To the Editor:
This Saturday, October 1st, the Friends of the Great Barrington Libraries is trying something new by bringing library programming out of the libraries to reach a larger audience. We will be hosting a free evening of food, drinks, film and conversation and, for the first time, we will be doing it away from the library building.
As books and movies get easier to access without leaving home, an important and growing role for libraries is to bring people together. It’s too easy to stay home and too important, for the health of our community, to get out.
For six years the Friends has been facilitating community by creating programming that brings people into the library buildings to meet, mingle, talk and learn by hosting film series, outdoor events and evening parties. Last winter’s experiment to open Ramsdell Library on Sundays was as much about creating a series of community events in Housatonic as it was about adding more convenient hours.
We are very good at bringing people into the library buildings; now we want to reach out to a larger audience. Instead of attracting people to the library, we want to bring library services out into the community.
Our new series, called First Saturday Documentaries For Everyone, will be shown at the Claire Teague Senior Center but as the name implies, it’s not just for seniors and it’s not just film screenings. These are community events beginning and ending with free beer, wine, snacks and informal conversation. The evening begins with a reception at 7 p.m., the film is at 7:45, and ends with a discussion and more refreshments from 9 until 10. Everything is free and everyone is welcome.
The films are great, the refreshments are nice, but it’s the conversation that’s important. There aren’t enough opportunities to meet new people and share new ideas. Each of the documentaries, which are mostly uplifting rather than depressing, was chosen to spark discussion — in person and respectful discussion rather than anonymous snipes from the safety of a keyboard.
The Saturday, October 1 screening is “Here Come The Videofreex.” On Saturday, November 5th, the film will be “Outermost Radio,” and December 3rd will bring a documentary about gun control legislation called “91%.” (See Bits and Bytes for more details.)
At all films we will have the library’s outreach materials and information about access to library resources.
Take a chance, get off the couch and out the door and join a group of people who are engaged in learning something new.
Ed Abrahams
Great Barrington
The writer is president, Friends of the Great Barrington Libraries.
