Monday, October 2, 2017

Ventress Voice - Fall 2017



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!