To honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day, on Saturday October 15, from 4-5:30, we are co-hosting a virtual film screening and panel discussion of the film Bounty. This 9-minute documentary features Penobscot parents and children commemorating their survival by reading and reacting to the Phips Proclamation, a government-issued proclamation that motivated colonial settlers to hunt, scalp, and murder Indigenous people.
The film will be followed by a panel discussion with Mishy Lesser, the learning director of the Upstander Program; Gkisedtanamoogk, Mashpee Wampanoag, co-chair, Maine Wabanaki State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and Linda Coombs, Aquinnah Wampanoag, museum educator and historian.
This event is presented by the Falmouth Public Library with the support of the Friends of the Falmouth Public Library; the Woods Hole Public Library; the Mashpee Public Library; and LINK. LINK is a local group dedicated to the belief that when we can come together in respectful, trusting, and committed relations we can link Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge in a way that can move all of life towards a safer, more balanced, and wholesome future.
To register to attend this Zoom event, please sign up at the Mashpee Library’s site: https://tinyurl.com/bountyfilm . After registering, you will receive an email with the Zoom link.
Author: Library User
English Learner’s Conversation Group
On Tuesday evenings from 7-8pm the Falmouth Public Library will host an English Learners Conversation Group for members of the community who wish to improve their spoken English skills. The first meeting will be Tuesday Sept. 27 and the classes will continue weekly until May, with holiday breaks.
English Language Learners of all abilities are welcome. The group will be led by an experienced teacher. The group will focus on conversation, and activities will vary according to the interests and needs of the attendees.
This is a free group that is open to older teens and adults. It is being held in person. Registration is not required and new attendees are welcome at any time. For questions please contact the library at 508-457-2555 x7 or email info@falmouthpubliclibrary.org .
Support for this group is generously provided by the Library Support Fund.
If you’re interested in all resources available through the library in languages from around the world, we have a new web page on this topic!
Library Lectures for CREW Climate Prep Week
This year the Falmouth Public Library will be participating in CREW’s Climate Preparedness Week (Sept. 26-30) with two lectures: one via Zoom, and one in person.
Tuesday September 27, 6-7pm (Zoom)
The Planet’s Health and Yours: Facing the Invisible Impacts of Climate Change
Richard Delaney, Executive Director of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative (CCCC)
Register to receive the Zoom Link.
This webinar will provide an overview of climate change impacts we see, experience, and know on Cape, including economic, environmental justice, physical and mental health, and ecosystem impacts. Delaney will also discuss what you can do and share information about the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative.
This program is co-sponsored by CLAMS libraries: Aquinnah Public Library, Brewster Ladies’ Library, Centerville Public Library, Eastham Public Library, Falmouth Public Library, Eldredge Public Library, Mashpee Public Library, Provincetown Public Library, Sturgis Library, Truro Public Library, Provincetown, Wellfleet Public Library, Yarmouth Town Libraries, Yarmouth Port Library.
Wednesday, September 28, 6:30-8pm, Hermann Meeting Room
Climate Crisis: How Do I Live With This?
Dr. Heather Goldstone, Woodwell Climate Research Center
Please register to attend this in-person talk.
Humanity faces an unprecedented situation; greenhouse gas levels and global temperatures are higher than they have been at any time in human history. Increasingly severe heat waves, droughts, floods, and fires are impacting communities around the world, and coastal communities like Cape Cod face additional threats from sea level rise and ocean warming and acidification. Confronting this reality can be difficult, but understanding both the risks and opportunities before us can be a source of determination and optimism. And some of our most powerful solutions lie in connecting with nature and community.
Dr. Heather Goldstone oversees Woodwell Climate Research Center’s communications activities, bringing the rich stories of Woodwell scientists to diverse public audiences. She has extensive experience as both a scientist and a journalist, and she is passionate about melding data and narrative in climate change stories that build awareness and inspire action.
Study Rooms Now Reservable
Every day someone comes into the library and asks us, “Is there a place I can do a Zoom that’s fairly private?” A job interview in a place separate from your noisy dog? A work call when the wifi is down at home? A tutoring session? We can meet that need!
We’ve recently improved our study rooms off the Reference Room with the addition of sound-dampening panels, clocks, and ethernet ports so you can plug in directly if you find your Zoom call is shaky on wifi.
