Volume 7 No.4 March 30, 2024



In This Issue:

• Poets Seat Poetry Contest Poetry Reading and WInners Apr 23

• Annual Appeal Almost there

• Make Your Own Solar Eclipse Viewer Apr 5

• Meditative Writing Rights of Citizens Apr 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

• Writing Workshop Apr 3, 10, 17, 24

• GPL Goes to the Movies April 4, 11, 18, 25

• Mystery Readers Book Club Apr 3

• Kids Scavenger Hunt April 16 through 20

• Kids Build a Solar Viewer April 3

• Spice Club Pot Luck Apr 9

• Jarrett Krosoczka, Hey Kiddo (Graphic Novel) April 9

• Virtual Video Tour Library

• Eclipse Party Apr 8

• Tween Tuesday for Middle Schoolers - Paint Resist Art Apr 9

• GCC Poets April 8

• GPL Wants Your ZINES for our Zine collection

• Recycle - Reuse T-shirts? April 23

• Make Your Own Bookmark Apr 8 through 13

• Spice Club - Za'atar Spice, Pick up starting Apr 2

• Julie Stepanek - Ukulele Play Along April 2

• Teen Room Craft Kits resents: Available for GPL

• Literary Tea: The Daughter of TIme , Josephine Tey April 30

• Meet Your Neighbor: Karl Meyer - Living Rivers Flow Downstream Apr 16

• Magic Blend - Making Smoothies April 16

• Scrabble Night Apr 2 & 16

• Lego Club Apr, 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

• Teen Volunteer Advisory Board Apr 1

• Book Babies Storytime Apr 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

• Toddler Storytimes  Apr 3, 10, 17, 24

• Preschool Storytimes  Apr 4, 11, 18, 25

• Family Storytime - Megan Madison (Author) April 6

• Youth Knitting Group (Ages 8 - 12) Apr 12 & 26

• Local Authors Meet and Greet April 10

• Mystical Adventure with Mac April 22
• 
  

• CW Mars "How to" Apr 9

• Seed Planting Ages 2 - 12 Apr 19

• Kids Puzzle Day Apr 17

• Story Time for Children - by teens Apr 29

• Crochet with Shannon (for teens) Apr 23

• Animal Crossing - teen Craft Projects Apr 16 to 20

• Vacation Lego Apr 16

• Chess Club April 1, 8, 22, 29

• Conversational French April 23

• MahJong Apr 4, 11, 18, 25

• Meet the Author, Madeline Miller, On Retelling Greek Classics Apr 9

• Greenfield Ukulele Players Apr 19

• Virtual Author Talk: Paula Johnson, The Food, People and Innovators that Feed Us April 2

• Virtual Author Talk: Colum McCann & Diane Foley, American Mother, Apr 9

• Virtual Talk: Xochitl Gonzalez, Anita Monte Laughs Last, Apr 17

• Brick House Apr 1

• Life Path Apr 18

• Planning for Medicare Apr 12

• Crafterschool: Pipe Cleaner Critters Apr 23

• WordPress Meetup Apr 10

• Drop in Knit and Crochet Apr 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

• Library Closed Patriots Day Apr 15

• 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 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

Finalists will read their winning submissions from the three contest categories: Adult, Youth (Ages 12-14), and Youth (Ages 15-18). Winners in each of the categories will then be announced.

The Greenfield Public Library is wheelchair accessible and has an accessible restroom. Refreshments will be served and are kindly provided by Stoneleigh Burnham School.

This contest draws poets from across Franklin County. We hope you can join us to hear their work and applaud their voices. 

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and open to the public.

Friends -- we need your help! 

We're so close to meeting our annual appeal goal (less than $3,000 away) -- can you help get us over the finish line? As you know, the Friends support the library's programming.

Your donation pays for the programs in this newsletter; they would not exist without your donation.

We hope you'll join us at an author talk, a family time event, a teen event, a craft event, the farmers market, Pints for Programs night, or any other fun and informative event. Please join us in supporting our library! 

Click here to give, or send a check to: Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, 412 Main Street, Greenfield, MA 01301. THANK YOU!

Meditative Writing (Drop In)

The Declaration of Independence and The U. S. Constitution

Tuesday, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

Local History Room

Starting on March 5, Massachusetts Primary Election Day, and continuing throughout this year’s 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.

