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About this column:

Diane Giarrusso is the director of the Tewksbury Public Library, 300 Chandler St. She can be reached at dgiarrusso@tewksbury-ma.gov.
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Below are events for adults and teens taking place at the Tewksbury Public Library over the next month.  Registration is recommended for ALL events. Weight Loss In The New Year: On Tuesday, January 31 at 6:30pm, join Dr. Madhavi Challagulla, Internal Medicine Specialist at Wilmington’s Lahey Clinic, for a helpful talk and question-and-answer session on everything you need to know about weight loss!  Evening with Teddy Roosevelt: On Wednesday, February 1 at 6:30pm, join Ted Zalewski as he performs his one-man show – “Teddy Roosevelt: Mind, Body and Spirit.”  Job Seekers Seminar: On Tuesday, …
I've been writing about once a week about the Tewksbury Public Library, and it occurs to me that you may not know who I am. You may also not know who else works at the library, or if you know their names, you may not know much about them. I'm going to remedy that by "interviewing" your library employees every once in a while. I'll go first! Name: Diane Giarrusso What is your job at the Library? Library Director How long have you worked at the Tewksbury Public Library? 3 months next week! What are your responsibilities: My job is to ensure that Tewksbury residents have great library services …
  The leaves are starting to turn in our part of the world. The beautiful reds, golds and browns in our neighborhoods remind us to enjoy these sunny and cool days and prepare for winter. Here at the Library, fall reminds us that it's time to plan for our annual Festival of Trees! This will be my first Festival of Trees and I'm very excited to see the Library decked out with great trees prepared by our friends and neighbors. If you're like me and haven't participated in the past here are the details. Individuals, organizations and businesses are welcome to join in the holiday spirit by …
The older I get, the wonkier my health becomes. More than just aches and pains and watching out for cholesterol and osteoporosis, I'm surprised that my eyesight degrades every year now. I started wearing eye glasses in my late 20's but the progression of poor eyesight moved at a glacial pace compared to now! As a librarian, I can't imagine not being able to read, so the prospect of being unable to discern the letters on a page makes me really nervous. Fortunately, I work in the library and I know some library secrets for continuing to enjoy literature well into retirement! These materials and…
I wish I could remember when I got my first library card. Forty years ago, I doubt my first library, the Old Town (ME) Public Library, gave out library cards to children. Walking up those granite steps of the Carnegie built library, opening the towering doors, and then walking up another set of stairs where the front desk loomed in front of me, I knew I was entering a special place! There I could turn left and visit the children's area where there were books galore and a very cool stereoscope with historic scenes to view. I don't remember the title of my favorite library book, but it was …
We moved our non-fiction DVDs recently at the Tewksbury Public Library. You didn't know that we even had non-fiction DVDs? Well, now you know. These informational DVDs cover everything from health, wellness, sports and physical fitness to cooking, travel, music and history. Each DVD is now located on the second floor and is available for you to borrow with your library card. Why did we move them and where were the non-fiction DVDs before, you ask? We used to shelve them with the feature films and television DVDs on the first floor. It's very common in libraries to shelve each item with other …
September is here and thousands of children are sad that summer is over! I bet many of their parents are glad though, and not just because their kiddos are back in school. These parents are looking forward to the return of their book group meetings! Often suspended during the busy vacation months of the summer, book clubs begin to meet again in the fall. The Tewksbury Public Library has a book discussion group. Books to be discussed this year include: Olive Kitteridge by Strout; Sarah's Key by DeRosnay; Before You Know Kindness by Bohjalian, and The Girl in the Italian Bakery by Tingle. There…
There's a quote about libraries that I believe in very strongly. Father Timothy Healy, former president of the New York Public Library, said, "The most important asset of any library goes home at night..." As I sit here in my office beginning my fourth week as your library director, I am filled with optimism and pride. The Tewksbury Public Library staff is the strongest asset we have and I am proud to work with them every day. They are dedicated to the library and to serving you. Library staff members have spent the last several months working with two vacancies, including my position, and …

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