Hours
Mon-Thu
9am-9pm
Fri-Sat
9am-5pm
Sun
1-5pm
Holiday Hours
Address
2 North Main Street
Andover, MA 01810
Map & Directions
978-623-8400
Mon-Thu
9am-9pm
Fri-Sat
9am-5pm
Sun
1-5pm
Holiday Hours
2 North Main Street
Andover, MA 01810
Map & Directions
978-623-8400
Many of these videos can be found on the library's Vimeo channel.
If you know the topic you want, choose it from the list below.
This video was presented via Facebook Live.
back to top Categories: Children's RoomThis video was uploaded to the library's Instagram.
back to top Categories: How-toThis video was presented via Facebook Live.
back to top Categories: Children's RoomWiggle Words from Facebook Live, April 6, 2020.
This video was uploaded to the library's Instagram.
back to top Categories: BooktalksThis video was uploaded to the library's Instagram.
back to top Categories: BooktalksAward-winning science writer, memoirist, and photographer Margie Patlak talks about what inspired her to take the Maine nature photos that comprise her newly published photobook Wild and Wondrous: Nature's Artistry on the Coast of Maine, and her photography-on-the-fly process using an iPhone.
Within a short span of time, Margie Patlak lost her mother, sole sibling, and father. Reeling from those losses, Patlak returned to live in Down East Maine, where she spent her childhood summers. While in mourning and writing about the wilder environment she experienced at her new home, Patlak uncovered many lessons nature was teaching her about the nature of life.
Her talk is illustrated with her striking photos of the alluring Maine coast.
A virtual author talk with Abby Chandler who shared with us about her new book, Seized with the Temper of the Times: Identity and Rebellion in Pre-Revolutionary America.
This presentation, Good Grief, presents how memoirists—Ann Hood (Comfort), Mark Doty (Heaven’s Coast), and Trent Preszler (Little and Often)— used writing as an important component of healing after loss.
Author and historian Richard Webb shares his book, Boats Against the Current: The Honeymoon Summer of Scott and Zelda, the companion to the newly released documentary, Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story, which explores the story behind the iconic American novel, The Great Gatsby.
“I was a black woman according to my family, society’s one-drop rule and my birth certificate. It was culturally and legally ridiculous to wonder if I wasn’t. Yet my biological ancestry counted for absolutely nothing. My beloved mother was white.”
Former Andover resident, E. Dolores Johnson discusses her new book, Say I'm Dead: A Family Memoir of Race, Secrets and Love, with author, Grace Talusan. It's a multi-generational memoir that reveals America's changing attitudes toward race mixing, discovered through the courageous journeys of her family’s women. Johnson's parents fled to Buffalo from Indianapolis so they could marry without violating Indiana's anti-miscegenation laws. Her father was black and her mother was white. Johnson details her journey unearthing the secrets of her family, and in so doing, wrestles with identity, class, and education, aiming a potent lens at what it means to be biracial and shining more light on the racism that continues to sicken this country to this day.
Presented in collaboration with Burlington Public Library, Memorial Hall Library, Stevens Memorial Library and Tewksbury Public Library, Libraries Working Towards Social Justice.
Author Matthew Van Meter discusses his book along with other social justice issues, including his work with Shakespeare in Prison, a Detroit Public Theatre community program.
In 1966 in a small town in Louisiana, a 19-year-old black man named Gary Duncan pulled his car off the road to stop a fight. Duncan was arrested a few minutes later for the crime of putting his hand on the arm of a white child. Rather than accepting his fate, Duncan found Richard Sobol, a brilliant, 29-year-old lawyer from New York who was the only white attorney at "the most radical law firm" in New Orleans. Against them stood one of the most powerful white supremacists in the South, a man called simply "The Judge."
In this powerful work of character-driven history, journalist Matthew Van Meter vividly brings alive how a seemingly minor incident brought massive, systemic change to the criminal justice system. Using first-person interviews, in-depth research and a deep knowledge of the law, Van Meter shows how Gary Duncan's insistence on seeking justice empowered generations of defendants-disproportionately poor and black-to demand fair trials. Duncan v. Louisiana changed American law, but first it changed the lives of those who litigated it.
A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library, Stevens Memorial Library and Tewksbury Public Library, Libraries Working Towards Social Justice.
Join us for a conversation with local writer, Kristin Bair (O’Keeffe), during which she will discuss her new novel, Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything, parenting in a pandemic, the writing process, facing our fears, Facebook mom groups, and more.
On Wednesday, October 14th, bestselling author Gregory Maguire spent a fun-filled hour in conversation with bestselling author Daniel Handler, familiar to many as 'Lemony Snicket.'
In this episode of Shelf Help, assistant head of circulation Gerry Deyermond and reference & cataloging librarian Stephanie Smith discuss the library's new memory kits, services for homebound patrons, and more.
In episode 14 of Shelf Help, reference librarian Justin Termini and reference & cataloging librarian Stephanie Smith discuss MHL's collection of graphic novels for adults. Hear about a variety of graphic novels available to borrow, the history of the collection, and ideas for people who've never read a graphic novel but might want to. Hint: they're not all about superheroes!
In this episode of MHL's Shelf Help, Teen Services & Reference Librarian Anna Tschetter and Cataloging & Reference Librarian Stephanie Smith discuss MHL's board game and jigsaw puzzle collection. Listen to find out the 10 most-borrowed board games, where to get board game suggestions, and more.
Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of a reference librarian is like? Listen in as reference librarians Justin Termini and Stephanie Smith discuss a typical shift at the reference desk, from microfilm to Microsoft Office.
Join Gerry Deyermond, Vicki Murphy, and Stephanie Smith as they discuss MHL's new craft area, the upcoming return of craft programs for adults, and Vicki & Gerry's new email for all questions craft-related (crafts@mhl.org). You can see photos of the new space, plus a list of some of their favorite craft books (all available at the library) here.
Reference & local history librarian, Stephanie Aude, and reference & cataloging librarian, Stephanie Smith, discuss MHL's genealogy club, as well as the challenges of genealogical research on people whose neighborhoods were destroyed, either as part of urban renewal or as part of a government project, such as the construction of the Quabbin Reservoir.
Systems librarian Theo Kontos and cataloging & reference librarian Stephanie Smith discuss technology in the library, including the Makerspace, with a focus on privacy and technology. How does the library protect patron privacy? What can each of us do when online to protect our data? From password managers to two-factor authentication and beyond, join us for this episode of Shelf Help from Memorial Hall Library.
Join Clare Curran, Assistant Director for Collection & Development and Technical Services, and reference and cataloging librarian Stephanie Smith as they discuss summer reading (for adults), with a focus on some of the books they are most excited to read or to recommend this summer. A full list of the books discussed--plus some there weren't time to mention--can be found here.
In episode seven of MHL's Shelf Help podcast, teen services librarian Renata Sancken and reference librarian Stephanie Smith discuss a variety of read-alikes for The Library Book by Susan Orlean. A full list of titles discussed (plus some that weren't discussed) is available here: mhl.org/what-read-after-library-book
In episode six of MHL's Shelf Help podcast, reference librarians Justin Termini and Stephanie Smith and assistant head of circulation Gerry Deyermond cover chapters 28-32 (the final chapters) of Susan Orlean's The Library Book, Andover's current community read title. Topics include the difficulty of investigating arson, bookmobiles, the Library of Things and unusual library collections, and more.
In episode five of MHL's Shelf Help podcast, reference librarians Justin Termini and Stephanie Smith cover chapters 22-7 of Susan Orlean's The Library Book, Andover's current community read title. Topics in this episode include reference services, computers in the library, security in the library, and Harry Peak.
In episode four of MHL's Shelf Help podcast, coordinator of children's services Beth Kerrigan and reference librarian Stephanie cover chapters 17-21 of Susan Orlean's The Library Book, Andover's current community read title. Listen in as they discuss youth services, polygraph tests, literacy and language learning resources, unsafe working conditions, and more.
In episode three of MHL's Shelf Help podcast, assistant head of circulation Gerry and reference librarian Stephanie cover chapters 12-16 of Susan Orlean's The Library Book, Andover's current community read title. Topics include access and discrimination in libraries, the difficulties of investigating suspected arson cases, and map collections.
In episode two of our Shelf Help podcast, reference librarians Stephanie and Justin cover chapters 7-11 of The Library Book by Susan Orlean. Topics include book burnings, telethons, RFID technology, late fees, and more!
Join us for the first episode of MHL's Shelf Help, our new podcast where MHL librarians talk about all things libraries. In this episode reference librarians Stephanie and Justin talk about The Library Book by Susan Orlean, our Andover Reads 2021 title. This episode focuses on chapters 1-6 of the book.
This video was uploaded to the library's Instagram.
back to top Categories: BooktalksThis video was uploaded to the library's Instagram.
back to top Categories: BooktalksMiss Kim reads a folktale and shows us all how to make a shark puppet! She reads Punia and the King of Sharks: A Hawaiian Folktale, adapted by Lee Wardlaw and Felipe Davalos
back to top Categories: Children's Room, Listen! Imagine! Create!Watch as Miss Kate reads some castles books, like Mr. King's Castle by Genevieve Cote, Castle by Christopher Gravett, and Steven Biesty's Cross-sections Castle. Then she shows us a castle she built with Legos!
back to top Categories: Children's Room, Lego ManiaJoin Miss Kim for some sleepy bedtime stories and songs, including Baby Bat's Lullaby by Jacquelyn Mitchard and Ten Nine Eight by Molly Bang.
back to top Categories: Children's Room, Bedtime StoriesJoin Miss Kate as she reads stories and sings songs for 3-5 year-olds. This week the theme is summer adventures, where Miss Kate reads The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer, We Were Tired of Living in a House by Liesel Moak Skorpen and Joe Cepeda, and more!
back to top Categories: Children's Room, Little ListenersJoin Miss Amy as she reads some fun stories, including Itsby Bitsy Spider by Richard Egielski, Freight Train by Donald Crews, The Neighborhood Mother Goose by Donna Crews, and more!
Join Miss Kim as she reads a sleepy story to send us off to bed.
Miss Beth leads a fun-filled round of songs and stories for everyone.
Join Miss Kim as she leads us in a series of songs and stories.
Join Miss KIm as she reads us a sleepy story before bedtime.
Join Miss Beth as she sings some fun songs and read stories.
Miss Kate sings songs and reads stories for the little ones.
Join Miss Kate as she walks us through making some fun crafts.
Miss Beth leads us in a series of songs and stories.
Join Miss Kim as she shares songs and stories for little ones.
Join Miss Kim as she reads us some sleepy bedtime stories.
Join Miss Kate for a fun nature craft you can make at home!
Join MIss Kate as she leads us through a series of songs and stories for little ones, including My Car by Byron Barton, Mr. Gumpy's Outing by John Birmingham, and Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Kevin Lewis.
Miss Amy leads us through a series of rhyming stories, including A Pocketful of Posies by Salley Maver, Home is a Window by Stephanie Ledyard, and Mr. Cookie Baker by Monica Wellington.
Join Miss Kim as she shares songs and stories for little ones.
Join Miss Kim as she reads us some sleepy bedtime stories, including It's Time to Sleep, It's Time to Dream by David A. Adler.
Miss Beth leads us in a series of songs and stories, including Baby at the Farm by Karen Katz.
Follow along as Miss Kate shows us how to create a fun bird's nest craft that you can make at home!
Join Miss Kate for some fun stories, including My Nest is Best by P.D. Eastman and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Join Miss Beth and Mr. Pennybear for a fun series of songs and stories.
Miss Amy leads us through a series of rhymes, songs, and stories, including This Little Chick by John Lawrence and Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington.
Join Miss Kim as she reads stories and sings songs for all of the little ones.
Relax as Miss Kim reads us a sleepy bedtime story.
Follow along as Miss Kate teaches us how to make paper flowers and a paper vase!
Join Miss Kate as she leads us through a series of stories and songs for little ones.
Join Miss Beth and Mr. Pennybear for a fun series of songs and stories.
Join Miss Amy as she leads us through a series of rhymes, songs, and stories, including Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas, Are You My Mother by P.D. Eastman, and I Heard Said the Bird by Polly Berrien Berends.
Miss Kim leads us the little ones through a fun, engaging series of stories and songs.
Join Miss Beth as she leads us in a series of rhymes, songs, and stories!
Join Miss Kim for some calm, sleepy reads to wind down before bedtime.
Join Miss Kate as she walks us through making a fun Mother's Day inspired craft.
Join Miss Kate as she reads some Mother's Day inspired stories and sings songs!
Miss Amy leads us through songs and stories, including Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones by Byron Barton.
Join Miss Kim as she brings us songs and stories, including Birds by Kevin Henke and other bird books!
Miss Beth leads us through a series of stories and songs, including Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox and I Love You, Little Pookie by Sandra Boynton.
Join Miss Kim for a sleepy reading of The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle and Ten Nine Eight by Molly Bang.
Join Miss Kate as she walks us through making a simple craft at home!
Join Miss Kate as she reads some fun stories, including Jump Frog Jump by Robert Kalan, Mushroom in the Rain by Mirra Ginsburg, and Turtle Splash by Cathryn Falwell.
Join Miss Beth as she leads us in a series of rhymes, songs, and stories! Featuring Where is Baby's Yummy Tummy by Karen Katz.
Join Miss Beth as she leads us through a fun series of songs and stories, including The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle.
Join Miss Beth as she leads us through a fun series of songs and stories, including The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle.
This video was presented via Facebook Live.
back to top Categories: Children's RoomThis video was presented via Facebook Live.
back to top Categories: Children's RoomWiggle Words from Facebook Live, April 6, 2020.
Join Miss Kim for some sleepy bedtime stories and songs, including Baby Bat's Lullaby by Jacquelyn Mitchard and Ten Nine Eight by Molly Bang.
back to top Categories: Children's Room, Bedtime StoriesJoin Miss Kim as she reads a sleepy story to send us off to bed.
Join Miss KIm as she reads us a sleepy story before bedtime.
Join Miss Kim as she reads us some sleepy bedtime stories.
Join Miss Kim as she reads us some sleepy bedtime stories, including It's Time to Sleep, It's Time to Dream by David A. Adler.
Relax as Miss Kim reads us a sleepy bedtime story.
Join Miss Kim for some calm, sleepy reads to wind down before bedtime.
Join Miss Kim for a sleepy reading of The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle and Ten Nine Eight by Molly Bang.
Watch as Miss Kate reads some castles books, like Mr. King's Castle by Genevieve Cote, Castle by Christopher Gravett, and Steven Biesty's Cross-sections Castle. Then she shows us a castle she built with Legos!
back to top Categories: Children's Room, Lego ManiaMiss Kim reads a folktale and shows us all how to make a shark puppet! She reads Punia and the King of Sharks: A Hawaiian Folktale, adapted by Lee Wardlaw and Felipe Davalos
back to top Categories: Children's Room, Listen! Imagine! Create!Join Miss Kate as she reads stories and sings songs for 3-5 year-olds. This week the theme is summer adventures, where Miss Kate reads The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer, We Were Tired of Living in a House by Liesel Moak Skorpen and Joe Cepeda, and more!
back to top Categories: Children's Room, Little ListenersMiss Kate sings songs and reads stories for the little ones.
