Special Afternoon Tea - Oct 28

This Thursday, October 28, will be a special Afternoon Tea at the library. The Trustees will be presenting Madge Casper and Michele Keleher with the 2010 Trustees Recognition Award for all their years of leading the House Tour committee. The tea will be from 2 pm to 4:30 pm upstairs in the library. We hope you can join us as we celebrate and honor these women and their many contributions to our library.

Upcoming Tile Workshops

The Friends of the Dover Library are off to a great start with our tile fundraiser, and we are thrilled that so many people have made their mark at the library (or have told us they want to!). There is still time to "tile one on", and in order to meet the demand, we are offering additional tile workshops at the library.

If you are unable to attend a workshop, you may at any time purchase a take home kit at the circulation desk ($5 plus cost of tile) and complete the project when your schedule allows.

Tile workshops will be held on:

Monday, October 25, 3-6 pm

Wednesday, November 10, 3-6 pm

Saturday, December 11, 10 am - 1 pm

Wednesday, January 5, 3-6 pm

All workshops will take place in the library's Community Room. We hope to see you there!

About the tile project:

Everyone, from young children to teens and adults, will have an opportunity to design and paint tiles, which will become part of a permanent display at the Library. The tiles will be affixed to the cement walls by the outdoor entrance to the Lower Level (the Children's Room).

These tiles will not only add beauty to that space, but they afford a unique way to celebrate our community. Infants can make a hand print, finger-painters can create a rainbow of color, and more accomplished artists can paint a tile inspired by a favorite book, our town, a favorite hobby/activity, or their own family.

We are partnering with The Clayroom in Walpole, which will oversee the painting, glazing, and firing of the tiles.

Each 4 x 4-inch tile will be available for $50 (cash or check please), with all proceeds going to fund the Library's many programs and services.

Take a bow, Friends!

And check out this terrific article in 22 August's The Boston Globe about the Friends of the Dover Library.

JULY ARTIST OF THE MONTH

ARTIST ELIZABETH CARTER BRINGS “WHAT A WORLD” TO THE DOVER TOWN LIBRARY IN JULY

The Friends of the Dover Library is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Carter of Newton is the July Artist of the Month. Her exhibit, titled, “What a World” will be on display from July 2^nd to the 31^st, and Carter is hosting a reception at the library on July 10, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.

Carter’s exhibited work will be monotype and collage. They are investigations into the natural world. Repeating images include birds, oceans and maps, which she used to create intimate environments.

Carter received a degree in printmaking from Mass Art and did monotypes and drawings for an MFA (1990) from the Museum School. She works from her back yard studio in Newton.

In addition to monotype and collage, Carter makes small wall sculptures.

She shows her work both locally and nationally. Recent shows include the Bromfield Gallery's Holiday show, MGNE's "Unlimited Vision: One-of-a-Kind Prints and the Boston Biennial at Atlanticworks Gallery. She is a member of Galatea, an artist's cooperative on Harrison Ave.

Carter has taught drawing since 1993 at the Rhode Island School of Design pre-college program. Carter has also taught drawing in the Museum School’s continuing education program, Arts Lexington, the Fuller Museum School and the Danforth Museum School. She has also worked as an artist-in-residence at high schools and elementary schools in Massachusetts.

For more information on the artist, please visit her web site at www.elizabethcarter.biz.

The Artist of the Month program is sponsored by the Friends of the Dover Library. Each month, a different local artist’s work is displayed in the library. Pieces are available for sale and 10 percent of all sales go to the library.

The Dover Town Library is located at 56 Dedham Street in Dover. The library’s hours are: Monday – Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. It is closed on Sunday.

For more information, please visit the library’s web site at www.dovertownlibrary.org.

The Friends of the Dover Library provides special programs and services that expand and support the library's regular budget. For more information about the Friends of the Dover Library or how to become a member, please visit the Friends’ blog at www.friendsofdoverlibrary.blogspot.com, or email the Friends at Friends.of.Dover.Library@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook – Fans of the Dover Town Library.

END OF YEAR MTG ON JUNE 7

The Friends of the Dover Library will holds its end of year meeting on Monday, June 7, at 9 am in the library's Community Room. The group will wrap up business for the year, including electing officers for next year and determining the budget for FY 2010-2011. All members of the Friends are welcome to attend.

UPdate on the Giant Book Sale--now UPstairs!

Construction in the Library prevents us from using the lower level for our book sale, so come on UP to score your summer reading on the cheap.  Remember, it's this coming Monday (the 17th) from 3.30 to 7.30 p.m..  You can vote on your way in or on your way out!