DIY Solar Eclipse Viewer (drop-in)

Friday April 5, 2pm - 4pm

in the Maker Space

Need a viewer for the upcoming Solar Eclipse? Drop by the GPL Makerspace on Friday, April 5, between 2 - 4 pm to make your own solar eclipse viewer. If you have any cardboard tubes to recycle, please bring them with you; we will have limited supplies available.

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

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

Wednesday Night Writers Workshop

April 3, 10, 17, 24 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, April 4, 11, 18, 25

2 pm

(except the 18th when it is a double feature at 11 and 2)

Meeting Room

Join us on Thursdays at 2 pm for “GPL goes to the Movies”. Due to licensing restrictions we can’t share the names of the movies, but we can give you the following hints:

April 4: A curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep school is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually, he forms an unlikely bond with one of them, a damaged, brainy troublemaker, and with the school's head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam. (R)

April 11: A decades-spanning tale of love and resilience and of one woman's journey to freedom. Celie faces many hardships in her life, but ultimately finds remarkable strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood. (R)

April 18: Film Noir Double Feature, 11 am, 2 pm

Starting at 11 am – In Frank Capra's filming of the popular Broadway black comedy, Cary Grant plays Mortimer Brewster, a writer and former confirmed bachelor who takes his new bride (Priscilla Lane) to visit the Brooklyn home of the two sweet old aunts (Josephine Hull, Jean Adair) who raised him. While there they encounter Mortimer's brother Teddy "Roosevelt," his killer brother Jonathan (Raymond Massey) and his drunk doctor friend (Peter Lorre)... and a murderously funny secret in the basement. (NR)

2 pm – A man devises a plan to murder his wife, not only because he wants her money, but because she is in love with another man.  (NR)

April 25: In the early oughts, Edinburgh marketer Philippa Langley (Sally Hawkins)-divorced, depressed, saddled with CFS-had developed an obsession with Richard III. Ditching her job to perform extensive amateur research, she became convinced that the last Plantagenet's remains were under the site of a Leicester car park... and left academics and skeptics slack-jawed when she was proven right in 2012. (PG13)

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, April 3rd

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

Spring Scavenger Hunt (drop-in)

Tuesday through Saturday, April 16-20

Try to find all the spring pictures hidden in the Children’s Room on this scavenger hunt. Extend the activity by searching for the real things outside! For all kids ages 0-12.

Build a Solar Eclipse Viewer (drop-in)

Wednesday April 3, 3pm - 4:30pm 

Need a Solar Eclipse Viewer? Drop by the Children’s Room on Wednesday, April 3 between 3pm - 4:30pm to make your own! Bring your own small cardboard box or use one of ours to make a simple solar eclipse viewer that is safe to use during the partial solar eclipse on Monday, April 8th.

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 ages 5+.

Have you picked up one of the GPL Spice Club Kits? Share your cooking with others at our Spice Club Potluck, on Tuesday, April 9, at 6 pm in the Community Meeting Room.

Prepare a dish to share using one of the ingredients featured in the three recent Spice Club Kits: Cinnamon, Smoked Paprika, or Za’atar. Bring your completed dish to the potluck, with a printed copy of the recipe you used. Everyone can sample the dishes and discuss their cooking process!

Participants must follow CDC guidelines for safe food handling and allergen information.

Space is limited, and pre registration is required. Register for the Potluck at https://forms.gle/kPrqW7TdvP7brqGL6

Registration opens on Monday, March 18; after registering, your spot will be confirmed. For more information, contact Pamela McBride at librarian@greenfieldpublic library.org, or call (413) 772-1544.

This program, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library is intended for ages 14 and older.

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

Authors at the GPL:

Jarrett J. Krosoczka

author of Hey, Kiddo

Tuesday, April 2nd, 5:30 pm

Community Meeting Room

Jarrett will be giving a presentation on his 2018 National Book Award Finalist graphic memoir

“Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction” 

Hey, Kiddo is a profoundly important memoir about growing up in a family grappling with addiction, and finding the art that helps you survive. In kindergarten, Jarrett Krosoczka's teacher asks him to draw his family, with a mommy and a daddy. But Jarrett's family is much more complicated than that. His mom is an addict, in and out of rehab, and in and out of Jarrett's life. His father is a mystery -- Jarrett doesn't know where to find him, or even what his name is. Jarrett lives with his grandparents -- two very loud, very loving, very opinionated people who had thought they were through with raising children until Jarrett came along.

Jarrett goes through his childhood trying to make his non-normal life as normal as possible, finding a way to express himself through drawing even as so little is being said to him about what's going on. Only as a teenager can Jarrett begin to piece together the truth of his family, reckoning with his mother and tracking down his father.

