Roslindale Branch is Open!
Branch Hours
The Roslindale Branch is open Mondays - Wednesdays 10 AM - 6 PM; Thursdays 12 PM - 8 PM; Fridays 9 AM - 5 PM. The branch is scheduled to remain closed on Saturdays until February 5, when it will be open 9 AM - 2 PM. All BPL branches will remain closed on Saturdays until further notice.
Branch Programs
There is currently no in-person children's programming and online children's programming will continue until further notice. Adult and teen in-person programming may take place when the library is open.
BPL Library Protocols
All branch libraries not currently under reconstruction are now open for in-person services. All branches follow the latest city and state public health guidance. While there will be no capacity limits or social distancing required, patrons using the library buildings will still need to wear masks since the library serves vulnerable populations. For more information, see https://www.bpl.org/news/health-and-safety-guidelines/.
BPL COVID-19 Resources
Looking for reliable information about COVID vaccines? The City of Boston has put together a resource guide to help answer your questions. As a reminder, the distribution of at-home COVID-19 tests at BPL locations has now ended.
Free Tax Preparation
The Kirstein Business Library at Central Library has teamed up with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to offer free tax preparation drop-off services on Wednesdays starting February 2. Sign up here.
Jan + Feb Roslindale Book Ambassador!
Neema Avashia was born and raised in southern West Virginia, the child of Indian immigrants who moved to Appalachia for work in the chemical industry. She has lived in Jamaica Plain for the last 19 years and has worked as a teacher in the Boston Public Schools for just as long. Her essays have appeared in publications such as Catapult, The Bitter Southerner, Lithub and can also be found at www.neemaavashia.com.
She is a frequent contributor to WBUR’s Cognoscenti. Her first book, Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, will be published by WVU Press in March 2022 and is now available for pre-order. She also gave us a list of recommended books to read.
The Book Ambassador Program is co-sponsored by Rozzie Bound.
Attention Local Authors!
Do you have a book coming out in 2022? Please keep us updated so that we can share the news with Rozzie residents in our newsletter and ask our partner at Rozzie Bound to link to the book online. Rozzie Bound generously shares a portion of sales with Friends. Email us at [email protected] the book title, author, format, ISBN, and a brief description.
Welcome Mary Devine, Roslindale Branch Generalist Librarian!
Mary Devine (she/her) began working at the Roslindale Branch Library in 1987 as a shelver and continued until 1997 when she went to Simmons College (now Simmons University) to pursue her master's degree in Library & Information Science. She also worked at State Street Bank during those years. Once she graduated from Simmons, she began working at the Central Library where she worked for over 20 years in the social sciences department, the children’s room, teen room/teen central, and finally at the Kirstein Business Library & Innovation Center. Her previous position was the workforce development librarian and business reference librarian where she helped many people build their career skills, especially during the pandemic.
Now, Mary is back home at the Roslindale Branch as the Generalist II Librarian. She comes to the Roslindale Branch with a variety of skills and knowledge that she hopes will help our local community. She is looking forward to starting programming including a crafts hour (bring your own knitting, crochet, needlework…), an Anime Society, Manga book discussion, adult book clubs and a teen crafts group, career workshops.. and so many more ideas to come. Mary is enjoying meeting old and new neighbors visiting our Roslindale Branch Library.
Mary enjoys children and teen literature, especially Manga, and an occasional beachy or highlander romance novel. She loves crafts, especially cross-stitching, needlework, and crocheting. She also has interests in genealogy, geology, and learning about different cultures and countries. She is currently reading A Ceiling Made of Eggshells by Gail Carson Levine and The Family You Make by Jill Shavis.
We Love Libraries Virtual Book Shelf
The Friends are celebrating Valentine's Day with a fun new shelf with Rozzie Bound featuring books about librarians and libraries for readers of all ages. Fifty percent of shelf proceeds will be donated to the Friends to support excellent programming in our newly renovated branch library.
Celebrating Black History Month!
In honor of Black History Month, we have three virtual shelves for adults, young adults, and children featuring books by Black authors or about the Black experience.
BIPOC Author Preorders
As part of the ongoing conversation about improving equity in the publishing industry, we have worked with Rozzie Bound to create a virtual shelf featuring upcoming books by authors of color that you can preorder now. By preordering, you help drive sales and possible placement on bestseller lists and help publishers pay attention to and better support and uplift authors of color and their readership. The shelf currently lists a number of books from different genres coming out between now and October and is updated regularly.
