Jones Library book sale! This Saturday!

Come by and check out all the gently used books. 

There will be loads of kids books available.

Proceeds go to the Friends of the Jones Library. 

The folks who bring you chess club, Sing With Your Baby, Saturday kids art classes, Little Bits workshops, Lego club, after-school writing groups... and so much more!

Free art class for your 11-14 year old!

Hey, do you happen to know any budding artists? 

We've got a class for them! 

Check this out!

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Free art for the masses!

Or at least masses of 11-14 year olds.

A restaurant, a library, and you.

It's too hot to cook.

Next week go enjoy a lovely dinner at Chez Albert instead!

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It benefits a local restaurant, the Friends of the Jones Library, and your electricity bill.

Hopes and dreams, folks. Hopes and dreams.

What do you love about the Jones Library? What would you change about the Jones Library? The library community needs advice from the hive! Help the good people at the library brainstorm the future of the library. Click here to contribute your thoughts.

photo credit: Larry Kelley

And thanks, Crocker families!

Jones Library - April Events for Kids

APRIL VACATION WEEK:

Movie Matinee—The Good Dinosaur (PG)

April 19th 3:00-4:30 in the Woodbury Room

A free screening of The Good Dinosaur. When Arlo the Apatosaurus is separated from his father during a storm, he teams up with a human kid for a daring trek through a prehistoric world to find his family.

In Celebration of Emily Dickinson: A Reading with Jane Yolen and Burleigh Mutén

Wednesday April 20th 4:00pm- 5:00 pm in the Woodbury Room

Local authors Jane Yolen and Burleigh Mutén will be reading from their works about Emily Dickinson in a celebration of national poetry month, Amherst, and children's books. Jane Yolen is the author of My Uncle Emily and The Emily Sonnets: The Life of Emily Dickinson.

Burleigh Mutén is the author of Miss Emily. Jane Yolen and Burleigh Mutén were recently recognized by the Massachusetts Center for the Book for their Must-Read titles in 2015. Representative Ellen Story will join us to present this award.

Fused Plastic Bag Workshop (ages 9-12)

Thursday April 21st 2:00-4:30

Lou from Lou's Upcycles will lead a workshop showing how to turn old plastic bags into wearable and functional art. For ages 9-12.

Please pre-register in the Kids Room or at 413-259-3091/ kids@joneslibrary.org

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OTHER EXCITING EVENTS IN THE KIDS' ROOM:

Awesome Authors After School (recommended for ages 6-8)

April 7th 4:00pm- 5:00 pm in the Kids’ Biography Room

In April we will be sharing stories by local author Anna Alter and creating art inspired by her books. Anna Alter writes and illustrates picture books, and her Sprout Street Neighbors series of early chapter books are great choices for kids who are starting to read longer stories on their own. We will be making art that celebrates our neighbors and community. Kids can choose to send their art contributions to be displayed at the Odyssey Book Store during Children’s Book Week. 

Please pre-register in the Kids’ Room or at 413-259-3091/ kids@joneslibrary.org

Jones Library Makerspace (ages 8-12)

April 9^th 2:00-3:30 in the Woodbury Room

Join us for our April makerspace event, featuring 3D printing, LittleBits™, and craft projects.

Please pre-register in the Kids’ Room or at 413-259-3091/kids@joneslibrary.org

Lego Club (ages 6-up)

April 14^th 4:00-5:00 Woodbury Room

Join us for a special after school session of LEGO club. Bring your ideas, we’ll provide the bricks.

After School Book Club (Grades 1 & 2)

April 26th 4:00pm- 5:00pm in the Kids’ Biography Room

Join us for a lively discussion of The Princess in Black by Shannon and Dean Hale, followed by a craft

Please pre-register & pick up books in the Kids’ Room or at 413-259-3091/kids@joneslibrary

Saturday Stories Songs and Crafts  is back!

Saturday April 18th, 23rd, 30th  10:30am- 12:00 pm in the Woodbury Room

Join Music Julie and her ukulele for songs, seasonal crafts by Jess, and stories (lots of stories) that celebrate spring!

For children age 0-5 and their families.

Free puppet show this weekend!

The Tanglewood Marionettes will perform Hansel and Gretel, from 10:30-11:30, this Saturday. Come join us for a *free* puppet show at Grace Episcopal Church, 14 Boltwood Avenue!

Fun for all ages but especially the people in your life in grades 1-6.

For more information click here.

Comic book club! - Jones Library

Kapow! Shazam!

Do you know someone who loves comic books?

Send them to the Jones Library Thursday, March 31st after school.

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Please call to pre-register your caped crusader.

Not a school-sponsored event. 

But definitely sponsored by the Justice League.

Makerspace at the Jones Library

There is still room in this weekend's Jones Library Makerspace!

Saturday January 23 2:00pm- 3:30pm

Join us for our ongoing Makerspace (do-it-yourself spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn). We will have creative tools and equipment from robotics and coding programs to modeling clay and craft supplies.

This Makerspace program will also feature a 3D printer and CNC machine! (Even better, knowledgeable community volunteers Peter and Arthur Evans will be on hand to help answer your questions about these machines!)

For ages 8-12. Please pre-register in the youth room or call 413-259-3091.

Free chess club at the Jones

Crocker Farm's chess club is up and running and a wild success! Whether or not you've got a participant at home, undoubtedly you've heard all about it. Grand, well pint-sized actually, chessmasters are swaggering the halls of your local elementary school every. single. day. Classmates want to know them, teachers want to be them.

Maybe your kid just can't get enough chess? Maybe your kid hasn't ever tried chess and wants to check it out? Oh boy do the Friends of the Jones Library have a program for your kid!

Click on image to enlarge.

