Friends of the Jones Library System News

Do your holiday book shopping at Amherst Books this Saturday and you'll be helping the library buy books at the same time! Once again, Amherst Books is donating a portion of their sales for the day to the Friends of the Jones Library! They are located at 8 Main Street. Here's their web site for further information. Thank you, thank you Amherst Books!!

Children and adults carried colorful banners celebrating the town libraries at the 250th anniversary parade on September 27th. In spite of the rain, the banners looked great!

Join the fun at the Harp on October 4th! Come celebrate our libraries! Help re-open the Jones on Friday afternoons! All-You-Can-Eat Barbecue The Harp 163 Sunderland Rd., North Amherst Sunday, October 4th 12 noon to 5 p.m. Rain or shine Live Celtic music Games for kids Tickets $20 for adults, $10 for children On Sale at the Children's Desk at the Jones Library Tickets are contributions to the Jones Library, Inc. and qualify for a $3000 anonymous matching grant. $11,000 reopens the Jones on Friday afternoons from Oct. 9th to June 2010. Many thanks to our co-sponsors: Mark "Harpo" Power and Collective Copies.

Are you aware of all the museum passes that the Friends sponsor for patrons of the Jones? You can pick up the passes, or reserve a pass for the date that you're planning to visit one of the museums, at the Children's Desk in the Jones Library. Here's the list. Click on any museum to go to the institution's home page to check on hours, exhibits, directions, etc. Start exploring all the wonderful resources in and around Amherst! Amherst History Museum - Strong House Boston Museum of Fine Arts Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art Forest Park Zoo Historic Deerfield Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston MassMOCA in North Adams MA State Parks Mystic Seaport in Mystic CT Smith College Museum of Art Springfield Museums Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford CT

Happy Mother's Day! Here is a photo of the Friends' birdfeeder/birdbath project which was organized by Sterling Bush. All the children chose their own decorative tea cup and saucer and went home with a hand wrapped gift for Mother's Day.

How to Pastel Paint As Impressionists: Monet’s Magic Garden A Pastel Workshop for adults with award-winning pastel painter Gregory Maichack (www.GregoryMaichack.com) Tuesday June 9, 2009 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM at the Jones Library 43 Amity Street, Amherst MA All materials included: pastels ( Nupastels & Rembrandts), Canson pastel paper, & pastel pencils. No Experience Needed. Seating may fill quickly so call (413)- 259–3090 This program is supported in part by the Friends of the Jones Library and by a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

This spring, the Friends are once again sponsoring a program that introduces every 2nd grade student in the Amherst public schools to the Jones Library and encourages them to get a library card. Each 2nd grade class is bussed to the library on a Monday morning, where the students are treated to a tour of the children's rooms, a snack, a story and paperback book of their choice to take home. Volunteers from the Friends serve the snack and show the students how to paste a bookplate in the front of the book they choose. Those who don't already have a library card can sign up for one and can take their cards to Barts for a free ice cream cone! This very popular program is underwritten by funds from the Giles-Santangelo Fund. The Friends would like to thank Tina Harding at Barts and the staff at Barnes and Noble for their support of this program.

Keep watching for the daffodils that the Friends donated to celebrate the town's 250th Anniversary! They should be blooming soon all around the library building.

Once again, the annual Valentine Basket silent auction at the Jones has been a resounding success! We have raised over $5000 for the library, thanks to donations from many local businesses and supporters and the efforts of many volunteers. A huge thank you to everyone, and especially to our wonderful coordinator, Michele Santangelo, who did an outstanding job in her first year managing this event.

Beastly Abodes & Caches for Backyard Wildlife The Friends of the Jones Library are sponsoring a new series of wildlife programs this spring, some for children, some for all ages. Help the birds construct their nests and nourish a variety of backyard songbirds and learn about larger animals. Each program will begin with a talk, followed by a workshop in which each person independently builds a feeder or nest helper that they will take home. Instructors will be available to help participants. All sessions will take place in the Large Meeting Room (downstairs) of the Jones Library. Pre-registration is required. There is a fee for materials for some Beastly Abodes & Caches programs due at registration. Scholarships are available; please see the Children’s Librarian. The Turkey and Coyote talks are FREE. Spring Sessions: Let’s Talk Turkey MARCH 21st FREE 3:00–5:00 PM All ages are welcome. (Lecture & Demonstration): Space is limited in the Large Mee...