Celebrate Languages Around the World with Learn a Foreign Language Month in December!

Bonjour (hello!) and bienvenido (welcome!) Whether you want to learn to converse with a new friend, brush up on a foreign language you learned in high school for business, or are traveling (or moving!) somewhere new and exotic, your Worcester Public Library has a number of resources to support your language learning goals.

Library Materials to Borrow and Take Home

Our language learning materials for languages other than English are located in the 400s on the 2nd floor of the Main Library. You can borrow books, CDs, and combination sets to study more than 100 languages! 

Non-English language magazines are on display in the World Languages area. 

A small selection of audiobooks in other languages is available as well.

Visit our catalog's New Books page to see recently added new books in languages other than English!

Our World Languages Collection offers fiction and nonfiction print books in nearly a dozen languages. We have materials in:

• Albanian
• Arabic
• Chinese
• French
• Italian
• Polish
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Spanish
• Ukrainian
• Vietnamese

Our DVD Collection includes foreign films in Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish and Vietnamese. Watch, listen in the native language, and turn on the English subtitles to increase your comprehension.

Additionally, you can ask a staff member to request a deposit collection of materials in languages we may not have, from other libraries in the Commonwealth.

In our 400s nonfiction collection on the second floor, we have Oxford Dictionaries for English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Russian to provide word-to-word translations, grammar and usage notes. 

Language learning CDs in the audio collections on the first floor help learners improve their pronunciation by listening and repeating vocabulary words, common phrases, and dialogue.

The Children's Foreign Language Collection is a great place to begin when you need basic information on a topic, and language learning is no exception! Visit the third floor to browse language learning resources for a juvenile audience, and check out materials like bilingual picture books to read with your child, illustrated first dictionaries, and collections of materials in other languages from around the world.

Online Learning

Online, Mango Languages is a free digital resource that allows you practice 70+ languages from anywhere on your phone or tablet. Learn romantic Spanish phrases, practice an Arabic dialect, or expand your vocabulary through a Mandarin film! Download the free app for Apple or Android devices, and set up an account with your library card to track and remember your progress through the set of lessons. Our Library Card Application is available in Arabic, Chinese (simplified and traditional), French, Portuguese, Spanish and Vietnamese; proof of your current address is all that's required for a free card.

If you're a library staff member who needs to improve your Spanish for use at la bibliotecha (the library), Mango Languages has a two-part module to help library staff converse with Spanish-speaking patrons to help them use a computer, get a library card, or direct them to resources.

Classes

If you are an English Language Learner, we offer informal practice with our English Conversation Circle on Tuesdays from 5:30-7:30pm in the first floor ellipse. Practice speaking English in a relaxed, comfortable place, and meet new friends as we learn by talking together. 

For a slightly more formal experience, Everyday English Class meets on Monday and Wednesdays from 10:00am-12:00pm in the first floor meeting room with Holly from RICEMA, where students learn English using real-life scenarios. Drop in to this student-centered class which focuses on English used in everyday conversations. Classes are mixed level. No registration is required, and students can join anytime.

Please check the Library's Events Calendar to confirm these events in advance of attending. The library can also assist in finding curriculum-based English courses in the Worcester area.

Additionally, English as a Second Language Classes (ESOL) are offered through the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester. Their office is located on the third floor of the Library, and they offer 3 semesters each year in fall, spring and summer, both in-person offsite (morning/afternoon) and online (evening) classes on weekdays, for three, in three levels: survival, beginner and intermediate. One-on-one tutoring services are also available. Email info@lvgw.org or call or WhatsApp 508-754-8056 for more information.

Additional Support

When you call or visit the library and aren't comfortable communicating in English, we may be able to locate a staff member that speaks your native language. When we can't, we use Language Line to connect to a translator by phone or video conference to help us understand one another in pursuit of your library-related requests.

The Library does not provide translation of documents, but offer referral to direct those in need of such services 

The Library provides Services for New Americans & English Learners, as well; for additional assistance, drop in to ESOL Navigator Program at the Main Library in the New Americans Corner Monday or Tuesdays between 1:00-4:00pm or Fridays between 10:00am-12:00pm.

New Releases - December Edition

Check out these highly anticipated new releases featuring fiction and nonfiction titles. Click on the title to request a copy or get your name on the waitlist. Don’t forget to watch for more featured releases next month!

