Some holiday greenery and decorations appeared in the planters on the front steps of Sawyer Hall this weekend.

Thank you!

Fall Reads

It's apple harvest time. Come to the library and pluck a book from the shelf to polish your apple-usage skills.

Reminder: Library Closed on Columbus Day

Rake in a Good Read!

The library will be closed on Monday, October 12, 2015 in observance of  Columbus Day.

Bake Sale Saturday, October 10

The Friends of the Heath Free Public Library

Columbus Day Weekend Bake Sale 

(by donation) 

Saturday, October 10, 2015

10:00 am – Noon 

On the front porch of Sawyer Hall 

(If you would like to bake something for the sale please deliver it Saturday morning.)

 Please come and support your library by treating yourself to some of the best baked goods in town!

Artwork by Heath Seniors

Fifteen paintings created by Heath Seniors are currently on display in the Heath Free Public Library. Please stop by to view the works during our regular hours.

The paintings were done last winter and spring at weekly drop-in sessions at the Art Space in the Heath Senior Center, under the guidance of Eileen Lively.

The Art Space sessions will be starting again on Monday, September 14, 2015, and will meet on Mondays through the Fall from 12 noon to 3 p.m.

Reminder: Closed on Labor Day

A Morning Glory reaches for the sky to greet the late summer sunrise.

The library will be closed on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day. Be sure to stop by Saturday morning to stock up on books and movies for the holiday weekend.

 The Post Office and Town Offices in Sawyer Hall will also be closed on Monday.

Summer Reading Program Raffle

Summer is ending soon and so is the 2015 Summer Reading Program. It's time for children to turn in their summer reading logs and receive 5 raffle tickets for the 10 prizes that will be drawn on Saturday, September 5 at noon.

Children who turn in their reading log will also receive a $10 gift certificate to a nearby bookstore, a coupon for a Friendly's Kids Meal (with an adult meal purchase), and two Superhero finger puppets.

Prize List for Summer Reader Raffle 
1.Children's Size Small "Every Hero" T-shirt
2.Children's Size Medium "Every Hero" T-shirt
3.Children's Size Large "Every Hero" T-shirt
4.Plan B Puzzle
5.Three Book Covers
6.Giant-sized Wreck It Ralph Sticker/Coloring Book
7.Giant-sized Brave (the movie) Sticker/Coloring Book
8. Two Tickets to the Big-E
9.Three Yankee Candle Wax Hands
10.Pass for U.S.S. Constitution Museum in Boston
Raffle Winners will be drawn on Saturday, September 5 at noon.
 
Special thanks to our sponsors: The Friends of the Heath Free Public Library, the Massachusetts Library System, the Boston Bruins, and the Massachusetts Board of Commissioners.  This program is supported in part by a grant from the Heath Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Friends Book Sale

Thank you to the many Friends of the Heath Free Public Library volunteers who helped move books, set-up the displays, and sell books at the tent for the 3 days of the Heath Fair.

The book sale tent on Saturday afternoon, filled with book lovers looking for bargains!

Leighton and Martha volunteer at the sales table on Saturday afternoon, welcoming friends, neighbors, and visitors.

The Friends book sale rack in Sawyer Hall was cleaned out for the weekend. All the books went to join the thousands of other books at the Heath Fair!

Two Good Reasons to Visit the Clark Art Institute this Summer

[Update 8/13/2015:  Free admission to the Clark Art Institute and MassMOCA on Friday, August 28, 2015 as part of Highland Street Foundation's Free Fun Fridays!]

Showing this summer at The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, MA:

• James McNeill Whistler’s most famous work, Arrangement in Grey and Black, No. 1 (Portrait of the Artist’s Mother), is known to many as Whistler’s Mother. July 4–September 27, 2015. More information.
• For Vincent van Gogh, nature was the defining subject of his art. June 14–September 13, 2015.  More information.

Borrow a Museum Pass from the library for free admission for one adult. Free admission for children under age 18 and college students with a valid ID

Friends In Deed

A work crew from the Friends of the Heath Free Public Library pose on the steps of Sawyer Hall after the second pickup truck is loaded with boxes of used books for their upcoming book sale at the Heath Fair.

A crew of  nine strong-backed volunteers from the Friends of the Library arrived with three pickup trucks this morning and loaded up the many boxes of donated used books that had been narrowing the aisles in the back of the library. The boxes were taken to a nearby barn for storage until the book sale. Great job and thank you!

