Blog: Featured

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Beauty of Nature – Prints and Poetry of Joel Cooper and Deborah Gordon Cooper

Posted on by Dora St. Martin

Beauty of Nature will be on exhibit from September 28 through November 22, 2024 in the Converse Art Galleries of the Malden Public Library.  Open Wednesdays 2-4 PM; for additional gallery hours or to schedule a group tour,  call 781-324-0218.

From National Gardener Magazine (Fall, 2024).  “The Coopers … worked together delightfully. It took Joel about 100 hours to create a print. Once completed, he would place it on an easel in the middle of everything, hoping that Deborah would find that little thread to inspire the poem that might express the feelings that print brought out in her, much like a fairy tale. Sadly, Joel passed away in 2021.” The Cooper family has donated 85 of Joel’s prints to the Malden Public Library’s Art Collection. The current exhibit showcases 30 prints and poems created by the Coopers over the past 40 years. The exhibition is made possible by the generous contributions of John Giso, Michael Nuttall, Martin Cooper, Kim Taylor and the Trustees of the Malden Public Library.

Joel Cooper (April 16, 1945-October 13, 2021) began fine art screen printing in 1989, having been introduced to the process through a workshop at the Duluth Art Institute. Joel was a talented printer for over 28 years, with a portfolio of over 170 prints. His work has been exhibited at various Duluth Art Institute shows including the Arrowhead Regional Biennial Exhibits. In February 1998 a collaborative show, As We See It, took place at the Duluth Art Institute. It combined 42 screen prints along with poems by his wife, Deborah Gordon Cooper and this began a series of many exhibits they did together, including the Northern Prints Gallery and the Johnson heritage Post Gallery in Grand Marais. Joel owned and operated Cooper Enterprises in Duluth for over forty years and was a founding member of the Northern Printmakers Alliance.

Deborah Cooper is the author of six collections of poetry, including Between the Ceiling & the Moon (Finishing Line Press 2008), Under the Influence of Lilacs (Clover Valley Press 2010) and Blue Window (Clover Valley Press 2017). Deborah’s work has been published in numerous journals and anthologies, among them two collections by her writing group of over thirty years, most recently Bound Together: Like the Grasses (Clover Valley Press 2013). She has co-edited anthologies published by Holy Cow Press: Beloved on the Earth, The Heart of All That Is and Amethyst & Agate. Deborah has conducted writing circles with homeless individuals in her community. She has taught poetry classes in jails and juvenile centers for many years. Deborah was honored to serve as the Duluth Minnesota Poet Laureate from 2012 to 2014.

 

Clean Water Action

Posted on by Stephen Deloney

Getting the lead out

Join us at the Malden Public Library for a presentation by Clean Water Action and the Mystic Valley NAACP on the status of lead piping here in Malden, the effects this has on our community, and how you can be part of the solution. Registration is not required but is requested.

*Earlier advertisements listed the availability of Free Child Care at this event. Unfortunately we are unable to make this accommodation.

 

https://maldenpubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/clean-water-action/

 

For more information about Clean Water Action’s work in the Malden area:

https://cleanwater.org/2024/09/12/bringing-lead-service-lines-surface-malden

Remembering Dina Malgeri

Posted on by Caron Guigli

Former Library Director Dina Malgeri (1929-2024) passed away last evening, soon after celebrating her 95th birthday .  Dina was a fierce advocate for the Library and I am sure everyone has their own personal stories of her amazing time as Director from 1972 to 2013.

For those that never got a chance to meet Ms. Malgeri, we are attaching a lovely article that was in the Boston Globe at her retirement, as well as the UMA video of Dina touring the Library.

https://www.boston.com/uncategorized/noprimarytagmatch/2013/02/23/library-losing-its-top-advocate/

https://maldenpubliclibrary.org/converse-art-archives/converse-memorial-building/virtual-tours/

Here are a few words from our community about Dina Malgeri’s legacy.

Miss Malgeri
“was the smartest and most well-read person I have ever met. She was well-versed in almost all topics from books and music to art, politics, history, film, theater, languages, social issues, Boston history and the Red Sox. She was a classic, old-school Librarian, who honored the importance of libraries in a community, honored the books on the shelves, was fair and considerate, had integrity, was dedicated, and knew that the people who visited the Malden Public Library were always the most important part of the Library. There will never be another Librarian quite like Dina Malgeri.”

