Friends of the Jones Library System News

"At a time when many people are in need, two area booksellers have teamed up with other organizations to propose a unique idea: match families receiving free farm produce with children’s books." Read more here . Want to support them? Click here .

Join The Odyssey Bookshop on Wednesday, May 27 at 6:30pm on Zoom for a virtual event with Catherine Newman, author of  How to Be a Person: 65 Hugely Useful, super-Important Skills to Learn Before You're Grown Up . This virtual event is open to all ages! You can join the webinar on Zoom here . Families are encouraged to tune in together, and to submit questions for Catherine ahead of the event. Submit your questions here ! *Questions about joining a Zoom event? Please email events@odysseybks.com.* About the Book For the kid who leaves a wet towel wadded up on the floor or forgets to put a new roll on the toilet-paper thingy, humorous writer and etiquette columnist Catherine Newman has created the ultimate guidebook to becoming a person whom everyone will like being around more. Jam-packed with tips, tricks, and skills — all illustrated in an irresistible graphic novel–style — this book shows kids just how easy it is to free themselves from parental nagging and b...

The town can help. Click here .

We know some folks who want to help...  (Click on image to enlarge.)

The Jones Library Special Collections department needs your help! Our mission is to record Amherst’s history and it’s essential that these unprecedented times are well documented. Please help us by going to our website to fill out a short form or to learn about other ways to share your experiences with us.    Consider sharing this webpage with others in the community. The more varied the voices, the richer the representation. Amherst is a diverse community and we want this project to include as many viewpoints as possible.    

Why have boring old white walls behind you when you could have the front of Honeydukes or the Gryffindor Common Room instead?

Stephen King weighs which of his characters would make   the worst quarantine-mate .

Maybe this is also how we'll be able to request books from the Jones Library when they reopen?    (Click on image to go to the website and see it much bigger.)

Over 500 beautiful manuscripts from the Islamic world are now digitized and free to download. Go wander through and enjoy.

In honor of this illustrious day, the Friends challenge you to amaze and astound your friends and family with all the made-up (or not!) limericks you can. We'll get things started: There once was a group of Friends, Who, for the library, would go to all ends, They tirelessly raised money For programs serious and funny, On your generosity they depends.   Happy National Limerick Day , Friends! Go forth and rhyme!  

  UNESCO and the Idries Shah Foundation announce "World Tales," a short story competition for kids ages 12-18. Learn more here .

We've got more clever covers for you right here .

We had a little trouble, Friends, we're not going to lie.  Some of those guys? Shaking our heads...        Give this quick quiz a whirl.

Ilan Stavans has invited the library to co-sponsor and participate in an awesome virtual Classics Book Group , meeting on May 14 and 21 at 8 pm EDT. It's a 2-part discussion. May's virtual book group discussion will explore Passing by Nella Larsen.  (Click on image to enlarge.) All the details are on the Jones Library calendar .

May 3:  https://www.joneslibrary. org/Calendar.aspx?EID=10089& month=5&year=2020&day=3& calType=0 May 10:   https://www.joneslibrary. org/Calendar.aspx?EID=10090& month=5&year=2020&day=10& calType=0 May 17:   https://www.joneslibrary. org/Calendar.aspx?EID=10091& month=5&year=2020&day=17& calType=0 May 24:   https://www.joneslibrary. org/Calendar.aspx?EID=10092& month=5&year=2020&day=24& calType=0 May 31:   https://www.joneslibrary. org/Calendar.aspx?EID=10093& month=5&year=2020&day=31& calType=0

 "A stranger’s collection is to us a window to their soul."