50+ Job Seekers Group: Free Career & Networking Program

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The Massachusetts Library Collaborative’s 50+ Job Seekers Group meets on Wednesdays twice a month, from January to June.  There is a morning session 9:30 am to 11:30 am and an evening session from 6 pm to 8 pm via Zoom. (see schedule below) If you are unemployed and actively looking, underemployed, seeking a new career direction, re-entering the job market after a long employment gap, or recently retired and looking for your “Encore Career”, this networking group program is perfect for you! Remember, 85% of jobs are found through networking!
 
Join us in a professional forum for networking with peers in a safe and comfortable environment conducive to developing new relationships and developing skills and strategies to help in your career transition. Each meeting features a new topic. Meetings include a presentation and hands-on workshop on topics relevant to career transition, guest speakers, access to hiring managers, small group breakout rooms to network, and 1-on-1 coaching guidance. Participating on a regular basis will give job seekers the many tools and strategies needed for a successful job search.  You can sign up for all all sessions or attend individual sessions at your convenience.  There is overlap between the morning and evening sessions so if you miss a morning session you can catch the same information the next week in the evening. 
 
Each biweekly meeting is facilitated by Deborah Hope, MBA, PCIC, an experienced executive career coach. Deborah is a former Fortune 500 executive, investment banker and entrepreneur and transitioned to executive coaching over 12 years ago. She has coached with Harvard Business School Executive Education programs, the Mass. Conference for Women., and has been trained or certified in a variety of coaching models and assessment tools. Deborah has facilitated 50+ job seekers networking groups since 2016.
 
This group is sponsored by more than 60 Massachusetts public libraries. The program is free of charge.
 
Meeting Schedule:
 
Morning Meetings: ZOOM registration link:
Evening Meetings: ZOOM registration link:

December Teen Events

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TAG (Teen Activities Group) is for everyone in middle school and high school and normally meets every Wednesday. We meet in the Meeting Room (first floor, past the Children’s Room) starting at 1pm

Wednesday, December 7 – DIY Holiday Crafts – Make gifts and decorations from our supply of craft materials!
 
Wednesday, December 14 – Board Games – Play a favorite board game or learn a new one!
 
Wednesday, December 21 – Movie: Elf (2003) – Buddy the Elf goes to New York to find his real human father. (PG)
 
Wednesday, December 28 – No TAG – enjoy your winter break!

On Exhibit in the Gallery…

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Works by Printmaker Coco Berkman

November 10th to January 11th, 2023 

Gloucester artist and printmaker COCO BERKMAN utilizes her love of drawing and a literary inspired imagination along with Japanese carving tools, luxurious oil-based inks and beautiful cotton rag papers to create images that inspire a particular emotional effect. Coco has studied at several printmaking studios throughout the United States and Ireland.
 
The public is invited to view the exhibit during regular library hours.

This exhibit would not be possible without assistance from the Friends of the Bedford Free Public Library.

 

Friends of the Library Holiday Book Sale!

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Saturday, December 2:  1 – 4 pm

Sunday, December 3:  1 – 4 pm 

Stop by the Library and shop the Friends Room, the 1st Floor Study Rooms, and the Book Nooks. Choose from fiction and non-fiction books in great condition across all genres.  The sale also includes many holiday themed books.  This sale features a wide selection of gift-ready fiction, non-fiction, holiday, and children’s books as well as CDs and DVDs. These make great gifts at especially great prices.

All proceeds go to the Friends of the Bedford Free Public Library to support children, teen and adult programming as well as acquisitions for the Library.  We hope to see you there.

November Teen Events

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TAG (Teen Activity Group) is BACK! Join us every Wednesday after school in the Meeting Room for snacks and activities. Everyone in grades 6 through 12 is welcome!

November 2 – Perler Beads Pixel Art – Use fuse beads to create pixelated art!

November 9 – Board Games – Play a favorite board game or learn a new one!

November 16 – Movie: Enchanted – A young maiden in a land called Andalasia, who is prepared to be wed, is sent away to New York City by an evil Queen, where she falls in love with a lawyer. Watch this before Disenchanted comes out!

November 23 – No TAG – Enjoy Thanksgiving!

November 30 – Tower Building – Can you build the tallest or strongest tower with only toothpicks and marshmallows?

Personal Finance Workshops: October 11th, 18th, 25th, November 1.