FICTION

When the Fireflies Dance by Aisha Hassan
In this hair-raising debut from Hassan, a family of indentured servants is torn apart in contemporary Pakistan. Work at the primitive brickworks is backbreaking for seven-year-old Lalloo’s parents. What’s more, usurious loans force entire generations to spend their lives trapped in a cycle of debt. When his older brother, Jugnu, speaks out against the exploitation, Jugnu is beaten to death by the overseer’s goons. Lalloo’s parents send him away for his safety, and he eventually becomes an apprentice to an auto mechanic. As a frightened and lonely young man, Lalloo yearns for love and has recurring nightmares about Jugnu’s death, which he witnessed and blames himself for—otherwise, why would his parents have sent him away? Meanwhile, his sisters Pinky and Shabnam toil in the brickworks. When the owner of the garage dies, Lalloo finds work as a chauffeur for a wealthy family and determines to finance Shabnam’s dowry, as she’d prefer an arranged marriage to servitude. What starts out as a stultifying tale of hopelessness becomes a fast-paced drama full of betrayals, escapes, intrigue, and self-sacrificing heroism. It’s enlivened by charming scenes of street life and the bazaar, stark contrasts between the lives of the well-to-do and the servant classes, and unforgettable villains and allies. Hassan proves herself a gifted storyteller. Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly

Winter Stories by Ingvild Rishøi, trans. by Diane Oatleyngvild
Can a lifetime of struggle be distilled into a single moment? Oslo-based Rishøi, author of the best-selling novel Brightly Shining (2024), shows it's possible in her riveting latest, three stories examining the multitudes contained within just a few short hours. With sympathetic characters, expert pacing, and palpable tension, Rishøi builds each tale toward a gripping conclusion. First, a young mother, almost out of cash, finds kindness from a stranger, her daughter's dreamy-eyed take on the world for once winning out over her own harsh reality. Then, a man recently released from prison prepares for a much-anticipated visit from his son and reflects on his relationship with the boy's mother, as a fuller picture emerges of what drove him to crime. Finally, a 17-year-old out of options tries taking her half-siblings to a refuge, under the looming threat of discovery or disaster. In a department-store fitting room, a pillow shop, or a snowed-in country road, Winter Stories explores how seemingly everyday interactions can carry extraordinary consequences. The past meets the present as promises, regrets, and betrayals intertwine; relationships that are over but not forgotten surface for characters tracing the choices that led to their current crucible moments—all while Rishøi finds light amid the darkness of a Norwegian winter. Copyright 2025 Booklist Reviews.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Ace Atkins
A 14-year-old boy’s suspicion that his mom’s boyfriend might be a Russian spy ignites this busy comedic thriller from Atkins (Don’t Let the Devil Ride). In 1985 Atlanta, Peter Bennett worries that his scientist mom’s new flame, Gary—who has a funny accent, is not in the phone book, and keeps a gun in his car—is less interested in romance than in gaining access to her work for a government contractor. Peter knows that nobody in authority will take a high school freshman seriously, so he gets in touch with his favorite author, crime novelist Dennis “Hotch” Hotchner, whose writing career flamed out a decade ago. Hotch agrees to help, but trouble soon follows: a Russian hit man appears on the scene, a coworker of Peter’s mom is found murdered, and the FBI gets involved. When Peter’s kidnapped, Hotch and his sidekick, a brawny drag queen named Jackie Demure, shift into high gear. Atkins peppers the exuberant action with colorful references to ’80s pop culture, but as the cast of characters expands, the book’s many subplots start to stall the narrative momentum. It’s hard not to admire his ambition, but Atkins has done better before.  Copyright 2025 Publisher’s Weekly

NONFICTION

A Long Game: Notes on Writing Fiction by Elizabeth McCracken 
* McCracken (The Hero of This Book) has written many bestselling and award-winning books including four novels, three story collections, and a memoir. She has also, for over 35 years, taught students about writing and fiction at the University of Texas, Austin. This book delightfully distills advice from her expertise in the craft of writing. She approaches the task with a good deal of skepticism for the project, using the word “hogwash” in the opening pages. With a light touch, she deflates many lofty rules of writing, citing the fads and fashions in literary advice. What McCracken learned in the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in when she attended in 1988 is not what students absorb today, and she speculates that any piece of advice she has given over the years has since been disproved by some brilliant piece of writing. McCracken’s deep empathy for others is evident on every page. As much a book of philosophy as a treatise on writing, this work could even bear the subtitle Notes on Life. VERDICT A charming book that will have great appeal not only for aspiring writers but for all lovers of fiction and anyone interested in the complicated art of being human. Reviewed by Jennifer Alexander, Oct 01, 2025