The big change, though, is the study rooms can now be reserved in advance. Here’s how it works:
- Study rooms can be reserved up to one week (7 days) in advance.
- They can be reserved for up to two hours in a row. After two hours, you can ask for an extension if nobody has the room booked.
- Study rooms can be reserved by calling the Reference Desk at 508-457-2555 X7, emailing us at info@falmouthpubliclibrary.org, or stopping by the desk in person. If you’ve booked in advance, stop by the Reference Desk to check in when you arrive.
- They can hold up to two people. Zoom calls are ok, but a headset and quiet voices are preferred. It’s also fine to use these rooms for in-person tutoring or study sessions.
- They are only available during hours the library is open to the public (usually 10-5:30, with evening hours Tuesday and Wednesdays).
Stop in and check these rooms out! We’re sure they will book up quickly.
Estate Planning: Preserving Your Falmouth Home
We Love Our Falmouth Home. But Will Our Children? Should we Preserve the Legacy, and How?
Second homes are often the most valuable asset in your estate and require specialized planning to ensure the home stays in the family. Leaving your valuable family home in equal shares to heirs without a master plan is often a recipe for disaster.
Join estate planning attorney Tim Borchers, Esq., who will share successful approaches for your home’s protection, succession and preservation. He’ll be speaking in the Hermann Meeting Room on Wednesday Sept. 14 at 6:30pm; please register to attend. We will also be streaming the talk via Zoom, so even if you would like to attend remotely, please register to receive the Zoom link.
Tim’s speaking engagements have included radio shows, podcasts, lectures at MA and NY law associations and other Cape Cod community events. He has CTFA, EPLS™ and AEP® accreditations and is an estate planner with Borchers Trust Law. He is also a co-author of Second Home Savvy.
Virtual Mystery Book Group: Cozy Mysteries for Fall
The Virtual Mystery Book Group is taking a hiatus for August but it’s already time to start reading the books for our fall theme. “Cozy” mysteries are usually defined as books that include the components of classic mystery —suspense, misdirection, intrigue, and some degree of criminality—while forgoing serious violence.
Join us to read and discuss one of the books below, or all three!
Register to receive the Zoom link and discussion questions before each session. We have print copies of each title waiting at the Reference Desk about a month before each meeting, or you are welcome to find your own copy – digital or even audio! – in CLAMS using the links below.
Wednesday September 14, 2022, 4:30pm: Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie. Register.
Miss Marple’s first mystery in what is considered the first cozy mystery series! All versions in CLAMS
![Murder on Cape Cod (A Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery 1) by [Maddie Day]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/514+6BOopnS.jpg)
Wednesday October 12, 2022, 4:30pm: Murder on Cape Cod by Maddie Day. Register.
First in the Cozy Capers Book Club Mystery series set in the fictitious Cape Cod town of Westham, which is clearly based on Falmouth. All versions in CLAMS
![The Thursday Murder Club: A Novel (A Thursday Murder Club Mystery Book 1) by [Richard Osman]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51acKpYU6NL.jpg)
Wednesday November 9, 2022, 4:30pm: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Register.
In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves The Thursday Murder Club. This widely popular book is written by a well-known UK entertainer and in 2021 was the fastest-selling crime debut of all time. All versions in CLAMS
A History of the Falmouth Road Race with Paul Clerici
The Falmouth Public Library welcomes bestselling author Paul Clerici in person on Thursday, August 18th, at 1 p.m., in the Hermann Meeting Room. He will discuss A History of the Falmouth Road Race, the first and only book entirely about the great Cape Cod race, in honor of the 50th running this year.
In a new multimedia presentation, hear about how it all began in a bar; tales of the late great founder Tommy Leonard; how the race grew alongside the running boom; stories and anecdotes of Olympic stars on the roads of Falmouth; and how it continues to inspire.
The award-winning writer takes readers through the colorful journey of this iconic race. With his unique vast array of experiences and knowledge in the sport of running – having covered and written about the sport for over 35 years now, and also having run Falmouth several times – he brings the great race to life through informative, humorous, and enlightening detail that includes stories about every landmark, moment, and portion of the course and its history.
