Join us for a preview and Q&A of Secret Lives of the Disabled, a documentary/podcast about becoming physically disabled in America, featuring performance artist Sally Greenhouse as Interviewer/Monologuist. This project, awarded by the New England Foundation for the Arts, centers individuals facing permanent disability, who are often stigmatized and discriminated against despite the hard-won Americans with Disabilities Act.
This event will be hybrid: in person and on Zoom. There is also a selection of related books on display in the library lobby.
Do you need a little help using a computer? Do you want to get an email account? Are you looking for a better way to format a document?
Come to a drop-in computer help session! Bring your wireless laptop or use one of the library's computers to have your questions answered by a knowledgeable volunteer.
Join MassHire staff for workshops each Wednesday in October. Register on JobQuest or call the Greenfield office at 800-457-2603 or 413-774-4361 by 10 am the day of to sign up. This will be a “hybrid” workshop. A limited number of customers may participate in person. Choose one or the other form when you register. Instructions on how to join the webinar virtually will be provided separately.
Join us for a conversation with John Irving as he chats about not only his most recent novel, The Last Chairlift, but also about his prolific body of work and a lifetime spent writing. Irving’s first novel was published when he was just 26 years old. He has gone on to be nominated for three National Book Awards and won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
In The Last Chairlift, Adam grows up in a family that defies conventions and evades questions about the past. He travels to Aspen, where he was conceived, to learn the truth about his mother, former slalom skiier Rachel "Little Ray" Brewster. There he meets some ghosts, which aren't the first or the last ones he sees.
Every Tuesday, teens ages 12+ are invited to play our Nintendo Switch in the YA Room! We'll have enough controllers for 8 players at a time. Challenge your friends to a Mario Kart race, try out new games, and meet fellow gamers!
This program is for teens only; for players under the age of 12, see Kids' Gaming Club.
Join Professor Bugman for some spooky hands-on science all about bones and skeletons of both the endo and exo varieties! Discover how bones can be so incredibly different, yet so similar across bodies and far reaches of the animal kingdom, and how they work together to help us all. And of course, our bones will be joined by some of the creepiest live bugs in our collection!
Join us for stories, songs, and puppets! We'll do a 20-minute storytime together, then we'll put out toys for free play and social time until 11. For babies under 18 months and their caregivers.
Hello! I'm Sunny, Forbes Library's reading buddy dog! You can book a 15-minute appointment to read to me on Wednesdays between 3:30-4:30. I'm a good listener and like to look at the pictures, too. Reading to me is a great way for you to practice reading! We'll meet inside the Children's Department.
To register, please call 413-587-1010 or sign up at the Children's Desk. This program is great for children ages 4-10. Happy reading!
Photography by Paul Griffin, Ken Kipen, and Virginia Sandman
October 3-30, 2023
More at Forbes
Strategic Plan 2025-2027
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our comprehensive Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2025 through 2027. This visionary plan charts an exciting course for the library to better serve the community and elevate its offerings.
National Friends of Libraries Week October 15-21
The Friends of Forbes Library support our programs, services, and staff. We are grateful for their commitment to supporting library services for all! To learn more about the Friends of Forbes Library and become a member, visit their website or stop by their display near the Main Desk.
They are also running a raffle for this lovely gift basket--don't forget to purchase your tickets!
Warm Winter Clothing Drive Now through October 26
The City of Northampton is hosting a warm winter clothing drive to collect and distribute clothing items such as coats, sweaters, scarves, gloves and personal care items to individuals and families in need. This helps to ensure that vulnerable people, including the homeless and those with limited resources, can stay warm and safe during the colder months.
Forbes' collection box can be found in the front lobby.
The Ultimate Library Road Trip Now through November 16
Join us for a library road trip! Stop by the Main Desk or Children's Desk to pick up your road trip map and receive your stamp. Then, visit as many participating Western MA libraries as you'd like--you can explore a few or all! Participating libraries will stamp your map (and may even have cool prizes).
In addition to this newsletter, we have several other lists you can sign up for to receive news about film programs at the library, new and bestselling books, local history events, and more.