The Sea Captain's Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love, and Adventure at the Bottom of the World by Tilar J. Mazzeo
A rip-roaring, seafaring adventure with a twist. Mazzeo, the author of The Widow Clicquot, has fashioned a captivating role-reversal tale. In crisp prose, it begins in Maine’s Penobscot Bay, home to hundreds of sea captains, including Joshua Adams Patten and his 19-year-old wife, Mary Ann. In 1854 he secured the captainship of a massive clipper, the dozen-sailed Flying Scud. He sailed from New York to Liverpool and back, earning a fine salary and a handsome race wager. In 1855 he was chosen to captain the clipper ship Neptune’s Car to circumnavigate the globe. If successful, he would receive a massive payout. He and Mary Ann agreed that she would accompany him. For the first time, he confronted dangerous waves in Drake’s Passage, between South America and Antarctica. Mazzeo does a fine job explaining how the waves affect ships and the nuances of celestial navigation. Despite an impressive 101-day voyage to San Francisco, Patten lost a $2,000 race wager by hours. In Hong Kong, he took on tea for cargo and sailed to London, where it would bring high prices. Once back home, Patten quickly received another commission for the same voyage, including a five-ship race wager and a new, disgruntled first mate. Patten had to demote him, so when the captain became ill, it was Mary Ann, who was pregnant and had no sea training, who scoured navigational maps and medical texts to steer a course through Drake’s Passage amid foul weather and a questioning crew. On September 5, 1856, with a gun hidden under her oilskin, she addressed the crew with “one hell of a speech.” For the first time ever, a woman became captain of a merchant ship—with the crew’s approval. Awaiting them were terrible weather and icebergs—and the hope of returning home. A thoroughly entertaining, delightful story. © Kirkus Reviews 

The Podcast Pantheon: 101 Podcasts That Changed How We Listen by Sean Malin 
Vulture podcast columnist Malin helps readers navigate the vast landscape of English-language podcasts in this insightful debut guide. He deems the current moment “the Golden Age of Podcasting,” explaining that 31% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly and ad revenue has exploded in recent years to a projected $4 billion in 2025. The 101 shows Malin highlights span all the major categories, including history, pop culture, true crime, comedy, science fiction, and self-help. In each entry, Malin describes the show’s merits and history and recommends a favorite episode. For Limetown, a science fiction podcast, Malin details, without spoilers, the plot—the unsolved disappearance of 300 people from their fictional Tennessee community—and outlines how the pilot episode rapidly found an audience, reaching “the top spot on the download charts without any famous cast members to promote it.” Each section is equal parts informative and evocative; Malin conveys what makes comedy podcasts, such as Jonathan Katz’s Hey, We’re Back, funny to so many listeners, and why certain investigative series are successful, like The Last Days of August, which he says avoided cheap thrills and brought compassion and humanity to the story of a pornographic actress who died by suicide. This is an essential overview of a wildly popular medium. © Publisher’s Weekly

Library on the Move: The New Generation

On Monday, November 18, 1940, Worcester Public Library celebrated the launch of a new service: our first official bookmobile! As we celebrate the 85th anniversary of that historic launch, here is a brief history of the latest iteration of bookmobiles, including Libby (and Libby's second edition) and Lilly.

The Original Libby, circa June 2013

As we previously wrote, the story of the Worcester Public Library's bookmobiles came to a halt in 1991 when the budget cuts took effect and the Proposition 2 1/2 override vote failed. The Kids' Stop vehicle came out of retirement to serve the Great Brook Valley community in 1994 when the Great Brook Valley Branch temporarily closed to move from 87 Tacoma Street to a larger newly renovated space at 89 Tacoma Street. Great Brook Valley Branch would reopen in January 1995.

In June 2001, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette announced that the City Council had agreed to allocate $304,348 to acquire and staff a Worcester Public Library bookmobile. At the time, Head Librarian Penny Johnson hoped that perhaps the bookmobile could even be in service as early as February 2002. City Manager Thomas R. Hoover indicated that it would initially cost $150,000 to purchase the vehicle, $80,000 to staff it during the first year, and the rest of the funds would be used for the materials such as books, furniture, and computers. The bookmobile drivers wouldn't need a special driver's license such as a CDL to operate this new vehicle.

The community was incredibly excited about the prospect of having a bookmobile back in Worcester after a decade's absence. According to one patron, Ms. Dow, losing the bookmobile service all those years ago meant "those of us who love to read lost our friends - books, books, books" (Worcester Telegram & Gazette, July 1, 2001).

Unfortunately, the economic recession in 2001 compounded by the aftermath of September 11, 2001 put a halt on the plans to revive the bookmobile. In fact, the library itself had to struggle with a citywide hiring freeze and other budget issues starting in 2002.

Plans for a bookmobile were back on the table in 2006. The library acquired an old 1992 Blue Bird bus turned bookmobile from Fitchburg Public Library for $15,000.  And then... nothing happened for five years. Due to a new economic recession, there was never any money available to operate the bookmobile and it sat in storage during that time.

The First Library Express a.k.a. "Libby," 2012-2018

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported in August 2011 that there was momentum for reestablishing bookmobile service. Seven months later, Worcester Public Library held a press conference at the College of the Holy Cross announcing a partnership with the college to launch the new bookmobile. Holy Cross agreed to contribute $80,000 per year for five years to fund the operating costs of the vehicle and the partnership would be reevaluated after the five years. The City of Worcester and a contribution from the UMASS Memorial Health Care also helped fund startup costs and costs related to the book collection. Furthermore, sixth graders from Worcester's public, private, and parochial schools could participate in a naming contest for the then-unnamed vehicle.

