Author Archives:Site Admin
3
DecMore than a Century of Directorship
Many times over the past decade, I would rise from my chair in my quiet office, one in which I had just spent hours at my computers on spreadsheets and memos. I would glance around the entrance and tall wooden office door to watch the work of my peers – those librarians whose commitment and perseverance always astound me. I would smile at the morning gentleman or the group of afternoon mothers who surrounded our jigsaw puzzle table, finishing yet another 1000-piece challenge. I would hear captivated children sing and clap during yet another story hour in the Simoni Room. I would listen to our tired, but dutiful grandfather clock chime the hour. One of my favorite things to do was to lead visitors on a tour of the second floor, as I pointed out the beauty of the stained-glass windows, multiple fireplaces, and details of the 19th Century architecture. I never neglected to expound on the generosity of the Morrill family, and I could endlessly gaze at the beauty of this library given to the Town in 1898 in honor of a daughter, a young Sarah Bond Morrill, who died at the age of 23.
In January 1898, when thirty-two-year-old “Jennie” Hewitt spent her first day in the new Morrill Memorial Library, she was accompanied by one assistant. Both of their salaries totaled a bit over $300 per year. Ms. Hewett came from Canton, MA, where she had worked at the Canton library. Many libraries did not require a master’s degree in librarianship in 1898, and Hewett did not have one. However, the Norwood trustees were fully assured that Hewett would triumphantly lead the library through the turn of the 19th century.
And she did lead, for three more decades. By the time she retired in 1939 in her seventies, her staff had grown to seven assistants. The library’s holdings and circulation had increased by thousands, and the Morrill Memorial Library possessed what might have been the first Young Adult (Intermediate) Room in the Commonwealth. She was far ahead of her time, recognizing the importance of community involvement and her own professional work outside of Norwood. Norwood had weathered WWI, the Pandemic of 1918, and the economic crash of 1929. Upon her retirement, the Daily Messenger, one of Norwood’s newspapers, awarded Hewitt Forty-One Gold Service Stars for her 41 years of service. The townspeople saluted her, and the trustees regaled her.
In 1939, Edna Phillips stepped into Ms. Jennie’s shoes. Edna was, perhaps, the most professional and accomplished director the library has known. She started her career as a librarian near her home in Edgewater, New Jersey. Dutifully, she served in WWI from 1918-1919 in both France and Germany with the YMCA. She returned home to continue her work as a librarian in East Orange, New Jersey. Obviously, both courageous and energetic, Edna was also intelligent and was awarded a Carnegie Fellowship at Columbia University. She came to Massachusetts as the director of the Sawyer Free Library in Gloucester.
While working in Norwood from 1939-1962, she was professionally connected across the country. She served on the American Library Association Council and traveled to conferences in San Francisco, Chicago, and Florida. She spoke locally across the Commonwealth and regionally across New England at conferences and workshops. She contributed book lists on the cultural achievement of the North American Indian and led seminars on immigrant relations.
Unfortunately, the Massachusetts Legislature abandoned the practice of delaying mandatory retirement at the age of 65, and Ms. Edna was forced to retire at the age of 71 in 1962. In a tribute by the Norwood Woman’s Club, it states that “for her graciousness and serenity [she] is a shining example of effective womanhood.” Like Jane Hewitt before her, Edna was a devoted public servant and beloved librarian. When she passed away in 1968, she left a sizeable portion of her will. In the library’s renovation in 2001, the second floor’s reference room was dedicated as the Edna Phillips Reference Room.
From 1963 to 1968, Charles Joyce was perhaps the most notorious library director, as library directors go. His directorship was marked by finishing a complete renovation and expansion of the library in 1964, doubling the library’s size and moving the front door close to Walpole Street. He hired a staff of master-degreed librarians who dared to move the library far into the 20th Century. In the winter of 1968, however, Joyce and all of his professional staff resigned over a controversy with the library board of trustees.
