All posts by Brian Herzog
City Directories on Microfilm
Attention researchers and genealogists! The Chelmsford Library just received some “new” older city directories on microfilm. The new additions to the collection are:
| LOWELL SUBURBAN | 1905-1917/18 |
| LOWELL SUBURBAN | 1917/18-1932/33 |
| LOWELL SUBURBAN | 1937/38-1949 |
| LOWELL SUBURBAN | 1951-1955 |
| LOWELL SUBURBAN | 1957-1959 |
| MIDDLESEX COUNTY | 1882/83-1890 |
These are available in the microfilm cabinets downstairs in the Reference area. The library also has microfilm holdings of Chelmsford newspapers, the Boston Globe, early Chelmsford Town records, and early Massachusetts records.
If you have any questions or need assistance with using microfilm, please contact the Reference Desk.
Chelmsford Library Book Sale 2014!
The annual Chelmsford Friends of the Library Book Sale is this weekend!
2014 Book Sale Dates and Times
| Friday, Sept. 19th | 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. |
|---|---|
| Saturday, Sept. 20th | 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Sunday, Sept. 21st | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. |
The sale will take place in the gym behind the Town Office building, 50 Billerica Road, Chelmsford [see a map].
Run by the Chelmsford Friends of the Library, the book sale is a significant source of funding for library programming, museum passes and many extras for Chelmsford patrons – the 2013 Book Sale raised over $25,000!
For more information, visit https://www.chelmsfordlibrary.org/friends/booksale.html or contact the Reference Desk at askus@mvlc.org or 978-256-5521 x211.
New Tech Training Course Series at the Library
Starting in September, the library will be offering a new series of small group instruction classes.
The topic will always be technology, but each month will cover a different aspect – ebooks, using library resources, streaming movies and TV shows. The schedule for the rest of 2014 is:
- Tech Talk: e-Books
Wed Sept 10 at 10 a.m. AND Wed Sept 24 at 7 p.m. - Tech Talk: Your library from home: Catalog searching & popular databases
Wed Oct 8 at 10 a.m. AND Wed Oct 22 at 7 p.m. - Tech Talk: Career resources
Wed Nov 5 at 7 p.m. AND Wed Nov 12 at 10 a.m. - Tech Talk: Beyond ebooks: Zinio, Hoopla, Freegal and more
Wed Dec 3 at 7 p.m. AND Wed Dec 10 at 10 a.m.
The sessions will be held on Wednesdays in the Library’s Conference Room on the lower level. Each session will be repeated during the month, once in the morning and once in the evening, so patrons can come to whichever session is most convenient for them.
Registration is required and space is limited – sign up on our events calendar. Contact the Reference Department for more information or if you need help registering at askus@mvlc.org or 978-256-5521 x211.
Last Chance for 2014 Book Sale Donation Drop-Off
The last scheduled donation drop-off day for the book sale is Saturday, August 30th, from 9am-Noon. Volunteers will be at the Yellow House (next door to the library) and available to help unload cars.
The absolute last day for donations is Friday, September 12th.
This is because the Yellow House has been sold and will be moved, and we’ll have nowhere to store donations for awhile. So please, if you can’t get the donations to the library by September 12th, hold onto them at home until we’re able to accept donations again.
2014 Book Sale schedule:
| Friday, Sept. 19th | 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. |
|---|---|
| Saturday, Sept. 20th | 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Sunday, Sept. 21st | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. |
The sale will take place in the gym behind the Town Office building, 50 Billerica Road, Chelmsford [see a map].
Run by the Chelmsford Friends of the Library, the book sale is a significant source of funding for library programming, museum passes, and many extras for Chelmsford patrons – the 2013 Book Sale raised over $25,000!
For more information, visit https://www.chelmsfordlibrary.org/friends/booksale.html or contact the Reference Desk at askus@mvlc.org or 978-256-5521 x211.
Better Hours for Better Access at the MacKay Branch
Beginning in September 2014, the hours at the MacKay Library in North Chelmsford will change to accommodate more patrons and to improve access to library materials.
MacKay Library’s new hours will be:
Mondays: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Wednesdays: 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Fridays: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The main library in the Center will still be open its regular hours:
Mon-Thur: 9:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Fri & Sat: 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Both buildings will be closed on Monday, September 1st, for Labor Day. Of course, the library’s website and all of our downloadable and streaming resources – ebooks, movies, television, music, and magazines – are still available anytime.