(Not a school-sponsored event but a very cool one nonetheless.)

Stuff to do with your kids! - Jones Library

Know someone age 0-5? 6-10? 8-12? Then you should know the Friends of the Jones Library, too. They've got four, count 'em, FOUR activities for the younger people in your world. All are free and open to everyone.

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** not school-sponsored events **

Sing with your baby at the Jones Library

Back by popular demand, Wendy Plummer sings with babies and toddlers and their caregivers during this special winter session of Sing With Your Baby. The program features a sing-along as well as time for children to play with musical instruments.

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P.S. This program is free and open to all. However this is a special extra bonus not-originally-planned-for "Sing With Your Baby" winter session. Anyone who'd like to make a donation to the Friends of the Jones Library (the ones who make these programs possible) with this particular program in mind is very welcome to do so. Let the Friends know if this is the specific reason you're donating in the memo line of your check by writing "Sing With Your Baby."

Writing workshop for kids during February break

(Not a school sponsored event.)

Winter craft at the Jones

For the small but oh-so-crafty people in your life...

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Calling all 1st and 2nd graders!

Book groups aren't just for the grownups in your life!

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Make stuff! For Free!

Do you know anyone ages 8-12?

Do those kids happen to have a free Saturday?

Does the Jones have something cool for them!

Come get your craft on!

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This Saturday

(not a school sponsored event)

Free writing workshop for children ages 12+

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(not a school sponsored event)

3 free activities at the Jones Library for your 3rd-5th grader!

(Click on images to enlarge. Not school sponsored events.)

"Smoke Signals" movie screening at Jones Mar 3

Film Screening & Discussion: Smoke Signals

On Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 7 pm in the Woodbury Room, Jones Library will be showing Smoke Signals, the sixth in a film and discussion series being held over several months which look at issues of race.  A facilitated discussion will be held after the screening.

Smoke Signals is a feature film which debunks stereotypes about native people.  An award winner at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival, the film is based on Sherman Alexie's short story "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" from his book The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.

Free and open to the public.  For more information, please contact Janet Ryan at 413-259-3223 or ryanj@joneslibrary.org

This film series is co-sponsored by the Jones Library and The Coming Together Project.  More information about The Coming Together Project can be found at http://www.coming-together.org/.

Community Reading Program from Jones Library

On the Same Page – Amherst Program Series

Amherst, MA – The Jones Library is holding its third On the Same Page community reading program, this year featuring the novel The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by bestselling author Heidi Durrow.  The entire Amherst community is invited to read the book and participate in the upcoming programs and events.  The following series of programs will be held during February and March at the Jones Library, and are based on topics and themes from the novel.  On the Same Page – Amherst will culminate in an appearance by author Heidi Durrow to be held at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 at the Munson Memorial Library Hall in South Amherst.   For complete program descriptions, visit the program’s webpage athttp://www.joneslibrary.org/onthesamepage/osp2015.html

February 6 - March 14, 2015 – Atrium Jones Library

Of Many Colors Exhibit - Of Many Colors includes photographs and interviews with families who have bridged the racial divide through interracial relationships and/or adoption.  The exhibit and its companion book were created by Family Diversity Projects.

 

Tuesday, February 24 at 7 pm - Woodbury Room Jones Library

Book Discussion - An interactive book discussion will explore the impact of community on identity with fun & engaging activities, and then lead into sharing and discussing The Girl Who Fell from the Sky.   This event is co-sponsored by theJones Library, Amherst Together, and the Equity Project Intergenerational Team at Amherst College.

 

Thursday, March 5 at 7:00 pm - Woodbury Room  Jones Library

Multiracial Families: The Amherst Experience - A panel of Amherst parents share their personal experiences of parenting biracial and adopted children in our community. The panel will be moderated by Peggy Gillespie, Co-Founder/Director of Family Diversity Projects.

Wednesday, March 11 at 5:30 pm – Munson Memorial Library, South Amherst

Friends’ Reception - Please join the Friends of the Jones Library System and author Heidi Durrow at this special reception.  Sponsored by the FOJLS, this event is free & open to the public.

Wednesday, March 11 at 7:00 pm – Munson Memorial Library Hall, South Amherst

On the Same Page...with Heidi Durrow - Join us for this author appearance!  Heidi Durrow will talk about her book and the issues it explores.  Books will be available for purchase & signing.

Copies of The Girl Who Fell from the Sky can be borrowed from the Jones Library and branches, requested and checked out from the C/W Mars library catalog, or purchased at Amherst Books in Amherst.

The Girl Who Fell from the Sky was the winner of the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction in 2008, which is awarded biennially to the author of a previously unpublished novel of high literary caliber that promotes fiction which addresses issues of social justice and the impact of culture and politics on human relationships. The Girl Who Fell from the Sky was a has been hailed as one of the Best Novels of 2010 by the Washington Post, a Top 10 Book of 2010 by The Oregonian, and named a Top 10 Debut of 2010 by Booklist, as well as being a New York Times Bestseller, a Los Angeles Times Bestseller, and an Indie Next Pick.

Heidi W. Durrow, the New York Times best-selling author of The Girl Who Fell from the Sky, is a graduate of Stanford, Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism, and Yale Law School. She is the host of a new audio and video podcast calledThe Mixed Experience, and has been featured as a leading expert on multiracial and multicultural issues and identity by the NBC Nightly News, the New York Times, CNN, National Public Radio, the BBC, Ebony Magazine, and the San Francisco Chronicle. She is an occasional contributor to National Public Radio and blogs for the Huffington Post.

On the Same Page – Amherst and its programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Jones Library System.  For further information about the On the Same Page - Amherst, please contact Janet Ryan at 413/259-3223.