May Artist of the Month

LINDA ZUG OF SHERBORN IS MAY ARTIST OF THE MONTH AT THE DOVER LIBRARY

The Friends of the Dover Library is pleased to announce that Linda Zug of Sherborn is the Artist of the Month for May, and her works will be on display at the Dover Town Library for the entire month. Zug’s work is based on her experiences at monastic retreats over the years. She painted the 12x12 oil paintings on board while there, and the larger paintings were done in studio following last year’s trip.

Zug will soon participate in her fifth such retreat to a Benedictine monastery in San Gimignano, Italy. The retreats are organized by Michael Dowling, artistic director of Medicine Wheel Productions in South Boston.

“What I appreciate so much about the retreat is the solitude and the focus on the work in a daily way without the interruptions of normal routines and chores,” Zug said. “I have five grandchildren who occupy a lot of my energy and attention, so the chance to allow the painting to happen in a concentrated span of time devoted only to work is a gift.”

Continuing her reflection, she added, “The monastic ethic of hospitality and rhythm of the prayerful day are inspiring to me. I have been studying Italian, which makes the trips more fun and which enables me to join the sisters of the order in their evening worship. I hope that the beauty of the timelessness of their daily devotion to prayer and work is evident in the paintings.”

At an October show at Medicine Wheel, titled, "Paintings from the Monastery", Zug’s work was described as “a response to the Benedictine sisters' aesthetics of hospitality and to their devotional work and ethic where the artist has created a space for self. Linda's work reflects the beauty of Italy with the theme of sky and word where heaven and earth meld together. It captures the senses and speaks of a physical presence, timelessness and spirit.”

Zug began painting after she retired from teaching high school French 15 years ago. She began in watercolor with Sherborn artist Bill Ternes, and 10 years ago she took some studio courses at Wellesley College as a post-bac student. It was five years ago that she met Dowling and soon began going on the retreats. Zug lives in Sherborn and paints at her home studio.

The Artist of the Month program is sponsored by the Friends of the Dover Library. Each month, a different local artist’s work is displayed in the library.

The Dover Town Library is located at 56 Dedham Street in Dover. Current library hours are: Monday – Wednesday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. It is closed on Sunday.

For more information, please visit the library’s web site at www.dovertownlibrary.org.

Giant Book Sale: one week away and counting

Gear up for the Friends' giant book sale, to be held Monday, May 17th from 3.30 to 7.30 p.m.  This is an ideal opportunity for you to go vote at the Town House, come on over to the Library (kids in tow, if you wish), and fill up some summer reading bags for very little money.  We need to clean house (and maybe you do as well), so volunteers will be delivering books to the Library on Sunday evening at 7 p.m.  You can bring over your gently used books (in good condition, please) at that time.

Our unbelievably cheap prices will make it easy for you to stock up: hardcovers will be $1 each, paperbacks 50 cents each, and children's books 4 for $1. You really don't want to spend more than that on a beach book, do you?

Since we need to sell it all, you will also be able to fill a big bag for a special bulk price.  You can feel virtuous about saving money, supporting your Library and recycling all at the same time--a moral trifecta!

PS The Town House is open for voting from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday.

Shoutout to the Lenox MA library

http://www.berkshireeagle.com/columnists/ci_15000192?source=rss

Here's an excellent article by Clarence Fanto from the Berkshire Eagle, discussing the importance of libraries in municipal budgets.    I liked it so much that I am going to paste the last paragraph here for you to read:

A library is the heartbeat of a community, a reflection of a town's values and aspirations. Slashing the budget sends a disturbing message about priorities and strikes a blow against civilized society. Even in hard times, a way must be found to preserve the essentials.


Remember to go to the polls on May 17th (Town House, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.) to vote for your town's budget.  Your voice matters.

Friends of the Dover Library to Hold Book Sale on May 17

The Friends of the Dover Library will be holding a giant book sale on Monday, May 17, from 3:30 pm - 7:30 pm at the library. Longer hours take advantage of the library's new late hours and accommodate voters. Come stock up on summer reading while supporting the library. Hardbacks will be $1, paperbacks 2/$1 and children's books 4/$1; there will also be a "fill a bag" option at the end of the sale. Stop by after voting at the Town House. Hope to see you there!

May Meeting

The May Friends Meeting will be on Monday, May 3, at 9 am in the Community Room. We'll start discussing plans for 2010-11 - the budget, bylaws and who will be on the Board. Hope to see you there!

Going once, going nice...auction baskets for spring gift-giving

The Friends is delighted to offer you a couple of really easy gift baskets that are sure to please.  Our general theme is "Mothers' Day" but you can use them for any holiday or celebration you wish.