Also, beginning Oct. 19th the main library will open on Sundays from 1-5 p.m.
Get Personalized Reading Recommendations from Library Staff
Our Readers Advisory librarians would love to help you find your next great read!
Stop by the Readers Advisory Desk in the library (across from the main desk) to get suggestions for what to read next. If you can’t make it into the library, use our online Reading Recommendations Form to give us some information about your reading tastes, and we’ll provide you with a list of books we think you’ll enjoy.
If you prefer the self-serve approach, our Reading Room webpage has several reading lists and other tools to discover new titles and authors.
Please contact Christine Sharbrough, Head of Readers Services, at csharbrough@mvlc.org or 978-256-5521 x210, if you have any questions about these tools or books in general.
New Resource for Parents to Improve Early Literacy
In addition to the Fizz Boom Read Summer Reading program, the Library’s Childrens Room also has resources for parents to work on the literacy skills of their storytime-age kids.
Check out the new Early Literacy resource, maintained by the Childrens Room staff. It has sections for:
- Books from Storytime – Want to know the title of a book you saw in storytime? Or just want some great suggestions to read to your kids? It’s all here! Staff post the titles from each storytime, so you can look them up or browse for ideas. Use the links under the “Storytime Picks” section to find age-appropriate titles for your kids
- Get Your Child Ready To Read – tips for using the 5 simple practice areas for developing early literacy skills: Talking, Singing, Reading, Writing, Playing
- 1000 Books Before Kindergarten – “Children need to hear 1000 stories before they can begin to learn to read. Or the same story a thousand times!” ~ Mem Fox. Download reading logs to track your progress!
The resource is in blog format, and is updated on different schedules – storytime titles are posted shortly after the storytime ends, and there are also Weekly Tips on developing early literacy skills.
For more information, contact the Childrens Room at mfoley@mvlc.org or 978-256-5521 x4.
New Museum Pass: Einstein’s Workshop
Chelmsford patrons have access to a new museum pass through the Library: Einstein’s Workshop, in Burlington.
Einstein’s Workshop offers many science and technology classes, and has a great drop-in space. The Library’s pass offers free admission during drop in hours and admits up to 2 children.
Drop-in hours vary, so check our museum pass website for more information, and to reserve a pass. You can also visit Einstein’s Workshop’s website at http://www.einsteinsworkshop.com for more information on their activities.
In other museum pass-related news, the library is running a trial for the summer to make our passes more accessible. We’re going to waive our regular pass limits for any day-of-use pass that isn’t already reserved that day. So, if you already have something booked, and another museum you’d like to visit is also available on that day, you can now borrow both of them.
At the end of the summer we’ll evaluate how the trial went and decide how to move forward. If you have any questions or suggestions about museum passes, please contact the Reference Desk at askus@mvlc.org or 978-256-5521 x211.
Chelmsford Farmers Market 2014
The Chelmsford Farmers Market 2014 seasons opens this Thursday, June 19th! Vendors from the local area and beyond can be found on the Chelmsford Town Common every Thursday from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., through October 2nd.
The opening day will feature a free live music concert by Amanda Cote, a blues/rock/soul artist from Chelmsford. Learn more about and listen to a sample of her music at http://www.reverbnation.com/AmandaCote.
You can connect with the Market on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/chelmsfordfarmersmarket.
Anyone interested in having their own tent at the Market, volunteering, or providing entertainment, please email chelmsfordfarmersmarket@gmail.com.
Now You Can Borrow A Telescope From The Library
Thanks to a very generous recent donation, Chelmsford now has two telescopes available at the library!
The telescopes (one at the Main Library and one at the MacKay Branch) can be checked out just like a book or DVD, so you can use it at home to look at the stars. They are small but powerful – easy to take home with a built-in carry handle, but strong enough provide views of craters on the moon or the rings of Saturn.
You can reserve the telescopes through our catalog, and then check it out for one week. Patrons must be 18 or older to check one out, and a picture ID is also required. The telescopes each come with an operation manual, a starguide, and a headlamp.
The telescope at the Main Library is a gift in memory of Eugene Schueller, by Rich and Sue Schueller. MacKay’s telescope is a gift from Bruce and Donna Berger.
Explore the night sky with these wonderful additions to the library collection! Contact either the main desk at 978-256-5521 or the MacKay Branch, x6, for more information.