In September of 1968, Barbara Jordan from Pittsburgh, PA, was appointed director. She was originally a Norwood native, and upon her return to Norwood, she brought 35 years of experience to the library. Just two brief years later, she retired from the library. Her achievements were acquiring a lending library of art and a microfilm reader.
Virginia Pauwels arrived in the winter of 1971 from Texas. During her tenure, she published a short pamphlet which was a criticism of Henry Ward Beecher’s Norwood or Village Life in New England.
Norwood was a fictional town of 5,000 in western Massachusetts, written by Beecher in 1868. Whether or not the Town of Norwood was named after this fictional account is doubted by many. Pauwels retired in the winter of 1973 to take a position in southern California. Interestingly, she had just attended a conference there and missed the “vastness of the West.”
Carl Himmelsbach succeeded Pauwels as library director in the fall of 1973. From New York state, Mr. Himmelsbach received his master’s degree from the University of Rhode Island and lived in Franklin when appointed. He and librarians in Dedham and Westwood were instrumental in developing a library in the Norfolk County House of Corrections. Himmelsbach oversaw enormous technological changes in the 80s and encouraged the expansion of the outreach program. With trustee Eleanor Monahan, Himmelsbach developed the successful literacy tutor program that is a now a shining example in the Commonwealth. In 1988, he retired after 14 years of directorship.
Mary Phinney had come to Norwood as the Technical Services librarian in 1971, hailing from Amelia Island off the coast of Florida. To this day, Mary makes Norwood her home. When she was promoted in 1988 to the directorship, Mary quickly began work with the trustees to plan a major renovation project to the building, then nearly a century old in 1988. Mary, the trustees, and the Town’s building committee took a modern 1965 addition, one that took away from the beauty of the 1898 building, and planned a library that blended new technology and diverse collections with the library’s original classic architecture. Mary led the library through admission into the Minuteman Library System. She retired in 2008 after twenty years of directorship.
I take enormous pride in the honor of having been the eighth director of the Morrill Memorial Library in the past 123 years. My twelve year term of service in Norwood was not the longest, nor the shortest. I followed seven other passionate and dedicated directors, all public servants. I know that others with that same passion will come after me. In a few short weeks, that new director will be chosen, and his or her personal books, artwork, and photographs will make the 2nd-floor director’s office home to a new administration. I am assured that this new directorship will be with the same awe, passion, and dedication to serving the Town of Norwood.
Charlotte Canelli is the Director of the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. Look for her article in the December 3, 2020 issue of the Transcript and Bulletin.
30
NovImagiCrafting
As the cold weather sets in here in the Northeast we find ourselves turning more and more to indoor activities. This has always been the case, but especially in the current climate of staying home and social distancing, we’re seeking out more and more creative outlets we can pursue at home. Some of us are long-time Crafters with a capital C, others are picking up a new hobby we’ve always wanted to try, and still others aren’t quite ready to break out the spray paint and glue sticks but are happy to take a virtual tour of the possibilities. If you don’t already have a craft project on the go or queued up, where do you look for inspiration?
Enter “ImagiCrafting.” Now, if you type “imagicraft” into the Google search box, all the results will be websites and blogs pertaining to the popular children’s computer game, MineCraft. This is not an article about MineCraft – if you came for computer game talk you came to the wrong place.
ImagiCraft, in my usage here, is a more craftually inclusive version of “ImagiKnitting.” If there’s something I want to knit I imagine it… ImagiKnit… ImagiKnitting. Imagine craft… ImagiCraft… Imagicrafting. See? I didn’t coin the phrase ImagiKnit, which has been making the rounds in knitting circles for at least a few years, but the concept could be applied beyond knitting to all sorts of crafts.
But, where to start? The side effect of our hyper-connected world is that we’re sometimes paralyzed by too many choices. From blogs to websites to YouTube channels, books, magazines, digital magazines, Pinterest, and more, it’s easy to be swamped by information overload and a glut of options. Sometimes you just need someone to cut through the noise and point out sources they most like for inspiration.