Please help keep our Community Library Network supplied!
The Friends have a team of volunteers who restock the business-based and home-based libraries. What a help they have been for our community during these COVID times too! BUT we need more book donations to keep the libraries stocked. Please drop off gently used, recent, fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books at 631 South St. or email [email protected] for a pickup.
BIPOC Author Preorders
As part of the ongoing conversation about improving equity in the publishing industry, we have worked with Rozzie Bound to create a virtual shelf featuring upcoming books by authors of color that you can preorder now. By preordering, you help drive sales and possible placement on bestseller lists and help publishers pay attention to and better support and uplift authors of color and their readership. The shelf currently lists a number of books from different genres coming out between now and October 2022 and is updated regularly.
Lowell Lecture — Philonise Floyd
Wednesday, February 2, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
The Boston Public Library recently announced the 2022 Lowell Lecture Series marquee speakers. This year’s lineup will explore the themes of equity, hope, resilience, and healing through a range of engaging speakers. Anti-racist activist and brother of George Floyd, Philonise Floyd will converse with Boston Public Library President David Leonard about how we can use our outrage at systemic injustice to catalyze social transformation through community organizing and passing reforms. An audience Q&A session will follow the discussion. The events will be held virtually; patrons can register for the Zoom Webinar link at bpl.org/events, or tune in on Facebook Live. The BPL is also featuring other Black History Month programming, which can be viewed here.
Online Artist in Residence Art Program for Teens
First Session: Thursday, February 24, 4:30 PM
Join the Artist-in-Residence LJ Baptiste for the Adams Street, Roslindale, and Roxbury branches in an all-new intensive comics course! This five-part course will give you the opportunity to take your knowledge and skills of this incredible medium to the next level. Explore the depths of comic creation as we deconstruct the processes and influence behind famed greats in the world of comics and Manga, and apply what we learn for our own new work in storytelling and creative artistry! In addition, a solid selection of quality art supplies is included. Pick up art supplies at the Adams Street Branch, Roslindale Branch, or Roxbury Branch starting on February 11, 2022. Register for this Zoom program online.
Online Hatha Yoga for Active Adults
Thursdays, February 17 - March 24, 6:45-7:45 pm.
Hosted by YogaHub, will take place The first two classes will be virtual. Participants can register online at bpl.org beginning today.
Online Spanish Conversation Group
Saturdays, 11 AM - 12 PM
A casual conversation of Spanish speakers of all levels are welcome. Email [email protected] to get on the group's email list.
Join Virtual Homework Assistance
Monday - Thursday, 3:30 - 5:30 PM
Zoom line: https://boston-public-library.zoom.us/my/bplhap
Please check back for updates. Additional languages will be announced.
Arabic: Monday & Tuesday
Spanish: Tuesday & Thursday
Vietnamese: Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday
Online Preschool Storytime
Tuesdays, 4:30 PM
Join Children’s Librarian Celeste Bocchicchio-Chaudhri on zoom for Preschool Story Time for ages 3-5. Each week we will read 2-3 stories and do songs and fingerplays to build early literacy skills. Please go to https://tinyurl.com/BPL-
Bouncing Babies in Adams Park
Tuesdays, 10 AM
As long as the weather cooperates, Miss Celeste will continue to run her weekly storytime for babies birth to age 2 in Adam’s Park on Tuesday mornings. Miss Celeste reads a short book and leads families in songs, bounces, and rhymes for early literacy skills. She has a number of yoga mats available for seating, but feel free to bring your own blanket. Bundle up! Miss Celeste will hold storytime as long as it is not raining or below freezing. To be added to the Bouncing Babies mailing list, email Celeste at [email protected].
Online Adult Book Club Discussion
Thursday, March 10, 6:30-7:30 pm.
(We hope to have future discussions in person.)
We will discuss The Library Book by Susan Orlean. Copies of the book can be picked up and checked out at the library's front desk beginning Friday, February 4. Downloadable eBook and audiobook versions are available on BPL's Overdrive. Patrons can register by emailing [email protected]. A Zoom link will be sent to participants two days prior to the meeting.