Join MIss Kate as she leads us through a series of songs and stories for little ones, including My Car by Byron Barton, Mr. Gumpy's Outing by John Birmingham, and Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Kevin Lewis.
Join Miss Kate for some fun stories, including My Nest is Best by P.D. Eastman and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Join Miss Kate as she leads us through a series of stories and songs for little ones.
Join Miss Kate as she reads some Mother's Day inspired stories and sings songs!
Join Miss Kate as she reads some fun stories, including Jump Frog Jump by Robert Kalan, Mushroom in the Rain by Mirra Ginsburg, and Turtle Splash by Cathryn Falwell.
Join Miss Kate as she walks us through making some fun crafts.
Join Miss Kate for a fun nature craft you can make at home!
Follow along as Miss Kate shows us how to create a fun bird's nest craft that you can make at home!
Follow along as Miss Kate teaches us how to make paper flowers and a paper vase!
Join Miss Kate as she walks us through making a fun Mother's Day inspired craft.
Join Miss Kate as she walks us through making a simple craft at home!
Join Miss Kim as she leads us in a series of songs and stories.
Join Miss Kim as she shares songs and stories for little ones.
Join Miss Kim as she shares songs and stories for little ones.
Join Miss Kim as she reads stories and sings songs for all of the little ones.
Miss Kim leads us the little ones through a fun, engaging series of stories and songs.
Join Miss Kim as she brings us songs and stories, including Birds by Kevin Henke and other bird books!
Join Miss Amy as she reads some fun stories, including Itsby Bitsy Spider by Richard Egielski, Freight Train by Donald Crews, The Neighborhood Mother Goose by Donna Crews, and more!
Miss Amy leads us through a series of rhyming stories, including A Pocketful of Posies by Salley Maver, Home is a Window by Stephanie Ledyard, and Mr. Cookie Baker by Monica Wellington.
Miss Amy leads us through a series of rhymes, songs, and stories, including This Little Chick by John Lawrence and Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington.
Join Miss Amy as she leads us through a series of rhymes, songs, and stories, including Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas, Are You My Mother by P.D. Eastman, and I Heard Said the Bird by Polly Berrien Berends.
Miss Amy leads us through songs and stories, including Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones by Byron Barton.
Miss Beth leads a fun-filled round of songs and stories for everyone.
Join Miss Beth as she sings some fun songs and read stories.
Miss Beth leads us in a series of songs and stories.
Miss Beth leads us in a series of songs and stories, including Baby at the Farm by Karen Katz.
Join Miss Beth and Mr. Pennybear for a fun series of songs and stories.
Join Miss Beth and Mr. Pennybear for a fun series of songs and stories.
Join Miss Beth as she leads us in a series of rhymes, songs, and stories!
Miss Beth leads us through a series of stories and songs, including Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox and I Love You, Little Pookie by Sandra Boynton.
Join Miss Beth as she leads us in a series of rhymes, songs, and stories! Featuring Where is Baby's Yummy Tummy by Karen Katz.
Join Miss Beth as she leads us through a fun series of songs and stories, including The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle.
Join Miss Beth as she leads us through a fun series of songs and stories, including The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle.
Wiggle Words from Facebook Live, April 6, 2020.
Personal development coach and artist Jennessa Durrani leads a session in meditative doodling. Zen Doodling is a relaxing way to create beautiful images by drawing structured and repetitive patterns. You'll practice various patterns and then put them together in your own finished piece and enjoy the calm and relaxation the art brings. Supplies needed include paper and pencil, black pens/markers that you have on hand.
During this 90-minute workshop, learn effective resource management tools to help prioritize, delegate, organize, defer and accomplish everything that is on your plate. You will learn the inside secrets to getting done done. By learning these skills, not only will you be able to approach your work with a new lens, you will also build accountability and positive reinforcement to keep you motivated. Jennessa Durrani is a personal development coach, artist, wife and mom to two crazy boys 16 and 12. Jennessa helps moms in middle life tap into their creativity, come alive and create a life by design by dreaming big and implementing small. She does this through her online community A Daily Practice and 1:1 and small group coaching.
Join the Food for Friends cookbook team as they present the makings of a complete holiday meal featuring recipes from each section of the newly published Food for Friends cookbook - Appetizers & Beverages, Soups & Salads, Vegetables & Side Dishes, Main Dishes, Breads & Rolls, Desserts, Cookies & Candy, and Cooking with Herbs, a whole section of recipes from Andover's own Betsy Williams. The cookbook team presenters are Marilyn Blumsack, Karen English, Judy Reghitto, Martha Mahoney, Nancy Hall, Jack Hall, MaryJane Bausemer, Stefani Traina (standing in for MHL staffer Vicki Murphy), Michelle Shainker, Noreen Volpe and Betsy Williams.
Food for Friends can be purchased in person at the Circulation Desk for a $20 suggested donation. Cash or check only. It can be ordered online at the Shop for Friends for pickup at the Library.
Andover resident and life coach, Jennessa Durrani, describes how to get 'unstuck' and breaks down the three phases of setting an action plan for one's life based on the three phases of a typical MacGyver television episode.
Learn how to open a Zoom link to attend a virtual library program.
Fun sewing craft for all ages and a great gift for all ages! Pocket can contain a book, coloring books and crayons, journal and pens, the ideas are endless! Click here for instructions.
Learn how to get daily access to the New York Times online with your library card.
Learn how to get online access to The Washington Post with your MHL library card.
Learn how to get online access to The Wall Street Journal with your MHL library card.
Learn how to get started with knitting with MHL staff members Vicki Murphy and Gerry Deyermond.
MHL is now open by appointment only. You can read more about our reopening here, and you can book an appointment for yourself at our booking site. This video will show you the steps to book your appointment.
Learn how to use your library card to place a hold on an item.
Learn how to log your Summer Reading time in Beanstack.
Learn how to create a free account on Beanstack so that you can start logging your Summer Reading hours!
Teen Services / Reference Librarian Anna walks you through the process of finding available items in the catalog so that they can be requested for curbside pickup.
MHL Teen Services Librarian Renata walks you through setting up the Library Extension browser extension to search multiple library system catalogs at once. This is especially handy for when you want to search across multiple OverDrive collections!
While I've been spending more time at home, I've been enjoying walks through the neighborhood. I've been enjoying hearing more birdsong and seeing more birds, but I can't always put the two together. For example, I see a lot of robins on my walks, but I realized I don't know what their songs or calls sound like. So I turned to a cool resource MHL offers, Birds of the World Online, to hear recordings of robins and learn a bit more about these fun feathered friends. Now, when I'm out walking, I can identify robins by sight as well as by sound! Check out this video to learn more about using Birds of the World Online.
back to top Categories: How-toMHL Reference Librarian Dean walks you through getting access to the New York Times with your library card.
This video was uploaded to the library's Instagram.
back to top Categories: How-toCelebrate National Poetry Month with prize-winning poet Peter Schmitt in a Zoom webinar. In Goodbye, Apostrophe, his first new collection in more than a decade, the nationally recognized and prize-winning poet has assembled nearly 50 poems exemplary for their range and emotional power. From the hard lessons of childhood to the loss of parents, these poems confront the challenging issues of our time, including race, religion, abuse of varying kinds, and reflexive political correctness. By turns poignant and funny, elegiac and celebratory, formal and free, the mature work of a poet Richard Wilbur hailed as “one of the strongest talents in his generation” will resonate indelibly with any serious reader of American poetry.
Peter Schmitt is the author of six collections of poems: Goodbye, Apostrophe (Regal House Publishing, 2020), Renewing the Vows (David Robert Books), Hazard Duty, and Country Airport (Copper Beech Press), and two chapbooks, Incident in an Apartment Complex: A Suite of Voices, and To Disappear (Pudding House). He has received the Lavan Award from The Academy of American Poets (selected by Richard Wilbur), the “Discovery”/The Nation Prize (judged by Anthony Hecht, Mary Jo Salter, and Nicholas Christopher), the Julia Peterkin Award (Converse College) and is twice a recipient of grants from the Florida Arts Council. He was awarded an Ingram Merrill Foundation Fellowship. His poems have been featured on NPR’s Writers Almanac, and he is a winner of the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival open competition. His work has appeared in many leading publications, including The Hudson Review, The Nation, The Paris Review, Poetry, and The Southern Review, and been widely anthologized. He has reviewed poetry and fiction for the Miami Herald and South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and worked as a freelance editor of novels, short fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and journalism. He is currently editing his late father’s WWII remembrance, Ferry Tales: A Navigator’s Memoir (McFarland, 2022).
A native Miamian and honors graduate of Amherst College, Schmitt studied with Richard Wilbur and received the College’s poetry prizes as a junior and senior. He attended the University of Iowa Writers Workshop, where his teachers included Donald Justice. He has taught creative writing and literature at The University of Miami since 1986.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, PoetryJoin Miss Amy as she reads some fun stories, including Itsby Bitsy Spider by Richard Egielski, Freight Train by Donald Crews, The Neighborhood Mother Goose by Donna Crews, and more!
MHL Children's Services Coordinator Beth reads "The Rainbow" by Christina Rossetti for National Poetry Month.
MHL Children's Librarian Kim reads "I Met a Dragon Face to Face" by Jack Prelutsky for National Poetry Month.
MHL Teen Services Librarian Renata reads "How Do I Know When a Poem is FInished?" by Naomi Shihab Nye for National Poetry Month.
MHL Librarian Stephanie reads the first few stanzas of "The Rybaiyat of Omar Khayyam," translated by Edward FitzGerald, or National Poetry Month 2020.
MHL's Coordinator of Children's Services Beth reads "The Wind" by Robert Louis Stevenson for National Poetry Month 2020.
MHL Librarian Dean reads "Errantry" by J.R.R. Tolkien for National Poetry Month 2020.
Teen Services Librarian Anna reads "From an April" by Rainer Maria Rilke for National Poetry Month 2020.
Join Robert Bouchie, Boston University’s School of Medicine's Anatomical Lab director for an informative talk regarding the history, practice, ethics, and legalities, of whole body anatomical donation.
The first part of this program highlight's Robert's background, how he came to be the anatomical lab director, and his philosophy when approaching the practicalities of anatomical donations. Then hear about the practice, reasons, methods, generosity, and more behind this crucial service.
Laying the Foundation: Exploring the Nucleus of the Addison’s Collection explores the eclectic mix of works that comprise the Addison’s founding collection, which reflects not just the best of what was available on the market at the time but also the specific tastes and predilections of those who contributed to its creation.
Join Gordon Wilkins, Robert M. Walker Curator at the Addison Gallery of American Art, for a virtual tour and discussion of the exhibition.
Have you noticed that new clothes just aren't as good as they used to be? The low quality and short lifespan of new clothing is creating an environmental and ethical crisis for the planet and its people.
In this webinar, Amanda McCarty, a fashion industry veteran and host of the Clotheshorse podcast, breaks down the hidden reasons why new clothing is kinda garbage.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation. Participants will be introduced, and guided through, a different type of meditation each class.
Internal Observation: A Mindful Awareness Meditation
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation. Participants will be introduced, and guided through, a different type of meditation each class.
Participants are welcome to find a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren, for a calming Friday lunch break. This session is about movement meditation.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation. Participants will be introduced, and guided through, a different type of meditation each class.
End of Life doulas provide support to the individual and their loved ones, are knowledgeable on matters ranging from practical to spiritual, and help people identify how they want to live well--with choice, healing and thoughtfulness-- as they near their death. Hear from a panel of three such practitioners – all with different backgrounds, experience, and practices.
Join Jennifer Cecere, the Addison Gallery of American Art’s Edward E. Elson Artist-in-Residence, for a virtual tour and discussion of her body of work and her site-specific installations at the Addison this spring.
In this webinar, learn about eastern coyote biology, how coyotes use suburban areas, and how communities like ours can take effective steps to coexist with coyotes.
Award-winning science writer, memoirist, and photographer Margie Patlak talks about what inspired her to take the Maine nature photos that comprise her newly published photobook Wild and Wondrous: Nature's Artistry on the Coast of Maine, and her photography-on-the-fly process using an iPhone.
The first major survey of Southern photography in 25 years, A Long Arc: Photography and the American South since 1845 examines the South’s place in the history of photography and reveals the region’s critical impact on the evolution of the medium.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in these 30-minute mindfulness meditation classes. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation.
This session focuses on mindfulness meditation with nervous system relaxation.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in these 30-minute mindfulness meditation classes. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation.
This session focuses on mindfulness meditation and movement.
Learn practical processes and cost-effective solutions for understanding your energy usage. As we work toward a more sustainable future, knowing how you’re using energy and what it costs you is critical.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in these 30-minute mindfulness meditation classes. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation.
This session focuses on mindfulness meditation with loving awareness.
Within a short span of time, Margie Patlak lost her mother, sole sibling, and father. Reeling from those losses, Patlak returned to live in Down East Maine, where she spent her childhood summers. While in mourning and writing about the wilder environment she experienced at her new home, Patlak uncovered many lessons nature was teaching her about the nature of life.
Her talk is illustrated with her striking photos of the alluring Maine coast.
Join Lisa Volpe, Curator of Photography at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, for a discussion of the photographic projects that Frank and Webb created during travels through the United States in 1955.
Organized by the Museum of Fine Art, Houston, this exhibition presents photographs that Robert Frank and Todd Webb created separately during their 1955 Guggenheim Foundation Fellowships. Though the men had no knowledge of each other at the time, their strikingly similar images revealed popular cultural trends and shared ideologies that challenged the idealistic purity of the “American Roadtrip.”
Learn how to access Mass Save energy-saving programs, read your energy bill, enroll in discount rates and avoid utility shut-offs, and leave third-party energy supply contracts to save money.
This program was presented by All In Energy, a nonprofit with a mission to advance an inclusive clean energy economy.
A virtual author talk with Abby Chandler who shared with us about her new book, Seized with the Temper of the Times: Identity and Rebellion in Pre-Revolutionary America.
Join Trevor Smith, Design and Education Manager for Weston Nurseries, for a virtual talk on the why, what, and how of lawn alternatives. This program is part of the Andover Pollinator Pathway Speaker Series.
Join Dr. Bernice Burkarth - Chief Medical Officer and Chaplain Eric Redard - Director of Volunteers, Chaplaincy and Bereavement Services for Tufts Medicine Care at Home for an in-depth discussion of hospice care and services. This presentation is part of a quarterly series ‘You’ve Been Dying To Know About …’ conceived of and moderated by long time Andover resident, Richard Davis.
Soil is alive with microorganisms that help provide garden plants with the all-important nutrients they need. Learn about the soil food web, the basics of soil science (texture, structure, pH), how to foster and maintain soil health, and why a soil test is a great starting point. Discover how to create a living soil and reap its benefits for years to come. Led by Duncan Himmelman.
This program is part of the Andover Pollinator Pathway Speaker Series.
Bills for passage of this legislation have languished in the Massachusetts’ State House for years and there is now a renewed effort for review and enactment during the current legislative session. Learn more about this significant legislation during this presentation, which is part of a quarterly series ‘You’ve Been Dying To Know About …’ conceived of and moderated by long time Andover resident, Richard Davis.
All about sowing, harvesting and storing seeds, this presentation deals with all types of seed starting as well as which seeds to harvest and how to store them to add to your sustainable life. Presented by Kate Donovan from Blackstone Valley Veggie Gardens.