Sixth grader Ricardo Figuera was one of four students who came up the winning name for the bookmobile. He initially submitted Worcester Library Express (taking inspiration from the Polar Express movie), which was later shortened to Library Express. John Guachichula and Patson Pierre also submitted Library Express and Jake Ford submitted Libby as the nickname. All four winners received Kindles as a prize and all participants in the contest received tickets to a future Holy Cross football game. Library Express, a.k.a. Libby was unveiled on May 1, 2012 at a ceremony in the courtyard of Carol & Park B. Smith Hall at the College of the Holy Cross.

Libby at the College of the Holy Cross, May 2012

Libby traveled to elementary schools, the Worcester Senior Center, parks, pre-schools, low-income and senior housing facilities, community centers, festivals and other outdoor events, and more. This blog's author and her fellow Main Library reference librarians even worked on the bookmobile for several weeks in 2013 until a new bookmobile librarian was hired. In one memorable exchange, a student at an elementary school stop asked this librarian aboard the bookmobile, "Do you sleep here?"

Little Libby a.k.a. "Lilly," 2014 - Present

On January 8, 2014, Worcester Public Library launched a bookmobile named "Lilly" (as in Little Libby) as part of the One City, One Library initiative, which was intended to improve literacy in the city's elementary school populations. The first step of the OCOL initiative was the opening of the four public library branches (Roosevelt Branch, Tatnuck Magnet Branch, Goddard Branch, and Burncoat Branch opened between 2013-2016) in four city public elementary schools as part of a public-private partnership. As a result, the new bookmobile's focus would be the elementary schools that did not have the new school library branches (unlike the larger Libby bookmobile, which served all ages). United Way of Central Massachusetts was the initial major donor for this new C Model bookmobile from Moroney Monolite® with $68,400 going towards its purchase. UMASS Medical School also contributed funds for the bookmobile's materials. 

Original Design of Lilly, circa 2014-15

Two years later, Lilly got an snazzy new look, with a exterior wrap that featured the United Way logo, the Quinsigamond Community College's mascot, the mythical dragon-like creature known as the wyvern; and Worcester State University's mascot, the Lancer. Quinsigamond Community College, QCC Foundation, and Worcester State University all partnered with the library to fund Lilly's operating costs. It was announced in March 2014 that QCC's Alpha Zeta Theta Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society would raise $100,000 over the next three years for this purpose.

Invitation to the Debut of Lilly's New Look, March 2016

Lilly's New Look, circa 2017

Lilly currently serves public and private elementary schools, a couple of middle schools, afterschool programs, community centers, and the Seven Hills Foundation. It also periodically appears special events and programs in the Worcester area, bringing a smile to the faces of its visitors.

The Second Libby

The original Libby definitely showed its age during its years of service in Worcester. After constant breakdowns where it felt like the bookmobile was off the road more often than it was actually in service, the library decided to acquire a new bookmobile. The Worcester Public Library Foundation was instrumental in raising the funds for the new vehicle, including dedicating their October 2016 Celebration of Authors fundraising event to this goal. A month earlier, the College of the Holy Cross had renewed their sponsorship of Libby for another three years with a rededication ceremony.

Rededication of Libby at the College of the Holy Cross, September 21, 2016

Work in Progress for New Libby, circa December 2016

Work in Progress for New Libby, circa December 2016

Finally, in January 2018, the library unveiled the brand new and very much improved Libby built by Moroney. This Moroney Monolite® B Model Bookmobile was 25% larger than the original Libby, and was powered with more environmentally-friendly lithium cell batteries as opposed to a gas-powered generator. Mayor Joe Petty presented the artists for the exterior of the new Libby, Andrei Krautsou ("Key Detail") and Julia Yubaba ("Yu-baba") with keys to the city in honor of their contributions. Key Detail and Yu-baba are muralists who previously worked on one of the Pow! Wow! Worcester! murals at the Elm Park Community School in the summer of 2017.

Libby Facing Right, circa January 2017

Libby Facing Left, circa January 2017

Unveiling of Libby's New Design at City Hall, January 10, 2018

Ribbon Cutting of the New Libby, January 10, 2018

Libby has been on the road (on and off, of course) ever since. It carries a variety of materials, including regular and large print books, DVDs, Playaways, and more. As previously mentioned, Libby caters to all ages and visits a variety of locations, including special events.

Executive Director Jason Homer and Patron Aboard Libby, circa 2022

Louis and Luigi

We would be remiss if we didn't mention that Worcester Public Library has two other vehicles in its repertoire. They're not bookmobiles in the traditional sense but they are used for outreach and resource allocation/delivery to the branches. 

