Watertown Library’s Hatch Makerspace Reopening Soon, Classes in July

Hatch Makerspace sent out the following information:

We’re reopening! Hatch staff and volunteers are ready to welcome you back starting Wednesday, July 7th. Hatch will be open Tuesday – Saturday from 1-9 PMHatch will continue to follow all library closures. Masks are required for unvaccinated individuals and strongly recommended for everyone. Hatch Makerspace is located at 20 Summer Street in Watertown, MA.

Watertown Children’s Summer Reading 2021 Kicks Off at the Watertown Library

The following information came from the Watertown Library:

As the school year winds down, there’s a lot to look forward to! Watertown Free Public Library’s annual summer reading program begins when the academic year ends. We’re here to help keep your student’s reading on track.  

How To Participate

Open the Challenge Card and print it from home. Challenge Cards are also available in the Children’s Room.Read!

Watertown Library Lifts Most COVID-19 Restrictions, Opens at Full Capacity

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Free Public Library:

Starting on Saturday, May 29, most covid restrictions were rescinded inside the Watertown Free Public Library. With capacity and social distancing limitations removed, patrons were welcomed back to full use of the library. It didn’t take long to feel the buzz that was so common before COVID hit last March. For the past year, library services have been greatly reduced to primarily browsing the collection, checking out materials, and limited computer and equipment use. Now, patrons can walk in and use computers, study rooms, sit and read, work, and use the public meeting rooms. Library operating hours are near pre-covid with the final move to full hours on July 11 when the library will resume Sunday hours.

Watertown Library Seeks Donors to Help Cover Cost of Book Mobile

Watertown Free Public LibraryThe Watertown Free Public Library. The Watertown Library is looking to bring books and other items closer to residents by starting a book mobile. The effort got a big boost from a donor, but the library still needs to raise about $70,000 to cover the cost of the custom vehicle, said Daniel Pritchard, a member of the Watertown Board of Library Trustees. “It is a great opportunity to reach the parts of the Watertown community that are not able to get to the Library, and maybe aren’t as mobile and can’t get down there as easily,” Pritchard said. “The Library is also just such an important resource for the Town, and to be able to go out to every nook and cranny in the community and make resources available is a really exciting opportunity.”

Free Workshop for Supporting People Developing Mental Health Issues

The following information was provided by the Watertown Free Public Library:

The Watertown Free Public Library is partnering with Wayside Multi-Service Center to offer Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) for the Watertown Community. MHFA teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis. Two sessions will be offered: one for adults interacting with adults, one for adults interacting with youth. Sign up now for a free mental health first aid workshop by clicking here.

Learn How to Build a Birdhouse, an Intro to 3-D Design and More This Month at Hatch

The following information announcement came from Hatch Makerspace:

This month at Hatch Makerspace by the WFPL

Custom Leather Keychains with Yi BinMonday, April 5, 6 pmIt’s time for spring cleaning and organization! Learn how to use Inkscape to design your own custom leather keychain to keep your keys in order. Send in your design after the workshop and pick it up in leather using Hatch curbside pickup.Build a Birdhouse with LizTuesday, April 13, 5 pmBuild a backyard home for our feathery friends. This is a fun introductory woodworking project for all ages. In addition to building a basic birdhouse, we will look at birdhouse customization and discuss how to make your birdhouse unique.

Library Hosting Ask the Doc Forum on COVID, Series of Mental Health Workshops

The Watertown Free Public Library will host a virtual town hall where residents can ask doctors their questions about COVID-19 on Wednesday, and Thursday, the library hosts the first of a series of online mental health workshops. The library sent out the following announcements:

Library to Host Free COVID-19 Forum With Top Doctors

With so much conflicting talk of vaccines and variants, navigating the COVID-19 pandemic can feel just as confusing today as it did one year ago. In an effort to provide reliable information to their communities, the Watertown Free Public Library and the Providence Public Library are teaming up to offer a “COVID-19 Town Hall” on Wednesday, March 24. During this free, virtual forum, Dr. Robin Schoenthaler of Massachusetts General Hospital and Dr. Philip A. Chan of Brown University will answer your submitted questions about the virus, vaccines, and public health. Spanish translation will be available.