This Courageous Conversation aims to explore current immigrant experiences, discussing barriers, struggles, joys, and successes. We will expand our conversation to discuss the urgent situation faced by many immigrants when they arrive here, the lengthy struggles faced by immigrants after arrival, and what each of us can do to stand up against hate and support our neighbors.
Moderator: Cantor Vera Broekhuysen, Temple Emanu-El of Haverhill
Community Participants: Marius, a Togolese asylum seeker; Aldonsa Pereyra; Catherine Ramirez Mejia, MIRA Coalition; Jane Hucks, co-chair of Merrimack Valley Project’s Immigrant Justice Committee
Join us to learn about ways to sustainably increase housing opportunities and how you can be part of the solution. This program is presented by Andover Housing for All.
Moderator: Denise Johnson, Executive Director of Andover Community Trust
Joining her on the panel will be: Christopher Jee, Chair of the North Andover Housing Trust Lisa Schwarz, Assistant Planning Director, Andover Planning and Land Use Division Marcia Rasmussen, Director of Planning and Land Management, Concord, MA
Community Participants: Rep. Tram Nguyen; Anna Choi, Endicott College Professor of Religion; Honglang Zhang, Andover Chinese School; Yasmin Padamsee Forbes, AAPI Commission; Henry Wright, local student
This presentation, Good Grief, presents how memoirists—Ann Hood (Comfort), Mark Doty (Heaven’s Coast), and Trent Preszler (Little and Often)— used writing as an important component of healing after loss.
This Courageous Conversation aims to explore first-hand the Jewish experience as it is impacted by hate, sharing ways that the recent upswing in antisemitism has impacted our communities. We will expand our conversation to discuss what each of us can do in a bold conversation about allyship, education, and the ways we can unite against hatred, bigotry, and intolerance.
Planting native shrubs in our gardens is a valuable way to create habitat, but many of these beautiful and adaptable species are still little known or underutilized in horticulture. In this presentation, learn about the diversity and ecological value of the native shrubs that are common in our local woodlands, wetlands, and field edges, as well as how they can be incorporated into managed landscape settings.
In the first installment in the Andover Pollinator Pathway Speaker Series, hear from Amy Meltzer who will focus on the current biodiversity crisis; the evolutionary history among native plants, insects, birds and fungi, and how the interdependent relationships among diverse species are necessary for their survival. She will show how growing native plants and using ecological landscape practices can simultaneously reverse biodiversity loss, increase resilience in our landscapes, and slow climate change - all while creating a beautiful garden!
This Courageous Conversation aims to correct misinformation and provide an overview of approaches that community members and allies can use to improve conversations about LGBTQ equality, with a focus on illustrating the concrete harms and hate that LGBTQ people face here in Andover and across Massachusetts, helping straight, cis-gender people see those harms through their own eyes, and avoiding missteps that can create roadblocks to successful discussions.
Hate incidents are on the rise, instilling fear across the country, including right here in Andover.
Courageous Conversations presents a 5-part series on the rise in hate, where it stems from, and the personal impacts. Specifically, these conversations will focus on hate towards Black and Brown people, the LGBTQ community, the Jewish community, Asian Americans and Immigrants.
This is the first conversation featuring keynote speaker Jeneé Osterheldt, culture columnist for the Boston Globe and a conversation with a panel of impacted community members.
Robin Putnam, Events & Outreach Manager from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, and Danielle Bass from the Better Business Bureau present information about consumer shopping rights.
In this presentation, Bob Zogg introduces homeowners to modern heat pumps, including:
Bob Zogg is a founding member of the HeatSmart Alliance, a volunteer organization that promotes clean heating and cooling systems in Massachusetts communities. This program is a collaboration between Memorial Hall Library and Andover WECAN.
Book bans are on the rise across the country as states seemingly compete to see who can place the most restrictions on free speech. As this latest wave of censorship activity continues to build, what is your role as a library user? In this interactive webinar during Banned Books Week, you'll learn about why intellectual freedom is important and what you can do to support libraries, library workers, and free expression during these challenging times.
Presented by Martin Garnar, PhD, director of the Amherst College Library, chair of the American Library Association's (ALA) Intellectual Freedom Committee, and editor of the 10th edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual. This presentation was a collaboration with Tewksbury Public Library and other local libraries.
District attorneys are the most powerful people in the criminal justice system. They decide who gets charged with a crime - and determine how most criminal cases are resolved. Sheriffs have the power to make our communities safer and more just for all - but most Massachusetts voters don’t even know who their sheriff is. Learn more about these elected officials who have tremendous impact on people’s lives and our communities.
Laura Rótolo of ACLU Massachusetts and Stacy Seward of The Dream Network will discuss how these two offices operate in Essex County. Their online presentations will be followed by a moderated Q&A led by Gail Forsyth-Vail.
Want to learn more about clean solar energy for your home but don't know where to start? Join Andover WECAN and ReVision Energy's Solar Designer Malcolm Sonnett for an overview of all things solar!
A discussion in collaboration with Courageous Conversations
Join author and educator Christy Whittlesey, Ph.D, to discuss her book, It's OK to Say "They," and what teachers, parents, and allies can do to support and advocate for nonbinary and trans students. Listen to a panel of community members, educators, parents, and nonbinary people as we discuss these important issues.
Christy Whittlesey, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) has been an educator in settings ranging from PreK-higher education for the past 20 years. She regularly collaborates with school districts to empower educators to foster inclusive, safe, and equitable schools where all students are supported, regardless of gender. She is the author of two books, It's OK to Say They: Tips for Educator Allies of Transgender and Nonbinary Students (2019), which was an IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award Finalist in 2020, and The Beginner's Guide to Being a Trans Ally (2021). Both are fund-raising books that benefit trans-supportive organizations. For more information about Christy, see her website: https://www.christywhittlesey.com/.
Katie Banks Hone shares the story of what unfolds when a native gardener inherits a typical suburban property along the Ipswich River. See non-native foundation plantings replaced by native pollinator gardens, terraced rain gardens built over eroding slopes and tour the garden rooms now filled with over 80 species of native plants, supporting birds, bees and butterflies.
Christy Wilhemi, author of Grow Your Own Mini Fruit Garden shares how even beginners can become successful fruit “farmers.” Selecting the best small-scale fruit trees, bushes, vines, and plants for your climate, siting them properly, and pruning your compact trees for health and productivity are some of the many topics covered in the pages of her bible of small-space fruit growing. With modern dwarf varieties, a healthy, high-yielding garden filled with fruit-producing plants is possible—even in the smallest of yards.
Christy Wilhelmi empowers people to grow their own food, to be more self-reliant, and to reduce pollution and waste, one garden at a time. Christy is founder of Gardenerd, the ultimate resource for garden nerds, where she publishes newsletters, her popular blog, and top-ranked podcasts. She also specializes in small-space, organic vegetable garden design and consulting. She is author of Gardening for Geeks, 400+ Tips for Organic Gardening Success: A Decade of Tricks, Tools, Recipes, and Resources from Gardenerd.com, Grow Your Own Mini Fruit Garden, and Garden Variety: A Novel (William Morrow).
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, GardeningMark Gostkiewicz of Tri Gable Lea Farm, a small family farm in Colchester, CT covers a variety of easy ways to start a garden bed from scratch, including times to start and how to tweak your method to match the season. Although some methods involve digging, most do not. You'll learn about sheet mulching/lasagna mulching, hugelkultur beds, forest garden beds, raised beds, and straw bale gardens, and the materials and mulches you can find for free or purchase inexpensively (cardboard, straw, hay, wood chips, top soil, compost).
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, GardeningShannie McCabe, a horticulture educator with Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company gives an overview of what heirloom seeds are and aren't and offers tips for planning your garden, seed saving and more.
Join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse for a gratitude and kindness meditation.
Lauren Masse studied Psychology and Public Health at UMass Amherst, and has a Master’s of Public Health from Boston University. She is a certified Holistic Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She founded Mindful Minis Boston in 2018 and offers private coaching for kids.
This series is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthJoin mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse to learn some mindfulness tools and techniques for stress relief.
Lauren Masse studied Psychology and Public Health at UMass Amherst, and has a Master’s of Public Health from Boston University. She is a certified Holistic Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She founded Mindful Minis Boston in 2018 and offers private coaching for kids.
This series is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthLauren Masse leads a movement meditation.
Lauren Masse studied Psychology and Public Health at UMass Amherst, and has a Master’s of Public Health from Boston University. She is a certified Holistic Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She founded Mindful Minis Boston in 2018 and offers mindfulness classes and private coaching for kids.
This series is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthTour the exhibition with Lisa Volpe, associate curator of photography at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and author of the exhibition catalogue, Georgia O'Keeffe, Photographer. Lisa's engaging presentation takes you through the galleries and into the backstory of her years of research documenting O'Keeffe's photography. The exhibition is on view at the Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy in Andover, MA until June 12, 2022.
This program was a collaboration of the Addison Gallery, Memorial Hall Library, Chelmsford Public Library, Tewksbury Public Library and Wilmington Memorial Library.
back to top Categories: Addison Gallery Talks, Adult Programs, ArtJoin mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse for a deep breathing and muscle relaxation meditation. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body. Lauren studied Psychology and Public Health at UMass Amherst, and has a Master’s of Public Health from Boston University. She is a certified Holistic Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She founded Mindful Minis Boston in 2018 and offers private coaching for kids.
This series is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthCaptain Wayne Frieden of Reel Dream Charters, Boston Harbor shares places of interest and spots where he has fished over the years, including the types of flies and lures he uses. He also talks about two programs he's been involved in over the years - Reel Recovery (fly fishing retreats for men with cancer) and the Thompson Island Outward Bound Fishing Invitational Tournament, which supports the Thompson Island Educational program for inner city youth.
Sam Stavis, owner of Suds and Seams Guide Service shares how you can stay active on the water throughout the year in New England. From fishing through ice in the dead of winter, to exploiting our rich cold and warm water fisheries in the early spring and late fall, to fishing the days of summer for striped bass and other local fisheries, Sam's seminar showcases how you can have fishing success year round.
Andover native, Gary Morrissette talks about fishing on Kennebago Lake in Rangeley, Maine, the largest fly fishing only water east of the Mississippi River. Gary has been fishing for 35+ years, both fly fishing and conventional light tackle fishing in fresh and saltwater.
The impacts of structural inequities in health and health care are explored by Dr. Amy Patel, Medical Director, Phillips Academy, Dr. Cara Marshall, Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, and Albert Pless Jr., Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Town of Andover. They provide historical context and share their professional experience to shed light on the burdens faced by communities of color with regard to health and health outcomes. They also address possible solutions to these issues. Jeffrey Thomas of the Mandela Yoga Project joined for the Q&A, which was moderated by Aldonsa Pereyra, a member of the Courageous Conversations planning team. The resources shared during the program are available here.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Social JusticeFinn Hawley provides a step-by-step approach to preparing for the upcoming season, including how and where to fish during the Spring, Summer and Fall. He details the best gear, tackle, lures and baits to use to increase your chances for success. Currently a senior at Manchester Essex Regional High School, Finn has been surfcasting on Cape Ann for over 10 years. He specializes in catching large Striped Bass from shore. Finn became well known in the fishing community for posting high-quality photos and videos to his Instagram @StripedBassHunt. He is a Pro-staff member for a few well-known fishing gear companies such as Lamiglas and STORMR USA. Recently, The Boston Globe wrote a front-page article about Finn. He is a passionate surfcaster and enjoys sharing his passion and approach to finding and catching Striped Bass.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Fish On! Andover
Lauren Masse leads a Chakra Meditation. Chakra Meditation is made up of relaxation techniques focused on bringing balance and well-being to the seven chakras (centers of energy and spiritual power in the body).
A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthPersonal development coach and artist Jennessa Durrani leads a session in meditative doodling. Zen Doodling is a relaxing way to create beautiful images by drawing structured and repetitive patterns. You'll practice various patterns and then put them together in your own finished piece and enjoy the calm and relaxation the art brings. Supplies needed include paper and pencil, black pens/markers that you have on hand.
Lauren Masse leads a Movement Meditation in this session. Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body.
During this 90-minute workshop, learn effective resource management tools to help prioritize, delegate, organize, defer and accomplish everything that is on your plate. You will learn the inside secrets to getting done done. By learning these skills, not only will you be able to approach your work with a new lens, you will also build accountability and positive reinforcement to keep you motivated. Jennessa Durrani is a personal development coach, artist, wife and mom to two crazy boys 16 and 12. Jennessa helps moms in middle life tap into their creativity, come alive and create a life by design by dreaming big and implementing small. She does this through her online community A Daily Practice and 1:1 and small group coaching.
Lauren Masse leads a Mindfulness Meditation in this session. Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body.
In this 38 minute workshop, Samaritans Inc. trainer Leah Meyers discusses how to identify risk factors and warning signs for suicide. She offers advice on how to be an empathic listener and how to ask clarifying questions. She discusses ways to offer support and get help for someone going through a mental health challenge. She shares resources, including the importance of self-care for those who are supporting others in a crisis.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Participants are welcome to find a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse in this Zoom webinar. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body. Lauren will focus on a different type of meditation for each session. This session is Breathing with Nature, an imaginative guided meditation.
The series is presented in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthNew Hampshire has attracted and inspired artists since the colonial era. What is distinctive about the art made here? This program will consider works by itinerant and folk painters, landscape artists drawn to the state's scenic vistas, and modern artists that adopted bold styles to depict everyday life in the Granite State. Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Childe Hassam, and Maxfield Parrish are some of the artists art historian and educator Jane Oneail will explore.
Note: The recording begins a few minutes into the program.
Sponsored by the Friends of Memorial Hall Library, this series is dedicated in memory of Kathy Hess, retired educator, longtime Friends' board member, and tireless book sale volunteer, library advocate and art enthusiast.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, ArtJoin the Food for Friends cookbook team as they present the makings of a complete holiday meal featuring recipes from each section of the newly published Food for Friends cookbook - Appetizers & Beverages, Soups & Salads, Vegetables & Side Dishes, Main Dishes, Breads & Rolls, Desserts, Cookies & Candy, and Cooking with Herbs, a whole section of recipes from Andover's own Betsy Williams. The cookbook team presenters are Marilyn Blumsack, Karen English, Judy Reghitto, Martha Mahoney, Nancy Hall, Jack Hall, MaryJane Bausemer, Stefani Traina (standing in for MHL staffer Vicki Murphy), Michelle Shainker, Noreen Volpe and Betsy Williams.
Food for Friends can be purchased in person at the Circulation Desk for a $20 suggested donation. Cash or check only. It can be ordered online at the Shop for Friends for pickup at the Library.
Curator Gordon Wilkins will explore works and themes from the exhibition, Learning to Look: The Addison at 90, which celebrates the Addison’s 90th anniversary.
This program is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with the Addison Gallery of American Art and Wilmington Memorial Library.
back to top Categories: Addison Gallery Talks, Adult ProgramsSociety is inundated with misinformation – some of it presenting as more authentic than others. It is not surprising that we are susceptible to this misinformation. Yet, what is more surprising is that once debunked, we struggle to accept accurate information and prefer to stay down the proverbial rabbit hole. Pulling from research on self-deception, Professor Andrew Tollison will focus on how and why we rationalize and justify our beliefs in such misinformation along with the consequences of being unwilling to accept truths. The purpose of this talk is to continue the conversation started by Dr. Zimdars on fake news.