Baskets are on display at the library, as are the bidding sheets. You can bid using your name or anonymously using your library card # (just be sure to transcribe it correctly, so we can contact you if you are the winner).  Come in soon and place your bid; we are accepting bids until the close of the Library on April 30th.

Here is a description of our spring offerings:

Moms' Day (and Night) Out:
Give the Mom in your life (even if it is you) a perfect day and night.  Drop your school-aged children at the Discovery Club for some educational child-care while you enjoy a relaxing massage at Sculpture in Needham.  Afterwards, you can swing by the California Pizza Kitchen in Wellesley to pick up some gourmet pizza for children and sitter.  Return home and find your outfit for the evening freshly cleaned and delivered to your doorstep by Holly Cleaners. Kiss everyone goodnight and head on over to the Sherborn Inn and Out for a delightful evening.  Remember, when your kids are little, every day is Mothers' Day!

Basket value: $235. Bidding ends on April 30th at the close of the library.

Stay-cation in New England:
Perfect for a series of memorable family outings, or to give to visiting relaties, the Stay-cation basket will send the family of your choice on a Duck Tour, to Davis Farmland (Sterling, MA), Zoo New England (your choice--Stoneham or Franklin Park)--even to Six Flags!
Be the successful bidder and create your own family memories with these quality mini-getaways. Enjoy New England on your own terms, at your own pace, on your own schedule.  You can't beat that!

Basket value: $270; bidding ends at close of the Library on April 30th.

Join us on April 6 for CPK Fundraising Day!

Giving won't just feel good, it'll taste good!

When:

Tuesday, April 6

11:30 am - 9 pm

Where:

California Pizza Kitchen

183 Linden Street, Wellesley.

(across from Roche Bros.)

www.cpk.com

781-416-3690

What:

Enjoy a delicious meal out (or to go) and help raise money for the Dover Library. Grab a flyer at the library (or print this out) and give it to your server when ordering (they need it to track funds). Then the Friends of the Dover Library will get 20% of your check - and the money will go right back to your library! *

*Donation amount excludes proceeds from tax, gratuity, gift card and retail purchases. Valid for dine-in, take out and curbside service. Manager, please attach this to guest check. Void if flyers are distributed in or near restaurant.

April Meeting

The Friends of the Dover Library will hold its April meeting on Monday, April 12, at 9 AM in the library's Community Room. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Topics to discuss include a recap of the March 25 Spelling Bee fundraiser, planning a spring book sale and plans for the coming year. Join us on Facebook – Fans of the Dover Town Library.

April Artist of the Month

PAINTINGS BY DAVID BASTILLE TO BE ON DISPLAY AT DOVER LIBRARY IN APRIL

The Friends of the Dover Library is pleased to announce that David Bastille of Holliston is the April Artist of the Month. His water-based oil paintings will be on display at the Dover Town Library from April 3 to April 30.

A graphic designer by trade, Bastille has always been a painter, first studying oil painting at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 1977. The following year, he began what has become a 32-year career in graphic and advertising design, in and around Boston.

“Looking at my artwork,” he says, “you wouldn’t be surprised to find out that I’m also a graphic designer. You can see that I’m trying to communicate an idea. An emphasis on structure and balance is also evident.”

Since the 1980’s, he has participated in a series of group art shows in the Boston area known as “Art/Word.” In these productions, a group of artists is invited to choose a passage of text on a given theme and illustrate it. The most recent Art/Word shows have been held at Lasell College in Newton.

Over the years, Bastille has devoted a greater amount of time, energy, and resources to making art. His preferred medium is water-based oil paint.

Bastille is an art director at Sundin Associates, an advertising and marketing firm in Natick. He grew up in Wellesley, and graduated from Harvard College. He is a member of the Franklin Art Association. Bastille and his family live in Holliston.

For more information on the artist, please visit his web site at www.davidbastille.com.

The Artist of the Month program is sponsored by the Friends of the Dover Library. Each month, a different local artist’s work is displayed in the library. Pieces are available for sale and 10 percent of all sales go to the library.

The Dover Town Library is located at 56 Dedham Street in Dover.

Current library hours are: Monday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Tuesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Wednesday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Thursday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. It is closed on Sunday.

Beginning April 20, the library’s hours will be: Monday – Wednesday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. It will remain closed on Sunday.

For more information, please visit the library’s web site at www.dovertownlibrary.org.

Join us on Facebook – Fans of the Dover Town Library.

