Check out the Friends of Forbes Winter Newsletter!

Family History Help

Are you curious about how to get started on a family tree or use census records to explore the history of your neighborhood or house? Book a one-on-one appointment with Brian Tabor, recently retired Forbes Library circulation manager and genealogist, and learn how to research using genealogy resources such as Ancestry, Heritage Quest and American Ancestors databases.

2nd week of the month
Tuesdays 6-7 pm
Wednesdays 10:30 am-12 pm

Email [email protected] to book an appointment with Brian.

Museum Pass Spotlight:

Children's Museum at Holyoke
Use our museum pass for ½ price admission ($3) for up to six people. Under 12 months admitted for free.
Check availability. 
If available, passes can be reserved for up to four hours by calling 413-587-1011, extension 2.

Check out the full list of museum passes! 

Holiday Gifts from the Library

Looking for a last minute gift that celebrates reading, fun, and fish?
Our "I ♥ Paco" t-shirts pay tribute to Forbes Library’s famous mascot who makes her home in the Children's Department. Available in youth sizes from 2T to youth large and adult sizes through XL. You can buy online (with the option to pick up at the library) or in person at the Children's desk.

Library Programs

Visit our online calendar to see a complete list of library events. Filter using the category "VIRTUAL" to find events that can be attended remotely.

Crafternoon for Kids
Saturday, December 10, 2022, 3 pm
Meet us in the community room for an afternoon of creativity! We'll have everything you need to use your imagination and make an open-ended craft. Ages 4+

Early Readers Book Club 
Tuesday, December 13, 2022, 4 pm
Join us to make a craft based on "King of the Birds" by Elise Gravel! We will meet in the community room from 4:00-5:00. Attendance is capped at 30 people. Books are available in the children's department to check out. Please email [email protected] with any questions.

Teen Gaming Lounge
Tuesdays at 4 pm

Every Tuesday afternoon, teens ages 12+ are invited to play our brand-new Nintendo Switch in the YA Room! We'll have enough controllers for 8 players at a time. Challenge your friends to a Mario Kart race, try out new games, and meet fellow gamers!

Up Your Game, Improve Your Balance
Tuesday, December 13, 2022, 6 pm

Balance training is great for anyone! It’s particularly important for athletes and anyone over 50. Dynamic balance training goes much further than just being able to stand on one foot. It trains the whole balance system including your core and nervous system, making your body more stable, responsive and resilient. I’ll explain the basics of balance training, and show you how to design your own balance practice.

Magic the Gathering Club for Tweens & Teens
Thursday, December 15, 2022, 3:45 pm

*New time!* Join us for a casual meetup for tweens & teens interested in MTG! 

Curious about learning how to play? Looking for other players? Forbes will provide cards to use at the library.

This program is for ages 10+ and meets biweekly. Questions? Email [email protected]

Kids' Gaming Club
Fridays at 4 pm

Every Friday, kids ages 7-12 can join us in the Community Room to hang out with other young gamers and play the library's new Nintendo Switch!

HYBRID Afternoon Book Discussion
Friday, December 16, 2022, 1 pm

This month's book is Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead. You can request a copy of the book from the library catalog.  
This is a hyrbid meeting -- so you can either join us on Zoom or in the Watson Room this month!

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83532872599

Meeting ID: 835 3287 2599
Passcode: 188946

Holiday Sing-Along for Shelter
Saturday, December 17, 2022, 10 am

Hosted by the Ukulele Strum Group!

Bring your voice, friends, and optional musical instruments to sing and play along.

Donations will be gratefully accepted to benefit the Interfaith Winter Shelter.

Make-Your-Own Gift Tags
Saturday, December 17, 2022, 11 am

Celebrate the winter holiday season with a special craft for kids at the library! We'll have everything you need to make and decorate gift tags for friends and loved ones. Recommended for children ages 3 and up.

In the Hosmer Gallery

Olwen Dowling: Above and Below
Dave Madeloni: Photographs
Brian McQuillan: Sculptures

December 2-29, 2022

Brian McQuillan
Metal Sculpture

Artist statement
I am very excited about my upcoming show at the Hosmer Gallery! It’s a great opportunity to share my sense of humor, my love of animals, and a little bit of my darker side. All my sculptures are made from Recycled Metal, Junk, and Antique metals: my little reincarnations. They are all created with a lot of Love, Junk, and a strong dose of High Voltage Electricity. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Dave Madeloni
Photographs

Dave Madeloni is an educator, activist, and journalist who resides in Northampton.
Neither of his parents graduated high school, but they strongly encouraged his curiosity and creativity, which led him to capture images of performers, protesters, and more recently, puddles. For the past forty-two years, he has taught and supported young people with social/emotional struggles in a variety of settings, strongly encouraging their curiosity and their creativity.
All of the photographs displayed were taken within a few miles of the library during the Covid era. Their purpose: to remind us to both cherish and protect the beauty and vulnerability that surround us.

Olwen Dowling
Above and Below: Prints and Watercolors

Artist statement
The earth with its rich and diverse bounty and our Oceans which may save us all in the end due to Climate Change are what sustain us. I found this out as I was learning my trade as an artist and have extended this search to the Oceans. It seems each day we are feeling our equilibrium askew with a continuing barrage from outside sources that affect much more than we ever imagined. It’s almost unreal in its intensity and disturbance. No matter who or where you are from, something new and awful has occurred to us all. My way of responding is to find a way to try and live my life to its fullest and appreciate how beautiful it can be by doing my art. And at the same time stay connected and try for change! Time will tell where it all settles. This is very personal because I decided to go back to a time of study that helped me get centered. That is Plant and Ocean Biology. Nature and what it brings to our daily lives is the ultimate healer. These monotype, dry points, intaglio etchings, and a few watercolors will center on this experience and hopefully bring a sense of stillness and quietude to the viewer. That is my hope.
www.olwendowling.com

Click Here to view the Forbes Library Weekly Events - December 9, 2022