2018 Summer Concerts in the Garden

 

The Friends are very proud to offer its annual summer music series featuring a different local performing group each Thursday in the library garden through August 23.  Dan Hart (pictured left) kicked off the 2018 Concerts in the Garden series on a very hot Thursday, July 5th in Menino Hall.   All concerts start at 6:30p.m, and end at 7:30p.m.  Concerts will be moved inside to air-conditioned Menino Hall in the event of excessive heat or rain.

The full line-up:

Jul 5   Dan Hart
Jul 12   NO Concert – Annual Book & Media Sale/Member’s Reception
Jul 19   Savin Hillbillies
Jul 26   Tanya Maggi and Friends
Aug 2   Marshall Richards
Aug 9   Jazzebelles
Aug 16   Bird Mancini
Aug 23   Tony Cibotti

The summer concert series this year is fully funded by a grant from the Citywide Friends of the Boston Public Library, with support by volunteers from the Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library and the Hyde Park community at-large.  All concerts are free and open to the public.

Summer Concerts in the Garden Starts Thursday, July 20

The Friends are very proud to offer its annual summer music series featuring a different local performing group each Thursday in the library garden through August 24.  Tanya Maggi and David Russell will kick off the 2017 Concerts in the Garden series on Thursday, July 20, 6:30p.m-7:30p.m.   Concerts will be moved inside to air-conditioned Menino Hall in the event of excessive heat or rain.

The full line-up:

Jul 20   Tanya Maggi and David Russell
Jul 27   Judy Pancoast (co-sponsored with BPL)
Aug 3   Bird Mancini
Aug 10  Savin Hillbillies
Aug 17   Marshall Richards (aka Boston Opera Guy)
Aug 24  Tony Cibotti

The summer concert series is sponsored by the Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library and is also supported in part by the Boston Public Library.  All concerts are free and open to the public.

Save the Date: Oct 22, 2016!

Friends of the Hyde Park Library Members and the general public are cordially invited to THE fundraiser of the year!

Commemorating the Friends’ acquisition of Isaac Caliga’s portrait as well as the centennial of the artist’s passing, the John J. Enneking Centennial Bookmark Ball will be held Saturday, October, 22, 2016, from 7:00PM to 10:00PM at the Hyde Park Branch Library of the Boston Public Library, 35 Harvard Avenue, Hyde Park, Massachusetts.  Angela Menino and BPL President David Leonard are our Honorary Ball Co-Chairs.

As in previous years, the ball will feature raffle items, a quilt display, and musical entertainment, as well as light refreshments with a cash bar.  Our event highlight will be a live auction of framed Enneking reproductions.  Suggested donation for the ball is $30 in advance and $35 at the door.

More details for online donations and tickets forthcoming.

Tony Cibotti Concludes the Summer Concert Series Thursday

The final concert in the Friends’  summer “garden” series will be held this Thursday, August 25, 6:00pm to 7:30pm.  To counter the earlier setting of the sun as summer draws to a close, our concert will be held indoors in the branch library’s Menino Hall.

Hyde Park’s favorite crooner, Tony Cibotti, will entertain the audience with his wonderful selection of tunes from the Great American Songbook. As he always does for his library performances, Tony is donating his services for the library and the community. Thank you, Tony, for your beautiful gift!

This series is sponsored by the Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library, with support from Hyde Park Main Streets and the Boston Public Library.  Thank you for joining us this summer!

August 2015 Concerts and Thank-yous

Saturday August 15th was sunny and hot, and the ladies of Zili Misik cranked up the heat with their world rhythms!  Thank you, Ladies, for a wonderful performance!  Thanks also to Tommey Seggers of Artists-at-Large for our photo pictured here.  Earlier that day the Friends’ Children’s Books mini-sale finished its second day of sales, netting nearly $500 for upcoming programs at the Hyde Park library!  Thank you, Book Lovers!

The Friends’ Concert in the Garden Series has been playing every summer for 10 years, and we couldn’t let this milestone pass without notice!  Just before the last show on August 20th, we cut and shared a celebratory cake with the audience. A big thank-you to the baker at Shaws in Hyde Park for your impromptu musical decoration!

Hyde Park’s favorite crooner Tony Cibotti concluded our 2015 Concerts in the Garden series with another terrific show of Sinatra and company favorites.  Annually, Tony generously donates his talents at every appearance at the library, and this year he brought back up!  His wife and two ladies associated with the Pied Pipers provided some harmonious accompaniment.  Thank you, All, for a great time!

The Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library are grateful for the grant by the Blue Hills Bank Charitable Foundation for this year’s concert series, and encourage our audience and Friends members to thank the Blue Hills Bank for its support of our library and community.

Concerts in the Garden Finale with Tony Cibotti

Last week our family music concert with Wayne Potash, pictured here, had every kid in the audience jumping, singing and speeding around our garden like rockets!

