Brown Bag Lunch on Family History: Part 2

Join us for a Brown Bag Lunch

on Tuesday, March 18^th, 2014

State Library of Massachusetts

Room 442, State House

12 until 1:30 PM

Bring your lunch and listen to Sharon Sergeant, Polly FitzGerald Kimmitt, and Mary Ellen Grogan from the Massachusetts Genealogical Council talk about the resources and techniques used to discover the story of your family.  This is a follow-up to the talk on genealogy given on December 17th. Speakers will be discussing different aspects of research, but you will be able to follow the talk even if you weren’t able to attend in December.  Sharon will be talking about various records and how one set of records will lead to another; Polly will talk about DNA and genealogy, specifically the efforts of the Department of Defense to use these methods to identify and return the bodies of war dead to their families; and Mary Ellen will talk about educational sources for genealogy.

Sharon, Polly and Mary Ellen will stay to answer questions.  The Massachusetts Genealogical Council’s mission involves preserving public record access and a commitment to genealogy education.

To register, please visit:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/S5JMFT6  You may also call the Reference Department at 617-727-2590 or send an email to Reference.Department@state.ma.us to let us know you will attend.

Future Brown Bags which are planned for 2014

April 17^th, 2014, Beth Carroll-Horrocks, Head of Special Collections, State Library of Massachusetts, “Treasures of the State Library”

May 22^nd, 2014, Nancy Lusignan Schultz, author of “Fire and Roses: the Burning of Charlestown Convent, 1934”

June 19^th, 2014, Stephen Puleo, author of “The Caning: The Assault that Drove America to the Civil War”

Brown Bag on the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation

"The Funding Of Public Sector Benefits in an Era Of Limited Means”

Join us for a Brown Bag Lunch
On TUESDAY, June 14th 2011
State Library of Massachusetts
Room 442 State House
12 until 1:30 PM

Bring your lunch and join us to hear Michael J. Widmer, President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, speak about this prominent public policy organization. The MTF deals with state expenditures as they relate to such topics as health care, state government reform and capital spending among others. The State Library’s holdings include many materials published by the Foundation.
To register, RSVP to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2V68R9J
You may also let us know you will attend by calling the Reference Department at 617-727-2590 of e-mailing to reference.department@state.ma.us



Sponsored by the Friends of the State Library



Future Brown Bags will include:

July 14th, 2011- Sean Murphy, reporter, Boston
Globe, professor, Suffolk University

August 11th, 2011, Dr. John Warner, Archivist of the
Commonwealth, The Massachusetts State Archives

September, 2011, Noah Berger, Massachusetts
Budget and Policy Center (date to be announced)

October, 2011, Celia Wcislo, The Commonwealth
Connector (date to be announced) The Connector is the
independent state agency charged with implementing elements
of the Massachusetts 2006 Health Care Reform Law

Brown Bag on the Massachusetts General Court

Join us for a Brown Bag Lunch
On Thursday May 19th 2011
State Library of Massachusetts
Room 442 State House
12 until 1:30 PM
Bring your lunch and join us to hear Neil Savage, historian and author, speak about the Massachusetts legislature. He will focus on the origination of the Great and General Court of the Governor and the Company At the Massachusetts Bay in New England. His presentation will also include discussion of significant legislation and about some outstanding members.
To register, RSVP to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6CJMJTV
You may also let us know you will attend by calling the Reference Department at 617-727-2590 or e-mailing to reference.department@state.ma.us
Sponsored by the Friends of the State Library

Future Brown Bags will include:
June 14th, 2011- Michael Widmer, President, The Massachusetts Taxpayers Association
July 14th, 2011- Sean Murphy, reporter, Boston Globe, professor, Suffolk University
August 11th, 2011, Dr. John Warner, Archivist of the Commonwealth, Massachusetts State Archives
September, 2011, Noah Berger, Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, (date to be announced)
October, 2011, Celia Wcislo, The Commonwealth Connector, (date to be announced)

Brown Bag on Preserving Family Papers

Join us for a Brown Bag lunch
Thursday, April 28, 2011
State Library of Massachusetts
Room 442 State House
12 until 1:30 PM

Bring your lunch and visit the State Library to learn how to apply preservation techniques used in the library to preserve your family papers. This program, presented by Lacy Crews Stoneburner, Preservation Librarian, is offered in celebration of the American Library Association's National Preservation Week, April 24-30, 2011.

To register, please go to:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QR9JZYK

You may also sign up by calling Reference at 617.727.2590 or emailing reference.department@state.ma.us.

