________________________________

Toddler Time with Ellen Lavoie

Wednesday, May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 at 10 am

Toddlers, get those wiggles out! 

Join Children’s Librarian, Ellen Lavoie, for stories, songs, and activities focused on early literacy, Wednesdays at 10 am in the new Children’s Room. 

Recommended ages for this 30–45 minute program is 18-36 months. 

For more information, contact Children’s Librarian Ellen Lavoie at ellen.lavoie@greenfield-ma.gov or call (413) 772-1544 x5104. 

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Preschool Story Time

Thursday, May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 at 10 am

Meet and make new friends as we read, sing, and try activities designed to support early learning.

Recommended ages for this 45 minute program is 3 - 5 years.

Mystical Adventures with Mac

A Choose Your Own Adventure style teen led D & D Campaign

Monday, May 20, 3:30 - 6:30 pm,

Makerspace

Sign up now for a teen-led all original Dungeons & Dragons campaign. We’ll meet on the 3rd Monday of every month. 

Register here and complete our questionnaire to help plan the adventure: https://forms.gle/JBgTQUxZEsV8kUbv5

Space is limited to 6 players.

For more information contact Teen Librarian Francesca francesca.passiglia@greenfield-ma.gov

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for middle and high school aged youth.

Button Making

 with Maddie and Izzy (Drop In)

Monday, May 20, 3:00 - 4:00 pm

Teen Room

Drop by the Teen Room on Monday, May 16, from 3:00 to 4:00 pm and get creative with teen volunteers Maddie and Izzy and make your very own one-of-a-kind buttons for your backpack, jacket, etc…

For more information contact Teen Librarian Francesca Passiglia at francesca.passiglia@greenfield-ma.gov

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for middle and high school aged youth.

Read Along and Doodle with Krystal

Wednesday, May 15th 3:30 - 4:30 pm 

Kids, we need your help to finish the story of Famtasia the sheep and her great adventure!

Join us on Wednesday, May 15, at 3:30 pm, and use your drawing skills to help special guest author Krystal illustrate her picture book. 

Registration is recommended as space is limited. To register, email us at librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org 

For more information, contact Children’s Librarian Ellen Lavoie at ellen.lavoie@greenfield-ma.gov or call (413) 772-1544 x5104. 

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free, and intended for kids age 3 -12.

The Teen Advisory Board

presents a

Story Time for Children

Saturday May 11, 10 - 11am

Conference Room

Families are invited to a teen-led story time by members of the library’s Teen Advisory Board. The theme is bugs! Sit and listen to a variety of picture books or draw along.

For more information, contact us at librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org, or call (413) 772-1544.

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free, and intended for families with children grades K-3.

Wednesday, May 22, 3:00 - 4:00 pm

Teen Room

Have you always wanted to learn to crochet? Are you a seasoned pro? Either way, stop by the Teen Room and crochet with librarian Shannon. Use our materials or bring your own. We’ll have crochet hooks available for check out, too!

For more information contact Teen Librarian Francesca francesca.passiglia@greenfield-ma.gov

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for middle and high school aged youth.

GPL Library Chess Club

Monday, May 6, 13, 20

5:30 - 7:30 pm

Meet up with other chess players at the Greenfield Public Library. All ages and skill levels are welcome, for both casual and serious games. Chess instruction is available for beginners, and anyone wanting to learn the game. Chess sets will be provided, but feel free to bring your own!



This program is free and open to all, but children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Conversational French

Tuesday, May 21

In May, Conversational French will be held on the 3rd Tuesday, May 21.

5:30 - 6:30 pm

Conference Room

--Vous parlez français? --Euh... oui, un peu.

If this is you, and you would like to put a few drops of oil on your rusty French conversation skills, have a seat at La Table Française, on Tuesday, March 26, from 5:30 - 6:30 pm, in the GPL’s Conference Room.

This is an intermediate conversation group, not a class. Tamara Grogan, Greenfield resident and 25-year veteran French teacher, will facilitate. If interested, please send an email to Tamara at lagrogan1@gmail.com.

À bientôt!

