Dear Sisters, Brothers, and Kin,
This June marks our seventh year of operation! It also marks the beginning of a new chapter in our history, as we move towards hybrid and in-person programming. Given the rates of vaccination, the declining numbers of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths, on the one hand, and our concerns that the virus remains a potent threat to us, our neighbors, and our communities, on the other, we are not only following the CDC and MDH guidelines, but we are proceeding cautiously. As you will see in this newsletter and on our website, while we continue to rely on online platforms (Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube), we will convene some events in-person, on our beautiful lawn, and some events will be hybrid, with a small number of attendees in person and a livestream of the program to a larger online audience. We also invite you to come into the Library during the day to use our books and resources, but we continue to ask you to make appointments to do so, by emailing us at [email protected] or calling us at 651-207-4926.
In all circumstances and situations, on the lawn or indoors, vaccinated or not, we ask you to:
- wear a mask
- maintain social distances of at least six feet
- wash your hands frequently, with hand sanitizer or soap and water
We want you to feel safe. We want you to be safe.
We have learned a lot in the past fifteen months—about viruses, equity and inequity in public health, institutional racism, media technologies, and the challenges of building community. We do not intend to “return to normal,” but to move forward by incorporating what we have been learning. One of the practical lessons we have learned is that ESFL has a beautiful front lawn which can serve as a welcoming space for programs. While that won’t work in January, it’s just right for June, especially with the loving attention that Greg Poferl, Mary Ann Davis, Jeanne Cornish, and Mallard Teal have brought to our garden and lawn.
Our first in person event will be our monthly “Book Geek Happy Hour” on Sunday, June 6, from 4-6pm. We invite you to find a comfortable, socially distanced niche inside the library to settle into and read for an hour and a half, then assemble on the lawn for half an hour’s conversation about what we are all reading. On Saturday evening, June 12, at 7pm, the Original Mind ensemble will offer a concert of improvised music. ESFL will provide socially distanced chairs and hand-washing stations, although you are welcome to bring your own blanket or lawn chairs. And on Saturday, June 19, at 11am, Minneapolis’ Open Eye Figure Theater will bring their puppet play, THE AMAZING COWBOAT, to our lawn.
Memorial Day also marked the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and the emergence of the largest grassroots movement against racism this country has seen. ESFL’s partner Rebecca Nichloson curated a powerful session of her Kaleidoscope Project, which is highlighted here. Please take the time to read and watch.
We are continuing with other programs via online platforms like Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube. Look over our calendar and see which events grab your attention. As ever, please reach out to us if you have ideas for programs and events that you would like to see us host. Stay safe and well. We look forward to seeing more of you in the weeks and months ahead.
Love and Solidarity,
Beth Cleary and Peter Rachleff