Sponsored by the Friends of the State Library

Program on Immigrant Youths Adopting the Norms of Peer Violence

Joanna Almeida, Associate Research Scientist at Northeastern University's Institute of Urban Health Research, will speak about foreign born youths adopting this country's social norms that perpetrate violence.

Her study found that among a sample of Boston public high school students, recent immigrants had a significantly lower risk of perpetrating peer violence such as hitting, punching and kicking compared to immigrants in the U.S. here for more than 4 years and to youths born in the U.S. This pattern of violence among immigrant youth did not differ by race or ethnicity. The study's findings point to the idea that the social environment in this country contributes to foreign-born youth rapidly adopting the social norms that encourage violence.

This program will be held Tuesday, April 5 from noon until 1:00pm in room 442 of the State Library in the State House. Please join us to learn more about this important topic. To register, call 617.727.2590 or email us at Reference.Department@state.ma.us.

The event is sponsored by the Friends of the State Library.

Brown Bag on the Federal Digital System

Join us for a BROWN BAG LUNCH on
Thursday, March 10th , 2011
State Library of Massachusetts
Room 442 State House
12 noon until 1:30 PM

Bring your lunch and hear Bette L. Siegel, Government Documents Librarian in the library, explain and demonstrate this service, referred to as the provider of “America’s Authentic Government Information.”

To register for the Brown Bag, please go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/STJRNPB
You may also do so by calling Reference directly at 617-727-2590 or by e-mailing us at reference.department@state.ma.us.

Sponsored by the Friends of the State Library

Future Brown Bags will include:

April 28th, Lacy Crews Stoneburner, “Preservation of Family Materials”
May 19th, Neil Savage, “The History of the General Court”
June 14th, Michael Widmer, The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
July 14th, Sean Murphy, reporter, The Boston Globe
August 11th, Dr. John Warner, The Massachusetts State Archives

Future Brown Bags in the State Library

Brown Bag lunches held each month in the State Library have become popular programs. Topics have ranged from "Legislative History," to "Art in the State House," "Health Care Reform," and "The State House News Service."

Mark your calendars for a future visit to the Library to which you can bring your lunch (the hours are from 12 noon until 1:30 PM) and hear speakers, experts in their fields, share their knowledge. Details about each program will follow on this blog. The dates are:

March 10th, Bette L. Siegel, Documents Librarian, FDsys, Federal Digital System
April 28th, Lacy Crews Stoneburner, Preservation Librarian, Preservation of Family Materials
May 19th, Neil Savage, historian and author, The History of the General Court.
June 14, Michael Widmer, President, The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
July 14, Sean Murphy, reporter, The Boston Globe
August 11th, Dr. John Warner, Archivist of the Commonwealth, Massachusetts State Archives

Pamela W. Schofield
Reference Department
State Library of Massachusetts

Noted Author to Speak about the Federal Stimulus Act and Jobs

UMass Boston Offers First Demographic Analysis of Recovery Act Jobs

Carol Hardy-Fanta, Executive Director of the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy, will speak on March 1 at noon in the State Library about the recently completed study examining which racial, ethnic, and gender groups have benefited from Recovery Act-supported jobs during the first two quarters of 2010.

The study found that 90 percent of communities in Massachusetts have at least someone whose job was created or retained by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. According to the report, people of color constituted more than 10 percent of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act job holders in the state in both quarters, while women held just over 55 percent of ARRA positions in the first quarter, and 49 percent in the second.

The report is based on Recovery and Reinvestment Act demographic data collected quarterly by the Massachusetts Recovery & Reinvestment Office (MRRO). It was conducted at the request of the MRRO by the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy and the Collins Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston and appears to be the first attempt in the nation to analyze the impact of ARRA jobs on racial, ethnic, and gender groups. The study was written by Carol Hardy-Fanta, Paige Ransford and Christian Weller.

The event will take place in Room 442 of the State House from noon until 1:00 and is open to the public. To register, please call 617.727.2590 or email reference.department@state.ma.us.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the State Library.

BROWN BAG ON THE SOCIAL LAW LIBRARY

The Social Law Library








Join us for our first 2011 Brown Bag Lunch
Thursday, January 13th
State Library of Massachusetts
Room 341 State House
12 until 1:30 PM

Bring your lunch and join us to hear Brian J. Harkins, Esq., Reference Librarian, The Social Law Library, speak about the library’s collection and services which include circulation, reference, document delivery and interlibrary loan. He will speak also about their database offering of case law and Massachusetts administrative law. Social Law does web hosting and web site design, and Brian will address those services as well.