This program is free and intended for ages 16+

Thursday, May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

2 - 4 pm

Adult Game Area

Join your neighbors in a fun and exciting round of American Mah Jong. 

Newcomers welcome. No experience required.

This program is free and intended for ages 14 and up.

Friday, May 3 & 17



Join The Greenfield Ukulele Players on the first and third Friday of each month from 1 - 2:30 pm in the GPL Conference Room. All you need is love…and a ukulele!

Douglas Brunt

Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I

Wednesday, May 1st, 3pm 

Join us as we chat with New York Times bestselling author, Douglas Brunt, about his bestselling debut non-fiction work The Mysterious Case of Rudolph Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I. This book reveals the hidden history of Rudolf Diesel, one of the world’s greatest inventors, and his mysterious disappearance from the steamship Dresden on the eve of World War I. 

September 29, 1913: the steamship Dresden is halfway between Belgium and England. On board is one of the most famous men in the world, Rudolf Diesel, whose new internal combustion engine is on the verge of revolutionizing global industry forever. But Diesel never arrives at his destination. He vanishes during the night and headlines around the world wonder if it was an accident, suicide, or murder.

After rising from an impoverished European childhood, Diesel had become a multi-millionaire with his powerful engine that does not require expensive petroleum-based fuel. In doing so, he became not only an international celebrity but also the enemy of two extremely powerful men: Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil and the richest man in the world.

For more information, and to register for this and other upcoming talks, go to https://libraryc.org/greenfieldpubliclibrary/21486/register 

Each talk features the opportunity to participate in author Q&A or pre-submit questions during registration! Copies of these books are available at the Library. 

Rebecca F. Kuang

Asian American Representation in Literature

Tuesday, May 21st^{, 7pm}

Join us online for a thrilling conversation with Rebecca F. Kuang (R.F. Kuang) as she chats with us about her New York Times bestselling novel, Yellowface. Yellowface grapples with questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation, as well as the terrifying alienation of social media.

In Yellowface, Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars. But Athena’s a literary darling. June Hayward is literally nobody. Who wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks. So when June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I. But June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. White lies, dark humor, and deadly consequences await within the pages of Yellowface. 

For more information, and to register for this and other upcoming talks, go to

https://libraryc.org/greenfieldpubliclibrary/21486/register 

Each talk features the opportunity to participate in author Q&A or pre-submit questions during registration! Copies of these books are available at the Library. 

Nina Simon

Mother-Daughter Murder Night

Wednesday, May 8^{, 7pm}

You’re invited to join Nina Simon online as chats about her lighthearted whodunnit about a grandmother-mother-daughter trio of amateur sleuths, Mother-Daughter Murder Night. 

Mother-Daughter Murder Night follows high-powered business woman Lana Rubicon. She has a lot to be proud of with the L.A. real estate empire she’s built. But when she finds herself trapped 300 miles north of the city with her adult daughter Beth and teenage granddaughter Jack, Lana is stuck counting otters instead of square footage—and hoping that boredom won’t kill her before the cancer does. Nothing brings a family together like a murder next door!

When Jack happens upon a dead body while kayaking she quickly becomes a suspect in the homicide investigation, and the Rubicon women are thrown into chaos. Beth thinks Lana should focus on recovery, but Lana has a better idea–find the true murderer, protect her family, and prove she still has power! Nothing brings a family together like a murder next door.

For more information, and to register for this and other upcoming talks, go to

https://libraryc.org/greenfieldpubliclibrary/21486/register 

Each talk features the opportunity to participate in author Q&A or pre-submit questions during registration! Copies of these books are available at the Library. 

This program, brought to you by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library in partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium, is free and open to the public.

Collaborative Resolutions Group

Information Session

Tuesday, May 21, 2:00 - 3:30 pm

Main Lobby

Nina Gordon and Jake Kuhn of the Collaborative Resolutions Group will be at the Greenfield Public Library on Tuesday, May 21, from 2:00 -3:30 pm, to answer questions and offer information about their programs and services.

The Collaborative Resolutions Group mission is to increase individuals’ and organizations’ capacity to communicate effectively, manage differences, resolve conflict, and work collaboratively. They offer customized mediation, training, facilitation, restorative practices processes, and conflict coaching services online, over the phone, and (when possible) in-person.