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Boost Your Personal Finance Know How:
Join us for four workshops that will help position you for financial success!
Sponsored by the Babson Financial Literacy Project
Tuesdays October 11, October 18, October 25, and November 1
Time: 7-8:30pm

BOOST YOUR PERSONAL FINANCE KNOW-HOW
A series of workshops that will help position you for financial success!
Via Zoom  from 7-8:30 pm

OCT. 11: Tips & Tricks for Managing Credit
Credit cards can offer many benefits but can be a source of fees and stress. This workshop will help you learn to manage your credit cards and avoid traps. You will also learn about credit reports and credit scores and what steps you can take to improve your financial standing.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84147902599?pwd=RVg5RTB6N2ZONmZ5RndCWWNMdmdGUT09

OCT. 18:  Getting Started with Investing 
Do you want to begin investing but don’t know where to start? This fun and interactive workshop will help you learn about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs, and how to choose investments that make sense for you.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85983062818?pwd=dURQMlIyNDIxWGF6QWpxRDJ0Tk1lZz09

OCT. 25:  Saving &  Retirement 
Saving can help you reach your life goals. Saving even a small amount of money each week can dramatically improve your financial future! Join us to learn how to save for emergencies, short-term goals such as vacations, and long-term goals such as retirement.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89688046681?pwd=WFRtRFROMndrSWdPUVFUWG92WldMZz09

NOV. 1: Preparing for the Unexpected
Life as an independent adult requires some careful planning. How can you be ready for the challenges ahead? This workshop will help you organize your financial and legal matters and safeguard your financial accounts and possessions.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81507488602?pwd=ZzVaNGtUQVk2Wk9xSHpTZ3ZncFNLUT09
 
Made possible through the Babson Financial Literacy Project with funding from the Friends of the Bedford Free Public Library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TeenTober Digital Scavenger Hunt

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Download our TeenTober Digital Scavenger Hunt or ask for a copy at the Reference Desk – open to all middle school and high school students!

Find the pumpkins scattered across the library website (bedfordlibrary.net) by finding the pages mentioned on the worksheet. You can find each page by searching the website or by browsing the blue header bar at the top of the homepage. Each pumpkin has a number with it – write the numbers on the corresponding spots on the worksheet and add them together to get a secret code. Tell the secret code to the librarian at the Reference Desk to get a prize! If you can tell the librarian why that number is important to the library, you get two prizes!

October Teen Events

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TAG (Teen Activities Group) is for everyone in middle school and high school and normally meets every Wednesday. This fall, we will have activities in the Teen Room every other week after school on Wednesdays.

Wednesday, October 12 – Sliceforms – Create a 3D sphere or cube using only paper.

 

TeenTober

We have joined in with libraries across the country to commemorate TeenTober, a celebration of teens and teen library services! Join us for a digital scavenger hunt (with prizes!), make book recommendations for a teen-led display of your favorite books, and add a piece to our puzzle mosaic. Stop by the Reference Desk if you have questions!

On Exhibit in the Gallery…

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Natural Wonders  

September 8 – November 9, 2022

Photography based works by Anne Eder and Susan Murie.

    

ANN EDER:
“My interdisciplinary work takes place where the natural world meets the narrative impulse, shown through prints, sculpture in various media, and short stories. I am interested in the ways in which nature shapes our core mythologies, folklore, pop culture fictions, and religious beliefs, and in how specific geographies, inclusive of their elemental components, produce discrete narratives.”

SUSAN MURIE:
“My work is based in photography, capturing images with a camera, creating negatives which I then assemble on hand coated cyanotype papers. As I gather imagery, I am drawn often to flowers, some animals, windows and doors, clouds, and found objects that have appeared out of nowhere and seem to bring me a message or meaning. These then become part of my thinking about the ethereal nature of things, fragile bonds and the materiality of cyanotype.”
 
A reception for the artists will be held on Saturday, October 29th from 5 to 6 pm in the library lobby. All are welcome.

The public is invited to view the exhibit during regular library hours.

This exhibit would not be possible without assistance from the Friends of the Bedford Free Public Library.

 

Community Art Wall: 5th Grade Legacy Project, Lane Elementary School

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This collaborative mural was created by the 2021-2022 5th graders of Lane Elementary School in Bedford. During the project, students practiced connecting as artists as they reflected on their experiences at Lane, created unique pen and ink designs to personalize their squares, and worked together to assemble this collaborative piece for display in their school and community.

Are you an emerging artist and interested in exhibiting artwork on the Community Art Wall? The exhibit space is located on the wall opposite the Children’s Room entrance. We encourage students and amateur artists to apply. Generally, each exhibit is up for two months, though there is some flexibility in dates. All work submitted must be original and not previously shown at the Bedford Free Public Library. If you are interested in showing your work, please contact Library Director Richard Callaghan at rcallaghan@minlib.net or call 781-275-9440.