The "book brigade" passes the boxes down the front steps of Sawyer Hall for loading into the truck. Very efficient teamwork!

A pair of Eastern Garter Snakes canoodling in the warm morning sun atop the leaves of a shrub beside the stairs oversaw the book-moving operation.

The Friends Annual Book Sale will be here before you know it. Look for their tent on the Midway at the Heath Fair on August 21, 22, and 23. Lots of books, audio books on CD, and DVDs, as well as their fantastic raffle of local goods and services.

Donations are still being accepted for the book sale. Please call or stop by when the library is open.

Last year at the Friends Book Sale.

It’s a Superhero Kind of Summer!

It’s a Superhero kind of summer, and heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Start your Superhero Summer Reading Program with a visit to the Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum, to ride on the Little Yellow Trolley.

Children (and their families) who have signed up with their local library summer reading program are invited to this free event at the Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum on Thursday, July 9, from 10 a.m. – noon.  Participating libraries are Belding Memorial in Ashfield, Buckland Public, Griswold Memorial in Colrain, Heath Free Public, Rowe Public, Shelburne Free Public, and Tyler Memorial in Charlemont, and Arms library in Shelburne Falls. Children participating in this Trolley Museum Program must bring their reading log given to them by their library.

Marie Bartlett will read every half hour from her book “The Little Yellow Trolley.” There will be coloring pages for kids in a coloring corner, a “train table” time, a ride on the trolley, a ride on the pump car for those big enough, and, the caboose will be open for self-guided tours. And, each child will be given a special Trolley Museum card made for this visit.

Learn the details of this fun visit open to all summer reading program participants, sponsored by the Shelburne Trolley Museum and the Arms Library, at your local hilltown library. Please sign up at your individual library so we know how many children to plan for.

Reminder: Library Closed on Independence Day

The Library will be closed Saturday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day.

Green burial talk in Heath

Dr. Carol Coan 

"AN INTRODUCTION TO GREEN BURIALS"

Thursday, July 2, 6:30 to 8:00 pm

at Heath Community Hall 

This talk addresses what green burial is, how it differs from conventional burial, and where and how it may be carried out.  Dr. Coan will also talk about the legal situation in Massachusetts, with particular attention to Heath.

Dr. Carol Coan is an anthropologist with a special interest in what we do with our bodies after death. She is a former president of Funeral Consumers Alliance of Western Massachusetts, and she regularly teaches classes on end of life planning.  She is a founding member of Green Burial Massachusetts http://www.greenburialma.org/ , whose mission is to start Massachusetts’ first conservation cemetery, open to all.

This event is free and open to the public. Heath Community Hall is an accessible building located at the intersection of South Road and West Main Street in Heath, Massachusetts.

Donations to the Friends of the Heath Free Public Library will be accepted at the door.

For more information please email heath.library@gmail.com or call the library during library hours at 413-337-4934 ext. 7.

This program is offered by the Heath Free Public Library The Friends of the Heath Free Public Library are sponsoring the event, and assisting with event planning.

Bend the Editor's Ear

Thursday, June 25

5:30 to 6:30 pm 

at the Heath Library

Two Events

Presentations: End of Life Planning

The Heath Free Public Library is offering two free programs this summer on END OF LIFE PLANNING. The Friends of The Heath Free Public Library are sponsoring both events, and assisting with event planning.

Peg Lorenz (Photo: Trish Garrigan)

1.) Thursday June 18, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, Peg Lorenz will give a presentation on home funerals entitled "CARING FOR OUR OWN AFTER DEATH~~RECLAIMING AN OLD AND LOVING TRADITION" at the Heath Community Hall in Heath Center. Peg Lorenz is a nationally respected authority on Home Funerals. See Peg's Website:  Peaceful Passage at Home: http://peacefulpassageathome.com/

Peg Lorenz is on the Board of Directors of the National Home Funeral Alliance. She chairs the Legislative Committee and is a member of the Resource Committee. Peg has 15 years of experience with Hospice care. She has a certificate in end-of-life care from the University of Southern Maine. She completed a training taught by Crossings – Caring for Our Own at Death, a resource center for home funeral care. She is a member of the Threshold Choir, a volunteer group that sings at bedsides of people who are dying.

