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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.

Watch Videos of Library Programs Online

Is there a program at the library that you'd love to attend but just can't make it? Did you hear a lecture here that was so great you'd like to see it again? You're in luck!

Chelmsford Telemedia records many of the programs held at the Library, for rebroadcast on television. They also provide these programs on DVD to the Library, as well as put them online so they are available anytime.

The DVDs are in our catalog and available in the Library's DVD collection upstairs, and circulate just like regular DVDs.

The online videos are available on the Chelmsford Telemedia website, as well as on the Chelmsford Library Anytime website - a collection of library resources available 24 hours a day.

The videos are in the Exhibits section - just choose what you'd like to watch from the dropdown box. Each video is displayed in the player - such as "The Science of Natural Disasters" with Dr. Chuck Fidler from May 11, 2012:

Thanks to the staff and volunteers of Chelmsford Telemedia for providing this great resource to the community. If you have any questions about Library programs, finding the DVDs, or watching them online, please contact the Reference Desk.

If you have ideas of programs or speakers you'd like to see at the Library, please contact Kathy Cryan-Hicks, Assistant Director of Community Relations & Programs, and kcryanhic@mvlc.org or 978-256-5521 x109.

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.

The Library Is Open on Sundays Again!

At the town meeting in April, town meeting representatives voted to approve the library budget - which included restoration of Sunday hours at the main library from October to May.

Sunday hours begin this weekend, October 14, 2012, and continue until the weekend prior to Memorial Day weekend, May 19, 2013. Sunday hours will be 1:00 - 5:00 PM.

The library hasn't been open on Sundays since 2007, due to tightened budgets. We're happy to have this funding restored, so the library is able to serve patrons at a time that is convenient for many people.

If you're out and about on Sunday, stop in!

The Library Catalog Is Getting A New Look!

The library catalog for the Merrimack Valley is in the process of getting both a new look and some new features. Chelmsford is one of the libraries that will be testing out the new catalog - and we'd like to hear what you think.

Some of the new features are:

• Cleaner look & faster loading
• Better search options
• Keep track of items you've checked out
• More bookbags options (now called My Lists)
• Stay logged in at home

Read about how to use some of the new features in this version of the catalog.

We'll be testing the new version of the catalog until September, when it will go live for all the area libraries. In the meantime, our old catalog is still available.

Love it or hate it, please submit your feedback through the "Patron Catalog Survey" link in the top right corner of the new catalog! Or, talk to any library staff person - and ask us questions, too!