Introducing Evergreen

It’s finally here! This Memorial Day weekend, all libraries in the C/W MARS network will be migrating over to Evergreen! Here are some quick facts you need to know:

  • The current library software system (called Millenium) will be shut down on Friday, May 25th at 6pm. The Evergreen system will go online on Tuesday, May 29th. Mason and Ramsdell will close at 6PM on Friday, May 25th and all day Saturday, May 26th to accommodate the transition.
  • If you have kept a Reading List in your Millenium patron record and you want to keep the data, you need to export it separately on your home computer before May 26th. Reading lists WILL NOT be exported into your Evergreen patron record.
  • Your current library card and account number will not change in Evergreen. However, your PIN (password) will need to be redefined, by you or by library staff. When Evergreen goes online, your PIN will default to your LASTNAME (i.e. your last name in upper case letters). You or the staff will be able to redefine it.
  • If your record is linked to other records in your household, those links will need to be redefined by library staff after May 29th – no current links will be transferred over.

For more details, head over to our Evergreen page. If you still have questions, stop by any time to talk to staff or leave us a comment on our Facebook page. This is a big transition for all of the libraries in CWMARS, so we thank you in advance for your patience and understanding – we promise it will be worth it!

 What’s New at the Great Barrington Libraries

Museum Passes Changes

As we gear up for the summer season, we’ve made a few changes in how we loan out our museum passes. Passes can now be checked out for one day, accruing a $10 late fee for every day they are kept out past the due date. This is to encourage visitors to return the pass right away after their museum visit, so that more people get a chance to take advantage of the libraries’ program. Passes are also now in hard cases, which means you can return them any time in the library book drop.

Stop in and let us know what you think, or leave us a comment on Facebook

 Creatures of the Night at Ramsdell

Join the Ramsdell Library and head Creature Teacher Rick Roth for a presentation on “Creatures of the Night.” Roth is educated as an aquaculturist and has served as the director of several zoos. His program reaches out to children in a way that is both educational and fun.

“Creatures of the Night” gives families a hands-on experience with creatures that are normally active at night or twilight. Roth’s nocturnal menagerie includes a skunk, tarantula, scorpion, African bullfrog, red-eyed tree frog, flying squirrel, chinchilla and a grey fox.

 Teen T-shirt Swap & Workshop

Join up for a t-shirt swap and workshop on how to make your old shirts one of a kind and brand new again:

Learn how to make baggy shirts fit perfectly

Repurpose unwanted, or beat up shirts into really cool stuff like pillows, iPod cases, scarves, tote bags, and more

Bring in your unwanted t-shirts and swap with other people

Free snacks provided to all t-shirt surgeons!

Call to register or sign up on our calendar.