VENTRESS VOICE
Newsletter of the Ventress Memorial Library
Marshfield, Massachusetts
FALL 2017 Volume 24, No. 1
Welcome Back, Ventress Voice!
From the Director…
Welcome to the new “Ventress
Voice” quarterly newsletter! There are so many more ways to keep in touch with
patrons since the newsletter was started by the Ventress Library in 1991. But
traditions matter, and “Ventress Voice” is one worth keeping! We plan to
distribute the newsletter in five ways so as to reach as many as possible, including:
paper copies in the library; a link on our website; posting on Facebook; e-mail
distribution; and sending it to the “Marshfield Mariner” for publishing. The
revamped newsletter will have all the familiar columns, but will include new
ones as well. Look for the new “Ask a Librarian” feature where you ask us
questions and we answer! “Creativity
Corner” will feature art, poetry, film/music reviews from patrons and staff who
wish to share and inspire. “Lifestyle Love” will include features about cooking,
travel, fitness and more! “VV Interview”
will return to introduce you to people who impact our library and town. And the
calendar section will be chock-full of activities for all ages here at the
library. So hold on to your hats as we take you on a magic carpet ride into a
world of books and adventure. With our imaginations to guide us, the sky’s the
limit! Welcome aboard…
Yours in reading,
Cyndee
Children’s Corner
We are sad to say goodbye to Children’s Librarian
Jennifer Struzziero (Ms. Jen) who is leaving to take a position at the Milton
public library. Jen came to the Ventress in 2013 and won the hearts of
Marshfield children and their parents with her caring demeanor and fun
programming. But, a call to return to her roots was too hard to resist. A
graduate of Milton High School, Jen knows that community well and has family
nearby. We wish her all the best in her new position.
We will miss you, Ms. Jen!!
Circulation Chat
By Nikole Kelleher, Circulation Supervisor,
nkelleher@ocln.org
The library is excited to announce the availability of
Homebound Delivery Service to homebound Marshfield residents. We bring the
Ventress Memorial Library to you! We will deliver books and other library
materials such as audio books, cd’s, magazine and dvds to Marshfield residents
who are not able to come to the library in person. This service is intended to
serve our patrons who are unable to travel to the library for any reason. This
includes both temporary and permanent health problems, patrons who are confined
to their homes and any patron with transportation issues. You can request
specific titles, give us general requests or we will be happy to put together
selections for you. Books and other materials will be brought to your home by a
library staff member or volunteer. If you are interested or have questions
regarding this program please contact Cyndee Marcoux, Library Director , 781-834-5535
or email her at cmarcoux@ocln.org.
Backroom Bailiwick
By Nancy Kelly, Head of Technical
Services, nkelly@ocln.org
Calling all jigsaw puzzle lovers! Just in time for the upcoming fall and winter
months, the library has added a new collection of over 48 jigsaw puzzles for adults. The collection offers a wide range of topics
and levels of difficulty. For the beginner, there are the 300 “easy-to-hold”
puzzles; for the advanced “puzzler” there is a large selection of 1000+ piece
puzzles. Puzzle themes range from
bucolic New England scenes to old timey antique store fronts. All of the puzzles are available for check
out and circulate for a period of 14 days.
We invite all of our patrons to stop by and peruse the collection which
is conveniently located next
to our “Jigsaw Junction” puzzle table in the main
reading room.
Reference
Notes
By Rachel
Breen, Information Services Librarian, rbreen@ocln.org
Do you have questions
about your library’s resources? Would you like to learn how to download an
eBook or an eAudiobook to your device? The solution…ask a librarian! At the
Reference Desk we’re here to answer any questions you have about resources
provided by the library, whether it be Overdrive, Zinio, Hoopla, or general
questions about your personal devices. Stop by at any time and we’ll be glad to
offer our advice. You can even “Book-A-Librarian” for a 30 minute session to
help you with any tech questions!
We offer wonderful
online databases to assist in your research, such as Global Road Warrior and A
to Z: the USA. For example, these two databases can be used for general travel
information, research, and they’re perfect to help students with school
projects! Visit www.ventresslibrary.org
to access anytime. If you’re interested in travel, the library will be hosting
a Travel Series comprised of 3 programs, 2 lectures and 1 concert, during the
month of October. Stay tuned for more information!
Other popular online
databases that are offered at the VML include Consumer Reports, NoveList Plus Readers Advisory (available 24
hours a day through our website) and Ancestry Library Edition (available
in-library only). To access any of these databases all you’ll need is your
Marshfield library card!
