Library Blog

Posted on Thu, November 03, 2022 - 08:00pm
Your garden mums may be fading, but this local plant is in full bloom.  If you recognize this week’s “What Is It!” email your answer to lrubinacci@amesfreelibrary.org.  Check back next week for the rest of the story.    
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: A Glimpse of Nature
Posted on Wed, November 02, 2022 - 08:00pm
Congratulations to our pumpkin carving contest winner, Violet, who received a gift card to Hilliard's for her entry! Violet submitted this intricately carved face entitled "Billy lost his head again." One thing we loved about this entry is that she scooped the pumpkin out from the bottom, leaving…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, October 27, 2022 - 08:00pm
Jack-o’-lanterns. Costumes.  “Ghost Hunting At Queset House.”  Halloween is upon us!                                                                                                     Oakes Ames Hall in Mist Under the circumstances, it may be difficult to recall last April when the Ames Free…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: A Glimpse of Nature
Posted on Thu, October 27, 2022 - 08:00pm
  How do you feel about what you’re writing? Are you excited or nervous about getting started?                                                                                               Photo by Pixabay from Pexels There’s an African proverb that asks, “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: National Novel Writing Month
Posted on Mon, October 24, 2022 - 08:00pm
If you're planning to enter your pumpkin into our carving contest, tomorrow is the big day! You can drop it off at the Quest House on Wednesday, October 26, between 1:00 PM and 8:00 PM, or drop off on Thursday, October 27, between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM. Don't forget to bring your entry form! Read…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, October 19, 2022 - 08:00pm
As experienced readers know, A Glimpse of Nature concentrates on the natural phenomena around the Ames Free Library or in nearby areas of Southeastern Massachusetts. On rare occasions, though, the author goes somewhere else. When I travel I bring my interests with me; so, not surprisingly, I do a…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: A Glimpse of Nature
Posted on Mon, October 17, 2022 - 08:00pm
Welcome to AFL Staff Stories! Every month we'll introduce you (or REintroduce you!) to a different member of the AFL Staff and tell you a little about their favorites. This month, meet one of AFL's Circulation Technicians, Kim Davis. Click here for Kim's stories.  
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: Staff Stories
Posted on Sun, October 16, 2022 - 08:00pm
Last time, I began by asking the question, “What should I write about?” This time I ask, “What is my process?” and by that I mean, “How can I set myself up for success and write a 50,000+ word novel in 30 days?” This begs the question, “What do I need to be ready on Day One?” I know, I know, I ask…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: National Novel Writing Month
Posted on Thu, October 13, 2022 - 08:00pm
Both species featured in last week’s “What Is It!” were observed in eastern Massachusetts during early autumn. The plant image, submitted by Karen, was photographed in the town of Harvard on September 29. Let’s look closely at her photo to gather the details that will identify it.     Entire Plant…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: A Glimpse of Nature
Posted on Mon, October 10, 2022 - 08:00pm
“I write to see the beginning and end of it all,”   Grant Faulkner, Executive Director of NaNoWriMo What should I write about? There are hundreds of things I could write about and none of them seem worthy of the time needed to put into it. I wanted help so I went looking for ideas, a brilliant can’…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: National Novel Writing Month
Posted on Thu, October 06, 2022 - 08:00pm
  This week we offer a doubleheader!  If you recognize either the plant or the caterpillar, submit your ID to lrubinacci@amesfreelibrary.org.  Where have you seen these species? The October 14 post will provide identification and some interesting background.          
