Staff Articles
Empowering Book Recommendations
On June 1st, the topic for Librarians Discuss was "What are Your Empowering Reads?" and WOW did we cover some incredible titles. There's a little something for everyone here, from fiction to nonfiction and all kinds of topics in between. You can watch the entire...
Collection Spotlight: Yearbooks
High school and college yearbooks capture a moment in time. When you’re a young graduate, it’s hard to think ahead to when your picture might become a valuable part of history. But we rarely know how our lives will impact others, and everyone’s picture tells a...
2021 Youth Poetry Contest Results
This year’s contest had over 25 entries from children and teens in Westfield. They ranged from haikus to villanelles, limericks to sonnets. The subject matter was just as diverse from chicken nuggets to flowers, grief to happiness. Though this...
Looking for June Events?
Don't worry, there are many! However, at the end of May/beginning of June, we will be switching event calendars to a new system with more bells and whistles to go along with our new site. We're very excited! We are currently loading up that calendar with June's...
Test Your Local History Knowledge!
On Thursday, May 27th, at 6:30 PM, get ready to flex your Massachusetts and Westfield history! Working with our Local History Librarian, we've put together a collection of fun facts and trivia - along with fantastic pictures. Come see how much you know and how much...
Draw Your Pet!
On May 19th at 6:30 PM, spend some time mixing two great things: fun and pets! Using basic shapes and simple line technique, learn to create your favorite furry friends. No prior drawing experience is needed. Materials needed are: simple paper, pencil and eraser....
Mystery Box with Fantasy Romance Recommendations
Welcome to a new unboxing feature with Westfield librarians, with a new episode released on IGTV every month! In this episode, librarian Gretchen asked her colleagues for recommendations for fantasy romances, either teen or adult. All of these books are available...
Poetry Celebration
You're invited to our Poetry Celebration, announcing the winners of the 2021 Poetry Contest! The entrants will be celebrated and poetry will be read aloud by the author or a Westfield Athenaeum librarian. Register to attend whether you are a friend or family member...
Looking for a Good Chapter Book?
Did you know that Ms. Theresa creates a recommendation video for chapter books every month, called Book Snacks? We're happy to bring the list for this month's video, along with the video itself. All links will go directly to the catalog so you can request the one's...
Inviting Pollinators to Your Yard
On May 12th at 6:30, come enjoy "Attracting Birds, Butterflies, Bees and Other Beneficials," a power point presentation offered by naturalist and landscaper John Root. He describes the essential roles played by birds, pollinators, and other beneficial wildlife and...
Art Journaling with Corinne Roberts
Have you ever wanted to journal, but been frustrated by not knowing where to start or lack of drawing experience? Come learn quick sketching techniques to use in your travels, observing your personal environment in a new way and review techniques in style, patterns...
Book-to-Film Adaptations to Enjoy
On April 20th, 3 Westfield librarians hung out live on Facebook to discuss "What Makes a Good Book Adaptation?" and give their own recommendations. You can watch the entire video here or you can enjoy the list below for a variety of good book recommendations along...
Two Trivia Events in April!
You ask, we answer! There will be TWO trivia nights in April to accommodate all your awesome ideas. For the first, we will be doing trivia on all things dinosaur on April 22nd at 6:30 PM. We will cover as many eras of dinosaurs as we can in this event, created for...
Books for Literary Travelers
On April 6th, we hosted a Librarians Discuss event titled "How Far Have You Traveled by Reading?", and librarians and patrons alike suggested their favorite books that featured amazing settings or travel. In case you missed it, we have the whole list of...
Author Talk with Guy McLain
Join us as we welcome the new Director of the Westfield Athenaeum on April 15th at 7 PM! We'll get to know him and also talk about his book Drawing Without an Eraser, a novel that shows the inside of the art world and asks- what does it cost to be an artist? From...
Mother’s Day Fundraiser
The Friends of the Westfield Athenaeum are happy to announce their spring fundraiser honoring the women in your life. Express how much you appreciate your mom, mother-in-law, grandmothers & aunts by purchasing a message heart this Mother's Day! The hearts are...
Mystery Book Recommendations
Are you looking for a personally recommended mystery book for your next read? Librarian Mary H. has compiled a list of her personal recommendations in a variety of mystery genres. May this help you find what you'd like to read next! Looking for a new favorite...
The 2021 Poetry Contest is Here!
From April 1st to 30th, poets of all ages in the Westfield community are invited to submit their poems to our annual Poetry Contest. There are two categories: one for ages 17 & under and one for 18+. The winners will be judged by a panel of Westfield librarians...
The Flu 1918-2021 – A New History Chat from Dr. Bob Brown
We are so thrilled to have this first presentation of Dr. Brown's research on flu pandemics in Westfield from 1918 to today. If you are curious about parallels and differences in this 100+ year period, please check out our Facebook page starting on March 25th at 9...
Sign Up for Wowbrary!
We are SO thrilled to be announcing Wowbrary for the Athenaeum. Every Wednesday, you can get a customizable list of every new item (books, DVDs, video games, everything!) right in your inbox, as well as notices and events. This quick video will show you how to sign...
