Library Blog
Posted on Thu, December 08, 2022 - 07:00pm
Last week’s “What Is It!” game featured two structures that facilitate reproduction for their creators. The animals who produced these “egg cartons” were, however, vastly different.
A Baltimore oriole wove the sack-like nest in the first image.
This beautiful species can be seen and heard at…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Mon, December 05, 2022 - 07:00pm
I spy with my little eye…something totally fun!
Did you know that the Children’s Room now offers themed Scavenger Hunts? You can find them in-room during the last week of every month. Decode a riddle by hunting for images posted around the room. If you need a helpful hint, ask the librarian for a…
Category: Youth Services, Kids
Posted on Thu, December 01, 2022 - 07:00pm
The leaves have fallen; the views are great. Now’s the time when hidden treasures are revealed. Here are two specimens from the library’s property that were, until recently, concealed by all that foliage! I spotted them both on Monday. Your job is to identify them. Email your “What Is It!”…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Fri, November 25, 2022 - 07:00pm
One long-ago November, the library staff received a gift from two grateful patrons. This small, but sincere, token of appreciation grew in a four-inch pot. I put it on the windowsill for all to see and cared for it out of respect for the givers’ kindness. Soon it grew and grew, in size and beauty,…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, November 24, 2022 - 07:00pm
Celebrate your creativity & love of books! We invite patrons of all ages to make a literary ornament of a favorite book, holiday classic, or any other creative literary design. Use wood, paint, 3D printing, clay, paper, wood, fabric, beads, yarn, origami, or whatever your whimsy desires!
Come…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Mon, November 21, 2022 - 07:00pm
Welcome to AFL Staff Stories! Every month we'll introduce you (or REintroduce you!) to a different member of the AFL Staff and tell you a little about their favorites.
This month, meet AFL's Administrative Assistant, Michelle Duprey. Click here for Michelle's stories.
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, November 17, 2022 - 07:00pm
Peak autumn color has passed, and leaves now carpet the ground. Why not take a closer look while they are still intact, before snow and microbes work their recycling magic? Now’s a great time to review leaf ID. Their colors may be subdued, but most species still retain their shape. Besides,…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Fri, November 11, 2022 - 07:00pm
Congratulations to Patricia and Debbie who correctly identified last week’s “What Is It!” as witch hazel (American or common witch hazel, depending on whom you ask).
The flowering branch in my image belongs to a large shrub with arching stems, one that can grow 20 feet or higher. While this…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, November 03, 2022 - 08:00pm
Your garden mums may be fading, but this local plant is in full bloom. If you recognize this week’s “What Is It!” email your answer to lrubinacci@amesfreelibrary.org. Check back next week for the rest of the story.
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, November 02, 2022 - 08:00pm
Congratulations to our pumpkin carving contest winner, Violet, who received a gift card to Hilliard's for her entry!
Violet submitted this intricately carved face entitled "Billy lost his head again." One thing we loved about this entry is that she scooped the pumpkin out from the bottom, leaving…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, October 27, 2022 - 08:00pm
Jack-o’-lanterns. Costumes. “Ghost Hunting At Queset House.” Halloween is upon us!
Oakes Ames Hall in Mist
Under the circumstances, it may be difficult to recall last April when the Ames Free…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, October 27, 2022 - 08:00pm
How do you feel about what you’re writing? Are you excited or nervous about getting started?
Photo by Pixabay from Pexels
There’s an African proverb that asks, “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Mon, October 24, 2022 - 08:00pm
If you're planning to enter your pumpkin into our carving contest, tomorrow is the big day! You can drop it off at the Quest House on Wednesday, October 26, between 1:00 PM and 8:00 PM, or drop off on Thursday, October 27, between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM. Don't forget to bring your entry form!
Read…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, October 19, 2022 - 08:00pm
As experienced readers know, A Glimpse of Nature concentrates on the natural phenomena around the Ames Free Library or in nearby areas of Southeastern Massachusetts. On rare occasions, though, the author goes somewhere else. When I travel I bring my interests with me; so, not surprisingly, I do a…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Mon, October 17, 2022 - 08:00pm
Welcome to AFL Staff Stories! Every month we'll introduce you (or REintroduce you!) to a different member of the AFL Staff and tell you a little about their favorites.
This month, meet one of AFL's Circulation Technicians, Kim Davis. Click here for Kim's stories.
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Sun, October 16, 2022 - 08:00pm
Last time, I began by asking the question, “What should I write about?” This time I ask, “What is my process?” and by that I mean, “How can I set myself up for success and write a 50,000+ word novel in 30 days?” This begs the question, “What do I need to be ready on Day One?” I know, I know, I ask…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, October 13, 2022 - 08:00pm
Both species featured in last week’s “What Is It!” were observed in eastern Massachusetts during early autumn. The plant image, submitted by Karen, was photographed in the town of Harvard on September 29. Let’s look closely at her photo to gather the details that will identify it.
Entire Plant…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Mon, October 10, 2022 - 08:00pm
“I write to see the beginning and end of it all,”
Grant Faulkner, Executive Director of NaNoWriMo
What should I write about?
There are hundreds of things I could write about and none of them seem worthy of the time needed to put into it. I wanted help so I went looking for ideas, a brilliant can’…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, October 06, 2022 - 08:00pm
This week we offer a doubleheader! If you recognize either the plant or the caterpillar, submit your ID to lrubinacci@amesfreelibrary.org. Where have you seen these species?
The October 14 post will provide identification and some interesting background.
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, September 28, 2022 - 08:00pm
Last weekend I cleaned my goldfish pool which really needed to be refreshed. Although I felt very guilty for its neglect, the task required a chunk of time, something that has eluded me lately. The container, a converted planter, holds about 20 gallons of water, a potted pickerel weed, and three…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Tue, September 27, 2022 - 08:00pm
Are you an expert pumpkin carver? Are you a beginning carver with amazing ideas? We'll be judging your pumpkin carving skills at the Queset House on Friday, October 28.
Bring your carved pumpkin entries to the Queset House on Wednesday, October 26 between 1:00 PM and 8:00 PM, or on Thursday,…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, September 22, 2022 - 08:00pm
On Monday, September 19, some enthusiastic and knowledgeable folks savored the wildflowers of the Ames Free Library campus. If you weren’t there, you missed a good time of shared curiosity, experience, discovery, and laughter. You also might have missed the peak of this season’s blossoms. After a…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, September 21, 2022 - 08:00pm
Fall may be announcing itself with a dreary deluge, but all this rain can’t dampen my spirits. This month I get to share a special summer reading wrap-up edition of the Librarian’s Lounge with you! Keep reading for highlights from this year’s summer reading program, including a list of books that…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Sun, September 18, 2022 - 08:00pm
What is NaNoWriMo? An Introduction
Who, me, you say? Write a book? (NaNoWrimo-no!) You can probably come up with several reasons why you don’t want to spend the month of November writing a novel. So why do it? Participating in NaNoWriMo is an excellent way to develop discipline as a writer, an…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, September 15, 2022 - 08:00pm
This week, the lovely but highly invasive porcelain berry takes center stage at the Ames Free Library. Look for its grape-like leaves and vines and its attractive multi-colored fruit. The speckled berries change color as they ripen, passing through shades of green, pink, purple, and blue. This…
Category: Staff Picks