To register, please go to:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8Y73M3J. You may also let us know you will attend by calling the Reference Department at 617-727-2590 or e-mailing to reference.department@state.ma.us

Sponsored by the Friends of the State Library

Future Brown Bags will include:
February 10th, 2011 - Ken Gloss, the Brattle Bookshop
March, 2011 - Bette L. Siegel, State Library, Federal Digital System
April, 2011 - Lacy Crews Stoneburner, State Library, Preservation
May, 2011 - Neil Savage, The History of the General Court

One-Stop Career Centers

Alice Sweeney, Director of Special Initiatives and Customer Accountability, will speak about the Massachusetts Workforce Development System and the One-Stop Career Centers located in 37 cities and communities throughout the Commonwealth. Overseen by the Department of Workforce Development, services for job seekers include career counseling and workshops, job fairs, coaching, networking groups, referrals to jobs, online job listings, and the use of resume software. Special employment programs exist to meet the needs of veterans, recipients of Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC), and others. To assist employers, the Centers provide access to qualified applicants, pre-screening, job postings, and the testing/assessment of applicants.

When: Tuesday, Dec. 7

Time: noon - 1:00 pm

Where: State Library, Room 442 State House

This program is designed for state employees to assist them in their work, whether with constituents or legislation. Please join us to learn more about the role of the Centers during these challenging economic times.

Feel free to bring your lunch. Refreshments served. To register please call 617.727.2590 or email reference.department@state.ma.us

Sponsored by the Friends of the State Library.

Health Care Delivery

Seena Carrington, Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer, will provide an overview of the key responsibilities of the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy, an agency within the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. She will highlight recent efforts to analyze health care cost trends in the Commonwealth and provide a brief description of upcoming initiatives.

When: Thursday, Nov. 4
Time: noon - 1:00 PM
Where: State Library, Room 442 State House

Please join us to learn more about the Division. This program is designed to provide information to assist state agency and legislative personnel in their work, whether with constituents or legislation.

Feel free to bring your lunch. Refreshments served. To register, please call 617.727.2590 or email reference.department@state.ma.us

Sponsored by the Friends of the State Library.

September 16th Brown Bag on the Economic Census

Join us for a BROWN BAG LUNCH on
Thursday, September 16th, 2010
State Library of Massachusetts
Room 442 State House
12 noon until 1:30 PM

Bring your lunch and hear Arthur Bakis, Information Services Specialist at the Boston Regional Census Center, speak specifically about the Economic Census, conducted by the Census Bureau every five years ending in 2 and 7. This Census essentially does for business what the Decennial Census does for population and housing. Arthur will navigate attendees through the Census website to access Economic Census data for states, counties and communities.

Please RSVP to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MDHWVKB. You may also call Reference directly at 617- 727-2590 or e-mail the department at reference.department@state.ma.us to register. Sponsored by the Friends of the State Library.

The 9C Law: An Introduction to Legislative History Research

What is it? What is its history? Why do the newspapers always refer to it?

Join us for a BROWN BAG LUNCH
TUESDAY, July 13th 2010
in Room 442 of the State House
Noon until 1:30 PM

You will learn how to do a legislative history by looking at how and when the law was added and then amended.

Bring your lunch!

Please RSVP by calling 617.727.2590 or emailing reference.department@state.ma.us

Sponsored by the Friends of the State Library

Brown Bag Lunch Series

Bring your lunch and visit the State Library to learn about resources available for research. Join us in the Main Reading Room, Room 341, at 12:00pm on the following dates. Programs end at 1:30pm.

Dec. 17
Saving for the Future: Preserving Collections at the State Library of Massachusetts
Lacy Crews Stoneburner, Preservation Librarian, will talk about conserving state agency publications. Techniques and products used in maintaining volumes dating back to 1800 will be discussed. Tips on applying these to your family's papers will be given. The session will include an optional tour of the Special Collections Preservation Lab. Advance registration is appreciated.

Jan. 14
Advanced Legislative History: the Budget
The budget process and locating past years' appropriations will be explained. Michael Segal from InstaTrac will discuss the BudgeTrac Service, a state budget analysis tool accessible through the web.

Feb. 11
Census 2010
Arthur Bakis from the U.S. Census Bureau will talk about accessing population data and the upcoming decennial census.

Mar. 11
Genealogy (tentative)

Apr. 15
Massachusetts Women in Politics
The focus of this will be women in the Massachusetts General Court.

May 20
Electronic Resources in the State Library
A repeat of November's offering, come learn about databases and the growing repository of state documents.