Interested in getting into genealogy but don’t know where to start? The Malden Public Library will be hosting Seema Kenney from the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, she will present a 90-minute workshop geared toward beginners. The event is free of charge and will take place on Monday, June 6th at 6:30PM. Register today with the link below or call the library at (781) 324-0218.
About our presenter: Seema Kenney. A wife, mother of 3, and entrepreneur, Seema is an experienced software instructor and a professional genealogist. Based on over 20 years of research, her known roots are deep in New England as well as England, Germany, & Sweden with DNA adding a line in The Netherlands. She has a certificate in Genealogical Research from BU, completed ProGen and is an active member of several societies and part of the NERGC planning committee. Seema is also certified as a Guided Autobiography Consultant and a Legacy Planner.
It’s April Fool’s Day! A day when our skepticism is high and many of our usual sources of information are playing tricks on us. Rather than return to business as usual tomorrow use today’s desire to trust but verify to improve your media literacy. Here are some infographics and links to help you become a savvier consumer of information!
Raising little readers can be a challenge, especially when there are so many things competing for your family’s attention. There are millions of books on the shelves, online games, new educational tools, and resources that are helpful but are difficult to find and preview. Because of this, the MPL staff are putting together a weekly resource for busy families called: MPL Kid’s Corner.
It premieres on Facebook and Instagram and it will highlight the many books and resources available to families with readers 0-12 years old, that are trying to promote a love of literacy and curiosity in their children. The easiest way to catch this content, is to follow either our Facebook or Instagram page (why not both?) You can also check our pages Thursday mornings at 10 am. We promise to keep the content fresh and interesting and mostly on time. 😉
This week’s post highlights our ebook resource: Tumble Books Library. TumbleBooks animate children’s books as a way to promote language acquisition and a joy of reading. They regularly update content with new titles, many books that you can find at the library, but with additional resources that help little readers learn to follow along and read on their own. You can watch the video here that introduces TumbleBooks and details how to get started. (Don’t forget you’ll need your library card # and library pin # for any library provided eResource.)
And keep an eye out for our new content weekly!
Check out our latest information about World Book Kids!
2021 is gone and I’m sure most of us can say we won’t entirely miss it. The 2020’s have been tough so far. And it has been hard to find things that bring joy and comfort in tough times. So the staff at the Malden Library has made a list of books, shows, and movies that helped them get through this long year. Hopefully you find something here to make your 2022 a little brighter. https://bit.ly/3zmMMUs
bell hooks has influenced, critiqued, shaped, and driven cultural thought for decades. Her passing has left a hole that will take many voices and many perspectives to fill. Here is a list of some of her enduring work as well as a link to her work and the work of others on whom she has had an impact.
Introducing: The Malden Library Secret Santa. On the main display pyramid is a sleigh load of carefully wrapped “presents”. The names and cover art are hidden but we have provided you with a redacted book description.
Choose something that speaks to you, or just let luck take over and pick a present at random. Check it out, unwrap, and enjoy. And best of all it is the present that doesn’t need any upkeep, or storage, or a special battery because…it’s a library item! When you are done, return it to share with the rest of your community. Libraries are gifts that keep on giving. So give it a try and maybe find your next favorite book or movie.
Not interested in the crowd of Black Friday shopping? Looking for something unique for your loved ones? Why not make your gifts, cards, wrappings and trappings this holiday season. Here are some suggestions from the Malden Librarians to help you craft a better gift this holiday season. Our Bibliocommons list
You can also check out our Creative Bug online craft site on our website all you need is your library card: Creative Bug
And for those of you on Libby look for our Craftsy link under the Boston Library tab. Scroll down and click the link to find lots of fun ideas to try at home.
For many of us this will be the first holiday season we can come back together with family and friends. The pandemic made a lot of new traditions, some good (duck breast for Thanksgiving, anyone?) Some not as good (8 hours of Zoom Xmas party.) But this year you might be craving those old school homey traditions so you can feel like things are closer to normal. Here is a list of titles to spark memories and get you making that famous sweet potato casserole your Nana always made.
And even if you are not gathering this year, these recipes and guides can help you put some sparkle in your Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s. And even better, you won’t have to pass potatoes to weird uncle Josephus.
The library is HAUNTED!!! 13 ghosts have moved into the stacks. Help the library catch and catalog these ghostly visitors by following the clues to each individual ghost and logging them on our Ghost Containment sheet. Once you’ve found all 13 ghosts bring the sheet to the Circulation desk and get a prize.
This program is best enjoyed with a cell phone QR code scanner, but there are printed clues with each ghost so don’t let technology get in the way of a ghostly good time!These ghosts are only here until the candy runs out, so come by for a little scavenger hunt fun!
If you watched the Inauguration on Wednesday you got to hear National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman read her poem “The Hill we Climb.” And on a day of speeches and performances by many famous people, her poem reminds us how important words and the arts are to our national identity.
While it is not entirely a tradition, the choice to feature a poet or writer at the Inauguration has been a personal choice by several Presidents. John F. Kennedy was the first to invite a poet when he asked Robert Frost to read at his inauguration on January 20th, 1961. Since then only five other poets have had the honor of speaking at this important event. The list includes: Maya Angelou, Miller Williams, Elizabeth Alexander, Richard Blanco and of course Robert Frost and Amanda Gorman. Their inclusion signals a willingness to honor arts and literature as a part of our national heritage and to remind us that literature can unite us in our shared humanity.
Want to read more?
If you would like to read the poetry of past and present Inaugurations or would like to see the other works by these honored writers, follow the link to our Bibliocommons list to request works by these remarkable writers. See what these poets felt and wrote that inspired Presidents and people past and present. Also included at the bottom of the post are recordings from each inaugural reading. So watch and listen to the authors reading words at the Capitol.
Robert Frost on January 20, 1961 at the Inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. The Poem is “The Gift Outright” which had a dedication written for the occasion that Frost was unable to read because of the glare, so he recited the poem itself from memory.
Maya Angelou on January 20, 1993 at the first Inauguration of President Bill Clinton. The poem is “On the Pulse of Morning”.
Miller Williams on January 20, 1997 at the second Inauguration of President Bill Clinton. The poem is “Of History and Hope”.
Elizabeth Alexander on January 20, 2009 at the first inauguration of President Barack Obama. The poem is “Praise Song for the Day”.
Richard Blanco on January 20, 2013 at the second inauguration of President Barack Obama. The poem is “One Today”.
Amanda Gorman on January 20, 2021 at the Inauguration of President Joseph R. Biden Jr. The poems is: “The Hill we Climb”.
