Friends of the Jones Library System News

You know how when you read Skating Shoes by Noel Streatfeild you really wanted to learn to skate? And whenever you read The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats you were always jealous of the little boy's red coat? Now's your chance to live out your literary dreams, Friends! Come to Crocker Farm Elementary School on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 5-6. (Click on image to enlarge.) And maybe, just maybe, among all the mittens and skis and boots and hats, you'll find a Hockey Sweater .

The New York Public Library posted this article last month about literary pairings we'd like to see . Spoiler alert: Snape meets Barkus .

Hey Jones, what's yours? Atlas Obscura asked some of their favorite libraries what the oldest item in their collection was.  Here are their responses.

In their own words, here are a few things about the wonderfulness of reading to children that parents said. Perhaps during school break you can sit down, snuggle up, and read aloud, too.

While Sherlock Holmes is obviously the big name, this article takes a fun look at his television sidekick. Different Watsons in Pop Culture reminds us that Watson doesn't have to be white, male, or even human to still be Watson.

"I pretended to be Emily Dickinson on an online dating site and I found out that every guy wants to get with a famous dead poet."

The Jones Library and branches will close at 12 noon on Friday, December 22 and re-open at 9 am on Tuesday, December 26 in observance of the Christmas holidays. Happy holidays to all!

Are you the one silently judging the grammar of your co-worker in staff meetings? Does a little bit of you die inside when you hear someone use "myself" when they could just say "me?" Or maybe you're the opposite and beginning a sentence with a conjunction is just fine. (See what we did there?) Discover the true grammar you with this fun quiz . Then maybe visit the library to check this out .

The Friends can help. We've got tote bags, tea, and this new community cookbook! Swing by the Jones Library and check out our gifts, all for $15 or less.

author of Moranthology , writes that, "A library in the middle of a community is a cross between an emergency exit, a life raft and a festival. They are cathedrals of the mind; hospitals of the soul; theme parks of the imagination." In this season of thankfulness, the Friends would like to express our deepest gratitude to the Amherst public libraries.

NPR has an interview with the author of The Last Black Unicorn  (not to be confused with Martellus Bennett ). If you have seven minutes to listen to the segment, you might enjoy it. Or you could just kick it old school and read it .

The doctor is IN!

Friends, the bus routes in Amherst may be changing. The MA Department of Transportation wants to hear from you. Please take this survey  and let the DOT know what you think about their proposed changes. Here is a message from the Town Planning Director about the proposed changes: Hello everyone, The Town of Amherst has been following the progress of a Massachusetts Department of Transportation project for improvements to the Route 9 corridor between Northampton and Amherst.  As part of this project MassDOT is exploring changes to the bus route of the B43 bus, which serves Northampton, Hadley and Amherst, including Smith College, UMass and Amherst College and businesses along Route 9, including the malls in Hadley.  The proposed changes are intended to improve traffic congestion and decrease travel time for bus riders between Northampton and UMass.  However, the proposed changes would have a significant impact on Downtown Amherst, Amherst College, and bu...

Back by popular demand! (Click on image to enlarge.) Perhaps you'll play a little holiday music...?

NPR can help.

And maybe we'll even have some snow by then! (Click on image to enlarge.)