Andrew Tollison (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin) is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director within the Department of Communication & Media at Merrimack College. Dr. Tollison has been at Merrimack since 2012 and teaches courses in Lying & Deception, Food as Communication, Conflict Management, Advocacy, and Research Methods. In addition to being in the classroom, Dr. Tollison’s research has appeared in top-tier academic journals, and he has extensive experience working as a communication consultant for start-ups and entrepreneurs, focusing on how to communicate with impact. His experience with Lying & Deception will serve as the foundation for this talk and participation in the series. This program was hosted by Memorial Hall Library in collaboration with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult ProgramsJoin Vicki & Gerry in the live Zoom library craft classroom for a class in felting. You'll learn how to felt your own soap and add embellishments (just in time for holiday gift giving)!
In this Zoom webinar, Professor Melissa Zimdars looks at the social, technological, financial, and political factors that pollute our communication systems and make them rife with disinformation and misinformation. She will share information about how social media platforms work, contemporary challenges facing news organizations and their practices, the ways individuals understand and engage with all kinds of online content, and how this all contributes to problems like "fake news."
Melissa Zimdars is an Associate Professor in Media and Communication at Merrimack College and a Research Affiliate at the Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She is also the co-editor of the book Fake News: Understanding Media and Misinformation in the Digital Age (MIT Press, 2020). Read the Introduction and chapter on Viral "Fake News" Lists and the Limitations of Labeling and Fact-Checking.
This program was hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult ProgramsJohn Singer Sargent, a masterful nineteenth-century artist, is celebrated for his Grand Manner portraiture of the European and American elite. Art historian and educator Jane Oneail of Culturally Curious will explore his most beloved as well as rarely seen images, including portraits, forays into Impressionism and stunning watercolors.
Sponsored by the Friends of Memorial Hall Library, this series is dedicated in memory of Kathy Hess, retired educator, longtime Friends' board member, and tireless book sale volunteer, library advocate and art enthusiast.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, ArtLearn how you can make changes in your own home landscape to combat climate change. It’s easy to read the news these days and feel anxious about Climate Change. This webinar will show you how it’s even easier to get proactive and planting in your own backyard. Willow Cheeley will outline the basics of design, how to grow your own native plants from seed, and common mistakes to avoid. Be inspired to create a beautiful and interconnected landscape habitat.
Willow Cheeley, RLA, is a Registered Landscape Architect with a lifelong interest in ecological design. Her background includes a degree in Natural Resources, the design of municipal parks and playgrounds, working with volunteers, and developing creative ways to engage and educate the public.
A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and Andover WECAN.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, GardeningIn this online tour of the exhibit, Language, Sequence, Structure: Photographic Works by Lew Thomas, Donna-Lee Phillips, and Hal Fischer, Curator Gordon Wilkins discusses works by Bay Area collaborators Thomas, Phillips, and Fischer, who explored the complex relationship between photography and language, text and image, in the 1970s and 80s.
This program was a collaboration of Memorial Hall Library, Wilmington Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art.
back to top Categories: Addison Gallery Talks, Adult ProgramsArt historian and educator Jane Oneail will explore some of the most brazen criminal acts in the art world. Her lecture features works by artists including da Vinci, Michelangelo and Rembrandt. Learn more about works that were targeted and how they were recovered and restored for our enjoyment today.
Sponsored by the Friends of Memorial Hall Library, this series is dedicated in memory of Kathy Hess, retired educator, longtime Friends' board member, and tireless book sale volunteer, library advocate and art enthusiast.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, ArtAnnawon Weeden, Mashpee Wampanoag/Pequot/Narragansett, is in conversation with Julia Alexander, an educator at The Pike School. In the recording, Annawon's background is moving around because he's traveling in a vehicle while he's talking. Annawon discusses and shares Native American history in New England, cultural identity, contemporary lifeways and cultural appropriation, among many other topics. Born & raised on the Narragansett Tribal reservation in Charlestown, Rhode Island, Annawon eventually made his home in his mother’s Wampanoag community in Mashpee, MA. Currently self-employed, he dedicates much of his time to visiting colleges, museums, libraries, corporations and more, as he continues his efforts to correct misinformation and misrepresentation of indigenous people. This program is suitable for both adults and students in Grades 6 and up. A list of some of the resources mentioned during Annawon's talk can be found here.
This program is a collaboration of Courageous Conversations, Memorial Hall Library, Chelmsford Public Library, Haverhill Public Library, Stevens Memorial Library and Tewksbury Public Library, Libraries Working Towards Social Justice.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Social JusticeMeet Andover's Comission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and learn about their work.
This program was hosted by Memorial Hall Library in collaboration with Courageous Conversations, Andover DIVERSE, and the Andover Commission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Social JusticeLauren Masse leads a loving kindness meditation.
This program is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthLauren Masse leads a movement meditation.
Buildings are our biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Andover. Making buildings more energy efficient saves money and helps protect and promote the health of community residents. Hear from Sarah Dooling, Executive Director of Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN), on how the net zero stretch building code is our most powerful tool for climate mitigation efforts and community health. Andover's sustainability coordinator, Joyce Losick-Yang joins the program for the Q&A.
A collaboration of Andover WECAN and Memorial Hall Library.
back to top Categories: Adult ProgramsFind a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse, for a 30 minute meditation class. Tonight's session covers deep breathing and muscle relaxation.
Lauren Masse is dedicated and committed to supporting others in their mental and physical wellness journeys. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Public Health from UMass Amherst, and her Master’s of Public Health from Boston University, where she focused on the health effects of chemicals and pollutants. She later became certified as a Holistic Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Founder of Mindful Minis Boston, Lauren offers mindfulness classes for kids and works with parents to incorporate beneficial mental health strategies into their home.
This series is a collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthIn this episode of Shelf Help, assistant head of circulation Gerry Deyermond and reference & cataloging librarian Stephanie Smith discuss the library's new memory kits, services for homebound patrons, and more.
In episode 14 of Shelf Help, reference librarian Justin Termini and reference & cataloging librarian Stephanie Smith discuss MHL's collection of graphic novels for adults. Hear about a variety of graphic novels available to borrow, the history of the collection, and ideas for people who've never read a graphic novel but might want to. Hint: they're not all about superheroes!
In this episode of MHL's Shelf Help, Teen Services & Reference Librarian Anna Tschetter and Cataloging & Reference Librarian Stephanie Smith discuss MHL's board game and jigsaw puzzle collection. Listen to find out the 10 most-borrowed board games, where to get board game suggestions, and more.
A recording of Dr. Shannon Peters's discussion from August 24, 2021 on gender identity and the importance of pronouns.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Social JusticeJoin Gerry Deyermond, Vicki Murphy, and Stephanie Smith as they discuss MHL's new craft area, the upcoming return of craft programs for adults, and Vicki & Gerry's new email for all questions craft-related (crafts@mhl.org). You can see photos of the new space, plus a list of some of their favorite craft books (all available at the library) here.
Join Gordon Wilkins, the Addison’s Robert M. Walker Associate Curator of American Art, to explore what the Addison Gallery of American Art’s rich archives can reveal about the museum’s collection, history, and relationship with artists. A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy.
Learn about how development and the climate crisis have impacted our local water cycle, and what you can do to restore it in your own backyard through this Greenscapes Coalition presentation by Ipswich River Watershed Outreach Manager, Rachel Schneider. The ingenious water works of a riparian forest have been largely outed, not only by hard top, but also by turf grass, which doesn’t provide shade, has extremely short roots, and loses far more water to evaporation than it absorbs or filters into the ground. Turf grass may as well be a desert. According to Rachel, we need to create hydrologically functional yards.
Participants are welcome to find a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse in this Zoom webinar. Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body. This week Lauren will lead guided visualization meditations.
Are you a history buff, interested in all things medical, curious about public health initiatives or diseases long before COVID-19? We’ll take a virtual walk through the museum and learn how selected artifacts from the museum’s collection played a significant role to treat and mitigate disease before the discovery of vaccinations and antibiotics.
The Public Health Museum is an independent 501(c)3 organization, housed in the historic Richard Morris building (also known as the Old Administration Building) of Tewksbury Hospital in Massachusetts. The Museum strives to preserve artifacts and records of our nation’s history in public health and serve as a resource to the community to educate and promote public health initiatives that address current health issues.
This program is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Andover Elder Services, Tewksbury Public Library and Billerica Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Health, HistoryFind a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse in this Zoom webinar. Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body. This week Lauren leads a mindfulness meditation.
This series is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthAn event designed to raise awareness about parole and change hearts and minds about the importance/difficulties of parole in Massachusetts. Panelists include formerly incarcerated speakers, Isaiah Dotson and Jonathan Best, Representative Liz Miranda who has filed several parole bills for 2021-22, Attorney Patty Garin, one of the foremost parole experts in Massachusetts, and moderator Jean Trounstine, professor, writer and activist who has written extensively about parole, along with Lisa Berland, who is part of Parole Watch.
A collaboration of Courageous Conversations, Memorial Hall Library, the Social Justice Coalition of South Church, and the Coalition for Effective Public Safety.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Social JusticeFind a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse in this Zoom webinar. Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body. This week Lauren leads a movement meditation.
This series is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthHave you ever wandered through the woods and wondered who had been there before you? In Massachusetts, many parks and trails have been carved out of historical sites. Author Alison O’Leary, an award-winning journalist and coauthor of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s new guide Best Day Hikes Near Boston, will share her favorites through this hour-long program. Using maps and historic photos, she describes several day trip destinations with historical significance and interesting features in Massachusetts. Special effort is made to include varying levels of difficulty (flat and easy to steep and challenging) and variety of scenery. These sites include a former rubber factory overlooked in the woods, contributions of the Roosevelt-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to our favorite parks, offbeat tales of local residents, sites of former grand estates (and tales of the owners). Author Alison O’Leary is a longtime journalist and editor. She has won awards from national and regional organizations for travel writing, reporting, and editing.
Renowned art historian and Phillips Academy alumnus William Agee (PA 1955) discusses masterworks from the Addison’s collection, their art historical significance, and their personal impact on him as a student at Andover. This program is a collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy.
Mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse discusses and leads various ways to use deep breathing meditation. This program is a collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and Tewksbury Public Library.
This series is presented in partnership with Andover WECAN and Memorial Hall Library. Find a page of recycling resources at https://mhl.org/beyond-bin-recycling-resources.
In our first two webinars we focused on recycling and composting. What’s left? The rest of your trash. Learn how you personally and how we as a society can reduce our trash. Expand what you can do by learning what legislative changes are in the works and how you can support them. Waneta Trabert, Vice President of MassRecycle will discuss trash in Massachusetts and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), why it’s exciting and how you can speak up in favor of manufacturers taking responsibility for their waste.
back to top Categories: Adult ProgramsA list of books and resources on native plants that was made available during the program can be found here: https://mhl.org/native-plants.
Recent headlines about global insect declines and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Professor Tallamy discusses simple steps that each of us can- and must- take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope.
Doug Tallamy is the T. A. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, where he has authored 104 research publications and has taught insect related courses for 40 years. Chief among his research goals is to better understand the many ways insects interact with plants and how such interactions determine the diversity of animal communities. His book Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens was published by Timber Press in 2007 and was awarded the 2008 Silver Medal by the Garden Writers' Association. The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rick Darke, was published in 2014. Doug's new book Nature's Best Hope, released by Timber Press in February 2020, is a New York Times Best Seller. Among his awards are the Garden Club of America Margaret Douglas Medal for Conservation and the Tom Dodd, Jr. Award of Excellence, the 2018 AHS B.Y. Morrison Communication Award and the 2019 Cynthia Westcott Scientific Writing Award.
This program is a collaboration of libraries in Andover, Chelmsford, North Reading, Tewksbury and Wilmington.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, GardeningA group of experienced gardeners who volunteer on the Andover Seed Library committee touch on a wide range of topics, including edible foraging, early pest prevention, watering and more. Send your garden questions and suggestions to andoverseedlibrary@mhl.org.
Celebrate National Poetry Month with prize-winning poet Peter Schmitt in a Zoom webinar. In Goodbye, Apostrophe, his first new collection in more than a decade, the nationally recognized and prize-winning poet has assembled nearly 50 poems exemplary for their range and emotional power. From the hard lessons of childhood to the loss of parents, these poems confront the challenging issues of our time, including race, religion, abuse of varying kinds, and reflexive political correctness. By turns poignant and funny, elegiac and celebratory, formal and free, the mature work of a poet Richard Wilbur hailed as “one of the strongest talents in his generation” will resonate indelibly with any serious reader of American poetry.
Peter Schmitt is the author of six collections of poems: Goodbye, Apostrophe (Regal House Publishing, 2020), Renewing the Vows (David Robert Books), Hazard Duty, and Country Airport (Copper Beech Press), and two chapbooks, Incident in an Apartment Complex: A Suite of Voices, and To Disappear (Pudding House). He has received the Lavan Award from The Academy of American Poets (selected by Richard Wilbur), the “Discovery”/The Nation Prize (judged by Anthony Hecht, Mary Jo Salter, and Nicholas Christopher), the Julia Peterkin Award (Converse College) and is twice a recipient of grants from the Florida Arts Council. He was awarded an Ingram Merrill Foundation Fellowship. His poems have been featured on NPR’s Writers Almanac, and he is a winner of the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival open competition. His work has appeared in many leading publications, including The Hudson Review, The Nation, The Paris Review, Poetry, and The Southern Review, and been widely anthologized. He has reviewed poetry and fiction for the Miami Herald and South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and worked as a freelance editor of novels, short fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and journalism. He is currently editing his late father’s WWII remembrance, Ferry Tales: A Navigator’s Memoir (McFarland, 2022).
A native Miamian and honors graduate of Amherst College, Schmitt studied with Richard Wilbur and received the College’s poetry prizes as a junior and senior. He attended the University of Iowa Writers Workshop, where his teachers included Donald Justice. He has taught creative writing and literature at The University of Miami since 1986.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, PoetrySeems obvious not to throw your spaghetti in the fireplace right? Well then why would you throw it in your trash? In Andover, as with most Massachusetts towns, our trash is incinerated. We want to keep that process burning cleanly and we want to create new healthy soil. How can we do both? Compost. Learn why composting is worth the effort and why gardeners think compost is black gold. Learn how composting helps to reduce the impacts of climate change. Julia Greene, Municipal Asst Coordinator at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP) will speak on what is happening with composting in our region. Rachel Ciaramitaro, Department of Public Works, Office Assistant shares what Andover is doing with composting and our other refuse streams.
This series is presented in partnership with Andover WECAN and Memorial Hall Library. Find a page of recycling resources at https://mhl.org/beyond-bin-recycling-resources.
UTEC's team discusses their nationally recognized model which begins with intensive street outreach, correctional facility in-reach, and gang peacemaking, engaging our most disconnected young adults by meeting them “where they’re at.” UTEC’s mission and promise is to ignite and nurture the ambition of our most disconnected young people to trade violence and poverty for social and economic success. Today they serve Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill, MA and are nationally recognized as a model agency serving justice-involved young adults. Their wraparound program is designed to never give up on young adults as they overcome personal, health, and institutional barriers to improving their lives.
