Category: Environment

NASA’s Cosmic Dawn Documentary Screening

Posted on by Jessica O'Connor

Cosmic Dawn is the incredible true story of the James Webb Space Telescope – humanity’s largest and most powerful space telescope – on a mission to unveil the early universe, against all odds.

On Tuesday, September 23rd at 6:30pm in the library’s Hermann Room, come join us as we watch this NASA+ documentary that brings viewers on an unprecedented journey through Webb’s delicate assembly, rigorous testing, and triumphant launch, showcasing the sheer complexity and breathtaking risks involved in creating a telescope capable of peering billions of years into the past. Follow the telescope from an idea developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center all the way to the launchpad in French Guiana, with never-before-seen footage captured by the Webb film crew offering intimate access to the challenges and triumphs along the way. 

This documentary screening is free to the public and all are welcome!

Cosmic Dawn is Not Rated and has a running time of 1 hour and 36 minutes.  To register to attend, CLICK HERE or visit/call the Adult Service Desk at 508-457-2555 x7.

Project ITCH (Is Tick Control Helping?) Public Presentation

Posted on by Kristin Nelson

As tick-borne illnesses continue to pose a significant public health risk across the Cape and Islands, researchers are stepping up public education and outreach efforts to help residents stay informed and protected.

On Monday, July 28 from 4:00–5:00 PM, the Falmouth Public Library will host a public update on Project ITCH (Is Tick Control Helping?), a CDC-funded research initiative that aims to assess the effectiveness of common tick control methods in real-world settings.

The event will take place in the Hermann Foundation Meeting Room at the Main Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth.

The presentation will be led by Dr. Stephen M. Rich, a professor of microbiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Executive Director of the New England Center of Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases. Dr. Rich has been at the forefront of tick-borne disease research in southeastern Massachusetts, working in close collaboration with Barnstable County Extension and the Department of Health and Environment.

Now in its third year, Project ITCH is being conducted across all six New England states. The Cape Cod portion of the project includes field visits to residential properties, tick sampling, and resident surveys. The data help researchers evaluate the effectiveness of various tick prevention strategies and inform future public health efforts.

Dr. Rich will share preliminary findings from the current field season, highlight trends observed across the region, and offer guidance on effective tick control methods for homeowners and communities.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is recommended. 

For more information, contact the Falmouth Public Library at (508) 457-2555 or visit www.falmouthpubliclibrary.org.

 

July is Love Your Lake Month!

Posted on by Kristin Nelson

Celebrate Love Your Lake Month with the Falmouth Public Library and Falmouth Pond Coalition

This July, the Falmouth Public Library invites residents and visitors to dive into Love Your Lake Month, a celebration of local water stewardship presented in partnership with the Falmouth Pond Coalition. Taking inspiration from the Libraries Love Lakes organization, a nonprofit based in the Finger Lakes region of New York that encourages the use of libraries to educate about freshwater issues.

Join us for two special and free screenings of pond-focused short films produced by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) on Tuesday, July 15 and Thursday, July 17 at 4:00 PM in the Library’s Hermann Room. These engaging films highlight the ecological importance of our local ponds and efforts to preserve their beauty and health.  Concurrently, there will be crafts for children to complete in the Bay Room and pond lovers will lead a story hour for children in the Children’s Room (also, July 15th and 17th at 4:00 PM). 

The event also features a spotlight on OLAUG – Old Ladies against Underwater Garbage, a spirited community group dedicated to restoring water quality and keeping our ponds safe—for people and pets alike.

Come learn how you can contribute to clean, thriving local waterways while enjoying an inspiring mix of science, storytelling, and community action.

For more information, contact the Falmouth Public Library at (508) 457-2555 or visit www.falmouthpubliclibrary.org.

Solar Eclipse Viewing Party

Posted on by Clint Johnson

On Monday, April 8th bring a chair or blanket and join us on the library lawn from 2pm-4:30pm for games, music and solar eclipse viewing!

In Falmouth, the solar eclipse starts around 2:16pm with a 89.3% max coverage around 3:30pm and ends around 4:39pm.  A free pair of solar eclipse glasses (provided by Solar Eclipse Activities for Libraries) will be available to attendees while supplies last.  

This event is weather permitting.  

Solar Eclipse Viewing Party Flyer

 

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to us at (508) 457-2555 x7 or by email at info@falmouthpubliclibrary.org

 

Falmouth Osprey Project

Posted on by Library User

Join the Falmouth Osprey Project’s Kevin Friel and Barbara Schneider on Tuesday February 20 at 11am in the Hermann Room for a presentation about the project’s work.

