“Elephant and Piggie” Party and Storytime at the East Falmouth Library

Saturday, April 26 -12:30 to 1:30

All are welcome to come by and celebrate our favorite Elephant and Pig duo! Join us as we play games, make crafts, read Elephant and Piggie books, and have snacks. …we might even let the Pigeon make some crafts (but he’s not allowed to drive the bus!)

No need to sign up—just drop in with your little one and get ready for giggles, stories and fun!

 

Benefits of Exercise as we Age, Neighborhood Falmouth Monthly Talk

This Wednesday, April 23rd at 1:30! Please register by clicking here.

This talk is part of a monthly series  offered jointly by the library and Neighborhood Falmouth. Amy Sellers, born and raised in Falmouth has been teaching fitness classes since college. Amy is a Certified Personal Trainer and has certifications in Aqua Aerobics, Pilates and Group Fitness. She has a specialty in Sports Nutrition and Older Adult Fitness. Amy’s classes are designed to keep people moving functionally at their fitness level, motivated to attend classes and challenged to do their best. Her motto is “You do what works for You!” She teaches to all levels by incorporating various modifications so that everyone feels successful as they get the best workout. 

Neighborhood Falmouth is a community-based non-profit membership organization whose mission is to help seniors live independently, safely, and comfortably at home for as long as is practical by providing support, information and services. To learn more about Neighborhood Falmouth visit their website by clicking here. If you have any questions or are interested in becoming a volunteer call their office at 508-927-1678.

Concert: Songs and Stories from the Singer/Songwriters, 1960-1975

We are excited to welcome Andrew Lewis and Margaret Ferri to the Falmouth Public Library for a concert in the Hermann Room! Please register by clicking here

In this program, Andrew and Margaret, both well-seasoned performers will focus on songwriters from the ’60s and ’70s who moved a nation. They will sing and tell some of the stories behind the songs.

This program is supported by The Falmouth Library as well as the Falmouth Cultural Council in concert with an endowment from the Mass. Cultural Council.

Joy of Learning: Generative Artificial Intelligence

 

(Please note that this class is over, it took place in April and May of 2025)

Our long-running Joy of Learning program has changed! Instead of two larger sessions in April and October, we will be offering individual classes throughout the year. This will be our inaugural class in the new format! The first session will be “Generative AI: Understanding the Basics”-it will be offered in two identical sessions taking place on Tue, April 8 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm, and Sat, April 26 from 3:00 – 4:00 pm, This is to ensure that people have a better chance of finding a session to fit their schedule. The second session will be Generative AI: Detecting and Protecting Yourself from AI Misinformation and we will offer two identical sessions on Tue, May 13 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm and Sat, May 31 from 3:00 – 4:00 pm. You can attend either or both of the two different sessions! Please register for any session you wish to attend, by clicking the links above or by calling us at 505-457-2555 x 7.

Session 1: Understanding the Basics

You are probably hearing about AI everywhere these days. What is artificial intelligence, and how is it making its way into everyday life – our social media, phones, and even drive-throughs? Join Falmouth resident Jane Stimpson, a librarian and AI trainer, to get started with understanding generative artificial intelligence. We will cover basic terminology, look at major generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini and how they are used, and discuss the many concerns about the technology. There will be time for Q&A.  

Session Two: Detecting and Protecting Yourself from AI Misinformation

Although misinformation, disinformation, and deepfakes are not new, generative AI makes it easier, faster, and cheaper to produce than ever before. Join Falmouth resident Jane Stimpson, a librarian and AI trainer, to learn about the threats that AI-generated text and multimedia pose to individuals and society, as well as tips for spotting and debunking it. This program will build on some of the ideas covered in Jane’s Generative AI: Understanding the Basics program, but you do not need to have attended that one to participate.   

 

Matt Davis, author of “At Home in the World, Reflections of a Travel Addict”

Join us on Wednesday, April 9th at 6:30 PM for a book talk with Matt Davis. He will talk about his book,  At Home in the World: Reflections of a Travel Addict and take questions from the audience. Click here for more about the book!

Please register by clicking here

Matt is a native New Englander who lived in California for almost 40 years He was a psychology professor and researcher at Dominican University of California and his areas of expertise included diverse topics such as natural disasters, cross-cultural norms and customs, media influences, and the psychology of travel.

