Library to Host Boston Marathon Bombing Series One Year After Tragedy

It's been nearly one year since tragedy struck the Boston Marathon, stunning the region and the nation.

Starting on next week, Tewksbury Public Library will host a weekly series that will commemorate the upcoming anniversary as a part of the #BostonBetter movement that is a collaboration of museums, libraries and archives.

The series is being held to honor victims and heroes alike, and also help the City of Boston continue to heal from the tragedy that unfolded last spring, according to the library.

The series begins on Tuesday, March 25, at 7 p.m. with an illustrated presentation of "The 27th Mile: Going the Extra Mile to Support the Victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing." This is a collection of writings from local runners who will explain their passion for the sport.

“Within this book, you’ll find stories that extol the spirit that first got us on the roads to run, that brought us to Boston on a sunny spring day, and that will bring us back to Hopkinton next year and in the years that follow," said editor Ray Charbonneau, according to an announcement by the library. "It’s the spirit we celebrate every time we go for a run, whatever the distance."

Second in the series will be "Our Marathon," a crowd-sourced collection of pictures, videos, stories, and social media related to bombings. Northeastern University hosts the project, which is scheduled in Tewksbury's series on Tuesday, April 1, at 7 p.m.

Scheduled for Tuesday, April 8, is an illustrated presentation called "Aftermath: A Photographic Reflection on the Boston Marathon Bombings." This will be a collection of photographs taken by Joshua Touster in the 10 weeks following the bombings.

A panel discussion is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, with the contributors of the book If Not the Perfect Stranger: Heartwarming and Healing Stories of Kindness from the 2013 Boston Marathon. This will take place at 7 p.m., as participants take about the acts of kindness and heroism they witnessed after the bombings took place.

On Tuesday, April 22, the series will feature an illustrated presentation of "Bled for Boston," which will take place at 7 p.m.

The presentation will document residents who received tattoos in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings in order to show tribute to those who were impacted.

For complete details on the Boston Marathon series, visit the Tewksbury Public Library website.