Louis, the van, is named after French educator and inventor Louis Braille and is occasionally used for the Worcester Talking Book Library's outreach efforts. The Worcester Public Library and the Worcester Talking Book Library share joint custody over the van's operations. 

Louis the Library Van, circa 2023

Luigi, the newly named book bike launched in Spring 2025 and has been seen in outreach events such as this year's Boston Pride march as well as this summer's Out to Lunch on the Worcester Common. While it sometimes has been confused with an ice cream bike, the book bike helps library staff share information and free books to attendees of the various community events. The library officially announced Luigi as the new name of the book bike on November 12, 2025.

Book Bike, October 2025

In Conclusion

There you have it: the history of the various bookmobiles and related vehicles in Worcester Public Library's history. The author of this blog post would like to thank Worcester Public Library's staff members, past and present, for their recollections of the various vehicles. Institutional memory helps preserve the history of Worcester Public Library.

If you missed our previous blog posts about the earlier history of the bookmobiles, you can read them here: 

Library on the Move: The Early Years

Library on the Move: Through the Years

Sources:

"Bulletin Board." (1994, September 1). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. B1.

Dow, G.P. (2001, July 1). "Bookmobile is Back in Worcester." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. C1.

Foskett, Jr., S.H. (2012, May 2). "City Wheels Out 21st Century Library on the Move." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A8. 

Kotsopoulos, N. (2012, March 7). "More Than Books on This 'Magic Bus.'" Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A1.

Kotsopoulos, N. (2007, January 7). "Murray Leaves Projects in Pipeline to Blossom Later." Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. B2.

Kotsopoulos, N. (2002, February 26). "Hoover Sharpens Budget Hatchet." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A1.

Kotsopoulos, N. (2001, June 13). "Library Wheels Back Clock." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. B1.

Kush, B.B. (2014, January 10). "Bookmobile to Focus on Children." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. B2.

Kush, B.B. (2011, August 22). "Bookmobile Return Overdue?" Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A1.

"Lovable Libby." (2012, May 3). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A15.

O'Connell, S. (2016, March 4). "Library Bookmobile Gets a New Look." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A7.

"On the Road Again." (2001, June 20). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A8.

"Reading Gets Rolling." (2014, January 15). Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A13.

Wait, You Can Do That at the Library?: Preserving Family Memories

The holidays are coming up and that might mean you may see family members you haven't seen in a while. This is a great time to break out the old shoeboxes full of family photos or the dusty VHS tapes of home family videos so that you can reminisce together. Now, you might think to yourself, "Self, how do I view these moments in time with my family if I don't have a VCR anymore?" Or, "Self, my family lives across the country and there's no way I'm paying for an extra checked bag by carrying these photo albums on the plane." Or, "Self, I need to clear out my house before company arrives and what better way than tossing these things taking up space?" We have a solution to some of your problems: our Digital Studio!*

Scan of a 35mm color slide from circa November 1972

Digital Studio 101

So what is the Digital Studio and how can someone use it to preserve their family memories? According to our Digital Studio webpage, "The Digital Studio will provide patrons 18+ with the means to digitally organize and preserve audio and video family history through the use of our scanners, computers, and software. The Digital Studio is intended for those who want to use the library's photo digitization equipment, audio cassette tape or VHS conversion equipment." 

The Digital Studio opened to the public in 2021 and is located on the first floor of the library opposite the Newspapers & Magazines desk near the Franklin Street entrance. Our Digital Studio has two PCs and two Macs, but this post is going to focus on the PCs and the equipment connected to them. 

Digital Studio

Baby Photos, Family Vacations, Family Portraits, and More

Our two PCs on the right side of the Digital Studio are used for separate purposes: the PC on the left is used for digitizing photos, slides, and negatives and the one on the right is used for converting VHS tapes and cassette tapes to digital video and audio files. 

We have two Epson scanners for digitizing print photos: a Epson Perfection V39 flatbed scanner used to scan one photo at a time and a Epson FastFoto FF-680W high-speed scanner that can quickly scan batches of approximately 30 photos of similar sizes at a time. The included Epson software allows for scanning customization (For example, you may use a specific image file format or resolution size if you're sharing the photo on social media versus needing a higher quality image in order to print an enlarged photo to hang on your wall).

Photo circa 1970s and the scanned image using the Epson Perfection V39 flatbed scanner

Epson FastFoto FF680-W

Finally, we have a Kodak Scanza digital film scanner that can be used to digitize slides and negatives. Most of the slides and negatives scanned using this machine are 35mm (this is what you probably have at home if you have any slides or negatives). Incidentally, the same model of the Kodak Scanza digital film scanner is available to borrow from our Library of Things collection at both the Main Library and the Frances Perkins Branch. Ask our librarians if you need help putting a LOT digital film scanner on hold. Note: a regular SD card is required to use any of our digital film scanners.

