July 2020 Library News & Events
All programs are free of charge unless noted otherwise. Learn more at friendsofroslindalelibrary.org.
BPL To Go
The Boston Public Library is offering limited pickup services through BPL To Go. The pilot program launched last month at the Copley Library and branches in Codman Square, East Boston, Jamaica Plain, and Mattapan. As of July 6, patrons will also be able to pick up library materials at the Brighton, Charlestown, Lower Mills, South Boston, and West Roxbury branches. All other locations will remain closed at this time. No other physical services at the library will be available, but branches will continue to offer a wide range of online programming and resources. The BPL is waiving all late fines for all materials until September 1.
Online Resources at BPL.org
There are many ways to use the Boston Public Library during this period. You can sign up for a BPL library card at bpl.org/get-a-library-card to get an eCard. The eCard provides access to millions of ebooks, audiobooks, movies, newspapers, magazines, journals, databases, and other online resources, including OverDrive, Kanopy, and Hoopla. All you need is a computer, phone or tablet, and an internet connection to access these resources and then log in to bpl.org with your eCard or physical library card. The BPL is also offering a full listing of online services. Send your questions to [email protected]. Please leave your gently-used donated books in any little library in the Roslindale Community Library Network.
Online Resources at BPL.org
There are many ways to use the Boston Public Library while it is closed. You can sign up for a BPL library card at bpl.org/get-a-library-card to get an eCard. The eCard provides access to millions of ebooks, audiobooks, movies, newspapers, magazines, journals, databases, and other online resources, including OverDrive, Kanopy, and Hoopla. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to access these resources and then log in to bpl.org with your eCard or physical library card. Send your questions to [email protected].
A note on borrowed and donated books: The BPL is unable to have patrons return borrowed books at this time. Please don't return them at any dropoff boxes at any of the branch libraries until the library system reopens. The BPL is waiving all late fines for all materials until at least June 30. Also, don't leave any donated books on the ground outside any branch libraries. Instead, please leave your gently-used donated books in any little library in the Roslindale Community Library Network.
Adult Book Discussion: Commonwealth
Thursday, July 16, 1:00 PM
Newcomers are welcome. Please contact Becky at [email protected] for the Zoom link. We will be discussing Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. The ebook is available on Hoopla through www.bpl.org or purchased from Rozzie Bound.
Race and Inclusion Book Discussion:
Stamped From The Beginning
September
You may have heard that Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, whose books have dominated all the best selling lists the last month, is joining Boston University starting today as a professor and to create the BU Center for Antiracist Research. We are scheduled to discuss his book, Stamped From The Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, in September. This book discussion will most likely happen on Zoom. More details to come soon. In the meantime, you can get the book from bpl.org (which has a LONG wait list) or an online bookstore like Rozzie Bound. This discussion is co-sponsored by the Friends of the JP Branch Library.
Preschool Storytimes
Tuesdays, 4:30 PM
Our children's librarian Celeste Bocchicchio-Chaudhri will be continuing her preschool Zoom storytime through the summer. Storytime is at 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. Register on our website to get the zoom link! And if you are keeping track of the Future Readers Club, the books read during this program can be added to your tally. Register for Preschool Storytime here.
Help Us Develop An Anti-Racist Family Book Club!
Miss Celeste is also working on planning an anti-racist family book club for school-age kids and their grown-ups. Please take a moment to fill out this survey so that she can get an idea of what age kids are interested in and what days and times work best for people. The club will start up at the beginning of the school year. Feel free to include any questions or comments you have about the program. You can also reach out to Miss Celeste at [email protected]
Reading For Our Troubled Times
Racial tensions in the country have sparked an interest in reading anti-racist books and materials. Our race and inclusion group has read and discussed many books and articles that provide education on many of these current topics, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1619 Project, which you can read on our website, How to be an Antiracist, and the New Jim Crow. We also maintain a race and inclusion mega booklist with nearly 200 books on race grouped for children, teens, and adults.
Announcing the Future Readers Club!
The Boston Public Library is excited to announce the Future Readers Club, the Boston Public Library’s 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program. The Future Readers Club is for everyone who sings, reads, and celebrates words with their little ones! Research shows that reading to babies is one of the best ways to prepare them for school when they get older. Wondering how to participate?. Just expose your children, birth to pre-K, to as many words as possible. Share books, tell stories, come to storytime! Track how many books you read, if you want, or just take pride in watching your little one learn and grow with books. Look for a special Future Readers Club section on bpl.org starting July 1 with tips for reading to babies and picking age-appropriate books, booklists, and an app you can use to track the books you read together.
Imagine Your Story
Summer Reading is here! This year’s theme is "Imagine Your Story." You can visit our website for a downloadable activity sheet. When you finish the activity sheet, let us know and your child will be entered into our grand prize drawing. The contest runs until August 15, 2020. Plus there will be special programs and events all summer long.
Online Spanish Conversation Group
This group is currently at capacity and can't accept any new participants right now. We will reopen for new participants soon.
Remote Resources for Families and Youth
The children’s librarians across the BPL have been working hard to compile information and resources for families with children at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Remote Resources for Families and Youth libguide includes tips for talking to kids about Covid-19, lists of ebooks for children and teens available through the BPL, DIY storytimes, links to special read aloud and draw along with children’s authors and illustrators, and more. The DIY storytimes include links to YouTube videos of favorite storytime songs as well as links to specific picture book ebooks to check out from the library. The guide will continue to grow so check back frequently!