The Falmouth Osprey Project formed in response to the 2021 nesting season, which saw 9 fires and power outages directly linked to the fact that ospreys love to nest on utility poles. Since then volunteer teams have helped build replacement nesting platform sites on nearby non-utility poles so that the birds can nest safely, without the risk of electrocution. The Osprey Project has also worked with Eversource to help identify utility poles that need nest deterrants installed, since ospreys like to return to their nests year after year. The project has been successful enough in Falmouth that other Cape towns with many ospreys have looked to it as a model! Kevin and Barbara will share interesting facts about ospreys and their habits as well as many excellent photos, like the one illustrating this blog post.

This presentation is appropriate for all ages, although small children should be accompanied by an adult. Space is limited, so we encourage you to register.

 

Exciting Zoom programs in January!

Posted on by Sue

We have a bounty of virtual programs, shared with us by other Massachusetts libraries! Just click on the links to register, and you will receive the Zoom links before the events. Please note that these are virtual only and do not take place at the Falmouth Library. View the list below, and scroll down for full descriptions and registration!

Tuesday, January 9th at 7 PM, KonMari Method: Spark Joy!
Thursday, January 11th at 7 PM, What Works in Community News
Thursday, January 17th at 7 PM, Fierce Females: Women in Art
Monday, January 29th at 7 PM, Challenges of Being a Debut Author
Monday, January 30th at 7 PM, Food Waste, Food Insecurity & the Globalization of World Banks
 
KonMari Method: Spark Joy! Click here to register, and please put “Falmouth Library” in the home field!
 

Certified KonMari Consultant, Kerry Adams, will lead us through a presentation on what the KonMari Method is and how to successfully implement the method into your life. Grab a notebook and join us from the comfort of your own home.

The KonMari Method of organizing was developed by Marie Kondo, world acclaimed Japanese organizer and author of the best selling books, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”, and “Spark Joy”, as well as star of the Netflix series, “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo”. Rather than discarding things in a negative way, it’s about keeping the things that you love, the things that support your vision for the lifestyle you want. You’ll learn to focus your intention, discover what supports your goals, and respectfully leave behind the things that don’t. This has been generously shared with us by the Eldredge Library in Chatham, and is also sponsored by the Board of Trustees. Please note that this event is virtual only, and does not take place in the library.

Thursday, January 11th at 7 PM, What Works in Community News, click here to register

Journalism professor and author Dan Kennedy will discuss his new book, What Works in Community News: Media Startups, News Deserts, and the Future of the Fourth Estate, which serves as a groundbreaking study of the journalism startups that are solving the local news crisis one community at a time. Local news is essential to democracy. Meaningful participation in civic life is impossible without it. However, local news is in crisis. According to one widely cited study, some 2,500 newspapers have closed over the last generation. And it is often marginalized communities of color who have been left without the day-to-day journalism they need to govern themselves in a democracy. 

Dan Kennedy is a professor in the School of Journalism at Northeastern University and a nationally known media commentator. He was a panelist on the GBH News television program Beat the Press (1998–2021) and also served as a weekly columnist for the network. Dan is a recipient of the Yankee Quill Award from the New England Academy of Journalists and the James W. Carey Journalism Award from the Media Ecology Association. This event has been shared with us by the Tewksbury Public Library, Please note that this event is virtual only, and takes place when we are closed.

Thursday, January 17th at 7 PM, Fierce Females: Women in Art, click here to register!

Women have long been the subject of art, often depicted as nothing more than objects of desire. How do images of women change when women become the creators? This program examines the history of women in art in brief and then explores the lives, careers and works of several major women artists from the Renaissance to the twentieth century, including Artemisia Gentileschi and Mary Cassatt.

We are offering this via the  Sargent Memorial Library in Boxborough, and we thank the Library Board of Trustees for sponsoring it. Click here to register on their site, and receive the Zoom link! Please note that this event is virtual only, and takes place when we are closed.

Monday, January 29th at 7 PM, Challenges of Being a Debut Author click here to register!

This time, we welcome authors Lauren J. A. Bear, Rita Chang-Eppig, and Nishita Parekh to our virtual stage. We’ll be talking all about getting into publishing, the pitfalls, challenges, and roadblocks as well as the excitement, fulfillment, and reader enthusiasm that makes it all worthwhile. Bring your questions as this will be in a Q&A format. The Zoom event has been shared with us by the Ashland Public Library. Please note that this event is virtual only, and takes place when we are closed.

Tuesday, January 30th at 7 PM, Food Waste, Food Insecurity, and the Globalization of Food Banks 

So many of us are passionate about finding ways to reduce food waste so we’re thrilled to be hosting author and professor Daniel N. Warshawsky for a virtual discussion of his new book Food Waste, Food Insecurity, and the Globalization of Food Banks“. The Zoom event has been shared with us by the Ashland Public Library! Click here to register. Please note that this event is virtual only and does not take place in our library!

