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Monday, May 30th 2022

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Pride Month at the Library

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#ReadTheRainbow

This Pride Month, the Library is encouraging everyone to #ReadTheRainbow with us! Our staff have built book and DVD rainbows out of their favorite books, movies, and TV shows featuring LGBTQIA+ characters and creators. View all our staff’s Pride Month picks and find pictures of their rainbows (and share your own) on our Facebook, our Instagram, or our Twitter @brklib with #ReadTheRainbow. Plus, you can browse themed book displays at all our Library locations with subjects like Queer Joy and LGBTQIA+ Nonfiction!

Events

We’re excited to be hosting Pride Month programs for library-goers of all ages this June! Here’s what's coming up first. You can view our entire schedule of Pride events on our website.

Pride Month Scavenger Hunts
Kids, Tweens, & Teens | All Month at the Brookline Village Library
Swing by our Kids, Tween, & Teen rooms at Brookline Village and ask for a scavenger hunt sheet to search for as many different Pride flags or LGBTQIA+ figures as you can find!

Pride Button Making
All Ages | Friday, June 3 at 2:30 PM at the Brookline Village Library
The Library is celebrating Pride – with our trusty button maker! We have supplies to make buttons featuring a wide range of Pride flags and pronouns. Stop by the front porch of the Brookline Village Library, and we’ll make a button or two for you.

Seeing the Spectrum:

An Introduction to Gender and Sexual Diversity

FINAL Seeing the Spectrum adult program June 2022 (Instagram Post)
Brookline Village Library

TUESDAY, June 7 at 2 PM

Do you want to better understand gender and LGBTQIA+ identities, and the language we use to talk about them? Join us for Seeing the Spectrum, an introductory workshop on gender and sexual diversity. In this program, you’ll learn about the relationship between gender, sex, and sexuality; practice using gender-neutral pronouns; discuss how to show respect and support; and see how identity goes beyond the binary. There will be a Q&A, so bring your questions!

This is an introductory program open to all adults. Whether you’re just starting to learn about these topics or you want to expand your understanding, we invite you to attend Seeing the Spectrum!

About the presenter: Matisse DuPont (they/she) is an artist, educator, and consultant with expertise and scholarship in the areas of gender, sexuality, and identity. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Matisse holds a Master’s in Gender and Cultural Studies from Simmons University.

This program is in partnership with the Town of Brookline Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Relations. This event is generously sponsored by the Library Trustees.

Town of Brookline Seeks Candidate for

Board of Library Trustees

The Brookline Board of Library Trustees and the Select Board wish to announce that they are seeking candidates to fill a vacancy on the Board of Library Trustees following the resignation of Regina Healy.

Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter, 41, section 11, the Library Trustees and the Select Board will work jointly to find a person to fill the vacancy until the annual town election in May 2023.

Those interested should submit a cover letter and resume by June 10 to the Board of Library Trustees at librarytrustees@brooklinema.gov, or by regular mail at 361 Washington St., Brookline, MA 02445. Candidates must be registered voters of the Town of Brookline.

The Library Trustees will interview the candidates during the weeks of June 13 and June 20. All interviews will be held remotely.

The Select Board and Library Trustees will conduct final interviews at a Joint Convention on June 28 and will fill the vacancy at that time. The Joint Convention will be held via Zoom and the link will be posted on the Town Calendar.

The Board of Trustees consists of 12 local residents who are elected to three-year terms. Trustees work closely with the Director of the Library, and provide oversight of the library budget, services, and policies.

For more information on the responsibilities of a Library Trustee, please visit the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners’ website here.

“We thank Regie for her time on the Board of Library Trustees, and wish her well in her future endeavors,” Library Trustees Chair Michael Burstein said. “We look forward to working with the Select Board to identify the best person to fill the vacant seat. We strongly encourage all interested parties to apply for the position, especially those passionate about shaping the library’s future.”
Newsletter Icon Calendar

