Library and Community News

Framingham Coronavirus Community Outreach Is Here to Help You!

Framingham Coronavirus Community Outreach has been created with the goal of linking people who need help to those who are able to help. This is a network for the Framingham community during the coronavirus outbreak. We provide emergency support, emotional support, links to resources, up-to-date store information, and emergency groceries and items along with a link to our comprehensive Resource List.

Email: FraminghamOutreach@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/253780618965941/

Website: www.FraminghamOutreach.org

Mental Health Hotlines to Call

If you're feeling depressed, anxious, or having thoughts of suicide, please call one of these hotlines to speak to a trained, caring volunteer.

  • Call2Talk Emotional Support Line. Mental health, emotional support, suicide prevention. Call (508) 532-2255 or text C2T to 741741
  • Crisis Text Line. Text HOME to 741741 Provides free, 24/7 support for those in crisis. Text to chat with a trained crisis counselor. 
  • Disaster Distress, for help during natural or man-made disasters (SAMHSA). 1-(800) 985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746

Senior Resource Guide on Library Website

Image of elderly woman with cane being helped by a manWe recognize that seniors are particularly vulnerable during the COVID-19 crisis, and so, we have created a resource guide geared to seniors in Framingham. At this time, we are presenting information on special accommodations offered by grocery stores, pharmacies, and banks. This is a work in progress and new categories of services will be added on a continual basis. Here is a link to Resources for Seniors (60+): Local Business Accommodations. You may also access the guide by selecting the menu item from our website: Services->Library Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic->Resources for Seniors (60+): Local Business Accommodations.

Health Care Services for the Spanish- and Portuguese- Speaking Communities in Framingham

The Latino Health Insurance Program is offering important services to the Framingham community in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. These services include health and dental insurance enrollment, SNAP/food stamp enrollment, education about COVID-19, clinical evaluation for COVID-19, and medical orders for testing (when appropriate). Call 508-875-1237, or email help@lhiprogram.org for more information.
Hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Just for Kids: Free Children’s eBooks on the Coronavirus

Be A Coronavirus FighterCoronavirus for Kids Comic eBookCOVID-19 gameCover of My Hero is You

Enjoy these free Kids' eBooks about COVID-19:

Thank you to the Massachusetts Library System for providing this information.

Harry Potter & Sorcerer’s Stone Available Now with no Waitlists in OverDrive/Libby!

Harry Potter at HomeThroughout the month of April, our patrons have unlimited access to the ebook and audiobook editions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, courtesy of Pottermore & OverDrive. 

What's exciting about this promotion:

*  Now includes the audiobook edition

*  Includes over 20 languages (Great for language learners & multilingual families)

*  Includes accompanying activities at harrypotterathome.com

*  It's Harry Potter!
 

Hoopla Announces Bonus Borrows

From hoopla:

"In order to provide relief to libraries and to provide more content to patrons during this difficult time of sheltering at home, we are proud to announce the hoopla Bonus Borrows Collection with more than 1,100 top titles and hoopla favorites.
 

When a patron borrows these titles now through 4/30/20:

  • That circulation is FREE to Libraries.
  • Each patron will be debited ZERO borrows from their monthly hoopla borrows."

Don't have hoopla? Click here to get started. Find Bonus Borrows by viewing the categories for each format and selecting "Bonus Borrows." For example, here's how you'd see Audiobook Bonus Borrows:

Romance eBooks and Digital Audiobooks, Free Access from TumbleBooks

RomanceBookCloud offers a core collection of 1,800 titles contemporary, historical, time travel, paranormal or inspirational romance novels. Titles include award winners and best sellers.

 

AudioBookCloud is a collection of streaming audio books featuring over 1,200 titles, including dozens of genres and interest levels. The collection includes popular literature, classics, children’s and teen books, mystery, sci-fi, history, biography, and more!

TumbleBooks Offers Free Access to eBooks for Children and Teens

Tumblebooks LibraryTumbleBooks announced that it is making its family of online libraries available for free until at least August 31, 2020. Links to these databases are included below and also accessible from the Minuteman Library Networks databases webpage.

TumbleBookLibrary: Grades K-6. Includes unique animated, talking picture books, read-along chapter books, National Geographic videos, non-fiction books, playlists, as well as books in Spanish and French. Plus, the collection features Graphic Novels – a student favorite!

TumbleMath LogoTumbleMath: Grades K-6. TumbleMath combines animation, narration, and sound to create a compelling and enticing story book for students of all ages. The books are all accompanied by supplementary materials such as lesson plans, educational games, plus quizzes in order to test and track progress.

TeenBookCloud logoTeenBookCloud: Grades 7-12. This collection features graphic novels, enhanced e-books with full audio narration and highlighted text, classic literature, National Geographic videos, and more! The site supports a wide range of readers’ interests and levels. Orca Books and Saddleback books offer hundreds of High-Interest/Low-Level content. In addition, our new AP English section makes hundreds of curriculum books available to readers at the click of a button!