 

 
 

 

Fungus Author Talk and Outdoor Walk

Posted on by Library User

Join us for one or both of the following events with Dr. Lawrence Millman.

On Wednesday November 15, at 6:30 in the Hermann Room, mycologist-author Lawrence Millman will be discussing his two most recent books as well as signing copies of them. Fungi of Naushon is the first ever account of the fungi on nearby Naushon Island, while Foraging With Jeeves & Other Offbeat Mycological Excursions is a collection of essays and stories — think science (the Salem witchcraft fungus), satire (a fungal Faust), and ethnography (how the Cree use a certain fungus as an insect smudge).

Please register!

As a follow-up to his Author Talk, on Thursday November 16 at 1pm Dr. Millman will lead a fungal foray in the Beebe Woods. The focus of the foray will be on fungal ecology and identification, not on edibility. Although the date is a bit late in the season for many fungi, you’ll still find a variety of different species, some of which will be in quite unusual places.  

Bring a hand lens or magnifier if you have one and a sense of curiosity. Dress appropriately for the weather and be aware that bad weather may cancel this event. We will meet in the Parking Area at Beebe Woods.

Please register.

 

Answers to Your Recycling Questions

Posted on by Library User

On Tuesday November 14, at 6pm in the Hermann Room, join Mary Ryther, Falmouth’s Recycling and Solid Waste Coordinator, and Alan Robinson, chair of the Falmouth Solid Waste Advisory Committee, for a presentation and Q & A session about best practices for recycling in Falmouth!

Mary Ryther is the Town of Falmouth’s Recycling & Solid Waste coordinator at the Department of Public Works. Prior to working with the Town, she operated a local food scrap composting business from 2013 – 2020. Trained as an architectural designer, Mary worked in residential design for many years before shifting her focus to environmental efforts.

Alan Robinson chairs the Falmouth Solid Waste Advisory Committee. He is a co-founder of Litter Free Falmouth and a Falmouth Water Stewards board member.  Alan is a retired environmental consulting firm executive. As a member of the Philadelphia rowing community, he was awarded the World Rowing Federation’s first annual Sustainability Award for initiating and leading river and parkland stewardship efforts.

Space is limited so we encourage you to REGISTER.

 

 

Film Screening: Stewart Udall and the Politics of Beauty

Posted on by Library User

We invite you to join us for a screening of the documentary film Stewart Udall and the Politics of Beauty in the Hermann Room, on  Friday Oct. 13, 2023 at 3:00PM. The screening is free and open to the public. Following the film, documentary filmmaker John de Graaf will answer questions from the audience. We encourage you to REGISTER for this event.

This new 78-minute documentary celebrates the life and legacy of former Interior Secretary
Stewart L. Udall, arguably the most effective environmentalist in American history. He fought
tirelessly for the protection of our planet and its natural beauty and was the first public official to
speak out about global warming.

This beautiful film tells the inspiring story of Secretary Udall as an advocate of social and
environmental justice, international cooperation, the arts, and most of all, the protection of our
shared environment and magnificent natural beauty. The story highlights the bi-partisan success
of this unsung hero’s efforts, and calls on us all to move beyond the polarization of our time and
work together to protect our world’s natural heritage.

Udall pushed legislation through Congress mandating clean air and water, wilderness
preservation, pesticide restrictions, strip-mining reclamation, and the establishment of the Wild
and Scenic Rivers and National Trails systems, while providing greater self-determination for
Native Americans. The film explores the hard choices Udall had to make regarding both the
Vietnam War and plans to dam the Grand Canyon, which he helped ultimately stop.

This ground-breaking film goes beyond Udall’s accomplishments to explore the values that
motivated him, especially his concern for beauty and balance, as expressed in the Navajo
concept of Hózhó.

“Don’t miss this masterpiece!”–Gus Speth, former director, UN Development Program, Dean,
Yale School of Forestry, co-founder, Natural Resources Defense Council

Accessible Falmouth Walking Trails

Posted on by Library User

The Falmouth Public Library in partnership with Neighborhood Falmouth presents a talk on Falmouth’s handicapped accessible open spaces by Vicky Lowell, a founder of The 300 Committee Land Trust. This program will take place Thursday September 28, 1:30-3:00pm, in the Hermann Room.

This event is free and open to all. Please register as space is limited.

Neighborhood Falmouth is a non-profit organization that provides support services to seniors in the Falmouth community. The organization aims to help seniors live independently and maintain their quality of life by providing services such as transportation, grocery shopping, yard work, minor home repairs, and friendly visits. Neighborhood Falmouth operates on a volunteer-based model, where volunteers from the community are matched with seniors who need assistance. This allows seniors to receive personalized support while also fostering a sense of community and connection among volunteers and seniors.