Around Town

Local Photographer Speaking About “Art & Agriculture: Who Grows Your Food?”

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:

You may have already seen the stunning new photo triptych on loan in the Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) stairwell. On Thursday evening, Sept. 18, the Library invites all community members to hear from the artist that created “Agricultural Panel B” — celebrated photographer and Watertown resident Archy LaSalle. During the program, LaSalle will discuss the vision and work that went into creating this compelling piece, as well as the relationships he made with immigrant farmers from World Farmers featured in it. World Farmers Program and Policy Director Jessy Gill will join us to talk about the organization’s mission and operations.

Around Town

Meet Sara Nović, Author of True Biz, at the Watertown Free Public Library

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:

DEAF, Inc. and the Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) are thrilled to welcome award-winning, NYT bestselling author, translator, and Deaf rights activist Sara Nović to the Library! Nović will visit WFPL on Tuesday, September 30, for an author talk and book signing. ASL and CART services will be provided. Books will be available for purchase from All She Wrote Books. Nović is the author of the instant New York Times Bestseller True Biz, as well as the books Girl at War and America is Immigrants.

Entertainment

WEEKEND FUN: Grandparents Ice Cream Party, Art by Rock Musician, Meditation, Historical Society Events

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This weekend starts off with an ice cream party for grandparents at the Senior Center on Friday morning. (Yes, it’s OK, at least for some, to eat some ice cream before lunch today! It’s National Grandparents Day.) Mount Auburn Cemetery is holding a sunset sound meditation on Saturday at 5:30. It’s such a peaceful beautiful place for mediation. There are two events this Sunday put on by the Watertown Historical Society this weekend, a walking tour in the morning, and in the afternoon, a one-woman show, as Michele Gabrielson portrays Mercy Otis Owen, the first historian of the American Revolution at the library.

Entertainment

Historical Society Hosting Revolution Walking Tour & Performance by Historic Re-enactor

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Historic interpreter Michele Gabrielson will do a live performance as Mercy Otis Warren on Sept. 7. (Courtesy Photo)

The public had two chances to take the Historical Society’s Watertown During the Revolution walking tour, and the Historical Society is also hosting an event with the Watertown Library with a live reading of American Calliope: Mercy Otis Warren & the Writings of a Revolutionary. See the announcements from the Historical Society below. Historic Tours

The Historical Society of Watertown invites you to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the fight for American Independence by taking a walking tour of “Watertown During the Revolution.”

Entertainment

WEEKEND FUN: Swimming, Mindfulness Through Art, Freeze Dried Candy, Embroidery Workshop

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The DCR’s Dealtry Pool in Watertown. Cool off this weekend at the DCR’s Dealtry Swimming Pool any day this weekend. Then you can try some art therapy at the Watertown Library on Saturday. Keep your creativity going with an embroidery workshop at Gore Place. If you want to quench your sweet tooth, try the freeze dried candies made by a young entrepreneur.

Around Town

Statement by Library Board Chair on Request to Remove Book from Suggested Reading List

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Watertown LibraryThe Watertown Free Public Library. The following statement was read by Watertown Board of Library Trustees Chair Leanne Hammonds about the request to reconsider including a book in the summer reading suggested reading list. Hammonds read the statement regarding “A Map for Falasteen: A Palestinian Child’s Search for Home,” during the July 31 Trustees meeting. The statement reads:

As chair of the Board of Trustees, I acknowledge the library’s receipt last month of a Request for Reconsideration from a Watertown Resident. A Request for Reconsideration is a process outlined in our Collection Development Policy to consider moving a book to a different area within our collection or removing it from our collection entirely.

Letters

LETTER: Resident Shares Concern About Response to Book Reconsideration Request

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Dear Neighbors:

I’ve never been so disappointed in our city. Last week I attended the Library Trustee’s monthly Board meeting which included an agenda item on the policy for reconsideration of a book the summer reading list. This was largely due to a letter that I and other Jewish residents sent regarding concerns with one book on the second grade summer reading list curated by the Watertown Free Public Library and Watertown School District. We shared our concerns with how it framed Israel as the oppressor and sought to teach a young reader a history of Palestine with ideological views often seen as anti-Israel propaganda. In our letter we asked for a dialogue so we could share our concerns and have a conversation. Did we expect the book to be removed from the list?

Letters

LETTER: Library Should Resist Effort to Remove Book on Israeli/Palestinian Conflict

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(Note: The Watertown Board of Library Trustees will meet Thursday, July 31 at 7 p.m. at Watertown Middle School. The agenda includes a statement of policy in response to feedback on the suggested summer reading list read by the Board Chair.)

Dear  Kim Long (Hewitt), Library Director and Board of Trustees, 

I’m writing about the pressure the library faces to remove the children’s book, “A Map for Falasteen: A Palestinian Child’s Search for Home.” I hope the library resists this pressure and lets parents and children make their own choices of reading material and draw their own conclusions. This issue matters greatly to me for two reasons, my connections with Israel-Palestine and my connections with Watertown. I have been many times to the West Bank and Gaza and most parts of Israel.