And since you asked, I’d recommend starting with free resources! Free resources through the library, to be precise. If you’re looking for crafts to do with children you should definitely check out our Children’s Department’s calendar of events, as they put together take-home kits for weekly craft projects and sensory skills building. Videos from their past make-and-take crafts can be found on the library’s YouTube channel, so browse the back catalog for ImagiCraft inspiration.
For craftually curious adults and teens however, I have a few recommendations. For someone interested in browsing pretty pictures for ImagiCrafting (read: all of us), check out our digital magazines. We have titles available through two free apps, Flipster and Libby. Hobby and craft titles of interest on Flipster include Crochet!, Do It Yourself, Better Homes & Gardens, This Old House, and Birds & Blooms. Crafting magazine titles on Libby include Simply Knitting, Cardmaking and Papercraft, and an array of home and garden magazines. If cooking is your creative outlet we have many cooking magazine titles available digitally on both apps and in hard copy.
Speaking of hard copy magazines, you can browse and borrow all the back issues of our physical magazines and books. While the latest issues of magazines don’t circulate, we keep at least two years worth of popular titles like Vogue Knitting, Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes & Garden, and Family Handyman, not to mention cooking and home and garden titles. And the books, oh my goodness the crafting books. Crafting subjects range from knit and crochet to sewing, rug hooking, quilting, jewelry making, painting, weaving, paper crafts, calligraphy, and model and miniature building. Most of our craft and hobby books can be found on the second floor with a few subjects up on the Mezzanine level, if you’d like to browse in person. You can also request items online to pick up in the library or through our curbside pickup service. I recommend loading up on a few favorite titles and cozying up at home to binge and ImagiCraft to your heart’s content.
If you’ve been inspired by ImagiCrafting and now you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and get started, we can help you begin without investing money in new tools and gadgets. Our Library of Things collection has lots of crafting tools to borrow, including knitting needles, crochet hooks, blocking mats and pins, jewelry pliers, embroidery hoops, a leather punch tool, CriCut accessories, an embosser, and more. Visit our second floor to browse the collection, or type “Norwood Library of Things” into our online catalog to request items from home.
We may be distancing and hunkering down in our homes, but that doesn’t mean we need to craft alone. If you need a second pair of eyes to make sense of a pattern or fix a dropped stitch, we’re offering individual Stitch Doctor appointments to provide knitting help at the library. We also have a crafting group that meets on Zoom twice a month called Virtual Craft Connection. The link to drop in and join us is on our library events calendar, no need to sign up in advance. Join us to share your latest ImagiCraft inspiration!
Liz Reed is the Adult Services Librarian at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. Look for her article in the November 26, 2020 issue of the Transcript and Bulletin.
19
NovThis Land
The program is called the “This Land” production, a play that is being produced about the voyage and experience of the Pilgrims when they landed here in New England. However, what makes this presentation unique is that the story is being told from the perspective of the Wampanoag Tribe, and it’s being produced and shown in Plymouth, U.K. The production will be performed at the Theatre Royal in Plymouth, England, as part of their Mayflower 400 celebration (the U.K equivalent of our Plymouth 400 celebration). The production will have a cast of 400 members from the U.K. and 30 members from the Wampanoag Tribe. Jennifer’s email was inquiring if there were libraries that were interested in helping out with the program, specifically for the purpose of showing a recording of the production across multiple libraries in the Commonwealth. I was eager to help show this very unique program at the Morrill Memorial Library for our community to watch.
I, along with many other librarians in Massachusetts, met at the Plymouth Public Library on a regular basis to work out details about the project. At our meetings, we were updated on the status of the production by a representative from the Theatre Royal, and we worked out the logistics of showing the recording to the public. We were getting close to finalizing the showing of the presentation in June 2020, but of course, before the production could take place, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. As with many things in 2020, the pandemic complicated and delayed the “This Land” production. Despite its postponement, which has been rescheduled to 2021, I still remain passionate about the project and remain hopeful that one day in the future I will be able to showcase it at the library.