This week Thursday Aug 20th, join us a half-hour earlier at 6pm as we celebrate a successful 10th season with cake, followed by Hyde Park’s favorite crooner Tony Cibotti who will conclude our 2015 Concerts in the Garden series at 6:30pm.  Concerts will be moved to air-conditioned Menino Hall in the event of excessive heat or rain.

Tony’s performances of Sinatra and company are audience favorites, and he generously donates his talents each time he appears at the library.  Thank you, Tony, for supporting the library and the community!

The summer concert series is sponsored by the Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library and supported by a grant from the Blue Hills Bank Charitable Foundation.

Friends Annual Meeting, 1:30PM Saturday, March 28

All are invited to the Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library’s Annual Meeting on Saturday, March 28, 2015, beginning at 1:30pm.  During the Annual Meeting, the Friends will honor Mary Margaret Pitts and Barbara Wicker as Friends of the Year for their many contributions to the library and to the community.

Following the business meeting and award presentations, Carolyn M. Goldstein of the Public History and Community Archives Program at U/Mass Boston will present a lecture on the Mass. Memories Road Show and a possible Hyde Park show in 2016.  The afternoon will conclude with a reception featuring the traditional offering of homemade sweets.

Happy Readers and Raffle Winners

This past weekend of October 24-25, the Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library held its annual Book and Media Sale in the branch’s Menino Hall, raising over $1,800 for children and adult programs in the coming year.  Pictured left are some of Saturday’s volunteers, including Friends President Vicky Gall, Board members Lorraine Nessar and Alice Kane, and helpers Natalie Sears and David Vieira.

Thursday evening’s Members-only Preview Sale and Reception was well-attended by current and returning members, and attendees included City Councilor Timothy McCarthy who was presented by the Friends a clock-paperweight as a memento of his visit.  More Friends and their families, as well as the general public, visited Menino Hall Friday and Saturday, the main sale days, to take home lots of book and media bargains.

The Friends’ Red Sox Gear Raffle was drawn Saturday afternoon, and each lucky winner received an item from a sports gear package generously donated by Friends Board member John Wentworth, pictured here with Vasco Antoni, winner of the Red Sox duffel bag and long-time member/supporter of the Friends and branch library.  Other winning Friends and library supporters are Mary Ann Amatucci, Christine DeLosh, Charlotte Halloran, Joyce Riedel, and Paul Yokas.

For those interested in more bargains, the Friends’ regular sale shelves located on the first floor to the right of the security gate will continue to be stocked with new book donations.  The group will sponsor a staffed mini book and holiday sale in early December.  Announcement notices for the mini sale will be made directly to the membership, and posted on the blog and at the branch library.

Friends’ 2014 Fall Raffle

Why wait for next year? Support the library AND have a chance of getting Red Sox gear now!

The Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library are pleased to offer a Fall raffle featuring a special prize package of officially licensed Boston Red Sox gear for the dedicated baseball fan in your family.  The package includes

1 Men’s cap w/Red Sox B logo

1 Men’s X-Large Red Sox Warm-up Jersey

1 Men’s X-Large Track Pants

1 Men’s X-Large Red Sox Track Jacket

1 Boston Red Sox Duffle

1 – Men’s X-Large Red Sox Fleece Jacket

1- Men’s X-Large Red Sox T-Shirt

Ticket sales will continue now through Oct 25, 2014, 2:00pm (during Friends’ Annual Book Sale) when 7 lucky ticket holders will be drawn–prizes are winner’s choice in order drawn.  Prizes may be picked up from the branch library (ID may be requested) or shipped to winner.

Tickets are $2.00 each or 3 tickets for $5.00.  Three ways to enter!

1. Ticket forms may be picked up next to the collection box at the Friends’ book sales shelves opposite the circulation desk.  Deposit completed form with attached payment in cash or check in the collection box (library staff cannot accept payments or issue tickets); or
2. Make out a check to “Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library” and mail with your name, phone number and email address, as well as choice of 3 prize items, to the Friends c/o Hyde Park Branch Library, 35 Harvard Avenue, Hyde Park, MA, 02136; or
3. Use a credit card with the Paypal buttons below.  Quantity for 3 raffle ticket option can be increased.  Please supply your name, phone number and email address as well as choice of 3 prize items when prompted.

1 Raffle ticket, $2
3 Raffle tickets, $5

 

Proceeds of this fall raffle will benefit programs and activities at the branch library in the coming year.  All programs and activities at the library are free and open to the public.

The Friends are grateful to Board of Directors member John Wentworth for his continuing generous donation of another sports prize package and for his tireless support of Friends’ activities.

Annual Meeting, 1 p.m. Saturday, April 5: Be There!

All are invited to the Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library’s Annual Meeting this Saturday, April 5, 2014, beginning at 1pm.  During the Annual Meeting, the Friends will honor Claire Pauley as Friend of the Year for her many contributions to the library and to the Friends.

Following the business meeting and award presentations, Emma Snellings from Trailside Museum will present lecture on birds of prey featuring live specimens from the museum’s collection.

The afternoon will conclude with a reception featuring the traditional offering of homemade sweets.  Friends owl logo T-shirts will be available for sale at half price at this event.