Literacy workshops with the Eric Carle!
The library and Colrain Central School are hosting educators from the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art to facilitate literacy workshops!
Bonding with Books Literacy Workshops for Caregivers, with the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, comes to Colrain!
The Griswold Memorial Library and Colrain Central School are proud to present “Bonding with Books” Literacy Workshops with the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art!
Do you read with a child age 0 to 7? There will be two opportunities for caregivers to take part in workshops facilitated by educators from the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art this March 11th and 13th!
Sharing books is an important way to bond, have fun, and learn with the children in your life. Connect with fellow caregivers and educators by attending one of these FREE programs. Families will enjoy a playful interactive storytime led by the Carle educators, followed by a workshop for adults and supervised play time for children. In addition to hands-on training, participants will receive resources for enjoying reading and playing at home!
Register at https://forms.gle/G66FNU7MqC5Nu2qB7 or email griswold@colrain-ma.gov.
This program is made possible by the Mohawk Trail and Hawlemont Regional School District CFCE Program, funded by a grant from the MA Department of Early Education and Care.
The Griswold Memorial Library (GML) is a community hub where open access to current tools, resources and services support the enjoyment of reading and the informational, educational, and communication needs of the public.
Colrain Central School is a small, rural school nestled in the hills along the picturesque North River, serving students from preschool through sixth grade. At Colrain Central, we train tomorrow’s leaders today by adhering to and holding our school community accountable to high academic and social standards.
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is the international champion for picture book art. We collect, preserve, and exhibit original art; encourage guests of all ages to read and create art; and foster an ever-growing audience passionate about picture book art.
Posted: to Griswold Memorial Library News on Mon, Mar 3, 2025
Updated: Mon, Mar 3, 2025
New Phone Number for the Library
As of February 3, GML will have a new phone number
Colrain Griswold Memorial Library is getting a new phone number.
Reach us at 413-624-2377 as of Monday, February 3.
Please help spread the word!
Posted: to Griswold Memorial Library News on Mon, Jan 27, 2025
Updated: Mon, Jan 27, 2025
Have you taken the Library's Community Input Survey?
We want to hear from you!
Take the library's Community Input Survey here!
The data we collect will help to inform the library's 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. It includes questions for you to let us know how you think we're doing, and about what services you'd like for the library to offer in the future. We do not collect any personal data, and your responses will be kept anonymous. It will take about 5-10 minutes to complete the survey. We appreciate your time and feedback! If you have questions, please call us at 413-624-3619 or email griswoldmemoriallibrary@gmail.com. Paper surveys are available at the library. Thank you for your time!
Posted: to Griswold Memorial Library News on Mon, Sep 9, 2024
Updated: Mon, Sep 9, 2024
Griswold Memorial Library wins $10,000 grant!
The Griswold Memorial Library is one of 16 libraries to receive an ALA Building Library Capacity grant
The Griswold Memorial Library (GML) in Colrain is one of 16 libraries to receive a $10,000 Building Library Capacity Grant from the American Library Association (ALA). The Griswold Memorial Library will use the funds to continue and expand their partnership with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Belding Memorial Library in Ashfield, Greenfield Public Library, and the Eric Carle Museum.
The ALA Building Library Capacity Grants are supported through a three-year grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and are intended to bolster library operations and services including literacy and other skill development, developing collections, staffing, expanding outreach, as well as maintaining and amplifying existing service strategies or adding new ones to make an impact. The official awards letter can be viewed at https://www.ala.org/news/2024/05/ala-awards-10000-grants-16-libraries-serving-incarcerated-persons-or-assisting-those
The Griswold Memorial Library and Belding Memorial Library have been providing library services to patrons in two units at the Franklin County Jail since 2021, including book lending and book club discussions, and “Read to the Children,” a program that enables incarcerated caregivers to record a video of themselves reading a picture book and share that video with their loved ones. In 2024, the Griswold Memorial Library, Belding Memorial Library, and Greenfield Public Library began offering outreach services at the Franklin County Re-entry Service Center.