At the VML, we also
offer our patrons digital access to our yearbook collection. The library
recently digitized our collection of yearbooks. The collection ranges from 1953
to 2015. To view them you just have to visit the library’s website, www.ventresslibrary.org.
Are you also looking for
a new book club to join? Here at the VML we have three book clubs that always
welcome new members. They include the VML Classic Book Group, the Nonfiction
Book Group, and the Contemporary Fiction Book Group. The VML Classic Book Group
is run by the library’s Assistant Director, Chris Woods, and meets on the
second Wednesday of the month at 4:30 pm.
The Nonfiction Book Group, which meets on the first Tuesday of every month,
starts at 6 pm and is run by the Information Services
Librarian, Rachel Breen. The Contemporary Fiction Book Group is run by Cyndee
Marcoux, the VML’s Library Director, and meets on the second Tuesday of every
month at 7 pm. All book group meetings are held in
the library’s History Room. New members welcome!
Ventress
Voyages
By Karen A.
Brean, Library Assistant, kbrean@ocln.org
A Trip to New
York City
Most Fall trips in New England involve apple picking,
hay rides and pumpkin patches, but how about planning a trip to New York
City? Many think of Times Square and
Rockefeller Center during the holidays, but Fall can be one of the best times
to visit some of Manhattan's lesser known large outdoor spaces. Here are two that you should add to your
list!!
The Bronx Botanical Gardens: This 250-acre garden was established in 1981
and, at just an hour train ride from downtown Manhattan, you will feel like you
have been transported to immaculate European gardens. There are over one million living plants that
are outdoors and can be visited by tram, or tour the indoor conservatory for
tropical, temperate, and desert flora.
The Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden is among the most popular destinations
at the Garden from May to October, when more than 650 varieties of roses are in
peak bloom. Currently on exhibit until
October 29th, are breathtaking glass sculptures by world-renowned artist Dale
Chihuly. Be sure to check out the vast
library - it is the largest, most comprehensive botanical library in the
Americas!
The Hi-Line: If
you have children or teenagers in tow, or are a modern art lover, the High Line
park is a great place for a scenic stroll.
Composed of about fifty percent native plants, the garden features
ornamental grasses, wildflowers and hardy bushes that attract local birds, bees
and butterflies. Once a railroad track
carrying freight trains, the Hi-Line is now a 1 1/2 mile landscaped walking
park, complete with picnic tables and benches, and many large murals and public
art. There is live music and lots of
grab and go food and always something happening. The entire path is very well manicured and
lined with very new and modern residences.
At one end of the path is the Whitney Museum of American Art and many
hopping rooftop restaurants and bars.
Chelsea Market and Gansevoort Market are convenient places to pick up a
high-ended picnic lunch. A tip is to get
to the Hi-Line in the morning when the crowds are far lighter. Sunset can also be pretty for views of the
Statue of Liberty, Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline.
Creativity
Corner – Back-to-school Haiku
By Kathleen
O’Connor, Circulation Desk Substitute
Sorrow..Summer
Ends,
Dark Unmentionable Day...
Joy! My Friends
are Here!
Dark Sorrowful Day…
Yellow Chariot to
Doom
Hey! My Friends
are Here!
Need pencils,
paper...
Pack a lunch, buy
brand new clothes...
It’s the Bus!
Relief…
“Out
and About”
By
Al and Elsie Almeida, Library Volunteer Duo
Taking the Library’s Resources to the Community
Library in
Motion
This is a new program to make library services
available to homebound residents. We deliver books, music, audio books,
magazines and DVDs to people who are unable to travel to the library. Materials
can be requested by title or by recommendation of a library staff member based
on interest information from the patron. Delivery of materials and pick-up of returns
by volunteers is on a two-week cycle anywhere in Marshfield. We currently have
users of the service in Marshfield Center, North Marshfield, Green Harbor and Brant Rock and look forward
to expanding participation in the coming months. Further information about the
program is available by calling Cyndee Marcoux, Library Director, at
781-834-5535.
Books at the
Beach
We are nearing the close of our second season of
stocking the little free library book boxes constructed in 2015 as an Eagle
Scout project by Aldan MacDonald and placed at three public beaches at Rexhame
and Green Harbor. The program requires over 100 books per month during the
season. The stock is second-hand, mostly paperback, books made available to us
through the efforts of the Friends of the Ventress Library. Some beachgoers
have been helpful in “trading in” surplus books from their own libraries.
Lifestyle
Love
Happy Trails
in Marshfield
By Karen
Ferrari, Circulation Desk Substitute
Fall is here!