Peaceful Passage at Home website screenshot

2.) Thursday July 2, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, Dr. Carol Coan will present "AN INTRODUCTION TO GREEN BURIALS" at the Heath Community Hall in Heath Center. This talk addresses what green burial is, how it differs from conventional burial, and where and how it may be carried out.  She will also talk about the legal situation in Massachusetts, with particular attention to Heath.  The talk will be followed by a question and answer period.  

Dr. Carol Coan is an anthropologist with a special interest in what we do with our bodies after death.  She is a former president of Funeral Consumers Alliance of Western Massachusetts, and she regularly teaches classes on end of life planning.  She is a founding member of Green Burial Massachusetts http://www.greenburialma.org/ , whose mission is to start Massachusetts’ first conservation cemetery, open to all. 

Green Burial Massachusetts website screenshot

Both events are free and open to the public. Heath Community Hall is a fully accessible building, and is located at the intersection of South Road and West Main Street in Heath, Massachusetts, across the intersection from the Heath Free Public Library.

Donations to the Friends of the Heath Free Public Library will be accepted at the door.

For more information please contact Don Purington, Library Director, at 413-337-4934, extension 7, or by email at heath.library@gmail.com

Summer Crafts Sign-up

Are you a young Heath Super Hero* in need of a costume to wear when performing your heroic super deeds? Come to the Heath Fairgrounds this summer and join your Super Friends in the quest!

*Revealing your Super Power is not required to register for the Summer Crafts program.

Reminder: Library Closed on Memorial Day

The Library will be closed Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day.

Friends Bake Sale

The Friends of the Heath Free Public Library 

invite you to partake in their

(If you would like to bake something for the sale please deliver it Saturday morning.) 

Please come and support your library by treating yourself to some of the best baked goods in town!

Museum Passes

Please take take advantage of the passes and visit these nearby museums and parks! One pass may be borrowed per household per day. Please return the pass to the library the next time the library is open so it will be available for another family to use.

MASS MoCA:  The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art is located in North Adams, Massachusetts. The pass admits up to 2 adults and 2 children (under age 16) for gallery admission.  Visit http://www.massmoca.org/ or call 413-458-2303 for information on current exhibitions and gallery hours. The MASS MoCA pass was purchased for the library by the Friends of the Heath Free Public Library.

THE CLARK ART INSTITUTE:  The Clark Art Institute is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The pass admits one adult per day. Visit http://clarkart.edu or call 413-662-2111 for exhibition and program information. The pass was provided to the library by the Clark Art Institute as a community service to encourage participation in library and museum programs. Regular admission is $20. Free admission on first Sunday of the month from October through May. Always free for members, children under 18, and students with a valid ID.

Brattleboro Museum & Art Center:  The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center is a contemporary art museum located in historic Union Station in Brattleboro, Vermont. The pass admits to exhibits all members of one household, including adults, children, and caregivers. Visit http://www.brattleboromuseum.org/ or call 802-257-0124 for information on current exhibitions and gallery hours. The pass was provided to the library by the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center.

Parking pass for Massachusetts State Parks:  This pass was provided to the library by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The MassParks Pass entitles the bearer to free parking for one vehicle (excluding buses or vans) at over 50 facilities in the Massachusetts State Parks system that charge a day-use parking fee. For more information about the ParksPass or Massachusetts State Parks visit http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/passes-and-fees/borrow-a-parkspass.html.

You may use the MassParks Pass at the following Western Massachusetts locations:
(Fees listed apply to cars without a ParksPass)

Western Massachusetts

• Beartown State Forest , Monterey- $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle
• Chicopee State Park , Chicopee- $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle
• Clarksburg State Park , Clarksburg- $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle
• D.A.R. State Forest , Goshen- $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle
• CM Gardner State Park , Huntington- $5 MA Vehicle, $6 non-MA Vehicle
• Hampton Ponds State Park , Westfield- $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle
• Mohawk Trail State Forest , Charlemont- $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle
• Mt. Greylock State Reservation , Lanesboro-  $5 MA Vehicle, $6 non-MA Vehicle
• Mt. Holyoke Range State Park , Amherst- $5 MA Vehicle, $6 non-MA Vehicle
• Mt. Sugarloaf State Reservation , South Deerfield- $5 MA Vehicle, $6 non-MA Vehicle
• Mt. Tom State Reservation , Holyoke- $5 MA Vehicle, $6 non-MA Vehicle
• Natural Bridge State Park , North Adams- $5 MA Vehicle, $6 non-MA Vehicle
• Pittsfield State Forest , Pittsfield- $5 MA Vehicle, $6 non-MA Vehicle
• Robinson State Park , Agawam- $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle
• Sandisfield State Forest , Sandisfield- $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle
• Savoy Mountain State Forest , Florida- $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle
• Tolland State Forest , Otis- $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle

See the MassParks Pass website for a complete list of statewide facilities where the Pass is valid.