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: A Glimpse of Nature
Posted on Wed, September 28, 2022 - 08:00pm
 Last weekend I cleaned my goldfish pool which really needed to be refreshed. Although I felt very guilty for its neglect, the task required a chunk of time, something that has eluded me lately. The container, a converted planter, holds about 20 gallons of water, a potted pickerel weed, and three…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Tue, September 27, 2022 - 08:00pm
Are you an expert pumpkin carver? Are you a beginning carver with amazing ideas? We'll be judging your pumpkin carving skills at the Queset House on Friday, October 28.  Bring your carved pumpkin entries to the Queset House on Wednesday, October 26 between 1:00 PM and 8:00 PM, or on Thursday,…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, September 22, 2022 - 08:00pm
On Monday, September 19, some enthusiastic and knowledgeable folks savored the wildflowers of the Ames Free Library campus. If you weren’t there, you missed a good time of shared curiosity, experience, discovery, and laughter. You also might have missed the peak of this season’s blossoms. After a…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: A Glimpse of Nature
Posted on Wed, September 21, 2022 - 08:00pm
Fall may be announcing itself with a dreary deluge, but all this rain can’t dampen my spirits. This month I get to share a special summer reading wrap-up edition of the Librarian’s Lounge with you! Keep reading for highlights from this year’s summer reading program, including a list of books that…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: Book Recommendations, Librarian's Lounge
Posted on Sun, September 18, 2022 - 08:00pm
What is NaNoWriMo? An Introduction  Who, me, you say? Write a book? (NaNoWrimo-no!) You can probably come up with several reasons why you don’t want to spend the month of November writing a novel. So why do it? Participating in NaNoWriMo is an excellent way to develop discipline as a writer, an…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: Book Recommendations, Adult Book Recommendations, National Novel Writing Month
Posted on Thu, September 15, 2022 - 08:00pm
  This week, the lovely but highly invasive porcelain berry takes center stage at the Ames Free Library. Look for its grape-like leaves and vines and its attractive multi-colored fruit. The speckled berries change color as they ripen, passing through shades of green, pink, purple, and blue. This…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: A Glimpse of Nature
Posted on Tue, September 13, 2022 - 08:00pm
Welcome to AFL Staff Stories! Every month we'll introduce you (or REintroduce you!) to a different member of the AFL Staff and tell you a little about their favorites. This month, meet AFL's Reference & Information Services Librarian, Marina Guo. Click here for Marina's stories.
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: Staff Stories
Posted on Wed, September 07, 2022 - 08:00pm
    Last week’s “What Is It!” did not occur at the Ames Free Library. This handsome trio needs more elbow room than Queset Garden offers.     Then again, the locale wasn’t the Serengeti, the Great Plains, or some other distant land. These impressive birds were grazing at a hayfield along my daily…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, September 01, 2022 - 08:00pm
Three mystery birds are the stars of this week’s “What Is It!”  Think you know this bird? Submit your ID to A Glimpse of Nature.  If you have ever seen this species, please share your experience as well.  Next week’s post will tell the story behind this photo…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: A Glimpse of Nature
Posted on Thu, August 25, 2022 - 08:00pm
Beyond Queset Garden, past the reflecting pool and hedgerows, is a “neglected” area that provides safe haven for plants and animals. This densely-vegetated thicket offers shelter to the cottontail rabbits, the woodchuck, and the garter snake. Bird songs emanate from this spot, dragonflies cruise…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Sun, August 21, 2022 - 08:00pm
Things have been busy since my last post! We made it through two heat waves and the library has been in full swing with all of our summer events and the summer reading program. If you’re reading this before August 27, there’s still time to log your reading and earn points to spend on raffle tickets…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: Book Recommendations, Adult Book Recommendations, Librarian's Lounge
Posted on Wed, August 17, 2022 - 08:00pm
  For those of you who avoided our recent dragonfly quiz, and for those who played the game but felt uneasy, here is an observation primer. As with all new subjects, it takes time to get one’s bearings, but there are some easily observable aspects of appearance and behavior that can point you in…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: A Glimpse of Nature
Posted on Sun, August 14, 2022 - 08:00pm
Welcome to AFL Staff Stories! Every month we'll introduce you (or REintroduce you!) to a different member of the AFL Staff and tell you a little about their favorites. This month, meet AFL's Youth Services Librarian, Hannah Paul. Click here for Hannah's stories.
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: Staff Stories
Posted on Thu, August 11, 2022 - 08:00pm
Here’s the latest news. Part 1:  The Robin. If you recall, last Friday a dramatic thunderstorm passed through our region. It began to sprinkle as I headed to my car; soon there was a deluge. As I readied myself for the commute, I looked towards the robin’s nest and wondered how it would fare…
Category: Staff Picks
Tags: A Glimpse of Nature