From the Community

10 Women Artists Exhibit ‘The Time Project’ at Connolly Library

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Ten seasoned and established artists, all women, came together in August 2009 to create the Time Project. Thus, began a rare and unique journey. We are painters, printmakers, sculptors, photographers, fiber artists, ceramicists, art book makers, beaders, video and filmmakers, and a composer/musician who is also a visual artist and published poet. We meet every month where we each share a piece of art/musical composition/writing. Our purpose is to support and challenge each other to work deeper and more experimentally.

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Arts

These Were The Top 10 Books Checked Out at JP Libraries

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The Boston Public Library compiled their top 10 list of books checked out in 2021 throughout the entire BPL system, as well as individual branches. And one author dominated both Jamaica Plain branch libraries. Children's book author Mo Willems continues to dominate the JP branches. In 2019, Willems' books took all 10 spots on the children's book list. In 2021, Willems was in the overall top 10 lists, which included adult and children's books.

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From the Community

Outdoor Halloween Festival at Connolly Library on Oct. 31

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Enjoy an outdoor Halloween Festival complete with games, activities, free food and more for the whole family on October 31 at the Connolly Branch Library. The event is hosted by the Hyde Square Task Force and the Connolly Branch Library, and will also include photo booths, and arts & crafts. The event will be from 2 to 5 pm on the Blessed Sacrament Plaza (361 Centre St.). Masks and social distancing are encouraged. Hand sanitizer will be provided at each station.

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City Services

Boston Public Branch Libraries Reopening June 14

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The Boston Public Copley Library opens on June 1, and all branch libraries (not under construction) will be reopening on June 14. Beginning on June 1, patrons will be able to browse select books in the Copley Library building, and patrons will also be able to ask staff to pull books on demand. Patrons will be able to pick up holds, check out books and DVDs. Patrons will also be able to spend time in the courtyard, renew their library cards, use public computers, print, and make photocopies. Starting June 14 branch library visitors will be able to pick up holds, check out books, spend time browsing, use the library’s computers for limited time slots, print and make photocopies.

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City Services

The Effects of Coronavirus and Black Lives Matter on Boston Public Library Use

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As you might expect, the pandemic has led to a large increase in Boston Public Library e-card signups, and the Black Lives Matter protests led to a huge increase of requests for the most popular anti-racism titles. "During the [Black Lives Matter] protests in June, we saw over a 500% increase in checkouts and holds on the most popular anti-racism titles including White Fragility, So You Want to Talk about Race, Between the World and Me, The New Jim Crow, and more," said Natasha Fee, Senior Public Relations Associate for the Boston Public Library. In the two weeks following the first June protests more than 1,200 BPL patrons requested ebooks of White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, and How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. And hey, Kendi recently stopped by Jamaica Plain's bookstore Papercuts J.P. when he happened to be walking by the South Street store. "We’ve continued to see a steady interest in these items and have been purchasing additional copies of in demand titles (for kids and adults) to meet the demand," said Fee.

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City Services

Learn How to Get Involved with Friends of the Connolly Branch Library April 8

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The Friends of the Connolly Branch Library are hosting an event on April 8 for people to learn more about the Friends, the library and meet the new library staff. Meeting attendees will be provided information about how to become more involved with Friends of the Connolly Library, which is sponsoring the event. The meeting will be on Monday, April 8 at 6:30 pm at the Connolly Branch Library (433 Centre St.). Light refreshments will be served. This meeting is free and open to the public.

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From the Community

Free Doc About Dominican Republic Traditions, Culture at Connolly Library on April 1

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There will be a free screening of the documentary "Hay un país en el mundo" at the Jamaica Plain Connolly Branch Library on April 1. José Pintor directed this documentary, which takes its name from the famous Dominican poem by Pedro Mir. It is a walk through the natural landscape of the Dominican Republic, describing the country’s historic, cultural and social values as explained by experts in specific areas of interest. It is a project that was made by a collaboration by historians, anthropologists, folklorist and journalists of the Dominican Republic. It also gives a musical tour of the country and utilizes music from more than a dozen musicians from different times in the history of merengue and bachata.

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Arts

BLO Brings ‘Barber of Seville’ for Kids to JP Libraries

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Artists from Boston Lyric Opera recently visited an ennead of public libraries, including Jamaica Plain's two branches, to perform kid-themed excerpts from "The Barber of Seville." Boston Lyric Opera artists performed one-hour participatory programs that were free and open to kids and families, ideally for ages 6 to 12. The program featured two professional singers, and a pianist. Held during February school vacation week, the pianist also acted as a teaching artist who introduced opera to the young audiences through a melodic, engaging and theatrical presentation. This is the third year that the BLO has part This is the third year the BPL has partnered with the BLO to present how opera tells a story.

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Arts

JP Novelist Decides How She’ll Transition to Dust

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What should be done with this body of mine when, as the saying on many old New England tombstones goes, I have departed this life? Over the years I spent writing a novel starring a gravedigger, this question crept gradually from the back of my mind to the fore of it. My protagonist, Ben, champions green burials at a graveyard inspired by Forest Hills Cemetery (more on that later), and he devotes a share of his free time to creating a burial suit laden with mushroom spores, designed to turn his remains into “some really nice compost.”

Through several drafts of the novel, Ben both reflected and inspired my burgeoning plans for making an environmentally friendly transition from flesh to dust. Though I wasn’t up for engineering my own burial suit, I started to picture myself being lowered, free of a casket and embalming chemicals, into a hole in some conservation land, a possibility that an episode of the HBO series “Six Feet Under” first brought to my attention. Then my father died.

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Connolly Branch Library

Dreams of Chonta Workshop

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Join filmmaker Monica Cohen and musicians Isaac Matus and Juan Tello to learn about music from the Pacific Coast of Colombia and the story of Diego Obregon, an Afro-Colombian musician and undocumented immigrant who is willing to sacrifice everything for his dreams.

Excerpts of the film Dreams of Chonta will be shown and participants will have the opportunity to touch and play traditional Colombian instruments.  Join us on September 18th from 6:00-7:30 pm at the Connolly Branch of the Boston Public Library!