–Stacy Holder
Miss Malgeri
“did an amazing job ensuring that the original Converse building was restored to its former dignity.”

–Rebecca Smith
My favorite memory
“of Miss Malgeri is celebrating birthdays with my family. She loved sharing chicken feet with me (that was one of her favorites). Over the years we shared lots of good food and memories.”

–Carol Woodruff
Moments
“Miss Malgeri was a great boss. She was fair and kind. She stood beside and helped me through some of the toughest times in my life. She was a real class act.”

–Marge Glennon

 

Malden Reads
“We thank you for your support and guidance for establishing Malden Reads 15 years ago. Our continued work promoting literacy and community is in part due to your hard work as Director. We have always resepected your involvement in the community and your ability to connect different groups around Malden for the benefit of the Library.

–Linda & Jodie Zalk Malden Reads
Dina
“was an independent spirit and a strong woman that did not fit the mold of many women of her era. Just before she retired, I had the pleasure of working on a documentary about the historic section of the Malden Public Library, along with my colleagues Ron Cox and Brent Robie. Dina hosted and narrated the video. That experience led to a continued connection after she retired where I learned more about her life and got a sense of her curious nature and her love for books and learning and culture. We exchanged good old fashioned letters – hers were handwritten, mine were typed, and I occasionally visited her in her beloved North End neighborhood, where she grew up and lived till the very end of her life. She never drove a car and proudly called herself a city person who commuted by public transportation to work during her 40+ years at the library. She loved reading the Boston Globe every day, along with reading and listening to books. She deeply loved the Malden Public Library and the community she served.

–Anne Durso Rose Trustee

The Friends

When I started volunteering with the Friends, over 20 years ago, I usually had the booksale room to myself, because no one else wanted to sort the donations and organize the shelves.  It became my hobby.  Dina would show up carrying a heavy box of donations, and I would insist on going back with her to her workroom, to fetch the rest of them.  I loved chatting with her—she was interested in everything and everyone.  I was soon telling people at the library, “I want to be Dina when I grow up!”  I often brought a bag lunch to eat in the booksale room, and Dina would sometimes join me, so we could keep on talking.  She had fascinating stories about growing up in the North End, working in army base libraries overseas, all the history she’d seen, and her decades at the Malden Public.  She never seemed to eat much at those lunches, and she didn’t care for sweets, but she liked to bring me pastries from her favorite North End bakery.
She must have been in her seventies then, and she had more energy than I’d ever had at any age.  Even when she started having medical problems or injured herself falling in the winter, she was indomitable.  I was still telling people, “I want to be Dina when I grow up!”
Now I’m in my seventies, and I still do.
–Devra Kunin

Housing Assistance Drop-In Hours

Posted on by Katie Walsh

Free legal assistance for those with housing concerns, no appointment necessary! Just come by the Malden Public Library between 10am-12pm to speak with an attorney about eviction, financial assistance, affordable housing, etc. Brought to you by the Malden Office of Housing Stability, and held on the 4th Wednesday of every month in Study Room 1. If you have questions, please reach out to (781) 322-9119 ext. 146, or email housingstability@cityofmalden.org.

Memory Kits from the Library of Things

Posted on by Katie Walsh
Now available from the Library of Things: Memory Kits! Memory kits are designed for people with dementia and other cognitive impairments (and their caregivers/loved ones) to help inspire memories on favorite topics, encourage conversation, or promote quiet enjoyment. Each kit comes with a combination of books, a CD/DVD, an activity, and an object to engage with, and each kit will have a different theme, including gardening, fishing, classic cars, birdwatching, and baking/cooking. More kits will be added soon, but we’re excited to offer our first memory kit, which is all about the Red Sox! This kit includes:
• Red Sox Matching Card Game (36 pieces)
• “The Boston Red Sox: Essential Games of Fenway Park” (6 full games, ranging from 1967-2007 on DVD)
• Baseball glove
• “The Hometown Team: Four Decades of Boston Red Sox Photography” by Steve Babineau & Mike Shalin
• “The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide for Caring for People with Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias” by Nancy L. Mace & Peter V. Rabins
• Resources folder
Memory kits can be checked out for 3 weeks at a time by patrons with a Malden library card in good standing. Be sure to keep an eye out as we add more memory kits, and you can place a hold on the “Let’s Go Red Sox! Memory Kit” now by calling 781-324-0218, or visiting this link:

Community Resources for New Arrivals

Posted on by Katie Walsh

Being an integral part of the Malden community, the Malden Public Library provides the following community links and a resource to our local population. Here are some updated links and resources that may be useful to community members who are new to Malden and/or the United States, and those who wish to support them!

