Come see some history! Ipswich’s copy of the Declaration of Independence Broadside is on view at the Library through September 2021. We are excited to present this unique object in an intimate exhibition. Learn more about the July 4th holiday and the complexity of Independence Day in the US and right here in Ipswich. The Ipswich town clerk has served as steward for 245 years of a nationally significant object of American history, the town’s original copy of the Declaration of Independence Broadside. To celebrate the July 4th holiday and share this document with the community and beyond, we have mounted a special exhibition highlighting this object and its history in the context of the foundation of the United States government. The show highlights Ipswich’s role in the fight for independence from Great Britain and the experience of indigenous and enslaved people during this time of great turmoil. Both original documents and reproductions from the Library’s local history and special collections are included. “We often think of the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War as national history removed from our local experience in small towns and cities. These documents reconnect us to the individuals living during this tumultuous time in the history of this continent. Ipswich residents learned of the declaration from this very document printed in Salem and read aloud to the community. Alongside the broadside we are presenting contemporaneous documents to help contextualize this time in Ipswich for viewers. A bill of sale for an enslaved teenage boy helps us to understand the range of experience during a time we have historically referred to as our fight for independence. It is critical for us to consider who was and was not gaining independence. This is a unique opportunity to see these objects in person.” – Meghan Fahey Petersen, Library Archivist.
Summer 2021 Children’s Programs
Library Service Update: June 2021
Welcome back to the library! Beginning Tuesday, June 1st, we will be lifting most capacity limits and shifting to a walk-in model of service. Appointments will no longer be required to browse the adult and children’s collections. Study carrels and seating throughout the library will be made available for public use. You may notice that some precautionary measures remain in place. Sneeze guards will continue to be used at public service desks. We continue to ask all library visitors to practice appropriate social distancing, and to wear masks if they are not fully vaccinated. Masks will continue to be required for children between the ages of 6 and 12. Please read on for updated information about holds pickup, printing, room use, and more. Holds pickup As always, you can place holds through our online catalog, call staff to do it for you, or even have them choose some items for you to pick up. Starting on June 1st, holds and book club picks will be available for self-pickup on the shelving just past the Circulation Desk. Holds on Children’s Room material will be once again be available for pickup in the Children’s Room. Printing Services and Tax Forms Our computers, copier, and scanner are available for walk-in use. Click HERE for more information about printing. You can still request tax forms and printing through our website. Fill out a printing request or tax form request and we will let you know when your materials are ready to be picked up. Room Use We hope you continue to enjoy our new event tent! In addition to this outdoor space, our Conference Room and Quite Study Room will once again be available for the public to reserve. Capacity limits have been reduced for these spaces to promote appropriate social distancing. Click HERE to view our guidelines, check availability, and make a reservation request right online! You can also simply call the library or ask a staff member to help you with a reservation. BookMatch: Let Us Help You Find Your Next Great Read Need a reading suggestion? Try our personalized reading list service, BookMatch! Just fill out a quick form on our website and we will send you a list of books we think you’ll like. Statewide Delivery is Active Statewide delivery among libraries — also known as Inter-library Loan — remains available and you can place requests from other libraries (choose from over five million items in our 36-member network alone)! Search the catalog HERE! Online Resources Our website has tons of resources that are available to you any time of day or […]
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