Join us on March 21st from 6 to 7pm as Ipswich Town Historian Gordon Harris takes us through a timeline of events on the national and local scale that culminated in the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. “In 1765, Jenny Slew, who had been enslaved in Ipswich, was the first person to successfully sue for her freedom. In the 19th Century, divisions arose in Ipswich between ardent abolitionists and those who avoided the discussion, dividing families, churches and the Town. Men’s and Women’s Anti-Slavery Societies were formed, and the Meeting House Green neighborhood became a hotbed of anti-slavery sentiment. A network of the Underground Railroad ran north along the coast from Boston to Salem, where it split into three trails, one continuing through Ipswich and Newburyport into New Hampshire.”   Registration Required: To register to attend in person, please click HERE. To register to attend via Zoom (online), please click HERE. Once you register via Zoom, the link to join the program will be emailed to you.   If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at refdesk@ipswichlibrary.org or call us at (978) 356-6648.

Are you thinking of self-publishing your novel, memoir, or story collection, but don’t know where to start? This workshop on Zoom will provide an overview of the process from manuscript preparation to marketing. Topics will include eBook distribution, print-on-demand options, hiring editors and/or artists vs. doing it all yourself, and creating a marketing platform.   Interested in attending? Register for this event by clicking HERE.   About the Presenter: Diane V. Mulligan is the author of three novels, most recently What She Inherits, which was named an Honorable Mention in the Writer’s Digest 25th Annual Self-Published Book Awards. Her second novel, The Latecomers Fan Club, was an IndieReader Discovery Award Winner for Chick Lit. Diane teaches English at St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury, MA.

Masks are required in the library until further notice. Thank you for your understanding while we try our best to keep both staff and our community safe right now.   How might COVID-19 affect your day-to-day life? Please check out the resources below for up-to-date information on COVID-19 and related topics. COVID-19 Resources:   Center for Disease Control (CDC) The CDC has a site with all of the latest information you need about the current state of the situation on the national and global level.   Massachusetts Department of Public Health The Mass Department of Public Health offers state-specific information and guidance on COVID-19. Daily and cumulative data updates on COVID-19 cases and testing in Massachusetts are available HERE.   Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency The MEMA offers state-specific information and answers a variety of questions regarding COVID-19 in Massachusetts and the responses by FEMA during this health emergency.   Town of Ipswich COVID-19 Updates Follow the Town’s COVID-specific page to learn more about how Ipswich related changes and updates. This page contains a variety of helpful links, including ones on local case documentation and resources for small businesses.