Library Blog
Posted on Thu, December 16, 2021 - 07:00pm
Next Tuesday is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, the day when the sun makes its lowest arc in the skies of the northern hemisphere. This astronomical event has been celebrated from time immemorial, as people eagerly anticipated the return of longer days and a greener landscape. …
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Sun, December 12, 2021 - 07:00pm
Ever been curious what your neighbors are reading or watching? Here are just some of their suggestions! As we receive more recommendations, we'll post them here on the AFL Blog.
If you would like to suggest something you've loved to your neighbors, fill out our Your Neighbors Recommend form!
A…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Fri, December 10, 2021 - 07:00pm
The last time we looked at an herbaceous plant was at the end of August when the library’s jewelweed reached its floriferous peak. It’s high time to consider another wildflower! Yes, blossoms are in short supply right now, but the plants that create them can be very conspicuous, especially when…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Sun, December 05, 2021 - 07:00pm
Get to know your town officials through their favorite reads! Scroll through to see their selections and click on any book cover to learn more or place a hold through our catalog.
Leaders & Readers
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, December 02, 2021 - 07:00pm
On Tuesday afternoon, a large flock of American robins visited the Ames Free Library to feed in the Siberian crabapple near Queset House.
Yes, robins can be seen in Massachusetts during the fall and winter months, though they are probably not the same birds that nest in your yard. According to…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Tue, November 30, 2021 - 07:00pm
Is it really December already? With the end of the year and the holiday season upon us, I didn’t spend too much time exploring different library resources in November, but I do have my eye on a few courses from LinkedIn Learning. More on those next month!
If you stop by the library during the month…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Fri, November 26, 2021 - 07:00pm
This week’s goal was to photograph buds and bark. While doing so, an unanticipated subject caught my attention. Whether it was the chirp or the rapid movement, I can’t recall. By the time I redirected the camera, the creature had travelled through three trees and, fortunately, settled on a limb…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, November 18, 2021 - 07:00pm
The foundation of nature study is the habit of watching and wondering, of making observations and asking questions, a habit that I try to practice daily and to encourage through this blog. These simple, and sometimes brief, observations quickly point to the complexity of our world.
In writing A…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, November 11, 2021 - 07:00pm
Explore books, articles and events honoring the lives of Native Americans in the United States, their culture, and the tribulations they face,
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, November 11, 2021 - 07:00pm
For the past several weeks, the glory of the southeastern Massachusetts landscape has been its oaks.
I admit that my love of oaks came later in life. Don’t get me wrong, I always liked the trees and their acorns; indeed, a large red oak arched over my childhood home. Yet their strength and…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Sun, November 07, 2021 - 07:00pm
Winter is coming! As the weather gets colder, storytimes must move inside. We’ll continue to run our weekly storytimes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 10:30 AM, but there will be a few changes.
As of January 3, 2022, the following guidelines will be in place for all storytimes:
Space is…
Category: Youth Services, Kids
Posted on Sun, November 07, 2021 - 07:00pm
Ever been curious what your neighbors are reading or watching? Here are just some of their suggestions! As we receive more recommendations, we'll post them here on the AFL Blog.
If you would like to suggest something you've loved to your neighbors, fill out our Your Neighbors Recommend form!
…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, November 04, 2021 - 08:00pm
See what’s happening on the grounds of the Ames Free Library or nearby areas with “A Glimpse of Nature.” Offered by Lorraine Rubinacci, the library's resident naturalist, this weekly photo blog is a gentle reminder to enjoy the wonders that surround us.
A Glimpse of Nature - "Great Blue…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Sun, October 31, 2021 - 08:00pm
I’m what some would describe as a “mood reader” - meaning that what book I pick up next (or what book I set aside after starting it) is driven largely by my mood. And, for whatever reason, that led to a lot of mystery reading last month! It was also a month FULL of audiobooks. Keep reading to find…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, October 28, 2021 - 08:00pm
See what’s happening on the grounds of the Ames Free Library or nearby areas with “A Glimpse of Nature.” Offered by Lorraine Rubinacci, the library's resident naturalist, this weekly photo blog is a gentle reminder to enjoy the wonders that surround us.
A Glimpse of Nature - "Autumn Bounty"
I…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, October 27, 2021 - 08:00pm
Halloween sure is a spoooooky time! But don't be scared that you've missed out on our new kids' MCBA book club!
We have rescheduled our first meeting to Wednesday, November 3 at 3:30 PM. There's even still time to pick up and read our book for this meeting: The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag. Ask…
Category: Youth Services, Kids
Posted on Thu, October 21, 2021 - 08:00pm
See what’s happening on the grounds of the Ames Free Library or nearby areas with “A Glimpse of Nature.” Offered by Lorraine Rubinacci, the library's resident naturalist, this weekly photo blog is a gentle reminder to enjoy the wonders that surround us.
A Glimpse of Nature - "A Tale of Two…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Mon, October 18, 2021 - 08:00pm
Have you been seeing signs for the MCBA book club? Maybe you’ve found our book display in Youth Services, or noticed those stickers on some book spines. Maybe you even saw our video about the book club! Wondering what it’s all about? Here are 5 things to know about MCBA!
1. What is MCBA?
MCBA…
Category: Youth Services, Kids
Posted on Sun, October 17, 2021 - 08:00pm
Looking for something new and different? This month's batch of NEW YA Fiction can be found on the shelves just off the adult fiction section. Come check one out!
Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat
Sixteen-year-old dock boy Will is on the run, pursued by the men who killed his mother. Then an old servant…
Category: Youth Services, Teen
Posted on Thu, October 14, 2021 - 08:00pm
A Glimpse of Nature -- Gills & Pores
October 15, 2021
This week, let’s look at a few of the fungi that have been growing around the Ames Free Library. Rather, I should specify that we’ll be examining their fruiting bodies. After all, the inconspicuous mycelia of these fungi have been…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, October 13, 2021 - 08:00pm
These books and movies are a scream! Click on any spooky cover image to learn more or place a hold through our catalog.
Spooky Staff Picks...
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Sun, October 10, 2021 - 08:00pm
Ever been curious what your neighbors are reading or watching? Here are just some of their suggestions! As we receive more recommendations, we'll post them here on the AFL Blog.
If you would like to suggest something you've loved to your neighbors, fill out our Your Neighbors Recommend form!
Trail…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, October 07, 2021 - 08:00pm
A Glimpse of Nature - Fabulous Fungi Challenge
October 8, 2021
It’s been raining, and the fungi keep on coming. Now’s the time to join the AFL’s “Fabulous Fungi Challenge.”
Photograph three unusual fungi
Send your images to info@amesfreelibrary.org
Get rich, become famous . . . maybe win a…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Sun, October 03, 2021 - 08:00pm
If you're a fantasy fan, you'll want to grab one of the newest additions to our collection - Adventures in Thousandworld: the Darkenstar by Joseph A. Davis. We have three copies currently available in Youth Services. Check one out!
This coming Saturday, October 9, at 11 AM, we'll tune in on Zoom…
Category: Youth Services, Kids, Teen
Posted on Thu, September 30, 2021 - 08:00pm
See what’s happening on the grounds of the Ames Free Library or nearby areas with “A Glimpse of Nature.” Offered by Lorraine Rubinacci, the library's resident naturalist, this weekly photo blog is a gentle reminder to enjoy the wonders that surround us.
A Glimpse of Nature - "A Woodland…
Category: Staff Picks