September 2020 Library News and Events

September 2020 Library News & Events

All programs are free of charge unless noted otherwise. Learn more at friendsofroslindalelibrary.org.

Computer Access at the BPL

Mayor Walsh and the Boston Public Library announced last week that two new initiatives designed to help bridge the digital equity gap in the City of Boston. The Public Computer Access program will allow residents to sign up for a two-hour appointment to use library computers in a socially distanced space within the Central Library in Copley Square. The Outdoor Wi-Fi Program provides 24-hour outdoor internet access at nine BPL branch locations across the city, allowing users to socially distance while accessing the Internet for free.

Museum Passes
The Boston Public Library also announced it is reinstating a version of the Museum Passes program, granting BPL patrons access to free and discounted passes to Massachusetts museums and cultural institutions. As museums continue to open in Phase Three of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan, the library will add more institutions to the program. For more information on COVID-19 safety requirements when visiting these organizations, patrons can call or visit their websites directly.

Buy Bulbs, Support The Friends
We are fundraising with Dutch Mill Bulbs to earn money for art and other enhancements to our future renovated branch. All items are guaranteed to grow and bloom, and our group earns 50 percent of the profit on every sale.  It’s easy!  Make your selections, provide billing and shipping information, and enter the Friends in the group name.  Please go to
https://groups.dutchmillbulbs.com/shop/?affiliates=friendsofroslindalebranch and you’ll be directed to our custom page. The items you select will be sent directly to the shipping address you provide, and shipping fees will be added to each order.  You can even order and send as gifts to other addresses. Please place your order by October 30. Orders will begin shipping September 15.

Kids Activists Book Club
Starting September 5
Calling all kids interested in working to make the world a better place! We are kicking off a new Kid Activist Book Club on Saturday afternoons at 4 PM starting on September 5. We will kick off the club with a special visit from activist and author Innosanto Nagara. We will read A is for Activist and talk about what it means to be an activist.  Through the 26-week Activist Kids Book Club, we will focus on a different page in A is for Activist, read other picture books about the issues and movements discussed in the book, learn about kid activists throughout history and today, and talk about what we can do to make our world a little more just for everyone. This group is best for kids ages 6 and up.

Register for September 5: https://bit.ly/3jffkWx
Register for September 12: https://bit.ly/33YByYm
Register for September 19: https://bit.ly/2PRkhIi
Register for September 26: https://bit.ly/34ghReM

Online Race and Inclusion Book Discussion:
Stamped From The Beginning
Saturdays, September 12, 19 & 26
9:15 - 11 AM (Morning) or 2 - 3:45 PM (Afternoon)
We will discuss Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's book, Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. In this deeply researched and fast-moving narrative, Kendi chronicles the entire story of anti-black racist ideas and their staggering power over the course of American history.  The discussion will happen on Zoom and will be led by local educator Josh Frank.  You can get the book from bpl.org (which has a very LONG waitlist) or an online bookstore like Rozzie Bound, which will be donating sales from this books to the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, a Dorchester-based nonprofit that serves as "a center of healing, teaching, and learning for family and communities impacted by murder, trauma, grief, and loss."  As a matter of fact, Rozzie Bound will donate all its proceeds from its "Racial Justice Bookshelf" to the Peace Institute. You can find the virtual shelf here: https://bookshop.org/shop/rozziebound.

Because this is a very popular book, 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 JP Branch librarian Laura Pattison at [email protected].  Please write "Kendi"
as the first word of 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.
• Laura 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 Laura, please assume that you are not registered.

This discussion is co-sponsored by the Friends of the JP Branch Library.

Online Community Conversation
with City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo
Wednesday, September 23, 7 PM
Councilor Arroyo will join us for a wide-ranging discussion on issues affecting our community and the nation, including COVID-19, racial injustice, the 2020 Census, and how to make the public library more equitable.  To RSVP, email [email protected] with "Arroyo Discussion" in the subject line.  Also, please email us your questions that you want him to address during the discussion by September 21.  We will send out the Zoom link to those who reserved the week of the discussion.

Online Rozzie Reads Poetry and Open Mic Zoom Reading
Thursday, September 17, 7:00 PM
Featured Readers: Deana Tavares and Ed Meek. To sign up contact [email protected]

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.

Hispanic Heritage Month starts September 15
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the latest offering on our virtual bookshelf at Rozzie Bound features books by Latinx authors or have Latinx characters for adults, teens, and children.  The Friends will receive 20 percent of sale proceeds.  Buy some books here: https://bookshop.org/shop/rozziebound

Our children's librarian Celeste has also put together booklists featuring Latinx characters for kids and teens that you can borrow from the BPL.

Rozzie Reads One Book!
We recently solicited votes for our Rozzie Reads One Book celebration and Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng was selected for our community-wide discussion this fall.  Some of you may have enjoyed it already as it has been a number one New York Times bestseller and there was a recent Hulu miniseries that garnered very positive reviews.   If you would like to be involved in the planning of our One Book celebration and discussion, please write to [email protected].

Future Readers Club
The Boston Public Library Future Reader’s Club is now live and active! The Future Readers club is for children from birth to age five and their caregivers to support reading aloud to the youngest of children. The Future Readers Club is part of the 1,000 books before kindergarten. Check out the Future Readers Club website (https://www.bpl.org/future-readers-club/) to download an app to track your reading, read blog posts on early literacy, find suggested book lists, and see upcoming Future Readers Club programs.

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.