The team will also share some of the ways they are innovating with the State and the Department of Corrections to make real, meaningful changes at a systemic level and how you can support. UTEC was founded in 1999 as the result of an organizing movement driven by young people to develop their own teen center in response to gang violence in Lowell. Originally known as “United Teen Equality Center,” today their name is simply UTEC, Inc.and they serve youth ages 17-25.
This program is a collaboration of Courageous Conversations, Memorial Hall Library, and Haverhill Public Library, Libraries Working Towards Social Justice.
America’s most famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, created iconic modern buildings like Fallingwater and the Guggenheim Museum. This interactive presentation, led by art educator, Jane Oneail, offers an introduction to Wright’s career and explore his final house type, the Usonian, in depth, with special emphasis on the Zimmerman House in Manchester, NH. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Andover Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
Are you confused about what goes in your trash bin and what goes in your recycling bin? You’re not alone! Neil Rhein, founder and executive director of Keep Massachusetts Beautiful talks about what really happens to our trash and recyclables here in Andover. He’ll discuss the world’s plastic pollution crisis and how trash and recycling are managed in Massachusetts. Learn how to make informed decisions about your own personal habits. Learn ways to reduce the amount of trash you generate, improve your recycling habits, and make small changes to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. MassRecycle's website Recycle Smart is chock full of information and tips about how to dispose of household waste responsibly.
Sandra Gerraughty, Department of Public Works, Business Manager and Rachel Ciaramitaro, Department of Public Works, Office Assistant talk about their new tool ReCollect, which is designed to help residents with recycling questions.
This series is presented in partnership with Andover WECAN and Memorial Hall Library. Find a page of recycling resources at https://mhl.org/beyond-bin-recycling-resources.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs
Lauren Masse leads a guided visualization and a loving kindness meditation.
Lauren Masse leads a movement meditation.
A group of experienced gardeners touch on a wide range of topics and share tips for planning your garden, what they're doing right now to get ready for the garden season and gardening in containers.
Author and historian Richard Webb shares his book, Boats Against the Current: The Honeymoon Summer of Scott and Zelda, the companion to the newly released documentary, Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story, which explores the story behind the iconic American novel, The Great Gatsby.
Lauren Masse leads a deep breathing and muscle relaxation meditation.
Mindfulness teacher Lauren Masse leads a movement meditation. Find a quiet, comfortable space to relax and practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class presented in collaboration with Memorial Hall Library and Tewksbury Public Library.
“I was a black woman according to my family, society’s one-drop rule and my birth certificate. It was culturally and legally ridiculous to wonder if I wasn’t. Yet my biological ancestry counted for absolutely nothing. My beloved mother was white.”
Former Andover resident, E. Dolores Johnson discusses her new book, Say I'm Dead: A Family Memoir of Race, Secrets and Love, with author, Grace Talusan. It's a multi-generational memoir that reveals America's changing attitudes toward race mixing, discovered through the courageous journeys of her family’s women. Johnson's parents fled to Buffalo from Indianapolis so they could marry without violating Indiana's anti-miscegenation laws. Her father was black and her mother was white. Johnson details her journey unearthing the secrets of her family, and in so doing, wrestles with identity, class, and education, aiming a potent lens at what it means to be biracial and shining more light on the racism that continues to sicken this country to this day.
Presented in collaboration with Burlington Public Library, Memorial Hall Library, Stevens Memorial Library and Tewksbury Public Library, Libraries Working Towards Social Justice.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Lauren Masse explains mindfulness and leads a seated meditation. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body.
Frida Kahlo has become a household name in recent years, with movies, books and countless products dedicated to her art and likeness. Art educator, Jane Oneail, goes beyond the artist’s famous facial hair and penetrating stare and explore her life and her work, particularly as it relates to the trolley accident she survived as a teen and her passionate and often tumultuous marriage to fellow artist Diego Rivera.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Andover Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
Steve Gallant shares his expertise about surfcasting on the North Shore. He specializes in surfcasting the North Shore after dark in search of trophy stripers.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Fish On! AndoverAuthor Matthew Van Meter discusses his book along with other social justice issues, including his work with Shakespeare in Prison, a Detroit Public Theatre community program.
In 1966 in a small town in Louisiana, a 19-year-old black man named Gary Duncan pulled his car off the road to stop a fight. Duncan was arrested a few minutes later for the crime of putting his hand on the arm of a white child. Rather than accepting his fate, Duncan found Richard Sobol, a brilliant, 29-year-old lawyer from New York who was the only white attorney at "the most radical law firm" in New Orleans. Against them stood one of the most powerful white supremacists in the South, a man called simply "The Judge."
In this powerful work of character-driven history, journalist Matthew Van Meter vividly brings alive how a seemingly minor incident brought massive, systemic change to the criminal justice system. Using first-person interviews, in-depth research and a deep knowledge of the law, Van Meter shows how Gary Duncan's insistence on seeking justice empowered generations of defendants-disproportionately poor and black-to demand fair trials. Duncan v. Louisiana changed American law, but first it changed the lives of those who litigated it.
A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library, Stevens Memorial Library and Tewksbury Public Library, Libraries Working Towards Social Justice.
Striped bass are the iconic gamefish of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, and anglers take over 15 million trips annually to target them. But the species is currently in trouble, with population levels at a 25-year low. Dr. Willy Goldsmith, Executive Director of the American Saltwater Guides Association, outlines the conservation status of striped bass, upcoming key management actions, and how anglers can get involved in the process.
In the final presentation of this three-part series, Curator Gordon Wilkins explores works created between 1930 and 1950, by artists including Ruth Asawa, Jacob Lawrence, Jackson Pollock, and Andrew Wyeth.
Organized chronologically, Currents/Crosscurrents places iconic paintings, photographs, works on paper, and sculptures in dialogue with works by and lesser-known and unknown artists.
Julio Silva shares lessons learned from years of experience on the surf so you can safely take your surfcasting to the next level.
In Currents/Crosscurrents: American Art 1850-1950, Part 2, Curator Gordon Wilkins explores works created between 1900 and 1930, by artists including Edward Hopper, Georgia O'Keeffe, and John Singer Sargent. A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art.
A group of experienced Andover gardeners share tips and best practices for starting seeds and nurturing seedlings.
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” Art educator, Jane Oneail, examines that arc as it relates to African American history enshrined in American Art. From colonial era portraits to 19th-century and Jim Crow-era prints to 1960s Civil Rights photography, this program will provide a visual overview of African American oppression, struggle and progress towards equality.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute mindfulness meditation class. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation. Participants are welcome to find a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse in this webinar.
Organized chronologically, Currents/Crosscurrents places iconic paintings, photographs, works on paper, and sculptures in dialogue with works by and lesser-known and unknown artists. In the first presentation of this three-part series, Curator Gordon Wilkins will explore works created between 1850 and 1900, by artists including Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer, and James McNeill Whistler.
Join longtime art educator, Jane Oneail, for a Zoom webinar focused on the art of Norman Rockwell. Rockwell is heralded for depicting and defining American life. He often captured bittersweet images of people experiencing universal and relatable feelings of being left out or left behind. Yet, as an artist working in the 20th century, his works are curiously devoid of America’s rich cultural and racial diversity. Toward the end of his career, Rockwell painted several poignant works about race in America that can be seen as an extension of his earlier sense of the power of inclusion and exclusion.
Looking for a creative outlet in the new year? A way to express your thoughts and feelings that goes beyond written journaling? In this interactive class, you will learn techniques on combining your written work with simple art techniques to help you establish an art journaling practice of your own. You will create a “paper bag” journal and several spreads throughout the evening using limited supplies that you should have on hand.
Andover resident and life coach, Jennessa Durrani, describes how to get 'unstuck' and breaks down the three phases of setting an action plan for one's life based on the three phases of a typical MacGyver television episode.
Join Lauren Masse, MPH, in a thought-provoking Zoom Webinar on the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, including a discussion of the effects of stress related to isolation, job loss, and radical change in routine, along with mindset shifts, behavior changes and tools helpful for reducing personal suffering and supporting your well-being at this time.
Pop artist Andy Warhol famously elevated everyday objects - like soup cans - to works of fine art. His paintings, silkscreens and photography often focused on American consumerism, not just of products, but of celebrities and images themselves. Art educator, Jane Oneail, will look at the abbreviated life, artwork and enduring legacy of the artist who predicted “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for fifteen minutes.”
Andover author and attorney, Tara K. Wilson, shares highlights from her new book, Trustworthy: Enlightened Estate Planning, and provide a broad overview and tips for putting a good trust-based estate plan in place.
What can Civil War painting and photography tell us about how history is documented and authored? Join Jamie Kaplowitz Gibbons, Head of Education, and Dr. Tessa Hite, Curatorial Fellow, as they use educational and curatorial lenses to examine works by Alexander Gardner, Edward Lamson Henry, Winslow Homer, and more from the collection of the Addison Gallery of American Art.
Fun sewing craft for all ages and a great gift for all ages! Pocket can contain a book, coloring books and crayons, journal and pens, the ideas are endless! Click here for instructions.
Join us for a conversation with local writer, Kristin Bair (O’Keeffe), during which she will discuss her new novel, Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything, parenting in a pandemic, the writing process, facing our fears, Facebook mom groups, and more.
Fraud and scams have become entirely too commonplace, especially with the increase in online transactions, social media and smartphone technology. Learn how to protect yourself from many of the schemes devised by fraudsters and scammers in this panel discussion hosted by the Andover Senior Mentors, Roland Jacobson, Jeff Kaplan and Don Schroeder, in collaboration with Memorial Hall Library. Prema Nagathan is the Senior Vice President and Security Director at Enterprise Bank. Edmund Donnelly currently serves as the Director of External Affairs, State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for AT&T Services, Inc. The Andover Senior Mentors work closely with Andover Elder Services to provide programming and information helpful to seniors in the community.
Associate Curator of American Art, Gordon Wilkins, explores artworks from the Addison Gallery of American Art exhibition, To Make Visible: Art and Activism, 1980–2000, and discusses the ways in which artists use their work to hold a mirror up to the injustices of their time, combat apathy, and provoke change.
Licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Kate Madden, discusses the basic science of sleep, tips to improve sleep, and information about a specialized treatment for insomnia.
A local panel demystifies affordable housing and provides an update on Andover's affordable housing stock and opportunities for maintaining and growing affordable housing in the community.
Learn how to get started with knitting with MHL staff members Vicki Murphy and Gerry Deyermond.
The Andover Senior Mentors, retired financial professionals, Roland Jacobson, Jeff Kaplan and Don Schroeder, discussed factors to consider when contemplating retirement and provided useful insights into issues such as having sufficient income, spending one's time in a meaningful way, and planning for the expected and unexpected in retirement.
On Wednesday, October 14th, bestselling author Gregory Maguire spent a fun-filled hour in conversation with bestselling author Daniel Handler, familiar to many as 'Lemony Snicket.'
Staff members Gerry and Vicki walk you through making a pumpkin wall-hanging, just in time for Fall!
Climate change will have - and is having - a profound effect on conditions in New England. Dr. Caleb Dresser explains how changes in regional climate are expected to affect human health in coming years, exploring changes in heat-related illnesses, vector-borne diseases such as Lyme and West Nile, risk from coastal storm surges and intensifying hurricanes, and other issues.
Rose Cheyette of Samaritans, Inc. discusses suicide, risk factors and warning signs, and skills their helpline volunteers use to support those going through any number of mental health challenges. The helpline gets lots of calls for information, which they are happy to provide. She reviews some of the best ways to listen, and how to ask questions to get a clearer understanding of how to help support those who need it. She reviews resources, including self-care, for those who support others. For more information, go to https://samaritanshope.org/
Certified Massachusetts arborist and horticulturist, Marc Fournier shares all kinds of information about native plants and shrubs and their importance in the landscape.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, GardeningPersonal development coach and artist Jennessa Durrani leads a session in meditative doodling. Zen Doodling is a relaxing way to create beautiful images by drawing structured and repetitive patterns. You'll practice various patterns and then put them together in your own finished piece and enjoy the calm and relaxation the art brings. Supplies needed include paper and pencil, black pens/markers that you have on hand.
Join Vicki & Gerry in the live Zoom library craft classroom for a class in felting. You'll learn how to felt your own soap and add embellishments (just in time for holiday gift giving)!
In this episode of Shelf Help, assistant head of circulation Gerry Deyermond and reference & cataloging librarian Stephanie Smith discuss the library's new memory kits, services for homebound patrons, and more.
Join Gerry Deyermond, Vicki Murphy, and Stephanie Smith as they discuss MHL's new craft area, the upcoming return of craft programs for adults, and Vicki & Gerry's new email for all questions craft-related (crafts@mhl.org). You can see photos of the new space, plus a list of some of their favorite craft books (all available at the library) here.
Looking for a creative outlet in the new year? A way to express your thoughts and feelings that goes beyond written journaling? In this interactive class, you will learn techniques on combining your written work with simple art techniques to help you establish an art journaling practice of your own. You will create a “paper bag” journal and several spreads throughout the evening using limited supplies that you should have on hand.
Fun sewing craft for all ages and a great gift for all ages! Pocket can contain a book, coloring books and crayons, journal and pens, the ideas are endless! Click here for instructions.
Learn how to get started with knitting with MHL staff members Vicki Murphy and Gerry Deyermond.
Watch as Teen Services Librarian Anna and For Freedoms staffer Pola Dobrzynski discuss the history of the organization, the intersection of art and politics, and the state of community activism.
Staff members Gerry and Vicki walk you through making a pumpkin wall-hanging, just in time for Fall!
Join Trevor Smith, Design and Education Manager for Weston Nurseries, for a virtual talk on the why, what, and how of lawn alternatives. This program is part of the Andover Pollinator Pathway Speaker Series.
Soil is alive with microorganisms that help provide garden plants with the all-important nutrients they need. Learn about the soil food web, the basics of soil science (texture, structure, pH), how to foster and maintain soil health, and why a soil test is a great starting point. Discover how to create a living soil and reap its benefits for years to come. Led by Duncan Himmelman.
This program is part of the Andover Pollinator Pathway Speaker Series.
All about sowing, harvesting and storing seeds, this presentation deals with all types of seed starting as well as which seeds to harvest and how to store them to add to your sustainable life. Presented by Kate Donovan from Blackstone Valley Veggie Gardens.
Planting native shrubs in our gardens is a valuable way to create habitat, but many of these beautiful and adaptable species are still little known or underutilized in horticulture. In this presentation, learn about the diversity and ecological value of the native shrubs that are common in our local woodlands, wetlands, and field edges, as well as how they can be incorporated into managed landscape settings.
In the first installment in the Andover Pollinator Pathway Speaker Series, hear from Amy Meltzer who will focus on the current biodiversity crisis; the evolutionary history among native plants, insects, birds and fungi, and how the interdependent relationships among diverse species are necessary for their survival. She will show how growing native plants and using ecological landscape practices can simultaneously reverse biodiversity loss, increase resilience in our landscapes, and slow climate change - all while creating a beautiful garden!
Katie Banks Hone shares the story of what unfolds when a native gardener inherits a typical suburban property along the Ipswich River. See non-native foundation plantings replaced by native pollinator gardens, terraced rain gardens built over eroding slopes and tour the garden rooms now filled with over 80 species of native plants, supporting birds, bees and butterflies.
