For information on any Plymouth library program or service listed (unless otherwise noted), call the main library, 132 South St., at 508-830-4250, TTY 508-747-5882, or the Manomet branch, 12 Strand Ave., at 508-830-4185, or go to the Web site www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org. Registration, when required, may be conducted by phone. The hours for the Plymouth Public Library are: Monday to Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; closed Sunday. The Manomet branch library is open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.
Alice in Wonderland
Children from the age of 6 to 12 are invited to join the Junior Friends for “Alice in Wonderland,” at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 6, at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Follow in the steps of Alice and experience the memorable events from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Go down the rabbit hole to enjoy this tribute to Alice’s adventure. The Junior Friends of the Plymouth Public Library is a library organization for young adults ages 11 to 18 years old, interested in participating in library activities, volunteering, having a voice in what the library offers young people, earning community service hours for school or church and/or just having fun. For more information, contact the Youth Services Department at 508-830-4250 or visit www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org for a complete list of events.
Old Colony Book Club
The Old Colony Book Group meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. the second Tuesday evening of each month in the History Room of the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. The moderator is Herman Hunt. The selection for the meeting of March 9 is The Six Sacred Stones, the second volume in author Matthew Reilly’s continuing end-of world fictional series with “Soldier Jack West Jr.” as protagonist. Reilly, who was named as one of the world’s most influential persons under the age of 30 by Cosmopolitan magazine, has, with The Five Greatest Warriors, completed three of what appears will be a septet of books to complete his vision of this subject. The next volume of Five Greatest Warriors is the projected selection for the April 13 meeting. Reilly’s Web site is www.MatthewReilly.com. The Old Colony Book Group can be reached at hjhuntjr@gmail.com.
Manomet Writers’ Group
Do you have a story? Do you write memoirs or fiction? The Manomet Writers’ Group at the Manomet Branch Library, 12 Strand Ave, is a comfortable opportunity to prepare and share samples of your writing with supportive peers, to receive feedback, inspiration, and encouragement, and to hear other short pieces by local writers. For each session participants write a short piece on a given topic in their favorite genre or style. Pieces range from speculative and exciting fiction and prose poetry to very personal memoir and everything in between.
The Manomet Writers’ group will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 11, to discuss pieces on the seed phrase, “There was something to be said...” New members are welcome and encouraged to join in any meeting.
This program is free and no registration is required. It is sponsored by the Plymouth Public Library Corporation.
Coffee and good taste
At 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 13, the Manomet Branch Library, 12 Strand Ave., will host an exploration of the role of coffee in history, literature, and contemporary culture. Visit and sample coffees from around the world. This program is free and no registration is required. It is sponsored by the Plymouth Public Library Corporation. Call Jessica Connelly at 508-830-4185 at the Manomet Branch Library for further information.
History Book Group
Visit the Manomet Branch Library for a book group exclusively dedicated to nonfiction history books. Throughout the winter the Manomet History Book Group will be discussing “Records of American History: Documents, Primary Source Writings and Speeches.” These represent the essential points in American history by both making and reflecting their times. Anyone interested in history or current events or who enjoys a thoroughly engaging discussion is encouraged to attend and to join in at any meeting. The group meets one Thursday a month at 4 p.m.
The March 18 selection is Unruly Americans and the Origins of the American Constitution. Selected titles are available at the Manomet Branch Library one month prior to the discussion. This program is free and no registration is required. It is sponsored by the Plymouth Public Library Corporation.
Cookie challenge winner
The Junior Friends of the Plymouth Public Library hosted a cookie challenge Feb. 6 in honor of Valentine’s Day at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Nine members of the group volunteered to bake cookies for the event, which was open to the public. During the event, attendants were asked to sample the cookies and vote for their favorites. There were many delicious cookies to sample, from snickerdoodles to peanut butter rice krispie treats. At the end of voting, the favorite cookies were the peanut butter kiss cookies baked by Jessica Spinetti, who graciously shared her winning recipe.
Jessica’s Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar (plus 1/4 cup brown sugar reserved), 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1 egg, 2 tsp. milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 package of Hershey’s Kisses.
Directions: Combine all ingredients. Roll into balls, and then roll balls in reserved brown sugar. Bake on cookie sheet in 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Top with unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss immediately upon removal from oven.
