Gail Rubin "A Good Goodbye" Oct 22, 7pm

Gail Rubin, often called “The Doyenne of Death,” will be the special guest of the Friends of the Holyoke Public Library for a Book Talk on Monday evening October 22, at 7:00 PM, during which she will read excerpts from and discuss various aspects of her best seller “A Good Goodbye.” The subtitle of the book, “Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die,” goes a long way toward explaining what the book is all about.  

Ms. Rubin is a frequent and popular speaker to groups of all types on getting the funeral planning conversation started. Ms. Rubin has pointed out that we plan our finances, our families, vacations, retirement, just about everything, except our funerals. She has noted that without end-of-life-planning, life’s other plans can come undone, when all it takes is a little bit of time and some simple decisions to have things turn out the way you would have wanted them to.

“A Good Goodbye” uses gentle humor to convey vital information about funeral arrangements most people don’t learn about until there is a death in the family. At that point decisions must be made quickly and may not always reflect the choices the deceased might have made themselves. “A Good Goodbye” brings light to a dark subject: from cremation to caskets, obituaries to obesity, religion to receptions. Just talking about funerals will not hasten your demise in any way – and it will reduce the pain and stress  on family members and will create a memorable “good goodbye.” It may even reduce expenses.

Ms. Rubin is also the author of The Family Plot Blog: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die. She serves on the cemetery committee for her congregation and has assisted in the preparation of the deceased for burial. She is also a breast cancer survivor and a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, as well as the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association.

This is a special opportunity for Friends of the Holyoke Library and is open to the public free of charge. For information call the Library at 413-322-5640 or visit the Library at Holyoke City Hall Auditorium.

Halloween Crafts and Costumes at Library Oct 18

Need ideas for costumes?  Have your children outgrown their costumes?  Come swap your old ones for something different.  Come see a selection of masks and accessories, hats and face paints, etc.

Halloween Crafts, Books, and Costumes
Thursday October 18, 4:30pm - 8pm

We will read some stories and then children will get to make a special seasonal craft. 

The first 25 children to arrive will receive a book!

Join us for this event, which will be FUN and not too terribly spooky! 

Sponsored by the Friends of the Holyoke Public Library and the Holyoke Public Library Staff. 

Characters at a Cocktail Party

What a party!  The Friends Cocktail/Costume Party on Saturday September 22 was attended by many well-dressed characters, including Lady Macbeth, Belle Skinner, Sherlock Holmes and Watson, Dr. Gonzo, Tigger, a Wizard, Reporter Brenda Starr, and several Flappers. 

Thanks especially to party organizer Christine Alger, seen here enjoying the Wine Toss.  (Photo courtesy of Peter Palombella.)  HPLC President Terry Plum thanked the Friends: "The costumes were terrific, and so were the prizes. Excellent work."

The Holyoke Sun published a series of wonderful photographs. See the cover and page 10 of the issue dated September 28 - October 4: http://www.holyokesunonline.com/pdfs/hs09.28.12.pdf

Other photos have been posted on our Facebook page.  See an album taken by "Brenda Starr, Reporter" (a.k.a. Sara Krohn) and another album posted by Jeffrey Byrnes.

Holyoke on the rise

News from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC)
September 19, 2012

Holyoke on the Rise
The addition and renovation of the Holyoke Public Library reached a milestone on Friday, September 7, 2012 when the highest structural beam was hoisted into place.  Community members, library staff, and local and state officials marked the occasion with a “Topping Off” ceremony to celebrate this mid-point in completion of the project.
http://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc/news/releases/past-releases/2012/nr120917.php

photos:  Flicker album of photos
video:  video of ceremony (made by Mike Hines, Holyoke Public Schools)
more: http://www.thereminder.com/localnews/holyoke/reconstructionofho/

[This newsletter was sent to libraries state-wide.]

Sign a steel beam! Topping out - Friday Sept 7

The steel work is nearly finished! We are invited to come to the construction site Wednesday 8-2 or Thursday 8-2 to sign our names on the steel beam that will be installed FRIDAY September 7, 2012. 

We are also invited to attend the official Topping Out Ceremony at 10:00 am FRIDAY Sept 7 in the Library Park adjacent to the construction. Coffee and refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Library.  

Friends Board members Connie Kennedy and Sandy Ward are coordinating the refreshments (and food for the steelworkers to thank them for their work). Library Director María Pagán is coordinating the ceremony.

September 4, 2012

Steel columns up!

Look at the progress at the Library construction site!  The structure for the new addition is rising into the air.  Erection of the steel columns started Wednesday August 15. These pictures were taken only two days later.

Photo from webcam Friday morning 8-17-12

Friday afternoon 2:20pm 8-17-12

View from Maple Street side, 11:20am 8-17-12

HPL Night at the Blue Sox!

July 28 New Flash: RAINED OUT again! Will try MONDAY! July 26 News Flash:  This game has bee RE-SCHEDULED (BECAUSE OF RAIN) until Saturday.  It will be the second game of two.
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As part of the Library's Summer Reading Program, Thursday, July 26, is Holyoke Public Library Night as the Blue Sox, Holyoke’s favorite baseball team, faces the Danbury Westerners at MacKenzie Stadium on Beech Street at 6:30 PM.

All tickets for that game are specially priced at just two dollars each (a saving of $4.00 on each ticket) and children five and under are free – making this a perfect opportunity to treat the family to an evening out as you support your new library and Holyoke’s own ball team.

Holyoke Public Library Board President, Terry Plum, will throw out the first ball for the evening. Mayor Alex Morse and several City Council members are expected to be on hand, together with Friends of the Holyoke Public Library, HPL Board members and other community leaders. 

The 2013 Red Hyundai  Elantra, provided by Gary Rome Hyundai, will be on display at the stadium that evening. Tickets for the “Drive into the Future” Raffle for a three-year lease on the vehicle will also be available for purchase. All proceeds from the drawing have been committed to the Holyoke Public Library’s Next Hundred Years Building Campaign.