Christy Wilhemi, author of Grow Your Own Mini Fruit Garden shares how even beginners can become successful fruit “farmers.” Selecting the best small-scale fruit trees, bushes, vines, and plants for your climate, siting them properly, and pruning your compact trees for health and productivity are some of the many topics covered in the pages of her bible of small-space fruit growing. With modern dwarf varieties, a healthy, high-yielding garden filled with fruit-producing plants is possible—even in the smallest of yards.
Christy Wilhelmi empowers people to grow their own food, to be more self-reliant, and to reduce pollution and waste, one garden at a time. Christy is founder of Gardenerd, the ultimate resource for garden nerds, where she publishes newsletters, her popular blog, and top-ranked podcasts. She also specializes in small-space, organic vegetable garden design and consulting. She is author of Gardening for Geeks, 400+ Tips for Organic Gardening Success: A Decade of Tricks, Tools, Recipes, and Resources from Gardenerd.com, Grow Your Own Mini Fruit Garden, and Garden Variety: A Novel (William Morrow).
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, GardeningMark Gostkiewicz of Tri Gable Lea Farm, a small family farm in Colchester, CT covers a variety of easy ways to start a garden bed from scratch, including times to start and how to tweak your method to match the season. Although some methods involve digging, most do not. You'll learn about sheet mulching/lasagna mulching, hugelkultur beds, forest garden beds, raised beds, and straw bale gardens, and the materials and mulches you can find for free or purchase inexpensively (cardboard, straw, hay, wood chips, top soil, compost).
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, GardeningShannie McCabe, a horticulture educator with Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company gives an overview of what heirloom seeds are and aren't and offers tips for planning your garden, seed saving and more.
Learn how you can make changes in your own home landscape to combat climate change. It’s easy to read the news these days and feel anxious about Climate Change. This webinar will show you how it’s even easier to get proactive and planting in your own backyard. Willow Cheeley will outline the basics of design, how to grow your own native plants from seed, and common mistakes to avoid. Be inspired to create a beautiful and interconnected landscape habitat.
Willow Cheeley, RLA, is a Registered Landscape Architect with a lifelong interest in ecological design. Her background includes a degree in Natural Resources, the design of municipal parks and playgrounds, working with volunteers, and developing creative ways to engage and educate the public.
A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and Andover WECAN.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, GardeningLearn about how development and the climate crisis have impacted our local water cycle, and what you can do to restore it in your own backyard through this Greenscapes Coalition presentation by Ipswich River Watershed Outreach Manager, Rachel Schneider. The ingenious water works of a riparian forest have been largely outed, not only by hard top, but also by turf grass, which doesn’t provide shade, has extremely short roots, and loses far more water to evaporation than it absorbs or filters into the ground. Turf grass may as well be a desert. According to Rachel, we need to create hydrologically functional yards.
A list of books and resources on native plants that was made available during the program can be found here: https://mhl.org/native-plants.
Recent headlines about global insect declines and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Professor Tallamy discusses simple steps that each of us can- and must- take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope.
Doug Tallamy is the T. A. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, where he has authored 104 research publications and has taught insect related courses for 40 years. Chief among his research goals is to better understand the many ways insects interact with plants and how such interactions determine the diversity of animal communities. His book Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens was published by Timber Press in 2007 and was awarded the 2008 Silver Medal by the Garden Writers' Association. The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rick Darke, was published in 2014. Doug's new book Nature's Best Hope, released by Timber Press in February 2020, is a New York Times Best Seller. Among his awards are the Garden Club of America Margaret Douglas Medal for Conservation and the Tom Dodd, Jr. Award of Excellence, the 2018 AHS B.Y. Morrison Communication Award and the 2019 Cynthia Westcott Scientific Writing Award.
This program is a collaboration of libraries in Andover, Chelmsford, North Reading, Tewksbury and Wilmington.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, GardeningA group of experienced gardeners who volunteer on the Andover Seed Library committee touch on a wide range of topics, including edible foraging, early pest prevention, watering and more. Send your garden questions and suggestions to andoverseedlibrary@mhl.org.
A group of experienced gardeners touch on a wide range of topics and share tips for planning your garden, what they're doing right now to get ready for the garden season and gardening in containers.
A group of experienced Andover gardeners share tips and best practices for starting seeds and nurturing seedlings.
Certified Massachusetts arborist and horticulturist, Marc Fournier shares all kinds of information about native plants and shrubs and their importance in the landscape.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, GardeningJoin Robert Bouchie, Boston University’s School of Medicine's Anatomical Lab director for an informative talk regarding the history, practice, ethics, and legalities, of whole body anatomical donation.
The first part of this program highlight's Robert's background, how he came to be the anatomical lab director, and his philosophy when approaching the practicalities of anatomical donations. Then hear about the practice, reasons, methods, generosity, and more behind this crucial service.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation. Participants will be introduced, and guided through, a different type of meditation each class.
Internal Observation: A Mindful Awareness Meditation
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation. Participants will be introduced, and guided through, a different type of meditation each class.
Participants are welcome to find a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren, for a calming Friday lunch break. This session is about movement meditation.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation. Participants will be introduced, and guided through, a different type of meditation each class.
End of Life doulas provide support to the individual and their loved ones, are knowledgeable on matters ranging from practical to spiritual, and help people identify how they want to live well--with choice, healing and thoughtfulness-- as they near their death. Hear from a panel of three such practitioners – all with different backgrounds, experience, and practices.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in these 30-minute mindfulness meditation classes. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation.
This session focuses on mindfulness meditation with nervous system relaxation.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in these 30-minute mindfulness meditation classes. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation.
This session focuses on mindfulness meditation and movement.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in these 30-minute mindfulness meditation classes. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation.
This session focuses on mindfulness meditation with loving awareness.
Join Dr. Bernice Burkarth - Chief Medical Officer and Chaplain Eric Redard - Director of Volunteers, Chaplaincy and Bereavement Services for Tufts Medicine Care at Home for an in-depth discussion of hospice care and services. This presentation is part of a quarterly series ‘You’ve Been Dying To Know About …’ conceived of and moderated by long time Andover resident, Richard Davis.
Bills for passage of this legislation have languished in the Massachusetts’ State House for years and there is now a renewed effort for review and enactment during the current legislative session. Learn more about this significant legislation during this presentation, which is part of a quarterly series ‘You’ve Been Dying To Know About …’ conceived of and moderated by long time Andover resident, Richard Davis.
Join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse for a gratitude and kindness meditation.
Lauren Masse studied Psychology and Public Health at UMass Amherst, and has a Master’s of Public Health from Boston University. She is a certified Holistic Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She founded Mindful Minis Boston in 2018 and offers private coaching for kids.
This series is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthJoin mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse to learn some mindfulness tools and techniques for stress relief.
Lauren Masse studied Psychology and Public Health at UMass Amherst, and has a Master’s of Public Health from Boston University. She is a certified Holistic Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She founded Mindful Minis Boston in 2018 and offers private coaching for kids.
This series is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthLauren Masse leads a movement meditation.
Lauren Masse studied Psychology and Public Health at UMass Amherst, and has a Master’s of Public Health from Boston University. She is a certified Holistic Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She founded Mindful Minis Boston in 2018 and offers mindfulness classes and private coaching for kids.
This series is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthJoin mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse for a deep breathing and muscle relaxation meditation. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body. Lauren studied Psychology and Public Health at UMass Amherst, and has a Master’s of Public Health from Boston University. She is a certified Holistic Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She founded Mindful Minis Boston in 2018 and offers private coaching for kids.
This series is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthLauren Masse leads a Chakra Meditation. Chakra Meditation is made up of relaxation techniques focused on bringing balance and well-being to the seven chakras (centers of energy and spiritual power in the body).
A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthPersonal development coach and artist Jennessa Durrani leads a session in meditative doodling. Zen Doodling is a relaxing way to create beautiful images by drawing structured and repetitive patterns. You'll practice various patterns and then put them together in your own finished piece and enjoy the calm and relaxation the art brings. Supplies needed include paper and pencil, black pens/markers that you have on hand.
Lauren Masse leads a Movement Meditation in this session. Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body.
Lauren Masse leads a Mindfulness Meditation in this session. Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body.
In this 38 minute workshop, Samaritans Inc. trainer Leah Meyers discusses how to identify risk factors and warning signs for suicide. She offers advice on how to be an empathic listener and how to ask clarifying questions. She discusses ways to offer support and get help for someone going through a mental health challenge. She shares resources, including the importance of self-care for those who are supporting others in a crisis.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Participants are welcome to find a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse in this Zoom webinar. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body. Lauren will focus on a different type of meditation for each session. This session is Breathing with Nature, an imaginative guided meditation.
The series is presented in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthLauren Masse leads a loving kindness meditation.
This program is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthLauren Masse leads a movement meditation.
Find a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse, for a 30 minute meditation class. Tonight's session covers deep breathing and muscle relaxation.
Lauren Masse is dedicated and committed to supporting others in their mental and physical wellness journeys. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Public Health from UMass Amherst, and her Master’s of Public Health from Boston University, where she focused on the health effects of chemicals and pollutants. She later became certified as a Holistic Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Founder of Mindful Minis Boston, Lauren offers mindfulness classes for kids and works with parents to incorporate beneficial mental health strategies into their home.
This series is a collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthParticipants are welcome to find a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse in this Zoom webinar. Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body. This week Lauren will lead guided visualization meditations.
Are you a history buff, interested in all things medical, curious about public health initiatives or diseases long before COVID-19? We’ll take a virtual walk through the museum and learn how selected artifacts from the museum’s collection played a significant role to treat and mitigate disease before the discovery of vaccinations and antibiotics.
The Public Health Museum is an independent 501(c)3 organization, housed in the historic Richard Morris building (also known as the Old Administration Building) of Tewksbury Hospital in Massachusetts. The Museum strives to preserve artifacts and records of our nation’s history in public health and serve as a resource to the community to educate and promote public health initiatives that address current health issues.
This program is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Andover Elder Services, Tewksbury Public Library and Billerica Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Health, HistoryFind a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse in this Zoom webinar. Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body. This week Lauren leads a mindfulness meditation.
This series is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthFind a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse in this Zoom webinar. Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body. This week Lauren leads a movement meditation.
This series is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, HealthMindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse discusses and leads various ways to use deep breathing meditation. This program is a collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and Tewksbury Public Library.
Lauren Masse leads a guided visualization and a loving kindness meditation.
Lauren Masse leads a movement meditation.
Lauren Masse leads a deep breathing and muscle relaxation meditation.
Mindfulness teacher Lauren Masse leads a movement meditation. Find a quiet, comfortable space to relax and practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class presented in collaboration with Memorial Hall Library and Tewksbury Public Library.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Lauren Masse explains mindfulness and leads a seated meditation. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body.
Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute mindfulness meditation class. You will learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body with meditation. Participants are welcome to find a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher, Lauren Masse in this webinar.
Join Lauren Masse, MPH, in a thought-provoking Zoom Webinar on the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, including a discussion of the effects of stress related to isolation, job loss, and radical change in routine, along with mindset shifts, behavior changes and tools helpful for reducing personal suffering and supporting your well-being at this time.
Licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Kate Madden, discusses the basic science of sleep, tips to improve sleep, and information about a specialized treatment for insomnia.
Climate change will have - and is having - a profound effect on conditions in New England. Dr. Caleb Dresser explains how changes in regional climate are expected to affect human health in coming years, exploring changes in heat-related illnesses, vector-borne diseases such as Lyme and West Nile, risk from coastal storm surges and intensifying hurricanes, and other issues.
Rose Cheyette of Samaritans, Inc. discusses suicide, risk factors and warning signs, and skills their helpline volunteers use to support those going through any number of mental health challenges. The helpline gets lots of calls for information, which they are happy to provide. She reviews some of the best ways to listen, and how to ask questions to get a clearer understanding of how to help support those who need it. She reviews resources, including self-care, for those who support others. For more information, go to https://samaritanshope.org/
A virtual author talk with Abby Chandler who shared with us about her new book, Seized with the Temper of the Times: Identity and Rebellion in Pre-Revolutionary America.
Join Gordon Wilkins, the Addison’s Robert M. Walker Associate Curator of American Art, to explore what the Addison Gallery of American Art’s rich archives can reveal about the museum’s collection, history, and relationship with artists. A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy.
Are you a history buff, interested in all things medical, curious about public health initiatives or diseases long before COVID-19? We’ll take a virtual walk through the museum and learn how selected artifacts from the museum’s collection played a significant role to treat and mitigate disease before the discovery of vaccinations and antibiotics.
The Public Health Museum is an independent 501(c)3 organization, housed in the historic Richard Morris building (also known as the Old Administration Building) of Tewksbury Hospital in Massachusetts. The Museum strives to preserve artifacts and records of our nation’s history in public health and serve as a resource to the community to educate and promote public health initiatives that address current health issues.
This program is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with Andover Elder Services, Tewksbury Public Library and Billerica Public Library.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Health, HistoryHave you ever wandered through the woods and wondered who had been there before you? In Massachusetts, many parks and trails have been carved out of historical sites. Author Alison O’Leary, an award-winning journalist and coauthor of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s new guide Best Day Hikes Near Boston, will share her favorites through this hour-long program. Using maps and historic photos, she describes several day trip destinations with historical significance and interesting features in Massachusetts. Special effort is made to include varying levels of difficulty (flat and easy to steep and challenging) and variety of scenery. These sites include a former rubber factory overlooked in the woods, contributions of the Roosevelt-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to our favorite parks, offbeat tales of local residents, sites of former grand estates (and tales of the owners). Author Alison O’Leary is a longtime journalist and editor. She has won awards from national and regional organizations for travel writing, reporting, and editing.
Author and historian Richard Webb shares his book, Boats Against the Current: The Honeymoon Summer of Scott and Zelda, the companion to the newly released documentary, Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story, which explores the story behind the iconic American novel, The Great Gatsby.
Frida Kahlo has become a household name in recent years, with movies, books and countless products dedicated to her art and likeness. Art educator, Jane Oneail, goes beyond the artist’s famous facial hair and penetrating stare and explore her life and her work, particularly as it relates to the trolley accident she survived as a teen and her passionate and often tumultuous marriage to fellow artist Diego Rivera.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Andover Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
In the final presentation of this three-part series, Curator Gordon Wilkins explores works created between 1930 and 1950, by artists including Ruth Asawa, Jacob Lawrence, Jackson Pollock, and Andrew Wyeth.
Organized chronologically, Currents/Crosscurrents places iconic paintings, photographs, works on paper, and sculptures in dialogue with works by and lesser-known and unknown artists.
In Currents/Crosscurrents: American Art 1850-1950, Part 2, Curator Gordon Wilkins explores works created between 1900 and 1930, by artists including Edward Hopper, Georgia O'Keeffe, and John Singer Sargent. A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art.
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” Art educator, Jane Oneail, examines that arc as it relates to African American history enshrined in American Art. From colonial era portraits to 19th-century and Jim Crow-era prints to 1960s Civil Rights photography, this program will provide a visual overview of African American oppression, struggle and progress towards equality.
