Haunted Williamstown

The second Haunted Williamstown, brain child of Juliana Haubrich, was a successful “fun-raiser” for the House of Local History despite a downpour on Halloween evening. On Friday night, about 70 teens and adults danced, in costume, to the tunes of local band DaFe Brudajo. Sean McHugh was and believable Edgar Allen Poe and his escort a remarkable “Raven.” Lisa Sheldon took first prize as “Medusa.” The historical tour was deemed a rousing success with local actors telling the history of the Pine Cobble grounds and buildings. Food and friends for a perfect evening.

The following night featured a “pre-treat” party for children with magician Scott Jameson and a huge hay fort in the courtyard. Children also met Laura Ingalls Wilder and Beatrix Potter retelling their favorite stories in the children’s room. The later tours were dampened by a sudden downpour but several daring souls enjoyed another tour through the haunted House of Local History. It was a great event and kudos go out to Juliana, her crew of talented actors, and legions of volunteers.

Leave a Comment

Tight Budgets may threaten library services

The Mass. Board of Library Commissioners is considering a 16-27% cut in the state budget for libraries and conversations are underway about “core” services. On the table for possible cuts — regional reference centers, services for low vision and blind, regional continuing education programs, the bookmobile, summer reading programs, and interlibrary borrowing. See link: 

Comments (1)

Read a banned book today

And find out what all the fuss is about. Here at the Milne Library we occasionally have someone take offense at a certain book. Usually it’s a wonderful parent trying to protect their child from more mature or disturbing content. And we understand that. But the Library Bill of Rights endorsed by the American Library Association and our public library really discourages removing or labeling materials in any way. There is a procedure in place that involves a written complaint submitted to the Director and Board of Trustees to review potentially offensive material but the list of most contentious items usually includes great literature including writers like Mark Twain, J.K. Rowling, Judy Blume, Maurice Sendak and many others. For a look at some challenged classics check out this site :

Leave a Comment

Where the Wild Things Are

Everyone is excited about Spike Jonze’s translation of Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are” to film. We are in the process of designing a “photo cube” for children to have fun with, having their pictures taken as characters from the book. But we also discovered this great blog describing the inner workings of the film from a creative point of view. The film is scheduled to arrive at Images in mid-October and we will have a display of the original storybook on display in the front lobby. Check this out : http://weloveyouso.com/

Leave a Comment

Why We Love Libraries

Great post here about the importance of libraries.
http://thenonconsumeradvocate.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/grateful-for-public-libraries-a-guest-post/

Leave a Comment

Books Across Borders

Have fun with a new and innovative idea developed by the Milne Library and the Bennington Free Library sharing book reviews between the two communities. Here at the Milne, Bennington readers will send “book” cards via carrier and posted on a bulletin board and our readers will do the same for Bennington Library users. For every postcard review, the reviewer’s name will be entered into a drawing and weekly prizes will be exchanged at each library. Pat McLeod is hard at work collecting door prizes from our local merchants and Bennington Chamber of Commerce director Joanne Erenhaus is working with Bennington businesses to collect some remarkable prizes from their community. The program, aptly named “Books Across Borders,” will begin in mid-September and promises to be a lot of fun for all our readers, old and young.

Leave a Comment

Community Read struggles to find the right title

The committee charged with finding just the right book to kick off a month of reading and study keeps coming up empty-handed. It certainly isn’t for lack of good books, but to find just the “right” one, that will appeal to all reading tastes, is a difficult job. An early contender, The Soloist , is still be seriously considered but the theme of homelessness and schizophrenia is a tough subject for youth audiences. Other suggestions have included The Gardner Heist,Three Cups of Tea,Where the Wild Things Are,Ship Fever and a wealth of other titles. Some have even suggested a “Community Read” centered around a body of work by one author. Do you have a favorite to recommend?

Leave a Comment

Totally New! Kidspeak Language Program

The children’s room just purchased three USB language programs for children 3+. The format is a USB (“thumb” drive or serial bus) that starts automatically when plugged into your home computer. The new media is so small and so expensive to replace that we are asking parents to let us photocopy their license as a commitment to handle it carefully and return it in a timely manner. But on the little portable drive you will find a very powerful language instruction program available in English, Spanish or French. Children will need parental help initially because the cartoon instructor starts off without English instruction. But clicking the “question mark” help menu will usually guide an older child through the games. For more advanced study or homeschooling, the program also contains worksheets. We are pleased to be the first library in western Massachusetts offering this new technology. Come by and let us demonstrate it if you have questions or need tech support.

Leave a Comment

Jeanne Driscoll’s photography

Quite a few neighbors, friends, and family turned out for the opening of Jeanne Driscoll’s photography exhibit yesterday. Jeanne’s colorful photos of India and Pakistan line the hallway exhibit area. Of special interest, a digital frame that shows the elephant Suda painting flowers and signing her work. The elephants at this particular sanctuary also play volleyball and catch a swimming break after entertaining foreign photographers. The smaller digital representations of her work on our main page don’t do justice to the colorful portraits of the working men and women she captured on her 2006 trip. If you can’t get away this summer, her pictures are made for arm-chair travel.driscoll1

Leave a Comment

Road construction snarls library entrance

The reconstruction of Field Park has discouraged many visitors at the Milne Library this week. Even the Moon Rock program and Jules Verne presentation have suffered the affects of too much confusion and dust. We expect there will be minor delays and detours until the rotary’s anticipated finish in early September. For townspeople who know their way around, Sabin Drive, a very poorly marked private road off Route 7, is one way around the tie-up. If you use it, please keep in mind that it winds through a neighborhood and that it can be treacherous to enter or exit! For people coming up from the south, the police will route you around the park and into the “wrong side” on the normally one-way route. Please be careful and accept our apologies for any inconvenience. If getting here is just too much of a hassle, we will renew your materials by phone. Thanks

Leave a Comment

Older Posts »