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Letter Writing Week is here - how better to spend an hour inside, when it's so cold outside! Warm someone else up with a personal letter to someone you care about. You can even get books about letter writing from the library! #LetterWritingWeek #SCLRecs #LetterWriting
The first Black performer to win the Academy Award for best actor, for ''Lilies of the Field,'' he once said he felt ''as if I were representing 15, 18 million people with every move I made.'' Sidney Poitier, whose portrayal of resolute heroes in films like ''To Sir With Love,'' ''In the Heat of the Night'' and ''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'' established him as Hollywood's first Black matinee idol and helped open the door for Black actors in the film industry, died on Thursday night at his home in Los Angeles. He was 94.
(Grimes, William. "Sidney Poitier, 94, Pioneering Black Oscar Winner, Dies." New York Times, 8 Jan. 2022, p. A1(L). Gale In Context: Biography) #SidneyPoitier #RIPSidneyPoitier #SCLRecs
Desmond Tutu, 1931-2021, was an archbishop in the South African Anglican church who helped dismantle the racist system of apartheid and then served as the leader of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to document apartheid's worst abuses and crimes. Balancing clear-eyed assessments of social injustice with a passionate commitment to nonviolence, Archbishop Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Read more about the wisdom and courage of Desmond Tutu in these books, available through your library. #SCLRecs #DesmondTutu #RIPDesmondTutu #DesmondTutuRIP
Joan Didion proved herself one of the most acute observers of and commentators on American life in the latter half of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first century. Her novels, along with her essays, gave laconic voice to the disillusionment and pessimism that is the other face of the radicalism of the 1960s. (St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture Online. Gale.)
#SCLRecs #JoanDidion #JoanDidionRIP #RIPJoanDidion
Writer, professor, and social critic bell hooks was undeniably one of the most successful "cross-over" academics of the late twentieth century. Her name, as well as the criticisms of racism and sexism that she penned, were central to many academic discussions, and they were also read widely outside of the educational arena. On December 15, 2021, hooks died at her home in Berea, Kentucky; she was 69. ("bell hooks." Contemporary Black Biography, Gale.) #bellhooks #ripbellhooks #SCLRecs
Anne Rice wrote best-selling novels that combined horror with sensuality in lavish historical settings. Ever popular, remind yourself why by picking up a book of hers at the library. #AnneRice #SCLRecs
Check out these books for podcast fans! #SCLRecs
Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance/Resilience: a day to honor lives lost to anti-trans hate, but also to do our part to support and celebrate our trans siblings, friends, relatives and/or selves who are still with us. To learn more about the Trans Day of Resilience project, visit https://tdor.co/ #SCLRecs #TDOR
Obsessed with the movie? Try these readalikes! #SCLRecs #Dune #DuneMovie #SCLRecs
Veteran’s Day is the day we remember the service and sacrifices made by veterans. Swipe to see books that to honor those who have served in the U.S. military. #SCLrecs #VeteransDay
November is Transgender Awareness Month, a time to honor, celebrate, and advocate for our transgender and gender diverse community.
#TransgenderAwarenessMonth #SCLRecs
November is Transgender Awareness Month, a time to honor, celebrate, and advocate for our transgender and gender diverse community.
#TransgenderAwarenessMonth #SCLRecs
It's #JewishBookMonth! #SCLRecs
It's #JewishBookMonth! #SCLRecs
Get these and more at your favorite library location! #SCLRecs
Fan of #SquidGame on Netflix? Check out these movies and books from the library! Swipe to see all the recommendations. #SCLRecs
This month we invite you to deepen your knowledge, understand, and appreciation of Native American culture, history and resilience with these nonfiction titles written by contemporary American Indian authors. #NAHM #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth #SCLRecs #TheFutureIsIndigenous
Check out these CREEPY horror reads for teens! #swipeyswipey #SCLRecs
For quirky murder mysteries like Hulu's Only Murders In The Building, get these books from your favorite library location! #SCLRecs #OnlyMurdersInTheBuilding
If you loved the Fear Street books or movies, try these read-alikes!
#FearStreet #SCLRecs
If you haven't watched Midnight Mass on Netflix, give it a shot! And If you saw it and loved it, try these small-town horror books to keep the scares coming!
#SCLRecs #MidnightMass #MidnightMassNetflix
It's the season to scare your pants off with some great new horror! Get these from your favorite library location.