Organized chronologically, Currents/Crosscurrents places iconic paintings, photographs, works on paper, and sculptures in dialogue with works by and lesser-known and unknown artists. In the first presentation of this three-part series, Curator Gordon Wilkins will explore works created between 1850 and 1900, by artists including Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer, and James McNeill Whistler.
Join longtime art educator, Jane Oneail, for a Zoom webinar focused on the art of Norman Rockwell. Rockwell is heralded for depicting and defining American life. He often captured bittersweet images of people experiencing universal and relatable feelings of being left out or left behind. Yet, as an artist working in the 20th century, his works are curiously devoid of America’s rich cultural and racial diversity. Toward the end of his career, Rockwell painted several poignant works about race in America that can be seen as an extension of his earlier sense of the power of inclusion and exclusion.
Pop artist Andy Warhol famously elevated everyday objects - like soup cans - to works of fine art. His paintings, silkscreens and photography often focused on American consumerism, not just of products, but of celebrities and images themselves. Art educator, Jane Oneail, will look at the abbreviated life, artwork and enduring legacy of the artist who predicted “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for fifteen minutes.”
What can Civil War painting and photography tell us about how history is documented and authored? Join Jamie Kaplowitz Gibbons, Head of Education, and Dr. Tessa Hite, Curatorial Fellow, as they use educational and curatorial lenses to examine works by Alexander Gardner, Edward Lamson Henry, Winslow Homer, and more from the collection of the Addison Gallery of American Art.
Associate Curator of American Art, Gordon Wilkins, explores artworks from the Addison Gallery of American Art exhibition, To Make Visible: Art and Activism, 1980–2000, and discusses the ways in which artists use their work to hold a mirror up to the injustices of their time, combat apathy, and provoke change.
Robin Putnam, Events & Outreach Manager from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, and Danielle Bass from the Better Business Bureau present information about consumer shopping rights.
Andover author and attorney, Tara K. Wilson, shares highlights from her new book, Trustworthy: Enlightened Estate Planning, and provide a broad overview and tips for putting a good trust-based estate plan in place.
Fraud and scams have become entirely too commonplace, especially with the increase in online transactions, social media and smartphone technology. Learn how to protect yourself from many of the schemes devised by fraudsters and scammers in this panel discussion hosted by the Andover Senior Mentors, Roland Jacobson, Jeff Kaplan and Don Schroeder, in collaboration with Memorial Hall Library. Prema Nagathan is the Senior Vice President and Security Director at Enterprise Bank. Edmund Donnelly currently serves as the Director of External Affairs, State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for AT&T Services, Inc. The Andover Senior Mentors work closely with Andover Elder Services to provide programming and information helpful to seniors in the community.
A local panel demystifies affordable housing and provides an update on Andover's affordable housing stock and opportunities for maintaining and growing affordable housing in the community.
Did you miss our College Financial Aid semester this October? No problem! Watch as certified financial planner Jim Femia walks teens and caregivers through the basics of the process.
The Andover Senior Mentors, retired financial professionals, Roland Jacobson, Jeff Kaplan and Don Schroeder, discussed factors to consider when contemplating retirement and provided useful insights into issues such as having sufficient income, spending one's time in a meaningful way, and planning for the expected and unexpected in retirement.
Captain Wayne Frieden of Reel Dream Charters, Boston Harbor shares places of interest and spots where he has fished over the years, including the types of flies and lures he uses. He also talks about two programs he's been involved in over the years - Reel Recovery (fly fishing retreats for men with cancer) and the Thompson Island Outward Bound Fishing Invitational Tournament, which supports the Thompson Island Educational program for inner city youth.
Sam Stavis, owner of Suds and Seams Guide Service shares how you can stay active on the water throughout the year in New England. From fishing through ice in the dead of winter, to exploiting our rich cold and warm water fisheries in the early spring and late fall, to fishing the days of summer for striped bass and other local fisheries, Sam's seminar showcases how you can have fishing success year round.
Andover native, Gary Morrissette talks about fishing on Kennebago Lake in Rangeley, Maine, the largest fly fishing only water east of the Mississippi River. Gary has been fishing for 35+ years, both fly fishing and conventional light tackle fishing in fresh and saltwater.
Finn Hawley provides a step-by-step approach to preparing for the upcoming season, including how and where to fish during the Spring, Summer and Fall. He details the best gear, tackle, lures and baits to use to increase your chances for success. Currently a senior at Manchester Essex Regional High School, Finn has been surfcasting on Cape Ann for over 10 years. He specializes in catching large Striped Bass from shore. Finn became well known in the fishing community for posting high-quality photos and videos to his Instagram @StripedBassHunt. He is a Pro-staff member for a few well-known fishing gear companies such as Lamiglas and STORMR USA. Recently, The Boston Globe wrote a front-page article about Finn. He is a passionate surfcaster and enjoys sharing his passion and approach to finding and catching Striped Bass.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Fish On! Andover
Steve Gallant shares his expertise about surfcasting on the North Shore. He specializes in surfcasting the North Shore after dark in search of trophy stripers.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Fish On! AndoverStriped bass are the iconic gamefish of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, and anglers take over 15 million trips annually to target them. But the species is currently in trouble, with population levels at a 25-year low. Dr. Willy Goldsmith, Executive Director of the American Saltwater Guides Association, outlines the conservation status of striped bass, upcoming key management actions, and how anglers can get involved in the process.
Julio Silva shares lessons learned from years of experience on the surf so you can safely take your surfcasting to the next level.
Laying the Foundation: Exploring the Nucleus of the Addison’s Collection explores the eclectic mix of works that comprise the Addison’s founding collection, which reflects not just the best of what was available on the market at the time but also the specific tastes and predilections of those who contributed to its creation.
Join Gordon Wilkins, Robert M. Walker Curator at the Addison Gallery of American Art, for a virtual tour and discussion of the exhibition.
Join Jennifer Cecere, the Addison Gallery of American Art’s Edward E. Elson Artist-in-Residence, for a virtual tour and discussion of her body of work and her site-specific installations at the Addison this spring.
The first major survey of Southern photography in 25 years, A Long Arc: Photography and the American South since 1845 examines the South’s place in the history of photography and reveals the region’s critical impact on the evolution of the medium.
Join Lisa Volpe, Curator of Photography at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, for a discussion of the photographic projects that Frank and Webb created during travels through the United States in 1955.
Organized by the Museum of Fine Art, Houston, this exhibition presents photographs that Robert Frank and Todd Webb created separately during their 1955 Guggenheim Foundation Fellowships. Though the men had no knowledge of each other at the time, their strikingly similar images revealed popular cultural trends and shared ideologies that challenged the idealistic purity of the “American Roadtrip.”
Curator Gordon Wilkins will lead a virtual tour through the exhibition, Rosamond Purcell: Nature Stands Aside, highlighting the themes and works presented.
This program is a partnership of Memorial Hall Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art, on the campus of Phillips Academy.
Tour the exhibition with Lisa Volpe, associate curator of photography at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and author of the exhibition catalogue, Georgia O'Keeffe, Photographer. Lisa's engaging presentation takes you through the galleries and into the backstory of her years of research documenting O'Keeffe's photography. The exhibition is on view at the Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy in Andover, MA until June 12, 2022.
This program was a collaboration of the Addison Gallery, Memorial Hall Library, Chelmsford Public Library, Tewksbury Public Library and Wilmington Memorial Library.
back to top Categories: Addison Gallery Talks, Adult Programs, ArtCurator Gordon Wilkins will explore works and themes from the exhibition, Learning to Look: The Addison at 90, which celebrates the Addison’s 90th anniversary.
This program is hosted by Memorial Hall Library in partnership with the Addison Gallery of American Art and Wilmington Memorial Library.
back to top Categories: Addison Gallery Talks, Adult ProgramsIn this online tour of the exhibit, Language, Sequence, Structure: Photographic Works by Lew Thomas, Donna-Lee Phillips, and Hal Fischer, Curator Gordon Wilkins discusses works by Bay Area collaborators Thomas, Phillips, and Fischer, who explored the complex relationship between photography and language, text and image, in the 1970s and 80s.
This program was a collaboration of Memorial Hall Library, Wilmington Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art.
back to top Categories: Addison Gallery Talks, Adult ProgramsRenowned art historian and Phillips Academy alumnus William Agee (PA 1955) discusses masterworks from the Addison’s collection, their art historical significance, and their personal impact on him as a student at Andover. This program is a collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy.
In the final presentation of this three-part series, Curator Gordon Wilkins explores works created between 1930 and 1950, by artists including Ruth Asawa, Jacob Lawrence, Jackson Pollock, and Andrew Wyeth.
Organized chronologically, Currents/Crosscurrents places iconic paintings, photographs, works on paper, and sculptures in dialogue with works by and lesser-known and unknown artists.
In Currents/Crosscurrents: American Art 1850-1950, Part 2, Curator Gordon Wilkins explores works created between 1900 and 1930, by artists including Edward Hopper, Georgia O'Keeffe, and John Singer Sargent. A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art.
Organized chronologically, Currents/Crosscurrents places iconic paintings, photographs, works on paper, and sculptures in dialogue with works by and lesser-known and unknown artists. In the first presentation of this three-part series, Curator Gordon Wilkins will explore works created between 1850 and 1900, by artists including Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer, and James McNeill Whistler.
What can Civil War painting and photography tell us about how history is documented and authored? Join Jamie Kaplowitz Gibbons, Head of Education, and Dr. Tessa Hite, Curatorial Fellow, as they use educational and curatorial lenses to examine works by Alexander Gardner, Edward Lamson Henry, Winslow Homer, and more from the collection of the Addison Gallery of American Art.
Associate Curator of American Art, Gordon Wilkins, explores artworks from the Addison Gallery of American Art exhibition, To Make Visible: Art and Activism, 1980–2000, and discusses the ways in which artists use their work to hold a mirror up to the injustices of their time, combat apathy, and provoke change.
Laying the Foundation: Exploring the Nucleus of the Addison’s Collection explores the eclectic mix of works that comprise the Addison’s founding collection, which reflects not just the best of what was available on the market at the time but also the specific tastes and predilections of those who contributed to its creation.
Join Gordon Wilkins, Robert M. Walker Curator at the Addison Gallery of American Art, for a virtual tour and discussion of the exhibition.
Join Jennifer Cecere, the Addison Gallery of American Art’s Edward E. Elson Artist-in-Residence, for a virtual tour and discussion of her body of work and her site-specific installations at the Addison this spring.
The first major survey of Southern photography in 25 years, A Long Arc: Photography and the American South since 1845 examines the South’s place in the history of photography and reveals the region’s critical impact on the evolution of the medium.
Join Lisa Volpe, Curator of Photography at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, for a discussion of the photographic projects that Frank and Webb created during travels through the United States in 1955.
Organized by the Museum of Fine Art, Houston, this exhibition presents photographs that Robert Frank and Todd Webb created separately during their 1955 Guggenheim Foundation Fellowships. Though the men had no knowledge of each other at the time, their strikingly similar images revealed popular cultural trends and shared ideologies that challenged the idealistic purity of the “American Roadtrip.”
Curator Gordon Wilkins will lead a virtual tour through the exhibition, Rosamond Purcell: Nature Stands Aside, highlighting the themes and works presented.
This program is a partnership of Memorial Hall Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art, on the campus of Phillips Academy.
Tour the exhibition with Lisa Volpe, associate curator of photography at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and author of the exhibition catalogue, Georgia O'Keeffe, Photographer. Lisa's engaging presentation takes you through the galleries and into the backstory of her years of research documenting O'Keeffe's photography. The exhibition is on view at the Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy in Andover, MA until June 12, 2022.
This program was a collaboration of the Addison Gallery, Memorial Hall Library, Chelmsford Public Library, Tewksbury Public Library and Wilmington Memorial Library.
back to top Categories: Addison Gallery Talks, Adult Programs, ArtPersonal development coach and artist Jennessa Durrani leads a session in meditative doodling. Zen Doodling is a relaxing way to create beautiful images by drawing structured and repetitive patterns. You'll practice various patterns and then put them together in your own finished piece and enjoy the calm and relaxation the art brings. Supplies needed include paper and pencil, black pens/markers that you have on hand.
New Hampshire has attracted and inspired artists since the colonial era. What is distinctive about the art made here? This program will consider works by itinerant and folk painters, landscape artists drawn to the state's scenic vistas, and modern artists that adopted bold styles to depict everyday life in the Granite State. Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Childe Hassam, and Maxfield Parrish are some of the artists art historian and educator Jane Oneail will explore.
Note: The recording begins a few minutes into the program.
Sponsored by the Friends of Memorial Hall Library, this series is dedicated in memory of Kathy Hess, retired educator, longtime Friends' board member, and tireless book sale volunteer, library advocate and art enthusiast.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, ArtJohn Singer Sargent, a masterful nineteenth-century artist, is celebrated for his Grand Manner portraiture of the European and American elite. Art historian and educator Jane Oneail of Culturally Curious will explore his most beloved as well as rarely seen images, including portraits, forays into Impressionism and stunning watercolors.
Sponsored by the Friends of Memorial Hall Library, this series is dedicated in memory of Kathy Hess, retired educator, longtime Friends' board member, and tireless book sale volunteer, library advocate and art enthusiast.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, ArtArt historian and educator Jane Oneail will explore some of the most brazen criminal acts in the art world. Her lecture features works by artists including da Vinci, Michelangelo and Rembrandt. Learn more about works that were targeted and how they were recovered and restored for our enjoyment today.
Sponsored by the Friends of Memorial Hall Library, this series is dedicated in memory of Kathy Hess, retired educator, longtime Friends' board member, and tireless book sale volunteer, library advocate and art enthusiast.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, ArtJoin Gordon Wilkins, the Addison’s Robert M. Walker Associate Curator of American Art, to explore what the Addison Gallery of American Art’s rich archives can reveal about the museum’s collection, history, and relationship with artists. A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy.
Renowned art historian and Phillips Academy alumnus William Agee (PA 1955) discusses masterworks from the Addison’s collection, their art historical significance, and their personal impact on him as a student at Andover. This program is a collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy.
America’s most famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, created iconic modern buildings like Fallingwater and the Guggenheim Museum. This interactive presentation, led by art educator, Jane Oneail, offers an introduction to Wright’s career and explore his final house type, the Usonian, in depth, with special emphasis on the Zimmerman House in Manchester, NH. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Andover Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
Frida Kahlo has become a household name in recent years, with movies, books and countless products dedicated to her art and likeness. Art educator, Jane Oneail, goes beyond the artist’s famous facial hair and penetrating stare and explore her life and her work, particularly as it relates to the trolley accident she survived as a teen and her passionate and often tumultuous marriage to fellow artist Diego Rivera.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Andover Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
In the final presentation of this three-part series, Curator Gordon Wilkins explores works created between 1930 and 1950, by artists including Ruth Asawa, Jacob Lawrence, Jackson Pollock, and Andrew Wyeth.
Organized chronologically, Currents/Crosscurrents places iconic paintings, photographs, works on paper, and sculptures in dialogue with works by and lesser-known and unknown artists.
In Currents/Crosscurrents: American Art 1850-1950, Part 2, Curator Gordon Wilkins explores works created between 1900 and 1930, by artists including Edward Hopper, Georgia O'Keeffe, and John Singer Sargent. A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library and the Addison Gallery of American Art.