UPCOMING EVENTS

Nature in Your Neighborhood Series

YS Program 06012022 (5.5 × 4.25 in)
This week, we are delighted to host Nature in Your Neighborhood, a series of programs for adults and kids in partnership with Mass Audubon. Check out the series, and join us for one or more of our programs!
Nature, Science, and Art
Brookline Village Library
WEDNESDAY, June 1 at 3:30 PM
Tap into your creative side and explore the nature of Brookline with Mass Audubon! Join Mass Audubon educator Laney Marcotte and learn about local bird species, practice your observation skills, and explore signs of spring through immersive art projects. Limited to 10 children ages 6-9. Register for Nature, Science, and Art here!
The Secret Life of Backyard and Migratory Birds
Brookline Village Library
WEDNESDAY, June 1 at 7 PM
Join Mass Audubon educator Kat Livar for this illustrated lecture focused on birds that are commonly seen throughout the spring in New England! You’ll get a glimpse into their secret lives, learn how and why birds migrate, and leave with newfound bird identification skills. This program is for adults and kids of all ages. Register for The Secret Life of Backyard and Migratory Birds here!
Exploring with Mass Audubon
at Lost Pond Sanctuary
SATURDAY, June 4 at 1 PM
Explore your local open space with Mass Audubon! Join Mass Audubon educator Kat Livar for a guided nature hike at Lost Pond Sanctuary where you’ll learn to identify signs of spring out on the trail, practice birding techniques, and enjoy the beauty of Brookline with family and friends. The hike will begin and end at the Arlington Rd/Craftsland Rd. entrance—there will be ample street parking. For adults and kids of all ages. Limited to 10 groups/families. Register for Exploring with Mass Audubon here!

Virtual Pop Goes the Culture:

The History of Asians in American Pop Culture

pop goes the culture image

TUESDAY, May 31 at 7 PM

Let’s close out Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a deep dive into Asians in pop culture! In the pre-talkie early years of Hollywood, two of the biggest silent movie stars, Sessue Hayakawa and Anna May Wong, were Asian. Portrayed as exotic and inscrutable, these stars graced the silver screen with great success. But suddenly and within a short period of time, all the major Hollywood movie studios began hiring white actors instead of actual Asians and gave them the “yellowface” treatment with taped-back eyes and makeup. Fast-forward to today, and Asians have attained an amazing level of stardom and success both on TV and the big screen. How, when, and why did all those cultural shifts come about? This presentation covers more than a century of how Asians have been portrayed in Hollywood, on commercials, and on stage.

Presenter Gil Asakawa is a journalist, editor, author, and blogger who covers Japan, Japanese American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander cultural and social justice issues, with a blog, The Nikkei View. He’s a nationally-known speaker, panelist, and expert on Japanese American history and Asian American identity.

To register for this program, click here!

This program is in partnership with the Ashland Public Library, Cary Memorial Library, Maynard Public Library, Morrill Memorial Library, Somerville Public Library, and Wayland Free Public Library. This event is generously sponsored by the Library Trustees.

Tree Lines Poetry Anthology

Tree Lines front cover
Brookline Village Library

THURSDAY, June 2 at 7 PM

Join us to celebrate the release of the poetry anthology Tree Lines: 21st Century American Poems. The anthology features nationally known as well as emerging poets and explores trees from many angles, recognizing the critical importance of trees in our daily lives and for our collective future.

Hosted by co-editors Jennifer Barber and Fred Marchant, the readers include Erica Funkhouser, George Kalogeris, Jennifer Markell, Gail Mazur, Barbara Thomas, and Gary Whited. Books will be available for sale during the event by cash, check or Venmo (not by credit card). Copies of Tree Lines are also available to borrow through the Public Library of Brookline.

This program is in partnership with the Brookline Commission for the Arts.

ideaSPACE Make & Meet: Pride Month Laser Crafts

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Brookline Village Library

WEDNESDAY, June 8 at 7 PM

Want to make something awesome and meet the Library’s ideaSPACE tools up close? Then ideaSPACE Make & Meet is for you! These drop-in, hands-on activities are designed to give you a chance to ask questions and get creative with some of our favorite machines in the collection.

This month, we’ll be creating custom Pride magnets, necklaces, and pins and felt pronoun patches using the Library’s laser cutter! Swing by anytime between 7 and 8 PM to join in! This project is both kiddo- and grown-up-friendly, so the whole family is welcome to participate.

Tweens and teens, we'll also have extra Pride Make & Meet sessions just for you in the afterschool hours!
Tweens: Friday, June 10 from 2-3 PM
Teens: Friday, June 10 at 3-4 PM

This event is generously sponsored by the Library Trustees.
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ONGOING PROGRAMS

Each week the Library holds many regularly occurring programs for adults and kids of all ages. Check out what's happening this week – and click on the links for more information and sign-ups!

For a listing of book group and movie screening titles, please visit our website.

Book Bundles for Adults

DRAFT Adult Book Bundle Digital Slide 2022
We are pleased to announce that we are now offering book bundles for adults at the Brookline Village Library. We have fiction and nonfiction bundles on a variety of themes. To check one out, just stop by the front Circulation Desk anytime we're open and ask for a book bundle—no need to request anything in advance.
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