Click the name of the organization to be taken to their website; when available, direct contact information for the organization will be listed beneath their description. Descriptions in quotations come directly from the organizations linked.

New Arrivals Resources

Brazilian Workers Center

“The Brazilian Worker Center is a non-profit organization that capacitates immigrant workers to learn about workplace rights, immigration, and health equity. We empower immigrants with knowledge and skills to promote economic, social, political and racial justice for all.”

The Family Welcome Center at the Allston BWC provides assistance and resources (including emergency housing) to new arrivals from many countries.

The Everett Haitian Community Center

“The Everett Haitian Community Center (EHCC) is proud to have been serving immigrant and marginalized communities in Everett and Greater Boston for the past 7 years.” EHCC offers assistance with housing, food, citizenship classes, employment, and more.

MIRA Resources (Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition):

“MIRA is the largest coalition in New England promoting the rights and integration of immigrants and refugees. With offices in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, we advance this mission through education and training, leadership development, institutional organizing, strategic communications, policy analysis and advocacy.”

MIRA Citizenship Application Assistance

MIRA Immigration Advocate Legal Helpline

“This helpline number is open to all Massachusetts-based providers serving immigrants and refugees and accepts voicemails 24/7 at (508) 293-1871. This helpline operates as a non-emergency service.

  • Callers are asked to leave a voicemail with their contact details and their inquiry (without disclosing any client-specific information).
  • The MIRA Helpline staff will review voicemails to assess urgency, directing urgent inquiries to our Staff Attorney for immediate response.
  • If a caller seeks resources, these will be sent via email.
  • For all other matters requiring an attorney’s response, the Helpline staff will arrange a callback and provide further instructions.
  • For expedited service, providers are encouraged to fill out the online intake form. Once the form is submitted, providers don’t need to call the helpline, the team will reach out to them with a response to their inquiry.”

Immediate Resources for Immigrants (MIRA): Links and contact information for emergency assistance shelter, Family Welcome Centers, Food/Nutrition/Medical Resources.

Immigrant Support Alliance, Melrose, MA (website under construction)

“A nonprofit coalition of volunteers that partners with resettlement agencies to provide food, housing, financial, and social support to our clients, helping them on their journey towards becoming independent, contributing members of our communities.”

  • info@immigrantsupportalliance.org

The Immigrant Learning Center, Malden, MA

The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc. (ILC) is a not-for-profit organization. The English Language Program provides free, year-round ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes to help immigrant and refugee adults in Greater Boston become successful workers, parents and community members.

  • (781) 322-9777

Rian Immigrant Center

“Rian empowers immigrants, refugees, and international exchange visitors on the path to opportunity, safety and a better future.” Rian provides immigration legal services, English classes, citizenship classes, resource and support services, education & career services, International Exchange Visitor Visa Program, community building opportunities, and advocating for just and humane immigration policies.

  • (617) 542-7654

 

Tech Help Drop-In

Posted on by Marita Coombs

Do you need help setting up an email account, figuring out your new phone, or updating your laptop?

Come to our tech help drop-in, where a librarian can assist you with technology related questions.

2-3pm, every Thursday!

Assistance will be on a first come, first served basis.  Please bring any relevant usernames, passwords, or devices.

 

In-Library Chromebooks Now Available!

Posted on by Katie Walsh

 

Need to take a Zoom call in a study room, or prefer to do some online work upstairs? Chromebooks are now available for in-library use! You can borrow a Chromebook (along with a mouse and charger) for up to 4 hours with an adult Malden library card in good standing. Chromebooks do not have Microsoft Word and cannot connect directly to the printer, but you can ask a librarian to help you print. Late fees of $.50/hour do apply.

New Library of Things!

Posted on by Katie Walsh

Doing some home improvements, planning an outdoor expedition, or thinking of picking up a new hobby? Check out Malden Public Library’s new “Library of Things”! We are excited to be providing a wide variety of items, including a metal detector, telescope, binoculars, Blu-Ray player, photo scanner, and more to come. The Library of Things is available to borrow from for free, to adult Malden residents with a Malden library card in good standing. Items can be checked out for two weeks at a time. For more information, contact the library at 781-324-0218, or check out the Library of Things online on our website here.