Join us Thursday, April 9 at 6:30pm for a fact-based presentation by LP Smith, as he discusses the investigation behind his book “Six Degrees of Corruption – The Fleecing of a City” examining how institutional corruption can embed itself within local government.

Drawing from documented public records, he explores issues of oversight failure, media influence, and the broader impact on taxpayers and civil rights. This program offers insight into how accountability systems work – and what happens when they don’t. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Registration highly recommended for this event through our online calendar of events or by calling (978) 686-4080.

Then, join us Tuesday, April 21 at 6:30pm for a discussion with Michael Raimondi, a reporter with Boston 25 and a Methuen Ranger, discusses his book “American Gold” about the only USA curling team to ever win the gold medal at the Winter Olympics. Copies of the book will be available for purchase. Save your seat by registering through our online calendar of events or by calling (978) 686-4080.

Learn about
Parkinson’s Disease

Dr. Marie Saint-Hilaire will be here Tuesday, April 14 at 1pm to give a presentation focused on understanding Parkinson’s Disease and give an update on the latest research. Dr. Saint-Hilaire is a professor of Neurology and Movement Disorder at Boston University Medical Campus and is the Director of the American Parkinson Disease Association Center for Advanced Research at Boston University. Please save your seat for this informative program via the online calendar of events or by calling (978) 686-4080.

Howie Newman’s
Musical Baseball Show

Who’s ready for baseball? Let’s kick off the season Wednesday, April 15 at 6:30pm as Howie offers a special baseball show, which includes baseball songs, baseball trivia and stories about his days as a sportswriter on the Red Sox beat. Newman also covered baseball for the Boston Globe, Lowell Sun, Patriot Ledger and Associated Press, and provided color commentary for the Lowell Spinners on WCAP radio.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Methuen Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Registration recommended through our online calendar of events or by calling (978) 686-4080.

Silent film with
music accompaniment

Have you ever seen a silent film with musical accompaniment? Now is your chance – and for free! Join us Thursday, April 23 at 6:30pm for this family-friendly silent film program with live music played by Jeff Rapsis. We’ll watch two comedies from Buster Keaton, the most silent of silent comics: “Sherlock Jr.” (1924), where amateur detective Buster tries to solve the mystery of who stole a watch, but instead dreams himself into the crime drama at a local theater. And “The Cameraman” (1928), where Keaton tries to impress the gal of his dreams by working as a newsreel photographer. Can he get a break, and also get the girl?
Save your seats by registering through our online calendar of events or by calling (978) 686-4080.

Jigsaw Puzzle Swap!

Just in time to have puzzles ready for summer, we’re holding another Jigsaw Puzzle Swap. Stop in the library anytime we’re open between Tuesday, April 21 and Saturday, April 25 and swap your puzzles! Bring in your complete puzzles in taped boxes or with the pieces in a Ziploc bag inside the box and take home new-to-you puzzles of any size! The selection is constantly changing all week long, and there is usually plenty to pick from for all ages.

Methuen300:
Storytelling Series

Historic Methuen has a great series of programs planning to commemorate the city’s Methuen300 celebration. While the series kicked off in March, it will continue at Nevins Library through April with these topics and check out HistoricMethuen.org/Methuen300 for more information or to register:
• April 8, 7pm: Essex County at the Battle of Gettysburg.
• April 16, 7pm: A Theatrical Tribute to the Women of the American Revolution.
• April 30, 7pm: Massachusetts in the Woman’s Suffrage Movement.

Library hours

The library will be closed Monday, April 20 for Patriots Day.

Join the Friends
of the Library

The Friends of the Nevins Library is a group dedicated to giving back to the community by supporting the library all year long. The Friends support library programming for all ages, purchase museum passes for library patrons to use, and contribute to the beauty of the building with landscaping projects. Does this sound like something you might be interested in helping with? Pick up a form near the Main Desk and join the Friends! The Friends are also looking for volunteers to fill open seats on their Executive Board. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Lois Jacobs, President at lsj6@verizon.net.

StoriesLive Workshops
for Teens (ages 14-18)

Join one of our StoriesLive workshops on Saturday, April 11 at 1 or 2pm. Because you have a life, you have a story. Professional storyteller Norah Dooley will model storytelling skills and then lead participants through a series of powerful exercises, enabling them to create first-person narratives on themes aligned with College Common Application essay prompts. Participants will also learn valuable presentation skills and engage in narrative forms as “authors.” These stories and skills are of practical use in college application essays, college interviews and job interviews. Registration is required for these workshops. Please sign up using the online calendar of events or by calling (978) 686-4080 ext. 26.

From the
Children’s Room

Happy Spring, everyone. We’re celebrating longer days and more sunshine with an array of great programs this month, including lots of special events for young and old alike! We’re delighted to welcome back Little Groove Music, engaging musicians who put on a fantastic program for us in February; this music class for infants and toddlers is tailor-made to help them learn through sight, sound, and touch – using real instruments in an immersive experience that fosters their love for music.
Also designed for this ages group is Healthy Sleep for Infants (and Parents!), where caregivers will learn how to support babies’ sleep: We will review what is developmentally appropriate for sleep by age, discuss realistic expectations, and help prepare you for when and why baby’s sleep may change. (These programs are part of our “Growing Readers” initiative, generously supported by the Castle Fund of Methuen.)
Another returning favorite this month is master storyteller Karina Liendo, who will present a special bilingual storytime during April vacation: During this entertaining session, she’ll help us celebrate Earth Month with the tale of Madre Monte, whose story of protecting the natural world is deeply rooted in the oral tradition of the Columbian Amazon. (This program is funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.)
We also have an interesting workshop for tweens coming up: Confidence & Connections for grades 5-7. This a four-week social emotional learning workshop that teaches anxiety management skills, strategies to boost self-esteem and self-confidence, and tools to strengthen social connections with peers; through the use of direct instruction, stories, video clips, crafts, games and more, students will have fun while learning how to feel calm, confident and connected.
As ever, we’ll also have our usual variety of preschool activities, storytimes, science explorations, history and craft programs, book groups, visits with Murphy the Dog, and teen programs, as well as our new Pokémon club – keep an eye on the Youth Services Department calendar and Facebook page to keep track of what’s in store!
Happy April, and Happy Reading!
For an extensive list of Nevins Memorial Library happenings, check out nevinslibrary.org.