PAWSing to R.E.A.D. is a reading enrichment program for beginning or hesitant readers in grades one, two, or three. Amidst the giggles and tail wagging, readers’ confidence, fluency, word recognition, and comprehension improve! The dogs and their handlers are therapy registered and certified through Delta Society Pet Partners, Tufts Paws for People, and have completed the Reading Education Assistance Dogs workshop. Under the new format, participants will read to a therapy dog once a week for 15 minutes for 3 weeks. Space is limited so we ask that registrants commit to the entirety of the session they sign up for. Three week sessions are available in the months of February, March, April, and May and all sessions will meet on Saturday mornings. If your child could benefit from participating in this wonderful reading enrichment program, please register by calling the Children’s Room, Grafton Public Library at 508-839-4649 xt 4.
Entrepreneurs are invited to attend a session on Wednesday, February 11 at 2:00 pm to gain a better understanding about how to start a business, and learn about the various SBA programs and services that are available to prospective entrepreneurs or current business owners who need assistance in starting or expanding a business.
The session is presented by Norman Eng of Small Business Administration and Ili Spahiu, Small Business Development and Loan Manager at RCAP Solutions.
General information will be provided on the following programs and services:
FREE Mentoring & Counseling: SCORE, Massachusetts Small Business Development Centers, Center for Women & Enterprise
Government Contracting Opportunities: 8(a) Business Development, HUBZones (Historically Underutilized Business Zones), and Small Disadvantaged Business.
Disaster Assistance
Guest speakers will be Norman Eng from the Small Business Administration and Ili Spahiu, Small Business Development and Loan Manager at RCAP Solutions.
To RSVP please contact Norman Eng at 617-565-8510 or Norman.Eng@sba.gov or stop by the Library.
For questions, please contact the Heidi Fowler at the Grafton Public Library graftonlibrary.ma@gmail.com or 508-839-4649.
The Grafton Public Library thanks UniBank for partially funding the acquisition of an Early Literacy Station™ (ELS) through the UniBank Charitable Giving Program. An ELS is a standalone tablet computer (not connected to the Internet) that comes preloaded with over 70 educational software programs for kids ages 2–8. Since space is such an issue in our Library, we are so excited to have a portable tablet ELS that we can use in-house and take on the road.
The ELS is designed to support school readiness and early education while making learning exciting and engaging. The applications span reading, language arts, math, science, STEM, social studies, writing, graphic arts, typing, music, and more. The content is correlated to Common Core standards. Software features popular characters from Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer and Spongebob Squarepants.
“The Early Literacy Station is an invaluable resource for our toddlers to 5th grade students,” says Sarah Banister, Children’s Librarian. “The tablet decreases the digital divide in our community by providing access to touch screen technology and learning software. As with all technology, parent supervision and limits are encouraged in making our ELS part of a balanced media diet.”
The ELS will be available in the Children’s Room in the New Year. UniBank for Savings is a community bank with ten area branches. AWE is a provider of digital learning solutions for young children that inspire a lifetime of learning. For more information, visit www.awelearning.com. For more details about the ELS station, please contact Sarah Banister, Children’s Librarian, at 508-839-4649 or by email at graftonlibrary.ma@gmail.com
The Grafton Public Library will remain CLOSED on Saturday January 24 due to Winter Storm Iola.
In celebration of National Readathon Day, please stay home and curl up with a good good book! Why not take a photo and post to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or your favorite social media site? Tag it #timetoread and join readers across America in sitting down to read a book this afternoon – committing to read for up to four straight hours.
Join families nationwide on Saturday, February 7th for activities and events at their local libraries! The Library is an important part of our community – the perfect place to gather, play & learn! We will be celebrating with an animal storytime at 11:00 a.m. Then join us for Animal Adventures, a special live animal show, at 1:00 p.m. and a second show at 2:30 p.m. Meet and greet exotic animals in this all-ages show. Space is limited to 40 participants per session. Please register for this program by picking up your ticket from the Library. One ticket per person is required for admission. Tickets are now available for pick up in the Children’s Room on a first come, first served basis. Stick around after the animal show to color your own animal mask at 3 p.m.
Don’t have a Grafton Library Card? The first 50 children to register for a card will receive a special library card holder.
For more details about the day or the Animal Adventures program, please contact Sarah Banister, Children’s Librarian, at 508-839-4649 or email sbanister@cwmars.org
What is a Nerdfighter, you ask? Well, if you’re wondering that, you probably are one. Don’t worry: it’s a good thing. If you want to know more, join us for our first meeting at the Grafton Public Library on Saturday, January 31st from 1-4pm. We’ll watch vlogbrothers videos, learn more about Nerdfighters, share our nerdiness, and plan future Nerdfighter events. Snacks are also a definite.