Slide Carousel with Slides of Al Banx Cartoons

Kodak Scanza Digital Film Scanner with Negative of an Old WPL Branch

Wedding Videos, School Plays, Oral Histories and More

On the video side of things, we use VidBox equipment and its included software attached to a VCR to convert VHS tapes to MP4 files in real time. In addition, we might be able to convert hi-8 tapes using a camcorder or VHS-C tapes using a VHS-c cassette adapter. Please talk to our Digital Studio staff if you have a specific question about converting videos. Unfortunately, we do not have the equipment to convert Super 8 film reels. 

Using the VidBox and VCR to Convert VHS Tape

We have the ability to convert cassette tapes to MP3 audio files in real time using a special cassette player along with Audacity software on the same PC that is used for VHS conversion. You can also use Audacity to edit the audio files after you convert them.

Super USB Cassette Capture Device

Saving and Sharing the Memories

You will need a flash drive or other method of storage to externally save your new image, audio, or video files because our computers are designed to wipe the files at the end of each computer session. There are many options for sharing your newly saved files with friends and family across the country, including using a shared cloud storage account, emailing the files, uploading to your social media account, or even snail mailing the storage device.

Teaching the Basics

Of course, we're not going to make you use all of this new-to-you equipment without giving you some instructions on how to use them. In fact, our Digital Studio orientations are mandatory in order for you to be able to use the equipment in the future. We've found that people take comfort in these orientations because they learn to use the equipment more confidently with a little metaphorical handholding. Once you are fully certified with a snazzy Certificate of Completion, the training wheels come off and you will be able to use any of this equipment by yourself without us sitting next to you. 

Certificate of Completion

Accessing the Digital Studio

Those who have received a Certificate of Completion for attending our orientations may use the space for up to two hours on a first come, first serve basis. We do block off access to the digitization and conversion section of the Digital Studio for our dedicated orientation appointment slots on Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30 P.M. and on occasion we will block off the space for scheduled one-on-one appointments with people who aren't able to make it to the Wednesday orientations. Other than that, as long as no one else is using a specific computer, that space can be all yours for the two hours once you sign in with our Newspapers & Magazines department staff. 

Touching Up Your Images or Videos

Now we did mention the Macs before, and while they're not directly used with our equipment to preserve your family photos or videos, they can be used if you want to use the Adobe Creative Cloud software to edit your files. In fact, the Digital Studio PC used for digitizing photos, slides, and negatives also has Adobe Creative Cloud (so does our Adobe computer on the 2nd floor). So, if you want to touch up a faded photo or remove an estranged relative from an image, you can freely use our Photoshop software to edit the photos. We do not offer any classes or tutorials on using any of the Adobe Creative Cloud software so it is expected you know how to use them. Access to Adobe Creative Cloud in the Digital Studio does not require a Certificate of Completion so you can just sign in first come, first serve with our Newspapers & Magazines staff.

Next Steps?

There you have it: the basic guide to what's offered in our Digital Studio and how you can use the space so you can learn how to preserve your family memories! Want to make an appointment for a Digital Studio orientation? Contact us via this form: one-on-one appointment form or see if any of our Wednesday time slots are available on our online calendar.

P.S.

*You're on your own with the cleaning and decluttering of your house: we're a library, not a housekeeping service! We do have books on those subjects if you need tips though (648.5 and 648.8 are two good call numbers to start with if you're in need of assistance!). 

Library on the Move: Through the Years

On Monday, November 18, 1940, Worcester Public Library celebrated the launch of a new service: our first official bookmobile that roamed the streets of Worcester! As we celebrate the 85th anniversary of that historic launch, here is more history of the Worcester Public Library bookmobile from 1954 to 1991. You can read our previous post about the first bookmobile here: The Early Years of the WPL Bookmobile. We will discuss the newest bookmobiles in a later blog post. 

Undated Photo at a Bookmobile Stop

The Second Bookmobile
Tuesday, April 20, 1954 was the end of an era in the world of Worcester Public Library. On that day, library staff formed a bucket brigade to transfer the books from the original bookmobile to the new bookmobile that was built by Shrewsbury's Thomas F. Moroney Co. Inc. Below are a couple of images from "moving day." A day later, more than five hundred people visited the bookmobile on display at City Hall and the new bookmobile would officially start its service that Thursday, with a weekly schedule of 23 stops from Monday to Friday.

Library's New Bookmobile, Worcester Telegram, April 9, 1954

Moving Day, April 1954

Pages on Moving Day, April 1954

In August 1954, the library temporarily curtailed bookmobile service to the school stops, citing a shortage of trained library personnel. Taylor blamed the shortage on not being able to attract trained librarians to work at the library because the salary was below the national average. Additionally, the Curtis Apartments stop was temporarily stopped in September but was able to resume in December. School stops were back on the schedule in mid-January 1955. Further disruptions of the schedule would occur throughout the years, due to staffing, many repairs, or holidays.

