Bacon Free Library & Morse Institute updates

May 13, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Bacon Free Library is now open to the public for 30-minute visits by appointment only on Mondays and Tuesdays, 10am-3pm. Reservations and face coverings are required. The South Natick location’s popular curbside pickup service will continue to be offered. Book your visit here.

Bacon Free Library, Natick — Bacon Free Library, South Natick

Bacon Free curbside pickup:

Mon., Wed., Thur., Fri.: 10am-4pm
Tue.: 10am-6pm
Sat.: 10am-noon

Call 508-653-6730 or email bflpickups@gmail.com and wait for confirmation, then head to the library and wait in the designated pickup area.

Contactless home delivery:

The Natick Libraries realize that there are certain circumstances that arise that can limit the ability to get out into the community. Natick residents who are temporarily or permanently confined to their homes due to illness, disability, or any other extenuating circumstance can apply for Home Delivery Services. Staff will determine eligibility. More here.

Morse Institute updates

The Morse Institute Library will open for in-person browsing starting June 1. In-person visits will be limited to 1 hour or less, 1 person per family. Masks will be required, and social distancing standards will be in place.

More details:

Only the main floor will be open to the public. All soft seating has been removed and remaining seating has been spaced for safety.
Staff will not be able to assist with finding materials on the open floor or with public computers.
Hand sanitizing stations are available throughout the Library.
Additional self-checkout optionshave been added, including the option to check out using the Minuteman App on a smart device
Per the Board of Health, there will be a limit of 50 people in the Library at any given time. To see if the building is near capacity, view the interactive capacity sensor before you head over to the Library. You can also view this on the screen outside the main entrance and on the digital sign in the foyer.
Public restrooms will be available and cleaned daily; the library cannot guarantee the restrooms are cleaned after every visit.

Additional information here on Morse Institute virtual programming, contactless pick up, delivery service, and more.

Natick Historical Society & Bacon Free Library upcoming events

January 8, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

Everyone is welcome to join a virtual discussion of The Nightingale (2018) by Kristin Hannah on Thursday, January 14, 2021, 11am-noon.

This program is co-sponsored with the Bacon Free Library. It is FREE and open to the public.

If you are interested in joining this virtual book discussion, email: director@natickhistoricalsociety.org.

About The Nightingale

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.

Save the date for Race Amity presentation

The Natick Historical Society and the Bacon Free Library will co-host a Zoom presentation of WGBH’s powerful documentary series American Stories: Race Amity and The Other Tradition on Tue., Feb. 2, 6:30pm – 8pm. This presentation will include a brief introduction to the film by Dr. William H. Smith (creator, executive producer, and writer of the series), a reading from the book Race Amity: A Primer on America’s Other Tradition, a viewing of the film Race Amity: America’s Other Tradition, a commentary by Dr. Smith, and a Q&A Session.

WHS Media Productions LLC created this documentary for the promotion of cross-racial and cross-cultural understanding.

This event is FREE and open to the public. Advanced registration is required to access the Zoom link. Please register using the link here, and allow 3-5 days for a confirmation email with the link from the Natick Historical Society.

Town of Natick, holidays schedule

December 24, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The Town of Natick will follow a holiday schedule on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Here’s the breakdown:

Department of Public Works

Curbside trash and recycling will be delayed one day in observance of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Regular Friday collections will occur on Sat., Dec. 26th & Sat., Jan. 2nd.

Natick Public Schools break

All Natick Public School buildings will be closed for winter break from Thur., Dec. 24 through Fri., January 1, 2021.

School will resume on Mon., Jan. 4, 2021

Town buildings

Please remember that most Town buildings remain closed to the public due to the ongoing pandemic. Staff is working remotely and available to respond to all questions, emails, and phone calls.

All departments will be closed on Thur., Dec. 25 and Fri. Jan. 1, 2021

Beginning on Saturday, December 26, new State guidelines will further reduce capacity limits to 25% for most businesses, offices, restaurants, libraries, and other industries.

These new limits will be in effect until Saturday, January 9, 2021 but may be extended longer.

Morse Institute holiday hours

Morse Institute Library is closed to in-person browsing due to the pandemic.

Contact the library for services such as contactless hold pickup appointments. Or try out the new Walk-up Window, which allows patrons to pick up holds with no appointment necessary. Come to the library and line up outside along the ramp, where you will be protected from the elements with the library’s new Holiday Window Display. This exciting initiative gives you the flexibility to pick up your items on your time, with expanded hours during the week and on weekends. More information here.

Thur., Dec. 24, 2pm closing
Fri., Dec. 25 and Sat., Dec. 26, closed
Thur., Dec. 31, 2pm closing
Fri., Jan. 1, closed
Sat., Jan. 2, closed

Bacon Free Library

The Bacon Free Library (BFL) is closed to in-person browsing due to the pandemic.

The BFL will be open for curbside pickup on Thursday Dec. 24, 10am-2pm.

Friday Dec. 25, closed
Thur., Dec. 31, 2pm closing
Fri., Jan. 1, closed

Morse Institute Library cites community COVID-19 spike for halting in-person browsing

November 27, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Morse Institute Library in Natick, which reopened for in-person browsing in mid-August, is temporarily halting the option due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the area.

Alternatives will include doing contactless curbside pickup by appointment or taking advantage of what the library is calling its walk-up window for picking up holds without an appointment. This latter approach entails lining up on the ramp outside, then getting called into the library to interact with a librarian using a bank teller-like window.

Director bids farewell

Library director Jason Homer, who spent 4 years with Morse Institute though less than a year as director, is moving on to become executive director at the Worcester Public Library.

In a farewell letter, Homer writes in part: “I look back on the last 4 years with great pride at all the Morse Institute Library has accomplished while I was here. We expanded hours to meet the needs of the community (prior to COVID-19), we performed an extensive RFID implementation of all library materials, we expanded library usage both in person and online including the launch of our new Digital Branch, and even saw dramatic increases in attendance to Library programs.”

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Last day for early voting in Natick is Fri., Oct. 30th

October 26, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Early in-person voting for the 2020 Elections runs through Friday, October 30 at the Morse Institute Library (14 E. Central St.).

Early voting hours in Natick are:

Monday through Wednesday, 9am – 4pm
Thursday, 9am – 6pm
LAST DAY TO EARLY VOTE IS Friday, OCT. 30, 9am – noon

vote here morse institute library — Early voting is underway at the Morse Institute.

Registered Natick voters, regardless of precinct, may cast early ballots at the Morse Institute.

Absentee and vote-by-mail ballots should be returned by mail or hand-delivered to the secure Elections drop box in front of Town Hall.

The polls will be open at the Morse Institute on Election Day, which is Tue., Nov. 3.

For questions about voting, ballots or the election process, please email vote@natickma.org or call 508-647-6430 x4.