Nerdfighters originally started with New York Times bestselling author John Green (The Fault in Our Stars) and his brother Hank. In 2007, the two brothers decided, in an attempt to reconnect, to communicate exclusively by videoblog, or vlogging, for a whole year, removing all textual communication. Along the way, they had created more than videos, but an entire community of unique and creative people. These people are commonly referred to as Nerdfighters. Years later, that community is stronger than ever, with vlogbrothers channel being in the Most Subscribed Channels of All Time list on You Tube and spawning many other successful projects, such as DFTBA Records, VidCon, CrashCourse, SciShow and hankgames. More information about Nerdfighters can also be found at http://nerdfighters.ning.com/.
For more details or to register for the program, please contact Allison Cusher, Teen Librarian, at 508-839-4649 or by email at acusher@cwmars.org
The Grafton Public Library seeks Grafton residents to volunteer to serve on a diverse planning committee that will assist in setting Library service priorities for the next five years for the Grafton Public Library. Participants MUST attend two focus group meetings, scheduled for 8:30AM-12 noon at the Library (35 Grafton Common, Grafton MA) on Saturday February 28 and Saturday April 25. The successful candidates should have a strong working knowledge of the Grafton community, and may or may not be a current Library user.
The meetings will be facilitated by Library Consultant Sunny Vandermark. Meetings will include defining a vision for the community served by the Library, brainstorming, and conducting analysis of the Library’s Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and Results. The feedback gathered will be used to develop a Long Range Plan for 2016-2020. Meeting attendance is mandatory for planning committee members. Continental breakfast will be provided.
A Long Range Plan is a written document that provides goals, measurable objectives and specific activities for Library staff to carry out. Strategic planning isn’t new; it is a routine part of running a successful Library, and considered to be a standard of best practices in library management. A Long Range Plan spanning five years is required by the MA Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) for any library that wishes to apply for grant funding.
The Long Range Plan is reviewed annually at the September meeting of the Board of Library Trustees, and the Library Director must update a plan of action for the Library and send it to the MBLC each December.
As the current Long Range Plan expires in December 2015, it’s time to see where we are going, next! Anyone can review the current 2011-2015 Long Range Plan, as well as the FY 2016 Activity Plan (which runs through 12/31/2015).
Can’t commit? Bored by meetings? You can still provide valuable input! Please take the Library Satisfaction Survey, produced by the MA Board of Library Commissioners, at http://mblc.countingopinions.com/s/10259.
If you are interested in participating in the Long Range Planning process and joining the planning committee, please contact Beth Gallaway, Library Director, to get an information packet, at bgallaway@cwmars.org or 508-839-4649.
When dealing with the British monarchy, there is no better author than Philippa Gregory. Her heavily researched historical novels are instant successes, and The King’s Curse is no exception.
Because the history of the British monarchy is so vast, I feel the need for a point of reference to acclimate myself. The only way I could even begin to follow the life of Mary Pole, a Plantagenet, was with her connection to Henry VIII, the subject of the curse.
It was through the television series, The Tudors , that I came to know about the rise and fall of Henry VIII, his incessant desire for male heirs, and the many women whose lives were devastated by his whims. It was the soap opera of the 16th century.
Philippa Gregory uses the voice of Mary Pole who was of royal descent. She became the guardian to Arthur, the young Price of Wales, who was wed to Katherine of Aragon. Katherine was the daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. After Arthur’s premature death, Katherine married her brother-in-law, Henry VIII.
At one time Mary was in favor at the court, but as Katherine failed for ten years to produce a son both women were cast aside while Henry moved on to Anne Boleyn.
This is but the framework of the drama. How Mary managed to raise her family as a widow, keep track of her lands and household and remain in the king’s good graces makes for intensive reading, all 600 pages of it.
As Mary becomes more and more ostracized, much of what happens at court is revealed to her by her sons who remain in the king’s favor. While Henry is the mover and the shaker, Mary brings a different viewpoint to what the country endured over an increasingly tyrannical and out of control king.
Although we are now only interested in Kate, William, Baby George and Harry, it’s fascinating to see how royal families evolve. Excellent historical reading…
Learn the basic concepts of Computer Science with drag and drop programming. Discover repeat-loops, conditions, and basic algorithms with the …read more
The Grafton Public Library thanks UniBank for partially funding the acquisition of an Early Literacy Station™ (ELS) through the UniBank Charitable Giving Program. An ELS is a standalone tablet computer (not connected to the Internet) that comes preloaded with over 70 educational software programs for kids ages 2–8. Since space is such an issue in our Library, we are so excited to have a portable tablet ELS that we can use in-house and take on the road.