Bee recap

We had an amazing turnout for the 5th Annual Bee on March 25th.  Over 200 people showed up to demonstrate their support for the Library and the programming and fundraising provided by the Friends.

The spellers were, if possible, even better than in previous years--it was a very competetive and exciting night. The addition of a walk-on team (sponsored by an anonymous donor) added to the suspense.

Dover Cable broadcast the Bee live; in addtion, they generously taped and edited the event and are presently broadcasting it: see dsctv.com for showtimes and channels.

The excitement in the Great Hall was complemented by the Friends' activities outside of the spelling area:  the Bee Cafe served pizza and snacks; the Bee Tree gave visitors an opportunity to play with words for prizes and gift cards.  There was something for everyone at the Bee.

The winning team was the Dover Church Youth Group aka The Church Belles--Sarah Shoemaker and Carine Tarazi, joined spontaneously by Robert Lordi.  They earned their Enormous Bragging Rights!

Congratulations to all who played, and many thanks to all who came and made the evening a success.

See the Bee Blog for the complete scoop.

Latest Bee News

DON’T MISS THE 5^TH ANNUAL DOVER TOWN LIBRARY SPELLING BEE ON MARCH 25

On Thursday night, one team will rise above the others. Will the returning champs, the Spellunkers, be the first team to win back-to-back titles? Or will a challenger claim the Enormous Bragging Rights (and Whole Foods gift cards) in the 5^th Annual Dover Town Library Spelling Bee? In order to find out who the top spellers are, join the community on March 25 at 7 p.m. at the Dover Town House for a night of fun and fellowship – all in support of the Dover Town Library.

The spring fundraiser for the Friends of the Dover Library, the Bee is free to attend and everyone is invited to come and cheer on the spellers. Thanks to monetary and in-kind donations from local businesses that cover all expenses, all monies raised from the Bee (team entry fees, Mulligans, Bee Tree and Bee Café) will go directly to the library though the Friends of the Dover Library.

In addition to watching the Bee itself, attendees may purchase gifts and gift cards at the Bee Tree (buy a word clue, get a prize) in the Town House lobby and buy snacks from the Bee Café in the lower level.

The Bee Café will be stocked with pizza donated by Dover Café and California Pizza Kitchen (Wellesley), as well as snacks and water from Whole Foods (Dedham) and Save A Lot. All food must remain downstairs but thanks to a live feed from Dover Cable that will be in the Council on Aging room, no one will miss any of the action.

Items for purchase on the Bee Tree include products and gift cards from: Aquitaine; Beauty and Main; Bed, Bath & Beyond; Blue on Highland; Boston Duck Tours; Boston Red Sox; California Pizza Kitchen; Chiara; Costco; Davis’ Farmland and Mega Maze; Discovery Club; Dover Market; Dover Parks and Recreation; Elizabeth Grady (Needham); Emily’s Brownies; Fisher Brook Farm; Higgins Wine & Spirits; Holly Cleaners; The Linden Store; Magic Beans; National Amusements; Nicholas Christies Day Spa; Pawtucket Red Sox; Portrait Simple; Putchka Pals; Santa’s Village; Sculpture Hair Studio & Day Spa; Sherborn Inn & The Out; Stellabella Toys; Story Land; Sweet Basil; Taylor’s Stationery; Trader Joe’s (Needham); Wellesley Booksmith; and Zoo New England.

The Bee Tree and Bee Café are cash and check only so Bee prepared! And if you can’t make it to the Town House on Thursday, Bee sure to watch the live broadcast on Dover Cable.

The Bee underwriters include: Dover Automotive; Coldwell Banker (Wellesley); Roche Bros. Supermarkets; ScrubaDub Car Wash; Dover Eyes; Bridgewater Credit Union; Chestnut Street Animal Hospital; Dr. Mark Manikian, DDS; Erin’s School of Dance; and Middlesex Savings Bank (Needham). Many anonymous donors have also contributed to the Bee.

For more information, please visit the Bee Blog at www.spellboundindover.blogspot.com.

More Bee News

The Bee Tree items keeps rolling in ... please check out the Bee blog for all the details and info on donations from:

Blue on Highland

California Pizza Kitchen

Elizabeth Grady, Needham

National Amusements

Jane Bleakley's Putchka Pals

Sculpture Hair Studio & Day Spa

Sweet Basil

Wellesley Booksmith

Also go to the Bee blog for info on corporate donations from:

Bridgewater Credit Union

Coldwell Banker, Wellesley

Misslesex Savings Bank, Needham Branch

Scrub A Dub Car Wash

Taking a step back and considering the Bigger Picture: Advocacy

While we in Dover are busy preparing for our major spring fundraiser, the larger Library community is focusing on advocacy. This just in from our friends at Project Alert:


Here is a Challenge to the Library Community!


