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Our New Book Cart Runneth Over

Actually, here at the interim library space in town hall, where we've been trying to deliver the best service we can since December, just about everything runneth over. But one of the happiest spots in the room is the new acquisitions cart, which our technical services librarian, Janet Sigler, keeps brimming with fresh books as they come in.

And new materials come in pretty fast, because the Edgartown Library spends about $5,000 per month to augment the town's collection of books, DVDs, music disks and digital materials.

Meanwhile back at the real library building on North Water Street (remember that one?), half our staff is working each day to prepare for reopening in the weeks ahead. One of our main tasks is weeding old books from the collection, to make room for all the good stuff that's been acquired over the past six months.

On May 27, Author John Abrams
Joins Sustainable Book Group

In his 2005 book, The Company We Keep, John Abrams tells his own career story and lays out the principles that guide the work of South Mountain Company, the Vineyard firm he built. Among those principles: cultivating workplace democracy, celebrating the spirit of craft, committing to the business of place and practicing "people conservation."

We're delighted to announce that Mr. Abrams will be our guest at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27, when the Edgartown Library is host to the Sustainable Book Club as it takes up his book for discussion. Mr. Abrams will join in the conversation, and will also speak briefly about his work on a second edition of The Company We Keep. All are welcome to attend.

Where the Wild Things Are:
Announcing Our Summer Reading Program

Library Cleanup:
Of Puffbacks, Setbacks, and Progress

Our efforts to reopen the main library after its December furnace puffback suffered a setback when environmental tests showed hydrocarbons persisting in the children's room downstairs. This week the Munters cleaning firm returned for three days of intensive cleaning work, and we're scheduling another round of tests..

Thanks to all the citizens who supported our article requesting $22,000 for building cleanup efforts at the recent Annual Town Meeting. Please be assured that we're working to see that the town is fully reimbursed for all its expenses in repairing the library.

After this second round of cleaning and environmental tests, the next major milestone should be May 14, when the library's fire alarm system is being upgraded. We'll try to keep you posted, in this space, on progress toward reopening. To get a sense of the seriousness of the situation, click below to view a set of pictures from inside the building -- taken on March 22, they reflect the situation after the first round of cleaning.

Library Foundation Wins $50,000 Grant

The Vineyard Golf Club Foundation has announced a five-year, $50,000 challenge grant program to the Edgartown Library Foundation to support its campaign for a new library.
Under this new initiative, individual contributions from the year-round Island community of $2,000 or less, up to a total of $10,000 per year, will be matched by the golf foundation to encourage support for the library building program.

Now Online: Our Annual Report

Here's our three-page annual report for the year ending June 30, 2007, as published in the pages of this year's Edgartown Annual Report. You can retrieve your copy by clicking below -- or by visiting the About Us page of this website and following the link (on the left) where our annual reports are archived.

Shifting into OverDrive:
New Audio Book & Music Download Service Launches

Recipes from the Library's Baking Team

We like to say that the Edgartown Library-in-Exile is doing its best to satisfy not only your hunger for knowledge and entertainment, but also for the occasional cookie.

In our efforts to make the best of a bad situation, members of the library staff have been taking turns cooking up baked goods to serve in our interim space at town hall while the main building is closed. Some of those treats have been so popular that patrons have asked for the recipes. We're posting them here in an easily-downloaded PDF form.

Selectmen's Meeting Minutes: They're Back

Last year, we began posting printable copies of selectmen's meeting minutes here on the library website, as a public service to our citizens. When the library suffered its furnace puffback and we lost access to our computers and their software, this service was suspended. But we've found a work-around, and are resuming these posts.

Just click below on any link to read the minutes from that date's meeting of the Edgartown board of selectmen. We'll post minutes as they become available.

Best-Dressed Bears Support the Library

The congregation of teddy bears that invaded our library in December has made the town hall space decidedly cozier, and a number of them have already found homes with young library friends.

Lately, the women who meet at the library on Friday mornings to knit (and to solve all the world's problems in their lively discussions) have taken to the bears in a big way. Several of our resident teddies now sport lovely new outfits created by the knitters -- and they're for sale, to benefit the library, at the front desk.

We hope you'll stop by to admire the Island's most stylishly outfitted teddy bears the next time you visit us at town hall.

Public Computers, Wi-Fi and Printer
Now Available at Town Hall

The Edgartown Library now has two public, internet computer terminals in operation at our emergency quarters in town hall. These computers are available to patrons for half-hour blocks of time; now they've also been connected to a public printer.

We've also brought free Wi-Fi service, a popular feature all year at our main library building, into the emergency library space -- you're welcome to bring your laptop, settle into a comfy chair and go online.

Using the CLAMS Catalog Is Easy --
Let Us Show You

It's been our experience that once patrons of the Edgartown Library try using the CLAMS catalog online to request books, movies and music, they're pretty much hooked. So in the spirit of getting you started, we've produced a two-minute video tutorial that walks you through the process. Here it is:

Have You Used Your PIN Lately?

This year at the Edgartown Public Library, all PINs are free. Actually, they always have been, always will be -- we're just trying to get your attention.

Your four-digit PIN, or Personal Identification Number, is your Internet doorway into the CLAMS network. With it, you can explore -- and request items from -- the nearly 1.5 million books, CDs and videos of our regional consortium of libraries.

Getting your PIN is as easy as stopping by the library circulation desk for half a minute, or calling us on the phone during our open hours. We'll be delighted to set you up. Because we want all our patrons to discover the wonderful world of library resources that awaits you online.

Recycling Project Raises More Than $3,000

A volunteer program of collecting returnable bottles and cans, begun last year, has now raised more than $3,00 for the campaign to build the new Edgartown Public Library.

A friend of the library expansion project has kindly volunteered to manage this program -- with collection bins set up at sites around the Island for returnable bottles and cans, with all proceeds going toward the new building fund.

The going rate for returnables in Massachusetts is five cents, but last year an anonymous supporter of the building project matched the revenues from this program. Now the library is looking for a new friend of the library to match these recycling dollars in the new year. If you'd like to help, contact the library and we'll put you in touch with our volunteer.

Hop Aboard the Learning Express

No matter which acronym you're studying for -- ACT, SAT, GRE or any of the others -- you’ll want to sign up for the online test-preparation service, Learning Express.

The Edgartown Library subscribes to this service, which means that all our patrons can enjoy free access to practice tools to help prepare for dozens of important tests, from real estate exams to the U.S. citizenship test.

Learning Express also offers free online courses which you can take at your own pace, in academic subjects from math to writing, reading comprehension and even English language skills.