'Muslim Journeys' Discussion Series Begins May 30

The series will kick off with a discussion of the book, "House of Wisdom: How Arabic Science Saved Ancient Knowledge and Gave Us the Renaissance."

The Somerville Public Library is launching a new book discussion series called "Muslim Journeys," according to an announcement from the city of Somerville. The discussion series is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association and "aims to familiarize the American public with Islam and the cultural heritage of Islamic civilizations around the world," the announcement says. The first event in the series, which takes place May 30, will be a discussion of Jim al-Khalili’s book, House of Wisdom: How Arabic Science Saved Ancient Knowledge and Gave Us the Renaissance. The book brings readers into the world of the "Arab Enlightenment," a period of Islamic history known for tolerance and intellectual and …

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Somerville Librarian to Be Honored for Work with Families, English Learning

The Somerville public library system will also be honored.

Somerville Library's Marylin Eastwood will be honored this month for her work with cultural programing and ESL (English as a second language) classes, according to an announcement from the city of Somerville. The Somerville public library system as a whole will also be honored for its work with families and children, the announcement says. Eastwood will received the Somerville Woman of Excellence Award, given annually by the Somerville Commission for Women, as part of Women's History Month, and the library system will receive the Best Service Provider to Women Award, according to the announcement. The awards will be given March 27 at a reception held at the Visiting Nurses Association on Lowell Street, and the guest speaker at the …

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Somerville Library Spring Book Sale Set for May

Thee are lots of history, biography, arts and fiction books this year.

The Friends of the Somerville Public Library will hold their annual spring book sale on May 17, 18 and 19, according to an email from the organization. The sale will be held at the central branch of the library, and members of the organization (at the $50 level) will get a special preview evening on May 16. This year there will be lots of books in history, biography, arts, foreign language—including Russian, Japanese, Spanish and French—and fiction. There will also be lots of DVDs. All proceeds from the book sale benefit cultural and educational programs at the library, including the museum pass program. According to the email, If you would like to become a member of the Friends of the Somerville Public Library, or if you’d like to …

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Somerville Trounces Neighboring Towns in Library Contest

Arlington's library director, and probably one of its selectmen, will have to dress as Clifford the Big Red Dog after Somerville dominated a four-town library sign-up competition.

In the end it wasn't close. Somerville soundly defeated Arlington, Belmont and Lexington in a contest to see which community could increase its library sign-ups the most. Somerville won the challenge with a 320 percent increase in sign-ups this February compared to last. Belmont finished second with a 186 percent increase, Arlington third with a 183 percent increase and Lexington finished fourth. Somerville's victory will cause at least two Arlington officials to dress as Clifford the Big Red Dog. Robbins Library Director Ryan Livergood will now don his Clifford the Big Red Dog costume and read to children at Somerville Public Library. What's more, it's likely Arlington Selectman Joseph Curro Jr. will also be dressing as the popular dog. …

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Sunday: Latin Rhymes and Rhythms for Kids at the Library

Maura Mendoza and jazz guitarist Jeremy Quick will bring the sounds of Panama and El Salvador to kids ages 9 and under.

Kids will get the chance to jam with some egg shakers, tambourines and maracas Sunday at a musical event called, "Ding-Dong, ¿Quién Es?" The music begins at the Somerville Public Library at 2 p.m. when Maura Mendoza and Jeremy Quick, a jazz guitarist, bring the sounds of Latin America to children ages 9 and under. According to the listing on the library's website, "The program consists of music and movement, and some storytelling, with an assortment of instruments to introduce to kids bilingualism: singing in English, Spanish and Portuguese." The website says Mendoza draws from her background in Panama and El Salvador to bring this interactive and cheerful experience to kids.

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Thursday: Meditation Sessions Come to Somerville Library

Combat stress Thursdays at the Somerville Public Library.

If you're feeling a little stressed and want to try meditation, head to the library. On Thursday, Feb. 21, and Thursday, Feb. 28, Sunada Takagi, an ordained Buddhist minister, will offer "mindfulness and stress management" meditation workshops, according to an announcement from the city. This looks like Takagi's website. Also, on Thursdays throughout March, there will be free meditation drop-in sessions from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Space for the workshops, which take place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., is limited to 25 people, and there's already a waiting list for the first session. If you want to get your name on the list or attend a future session, contact Maria Carpenter, director of the library, at (617) 625-6600 ext. 2910 or mcarpenter@…

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February Deals for Somerville Public Library Card Holders

Popcorn at Somerville Theatre, bowling shoe rentals at Sacco's Bowl Haven and discouts at Kickass Cupcakes are among the deals library cardholders can get.

VIDEO: Can Somerville's Library Smash Lexington, Belmont and Arlington's?

The "Library Card Challenge" pits four communities against each other in February.

The gauntlet has been thrown. The Somerville Public Library is officially in a showdown with Lexington, Arlington and Belmont, and as Somerville's library director, Maria Carpenter, said, "We are fiercely competitive." The challenge is to see which community can increase its new library card registration the most in February (percentage increase this February, compared to February 2012). “When I started as library director in April of 2012,” said Arlington's Robbins Library Director Ryan Livergood, “one of the things I wanted to do was get out in our community and remind people of the value of a library card.”  Belmont’s library director, Maureen Conners and Lexington’s Koren Stembridge joined Carpenter and Livergood Jan. 31 at a press …

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Courtney O'Keefe

11:30 am on Monday, February 4, 2013

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Somerville Library Unveils 'The Awesome Box'

The Awesome Box lets residents recommend awesome books and "mind-blowing" reads to each other.

Maybe The Who will write a song about it: "The Awesome Box." It's a new initiative at the Somerville Public Library, conducted in partnership with the Harvard Innovation Lab, that lets residents share awesome books with each other by placing them, you guessed it, in something called the Awesome Box. If you check out a library book and think it's awesome, put it in the box. If you want to see what books your neighbors think are awesome, you can visit the Awesome Box website. The first book in the box: "Fifty Shades of Awesome." Okay, that last bit was made up. Here are more details from the Somerville Public Library: SOMERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY UNVEILS “AWESOME BOX” PROJECT Partnership with Harvard University Innovation Lab Helps Residents …

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New Lineup of Digital Documents Comes to Somerville Public Library

The city's annual reports from 1843 to 1925 and historical issues of the New York Times and Boston Globe are among the new digital offerings at the library.

The following is from the city of Somerville: SOMERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNOUNCES DIGITIZATION OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS 19th and 20th Century Official City Documents Now Available through Library Database SOMERVILLE – The City of Somerville and the Somerville Public Library (SPL) are proud to announce the digitization of historical records from the files of the City’s past. Thanks to a partnership with the Boston Public Library and Digital Commonwealth, a State repository service for historical documents, the official full-text Annual Reports of the City from 1843 to 1925 can be accessed free through the Internet Archive. This archive is a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. The SPL also rolled …

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