Blog: Month: June 2023

Nature Journaling at Malden Library

Whether sitting by the Pine Banks’ Pond, exploring the heights of Waitt’s Mount, or digging in the Malden Community Garden we have so much nature to explore here in Malden. Our city is so full of life if we just take a moment to pause and take it all in. Nature Journaling is a tool and practice to help one learn more about nature. Through the use of art, writing, and numbers the nature journaler learns to notice more, ask more and better questions , and make deeper and more complex connections. The end result is more creativity, improved art skills, and often a cultivated sense of joy. Though one’s art skills will improve as one applies them to nature study, it should be emphasized the goal of nature journaling is not great art but a greater appreciation for and understanding of the natural world. Nor is nature journaling all about exploring nature ‘out there’. In this session we are going to explore the natural world right here in the library’s front lawn.

This event is open to all ages 13+, teens, and adults. No previous art experience required. Pencils and paper will be available but participants are welcome to bring their own drawing, and painting tools. If the weather is fair, we will have the program out on the front lawn. If we end up having some rain, we will move the program inside.

This program is free and open to the public. The Malden Public Library is located at 36 Salem St., Malden, MA 02148. To learn more about our 2023 Summer Reading Programing, email us at info@maldenpubliclibrary.org .

 

 

 

How to win at Summer Reading

Welcome to the first official week of summer reading! So far we’ve had the Ice Cream Social, a few programs and sign ups for reading programs. But there is so much more to do. At this point you may be wondering how the program works this year. So here are the basics…

Kids elementary age and younger:

Sign up to log reading minutes in person in the children’s room. Or children can sign up online with their families with our Beanstack app and log minutes from anywhere.  Prizes are available the week following the week logged. Children need to read 120 minutes a week to earn a prize.

Teens:

Sign up is online via Beanstack. The app can be used on any internet connected device. There is even a cell phone app! You can even use the library computers to log your minutes. Teens need just 300 minutes of reading to qualify for a prize and prizes can be picked up at the Information desk starting on July 5th!

Adults:

Beanstack is the main opportunity to log reading and activities. These will earn raffle tickets for gift card drawings each week. For those who need help signing up we have a quick start guide and can always provide assistance at the information desk. But if online apps aren’t your thing…we will collect minutes at the circulation desk. If you have read 300 minutes in that week, please ask for a raffle ticket for that week’s drawing. Winners will be contacted by phone.

How to Beanstack:

This year our Beanstack app is going to have a number of challenges, activities, and learning opportunities for the community. But the first step is signing up.
To sign up go to:

bit.ly/BeanstackMPL2023

If it is the first time registering then follow the steps to sign up and enter your information. There will be an option to add additional family members at the end.

For returning individuals and families, log in with your information or follow the steps if you forgot your login credentials. If you are having trouble getting in stop by the information desk and we can look you up in Beanstack and help you get set up.

You can also use this guide for navigating the pages to log reading, activities, and events!

beanstack-101-english-22-23.pdf

Summer fun with Beanstack!

  • Reading minutes prizes and raffles
  • Citizen Science Opportunities (Participate in real time science projects and enter to win a prize. Will also count for community service hours!)
  • Bingo games for prizes
  • Bee Kind Challenge for kids
  • Merit badge challenges (Merit badges are back and you can earn one!)
  • Updates on programming
  • Learning challenges with links and reading suggestions
  • Movie bingo
  • And you can add friends and families and compete against each other on the community tab (Add friends and see who can read the most!)

And finally, The Community Challenge:

But with all these minutes we are collecting this summer we must do something, right!? So we will add them up, week by week, in the hopes that, as a city, Malden can read 5000 hours…collectively. And when we say reading, we mean not just books, but also audio books, articles online, newspapers, magazines, and any media you learn from over time, (honestly, true crime podcasts probably count too). So chart your reading each week, earn prizes and bragging rights and we will highlight your contributions on the lawn and on the board behind circ. With each small contribution, the number will grow, and help us toward our goals as a community. As we say: “Little things done together make a big impact”.