Can we get 500 people to come to Massachusetts Legislative Day at the State House in Boston this year? With the thousands of people who work in libraries, serve as Trustees, Friends, and users of Massachusetts Libraries, you would think that would be easy! But it is not as easy as it should be.


Are you attending?


Library Legislative Day & Rally
Hosted by Massachusetts Library Association and the Massachusetts School Library Association
Tuesday March 9, 2010
9:30am State House Boston, MA


Schedule:
9:30am Registration Begins/Great Hall
10am MSLA Bookmark Contest Awards/Lobby of the Grand Staircase
11am Rally for Libraries/In front of the State House
Noon Lunch  Program
Visits to Legislators can take place throughout the day!


Suggestion: Invite your Legislator(s) to sit with you at lunch! or make an appointment to visit him/her in their office.

The Project Alert folks are right on target here; this is budget season on Beacon Hill. Try to make the date.  The people you vote for count heads at events like this, and they deserve to hear your thoughts.

CORPORATE DONATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO BEE TREE AND BEE CAFÉ SWARM IN FOR 5TH ANNUAL DOVER TOWN LIBRARY SPELLING BEE

As the 5^th Annual Dover Town Library Spelling Bee approaches, the Friends of the Dover Library has been abuzz as donations have swarmed in – all from local businesses that want to help support the Dover Library. The Bee is on March 25 at 7 p.m. at the Dover Town House.

In addition to watching the Bee itself, attendees may purchase gifts and gift cards at the Bee Tree (buy a word clue, get a prize) in the Town House lobby and buy snacks from the Bee Café in the lower level.

For the first time, the Friends also solicited corporate sponsors to underwrite the cost of the Bee. Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, all monies raised from the Bee will go directly to the library, through the Friends of the Library.

The Friends would like to acknowledge its corporate sponsors for their monetary support: Dover Automotive; Coldwell Banker, Wellesley; Roche Bros. Supermarkets; Scrub-A-Dub Car Wash; Chestnut Street Animal Hospital; Dr. Mark Manikian, DDS; Erin’s School of Dance; and Bridgewater Credit Union.

A special thanks also to the Bee’s in-kind donors. Whole Foods in Dedham and Save A Lot are providing snacks and water for the Bee Café, and Middlesex Saving Bank (Needham branch) has provided tote bags and other items for the spellers. Additionally, Whole Foods has donated gift cards to award to the Bee winners (in addition to the usual prize of Enormous Bragging Rights).

The Bee Tree will feature items donated by: Aquitaine; Beauty and Main; Bed, Bath & Beyond; Boston Duck Tours; Boston Red Sox; California Pizza Kitchen; Chiara; Costco; Davis’ Farmland and Mega Maze; Discovery Club; Dover Market; Dover Parks and Recreation; Fisher Brook Farm; Higgins Wine & Spirits; Holly Cleaners; The Linden Store; Magic Beans; Nicholas Christies Day Spa; Pawtucket Red Sox; Portrait Simple; Putchka Pals; Santa’s Village; Sculpture Hair Studio & Day Spa; Sherborn Inn & The Out; Stellabella Toys; Story Land; Sweet Basil; Taylor’s Stationery; Trader Joe’s, Needham; Wellesley Booksmith; and Zoo New England.

The teams are rolling in but it is also not too late to sign up – forms are available at the library.

For more details, to catch the buzz and to read the latest news, go to www.spellboundindover.blogspot.com.

More Bee Tree Items

The donations keep coming in, so check out the Bee Blog for the details on Bee Tree items from: Boston Red Sox; Bed, Bath & Beyond; Costco; Dover Market; Higgins Wine and Spirits; Portrait Simple; Paw Sox; Taylor's Stationery; and Trader Joe's.

Corporate Donors to the Bee

The Bee has grown larger over the years, with the addition of the Bee Tree and Bee Cafe a few years ago. This year we decided to take our fundraising a step further and approached local businesses to be sponsors of the Bee at various levels. We do not have many expenses, but those that we do incur take away from the total amount that will benefit the library - and we want every possible dollar to go to there. In order to maximize fundraising efforts, we sent a letter to businesses in Dover and those with a Dover connection. And already, we have had wonderful members of community answer our call. Read all about them on the Bee Blog, but a special thanks to Chestnut Street Animal Hospital, Miss Erin's School of Dance, Dr. Mark Manikian, DDS, and Roche Bros. supermarkets.