A Q&A session and book signing will follow immediately after.

Copies of Hey, Kiddo are available for checkout at Greenfield Public Library and will be available for sale at the event.

For more information, contact Francesca Passiglia at francesca.passiglia@greenfield-ma.gov, or call (413) 772-1544.

This program is generously funded by The Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, The Opioid Task Force, Massachusetts Library Board of Library Commissioners and The Institute of Museum and Library Services. This event is free and open to everyone in our community.

Tween Tuesday (drop-in)

at the Greenfield Public Library

Tuesday, April 9th, 2:30 - 4 pm

Join us on April 9, 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 try paint resist art, painting over tape then peeling to reveal!

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.

Solar Eclipses! Sunshine cookies!

"Ask a Scientist", oh my! 

Come to the Greenfield Public Library on Monday, April 8, for an Eclipse Party from 1 - 5 pm! 

Sponsored by PV Squared and the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, GPL will host a variety of events related to the eclipse and solar power: 

• PV Squared Solar will bring their solar-powered trailer and will have info-boards about solar energy, eclipses, and other sun fun! Bring all of your solar-energy questions!
• Didn’t get to make a solar viewer at the library last week? You will have the opportunity to make one from a paper plate!
• From 1 - 2 pm, there will be an opportunity to meet and ask questions of Jon Child, Solar & Environmental Science Expert, who will be on hand to talk about Climate Change topics, Pole/ Iceberg Research, and Solar Science/ Energy.
• At 2 pm, the eclipse will start and will go until about 4:30 pm. The library will have eclipse glasses available for use at the program.  

In the event of rain, GPL will be showing a movie from 3 - 5 pm which features an eclipse.

We hope to see you here!

This event, generously funded by PV Squared and the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and open to everyone in our community. 

Celebrating National Poetry Month:

GCC Poets at the GPL

Wednesday, April 17, 6 pm

Community Meeting Room

The Greenfield Public Library welcomes Greenfield Community College Poets on Wednesday, April 17, from 6 - 7:30 pm for an evening of poetry in the GPL Community Meeting Room.

Poets Gray Davidson Carroll, L. Gibson, La Wanza Lett-Brewington, Adrie Rose, and Cindy Snow will read selected poems from their collections. Copies of their books will be available for purchase and signing.

For more information, visit us at https://greenfieldpubliclibrary.org/, or contact Pamela McBride at librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org.

This program, generously sponsored by Greenfield Community College and the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and open to everyone in our community.

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

ReCycle, ReUse T-Shirts with Danielle Jenczk (drop in)

Tuesday, April 23, 2 - 4 pm

Makerspace

Does your old t-shirt need a new purpose? Join Danielle Jenczk on Tuesday, April 23, between 2 - 4 pm in the GPL Makerspace, for “ReCycle, ReUse T-Shirts”! 

Drop by the Makerspace with your old t-shirt and learn how to repurpose it as a shoulder bag - all without any sewing! Please bring in your own t-shirt as we will not have any supplies.

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

This program, made possible with the support of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free, and intended for ages 13+.

at Your Greenfield Public Library

 Monday, April 8 - Saturday, April 13

Join us at the Greenfield Public Library as we celebrate National Library Week, April 8 - 13

Make Your Own Bookmark

Monday, April 8 - Saturday, April 13,

Makerspace

Stop by the GPL Makerspace for our Library Week craft project: Make your own bookmark! We’ll supply the materials, you just need to bring your creativity!

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, April 2.

In April, we’re cooking with za’atar spice, a mixture of sumac, sesame seed and herbs used throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean. Included in this month’s kit are a sample of za’atar, recipes, and information about the spice. 

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.

Ukulele Play Along

Tuesday, April 2nd 6 pm

Conference Room

Focusing on easy songs that everyone knows, Julie leads an hour of singing and playing ukulele. Super fun and laid back. This is not a lesson and a minimum understanding of the instrument is necessary. Ukuleles available to borrow or bring your own.

Registration is not required, but an email to librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org will get you a copy of the music in advance!

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Greenfield Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency and the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library. This event is free and open to everyone..

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.

Tuesday, April 30 6:30pm

Conference Room, 

Good books, good tea & good company. What could be better to end your busy day?

