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Edgartown Public Library

kids-rainConsidering the total amount of rainfall on the Vineyard this June, I’m hoping that the subject of this blog will soon be moot. However, my car mechanic tells me he remembers a Vineyard summer one year that never happened.  So, just in case…

Imagine you are finally here, under the roof you paid for three months ago and looked forward to with such gleeful anticipation, but it is the third day of rain, and if you hear ”Mom, what can we do?” one more time, you are going to go jump off Big Bridge at the state beach and continue swimming out to sea. Or maybe you happen to have a little one who, for some reason, just doesn’t like sand between her toes. Do not despair. There is life beyond the beach for our younger visitors and peace of mind for their parents.

I’ll start right here in Edgartown. Have a real farm experience, complete with crops and livestock at the Farm Institute in Katama. Visit as a family or sign the kids up for one of the Children’s Programs, for ages 2 – 17.

Every week, the Edgartown Library on North Water Street has Toddler Time for ages 1 – 4, and Story Hour for 3 – 5 year olds.  They also offer special events, such as learning the phases of the moon using Oreo cookies or the Bear’s Picnic, that you can bring your favorite stuffed pal to.

The Martha’s Vineyard Museum has Kid’s Arts and Crafts each week and also have special events, like Archaeology for Kids.

If the rain lets up a little in the evening, grab everyone and go on the MV Trustees of Reservations (Not-So-Creepy) Creatures of the Night Family Hike.

And that’s just Edgartown. Featherstone Gallery in Oak Bluffs has Children’s Artsweekdays from 2 to 5 PM. There is also Children’s Art daily at the Stone Gallery in West Tisbury. The Vineyard Playhouse’s Summer Stars Theater and Art Camp in Vineyard Haven is a favorite of 9 -14 year olds, and The Yard in Chilmark offers Creative Theater, Music and Movement. And don’t forget the MV Adventure Camp or tennis lessons at theVineyard Tennis Center. I could go on and on.

So don’t let a little drizzle put a damper on your family vacation. By the time the sun comes out again, you and the kids will be totally exhausted from all these activities and ready for a lazy day on the beach again.

 

Where to Find Delicious Breakfast on Martha’s Vineyard
Explore Haunted New England History on Martha’s Vineyard
Visit Local Farms on Martha’s Vineyard
The Best Things to Do in Martha’s Vineyard for Solo Travelers
What to Know about the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival
Plan a Visit to the Martha’s Vineyard Food and Wine Festival
Where to Get the Best Pizza on Martha’s Vineyard Near Edgartown
Explore Memorable Things to Do & See in West Tisbury

The Ladies of the Edgartown Public Library have ruined my life.

I used to be able to enter libraries and browse, knowing that it was a Public Library, and that everything would be The Same As Every Other Public Library. There was comfort in that sameness.

Librarians are supposed to shush you, and scowl as they check out the books for you so that you will take better care of them. They give you ‘The Look’ if you have late fees or, Lord, have mercy…have lost the book you borrowed. (I did that once as a child. Man, was I scared!)

Right?  Everywhere I go I visit libraries, bookstores, and second-hand shops. I am a book junkie, always looking for a great read. The Fear of Librarians…that’s how I was raised…and by God, that’s how I was going to raise my daughter.

The Edgartown Library has changed that for me. I have complained to them about it but they seem unwilling to become grumpier just to accommodate me.

It is not their fault, I suppose. They are friendly and helpful and it is obvious that they enjoy what they do, but that’s part of my problem with them.

Now, when I enter a Library, I find myself looking for Customer Service and Helpfulness. I find that I want Friendly to be available to me and  if you are looking for a book, they’ll track it down as best they can for you.

I had a DVD series I was trying to find several parts of and was having trouble. All I needed was to confirm that I wasn’t looking in the wrong place; but they conferred, found that there were several parts missing and ordered the entire series… not just for me to borrow, but for the Library to own outright.  They then, reserved it to my account for First Dibs. I now have 18 individual DVDs on a shelf waiting for me to pick up.   There is a seven-day borrow period on DVD’s…if I don’t sleep I can finish them all in a week.

(They may be trying to kill me now for complaining about their Niceness. Curse my big stupid mouth…)

The Colonial Inn, where I work, is just a stone’s throw from the Edgartown Library, which is helpful for guests that need internet access and don’t travel with a computer. (The Colonial Inn offers complimentary wifi to all of it’s guests).  There are multiple terminals available at the Edgartown Library and it makes me glad to know that when I recommend a guest to them that they will receive helpful care.

I am going to go tell them that I want pony rides on Tuesdays. There must be a limit to their helpfulness…there MUST!

Image courtesy of Ian Wilson.

 

Where to Find Delicious Breakfast on Martha’s Vineyard
Explore Haunted New England History on Martha’s Vineyard
Visit Local Farms on Martha’s Vineyard
The Best Things to Do in Martha’s Vineyard for Solo Travelers
What to Know about the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival
Plan a Visit to the Martha’s Vineyard Food and Wine Festival
Where to Get the Best Pizza on Martha’s Vineyard Near Edgartown
Explore Memorable Things to Do & See in West Tisbury