Adult & Community Programs in Chelmsford By Kathy Cryan-Hicks Chelmsford Public Library- May 2006

Chelmsford, MA pop: 33,769 Our new library has become the cultural center of our community.

Fairs, Festivals and Celebrations ! Adult Education Fair ‘This is Chelmsford Fair’ (Organizations Fair) Healing Arts Fair & “Wednesday Wellness Celebrate the Creative Spirit An Incredible Day of Art Community Kite Flys

Adult Education Fair

“This is Chelmsford Fair”

Healing Arts Fair

Wellness series

Celebrate the Creative Spirit

It’s not a Fair, Festival or a Celebration, but it’s a good way to satisfy all those self- published authors who come to us looking for their own private book signings!

Circles, Series & Spin-offs Conversation Circles- French, Spanish & weekly English Circles - led by volunteers “How To’s-days” Chelmsford’s Intergenerational Poetry Slams Concert Series ‘ First Sundays’ Classical Music Series “World Wide Chelmsford” Visual Art: Art Exhibits, Receptions & Demos and Workshops School Librarians’ Tea Art Exhibits/receptions Lunch Box Seminars (Employment help) Craft series Tax Night Young Writers’ Club Textbook shelf Conversation Circles

How-to's

“Poetry is news - news of the mind, news of the heart - and in the reading and hearing of it, poet and audience are fused. Strangers converge but community emerges..." Bill Moyers, The Language of Life: A Festival of Poets

1993: Young Writers Club 1994: Senior’s Writing Group 1995: Poetry Slam Poetry Books Poetry Festival Robert Pinsky Favorite Poem Evening Poetry Slam & YWC ongoing today. We’ll be partnering with the Concord Poetry Center to apply for a grant in October Spin-offs

Poetry: Community Connections We have published 10 editions of poetry over the years. We sell the books at each Slam ($3) to offset printing costs and give a complimentary copy to each of our published poets.

Traveling Poetry exhibits

The first (and so far only) Chelmsford Poetry Festival.

Robert Pinsky’s Visit

Favorite Poem Evening A Favorite Poem Evening at the Chelmsford Public Library Friday, October 14, 2005 at 7 p.m. Inspired by Robert Pinsky’s Favorite Poem Project we will hold a Favorite Poem Evening at the Chelmsford Public Library Send us your favorite poem and tell us why it’s your favorite. About 15 poems and their readers will be selected from the poems submitted. Please submit the poem by September 30! Join us Oct. 14th as the selected poems are read. Be inspired by some of the world’s best poetry! For more information visit To learn more about the Favorite Poem Project visit A Favorite Poem Evening at the Chelmsford Public Library Friday, October 14, 2005 at 7 p.m. Inspired by Robert Pinsky’s Favorite Poem Project we will hold a Favorite Poem Evening at the Chelmsford Public Library Send us your favorite poem and tell us why it’s your favorite. About 15 poems and their readers will be selected from the poems submitted. Please submit the poem by September 30! Join us Oct. 14th as the selected poems are read. Be inspired by some of the world’s best poetry! For more information visit To learn more about the Favorite Poem Project visit

Arts Programming

the Library “First Sundays” classical music series summer concert series Art Receptions: live music at monthly art receptions Music programs include:

“First Sundays” Concert Series

World Wide Chelmsford Summer Concert Series Rain location is Senior Center local music store provides needed equipment

Visual the Library Monthly art exhibits Art demos and ‘hands-on’ workshops Incredible Day of Art Student art and other displays Permanent pieces

Exhibits and Receptions

Art Demonstrations

An Incredible Day of Art Partners: the Chelmsford Cultural Council and the Revolving Museum

Chelmsford’s 350 th Anniversary Art Exhibit and unveiling of a stained glass piece commissioned by our Cultural Council.

Computer & Science Programs Art & Astronomy Month Community Star Parties Telescope Clinics Kite Building & ‘Community Kite Flys’ Computer Training ‘Connecting with Computers’ ‘Buying and Selling on E-bay’ ‘Computer Security’ & ‘PC Maintenance’

Community Star Parties Partners: The Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston & Sky and Telescope Magazine

Telescope Clinics

Kite Building Workshops and our Community Kite Flys Partners: Cultural Council and Kites Over New England

Connecting with Computers: One on one tutoring in basic computers Partners: Senior Center and High School

Using Computers for Genealogy Research

“Ask Debi” Computer Training

E-Bay Demystified

Formulas for Successful Programs? Research-Assess Community & Topic Planning Collaborate with Other Groups PUBLICITY- PUBLICITY- PUBLICITY Do it better next time (evaluation)

Think out of the box but stay connected to your community. We, as library staff, are in a good position to perceive trends, issues and concerns in a community by paying attention to the types of requests and questions we get from our public. If you look closely, in every question there’s a library program!

Publicity As soon as possible execute your publicity. -Begin with in-house publicity-staff, webpage, Friends’ newsletter and bulletin board. Mailing lists? -Create press releases, flyers, displays & handouts. , FAX or mail flyers to other libraries, Senior Center, town offices. - PTO newsletters, mail flyers to churches for posting -Calendar listings in local newspapers. -Use your local cable TV station -Are there any local organizations that will help you spread the word? Offer to speak at a Rotary Club meeting. Ask the Selectmen and School Committees to announce the program Think of newspaper publicity as only reinforcement of the message you are sending out. Do not depend on newspapers to publicize your program.

Evaluating Informal or Written