Ebooks for kids ready for chapter books
Celeste created a booklist of chapter books available as ebooks through the library. These books are great for second and third graders who are starting to read chapter books independently, but also make a fun read-aloud for the whole family.
Library Celeste YouTube Channel
Celeste has also created a personal YouTube channel for recording favorite storytime songs and activities. This is a side project, not part of her official work with the Boston Public Library and the channel is not affiliated with the BPL. However, she thought some of you might be interested in checking out Library Celeste!
Facebook Updates
Becky will be posting on Roslindale Branch Library Facebook Page to give you links to some fun and/or informative options available online through the BPL website. Please check the site and "like" us to keep updated. You will need to access the BPL.org website with your library card and pin or sign up for an online ecard to experience many of the options.
Send Us Your Recommendations!
Since many of you are social distancing at home, you may have found more time for reading or using the many free online resources offered on bpl.org. Send us your recommendations for any books you are reading or online resources you are using. Maybe you are reading a book you found in one of our little libraries around Roslindale, or you watched a great movie on Kanopy, or learning a new language on Mango, or read an international newspaper on Press Reader, or acquiring a new skill through the BPL's Lynda.com portal. You can either send us a list of what you are reading/using, write a short review, or send us a picture of what you are reading at [email protected]. We will post them in the next newsletter and on our website.
Renovation Update!
Construction at the Roslindale Branch resumed last month, and this poster is now in front of the building. 
Online Resource Highlight: Associated Press Image Archive
The Associated Press Image Archive displays millions of amazing photos of news events, sports, politics, crime, disasters, science, heroes and celebrities, arts and entertainment, and more. Hundreds of images are added to the website on a daily basis from AP's current photo report as well as a growing selection of historical images from the AP Photo Library that includes negatives, slides, and prints. Searchable Associated Press content, including 4.6 million photographs (1826-present) as well as graphics, audio (1920-present), and articles (1997-present).Go to: https://newsroom-ap-org.ezproxy.bpl.org
Amazon Shopping with the Friends!
If you are doing more Amazon shopping during the lockdown, please consider registering with our Friends' AmazonSmile account. For eligible purchases at AmazonSmile, the Friends receive 0.5 percent of the purchase price year-round. There is no additional cost to the Friends or to AmazonSmile customers. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for donation” on their product detail pages. The shopping experience is identical to Amazon.com with the added benefit that the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate that percentage to the Friends! The percentage might seem minuscule, but this adds up if you are a regular Amazon customer who makes purchases several times a week or month. Of course, if you just want to donate directly to the Friends, you can do so on our donation page or become a Friends member. Every dollar and cent counts!
Do Your Census!
The U.S. Census Bureau has extended the 2020 Census deadline in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic to October 31. The U.S. Census Bureau is urging residents to complete the Census online or over the phone to lessen the need for in-person, door-to-door outreach while the country grapples with the coronavirus outbreak. It’s available in 13 languages at my2020census.gov or by calling (844) 330-2020. Additional toll-free numbers in other languages can be found online. If you already received a mailer, it contains a Census ID number you can use to log in online, which the Census Bureau recommends as the fastest method. You can still respond online even if you haven’t received the number or lost it. It takes only ten minutes to do and can be done while social distancing at home! The Census not only supports community resources you depend on like the public library but also public health initiatives and regulations.
Census Jobs
If you are looking for paid work, it’s not too late to apply for a temporary part-time position with the 2020 Census. Apply to earn extra income and help your community on the Census Jobs Portal.
Volunteer Opportunity: Virtual Census Phone Banking
The Massachusetts Voter Table and the MIRA Coalition are hosting Virtual Phone Banks every Tuesday from 11:00 am -1:00 pm, Wednesdays from 5:00-7:00 pm, and Thursdays from 5:00-7:00 pm to call residents of the lowest self-response Census tracts to ask them to fill out the 2020 Census. They provide a short training at the beginning, log-in information, and lists for phone banking. You'll need a computer and phone to participate, and they'll send you information on how to join when you RSVP.
Books of the Month
Each month we feature themed booklists grouped for adults, teenagers/young adults, and children, and can be borrowed as an ebook from bpl.org!
Books about Antiracism
Engage with this list of civil rights and social justice titles to expand awareness, from autobiographies to YA fiction and more, including the very popular How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.
Books about Travel
So our summer travels will look very different this year. There's nothing wrong with going on a staycation in your home reading a travel memoir. We compiled a list showcasing the best in travel writing.
Quarantine Books
In case you haven't read enough books during these unprecedented times, keep yourself entertained with one of these popular eBooks. Most of them are available to download and read right now, including Michelle Obama's Becoming!
Words of Wisdom
"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." - James Baldwin
Sharing is Caring
The best way to know about upcoming offsite Roslindale library programs, special events, news, and renovation updates is to stay on this email list, like our Facebook page and regularly visit friendsofroslindalelibrary.org and bpl.org. If you know anyone who would like to join our email list, please tell them to sign up on our website's homepage at friendsofroslindalelibrary.org. We would also appreciate it if you forward our emails and share and like our Facebook posts with your networks to help get the word out.
Support the Friends!
We are a volunteer-run organization. All the work we do for library programming, publicity, and building improvements is done with support from the community. There are many ways to support the Friends, like donating, becoming a Friends member, and even shopping on Amazon!
Contact the Friends
For information about the Friends, contact us. We also share information about upcoming events, photos from past events, and other library news on Facebook, and on our blog!
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