Undated Photo of the Bookmobile in Front of WPL on Elm Street

Alfred C. Cote retired from the position of bookmobile driver in October 1959. He had started working part-time at the library in 1929 and began driving the bookmobile in 1940. He was a regular bookmobile driver until 1959, aside from his 3-year stint in the military during World War II. Incidentally, Cote was shot multiple times in a failed holdup in 1964 while working as a cashier at Spag's in Shrewsbury. He survived the shooting and died in 1995.

Bookmobile Driver Retires, Worcester Evening Gazette, October 30, 1959

The library frequently received requests to add additional stops to their bookmobile routes. However, a library board report in 1961 indicated that the bookmobile could not take on any new stops at this time without eliminating one of the current stops. The report also indicated that the library would require additional funding for personnel and a second bookmobile if they wanted to add additional stops without cutting service.

Front desk Betty and Ann Louise, undated

Patrons at Brittan Square, 1963

The opening of the new Main Library at 3 Salem Square led to the decreased usage of the other branches and the bookmobile. Neither the branches nor the bookmobile could compete with the shiny new building in terms of statistics. However, according to Miss Carol A. Cuniff, bookmobile librarian, the decreased numbers were irrelevant, "in view of the pleasure of the people we serve" (Worcester Telegram, August 10, 1966).

Now, life on the bookmobile wasn't always smooth sailing. The year 1967 was especially rough in terms of patron misbehavior. There were several instances of vandalism and harassment of the bookmobile, its staff, and its other patrons by a group of teenagers at Great Brook Valley in January 1967 and by a separate group of teenagers at Thorndike Road in the Burncoat neighborhood in September of the same year.

Headline for the article about the Thorndike Road incident, Worcester Evening Gazette,
September 20, 1967

The Third Bookmobile

The city purchased a new replacement bookmobile, which went into service September 1968. Thomas F. Moroney Co. Inc. built this new 33-foot bookmobile with improved HVAC systems and a blue exterior. One new feature for the bookmobile was that it would be powered by a battery that could be charged at the Main Library, instead of having to be plugged in at each bookmobile stop. 

Sunday Telegram, August 24, 1969

In June 1969, the library acquired a new $700 viewer that would allow short films to be shown outside the bookmobile at various evening stops (see below image for the film listings for July 28, 1969). The trial program was intended to increase interest in the bookmobile service. The bookmobile later participated in the library's "Flick Fun Outdoors" program at the end of August 1969, wherein the library showed feature-length movies in a couple of city parks and apartment buildings.

In Town Today, Worcester Telegram, July 28, 1969

Throughout the years, the bookmobile's schedule would change from five days a week to six days a week and back to five days a week. For instance, during the summer of 1971, the bookmobile had a schedule of 35 stops per week Monday - Friday, with a mix of schools, shopping plazas, parks, apartment complexes, and street corners. During the gas shortages of 1974, the library announced that the bookmobile would temporarily eliminate some of its stops and reduce the number of hours it spent on the road (Worcester Telegram, March 30, 1974). A similar situation would happen in February 1975, where the bookmobile would go to 31 stops but operate only 15 1/2 hours (the stops would be 30-45 minutes long). The bookmobile would be able to expand its service in July 1975 after the library received increased fuel allotments.

Undated photo of WPL's 3rd bookmobile

The year 1976 brought forth budget cuts to the City of Worcester. The library faced the possibility of ending the bookmobile service, laying off some staff, shuttering some of the branches, and ending Sunday hours at the Main Library. After much wrangling of the budget and back and forth between Head Librarian Joseph S. Hopkins and the City Council, the City Council only cut the budget by $100,000 and the library was able to keep the bookmobile operating on a normal schedule. 

The bookmobile was off the road for two weeks after the Blizzard of '78 due to a lack of available parking space. Meanwhile, we think someone had a grand old time writing the below headline from June 1978 when the bookmobile was off the road due to brake repairs. As the bookmobile aged, it continued to need to be off the road periodically for further repairs.

Bookmobile Brakes Down, Worcester Evening Gazette, June 14, 1978

The bookmobile gained and ended certain stops over the years. For instance, it stopped going to the Great Brook Valley neighborhood in 1981 when the new Great Brook Valley branch opened. A new stop was added to replace the Main South Branch in the same year when that branch lost its lease.

Senior Stop, Kids' Stop, and Books Are Our Business

Proposition 2 1/2 budget cuts dealt a severe blow to the bookmobile service and the rest of the Worcester Public Library. In 1982, the cuts forced the bookmobile to cease operation. Of course, even though the official bookmobile stopped, the library still had a van stopping at various places that catered to the city's older adult population to pick up and drop off books. At these "Senior Stops," the library staff would lay out the books "on tables in the buildings and patrons [would] check out books" (Staff Newsletter, July 1982). 

