Calendar

Are you or someone you know a green-thumbed teen? Well we’ve got just the program for you — the fine floral artistry of Easthampton’s own Botaniste is coming to the Library!

We’ll have all the supplies and know-how you need to make your very own mini-succulent garden. Join us to try your hand at this practical plant project, and watch your inner artist bloom!

“Artists in Action” is brought to you with federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

Are you as fascinated by Virtual Reality as we are? Want to learn more about this budding technology? Help us welcome back Arthur and Peter Evans of Makerspace Workshops, who will share their two-player VR system with us. PLUS we’ll reveal exciting plans that the Library has to make VR more accessible to YOU!

This program is geared toward teens is grades 7-12, and registration is strongly encouraged.

“Teen Tech Takeovers” are brought to you with federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

Ever wish you could make your clothes fit a little better? Or maybe you found an almost-perfect piece that needs a touch of your own personal style? Or is it a costume that you need, and you wish you could mash-up other clothes to make it just right?

If any of these sound like you, let Libby help. Our local artist and sewing extraordinaire returns once more for a more advanced look at using a modern-day sewing machine, and we’ll get some hands-on practice putting one to use. You can bring your own clothes and materials to play with, or you may use what we have available to explore the same skills.

This program builds upon the skills learned in our Upcycled Tote Bags & Sewing Basics workshop, scheduled for September 16th. While it is not required, please consider attending both workshops in order to get the most out of each.

This program is geared toward teens in grades 7-12, and registration is strongly encouraged.

“Artists in Action” is brought to you with federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

Join us for this special event — A Meat for Tea author reading with Andrew Varnon! Andrew will read his essay “The Other Side of the Net”. This event is drop-in. 

In “The Other Side of the Net,” writer Andrew Varnon imagines playing tennis with the ghost of David Foster Wallace, the author of the monumental novel Infinite Jest. Wallace committed suicide in 2008, but has a devoted following of readers and fans. In his essay, Varnon describes how he came to read Wallace’s novel Infinite Jest through his interest in tennis. The novel is partially set at the fictional Enfield Tennis Academy in Massachusetts. In the tennis community, Wallace is also known for his essay on tennis icon Roger Federer, “Both Flesh and Not,” and is widely credited with the appellation for tennis as “chess on the run.” In his essay, Varnon engages Wallace’s writing style – complete with end notes – and explores the idea of how the activity of reading and writing is, in fact, like playing tennis.

Writer and teacher Andrew Varnon lives in Greenfield with his wife and family. He is the boys tennis coach at Greenfield High School and an active recreational tennis player. He is also a journalist and an award-winning poet. “The Other Side of the Net” was originally published online at The Smart Set (www.thesmartset.com/the-other-side-of-the-net/) and was republished locally in Meat for Tea. Varnon presented a portion of his essay to the David Foster Wallace Conference in Normal, Illinois, this June.

Author and artist Grace Desmarais is back! Grace will give background on her medical experience and then discuss her comic Spoons: a dairy on chronic illness, Tubes: diaries from the hospital and her up-coming book Healing Year. She will then hold a Q&A. At the end, attendees will have an opportunity to buy her mini comics and have them signed.

Artist Bio: 
Grace Desmarais is a French-Canadian illustrator and cartoonist. She currently lives in Eastern Massachusetts and spends most of her time drawing.

Grace Desmarais primarily self-publishes auto-bio comic while also being involved in a variety of anthologies. Most of Grace’s work is rooted in subjects like art history, dis/ability and personal experience. Her long-term goal is to be a published author/illustrator with a committed comics publisher.

Join us on the first Saturday of every month for a project utilizing skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Each month features a new topic, such as mazes, magnets, slime, catapults, and more. Drop in any time between 10:00-11:00am to do these hands-on projects and experiments. Bring a friend and make new discoveries each week! Recommended for ages 6 and up.

Join us on the first Saturday of every month for a project utilizing skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Each month features a new topic, such as mazes, magnets, slime, catapults, and more. Drop in any time between 10:00-11:00am to do these hands-on projects and experiments. Bring a friend and make new discoveries each week! Recommended for ages 6 and up.

Join us on the first Saturday of every month for a project utilizing skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Each month features a new topic, such as mazes, magnets, slime, catapults, and more. Drop in any time between 10:00-11:00am to do these hands-on projects and experiments. Bring a friend and make new discoveries each week! Recommended for ages 6 and up.

In the presentation of her book Freedom From Psychiatric Drugs, Chaya will discuss her work consulting with people coming off psychiatric drugs, what helps them the most, and her other experience working with people in withdrawal from psych meds. She will share wisdom gained from 15 years of professional experience working non-medically with people seeking a variety of alternatives to the mainstream psychiatric paradigm. She will also share from her personal experience of having withdrawn from psychiatric meds herself. There will be time for Q and A so bring your questions.

Author Bio: Chaya Grossberg has been sharing her psychiatric survivor and trauma story publicly for over 15 years and is an advocate and consultant to those coming off psychiatric drugs and/or seeking alternative approaches to distress. She has written a book about her work called “Freedom From Psychiatric Drugs” and has worked professionally with people seeking alternatives to the mainstream psychiatric narrative as a teacher, facilitator, program coordinator, and consultant to individuals and families. She has coordinated open mic speak out style events for psychiatric survivors to share their stories in poetry, speech and performance. She has led many writing groups and support groups as well as taught yoga and meditation for psychiatric and trauma survivors

Join us on the first Saturday of every month for a project utilizing skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Each month features a new topic, such as mazes, magnets, slime, catapults, and more. Drop in any time between 10:00-11:00am to do these hands-on projects and experiments. Bring a friend and make new discoveries each week! Recommended for ages 6 and up.