A freelance journalist, photographer, and former newspaper editor, Paul Clerici delivers talks and lectures at libraries, historical societies, bookstores, running clubs; appears at expos, book signings, group meetings; appears on television (NECN, cable stations, etc.), radio (NPR, local and city stations, etc.), and media outlets including “The Boston Globe” and the “Cape Cod Times.” Race director of the Camy 5K Run & David 5K Walk in Walpole, he has competed in nearly every distance from the mile to the marathon – including two triathlons and 43 marathons – and has won numerous age-group and Clydesdale running awards.
He is also the author of “Born to Coach: The Story of Bill Squires,” “Images of Modern America: The Boston Marathon,” “Boston Marathon History by the Mile,” and “History of the Greater Boston Track Club.” Books will be available to purchase and be signed by the author.
Library staff will also be present to add your memories of the Falmouth Road Race over the years to our Digital Archive. Bring an old photo, a newspaper clipping, or other memorabilia to share! We’ll snap a quick photo and take a few notes and you can contribute to the community celebration of the race.
This is a free, in-person lecture that is open to all ages. Registration is required. Register online using the Falmouth Public Library’s event calendar or by calling the library at 508-457-2555 x7.
Postcards from Falmouth: The College Light Opera Company
The College Light Opera Company, Falmouth’s historic summer stock theatre company, is in the midst of its 2022 season. Its deep roots connect it to some of the biggest names in Falmouth history, and its company members carry those roots with them as they strike out into the performing arts world.
Join Executive and Creative Director Mark Pearson for a look into that shared history and the connections that grew from it. “The original intent was more entertainment,” he says, “but our mission has sort of shifted over the years as we became one of the last organizations to do this—to really focus on the educational aspect.”
See the CLOC digital exhibit here.
Explore the postcard collection online here.
Postcards from Falmouth is a local history project of Falmouth Public Library, funded by a LSTA grant and administered by the MBLC.
Contribute Your Memories of the Falmouth Road Race
This year on August 21 Falmouth will host the 50th running of the Falmouth Road Race. As thousands of runners race from the starting line, in front of the Captain Kidd on Water Street in Woods Hole, they wind past Nobska Light, up Surf Drive, around Falmouth Harbor, to the finish line in Falmouth Heights.
At the Falmouth Public Library we have large collections of postcards of local landmarks along the path of the Road Race. We’ve created a Map so you can follow the runners’ route, with a glimpse at past views of the buildings and seashores they’ll see as they run.
Many Falmouth residents and visitors have run the Road Race over the years. The Falmouth Road Race web site has a wonderful year-by-year recap of the 49 races to date. Does it spark memories in you?
We’re building a digital archive of Road Race Memories at the library, and we’d love to hear your story.
Dig out your old photos, or take a picture of your collection of mugs and t-shirts, and write us a few lines about the years you ran, or watched, or got stuck in traffic! Library Director Linda Collins shared the following memory:
In 1999 race day was complete with torrential rains. Waiting at the the start, I remember seeing runners with plastic bags taped over their shoes in an attempt to stay dry. As we came out of the woods along the beach we were running through ankle deep puddles. I wondered how the plastic bags were holding up. I turned to the runner next to me and he had the biggest smile on his face. We agreed, we were doing all the things our mothers taught us not to. We were running in the middle of the road, soaked to the skin, jumping in puddles, and talking to strangers. It doesn’t get any better.
She also found a page in her scrapbook about that year! You can see how wet it was even at the finish.
You can upload an image or type in a story without an image attached at our Contribution Link. Be sure you include your name and email address, and give us permission to publish your contribution at our web site. If you don’t have computer access, please feel free to stop by the Reference Desk and we can take down your story or snap a digital image of your old-fashioned paper photograph!
We look forward to hearing from you!
Harvard Legal Services Information Session
Free Legal Assistance for Veterans and Low-Moderate Income Individuals
On Wednesday July 27 from 2-5pm in the Hermann Meeting Room, we are excited to host staff from the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School. They will provide advice and referral information to community members about civil legal issues including but not limited to:
- housing law and tenants’ rights
- disability rights
- Social Security and public benefits such as SNAP
- veterans benefits and military record corrections
- divorce, custody and child support questions
- LGBTQ+ related concerns
- tax issues
- consumer loan and small claims court problems
- criminal record sealing or expungement
The event will include a Zoom presentation, in-person consultations and referrals, and an ice-cream social.
Register online or call the library at 508-457-2555 X7 and join us!