“Public libraries are a critical link in the network of services that help people to stay out of trouble and to improve their lives, and thereby keep our community safe. We hear often how reading and using the library helps patrons who have experienced incarceration to reconnect with their families and get back on their feet,” said Chelsea Jordan-Makely, the Library Director at the Griswold Memorial Library.
The ALA’s “Prisoners’ Right to Read” states that “information and ideas available outside the prison are essential to people who are incarcerated for a successful transition to freedom. Learning to thrive in a free society requires access to a wide range of knowledge. Suppression of ideas does not prepare people of any age who are incarcerated for life in a free society.”
Since 2013, the jail population has grown 27 percent in rural counties, according to the Vera Institute. Each year, at least 70,000 different people are booked into local jails in Massachusetts, according to the Prison Policy Institute, which also reports that about half of all people who are incarcerated are parents or caregivers.
“We are thrilled to continue and expand our outreach at our local jail,” said Sarah Hertel-Fernandez, the Director of the Belding Memorial Library. “We want to make sure our neighbors know that public libraries are here to support them during and after incarceration, while advocating for top-down changes in library policies to make sure that’s true across the state.”
The Griswold Memorial Library is a 2024 recipient of the National Medal for Library Services from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the highest honor awarded to libraries. The library’s mission is to provide tools, resources, and services to support the enjoyment of reading and the informational, educational, and communication needs of the public.
Posted: to Griswold Memorial Library News on Fri, Jun 7, 2024
Updated: Fri, Jun 7, 2024
Congratulations, Colrain!
Griswold Memorial Library Recognized as a 2024 Recipient of the Nation’s Highest Museum and Library Honor
Griswold Memorial Library Recognized as a 2024 Recipient of the Nation’s
Highest Museum and Library Honor
National Medal for Museum and Library Service Recognizes Colrain, Massachusetts Griswold Memorial Library’s Community Contributions
COLRAIN, Mass.—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced the Griswold Memorial Library of Colrain, Massachusetts today as one of 10 recipients of the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities. Over the past 30 years, the award has celebrated institutions that are making a difference for individuals, families, and communities.
“IMLS is delighted to announce the ten recipients of the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service,” said IMLS Acting Director Cyndee Landrum. “These institutions and their dedicated staff are stepping up to anticipate and meet the needs of their individual communities. From New York to Arizona, these ten recipients are unparalleled sources of education, health, jobs, and cultural resources, bridging the gaps of distance, resources, and experience for community members. We look forward to honoring their accomplishments in Washington, D.C. this summer!”
The Griswold Memorial Library covers a lot of ground to meet a variety of community needs. The library celebrates and preserves local history through initiatives like the People’s History of Colrain Podcast on SoundCloud, and “William Apess Day,” which celebrates its namesake, a Pequot minister, author, and veteran who was born in Colrain in 1798, whose published works and sermons called for freedom and liberty for all people. Input from the community drives the library’s programming and services, such as “Fix-It Day,” where local tradespeople and crafters lend their expertise to repair and restore household goods for free, the Carol Purington Poetry Collective, Public Health Nurse drop-in hours, and “Read to Lamby the Dog.” Every day, the library helps patrons and local businesses adapt to change and learn new skills, with its Library of Things, online programs such as “Take & Make Crafts with Ms. Betty,” and drop-in tech help. Additionally, outreach services such as a pop-up library at the town transfer station, literacy programs and a StoryWalk at Pine Hill Orchards, and “Read to the Children” and other services at the Franklin County Jail and Re-Entry Center, have helped the library to grow and attract new patrons, and connect with the community outside of the library’s four walls.
Griswold Memorial Library was nominated for the IMLS National Medal by Congressman Jim McGovern, with letters of support from the local community. Selected from 30 national finalists, the 10 recipients of the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service represent institutions that provide dynamic programming and services that exceed expected levels of service. Through their community outreach, these institutions bring about change that touches the lives of individuals and helps communities thrive.
“This is a historic win, for a historic library,” said Library Director Chelsea Jordan-Makely. “We are proud to continue in the footsteps of our forebears, who had big dreams for our town and country. That’s the spirit of Colrain. We can do anything when we work together.”
