ABINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS          June 5, 2009

Summer Reading Program Registration

Registration begins on Tuesday June 16 at the Abington Public Library for the annual Summer Reading Program. “Starship Adventure” invites children of all ages, from toddlers to teens, to enjoy reading for pleasure over the summer months. The Friends of the Library generously provide funding for this program and will help reward children for reading by “adopting” a giraffe and flamingos at the Franklin Park Zoo. For every hour of reading completed participants earn a paper star. At the end of the summer the Friends of the Library fund animal adoptions based on the number of stars earned. Children who register between 10:00am and Noon on June 16 will be able to create a planet, play games, and help decorate the Children's Room. New this year the library is offering fine forgiveness to participants who register for the Summer Reading Program on June 16; some restrictions apply. “Starship Adventure” is sponsored by your local library, Massachusetts Regional Library Systems, and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

Storyteller and Puppet Show Registration

Also on June 16 registrations begin for the following programs held in conjunction with the Summer Reading Program. Popular children's storyteller BIG Joe will perform on Tuesday June 23 at 11:00am . Abington families with children ages 4 and up are invited to register for this performance, which is funded by the Friends of the Library. For families with children entering grades 1 and up, the Gerwick Puppets will present “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp” on Thursday June 25 at 11:00am . This exciting story presents children with the familiar fairy tale theme of good versus evil with beautifully hand painted scenery and puppets. The performance of “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp” is generously funded by the Anderson Foundation Cultural Series. Both performances are limited to 75 people.

Story-Craft Registration & Bedtime Story Hour Information

Children entering grade 1 and up may register for Radical Rockets, a story craft workshop on Wednesday June 24 at 11:15am . Young Adults entering grades 5 and up can register for a YA Craft program held on Wednesday June 24 at 2:00pm . Both craft programs are limited to 24 people. Children entering grades 4 and up may register for the Lunch Bunch Book Club. This group meets three times during the summer for book discussions, games, and lunch. The first meeting is June 17 12:00 Noon . Bedtime Story Hour begins Thursday June 18 at 7:00pm and continues until Thursday August 6. Please note that Bedtime Story hour will not be offered Thursday July 2. No registration is necessary for this program; Abington children ages 3 and up who are comfortable in the Story Room without an adult are welcome to join. Children may wear pajamas and bring a favorite stuffed animal or doll. Up to 40 children can be accommodated. These programs are funded by the Friends of the Library.

Visit the library website at www.abingtonpl.org for more information. As always, caregivers with questions, concerns, or special needs should contact Children's Librarian Emily Miranda at 781-982-2139 or ablib@ocln.org.

ABINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS          May 8, 2009

Reduction in Library Hours

The Board of Library Trustees announces that hours of service at the Abington Public Library will be reduced during June, July and August 2009. All library employees, including the Acting Director, are participating in the Town's unpaid furlough program to assist with the budget shortfall. This means that library staff hours have been reduced by a total of 251.5 hours for Fiscal 2009 which ends on June 30 2009, and 377.25 hours for fiscal 2010. The Trustees feel that it is important for residents to understand that the Library's union staff members voted to participate in this program to save jobs and retain Library services for the Town.

The Library will be closed on the following days:

Wednesday June 3

Thursday June 11

Friday June 19

Saturday June 20

Friday July 17

Friday July 31

Friday August 14

Friday August 28

The Trustees and staff regret the necessity of implementing this plan and the impact these furlough closure days will have on library services. Summer dates were selected due to state requirements regarding library hours. Questions may be addressed to Acting Director Deborah Grimmett via email at ablib@ocln.org or by telephone, 781-982-2139.

ABINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS          April 24, 2009

Email addresses wanted

Library notices such as reserved material available notices, overdue notices and even reminders that books need to be returned soon can be sent to customer email addresses. For the last few months, the Library staff has been asking users for their email addresses. For the customer, email notices eliminate telephone calls at inconvenient times and lost messages. For the Library, email notices help keep expenses down by greatly reducing the number of telephone call notifications made by staff. Due to the economic downturn, the Library budget has been reduced, and the Board of Library Trustees are asking library users to help save money by adding email addresses to their library accounts. This can easily be accomplished during a visit to the Library. Please note that for security and privacy reasons, email addresses must be supplied in person.

ABINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS          April 3, 2009

Book a Librarian

Do you need some help learning to navigate the computer to use the public library's online resources? Abington residents may reserve time for a 30-minute training session with the reference librarian from Abington Public Library. One-on-one instruction on the following topics is offered: using the library Web page; searching the online catalog; placing holds and renewing items online; finding information in databases; setting up an e-mail account. To schedule an appointment, call the reference librarian at 781-982-2139 on Mondays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. or on Tuesdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Tumblebooks Database for Kids

The Abington Public Library is pleased to announce the arrival of its newest database, TumbleBooks. TumbleBooks is an online collection of animated, talking picture books. These e-books were created by taking existing picture books and adding animation, music, sound and narration to create an electronic picture book that you can read or have read to you. This is the first database the library has offered exclusively for young children. For more information, or help accessing TumbleBooks please contact Children's Librarian Emily Miranda at 781-982-2139 or ablib@ocln.org.  Visit the Children's Page to try Tumblebooks Now!

ABINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS          March 27, 2009

Museum Pass Reservations Online

The Abington Public Library is pleased to announce that library users may now make reservations for Museum passes online from the Library website, www.abingtonpl.org . Abington residency and a valid Library card are required to reserve all museum passes. The Library has a variety of passes which offer discounted admission to local museums. Attractions include the Children's Museum in Boston, the Children's Museum in Easton, he John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Science, the Mystic Aquarium, Plimoth Plantation, the Roger Williams Park Zoo, and the Sports Museum of New England. The Abington Lions Club funds the pass for the Children's Museum in Boston, the Mystic Aquarium donates the pass to the Aquarium, and all other passes are provided through the generosity of the Friends of the Library. Discounts and admission rules vary for each pass; visit the Library website for more information.

ABINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS          March 13, 2009

Library Service at the new Abington Senior Center

The Board of Trustees of the Abington Public Library is pleased to announce that the Library now has a small branch at the new Abington Senior Center . The Senior Center Library is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:45 AM to 12:30 PM during regularly scheduled Senior Lunches. Books, movies in DVD and VHS formats, and audio books on ompact disc may be borrowed. The Senior Center Library has a browsing collection ofapproximately 300 items. Titles may also be requested from the Abington Public Library. This service began in October and the number of borrowers has been steadily ncreasing each week.

“The Board saw this as an opportunity to increase services to a growing segment of the community while leveraging the use of the wonderful new Center, all at almost no additional cost to the town” said Trustee Henry DiCarlo.

The Library Trustees and Acting Library Director Deborah Grimmett thank the Abington  Council on Aging and Director Mary Beth Lawton and her staff for providing space for theLibrary at the Senior Center . The Library also wishes to thank John Najarian for painting the Library room at the Senior Center.

Library Wireless Internet Service

The Abington Public Library provides free Internet access points or “hot spots” for users with portable computers capable of receiving wireless  signals. This service, provided as a free community service by Comcast, may be used during regular library hours and allows users to access the Internet from their laptop computers when sitting at tables in the main areas of the library within range of the access points. Printers however, are not available via the wireless connection.

All wireless access users should have up-to-date virus protection on their personal laptop computers or wireless devices. As with most public wireless “hot spots,” the reless connection in the library is not secure. Another wireless user could potentially intercept any information being sent or eceived.

All users of the library's wireless access are expected to use the service in a legal and responsible manner, consistent with the educational and informational purposes for which it is provided. Those choosing to use this free wireless service are also expected to abide by the Abington Public Library's Internet Use Policy. Copies of this policy are available at the circulation desk.