What makes the “This Land” production so special is that it is a great example of how libraries in Massachusetts were participating in a truly one of a kind international program that fosters both global and underrepresented voices and opinions. It is a play about a historical event, as told from the perspective of the Wampanoag Tribe, who suffered from the Pilgrims’ arrival, and whose perspective on this historical event and the Thanksgiving holiday is rarely taken into account. The play was to take place and be produced in the U.K., and excluding the 30 Wampanoag Tribe members who were to be part of the performance, the cast was to be made up of people from the U.K. As you can imagine, the landing of the Pilgrims in New England carries a different cultural weight and meaning to those in the U.K. than it does to us in the United States.
Of all these factors, what I find most intriguing about this production is that it is giving a forum and voice to a people who have a very strong, and a very different view of, the Mayflower landing in Plymouth. Here in New England, the ancestors of the Wampanoag tribe still grapple and wrestle with the ramifications of that historical event, and what it means to them as a people today. Nick Stimson, the writer of “This Land,” took the input and perspective of the Wampanoag very seriously. Along with the narrative being driven by their perspective, personal reflections of their thoughts about the Mayflower landing, and its impact on their culture, were to be included at the end of the production. This perspective is understandably very different from the story that I, and many of us reading, learned about when we were taught about the holiday as kids.
As I worked and learned more about “This Land,” my interest in the project underwent a dramatic shift. I initially was drawn to the project out of my own personal love for the town I was born in, but as I learned more, I realized I wanted to know more about the perspective of the Wampanoag tribe. I wanted to know why their perspective on Thanksgiving was so starkly contrasted with my own opinions on the holiday. Learning more about the indigenous perspective on the ramifications of the Mayflower landing was sometimes challenging for me, and continues to be challenging to me. I had to adopt a different perspective of a holiday that I love, and had to re-evaluate the historical stories that were embedded in me since a young age. It’s not easy to wrestle with hard truths and different perspectives about history, but I believe it is necessary to do so in order to get a truer understanding of our nation’s history. Even though the “This Land” production has been delayed, my work with the project imbued me with a new understanding and appreciation for the Wampanoag Tribe, and other indigenous peoples in the United States.
Want to know more about “This Land?” Check out the website and listen to music that will be featured in the production on Hoopla.
“This Land” website: theatreroyal.com/whats-on/this-land/
Music: “A Pilgrim’s Tale” by Seth Lakeman – Available though our Hoopla app.
Celebrate National Native American Heritage month with these great titles by Indigenous Authors:
Where the Dead Sit Talking – Brandon Hobson
House Made of Dawn – M. Scott Momaday
Pushing the Bear: A Novel of the Trail of Tears – Diane Glancy
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian – Sherman Alexie
There There – Tommy Orange
Perma Red – Debra Magpie Erling
Heart Berries: A Memoir – Terese Marie Mailhot
Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land – Toni Jensen
Brian DeFelice is the Information Technology Librarian at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. Look for his article in the November 19, 2020 issue of the Transcript and Bulletin.
12
NovCoping With COVID
A lot of feedback has been received about how the older children and their teachers are coping. I wondered how the wee ones and their teachers were doing. To find out, I interviewed Mr. Tim, the President and Pre-K teacher at Norwood Christian Preschool.
In light of the pandemic, would you say that preschool teachers are essential?
Mr. Tim: I guess it depends on your definition of “essential.” Hospital workers are essential or people will die. Liquor stores are considered essential in Massachusetts, but people do not need alcohol to survive. Since ECE isn’t mandatory in MA, you could make a case that our vocation is not essential, but try telling that to a harried mother or father who is expected to maintain and even exceed previous workloads while trying to be an entertainment coordinator, a referee, an art teacher, a language and communication specialist, and Zoom meeting expert. Suddenly, early educators seem invaluable.
How have the COVID-19 mandates affected your school?