If it's on your mind . . .

. . . it's probably at your library.

Stop by and see what sweet & muddy treats we have to help cure your cabin fever!

See what's new on our shelves.

Exploring the Snow

It's been a snowy start to the week, with more on the way.

Snow is piling up in front of Sawyer Hall.

There are lots of snow-themed books at the library to enjoy. Bundle up and pay us a visit to check them out!

Library Closed Monday, Feb.2 Due to Snow

Birdwatching - a favorite snowy day activity.

The library will be closed today, Monday, February 2, due to the snowstorm.

Happy Groundhog Day. 

The prognostication is for six more weeks of  winter!

Olden Days

This old 4" x 11" hand-painted sign is on loan to the library from our neighbors, the Gruens. Their house, next door to Sawyer Hall, used to be a general store and post office.  Bob thinks perhaps this sign was displayed in the store to remind shoppers about the library hours.

So far we have not been able to find out how long ago the library kept these hours.

Library Open Today!

The Library is reopening today for our normal Wednesday hours of noon to 7:00 pm.

The Town of Heath Selectboard at their meeting last night decided to allow the Library to open to the public today. The bathrooms will be open, but the sinks will covered to not allow access to the water. Bottled water will be available.

Library Closed Wednesday, January 14

[Update 1/14/2015 8:45 am. The Town of Heath Selectboard at their meeting last night decided to allow the Library to open to the public today. See post dated 1/14/2015 for more information.]
 
The frozen water line was steam-thawed this morning (Tue. 1/13/15.)  The library must remain closed to the public until the water system has been disinfected and a water sample is tested for meeting the standards of a public water supply.

We expect to open our regular hours (9:30 am - 1:30 pm) on Saturday, January 17.


This notice was posted on the Town of Heath website on Friday January 9, 2015:

Meanwhile, if you need books, movies, Internet access, or other library services, please visit one of our neighboring libraries and see what they have to offer. Locations, phone numbers, websites, and hours are here: http://www.heathlibrary.org/2013/06/west-county-libraries.html
Greenfield Public Library is also open every day Monday - Saturday:  http://greenfieldpubliclibrary.org/

Library Closed Monday, Jan. 12

[Update 3:05 pm:  Community Hall and Sawyer Hall (including the library) is closed Monday, January 12.]

Water service has not been restored to Sawyer Hall as of 10 am this morning, Monday, January 12. The library will be closed until the repair is complete and the water system has been chlorinated and tested for meeting the standards of a public water supply.

This notice was posted on the Town of Heath website on Friday January 9, 2015:

Meanwhile, if you need books, movies, Internet access, or other library services, please visit one of our neighboring libraries and see what they have to offer. Locations, phone numbers, websites, and hours are here: http://www.heathlibrary.org/2013/06/west-county-libraries.html
Greenfield Public Library is also open every day Monday - Saturday:  http://greenfieldpubliclibrary.org/

Library Closed Saturday, 1/10/2015

Oh, no!

Due to a frozen water line, Sawyer Hall, home of the Library, will be closed until the problem is repaired.

This notice was posted on the Town of Heath website on Friday January 9, 2015:

We will keep our fingers crossed for re-opening on Monday.

Meanwhile, if you need books or movies this weekend, please visit one of our neighboring libraries and see what they have to offer. Locations, phone numbers, websites, and hours are here: http://www.heathlibrary.org/2013/06/west-county-libraries.html

Winter Birdfeeding

Interested in feeding birds in your backyard this winter? Check out this book from the library to help you get started.

Audubon North American Birdfeeder Guide by Robert Burton and Stephen W. Kress.
Library catalog link:  http://bark.cwmars.org/eg/opac/record/791053