WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21st, 10am – 12pm Armchair travel is going virtual! Join Reference Librarian Jeff Klapes, ‘The Traveling Librarian,’ for another of his popular armchair travel presentations. This series highlights travel photography and stories and travel tips about destinations around the world. This month we’ll journey to Transylvania. Known for its connection to Vlad Dracul, the real life Dracula, this mountainous region of Romania has so much more to offer than creepy history. Castles, fortified churches, deep forests, and beautiful baroque towns await the visitor who’s willing to explore off the beaten path. Jeff Klapes is the Head of Reference Services at the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in Wakefield, Massachusetts. This program is made possible by a grant from the Coburn Charitable Society. Registration is required. Please click here to register.  ***This is an online presentation. Registered participants will be sent a link to the Zoom meeting prior to the program*** Please share widely with your friends and family afar! Our virtual programs are open to all! 

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 7pm – 8:30pm Armchair travel is going virtual! Join Reference Librarian Jeff Klapes, ‘The Traveling Librarian,’ for another of his popular armchair travel presentations. This series highlights travel photography and stories and travel tips about destinations around the world. This month we’ll be going to Malta, the tiny island nation in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Sicily, along with its smaller companion island Gozo. Malta has a long and fascinating history with influences from many different occupiers, and is a mix of African, Italian, British, and other cultures. In addition to historic villages and ancient neolithic temples, Malta has beautiful scenery, especially its craggy coastline and clear blue water. Jeff Klapes is the Head of Reference Services at the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Registration is required. Please click here to register.  ***This is an online presentation. Registered participants will be sent a link to the Zoom meeting prior to the program*** Please share widely with your friends and family afar! Our virtual programs are open to all! 

The changing season marks several new beginnings we are excited to tell you about! Beginning Monday, September 21, you can browse parts of the collection and use our public computers by appointment. Online booking is live now! These appointment-based services will allow us to safely manage capacity limits and protocols for cleaning and disinfecting. Click HERE to read about how the new system works, and book right online, or call us to reserve a time to visit. We will keep offering our Library Takeout service for those who prefer to “grab and go!” For a refresher on how this service works, click HERE. Another way you can get help from home is through our new Online Chat Service! When you visit our website you will see a new “Ask Us” button that you can click to chat live with one of our librarians (more information available HERE). We know that families have a long list of issues to navigate and skills to learn this fall as plans and expectations shift constantly. To help you keep track of it all, we’ve been working on this Family Resource Guide – an extensive compilation of library materials, educational guides, and other resources as your family manages both this school year and the years ahead. It contains tools and tutorials for remote learning technology that we’ve compiled with input from the Ipswich Public Schools, and a wealth of information about other services and issues your family may be juggling right now. Last, but most certainly not least, we’re expanding our program menu in a variety of ways! For families, we have on-demand versions of our storytimes, updated every week! School-age book groups are resuming outdoors and online, and many of your long-time favorite events will return this fall in online form (keep an eye on our calendar)! Also make sure to ask us about take-home crafts next time you’re in. For adults, many book groups are moving their discussions online, and Cookbook Club has resumed with an outdoor meet-up. The ever-popular Armchair Traveler will be back (in Zoom form!), and we’re introducing a new monthly wine webinar you won’t want to miss. Many more exciting offerings will be coming your way, so definitely check our event calendar often and follow us on social media for updates. And don’t forget about these great ongoing services that are still available: Printing Services and Tax Forms You can […]