• Books (64)
• Childrens (11)
• Column (15)
• Computer (9)
• Current News (46)
• Events (73)
• Friends of the Library (23)
• Library Information (84)
• mackay (2)
• music (3)
• One Book (24)
• Overdrive (10)
• Programs (29)
• Reading Room (37)
• Reference (21)
• Resources (55)
• Teens (5)
• Town of Chelmsford (48)
• Web Tools (5)

New Museum Pass: Boston Harbor Islands Ferry

There is a new pass available this summer - discount ferry passes to visit the Boston Harbor Islands.

It runs May through October, and is valid for weekdays only. It is a 2-for-1 ferry ticket coupon for up to 4 people (so, two people could go for the price of one, or eight people could go for the price of four, etc) - however, it is based on the availability to either Georges or Spectacle Islands (good for one island only).

The ferry boats are run by Boston Best Cruises, and schedules and fares are available online or you can call call 617-770-0040 to make a reservation. You must present the coupon at the ferry center at Long Wharf North on the Boston waterfront.

This pass (and discounts to many other area museums) is available on the library's website, or you can contact the Reference Desk at 978-256-5521 x211 to reserve it.

Library museum passes are provided by the Chelmsford Friends of the Library.

Chelmsford Library is now a FamilySearch Affiliate Library

The Chelmsford Library recently became a FamilySearch affiliate library, which means patrons interested in genealogy have greater and more convenient access to the wealth of resources available through FamilySearch.org.

FamilySearch is the world's largest repository of free genealogical records, based in the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. It has amassed billions of birth, marriage, death, census, land, and court records of genealogical significance from over 130 countries.

You can search the Family History Library Catalog online at FamilySearch.org to see available records and to order microfilm. There is a nominal fee of $7.50 to order a microfilm, which is then sent to the Chelmsford Library. Once the film arrives, patrons use the Chelmsford Library's microfilm reader to view it.

More genealogy research tools are available on the library's website. If you have any questions about FamilySearch or researching your family tree, please contact the Reference Desk at askus@mvlc.org or 978-256-5521 x211.

If you have any question about genealogy

Town Common Purple Beech Photos Donated to the Library

The well-known and much-loved purple beech tree, planted on the common in 1892, was taken down in November 2012. Present on that day was local photographer Steve Hardwood, who chronicled the process of bringing the tree down.

He donated his series of photographs to the library, to commemorate the event and the life of the tree. Steve's photographs were supplemented by additional photos from the collections of Fred Merriam and the Chelmsford Historical Society, and Library staff also researched news articles about the tree.

This entire collection was then framed and hung in the Group Study Room, on the lower level of the Library, near the Library's other historical resources. Please check out this tribute the next time you're in the Library.

The Library would like to thank Steve Hardwood for getting the ball rolling, and also Fred Merriam and the Chelmsford Historical Society for contributing to the project. The generosity of community members like this helps preserve Chelmsford for future generations.

Find the Value of Your Antiques

If you're curious about the history or value of some of your antique furniture, vintage toys, or just old stuff, the library has quite a few resources that can help.

Every year we get updated copies of price guides for coins and money, stamps, sports cards, and other collectibles. There are encyclopedias and picture guides for almost every subject too - toys to cigars to watches to clothing. Most of these are in the non-fiction shelves downstairs, and the Reference staff is happy to help you locate the right book.

Chelmsford residents also have access to an online antique pricing resource called P4A Antiques Reference (P4A stands for "Price For Antiques") - it's a quick way to check how much an antique might be worth, based on what similar pieces have sold at recent auctions.

The focus is on collectibles and historic Americana, including furniture, china, glassware, folkart, brass, silver, iron, artwork, and major antique collectibles, with complete information on when, where, and for what price the antique was sold. The database will also provide a little background information on each item, including date, maker, etc, based on the information that was provided at the auction.

Because antiques are described differently by different people, don't give up after your first search. Try describing your piece in various ways, and also try the country of origin, material used, and maker, if possible.

If you have any questions about the P4A Antiques Reference database, please contact the Reference Desk.

Use Consumer Reports At The Library

Did you know the library subscribes to Consumer Reports? In fact, we subscribe to both the print magazine and the online database - and it's free for any Chelmsford resident to use!

We have two copies of the magazine - one upstairs with the regular magazines that you can check out to use at home (except for the most recent issue), and another complete set downstairs in Reference. The most current year is kept at the Reference Desk, and we also keep the last few years too.

In addition to the magazine, the library also has the Consumer Reports Buying Guide, and new and used car buying guides.

The online version of Consumer Reports is listed on the Reference databases section of our website - you'll need your Chelmsford Library card number to log in from home.

For similar resources, check out our Consumer Information webpage - it lists other subscription services provided by the library, as well as free websites.

Another great resource is the Boston Consumer Checkbook - instead of reviewing products (like Consumer Reports), it reviews local services, like plumbers, roofers, etc. Print magazines for the last few years are available by the Reference Desk, and online access is available too, but you must be in the library.

For help with these or any Library resources, please contact the Reference Desk.