Their services are offered at sliding scale rates, and no one is turned away for inability to pay. 

The heart of CRG’s work comes from listening to community needs, training and serving community members, and encouraging a culturally inclusive space. They are committed internally, and in their external work with community members, to developing equity, empowerment, and collaboration in sustainable ways.

This program is free and open to everyone in our community.

Health Care Options for Seniors

Join Rory Joyce, Outreach Coordinator of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, for “Health Care Options for Seniors” on Friday, May 17, at 11 am at the Greenfield Public Library.

This presentation is geared more towards existing Medicare enrollees with more of a focus on the differences between Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans, as well as understanding when you can switch plans. It also explains how Medicare Part D plans work.

For more information, contact Lisa Prolman at librarian@greenfield-ma.gov, or call (413) 772-1544.

This program is free, but registration is requested. Pre-register for this program by emailing Rory.Joyce@bcbsma.com.



This program is free and intended for Senior Citizens currently enrolled in Medicare.

Representatives from LifePath will be at the Greenfield Public Library on Tuesday May 14th, from 2 - 4 pm, to answer questions and offer information about available services and volunteer resources available to you and your loved ones.

LifePath is a nonprofit organization serving older people, people with disabilities, and caregivers in Western and Central Mass, helping people stay independent in their homes and communities. LifePath coordinates the right services for each person using a variety of providers and programs, working with people of all incomes. 

For more information about LifePath, visit the website at www.lifepathma.org, or call 413-773-5555.

This program is free and open to everyone in our community.

Information Session

Come visit GCC at the GPL!! An admission representative will be tabling at the Greenfield Public Library on Tuesday, May 7, from 10:00 - 11:30 am to talk more about the MassReconnect Program, which gives aid to students 25 and over who don't have a college degree to attend community college for free!

MassReconnect funds free community college certificates and degrees including all costs related to tuition, fees, books and supplies. Come learn more about this opportunity at GCC! For questions, contact Aaron Hellem at hellema@gcc.mass.edu.

This program is free and open to everyone.

GPL Kids Crafterschool (drop-in)

Pipe Cleaner Critters!

Tuesday, May 21, 3 - 4 pm

Join GPL’s Shannon Gilcreast each month for an after school craft program designed for kids age 5+. This month, join us after school on Tuesday, May 21, from 3 - 4 pm, to make worm (or snake!) marionettes, using beads, yarn, and popsicle sticks!

For more information, contact Shannon Gilcreast at shannon.gilcreast@greenfield-ma.gov or

call (413) 772-1544 x5104.



This program, made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for children ages 5-12. 

WordPress Meetup

Wednesday, May 8, 6 - 7:50 pm

Conference Room

Come to the Greenfield Library’s Conference Room on Wednesday, March 13, at 6 pm to connect with other WordPress users! This meetup is open to anyone interested in WordPress: newbies, developers, designers and administrators.

Bring your WordPress questions! This is a great time to figure out where you're stuck, and make some progress on your project. You may wish to bring a laptop to take notes or to share your screen. You may need a HDMI port or adapter if you want to plug into the big screen.

This program, which meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month, is free and open to everyone in our community.

Tuesday, May 7, 14, 21, 28

5:30 - 7:30

Makers Space

Drop in at the Greenfield Public Library for a knitting/crocheting group! All skill levels are welcome, whether you’re new with needles and hooks, or an old pro. Bring your own supplies, and enjoy some time working on your project while connecting with other crafters.

This program is free and intended for ages 12 and up.

Oh, the things you can do with a Greenfield Public Library Card! 



Transparent Languages Online provides an effective and engaging experience for language learners looking to build their vocabulary, practice their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, and maintain what they learn. With courses and supplemental resources in 110+ languages, Transparent Languages can be accessed 24/7, on any device by visiting the library’s website or https://library.transparent.com/massachusetts. A library card is not required.

For more information, and to access all the GPL digital resources, go to https://greenfieldpubliclibrary.org/.  You’ll find the “Quick links to GPL Resources'' on our home page. 