The award will be presented at a ceremony this summer in Washington, DC. For a complete list of 2024 recipients and to learn more about the National Medal awardees, visit the IMLS website.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
About the Griswold Memorial Library
The Griswold Memorial Library, established in 1892, then constructed and dedicated to the town of Colrain by its namesake, Joseph Griswold, in 1908, is a welcoming community hub and a portal to local history and lifelong learning, and a critical touchpoint for residents and visitors in rural western Massachusetts. Everyone is welcome; please visit GML at 12 Main Rd. in Colrain, MA during our services hours on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Posted: to Griswold Memorial Library News on Tue, May 21, 2024
Updated: Tue, May 21, 2024
Griswold Memorial Library Receives Top Honor!
The Library has been named a FINALIST for the National Medal for Library Services from the Institute of Museum and Library Services!
The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced earlier this week that Griswold Memorial Library is among 30 finalists for the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service Griswold Memorial Library is one of four institutions in Massachusetts to be selected as a finalist for this award.
The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries that demonstrate significant impact in their communities. For 30 years, the award has honored institutions that demonstrate excellence in service to their communities.
Posted: to Griswold Memorial Library News on Fri, Mar 29, 2024
Updated: Fri, Mar 29, 2024
Statement from the Library Board of Trustees and fact sheet RE: historic plaster busts
Statement from the Board of Trustees (Approved February 12, 2024)
For over two years, the Griswold Memorial Library Board of Trustees has been evaluating the dynamics surrounding the eight historical busts in our collection. We've studied their history and condition and share this report in order to encourage further discussion. We’re committed to continuing this conversation in an open and transparent manner.
We recognize these busts' importance to our community and seek a careful, inclusive dialogue about their future. We invite everyone to share their thoughts through board meetings, online polls, written comments at the library and direct conversations with board members. We're also engaging with more groups to hear diverse opinions, and with the Council on Aging to schedule some facilitated conversations.
Please visit the library to see the busts and engage with the history represented by them. We will ensure the library remains a safe, welcoming place for all, supporting our staff amid these discussions and upholding Colrain's Code of Civil Conduct.
Let's continue this conversation, respecting our diverse histories and each other, to maintain our library as a center for knowledge and community.
Read the Fact Sheet with information about the busts here.
You can also fill out the library's Community Input Survey here.
Posted: to Griswold Memorial Library News on Mon, Feb 12, 2024
Updated: Mon, Feb 12, 2024
Please fill out the Library's 2024 Community Survey!
This information helps us to evaluate our library services and programs, and plan for the future!
Take the survey, here!
Posted: to Griswold Memorial Library News on Sat, Jan 27, 2024
Updated: Mon, Feb 12, 2024
RFQ 2023-2112 COLRAIN GRISWOLD MEMORIAL LIBRARY BUILDING AND SITE IMPROVEMENTS FEASIBILITY STUDY
Now open!
RFQ 2023-2112 COLRAIN GRISWOLD MEMORIAL LIBRARY BUILDING AND SITE IMPROVEMENTS FEASIBILITY STUDY
Posted: to Griswold Memorial Library News on Wed, Dec 27, 2023
Updated: Wed, Dec 27, 2023
Hale Johnson prints for sale!
Friends of GML fundraiser
Library Fundraiser!
The estate of Hale Johnson has generously provided prints of his iconic painting of Colrain's Brick Meeting House for this fundraiser. Proceeds go to enhance services at the library.
Available two ways:
- Individual, unframed, unsigned copy - $45
- Receive one as a premium for a donation to the Friends of the Library of $100 or more.
To order:
- Cash or check (payable to: Friends of the Griswold Memorial Library) at the library, or print out this order form and mail to Friends of the Griswold Memorial Library, c/o 57 Foundry Village Rd., Colrain MA 01340.
- By credit card via Venmo or Paypal, complete the online order form here.
You can also make a donation to the Friends of the Library by PayPal here. Be sure to also complete the order form linked above if you wish to receive a print as a premium for your donation of $100 or more!
Your support enhances services at the Griswold Memorial Library!
Posted: to Griswold Memorial Library News on Sat, Dec 17, 2022
Updated: Thu, Jan 19, 2023