Voting: One Less Thing to Worry About

There is a lot of uncertainty in 2020, but of all the changes we face one thing has stayed the same – there is a presidential election. Votes will be cast for November 3, 2020 but how does one cast their vote in a pandemic? For Massachusetts voters the answer just got a whole lot…

True Stories by Watertown Students

The My True Story writing contest is part of WFPL’s Collective Memory Project to capture the experiences and perspectives of Watertown citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Library’s local history department is preserving printed reflections and oral history interviews for future researchers. The My True Story project focused on the perspectives of teens at this…

Be Mindful: You – and Your Library – Have Answers

 “How can I help you?" Working at the Watertown Free Public Library, I probably ask that question a hundred times a day. When the Library was open, finding materials, giving direction, and smiling patrons made my day. Now, I know the COVID-19 pandemic has you waiting at home, but I hope that I can still point…

Cooking at home? We’ve Got eCookbooks!

I don’t know about you, but as much as I love cooking, I’m getting a bit tired of it. I know that many people have been ordering for pick-up and delivery, but I’ve still been a little wary of doing so. I might change my mind soon, though. That said, we have made some very…

Poetry in a Pandemic

How has the stay-at-home advisory altered your routine? Do you bother getting dressed for work? Most days, I’ve been lounging in my pajamas, slacking on my hair and makeup, and snacking at odd hours. I’ve been spending much more time with my husband, which is wonderful, but it means that he sees me without any…

Baking, Making, and Meditating…

I have always been intimidated by the idea of baking bread. I'm not sure why, but it's just always seemed too complex for me to want to tackle. Having had lots of time at home lately, and wanting to minimize trips to the grocery store, I decided one day to try to bake a simple loaf. I…

Kanopy for Adults & Kids

Resources are flying everywhere these days-virtual museum tours, live streaming concerts, etc.. To add to this, if you have children in school, you are probably also getting links to online enrichment learning websites. I don’t know about you, but I am overwhelmed. So to help you, I am going to add another online resource to…

Building Community in Times of Uncertainty

This is probably unsurprising, but since I’ve been home, I’ve been reading. I just started A Paradise Built in Hell by Rebecca Solnit, and it’s a welcome piece of non-fiction as I, along with everybody else, try to adjust to the “new normal” and the heaviness of uncertainty. In the prelude to the book, Solnit…

Let Us Entertain You!

WFPL is still here for you, even when our doors are closed. Hoopla offers ebooks, audiobooks, comics, music, movies and television shows. Watertown residents get 10 checkouts per calendar month. Titles are always available and you can renew them if you have checkouts left. Hoopla has also gifted us with a Bonus Borrows collection! For…

Let’s Help Each Other Out

Here’s what we’re doing at the Watertown Free Public Library to keep you digitally connected to books and media while we’re closed. We’ve increased our digital collections. We’ve purchased more copies of the most in-demand titles. You may not see that ebook you’re waiting for immediately, but the additional copies will cut your wait time…