Senior Stop Van, Your Worcester Public Library, May 1984

In October 1987, a new bookmobile funded by a federal grant in the amount of $54,595 and the Doctor John Green Trust began to serve the community. It was named Kids' Stop and it catered to the young children in daycares, preschools, and the neighborhood stops. Young children in the Worcester community had been without access to a regular bookmobile since the 1982 budget cuts.

Kids' Stop, WPL Staff Newsletter, October 1987

Additional Proposition 2 1/2 budget cuts shuttered all seven Worcester Public Library branches in May 1990. Without additional funding, bookmobile delivery of materials would be forced to end on June 1, 1990, while pickups would be able to continue through June. Fortunately, the City Council restored funding for the bookmobile and the library was able to continue the bookmobile service for another year. The library was able to make up for the closing of the branches by adding adult books to the Kids' Stop vehicle. In fact, in late 1990, the library was able to lease a small bookmobile from the Morse Institute Library of Natick (budget constraints in Natick had forced their own bookmobile out of service), bringing the total number of library vehicles on the road to three! This fourth official bookmobile was themed "Books Are Our Business," and its use allowed the library remove the adult books from the Kids' Stop vehicle so it could focus only on children. The Books Are Our Business bookmobile catered to a wider audience.

Alas, the end of the road came for the bookmobile with the Fiscal Year 1992 budget and the voters' rejection of the Proposition 2 1/2 override in June 1991. While an increased budget for the following year allowed for the reopening of the now-named Frances Perkins Branch Library in September 1992, it was not enough to resume bookmobile operations as well. 

The End for City Bookmobile, Worcester Telegram & Gazette, May 24, 1991

It would be another two decades before any official bookmobile service would resume in the City of Worcester. Stay tuned for our upcoming blog post on the revival of the Worcester Public Library bookmobile in 2012!

P.S. The Central Massachusetts Regional Library System had its headquarters at Worcester Public Library and had a separate regional bookmobile that served the member libraries in Central Massachusetts starting in 1967 (the system launched a replacement bookmobile in 1975 called "The Questing Beast," which we thought was super cool! It even had a dragon painted on its exterior). 

Dragon Wagon, Worcester Evening Gazette, October 11, 1975

Sources:

"Area Libraries to Use Grants." (1986, July 21). Worcester Telegram, p. 3.

Bibbo, W.A. (1969, August 24). "Riding the Readers' Route." Worcester Sunday Telegram - Feature Parade Magazine, p. 3.

"Bookmobile Brakes Down." (1978, June 14). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 26.

"The Bookmobile Curtailed." (1954, August 27). Worcester Telegram, p. 6.

"Bookmobile Driver Retires." (1959, October 30). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 21.

"Bookmobile Lists Shorter Schedule." (1975, February 1). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 7.

"Bookmobile to Resume Curtis Stop." (1954, December 11). Worcester Telegram, p. 5.

"Bookmobile Schedule." (1955, January 17). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 15.

"Bookmobile to Show Films by Means of Special Viewer." (1969, June 11). Worcester Telegram, p. 22.

"Bookmobile to Start Expanded Service." (1975, June 19). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 23.

"Cashier is Shot in Holdup Try at Spag's Store." (1964, June 6). Worcester Telegram, p. 1.

Collier, G.A. (1990, May 8). "Branch Libraries Near Last Page." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. 3.

Connolly, T.J. (1991, May 24). "The End for City Bookmobile." Worcester Telegram & Gazette, p. A3.

Cope, J.S. (1990, June 24). "Trying Times for Area's Libraries." Worcester Sunday Telegram, p. A1.

"Dragon Wagon." (1975, October 11). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 7.

"500 Visit Bookmobile at City Hall." (1954, April 22). Worcester Telegram, p. 7.

"465 City Positions Face Elimination." (1982, July 14). Worcester Telegram, p. 3A.

"'Gas' Shortage Cuts Bookmobile Service." (1974, March 30). Worcester Telegram, p. 13.

Hammel, L. (1981, May 13). "Main South Library to Close May 23." Worcester Telegram, p. 13.

"In Town Today." (1969, July 28). Worcester Telegram, p. 10.

"Library to Curtail Bookmobile Service." (1954, August 25). Worcester Telegram, p. 1.

"Library's New Bookmobile." (1954, April 9). Worcester Telegram, p. 2.

"Load Books in New Vehicle." (1954, April 20). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 35.

"More Bookmobile Stops Held Impossible Unless Second Vehicle is Acquired." (1961, December 20). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 21.

"Public Library Ends Summer Film Program." (1969, August 30). Worcester Telegram, p. 13.

"Storm's Over: Bookmobile is Back." (1978, February 22). Worcester Evening Gazette, p. 23.

Unsino, S.C. (1966, August 10). "Mobile Library Dispenses Goodwill Along with Books." Worcester Telegram, p. 18.