Richard Kattman - March Artist of the Month

RICHARD KATTMAN’S LANDSCAPE PAINTINGS TO BE FEATURED AT DOVER LIBRARY IN MARCH

The Friends of the Dover Library is pleased to announce that Richard Kattman of Holliston is the March Artist of the Month. Kattman’s landscape paintings will be on display the Dover Library March 1 through 31.

“Painting and drawing are my passion; landscape architecture is my profession,” said Kattman. “My paintings and drawings are about nature, man’s relationship to nature, man’s nature and the nature of painting and drawing.”

A practicing landscape architect, Kattman’s art comprises of abstract and landscape paintings, figure and portrait paintings, figure drawings, 35mm and view camera photography. His landscape architecture practice consists primarily of residential, commercial, and recreation/open space related projects.

He added: “Through color, line, and the creation of form, I search for beauty and meaning in the universe. Drawing allows me to discipline my creative instincts. I try to capture in every model or landscape the energy I envision radiating from the person or object’s core.”

Kattman has received several honors and awards for his work, including: Best of Show – Abstract (Attleboro Arts Museum, 2007), Juror’s Choice Award (Attleboro Arts Museum, 2006), “Keeping America Strong” Award (Heartbeat of America TV Series, 2005), American Landscape Contractors Association: Cambridge Center Roof Garden (2004), American Society of Landscape Architects Award for Excellence in Study (1973), and Arts Grant: Massachusetts Arts Council (1983).

Kattman earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with honors, and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design. He also holds a Certificate of Graduation: Horticulture from Pennsylvania State University.

He has shown his work throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Kattman is represented by the galleries Boston Art, Inc. in Boston, The Frame Shop in Natick and J. Todd Galleries in Wellesley. He is also represented in public and private art collections. His abstract work may be viewed online at www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/.../Richard+Kattman/21447.html.

The Artist of the Month program is sponsored by the Friends of the Dover Library. Each month, a different local artist's work is displayed in the library. Pieces are available for sale and 10 percent of all sales go to the library.

The Dover Library is located at 56 Dedham Street in Dover. Library hours are Monday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Tuesday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Wednesday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Thursday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. It is closed on Sunday.

For more information, please visit the library's web site at www.dovertownlibrary.org.

Next Meeting - March 1

The Friends of the Dover LIbrary will hold its next meeting on Monday, March 1, at 9 am in the Library's Community Room. All are welcome and invited to attend. Topics to discuss include finalizing plans for the March 25 Spelling Bee and committee updates. For more information, please email friends.of.dover.library@gmail.com.

Bee Team and Tree Updates

The Buzz on the Bee blog is building! Be sure to check it out to read updates.

The teams are rolling in - learn who is on teams. We've got the A Bee C's; the returning champs, the Spellunkers; the Bee List Celebrities; and Wood's Word Wizards. We have more teams to still blog about and other teams are continuing to come in. Keep checking back - we are keeping up as fast as we can!

Also, the Bee Tree is filling out nicely. We have donations from: Aquitaine, Beauty and Main, Boston Duck Tours, Chiara, Fisher Brook Farm, Holly Cleaners, Magic Beans, Nicholas Christie, Santa's Village, Sherborn Inn & Out, Stellabella Toys, Story Land, Whole Foods and Zoo New England. We will keep posting them as they come in (and as we catch up on the blogging - we have lots more to write about so check back!)

Click on the Bee Blog link - www.spellboundindover.blogspot.com - to read all about it!

FEBRUARY ARTIST OF THE MONTH

SCENES OF BEAUTY: E. GAY HOLDERRIED'S PAINTINGS ON DISPLAY AT DOVER LIBRARY IN FEBRUARY

The Friends of the Dover Library is pleased to announce that E. Gay Holderried is the Artist of the Month for February. Her paintings - primarily landscapes in oils, acrylics and watercolors - will be on display at the Dover Library for the entire month.

A resident of Medfield, Holderried holds a Certificate in Studio Arts from the Danforth Art Museum School.

The Artist of the Month program is sponsored by the Friends of the Dover Library. Each month, a different local artist's work is displayed in the library. Pieces are available for sale and 10 percent of all sales go to the library.

The Dover Library is located at 56 Dedham Street in Dover. Library hours are Monday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Tuesday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Wednesday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Thursday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. It is closed on Sunday.

For more information, please visit the library's web site at www.dovertownlibrary.org.

Letter to the Editor: read it and play!