With it come the lovely cool breezes and the beautiful
scenic landscapes. It’s time for a walk in the woods, and the hiking trails we
have in Marshfield are amazingly varied and abundant. The Daniel Webster
Wildlife Sanctuary at the end of Winslow Cemetery Road is worth a visit. The
miles of trails cross grasslands, woodlands and wetlands with raised
boardwalks. You will see all nature of birds from the observation blinds, like
the American kestrel and the bobolink. It also has an abundance of wildlife.
Another hidden treasure is the Ellis Nature Sanctuary
on Rt 139, Plain Street after the Furnace St. intersection. Hiking its many
woodland trails is a visual treat.
The newest and largest nature preserve is The
Hoyt-Hall Preserve which just opened last year. It comprises 123 acres
including a large pond, freshwater wetlands, a red maple swamp and mature
forest. There are numerous walking trails through hilly woods and if
adventurous, you can launch a canoe or kayak on the pond. Also, be sure to
check out the old stone cistern along the ponds eastern edge, a relic from the
areas farming days. You will find the Preserve on Rt 139 Careswell St. So set
out on a lovely fall day and nourish
your inner spirit.
For more ideas and information, look at the notebook
by the Reference Desk entitled “The Literary Trail Blazers.” It lists 15 local trails and maps.
Then you are ready to go!
Fitness Fun!
By Carol Fairbanks,
Library Assistant, cfairbanks@ocln.org
Looking to get/stay in shape? No need to start
training for the Ironman Triathlon. Walking rocks!
Walking
Strengthens Your Heart
It’s great cardio exercise, and helps to lower bad
cholesterol levels. The Stroke Association says that a brisk 30 minute walk
every day helps prevent and control the high blood pressure that causes
strokes.
Walking
Lowers Disease Risk
A regular walking habit cuts down on risks of type two
diabetes by around 60%.
Walking Helps
You Lose Weight
Work a short walk into your daily routine and you’ll
shed pounds in no time!
Walking
Prevents Dementia
Older people who walk six or more mile per week are
more likely to avoid brain shrinkage and preserve memory as the years pass.
Walking Tones
Up Legs, Bums, and Tums
Walking gives definition to calves, quads and
hamstrings and lifts your glutes (bum muscles).
Use good posture and it will tone your abs and waist as well.
Walking Gives
You Energy
It boosts circulation and increases oxygen supply to
every cell in your body, helping you feel more alert and alive.
Walking Helps
Improve Mental Health
Exercise boosts your mood. Studies show that a brisk walk is just as
effective as antidepressants in mild to moderate cases of depression.
So let’s lace up those sneakers and hit the pavement!
And remember – always walk facing traffic!
Ventress
Vignettes
By Belle
Bibliotheque
Bonjour! C’est Belle Bibliotheque, et je suis reviens
au “Le Ventress Voice”! You may remember when last we parted, that I had been
happily taking plume in hand to write about the many beautiful things here at
the Ventress Library. One of the things we all have noticed is the very much
improved entrance to the library. We have been very lucky to have The Y’ise
Gardeners of Marshfield take over the planting of the two stately black cast iron
urns flanking the front door. Their seasonal displays provide a cheery welcome
to all our patrons. We have also been very fortunate to have a very dedicated
library patron and volunteer who devotes countless hours to planting, mulching,
watering, weeding and pruning the landscaped beds in front of the library.
Surely you will agree, if you saw the pink “Knockout” roses in full bloom this
summer, that they were tres magnifique! In fact, the other blooming shrubs- the
spirea and hydrangeas- and the evergreen shrubs and colorful annuals, including
the striking red canna lilies, have all filled in nicely around our handsome
granite stone. It was commissioned by our Board of Trustees, and features
seagulls on the wing-a fitting symbol for coastal Marshfield’s library. Join me
next time to highlight more that is beautiful at Ventress Memorial Library. A
bientot!
Friend-ly
Notes…
By Friends of
the Ventress Memorial Library
Two special book sales coming up in the Fall!
Mark your calendars for two book sale events prepared
by the Friends for your browsing and purchasing pleasure. October is “Cookbook
Month.” Come look through a varied selection of donated cookbooks to appeal to
all tastes. The Friends were thrilled to receive a large donation of cookbooks
from a local collector. November brings back the “Oversize Sale.” Come stock up
on coffee table books in a variety of subjects to grace your table or to give
as gifts. And remember, all your purchases go towards buying new materials for
the library and funding programs for your enjoyment!