Questions? Contact us at librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org or call us at (413) 772 -1544.

These digital resources, made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and the Massachusetts Library System are free, but some services may require a library card.

New! Gale Digital Legal Resources Now Available

Selling a house? Making a will? Signing a lease? The Greenfield Public Library now offers Gale Legalforms, an online digital resource, to help residents with basic legal needs. Gale Legalforms offers Massachusetts-specific “attorney forms'' - officially approved forms actually used by law firms. 

Many of the forms and documents are available in Word and Adobe format so you just need to simply “fill in the blanks''.

Gale Legalforms can be accessed 24/7, on any device by visiting the library’s website https://greenfieldpubliclibrary.org/. Questions? Contact us at librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org or call us at (413) 772 -1544, option 6.

A library card is not required.

This service, provided by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and the Massachusetts Library System, is free and available to all Massachusetts residents.

https://libraries.state.ma.us/login?db=TGLF&locid=mlin_w_greenpub

The Greenfield Public Library has nine Teen To-Go Kits available:

· Nature Journaling

· Mind Reading and Fortune Telling

· Mindfulness

· How to Play D&D

· How to Play Ukulele

· How to Crochet

· How to Knit

· Cartoon Your Story

· Writing 101

Each kit contains everything a teen will need to learn a new skill. Kits are intended for youth ages 12-18 and are available on a first come, first serve basis. Kits must be picked up and

dropped off at Greenfield Public Library and can be checked out for 3 weeks. They are available in the teen area at the library.

This program, made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and intended for youth ages 12 – 18.

t

Free of Charge at the GPL

Need a document notarized? One of our library staff members is a notary public, and able to notarize documents as staffing allows. Notary services are available most weekdays, but an appointment is required. This service is provided free of charge.

To schedule an appointment, and to verify that your document meets the Massachusetts Notary Law requirements, please contact us at 413-772-1544, or email Pamela McBride at pamela.mcbride@greenfield-ma.gov

Documents can only be notarized in person. Please bring the unsigned document and a state or federally issued photo ID to your appointment. 

Because we are not experts in law or finance, we are unable to notarize some documents. Visit our website at www.greenfieldpubliclibrary.org for more details.

Museum Passes at the Greenfield Public Library

Greenfield Public Library’s museum passes are now available! Pass availability will depend on museum hours. Check museum websites for admission requirements before using passes. Each museum has different requirements. Passes may only be picked up on the day you have them reserved; only one attraction’s pass per day can be reserved. All museum passes must be returned by 8:30 the next morning.

For more information, and to reserve a pass, visit our web page at: https://www.greenfieldpubliclibrary.org , or call us at: (413) 772-1544.

Museum passes are made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library.

The Greenfield Public Library will be closed on Saturday, May 25, and Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day Weekend. We will reopen on Tuesday, May 28, at 9:30 am. Check us out 24/7 at greenfield public library.org, for e-books, audiobooks, movie streaming, music, and research fun.

The Greenfield Public Library is open the following days and hours:

● Monday through Wednesday: 9:30 am – 8 pm

● Thursday and Friday: 9:30 am – 5 pm

● Saturday: 9:30 am – 2 pm

For security purposes, the upstairs floor closes 15 minutes before closing time.

Main Doors are locked 5 minutes before closing.

The Greenfield Public Library has mobile hotspots for patrons!

GPL has devices to lend to CWMARS library cardholders who are in good standing and are at least 18 years of age.

Hotspots must be picked up and returned to the Information Services desk at the library and may not be checked out again for at least a 24-hour period. Each device circulates for one week with an automatic renewal and supports up to ten mobile devices.

Mobile Beacon is the primary provider for the hotspots, which support 4G and LTE mobile networks, but not 5G.

Contact the Information Services desk at 413-772-1544 x5103

with any questions or for more information.

Mobile Hotspots, provided by The Greenfield Public Library, are free and available to CWMARS cardholders aged 18 and over.

Friends of the Greenfield Public Library Newsletter



Email: newsfgpl@gmail.com Website: www.friendsofgpl.org

Greenfield Public Library

412 Main Street

Greenfield, MA 01301