Literary Teas combines literary works of fiction with cozy cups of local tea, from Greenfield’s local tea shop: Alchemy of Avalon. Join Lisa and Diane for a GPL discussion of Daughter of Time, by Josephine Tey, on Tuesday, April 30, at 6:30 pm, in the Conference Room.

The Daughter of Time is a 1951 detective novel by Josephine Tey, concerning a modern police officer's investigation into the alleged crimes of King Richard III of England. Feeling bored while confined to bed in hospital with a broken leg, a friend of his suggests he should amuse himself by researching a historical mystery. She brings him some pictures of historical characters, aware of Grant's interest in human faces. He becomes intrigued by a portrait of King Richard III. He prides himself on being able to read a person's character from his appearance, and King Richard seems to him a gentle, kind and wise man. Why is everyone so sure that he was a cruel murderer?

With the help of other friends and acquaintances, Grant investigates Richard's life and the case of the Princes in the Tower, testing out his theories on the doctors and nurses who attend to him.

Copies of the book are available at the Library. To reserve your cup of tea, email us at librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org.

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

Meet Your Neighbors:

Karl Meyer

Tuesday, April 16, 6 pm,

Community Meeting Room

Join your neighbor Karl Meyer on Tuesday, April 16, at 6 pm for “Living Rivers Flow Downstream”, a discussion of the Connecticut River.

Karl will explore the natural history, myth and reality on New England’s Great Broken River in Massachusetts from 1798 to today.

Writer and journalist Karl Meyer has been writing about the Connecticut River in Massachusetts for over three decades. He holds an MS in Environmental Science from Antioch

New England University.

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

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

 Tuesday, April 16, 2:00 - 3:00 pm

Makerspace

Join Big Y’s Consulting Dietician Kathy Jordan, MS, RDN, CPT and learn how to make your own delicious and highly nutritious smoothies! Learn which ingredients go together learn how to boost up the nutrition in your smoothies for maximum energy.

This program is free, but space is limited, and registration is required.

Please pre-register here: https://forms.gle/S6ZpAYxTgfGxiCSw7

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

This program, generously sponsored by Big Y, is free and intended for ages 10 - 18.

Drop in Scrabble Night

Tuesday, April 2 & 16

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

April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

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+. 

Teen Advisory Board

Monday, April 1

3 pm

Teen Room

Are you interested in being a teen volunteer at the library? 

Join us as we plan for our upcoming story time read-aloud in the children’s room.

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.

Book Babies with Ellen Lavoie

Tuesday, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 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, April 3, 10, 17, 24 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, April 4, 11, 18, 25 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.

Family Storytime

Saturday, April 6, 10am

Join Children's Librarian, Ellen Lavoie, for a fun-filled Saturday storytime for families with children 0-12. This month we welcome special guest author Megan Madison. Megan will share some of the “First Conversations” books (about bodies, race, gender, etc.) she co-authored.

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 supervised children ages 0-12. 

Youth Knitting Group (drop in)

Friday, April 12 & 26, 3 - 4:30 pm

After April 26 Youth Knitting Group will be taking a break until cooler weather!

Drop in after school, for our ongoing knitting group for youth ages 8 - 12. Beginner knitting materials will be provided, or bring your own project!

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 ages 8 - 12.

Join us at the GPL on Wednesday, April 10, from 4:30 - 7 pm, as we celebrate National Library Week with our first Local Author Meet and Greet!  

Drop by to meet local authors in-person and celebrate the diverse writing talent in our community. There will be fiction, non-fiction, children's, teen, and adult books and zines available for purchase and signing. 

For more information, visit our website at https://greenfieldpubliclibrary.org/

or contact Pamela McBride at librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org.

These programs, generously sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, are free and open to everyone in our community.

Mystical Adventures with Mac

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

Monday, April 22, 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.

Tuesday, April 9, 1:30 - 3pm

Community Meeting Room

Have questions about the new CWMARS Catalog? Join Jesse and Pamela on Tuesday, April 9, from 1:30 - 3 pm, to learn all about the new features and how to navigate the catalog. We'll also walk you through how to use the other resources available through the library website. Bring your tech questions to the session!

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 and is open to all.

Earth Day Seed Planting (drop-in)

Friday, April 19, 10:30 - 11:30am

Children's Room

Plant a seed in a paper cup and take it home to watch it grow! 

Recommended for ages 2 -12.

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

These programs, made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, are free. 

The Teen Advisory Board

presents a

Story Time for Children

Monday, April 29  3:00 - 4:00 pm

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, April 24, 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.

