Blog: Month: April 2020

Keep active while social distancing

Posted on by Cait Quinn

One of the challenges of social distancing is keeping up with routine movements and activities that keep your body strong and mobile. To aid with this, Boston Public Library has partnered with Hands to Heart Yoga to offer online bi weekly yoga classes. Whether you are at home or taking a break from your stressful routine, these yoga classes will help to move and center you.

The classes are accessible to beginners and are inclusive. Hands to the Heart Yoga describes their Yoga For All Program as sharing: “the healing practice of yoga with Greater Boston’s low-income and under-resourced communities. HTHC yoga classes are designed to be culturally affirming, accessible, inclusive and inspiring — yoga classes in which anyone and everyone can participate.”

Yoga classes are on Tuesdays from 12-1230 pm with Lunch Break Yoga: https://www.facebook.com/events/236206967531838/

and Fridays from 4-5 pm with Friday Unwind Gentle Yoga: https://www.facebook.com/events/1435748283272369/.

To access the classes, follow the Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsJ5vreTeNxQ86s7fZtwbJQ

New classes post on Tuesdays and Fridays but can be accessed at any time. Just go to Youtube and select the class you wish to follow. For more information check out the BPL Facebook page for up to date times and schedules. You can also check out the Boston Public Library calendar of events for other great online offerings.

 

 

 

Harry Potter at Home

Posted on by Caron Guigli

Are you wondering how to fill the hours at home with your children while still engaging them? Well we would suggest reading of course and we’re not the only ones! The Wizarding World has assembled a superstar team with J.K. Rowling, Audible, Bloomsbury, OverDrive, Pottermore Publishing, and Scholastic to bring you Harry Potter at Home, a hub that provides access to Harry Potter books and related activities. It’s as easy as 1-2-3: just add magic and subtract boredom. 

What does this all mean? Well for starters you will be able to access the first Harry Potter book through Overdrive in ebook and audiobook format until the end of April. No waitlists, just instant magical gratification! Teachers have been given an open license to read any and all seven Harry Potter books to their students online. There’s plenty more as well, from arts and crafts to articles and puzzles. You can sign up to have a newsletter delivered to your email weekly which will update you on the latest activities or you can just check the website. Registration is required but it’s FREE! With Harry Potter at Home, there’s something for everyone! 

The Malden Public Library and The Wizarding World know that reading, drawing, doing word searches, and other activities are more than just fun distractions. Reading can transport you to another world when you need a break from this one. It teaches you to think critically and empathize. It improves your language and listening skills and can lengthen short attention spans. It helps expand your imagination which is something to nurture rather than grow out of. You get these same benefits from listening to a book as you do from reading one. When parents read or listen to a book with their children they are helping to engage and prepare their children for the world while creating a shared experience that bonds them. So add a little magic to your home today and remember that with books you can go anywhere you want

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Research Your Story – Share Your History

Posted on by Caron Guigli
With the world as topsy turvy as it is right now libraries and institutions around the country are expanding resources to help people stay informed and stay entertained. Here at the Malden Public Library we know how much you all love local history and genealogy so we wanted to share some related resources we thought you would enjoy.
The National Archives has now made Ancestry.com accessible to patrons from home, no membership needed, and the New England Historic Genealogical Society has expanded their online resources. You can chat with a genealogist through their website or attend a free webinar. Just follow the links to continue (or start!) your research even if you are stuck at home.
In that vein we are inviting everyone to share a story with us from their family history! You can post your story on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Just be sure to use the hashtag #OurMPLFamilies so we can all learn about your family lore! This is a tough time but remember that we are in this together even if we have to be apart. We love all #OurMPLFamilies!