Rozzie Reads Poetry and Open Microphone
February 17, 2022, 7 pm on Zoom
Featured readers: Anastasia Vassos and George Kalogeris
For link contact [email protected]
Online Race and Inclusion Book Discussion:
The Yellow House
Saturdays, March 5, 12 & 26
9:15 - 11 AM (Morning) or 2 - 3:45 PM (Afternoon)
We will discuss Sarah M. Broom's The Yellow House, which tells a hundred years of her family and their relationship to home in a neglected area of one of America's most mythologized cities. This is the story of a mother's struggle against a house's entropy, and that of a prodigal daughter who left home only to reckon with the pull that home exerts, even after the Yellow House was wiped off the map after Hurricane Katrina. The Yellow House expands the map of New Orleans to include the stories of its lesser-known natives, guided deftly by one of its native daughters, to demonstrate how enduring drives of clan, pride, and familial love resist and defy erasure. Located in the gap between the "Big Easy" of tourist guides and the New Orleans in which Broom was raised, The Yellow House is a brilliant memoir of place, class, race, the seeping rot of inequality, and the internalized shame that often follows. It is a transformative, deeply moving story from an unparalleled new voice of startling clarity, authority, and power.
The discussion will happen on Zoom and will be led by local educator Josh Frank. You can get the book from bpl.org or an online bookstore like Rozzie Bound, which has the book listed on the Friends "Black Histories and Futures" adult virtual bookshelf. The Friends will receive 50% of proceeds from each book sold. You can find the virtual shelf here: https://bookshop.org/shop/rozziebound.
We will have two sessions with 20 participants each on the three dates. Times: Morning session at 9:15-11 AM and an afternoon session at 2-3:45 PM.
To register, please email Roslindale Branch librarian Jennifer Hawes at [email protected]. Please write "Yellow House Discussion" in the subject line when you RSVP.
- You only need to register once for all three dates, even if you think you might miss a date.
- Please choose the morning or afternoon time, and you will be registered for that same time for each date.
- Jennifer will register the first 40 people, 20 each for the morning and afternoon groups. You will get an email if you are registered. If you do not get an email from Jennifer, please assume that you are not registered.
Future Readers Club
The Future Readers Club is for children ages birth to kindergarten and their caregivers, a club to support reading aloud to the very youngest children with a goal of reading 1000 books together before the child begins kindergarten. The Club includes programming like Preschool Storytime and Bouncing babies as well as an app to track the books you are reading with your little one and opportunities to receive free books to keep. We want your help to make the Future Readers Club even better! Please respond to our survey as we plan FRC programming for the fall and beyond. More info: bpl.org/future-readers-club.
Volunteer Restockers Needed
The Roslindale Community Library network needs some volunteers to keep some of our business and home-based little libraries stocked. You can take responsibility for one or more. It involves checking every few weeks and picking up and delivering books as needed.
Calling all newly installed little library owners!
The Friends maintains a map of available little libraries in Roslindale and if you recently installed your own, you may not be on it. If you would like to be listed, please email your address to [email protected].
Little Library Program at the Food Pantry Seeks Volunteers
Since early January, the Friends have been setting up a Little Library at the Roslindale Food Pantry. The Pantry runs out of the Congregational Church (25 Cummins Highway) from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. every Saturday. The Pantry serves between 75 - 90 individuals/families every week. Before the Pantry opens, our volunteers set up a portable bookshelf and stock it with adult, young adult, early reader, and children’s books. The volunteer is responsible for returning to the church at 4:00 p.m. (at the close of the Pantry) to break down the Little Library and store the shelf and books. If you are interested in volunteering for this program, please e-mail Laura Sitterley at [email protected]. You do not need to commit to a certain number of Saturdays a month. Thank you!
Lucky Day Books!
Skip the wait with titles from our Lucky Day collection! The BPL’s Lucky Day collection is a curated collection of new, popular, and bestselling books. All items are available for patrons by walk-in or on Overdrive. They have an express checkout of 14 days with no renewals. Patrons may only check out one Lucky Day title at a time. The Lucky Day shelf at the Roslindale Branch can be found in the low shelf on the left facing the circulation desk.
BPL Online Resource Highlight: ArtForum
Artforum offers features, reviews, and interviews relating to artists, exhibitions, publications, and other art world events and trends.
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