Friends of the Jones Library System News

The Friends are on a mission to bring back at least one of these words . Mugwump and grubbling in particular...

When earning a 100% ISN'T a good thing.

Here are a few pictures of English writers' houses where they were inspired to create their masterpieces.

...is there?? Check out this guy's Instagram project.

Usually the Friends admire our Neighbors to the North . This time, though? They're being completely ridonkulous .

Apparently, some heroic historian has actually uncovered the Real Mr. Darcy .

Read this.

are finding imaginative ways to stay in touch with their readers. And although, as a rule, the Friends are particularly taken with Neil Gaiman, we think Gary Shetyngart's Little Failure book trailer is. Complete. Genius.

A Brooklyn man has spent six months creating a digital version of Jorge Luis Borges'  The Library of Babel , the classic tale of how librarians are driven mad searching through an infinite number of books to find the answers to the mysteries of humankind. The online version includes all possible books with "all possible combinations of letters." So we ask again: heaven or hell?

Sometimes books can explain our broken hearts better than our voices...

Join us on Thursday, May 14 at 7 pm in the Woodbury Room for the next in a film & discussion series about race. " The House We Live In " is part three in a documentary series called Race:  The Power of an Illusion, and explores the ways our institutions and policies advantage some groups at the expense of others. A facilitated discussion will follow. Co-sponsored by the Jones Library and the Coming Together Project. Free & open to the public.

Preschoolers and their families are invited to join us on Wednesday afternoons from 4:00-5:00 p.m. for stories and fun. The North Amherst branch is located at 8 Montague Road. Please call 413.259.3099 for more information.

This summer when you don't have camp scheduled for the kids, when the A/C is on the blink, when you're back from visiting Grandma, or when it's raining outside, check THESE babies out ! (Literally.) (Need 'em bigger? Click the image.)

The Friends are pretty psyched about the latest cover of The Nation. And hey, the article inside is compelling, too. Are our local libraries on the front lines against government surveillance ?

about the books their reading. Here are 15 tips for starting a lifelong conversation about books .

If you're in dire need of an animal fix, click on these memorable animals from the annals of literature . The Friends are particularly taken with the quote from Charlotte (of Charlotte's Web), "You have been my Friend , that in itself is a tremendous thing." (Emphasis ours.)

Are your summer plans aren't shaping up to be the international whirlwind you'd really wanted? That's okay! As always, your trusty Friends are here to help you out! Go around the world without getting off your comfy couch. Check out these 26 books that will bring you from Rwanda to Japan, Argentina to France, China to Israel. No need to even renew your passport. Bon voyage!