This Month at the Plymouth Public Library

Fire Engine Visit to the Library

The Plymouth Public Library will host a visit from a Plymouth Fire Department fire engine Tuesday, Oct. 11. The fire engine is slated to be in the Library’s parking lot at 11 a.m. Children with their parents and caregivers are invited to stop by to see a real fire engine “up close” and say hello to the firefighters. Please note that the fire engine visit is subject to emergency need by the fire department. In the event that the fire truck is required for duty, the visit will have to be cancelled. No registration is necessary for this free program. For additional information, contact the Library’s Youth Services Department at 508-830-4250 or visit the Library’s website, www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org for a full list of library events.

Dr. Richard M. Shiff Forum presents: Vintage Postcards with Dr. Donna Curtin

Enjoy a visit with history at the Plymouth Public Library, with local historian Donna Curtin, PhD, author of Postcards of Plymouth at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, in the Otto Fehlow Meeting Room. This Dr. Richard M. Shiff Forum presents program will host the director of the Plymouth Antiquarian Society as she will discuss her book by Arcadia Publishing and conduct a book signing at the conclusion of the program.

Curtain has compiled a selection of more than 200 vintage Plymouth postcard images with detailed descriptions drawn from her own extensive collection of old postcards and those of other local collectors. The book details popular postcards from the early 20th century, including views of Plymouth’s historic sites, street scenes and old waterfront district.

Plymouth, famous as the landing place of the Pilgrims in 1620, conjures images of quaintly clad settlers, the first Thanksgiving, and Plymouth Rock. Known as “America’s Hometown,” Plymouth is the nation’s longest enduring English settlement, still thriving four centuries after its founding. Immigrant workers revitalized the old Yankee town, making its modern character as much blue collar as blue blood. A developing Plymouth embraced its past, erecting monuments to the Pilgrims and highlighting sites like Burial Hill and Pilgrim Hall. The town became a major destination in the 20th century, attracting tourists and seasonal residents with the antiquity and scenic beauty. Vintage postcards are a special way of capturing history and Dr. Curtin will share such memories. Books will be available during the evening for purchase.

This program is sponsored by the Plymouth Public Library Corporation and is free with no registration required. For further information, please contact Jennifer Harris or Lee Regan at 508-830-4250, TTY 508-747-5882 or visit our website at www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org for a calendar of our events.

Squiggles and Giggles Store/Craft Program

The Plymouth Public Library will be offering Squiggles and Giggles, a story/craft program at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 14, for children ages 18 months to 3 years with their parent or caregiver. Children will listen to a story and participate in a fun, age appropriate craft. This program is free and registration is necessary as the program is limited to 12 children. Registration begins Sept. 30. For more information or to register, please call the Youth Services Department at 508-830-4250 or click “Register” on our Calendar of Events at www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org.

Lego Fun

Children ages 8 to 12 years are invited to join us for Lego Fun at the Library, at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Main Library, where kids use their imagination to design and build with Lego bricks. Each month will have a new theme as the inspiration for designs; this month’s theme is "Scary Places." This program is free and registration is required as space will be limited. Registration begins Oct. 8. For more information or to register, call the Youth Services Department at 508-830-4250 or visit the library's web site, www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org, for a full list of events and online registration. 

Tales Best Told in the Dark

The Plymouth Public Library will host David Mello and his Tales Best Told in the Dark, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, for children ages 8 years and older. Mr. Mello is a lifelong collector of spooky tales and has been storytelling around New England for a number of years. His thrilling tales of ghosts and creatures are guaranteed to keep the audience on the edge of their seats! This program is free and does not require registration. For more information, please call the Youth Services Department at 508-830-4250 or check the Calendar of Events at www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org for more library programs

Charitable Giving: How to be an Informed Donor

As the final quarter of 2011 begins, requests for donations to charities and non-profit groups will likely fill your mailbox and answering machine. If you’re being inundated with solicitations but don’t know how to choose which organizations to support, the Plymouth Public Library has a program for you. Entitled, "Charitable Giving: How to be an informed donor," this free program will take place at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, in the Otto Fehlow Meeting Room, 132 South St., Plymouth.

Presented by Liisa Budge-Johnson, Community Outreach Deputy at the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, Charitable Giving will cover the difference between a non-profit organization and a charity, how to examine the financial records of charities, and how to make informed choices on where to send your money. Ms. Budge-Johnson will review questions to ask a charity before donating, and for older donors especially, provide tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of charitable fraud. While attendees will not be told which charities to donate to, they will learn ways to make their charitable financial decisions easier.

In its annual report on philanthropy, the Giving USA Foundation reported that Americans contributed about 2 percent of disposable personal income to philanthropic causes -- an estimated $211 billion in 2010. Clearly, Americans are a giving people. Even in hard times, when they may give to fewer charities or temporarily decrease their overall giving, they still give. 

The Charitable Giving program is free and no registration is required. If you have any questions or need further information, please call the Library’s Senior Services Department at 508-830-4250, TTY 508-746-5882, or visit www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org and click on the Calendar of Events. 

Story Times

The library offers story times for children from birth up to 6 years of age. Caregivers and children age 18 months and younger are invited to sign up for Mother Goose on the Loose, a half hour story time filled with music, rhymes, stories and other activities designed to build early literacy skills. The program is offered three times a week in ten week sessions during the fall. The program is held at Mondays at 10 a.m. at the Manomet Branch Library, 12 Strand Ave., Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. at the Main Library and Thursdays at 4 p.m. at the Main Library. Space is still available in the Thursday programs. 

Children age 3 years and younger with a caregiver are welcome to join us for Tots ‘n’ Tales, a half-hour lap-sit program with stories, songs, musical instruments and more. Children are encouraged to arrive early to visit with friends before the program starts. No registration is needed to participate in Tots ‘n’ Tales. It is held Wednesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m. at the Main Library. 

Drop-in Story Time is for children ages 3 ½ to 5 years who are ready to listen to stories unaccompanied by an adult. Staff present stories, songs, rhymes and other language activities designed to promote a love of children’s books, stimulate imaginations and develop listening skills. Each story time can accommodate 25 children, with Plymouth residents admitted first. No registration is necessary to participate. Drop-in Story Time is held Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. and Thursdays at 2:15 p.m. at the Main Library.

Family Story Time is presented every Monday at 11 am at the Manomet Branch Library. This half-hour program gives parents, caregivers, and children ages 6 and under the opportunity to enjoy books, songs, rhymes, and movement activities together while helping to develop important early literacy skills. There are six pre-reading areas of knowledge which children must develop: narrative skills, print motivation, vocabulary, phonological awareness, letter knowledge and print awareness. Each week during Family Story Time, we will we pick one or two of the 6 pre-reading skills and put together a series of stories, music and activities designed to develop these particular skills.

For more information about these story times, contact the Youth Services Department at 508.830.4250, the Manomet Branch Library at 508.830.4185, or visit the Library’s web site at www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org for a full list of programs and events.