An avid traveler, he has visited 35 countries, has crossed the U.S. by car on over 40 road trips, and cumulatively, has spent about two years of his life in Italy and Hawaii. He also shared his passion for travel with his students by leading several study abroad trips to Italy, Ireland,

Matt is the author of a travel memoir, At Home in the World: Reflections of a Travel Addict which chronicles many of his adventures while traveling internationally. He is a regularly featured Travel Expert for the Studio 10 TV program on WJAR Providence Channel 10 and offers lectures for various community groups on topics like America’s National Parks, A History of Venice, Italy, Pompeii’s Final Day, and Life on an Unpredictable Planet: Coping with the Threats Posed by Natural Disasters.

You can also check out his website where he showcases more of his travel writing and photography.

A Journey through the Roots of American Popular Music

We are excited to welcome Jon and Li Waterman to the Falmouth Public Library for a concert in the Hermann Room on Wednesday, April 2nd at 6:30 pm! Please register by clicking here to reserve your spot, or call us at 508-457-2555 x 7.  

“A Journey through the Roots of American Popular Music” is a program of songs and stories about the origins of American blues, rock and country music, presented by singer and songwriter Jon Waterman. Check out his website by clicking here! In the show, he joined by Li Waterman on bass. The program, which also features an accompanying slideshow, explores some of the fascinating characters and events that are part of the history and the role of music in our lives.

Musician and songwriter Jon Waterman has been performing his original throughout his life. His music is influenced by intriguing characters and stories from history, the roots of the music he loves, and the diversity of the human experience. His song “Sultana” which tells the story of the Civil  War steamboat disaster was selected to be featured at the Sultana museum in Marion,  AR. Waterman has presented his programs “A Journey Through the Roots of American  Popular Music” and “Cro-Magnon Blues: History and Legends Through Song” in venues  around the country, both in person and virtually. Li is a classically trained guitarist and singer who formerly fronted the Rhode Island band Alien Tesh.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Falmouth Cultural Council, a local council that is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Learn more about the Falmouth Cultural Council by clicking here

A Celtic Celebration: Songs and Stories from Ireland, Scotland and Wales

We are excited to welcome Davis Bates to the Falmouth Public Library for a concert in the Hermann Room on Wednesday, March 19th at 3 pm! Please register on our online calendar by clicking here to reserve your spot, or call us at 508-457-2555 x 7.  Everyone ages 8 and up are welcome!

The Falmouth Public Library will celebrate St Patrick’s Day, Celtic culture and the impending arrival of spring with performance by Davis Bates.   The program will involve the audience in a variety of cultural traditions.  It will include traditional songs and tales from Ireland, Scotland & Wales, sea songs & chanteys, ghost stories and family tales.  There will also be plenty of sing-alongs, a short lesson in how to play music with spoons from a kitchen drawer, and an appearance by an Irish dancing wooden dog named Bingo. Learn more about Davis on his website by clicking here!

Pete and Toshi Seeger called Davis “thoughtful, creative, human, and a fantastic storyteller.”  Davis’ traditional and participatory performance style empowers and encourages audiences of all ages to join in the fun and to take the songs and stories home with them to share with others.  He also encourages listeners to remember and share stories and songs from their own family and cultural traditions.

Davis Bates has been singing and telling stories for over forty-six years, in schools, libraries, colleges and community settings around New England and across the country.  His recording of Family Stories won a Parents’ Choice Gold Award and was named one of the year’s best Audio Recordings by Booklist Magazine.  Davis has also served as director and consultant for several local and regional oral history and folk arts projects.  Davis lives in the village of Shelburne Falls, MA, and when he is not collecting or learning stories, he spends his time gardening and working with the Clapping Hands Farm Arts Camp in North Carolina and volunteering with the Family Table Collaborative on Cape Cod.

We thank the Library Board of Trustees for sponsoring this concert.

Concert on March 13th, the Modernistics!