Mr. Tim: It has dramatically impacted our school. We are going through bleach as if it’s water; we surface-contact clean everything four times more than we have to. The children, staff, and parents are always masked. Each child must have a temperature scan before entering the building and the parents have to sign off on a “no signs of COVID” slip every day that their child attends. The net result is that with all the changes we must be even more intentional about making education enjoyable. There is just more work for everyone. We must find ways for children to embrace and enjoy education while maintaining COVID safety regulations.
In light of the pandemic, how difficult has it been for the parents to leave their children in your care?
Mr. Tim: It has not been without challenges because half of our school is dropped off or picked up by grandparents, who are a more at-risk demographic. But the safety protocols that are in place have helped the families who have chosen to have their children attend feel confident about their children’s safety. Additionally, we have seen growth consistent with non-pandemic years as parents’ “ white-knuckle ride” anxiety about a new school subsides and they realize that this is a really good fit and that my child is thriving…. and “ I have dentist appointment tomorrow afternoon, can I add the day?” Or, My child loves the curriculum for next Friday, can they add the morning?” Or, “we’ve made really great friends and want to join one more day weekly.”
Is there anything that has been relatively unchanged by the pandemic?
Mr. Tim: The needs of children haven’t changed with COVID-19. Each child needs to feel safe, and nurtured, and loved. They need to believe that school is a place where they can thrive and grow and succeed, and even fail and get back up and try again because they are in a safe space. Our goals for every child are the same: we want them to love God, love people, and love school. Our vision remains the same also; we exist to meet the needs of children and their families through the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.
How have you been intentional about making learning fun while still adhering to all the new guidelines for safety?
Mr. Tim: We have created what I call “COVID Cubby” dividers so that children can be at the table working with friends and still see them, but also maintain social distancing. We aren’t allowed to use common play-doh anymore, so one day as a learning activity, each child created their own dough to manipulate into letters and numbers. They could add their own coloring creating a multi-sensory tactile learning tool that they took home that day. We had costumes for Halloween; we had a little parade, some kind of nod to Halloween. We have music and movement and art, and gross motor play, and science, technology, math, all of those domains are being taught in a developmentally appropriate literacy-based curriculum that is engaging for children. In fact, just today, we posed a question “What Do Your Parents Do While You’re At School?” Using paper and pastels, the children created images of what they imagined their parents to be doing. The results were hilarious! Children imagine their parents to be workout enthusiasts, leaf rakers, and strawberry patch growers, but none of them thought that their parents were actually gainfully employed. The ensuing mirth and merriment that occurred when parents recognized the inner workings of their child’s mind was priceless.
How have the children adapted to this situation?
Mr. Tim: It’s encouraging to see that the nature of childhood remains unscathed regardless of the pandemic. The discomfort of wearing a mask all day is more troublesome for parents than kids, because they just accept it and move forward. They still find ways to make human connection, build friendships, and tell silly knock-knock jokes that they make up on the spot. Children are incredibly resilient and adaptable, and they prove it every day.
This interview was based on questions presented by Mr. Jake Miller, a blogger for The Educator’s Room.
Carla B. Howard is the Senior Circulation and Media & Marketing Assistant at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. Look for her article in the November 12, 2020 issue of the Transcript and Bulletin.
6
NovGive the Gift of Reading
I both love and dread the holiday season. I really enjoy the hubbub and preparation, the gift-buying and wrapping, the menu-planning, and all the festive anticipation. I particularly pride myself on being an excellent gift-giver. And while I still think this year’s holiday season will still have a lot of cheer, we need to acknowledge that this is 2020, we’re in the middle of a pandemic and so the holidays are simply going to look different this year, just like everything else. As I start to gather gift ideas, I’m struck by the thought that 2020 could be the Year of the Book Gift.
