Recent Recommendations from our Instagram
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
Make Your Mark. Unleash your child’s, or your, inner creativity. Don’t be afraid. Join thousands of other schools, libraries, and families who are making their mark on September 15th-ish. These books will give you inspiration. Paint, draw, create! #SCLRecs
Rapper, film actor, and poet Tupac "Amaru" Shakur, also known as "2Pac," was one of the most influential and successful rappers of the 1990s. Shakur was shot and killed on September 13, 1996. Years after his death Shakur has become a legend, and his legacy keeps growing, not only through his music, poetry, and film but also through the growing body of literature published about his life and work. Listen, read, and watch about his life and legacy. #SCLRecs
There is a movement in this country to not only reform our criminal justice system, but also to transform it completely. Supporters of transformative justice argue that prisons should be abolished and that the prevention of crimes--and justice for those who have been harmed by them--should occur within each affected community. To learn more about reforming and transforming criminal justice, check out these books, available through your library. #SCLRecs #CriminalJustuceReform #JusticeReform
On September 9, 1971, around 1,300 incarcerated men led an uprising at the overcrowded Attica Correctional Facility, demanding humane living conditions and taking 42 staff members hostage. On September 13th, heavily armed state police officers opened fire on the protestors, killing 10 hostages and 29 prisoners. Following the Attica uprising, the number of people incarcerated in U.S. prisons began to soar. See the book list link in bio for a full list of resources, curated by a librarian, that you can request directly from our catalog. #Attica #AtticaRiots #SCLRecs
The Teddy Bear was created in 1902 by Morris and Rose Michtom, inspired by a political cartoon depicting President Theodore Roosevelt (famous for being a big game hunter) refusing to shoot a tied up bear on a hunting trip. To learn the history of teddy bears in more depth, including seeing the political cartoon that started it all, visit the Smithsonian Museum’s article at https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-history-of-the-teddy-bear-from-wet-and-angry-to-soft-and-cuddly-170275899/. #NationalTeddyBearDay #TeddyBear #TheodoreRoosevelt #Americana #SCLRecs
Do your tweens have questions about 9/11, with all the emphasis in the news for the 20th anniversary? Grab some books recommended by our children's librarian to help talk about the event. #SCLrecs
This Saturday is the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, when the terrorist group al-Qaeda carried out several coordinated attacks on the United States, causing the deaths of 2,996 people in New York City, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon. First responders and everyday people displayed great heroism on September 11th, but fears about future attacks led the US government to engage in the torture of terror suspects and prompted some US residents to unfairly suspect all Muslim people of being terrorists. Learn more in these books, available through your library. #SCLRecs
What’s hot and round and cheesy all over? CHEESE PIZZA! Whether you’re looking for a dinner option that your kids will eat, or just an excuse to eat more cheese, today we encourage you to celebrate Cheese Pizza Day by making a pizza or having a pizza and movie night. Mangia! #CheesePizzaDay #Hoopla #Kanopy #Yum #PizzaParty #SCLRecs
Fan of the White Lotus tv series? Try these books! #WhiteLotus #Readalikes #SCLRecs
The United Nations has declared August 23 International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition. Today we honor the men and women who resisted enslavement and fought for abolition, and those who continue work of liberation by and for the descendants of enslaved people. Swipe to learn more by checking out these books and more at the Springfield City Library. #SCLReads #slavery #abolition #SlaveRevolts #Liberation #SCLRecs
The world has been living under the threat of nuclear annihilation since August of 1945, when the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Yet, even the peacetime uses of radioactive elements can pose serious risks to humans, animals, and plants. Read more about the destructiveness of nuclear weapons and the dangers of nuclear power in these books, available through curbside pickup. #SCLRecs
Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek, with the iconic characters of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and the crew of the Starship Enterprise, in 1966. The original series only lasted three years, but eventually spun off nine tv series, thirteen movies, and hundreds of novels, toys, and games. Roddenberry invited viewers “to boldly go whre no one has been before.” And it turned out, viewers fell in love with that journey. #SCLRecs
Fan of #booktok? We have all these trending titles - get them at your favorite location, or as ebooks or eaudiobooks via OverDrive on your device! #SCLRecs
Wealthy, politically powerful, yet assailed by an outsize number of tragedies and human problems, the Kennedy family has long fascinated the world. Learn more about this influential Massachusetts clan by exploring these books. #SCLRecs
Everyone is afraid of dying, right? Actually, no. Some people are able to face death and make peace with it. Read these books to learn how to let go of fear and usher in acceptance.
#SCLRecs
Are you a big fan of the Great British Bake-Off? (Our social media manager is a FANATIC, not just a fan!) If so, pick up one or more of these at your favorite library location! #GBBO #GBBOBooks #SCLrecs
It’s National Book Lovers Day! We invite you to celebrate by reading to a child, starting reading that book that’s been on your “to read” list for years, gift a book to someone, or choose a book about books from this curated reading list that includes fiction and nonfiction titles. Happy reading! #NationalBookLoversDay #BookLover #Reading #Bookworm #SCLRecs
Fake Dating - Real Relationships! Read these Teen romances during Read A Romance Month!
#SCLRecs
It's always a good time to read romance novels, but August is the official month to leave the heat outside and ready a steamy romance inside. Join us for our monthly Romance Book Club! Our next meeting is August 28th at 3:00 PM on Zoom. See link in bio for details. #ReadARomanceMonth #SCLRecs #RomanceNovels #ReadARomance #ReadARomanceNovel
MTV premiered on Aug 1, 1981, adding a visual medium to music. Celebrate MTV’s 40 years by checking out some of our music books. #MTV #MTV40years #SCLRecs
Fans of Ted Lasso will enjoy these sweet and funny books! #TedLasso #SCLRecs
Pandemic Service Updates
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
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.
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.
2021 School Summer Reading Lists
2021 Springfield, Massachusetts area school summer reading lists.