The following will be submitted to local newspapers:


Dear Editor:

The Friends of the Dover Library is in full planning mode for the 5th Annual Dover Library Spelling Bee, our big spring fundraiser. Things are shaping up nicely - the word list is almost complete and donations are coming in - but we are still in need of teams to compete.

We are asking that all members of our community to consider being on a team to show their support of the library.

As you know, the Library is one of the most-loved and most-visited places in Dover. The library was recently (November '09) ranked as #7 in the nation and #1 in the state for libraries in towns the size of Dover. Part of that success is linked directly to community support.

What is not widely known is that Dover's Town budget does not pay for all of the books in the library. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires libraries to spend a certain percentage of their budget on books and materials in order to qualify for State Aid. Dover's municipal budget covers only a portion of that requirement, and the Friends pays for the rest. Without this support from volunteers and donors, our library would not be the library we all know and love.

The Friends (a 501c3 corporation) also pays for all of the programming that goes on at the Library (author nights, movies, children's events, the summer reading program), all of the free or low-cost museum passes available at the Circulation desk, and the other "extras" that we enjoy, such as magazine subscriptions and online databases. The Friends raises funds to provide these through its membership drive, the Holiday House Tour and the Spelling Bee.

The Bee will be held on Thursday, March 25th, from 7-9 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Town House.

As in years past, teams of three compete in preliminary rounds and then those winners face off in the final. You get to confer with your teammates and then a scribe writes down the team's response and all teams reveal their answers simultaneously to the audience and judges. The words are given in advance - so no excuses about not being a great speller! - and will be available by February 12 to teams with completed paperwork and paid entry fee.

The entry fee remains an anti-inflationary $300 per team, and each team may also purchase a $100 Mulligan to help them if they get in a bind. To help teams secure funding, this year the Friends has put together a letter that participants may send to their friends to solicit donations.

Remember: It is not about who wins the Bee. It is about coming together as a community so that the library wins - and thus so do we all.

Sincerely,
Amelia Slawsby
President, Friends of the Dover Library

And the Bee Committee:
Jane Bleakley
Holly Collins, Trustee Liaison
Kate Haviland, Bee Chair
Anita Loscalzo
Jane Schmid

Feb Meeting

Don't forget our monthly meeting tomorrow, Feb 1, at 9 am in the Community Room. All are welcome and invited to attend. Topics to discuss include planning for the spring fundraiser, the 5th Annual Dover Library Spelling Bee.

Congratulations on another job well done!

Thomas Hennen is to libraries what Robert Parker is to wines--a person who studies, categorizes and rates libraries based on a stringent set of objective criteria. His report, the HAPLR (Hennen's American Public Library Ratings), is released in the fall and shows a library's ranking relative to the size of its community.

As you might imagine, Dover is often in the top 10. This year (2009), the Dover Town Library is #7 in the United States for towns our size, and--drum roll, please--#1 in Massachusetts. Again.

Here is a link to the report, so you can see for yourself (and look up neighboring towns, should you be so inclined):

Hennen's criteria include elements that are partly affected by the community, such as circulation, funding, and reference questions. So, in addition to congratulating your Library on a job well done, Dover Town Library patrons should take a bow as well. You are part of the success story.

Congratulations, everyone!

BUZZ ... IT'S BEE TIME!

5^th ANNUAL DOVER TOWN LIBRARY

SPELLING BEE SET FOR MARCH 25

While Spring is neither in the air nor registering on the thermometer, it is just around the corner, which means it is time for the 5^th Annual Dover Library Spelling Bee.

The Spring fundraiser for the Friends of the Dover Library, the Bee will be held on Thursday, March 25, at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Dover Town House. As in years past, the Bee will be broadcast live on Dover Cable Television. A fun community event, the Bee makes for a great way to come together as a town in support of our library.

Dover’s finest spellers are invited to join the gentle competition for the title and the grand prize of Enormous Bragging Rights (there is also a plaque in the library). Superlative prizes are also given to teams for best costume and loudest cheering section, to name a few.

Participants compete in teams of three, and the Bee is open to anyone in grade 9 and above. The words are given in advance and will be available by February 12 to teams with completed paperwork and paid entry fee.

Entry forms are available at the library; the entry fee is $300 per team, and each team may also purchase a $100 Mulligan to help them if they get in a bind.

In addition to the Bee itself, the Friends will also be putting on the popular “Bee Tree”, where anyone can purchase a mystery item (goods and gift cards) based on the word clue written on a bee, and the “Bee Café” will be serving snacks downstairs with a live feed from DCTV so no one will miss any action.

So save the date, dust off those thinking caps and get together a team – the more spellers there are, the more fun it is!