As I mentioned, we’ve got tons of toys in our house. In addition, I think most parents will confess that screen time limits this year have become very, very lenient as we try to muddle through the modified school year. Kids are spending a lot of time in front of TVs, computers and tablets and while I have no judgement about this at all, I think some books as gifts during the holiday season could provide the counterbalance we all need. If you are looking to give the gift of reading, here are some great book ideas for young readers:
Harry Potter: The Illustrated Collection (Books 1-3) is a fantastic set for family read-alouds. My own daughter’s interest in Harry Potter was piqued after hearing about books, movies and video games at school. She wanted to be a part of the elementary school cultural zeitgeist but was dismayed when she saw how long the actual novels were. She’s a pretty strong reader but being only 7, the long middle grade novels seemed out of reach. These illustrated versions created by Jim Kay turned out to be the perfect solution. The gorgeous illustrations were enthralling and attention-grabbing enough to keep her engaged while I read them aloud. The set is definitely pricey but it features the first three books in the series and is worth it if you have several school-aged Harry Potter enthusiasts in your family.
Many people often wonder what new babies need for Christmas. Clothes are useful and toys are fun but parents of little ones often need a fresh supply of books to get them out of that bedtime reading rut. Encouraging early literacy by reading to babies is a great activity and the indestructible nature of board books encourages young children to hold and manipulate books without parents worrying over ripped pages. Most parents already own the usual classics like Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar or the ever-popular Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown so gift-givers may have to branch out to avoid duplication. My personal favorite board book author is Sandra Boynton. Her illustrations are whimsical and silly and her text is simple but hilarious (even for parents). The Going to Bed Book was in rotation for years at my house but Moo, Baa, La La La, The Barnyard Dance, Blue Hat, Green Hat, and Perfect Piggies are firm favorites.
If you are looking for the perfect picture books for preschoolers and early elementary school aged kids, keep it funny. I usually avoid celebrity authors but kids and adults are obsessed with the hilarity of The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak and The Serious Goose by Jimmy Kimmel. Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri are an award winning author/illustrator combo that produced the Dragons Love Tacos phenomenon and their collaboration on Secret Pizza Party is seriously underrated. Finally, underwear is always funny in picture books. Polar Bear’s Underwear by Tupera Tupera and Monster’s New Undies by Samantha Berger will keep everyone laughing.
For independent readers, sets of book series are the way to get them hooked on reading chapter books. Many kids still need the support of illustrations so finding titles with some pictures really pique their interest. The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne features brother and sister duo Jack and Annie and combines adventurous fiction with lots of fact-based learning. There’s something for all kids in this popular series and it’s often sold in short paperback sets of 4 titles. Newbery-award winning author Kate DiCamillo serves up humor for younger readers with her popular Mercy Watson series. Featuring a spoiled pig and her doting human parents, Mercy Watson’s adventures keep kids reading and laughing.
Graphic novels are another great option for gifts. While most kids are familiar with popular series like Raina Telgemeier’s Smile books, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney and the Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey so it might be prudent to dig a little deeper in order to find a great gift. Shannon Hale and Jennifer Holm are two renowned children’s novelists who used their relatable writing styles to pen wildly popular graphic novels. Hale’s Friends series explores the ever-changing social landscape of middle school girls and what it means to be real friends. Jennifer Holm’s character Sunny (Sunny Rolls the Dice, Sunny Side Up) also lives through the trials and tribulations of middle school friendships along with the keen sense of not fitting in or being like other girls. Finally, Judd Winick’s (yes, THAT Judd from the Real World San Francisco for all you Gen X-ers!) Hi-Lo series features a fast paced adventure with Daniel, an ordinary boy who meets Hi-Lo, a space boy who falls to Earth and goes on a quest to unlock his past.
These are just a few gift options for the young reader in your life. The holidays will be different this year but kids can always use more things to read. If you need more recommendations, please fill out the Children’s Room “Personalized Book Recommendations for Kids” Google Form and one of our amazing librarians will give you 10-15 more title ideas based on your feedback! Happy shopping!
Kate Tigue is the Head of Youth Services at the Morrill Memorial Library. Look for her article in the November 6, 2020 issue of the Transcript and Bulletin.