Beth here, covering for Hermine Hull, who is off-Island visiting family and taking in some art.
I would like to congratulate Amy Hoff on her confirmation by the selectmen as our newest library trustee. Amy will fill the vacancy left by the untimely death of Linda Chapman this past September. Thank you, Amy, for being willing to step in to fill these very large shoes.
We are in a time of change, and sometimes it is difficult to focus on the tasks at hand — the weather has finally turned cool, the leaves are quickly falling from the trees, Daylight Saving is behind us, and by the time this will go to print, we will have a new president. It is hard for me to imagine this as I sit on the 6 am boat pulling out from our beautiful shores.
I was in Florida the week before last, working on getting out the vote. It is always eye-opening to travel and speak with people from a different part of the country. You come away with a clearer sense of just how diverse we are as a nation. I met people who care deeply about our country and about the world. While it was an interesting experience, I was very happy to come home.
I would like to thank Susie and Sherm Goldstein for hosting the first Speakeasy of the season. This series benefits the West Tisbury Library Foundation. The speaker was Dr. Peter Kramer, who spoke about his latest book, “Ordinarily Well: The Case for Antidepressants.” It was an evening of intelligent discourse and delicious food, prepared by Kate Suval and the Goldsteins. Thank you also to Dr. Kramer for his insights and generosity.
Speaking of the West Tisbury Library Foundation (I can’t help myself), please come to Offshore Ale on Thursday, Nov. 10 (lunch or dinner). Offshore will donate 20 percent of its pretax food sales to the foundation. Pick up a coupon at the library or download the coupon from the foundation’s website, wtlibraryfoundation.org.
Please check your mailboxes for this year’s annual appeal from the Friends of the West Tisbury Library. The friends had a very successful book sale this past summer, and this, combined with their annual appeal, supports the library in many ways, including the programs that we are able to offer (even the Halloween Hayride!), staff training, our copier, and our water cooler. How fortunate the library is to have two great nonprofits so generously helping us.
The library will host some wonderful programs this upcoming week. Constance Messmer will give a reading from her children’s book, “Some Dogs Talk” on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 4 pm. Constance is an author as well as a professional psychic. Copies of her book will be available for purchase. This event is free and open to all ages.
Sunday afternoons at 3 pm, the library continues to offer open chamber music rehearsals facilitated by Island violinist Cesar Atzic Marquez. Come and listen to some beautiful music and ask questions of the talented musicians.
Monday, Nov. 14, at 7 pm, the library hosts its monthly “Writers Read” evening. This event features community members reading short original prose pieces. Sign up to read in advance by calling 508-693-4307.
On Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 5:30 pm, Island author Amelia Smith will host the second meeting of an ongoing book group based on genre fiction. This month’s pick is “The Fifth Season,” by fantasy writer N.K. Jemisin. Call the library or stop by to request a copy of the book. Reading the book in advance is encouraged but not required.
Speaking of great reads, Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 7 pm is the final meeting of “Tweed’s Reads.” The book is “West With the Night,” the memoir of female aviator Beryl Markham, originally published in 1942. This group is always lively and interesting. Call or stop by the library to reserve a copy of the book. Refreshments will be served. A big thank-you to Tweed Roosevelt for presiding over this fabulous series.
Calling all Island photographers! The library invites you to participate in “Through a Lens,” a juried show that will run from Dec. 5 to 31. The show is open to all professional and amateur photographers. The deadline for submission is Nov. 18. Please visit westtisburylibrary.org for submission guidelines. Come get your work on our walls!
Save the date! On Friday, Nov. 18, from 7 to 8:30 pm, the Bodhi Path will host a discussion at the library with Buddhist monk Tsony titled “Finding your internal and external coherency: Erasing the subjective borders between ‘Me’ and ‘You.’”
On Saturday, Nov. 19, from 4 to 5 pm, the biannual Community Poetry Read will be held. Help keep this great tradition alive by attending as a reader or a listener, or both. This event is hosted by West Tisbury’s poet laureate, Emma Young. Refreshments will be served.
By all accounts, this year’s Barn Raisers Ball was a blast. The only casualty of the evening was Caroline Flanders’ sweater. It is a brown cardigan with a diagonal zipper. If you find this sweater, please drop it by the library. It is getting cold out there.
I want to end this column with my thoughts on the beautiful service that was held at Abel’s Hill Cemetery for Kristin Maloney. It was a profound experience to be with the hundreds of others who were part of this beautiful woman’s life. Listening to the words and music and the wind in the trees somehow tempered for a moment our feelings of great sadness and loss. Godspeed, dear Kristin.