For more information on the Bee, please visit the Bee Blog at http://spellboundindover.blogspot.com.

January Artist of the Month

WARM IMAGES FOR COLD DAYS: THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS’ “SUMMER IN THE VALLEY” PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST’S WINNING IMAGES ON DISPLAY AT DOVER LIBRARY IN JANUARY

The Friends of the Dover Library is pleased to announce that photographs from the Trustees of Reservations’ 3^rd Annual “Summer in the Valley” photography contest are on display in the Dover Library for the month of January, serving as the January Artist of the Month.

The display of winning pictures features images taken by amateur and professional photographers of all ages, and the task was to capture the natural beauty of the Charles River Valley. In its third year, the contest has continued to draw attention to the area, reminding people that it is a place to appreciate and protect.

The categories and their winners are:

Grand Prize:

Edmund Prescottano

Age 7 and under:

Madeleine Guiliano (Family and Friends, Wildlife)

Katie Pusch (From the past, New Discoveries)

Curtis Bowman (Plantlife, Scenic)

Ages 8 to 12:

Eric Pusch (From the past, New Discoveries)

Trevor Bowman (Plantlife, Wildlife)

David Polansky (Scenic)

Ages 13 to 17:

Rachel Sisson (From the past, Scenic, Wildlife)

Ages 18+:

Claudine Ciccia Perosky (Family and Friends)

Laurie Perkins (From the past)

Debora LaPlante (New Discoveries)

Tori Stuart (Plantlife, Wildlife)

Lisa Dobbs (Scenic)

Professional:

Rebecca Skinner (From the past)

Diane Thomas (New Discoveries, Plantlife, Scenic, Wildlife)

To see the images, please visit http://www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/special-events/summer-in-the-valley-photo-contest/

For more information on the Trustees of Reservations, please visit www.thetrustees.org.

The Artist of the Month program is sponsored by the Friends of the Dover Library. Each month, a different local artist’s work is displayed in the library.

The Dover Library is located at 56 Dedham Street in Dover. Library hours are Monday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Tuesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Wednesday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Thursday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. It is closed on Sunday.

For more information, please visit the library’s web site at www.dovertownlibrary.org.

More on Library Advocacy: the Legislative Breakfast

I copied this from Sunny Vandermark's posting on the Metrowest Regional Library System e-newsletter. We all just received our tax bills; you know that it's time to stand up for what we believe in. If you have the morning free on February 5th, consider going in person to talk to your legislators about your belief in funding libraries--in your community and in others around you. Or you can write or call your legislator in support of this event, and let them know you're paying attention to what they are doing for your library. (You can find easy contact information for your state and federal legislators at www.doverma.org.)



12th Annual Legislative Breakfast

Meet your state senators and representatives Friday, February 5, 2010, from 8 am to 9 am. Join your colleagues and other library supporters at the Concord Free Public Library for breakfast and talk with your state officials about the importance of libraries.
Invitations were mailed to all Metrowest area senators and representatives. Please follow up with a personal invitation to each of your legislators. Tell them that you will be at the legislative breakfast and look forward to the opportunity to talk with them.
Bring your trustees, town officials, friends, library users, school administrators, and others to the breakfast. With library use up as the economy shrinks it is most important to advocate for libraries and library funding. Your participation matters!
ALA has some excellent advocacy tools with materials on working with government officials and legislators. The materials are available at http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/index.cfm
What: 12th Annual Legislative Breakfast
Where: Concord Free Public Library
When: Friday, February 5 - 8 am - 9 am
Register online at:
http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/events.cfm?curOrg=MMRLS or RSVP by February 1 to jzomer@mmrls.org.
Directions are available at http://www.concordlibrary.org
- Sunny Vandermark

And on to the next thing: the Dover Town Library Spelling Bee

We are gearing up for our Spring fundraiser: the Spelling Bee. We have a date: Thursday, 25 March 2010, 7--9 p.m., and a venue: the Town House. Channel 8 has once again graciously agreed to film the event, and because the Town House has the proper cable setup, it will be aired live (and in reruns, of course!).

The popular Bee Tree will be back on the main floor, and the Bee Cafe will be held in the lower level, allowing guests to purchase refreshments in the lower level (where you can watch the Bee on TV while you snack.

Teams can sign up NOW (!) at the Library. The fee is $300 for a team of 3, with an optional Mulligan available for $100. A word list will be made available to players who are registered and paid in full (as teams) by mid-February.

Follow our progress on www.spellboundindover.blogspot.com. And get your friends, colleagues and neighbors together to make a team, and come play at this family-oriented night of fun and fundraising.