#HorrorBooks #Halloween #ScaryStories #SCLRecs
"Jerry Pinkney was a celebrated artist and illustrator famous for children's picture books. In a career spanning five decades, Pinkney illustrated more than 100 children's titles, earning popular and critical acclaim for his detailed watercolors of folk and fairy tales, young people's classics, and stories that explore the African-American experience. Pinkney was the recipient of scores of prestigious awards. He won the industry's highest award, the Caldecott Medal, in 2010 for The Lion & the Mouse (2009), a wordless version of Aesop's fable. He is also the winner of several Coretta Scott King awards, Caldecott Honor designations, and prizes from the Society of Illustrators, the New York Times, and the Boston Globe. Pinkney's many other honors include the United States nomination for the Hans Christian Andersen Prize in 1998 and induction into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2012." (Contemporary Black Biography, GALE) #SCLRecs
Tomorrow is #BlackPoetryDay, when celebrate Black poets, past and present. Black Poetry Day was established in honor of Jupiter Hammon, the first published Black poet in the nation, who was born October 17th, 1711. #SCLRecs
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which provides free breast and cervical cancer screenings to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women in every State, as well as many Tribal organizations and Territories. To find information on how to get screened through this program, visit: cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/screenings.htm #SCLRecs
Are you curious about becoming a vegetarian? What is a vegetarian or vegan anyway? Want to expand your cooking skills or become more familiar with different foods? Are you looking for healthy food choices? Check out these titles, and more, to help yourself and the planet! #VegetarianMionth #SCLRecs
It's still #HispanicHeritageMonth! Check out these teen reads by Puerto Rican authors - swipe to see more. #SCLRecs
September is Mushroom Month! We put together a list of books in our catalog - just click and reserve to learn about fabulous fungi! Link in bio. #MushroomMonth #SeptemberIsMushroomMonth #MushroomMonth2021 #SCLRecs
It's #TalkLikeAPirateDay! Check out these books about pirates for kids, teens, and adults! #SCLRecs
On September 17, the United States honors those who were either taken prisoner or went missing during wartime. Learn more with these books, available through the Springfield City Library. #SCLRecs
Fans of #OuterBanks should check these out! #SCLRecs
Check out these Children's Novels Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month - click to see list in catalog to request directly! https://tinyurl.com/3hta8an2 #SCLRecs
The world has been watching in deep concern while the Taliban has retaken the nation of Afghanistan and while thousands of Afghans have tried to flee their own country. What has led to this grim situation? Find out more from these books, available through your library. #SCLRecs
Pandemic Service Updates
Three Library Branches to Provide At-Home Rapid Covid-19 Testing Kits for Springfield Residents
The city will distribute another 25,000 at-home testing kits at several locations, including three library branches, starting Tuesday, January 18, 2022.
Springfield City Library Temporarily Reduces Hours and Limits Services
Beginning January 4th, 2022, library patrons may enter their local library to pick up their materials but all in-person programming is suspended, including computer access and usage.
Central Library Building Reopens; All 9 Springfield City Library Locations Resume Regular Schedule
Beginning Tuesday, September 7th 2021, the Central Library will open its doors to the community after 17 long months. Branch libraries will also resume operating full schedules on that date.
Increasing Community Internet Access: Introducing Hotspots
The Library will circulate internet hotspots for those in the community that do not have internet access at home.
Apply for A Library Card Online
Apply for a Springfield City Library Card online.
Library News
Three Library Branches to Provide At-Home Rapid Covid-19 Testing Kits for Springfield Residents
The city will distribute another 25,000 at-home testing kits at several locations, including three library branches, starting Tuesday, January 18, 2022.
Free at-home COVID-19 testing kits available for Springfield residents (WWLP)
WWLP interviewed people at Central Library on the first day of handing out rapid home covid test kits to Springfield residents.
Poetry Workshops, Performance At Springfield City Library: Apply Now For Master Class With Poet Laureate Magdalena Gómez
Applications are now open for women, teen girls, and women-identified people interested in an introduction to writing and performing inviting, exciting, and inspiring poetry. Join this master class with Springfield’s Poet Laureate, Magdalena Gómez.
Family Roots In Old Neighborhood Bring Gift To New Library (WAMC)
In recognition of the gift, the library named the children’s reading room in honor of William and Patricia White. This brings the $2 million campaign up to $1.6 million.
Brightwood Library in Springfield offering up 20 books for youngsters to read during Hispanic Heritage Month (Masslive)
Connecting with culture can be done through food and music and family traditions, but it can also be done through literature.