New Saturday Summer Hours at the Library

Come visit the Malden Public Library on Saturdays this summer.  We are excited to announce that from June 24 through September 9, the Library will be open Monday – Thursday 9 to 9, Fridays 9 to 6, and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. We invite all residents to take part in the Summer Reading Challenge and join us for our many exciting summer events. Event calendars are available at the Library or on the Library’s website at ww.maldenpubliclibrary.org.

Lindsay & Her Puppet Pals: Tuesday, August 1, 3:00 p.m.

Lindsay’s funny, fast paced, and highly interactive variety show delights the young and the young at heart! Kids will meet several larger-than-life, hand-crafted puppets. Maybe a dancing robot, a shy dragon, a heroic tiger, or a singing dinosaur! Come find out who’s making an appearance this time!

Lindsay has been performing full time since 2011. Through animated storytelling and thoughtful messaging, she hopes to inspire creative play, resilience, and empathy in even the youngest. She also believes shared joy and laughter strengthens communities. This program is a great fit for ages 3-8 and families.

This program is funded by Preotle, Lane & Associates.

 

Summer Reading Program

Summer has returned and with it the Malden Public Library’s Summer Reading Program. To celebrate we have a number of beeautiful events, tasty treats, prizes, and other goodies to keep you active and engaged this summer. To start we have our annual Summer Reading Kickoff and Ice Cream Social. It all starts there: Thursday, June 22nd at 1pm.

At the kickoff we will have summer reading sign up for Adults, Teens, and Children, a selection of games, goodie bags, and of course frozen ice cream treats. We will also provide our calendar of summer events so you can plan your activities, wisely! And for those of you who would like to skip the line for registration, preregistration is available on our Beanstack page: bit.ly/BeanstackMPL2023   This year Beanstack even has an app available in the Apple and Google play stores. It makes logging your minutes, participating in games, and qualifying for prizes much easier on the go. We even have a handy guide to use it more effectively: Guide to setting up and using Beanstack

This year’s theme is based on the CSLP theme of “All Together Now”, which focuses on community and togetherness. We have adapted that theme to focus on the idea that “Little things done together make a big impact”. Whether it is reading for a few minutes on your lunch break, picking up litter on a walk, or committing to small acts of random kindess, the small moments add up to big improvements in our lives and communities. So join us, and do some little things just to see how big they become! Welcome to our Hive!

Welcome to Our Hive is sponsored by Preotle, Lane & Associates and Friends of the Malden Public Library.  Many thanks to them for making all this possible!

 

Medicare : Countdown to 65

Heather Hurd of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts will be at the Malden Public Library Monday,
June 266:00 – 7:00pm for “Planning for Medicare – Countdown to 65.”

This talk will discuss Medicare health insurance options outside of your
employer-sponsored coverage, whether or not you’re planning to retire.
Topics include:
• Medicare and Medicare Parts A and B
• Medicare enrollment timeline
• Medigap plans that supplement Medicare coverage

Let’s Talk About A Poem with Lloyd Schwartz June 10th

Gather online (Zoom) with a group of enthusiastic poetry lovers to talk about a monthly selection with Poet Lloyd Schwartz.  Our June program will feature the poem Mid-Term Break by Seamus Heaney.

To register for monthly updates and Zoom links sent right to your email click here: Sign up

This program is made possible by the Malden Public Library and the Academy of American Poets and funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

 

Movie Night: Wed., June 21st: 6:00-8:00pm

Join us for Movie Night on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 from 6:00-8:00pm. We will be showing a movie about a life-like robot, named M3GAN, whose AI becomes a little too intelligent.

“When Gemma suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady, Gemma’s unsure and unprepared to be a parent. Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with Cady in an attempt to resolve both problems-a decision that will have unimaginable consequences.” Rated PG-13 (104 min.) (2023) 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Free snacks will be provided. Movie times are approximate.