Simon Fairfield Public Library
The Literary Heart of Douglas, Massachusetts
Owen is a Microsoft Certified trainer and Douglas High student. For his senior project, he will be teaching a series of beginner classes at the Library on how to use Microsoft Office. He’ll show you the basics and then have you follow along a guided practice sheet if you bring your own device. The classes will begin at 7pm sharp The schedule is as follows:
April 9 – Powerpoint
April 16 – Word
April 23 – Excel
Join the Douglas Library Intrepid Readers on April 9 to discuss Moloka’i by Alan Brennert.
This richly imagined novel, set in Hawai’i more than a century ago, is an extraordinary epic of a little-known time and place—and a deeply moving testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.
Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka’i. Here her life is supposed to end—but instead she discovers it is only just beginning. -Goodreads
Call the Library 508-476-2695 for a copy of the book. New members always welcome. Homemade refreshments, inspired by the title being discussed, will be served.
If you are looking for a book club, you should try out our Greatest Book Club ever! If you aren’t looking for a book club, you should try out our Greatest Book Club Ever! The group meets on the first Thursday of every month at 6:30pm.
The next meeting is April 4 and the book is Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple.
When her daughter Bee claims a family trip to Antarctica as a reward for perfect grades, Bernadette, a fiercely intelligent shut-in, throws herself into preparations for the trip. But worn down by years of trying to live the Seattle life she never wanted, Ms. Fox is on the brink of a meltdown. And after a school fundraiser goes disastrously awry at her hands, she disappears, leaving her family to pick up the pieces–which is exactly what Bee does, weaving together an elaborate web of emails, invoices, and school memos that reveals a secret past Bernadette has been hiding for decades. Where’d You Go Bernadette is an ingenious and unabashedly entertaining novel about a family coming to terms with who they are and the power of a daughter’s love for her mother. -Goodreads
Join Miss Debbie for stories, crafts, songs, and shenanigans during our Winter Storytime at the Simon Fairfield Public Library. Winter Storytime starts on January 7 and lasts until March 6.
Monday storytime is at 1pm and geared for ages 3 to 5.
Tuesday storytime is at 6pm and is geared for ages 4 to 7.
Wednesday storytime is at 10am and is geared to ages 18 months to 3.
Please call the library at 508-476-2695 or email dsoderman@cwmars.org to register or ask further questions. Sign-ups are necessary to ensure adequate supplies of snacks, crafts, energy drinks, and free puppies for the children.
Note: If school (in Douglas) is cancelled, there is no storytime. If they are delayed, there is no morning storytime. If they are released early, there is no afternoon storytime.
For the mom who is sending her child off to school for the first time or the dad who is hoping for a year of easier transitions and joyful experiences, Peaceful Life coach Janet Gonzalez will be offering a free workshop at the library on August 23 from 7-8pm. Some topics she will touch on are getting out the door in the mornings, welcoming your child home in the afternoon, and homework & bedtime in the evening.
A new weekly event is popping up at the library. A group of seasoned mahjong playing patrons will be meeting to play at the library every Thursday from 12:30 to 4pm and are inviting new players. If you already know how to play, come play with some delightful people! If you don’t, come anyway and they will teach you.
On June 5th, we welcomed 4 local authors and 26 guests to a literary party at the Library. The Friends of the Library put out quite the spread:
Paula Sullivan, Rachel Odell howe, Jane Willan, and Michael Stinger not only sold and signed books, but talked extensively about their writing and publishing processes:
Paula Sullivan is the author of Simply Being Happy, and Rachel Odell How is the author of Ripple:
Michael Stinger is the author of Runner’s Dawn, and Paula Sullivan is the author of The Shadow of Death:
The event drew a nice crowd, and we all enjoyed discussing books until well after the library “closed:”
This little one proved that you are never too young to start thinking about writing your own book:
On May 23, around a dozen library staff and patrons gathered at Cedar Swamp in the Douglas State Forest for a nature hike. Led by Mary Sughrue-Yacino, we heard many bird calls and learned a lot about local flora.
We saw the tiniest lady slipper in the world:
And a very purple bog onion (or jack-in-the-pulpit for you Northern folk):
Cinnamon ferns:
And these things:
The kids got really excited when we started finding a trail of fake money:
And then the adults even got a little excited: 
Finally, we gazed upon the remains of a fire started by Matthew Mcconaughey during the filming of Sea of Trees. Unfortunately, the scene was deleted:
Mary tried calling in an owl, but it just hooted at us from afar. I believe a good time was had by all, though, regardless of the standoffish night fowl.