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” Art educator, Jane Oneail, examines that arc as it relates to African American history enshrined in American Art. From colonial era portraits to 19th-century and Jim Crow-era prints to 1960s Civil Rights photography, this program will provide a visual overview of African American oppression, struggle and progress towards equality.
Organized chronologically, Currents/Crosscurrents places iconic paintings, photographs, works on paper, and sculptures in dialogue with works by and lesser-known and unknown artists. In the first presentation of this three-part series, Curator Gordon Wilkins will explore works created between 1850 and 1900, by artists including Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer, and James McNeill Whistler.
Join longtime art educator, Jane Oneail, for a Zoom webinar focused on the art of Norman Rockwell. Rockwell is heralded for depicting and defining American life. He often captured bittersweet images of people experiencing universal and relatable feelings of being left out or left behind. Yet, as an artist working in the 20th century, his works are curiously devoid of America’s rich cultural and racial diversity. Toward the end of his career, Rockwell painted several poignant works about race in America that can be seen as an extension of his earlier sense of the power of inclusion and exclusion.
Pop artist Andy Warhol famously elevated everyday objects - like soup cans - to works of fine art. His paintings, silkscreens and photography often focused on American consumerism, not just of products, but of celebrities and images themselves. Art educator, Jane Oneail, will look at the abbreviated life, artwork and enduring legacy of the artist who predicted “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for fifteen minutes.”
What can Civil War painting and photography tell us about how history is documented and authored? Join Jamie Kaplowitz Gibbons, Head of Education, and Dr. Tessa Hite, Curatorial Fellow, as they use educational and curatorial lenses to examine works by Alexander Gardner, Edward Lamson Henry, Winslow Homer, and more from the collection of the Addison Gallery of American Art.
Associate Curator of American Art, Gordon Wilkins, explores artworks from the Addison Gallery of American Art exhibition, To Make Visible: Art and Activism, 1980–2000, and discusses the ways in which artists use their work to hold a mirror up to the injustices of their time, combat apathy, and provoke change.
Join Robert Bouchie, Boston University’s School of Medicine's Anatomical Lab director for an informative talk regarding the history, practice, ethics, and legalities, of whole body anatomical donation.
The first part of this program highlight's Robert's background, how he came to be the anatomical lab director, and his philosophy when approaching the practicalities of anatomical donations. Then hear about the practice, reasons, methods, generosity, and more behind this crucial service.
End of Life doulas provide support to the individual and their loved ones, are knowledgeable on matters ranging from practical to spiritual, and help people identify how they want to live well--with choice, healing and thoughtfulness-- as they near their death. Hear from a panel of three such practitioners – all with different backgrounds, experience, and practices.
Within a short span of time, Margie Patlak lost her mother, sole sibling, and father. Reeling from those losses, Patlak returned to live in Down East Maine, where she spent her childhood summers. While in mourning and writing about the wilder environment she experienced at her new home, Patlak uncovered many lessons nature was teaching her about the nature of life.
Her talk is illustrated with her striking photos of the alluring Maine coast.
Join Dr. Bernice Burkarth - Chief Medical Officer and Chaplain Eric Redard - Director of Volunteers, Chaplaincy and Bereavement Services for Tufts Medicine Care at Home for an in-depth discussion of hospice care and services. This presentation is part of a quarterly series ‘You’ve Been Dying To Know About …’ conceived of and moderated by long time Andover resident, Richard Davis.
Bills for passage of this legislation have languished in the Massachusetts’ State House for years and there is now a renewed effort for review and enactment during the current legislative session. Learn more about this significant legislation during this presentation, which is part of a quarterly series ‘You’ve Been Dying To Know About …’ conceived of and moderated by long time Andover resident, Richard Davis.
This presentation, Good Grief, presents how memoirists—Ann Hood (Comfort), Mark Doty (Heaven’s Coast), and Trent Preszler (Little and Often)— used writing as an important component of healing after loss.
Social Justice
Courageous Conversations: Rise in Hate ~ Immigrant Panel Discussion
This Courageous Conversation aims to explore current immigrant experiences, discussing barriers, struggles, joys, and successes. We will expand our conversation to discuss the urgent situation faced by many immigrants when they arrive here, the lengthy struggles faced by immigrants after arrival, and what each of us can do to stand up against hate and support our neighbors.
Moderator: Cantor Vera Broekhuysen, Temple Emanu-El of Haverhill
Community Participants: Marius, a Togolese asylum seeker; Aldonsa Pereyra; Catherine Ramirez Mejia, MIRA Coalition; Jane Hucks, co-chair of Merrimack Valley Project’s Immigrant Justice Committee
Courageous Conversation: Rise in Hate AAPI Panel
Community Participants: Rep. Tram Nguyen; Anna Choi, Endicott College Professor of Religion; Honglang Zhang, Andover Chinese School; Yasmin Padamsee Forbes, AAPI Commission; Henry Wright, local student
Courageous Conversations- Rise in Hate: Antisemitism
This Courageous Conversation aims to explore first-hand the Jewish experience as it is impacted by hate, sharing ways that the recent upswing in antisemitism has impacted our communities. We will expand our conversation to discuss what each of us can do in a bold conversation about allyship, education, and the ways we can unite against hatred, bigotry, and intolerance.
Courageous Conversations: Rise in Hate LGBTQ+ Panel Discussion
This Courageous Conversation aims to correct misinformation and provide an overview of approaches that community members and allies can use to improve conversations about LGBTQ equality, with a focus on illustrating the concrete harms and hate that LGBTQ people face here in Andover and across Massachusetts, helping straight, cis-gender people see those harms through their own eyes, and avoiding missteps that can create roadblocks to successful discussions.
Courageous Conversations: A Rise in Hate
Hate incidents are on the rise, instilling fear across the country, including right here in Andover.
Courageous Conversations presents a 5-part series on the rise in hate, where it stems from, and the personal impacts. Specifically, these conversations will focus on hate towards Black and Brown people, the LGBTQ community, the Jewish community, Asian Americans and Immigrants.
This is the first conversation featuring keynote speaker Jeneé Osterheldt, culture columnist for the Boston Globe and a conversation with a panel of impacted community members.
What Difference Do a DA and Sheriff Make?
District attorneys are the most powerful people in the criminal justice system. They decide who gets charged with a crime - and determine how most criminal cases are resolved. Sheriffs have the power to make our communities safer and more just for all - but most Massachusetts voters don’t even know who their sheriff is. Learn more about these elected officials who have tremendous impact on people’s lives and our communities.
Laura Rótolo of ACLU Massachusetts and Stacy Seward of The Dream Network will discuss how these two offices operate in Essex County. Their online presentations will be followed by a moderated Q&A led by Gail Forsyth-Vail.
Supporting Trans and Nonbinary Youth with Christy Whittlesey
A discussion in collaboration with Courageous Conversations
Join author and educator Christy Whittlesey, Ph.D, to discuss her book, It's OK to Say "They," and what teachers, parents, and allies can do to support and advocate for nonbinary and trans students. Listen to a panel of community members, educators, parents, and nonbinary people as we discuss these important issues.
Christy Whittlesey, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) has been an educator in settings ranging from PreK-higher education for the past 20 years. She regularly collaborates with school districts to empower educators to foster inclusive, safe, and equitable schools where all students are supported, regardless of gender. She is the author of two books, It's OK to Say They: Tips for Educator Allies of Transgender and Nonbinary Students (2019), which was an IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award Finalist in 2020, and The Beginner's Guide to Being a Trans Ally (2021). Both are fund-raising books that benefit trans-supportive organizations. For more information about Christy, see her website: https://www.christywhittlesey.com/.
Courageous Conversations: Health Impacts of Structural Racism
The impacts of structural inequities in health and health care are explored by Dr. Amy Patel, Medical Director, Phillips Academy, Dr. Cara Marshall, Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, and Albert Pless Jr., Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Town of Andover. They provide historical context and share their professional experience to shed light on the burdens faced by communities of color with regard to health and health outcomes. They also address possible solutions to these issues. Jeffrey Thomas of the Mandela Yoga Project joined for the Q&A, which was moderated by Aldonsa Pereyra, a member of the Courageous Conversations planning team. The resources shared during the program are available here.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Social JusticeCourageous Conversations: Annawon Weeden - Understanding Indigenous Culture
Annawon Weeden, Mashpee Wampanoag/Pequot/Narragansett, is in conversation with Julia Alexander, an educator at The Pike School. In the recording, Annawon's background is moving around because he's traveling in a vehicle while he's talking. Annawon discusses and shares Native American history in New England, cultural identity, contemporary lifeways and cultural appropriation, among many other topics. Born & raised on the Narragansett Tribal reservation in Charlestown, Rhode Island, Annawon eventually made his home in his mother’s Wampanoag community in Mashpee, MA. Currently self-employed, he dedicates much of his time to visiting colleges, museums, libraries, corporations and more, as he continues his efforts to correct misinformation and misrepresentation of indigenous people. This program is suitable for both adults and students in Grades 6 and up. A list of some of the resources mentioned during Annawon's talk can be found here.
This program is a collaboration of Courageous Conversations, Memorial Hall Library, Chelmsford Public Library, Haverhill Public Library, Stevens Memorial Library and Tewksbury Public Library, Libraries Working Towards Social Justice.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Social JusticeCourageous Conversations - Ready to be Different: An Online Conversation with Andover's Commission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Meet Andover's Comission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and learn about their work.
This program was hosted by Memorial Hall Library in collaboration with Courageous Conversations, Andover DIVERSE, and the Andover Commission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Social JusticeAn Introduction to Pronouns & Gender Diversity
A recording of Dr. Shannon Peters's discussion from August 24, 2021 on gender identity and the importance of pronouns.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Social JusticeCourageous Conversations: Parole 101: The Massachusetts Parole System & Why It Needs to Change
An event designed to raise awareness about parole and change hearts and minds about the importance/difficulties of parole in Massachusetts. Panelists include formerly incarcerated speakers, Isaiah Dotson and Jonathan Best, Representative Liz Miranda who has filed several parole bills for 2021-22, Attorney Patty Garin, one of the foremost parole experts in Massachusetts, and moderator Jean Trounstine, professor, writer and activist who has written extensively about parole, along with Lisa Berland, who is part of Parole Watch.
A collaboration of Courageous Conversations, Memorial Hall Library, the Social Justice Coalition of South Church, and the Coalition for Effective Public Safety.
back to top Categories: Adult Programs, Social JusticeCourageous Conversations: What Positive Justice Looks Like - UTEC, Inc.
UTEC's team discusses their nationally recognized model which begins with intensive street outreach, correctional facility in-reach, and gang peacemaking, engaging our most disconnected young adults by meeting them “where they’re at.” UTEC’s mission and promise is to ignite and nurture the ambition of our most disconnected young people to trade violence and poverty for social and economic success. Today they serve Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill, MA and are nationally recognized as a model agency serving justice-involved young adults. Their wraparound program is designed to never give up on young adults as they overcome personal, health, and institutional barriers to improving their lives.
The team will also share some of the ways they are innovating with the State and the Department of Corrections to make real, meaningful changes at a systemic level and how you can support. UTEC was founded in 1999 as the result of an organizing movement driven by young people to develop their own teen center in response to gang violence in Lowell. Originally known as “United Teen Equality Center,” today their name is simply UTEC, Inc.and they serve youth ages 17-25.
This program is a collaboration of Courageous Conversations, Memorial Hall Library, and Haverhill Public Library, Libraries Working Towards Social Justice.
Author E. Dolores Johnson in Conversation with Grace Talusan
“I was a black woman according to my family, society’s one-drop rule and my birth certificate. It was culturally and legally ridiculous to wonder if I wasn’t. Yet my biological ancestry counted for absolutely nothing. My beloved mother was white.”
Former Andover resident, E. Dolores Johnson discusses her new book, Say I'm Dead: A Family Memoir of Race, Secrets and Love, with author, Grace Talusan. It's a multi-generational memoir that reveals America's changing attitudes toward race mixing, discovered through the courageous journeys of her family’s women. Johnson's parents fled to Buffalo from Indianapolis so they could marry without violating Indiana's anti-miscegenation laws. Her father was black and her mother was white. Johnson details her journey unearthing the secrets of her family, and in so doing, wrestles with identity, class, and education, aiming a potent lens at what it means to be biracial and shining more light on the racism that continues to sicken this country to this day.
Presented in collaboration with Burlington Public Library, Memorial Hall Library, Stevens Memorial Library and Tewksbury Public Library, Libraries Working Towards Social Justice.
Deep Delta Justice: A Virtual Conversation with Author Matthew Van Meter
Author Matthew Van Meter discusses his book along with other social justice issues, including his work with Shakespeare in Prison, a Detroit Public Theatre community program.
In 1966 in a small town in Louisiana, a 19-year-old black man named Gary Duncan pulled his car off the road to stop a fight. Duncan was arrested a few minutes later for the crime of putting his hand on the arm of a white child. Rather than accepting his fate, Duncan found Richard Sobol, a brilliant, 29-year-old lawyer from New York who was the only white attorney at "the most radical law firm" in New Orleans. Against them stood one of the most powerful white supremacists in the South, a man called simply "The Judge."
In this powerful work of character-driven history, journalist Matthew Van Meter vividly brings alive how a seemingly minor incident brought massive, systemic change to the criminal justice system. Using first-person interviews, in-depth research and a deep knowledge of the law, Van Meter shows how Gary Duncan's insistence on seeking justice empowered generations of defendants-disproportionately poor and black-to demand fair trials. Duncan v. Louisiana changed American law, but first it changed the lives of those who litigated it.
A collaboration of Memorial Hall Library, Stevens Memorial Library and Tewksbury Public Library, Libraries Working Towards Social Justice.
Virtual Art Afternoons: African American History in American Art
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” Art educator, Jane Oneail, examines that arc as it relates to African American history enshrined in American Art. From colonial era portraits to 19th-century and Jim Crow-era prints to 1960s Civil Rights photography, this program will provide a visual overview of African American oppression, struggle and progress towards equality.
Norman Rockwell: Inclusion, Exclusion and Evolving Views on Race
Join longtime art educator, Jane Oneail, for a Zoom webinar focused on the art of Norman Rockwell. Rockwell is heralded for depicting and defining American life. He often captured bittersweet images of people experiencing universal and relatable feelings of being left out or left behind. Yet, as an artist working in the 20th century, his works are curiously devoid of America’s rich cultural and racial diversity. Toward the end of his career, Rockwell painted several poignant works about race in America that can be seen as an extension of his earlier sense of the power of inclusion and exclusion.
Addison Gallery Virtual Tour - To Make Visible: Art and Activism, 1980-2000
Associate Curator of American Art, Gordon Wilkins, explores artworks from the Addison Gallery of American Art exhibition, To Make Visible: Art and Activism, 1980–2000, and discusses the ways in which artists use their work to hold a mirror up to the injustices of their time, combat apathy, and provoke change.
Affordable Housing in Andover Panel Discussion
A local panel demystifies affordable housing and provides an update on Andover's affordable housing stock and opportunities for maintaining and growing affordable housing in the community.
For Freedoms Discussion and Sign Making
Watch as Teen Services Librarian Anna and For Freedoms staffer Pola Dobrzynski discuss the history of the organization, the intersection of art and politics, and the state of community activism.