The Junior Friends of the Plymouth Public Library is a library organization for young adults ages 11 to 18 years old, interested in participating in library activities, volunteering, having a voice in what the library offers young people, earning community service hours for school or church and/or just having fun.
For more information, contact the Jennifer Jones in the Youth Services Department at 508-830-4250 or Jessica Connelly at the Manomet Branch Library at 508-830-4185.
Drop-in Story Time
Drop-in Story Time, a story program for children ages 3 1/2 to 5, is held at 9:30 a.m. Mondays at the Manomet Branch library; and at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and 2:15 p.m. Thursdays at the main library. Story time is free and no registration is required.
Tots ‘n’ Tales
Tots ‘n’ Tales, a lap-sit story time for children ages 3 and under, accompanied by a caregiver, starts at 10:45 a.m. with a time to meet friends and settle in. Library staff presents a half-hour story at 11 a.m. It is held Mondays at the Manomet branch; and Wednesday and Thursday at the main library. The story time consists of age-appropriate rhymes, stories, songs and other fun literacy building activities. Free; no registration required.
Mother Goose on the Loose
Mother Goose on the Loose, the lap-sit nursery rhyme and story program, resumed at the main library 10:15 a.m. Wednesdays and 4 p.m. Thursdays. At the Manomet branch, it is held at 10:15 a.m. Mondays. This free program is for children ages 18 months and younger, with a parent or caregiver. Both programs will run for 10 weeks. Participants may register for either Wednesdays or Thursdays.
Reference assistance
If you have a Plymouth Public Library card, you have online access to specialized genealogy online databases such as HeritageQuest, AncestryLibrary and New England Ancestors. You have remote access to Heritage Quest which means you can use it from your home computer 24/7. Both AncestryLibrary and New England Ancestors can be accessed from within the library. To access HeritageQuest, go to the library’s homepage at www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org and click on Research Databases.
AncestryLibrary holdings are over 250,000 titles making it America’s largest genealogical provider. It is available on the library’s desktop. On this database, you can search US Federal Census Records, US Immigration Records, Social Security Death Index, and Family Trees. New England Ancestors is available at www.newenglandancestors.org. This database has more than 110 million names. Volunteer Christine Cook is at the Plymouth Public Library from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and she will assist you with getting started with the online genealogy databases. For further information, contact the Plymouth Public Library at 508-830-4250; TTY 508-747-5882; or www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org.
Genealogy research
The Plymouth Collection of the Plymouth Public Library houses the library’s collection of more than 1,200 items relating to Plymouth’s local history, genealogy of the Mayflower’s Pilgrims, and New England genealogy. Volunteers, who monitor the collection, can give you the individual attention you need to start your genealogy and local history research. You can either drop in or call ahead for an appointment.
Monday, 10 a.m. to noon: Volunteer
Tuesday, 10 a.m. to noon: Christine Cook
Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Herman Hunt
Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Jeanne Burnell
Friday, 1 to 3 p.m.: Priscilla Andrews
The Plymouth Public Library has how-to guides, bibliographies, books, videos, and charts to help you start to organize your family or local history information. If the information you need cannot be found, the staff in the reference department will search through other library systems by using interlibrary loans, the virtual catalog and fax requests. Local history and genealogy searching is a time-consuming but rewarding research project. If you have any questions, contact Lee Regan or Beverly Ness at 508-830-4250 (phone), 508-747-5882 (TTY) or e-mail plreference@hotmail.com. Be sure to visit the library’s local history, oral history, historical organizations and genealogy information on the homepage at www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org/history.htm.
Literacy tutor training
Become a literacy tutor at the Plymouth Public Library. The Literacy Program provides free, confidential tutoring for adults. You will be trained to help another adult who has been working in the Literacy Learning Center waiting for a tutor. After the training, you will meet with your learner one-to-one at the library for one to two hours a week. Learners need assistance in basic reading, writing, math or ESL (English as a Second Language). You may choose the subject area you like best. You and your learner will arrange a tutoring session that is convenient for you. You do need a high school diploma or GED, but you do not have to be an experienced teacher. All it takes is for you to complete a free six-class training course in the library. Call Jeanne Annino at the Literacy Office at 508-830-4260 to register for training.