April 16 through Saturday, April 20, Teen Room

Stop by the Teen Room Island during school vacation week for drop in “Animal Crossing” themed craft projects and activities. Plus help us build Greenfield Public Library Island using our Nintendo Switch!

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, April 1, 8, 22, 29

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, April 23

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, April 4, 11, 18, 25

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.

Library Speaker Series (Recorded Author Talk)

Madeline Miller: On Retelling Greek Classics

Tuesday, April 9, 10 am

Conference Room

You’re invited to a fascinating exploratory conversation with Madeline Miller, bestselling author of The Song of Achilles and Circe, as she chats with us about her body of work and her process in retelling Greek classics into modern epics in fiction.

Miller is known for writing mythological realism. Miller's novels re-imagine stories from Greek mythology, while focusing on themes that she considers timeless, like dysfunctional families and homesickness.

The Song of Achilles, Miller's debut novel, set in Greece, tells the story from Patroclus' point of view and the bond that grew between him and Achilles. Circe, Miller's second novel is a modern reimagining told from the perspective of Circe, an enchantress in Greek mythology who is featured in Homer's Odyssey.



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.

Friday, April 19 (not the 5th)



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!

Paula J. Johnson

The Foods, People, and Innovations That Feed Us

Tuesday, Apr 2nd, 2pm 

Virtually step into the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History with Curator Paula Johnson as she discusses the book Smithsonian American Table: The Foods, People, and Innovations That Feed Us.

American Table is a sweeping history of food and culture that summons everyone to the table for a fresh look at some of the people, ingredients, events, and movements that have shaped how and what we eat. Johnson, curator and project director of the American Food History Project, will discuss several stories featured in the volume, with an emphasis on those that intersect most directly with the Smithsonian’s research, collecting, and programming around food history.

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. 

Colum McCann & Diane Foley

American Mother

Tuesday, Apr 9th^{, 2pm}

Join us for a one-of-a-kind conversation with National Book Award-winner Colum McCann as he is joined by Diane Foley, the inspiration behind the heartrending book American Mother.

American Mother is the story of a mother who, in the course of confronting her son’s killer, gets to the elemental heart of violence and forgiveness. Diane Foley is the mother of Jim, a freelance journalist captured and beheaded by ISIS in 2014, an image that became one of the most iconic of the 21st century. Seven years later, Diane gets the chance to spend three days with the murderer of her son in a Virginia courthouse, inspiring her to tell her life story. 

What unfolds is one of the most compelling narratives in recent literary history, channeled into searing reality by New York Times bestselling author Colum McCann, who brings us on a journey of strength, resilience, and radical empathy. 

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. 

Xochitl Gonzalez

Anita de Monte Laughs Last

Wednesday, Apr 17^{, 6pm}

We cannot wait for you to join us as we chat with award-winning and bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez about her newest novel Anita de Monte Laughs Last. 

Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love, and art, daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite. In 1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. By 1998 Anita’s name had been all but forgotten - certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student was preparing her final thesis.

On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist. 

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.

This April, we are celebrating National Poetry all month long with poems selected by the GPL staff. Poems will be displayed throughout the library to read, reflect, and inspire, for kids, youth and adults!

Information Session

Stacey Langknecht of the Brick House Community Resource Center will be at the Greenfield Public Library on Monday, April 1, from 2 - 4 pm, to answer questions and offer information about the Center’s programs and events.

The Brick House Community Resource Center, located in Turners Falls, MA, helps support youth and family well-being by providing space for creativity and learning, growth and leadership, and strengthening community connection. Since its founding in 1989, the Brick House has served over 3,500 residents with counseling programs, education, job training, employment resources and opportunities for building community. 

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

Representatives from LifePath will be at the Greenfield Public Library on Thursday, April 18, from 2 - 3:30 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.

Planning for Medicare

Join Rory Joyce, Outreach Coordinator of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, for “Planning for Medicare” on Friday, April 12, at 11 am. at the Greenfield Public Library.

“Planning for Medicare”is geared towards individuals approaching Medicare Eligibility. Topics covered include health insurance information outside of employer sponsored coverage, such as an explanation of Medicare, the Medicare enrollment timeline, Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans and programs available to early retirees, and COBRA. 

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

This program is free and open to everyone.

GPL Kids Crafterschool (drop-in)

Pipe Cleaner Critters!

Tuesday, April 23, 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, April 23, from 3 - 4 pm, to make yarn & pipe cleaner critters!

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, April 10, 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, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

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 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