Ask at the
Circulation Desk how to become a Friend of the Library. The group is always
looking for members to help out on their mission to support the Ventress
Library in many ways. Be a Friend!!
Editor’s
Picks
By Chris
Woods, Assistant Director
Mark your
calendars for Wednesday, September 20, at 7:00 p.m. for the Ventress Library
Cultural Series 2017-2018 season opening Wednesday night lecture event. We are
so pleased to welcome author and naturalist Robert Finch to Marshfield that
night in the library's new Program Room. He will be signing and giving readings
from his new book "The Outer Beach: A Thousand Mile Walk on Cape Cod's
Atlantic Shore", along with reading from Thoreau's "Cape Cod' as part
of the Thoreau Bicentennial Statewide Read program. The event is free and open
to the public; no tickets are required. Light refreshments will be served. For
more information contact librarian Chris Woods at 781-834-5535 or
cwoods@ocln.org and visit www.ventresslibrary.org
Don't miss this quality literary event!
“A lovable book, full of high-leaping energy and
charm. And Finch is great company—wonderfully informed, observant, and funny.
He gives us his leisured and warm friendship; he gives us his humor and
enthusiasm. What astounding sights he meets just by wandering!” — Annie Dillard
“A master stylist, Finch is both a naturalist and a
philosopher…This beautiful book is to be savored in small bites by anyone yet
to visit the Cape, and swallowed whole by those who love it as much as Finch
does.” — Library Journal
All Aboard the Mass Memories Roadshow!
Save the
Date! All Invited and Encouraged to
Participate!
The Mass. Memories Road Show will be visiting the Town
of Marshfield on Saturday, October 28, 2017 from 10 am – 3 pm at the Ventress
Memorial Library.
Do you live, work, or go to school in Marshfield? Or
did you at one time? This program is a shared event that celebrates each person’s
family history and contribution to the community. Please join us and bring one
to three photographs to be scanned and included in the public digital archive
at openarchives.umb.edu.
For more information or to volunteer to help with this
event, please contact
Chris Woods at cwoods@ocln.org
What’s Coming Up in the Library?
VML Classic Book Group: Wednesday, Sept. 13, 4:30-6:00
p.m.
Jumpin’ Juba Free Concert: Saturday, Sept. 16, 1:00
p.m.
Book Signing/Reading with Robert Finch: Wednesday,
Sept. 20, 7:00 p.m.
Adult Coloring Event: Saturday, September 30, 2017,
2-3:30 p.m.
Nonfiction Book Group Meeting: Tuesday, October 3rd,
6-7:30 p.m.
Let’s Write!: VML Writing Group Launch: Wednesday,
October 4, 7-8:30 p.m.
VML Concert: “Cities of the World” with Nancy Carr,
Saturday, Oct. 7, 2 p.m.
Mass Archaeology Month talk with Dr. Stephen Silliman,
Oct. 11, 7-8:30 p.m.
Book Signing/Reading - Robine Andreau: Wednesday,
October 18, 7-8:30 p.m.
Discovering Scotland: Monday, October 16, 7 p.m.
Welcome to the Graveyard: A Virtual Cemetery Tour
presented by
The Gravestone Girls: Wednesday, October 25, 6:30-8 p.m.
Mass. Memories Road Show: Saturday, October 28, 10 a.m.
– 3 p.m.
VML Concert: “Three of Cups”, Saturday, November 4, 2:00
p.m.
Nonfiction Book Group Meeting: Tuesday, November 7th,
6-7:30 p.m.
VML Lecture: “History of Jordan Marsh”, Thursday,
November 9, 7-8:30 p.m.
Talk/Slide Show: Author
Richard Udden, Wednesday, November 8, 7-8:30 p.m.
A Visit with Louisa May Alcott: Monday, November 27,
7:30-8:30 p.m.
Signing/Italian Food Tasting: John Carafoli,
Wednesday, December 6, 7-8:30 p.m.
VML Concert: “Harping for the Holidays 2”, Saturday,
December 9, 2:00 p.m.
______________________________________________________________
Ventress Memorial Library
15 Library Plaza, 1837 Ocean Street, Marshfield, MA
02050
781-834-5535 malib@ocln.org
Library hours:
Mon-Thurs. 9:00 a.m - 8:00 p.m., Fri/Sat 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
closed Sundays Open 24 hours a day at www.ventresslibrary.org
Newsletter staff:
Chris Woods/Editor Jaclyn
Robinson/Illustrator
Feeling creative? Send us your poems,
essays, art work and you may see them
appear in the Ventress Voice’s
“Creativity Corner” column!