We are excited to welcome the Modernistics Trio (Ted Powers, vocals, tap-dance, and guitar, Peter H. Bloom, flute; and Dave Zox on double bass) back  to the Falmouth Public Library on Thursday, March 13th at 2 pm!  Please register on the calendar to reserve your spot! Click here to register. We thank the Board of Library Trustees for sponsoring this concert.

The Modernistics Trio will perform a festive show called “Gems by George and Ira Gershwin”! All of the arrangements are by The Modernistics Trio, treating the audience to unusual and captivating renditions of well-known tunes and seldom-heard treasures. Lots of variety! The Trio will celebrate George and Ira Gershwin with swinging songs, tap-dance numbers, and exuberant instrumentals. Among the many audience favorites are Nice Work If You Can Get It, I Got Rhythm, Love is Here to Stay, Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off, Slap That Bass, and other great music by the Gershwin brothers.

Ted Powers, vocals, tap-dance, guitar, ukulele, and harmonica, has been entertaining audiences in the U.S. and abroad for over 30 years. His career in jazz, blues and pop includes several years as a solo performer in the south of France and tap dancing in the U.S. with Jimmy “Sir Slyde” Mitchell. Ted has performed with Billy Novick, Ray Santisi, and other notables. Acclaimed for his wide-ranging artistry and his mastery of the Great American Songbook, he performs extensively as a soloist, and with large and small ensembles across the Northeast.

Flutist Peter H. Bloom, praised for “exquisite melody” (JazzImprov) and “infectious brio” (The New York City Jazz Record), has performed in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, and is featured on 48 CDs. He has shared the stage with Sheila Jordan, Charles Neville, Jimmy Giuffre, Ricky Ford, Geri Allen, Jaki Byard, and other jazz legends, and is a veteran of the famed Aardvark Jazz Orchestra (51st season). Bloom’s latest CD, Exuberant Ellingtonia, has been hailed as “a treasure trove” (Textura Magazine, Ontario). His playing has been called “wonderfully smoky and mysterious” (EarRelevant), “brightly gorgeous” (Gapplegate Music Review), and “a revelation for unforced sweetness and strength” (The Boston Globe).

Bassist Dave Zox has performed with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Artie Shaw Band, Herb Reed and the Platters, Phil Woods, John Abercrombie, Kenny Werner, Garrison Fewell, and other illustrious artists. Dave played for many years with Boston’s legendary Al Vega Trio and with pianist Harvey Diamond. He serves on the faculties of Northeastern University, Phillips Academy in Andover, and the Ipswich Public Schools.

Zoom talks offered in March and April!

We have some great Zoom author talks coming up! Click the links after the title to register and get more details, and you will receive the Zoom link! Please note that these events are virtual only, and do not take place in the library. 

Monday, March 3rd at 7 pm, authors Karen Thompson Walker, click here for registration and details.

Tuesday, March 4th at 6 pm, Zoom talk and musical performance: Jazz and the Civil Rights Movement with Galen, click here for registration and details.

Tuesday, March 4th at 7 pm, author Kelley Armstrong, click here for registration and details.

Monday, April 7th at 7 pm, “Local Farms, MA-Produce, Meats, Dairy, Oh My! Click here for registration and details.

Monday, April 14th at 7 pm, “The Two Nerdy History Girls Ride Again!” Click here for registration and details.

Monday, April 28th at 7 pm, “No More Curse! A History of the Red Sox” with author and historian David Kruh. Click here for registration and details.

 

 

 

Zoom talk, Jazz and the Civil Rights Movement

Come listen to this Zoom presentation on Tuesday, March 4th at 6 pm.  Please note that this is virtual only and does not take place in the library.  Register by clicking here, and you will receive the Zoom link!

This program is a combined lecture and music performance entitled Jazz and the Civil Rights Movement. It begins with a flute prelude performed by Galen Abdur-Razzaq followed by a 60 minute PowerPoint presentation chronicling the music from the turn of the century to present day and highlights various artists, their music, their influence on the evolution of jazz, and their struggles. In addition, it illustrates how jazz became an advocacy for the Civil Rights Movement, with proceeds from jazz concerts used to finance major events such as the Freedom Rides and the March on Washington in 1963. Lecture is infused with music demonstrations.

This is a joint collaboration with the Centerville and Vineyard Haven libraries, and we thank the Board of Library Trustees for funding our share.