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Date: 4/26/2021
HOLYOKE – The Holyoke Public Library had their 150th anniversary last year. However, due to COVID–19, they weren't able to celebrate their anniversary the way they hoped, so they’re continuing the celebrations with activities this year.
important milestone. We were somewhat disappointed that our original plans had to be altered. Several of the planned programs for our anniversary happened in 2020, but not as planned.”
The Holyoke Public Library Corporation was established in 1870 for the purpose of organizing a library for the city. As stated on their website, the goal of the library is to promote literacy; seeking to promote endeavors which will stimulate and expand the reading interests of both children and adults and to coordinate this work with that of other educational, social and cultural groups in the community.
“I believe the business people and owners of the mills believed in the importance of education and the pursuit of knowledge could make life useful and happy. And in wanting to support and improve the education of their mill workers mostly immigrants and their families and therefore the aesthetic climate of the city,” Pagan said. “They came together to plan for and built a library for the benefit of the citizens of Holyoke.”
Since May of 2020, the library on 250 Chestnut St. has been providing library services in a different way with online programs, books, faxes, printing or photocopies via curbside services. Until the library opens to the public, the Holyoke History Room has several online programs, story-times for children are available via Facebook and with Dial-A-Story.
The library also offers free online non-credit courses and professional development classes with continuing education units/credits; preparedness practice tests for many career and professional opportunities, job search opportunities and online coaches for all stages of job search. Additionally, they offer online assistance for veterans and MCAS practice tests to help students prepare for MCAS tests that will be administered in May. They also have a Hotspot Lending Program to assist with internet access for a limited time, e-books access, resources to learn a new language, arts and crafts, resources for how to play a musical instrument online and download songs free of charge.
To celebrate the 250th anniversary, their trivia night took place online last year and several library history exhibits are on display. One exhibit is an online exhibit, while the other is hanging on the library windows so it can be viewed from outside. Also offered online is the library tour.
Another resource offered by the library is an abundance of historic film and video content digitized by the Holyoke History Room called “Claiming Place: Preserving the History of Puerto Rican and Latino Culture and Politics in Western Massachusetts through digitization of the Vecinos/Neighbors and La Familia Hispana, Inc. video collections.”
Another resource is Genealogist - Irish Sources for Genealogy was also done online, the Life and Times of Saint Patrick with Irish historian Sean Murphy, their Fall 2020 Virtual Genealogy and Local History Presentations, the Newton Brothers: Building Industrial Holyoke, 1862-1899 with Will Melton (https://youtu.be/nc3LIgmuCPU) and a Case Study in French-Canadian Genealogy (https://youtu.be/fqCpYwnG52Q).
This year, the Holyoke Public Library has new programs and events such as the History of County Kerry, which is a three part online course with Sean Murphy. The first part took place on April 20 and 27, while the last part will take place on May 4 from 5 -6:30 p.m.
Other new programs the library is offering are Contribute to a Microhistory of the Year 2020 in Holyoke (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfS-HfWv_0OqqlGYw_6mw6re-Srrdl7Cg5UVPjySz7OTr8huw/viewform), a children summer reading program, a DNA workshop, Holyoke land records online program, Holyoke old maps online program, a library birthday party, mini-golf at the library, video games tournament and an outside concert with Marc Berger.
Pagan said her plan is to open the library to the public in a safe manner to safeguard the health of visitors and staff. She is also looking to develop a long-range strategic plan to enhance services, expand access, optimize resources, educate and connect.
Many of the Holyoke History Room programs are available in the Holyoke History Room YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuGlq990a2Xm4k3H2e8CzSQ/videos).
Those wanting more information about the Claiming Place Project (http://www.holyokelibrary.org/historyclaimingplace.asp) should contact the Holyoke History Room archivist at 420-8107.Virtual tours can be found online at https://holyoke.oncell.com.
More information about the library and its programs can be found at holyokelibrary.org.