Ben Franklin Autobiography Readathon 2020 - Jan 16

Ben Franklin Autobiography 

Readathon 2020!

Thursday, January 16, 2020 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

In honor of the 314th birthday of Benjamin Franklin, the namesake of our town and founder of our library, the Franklin Public Library will be holding its third annual "readathon" – a marathon reading of the full text of the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. 

The book is considered a classic of American literature. According to the Library of Congress, "It was not only the first autobiography to achieve widespread popularity, but after two hundred years remains one of the most enduringly popular examples of the genre ever written."

Like other readathons, this one invites the public to participate! Readers are encouraged to sign up in advance for 15-minute segments. Commencing when the library opens at 9 AM on January 16 [the day before Ben's actual birthday], readers will share the words of Ben Franklin with anyone interested in dropping by for all or part of the event. 

It is expected that the reading will be completed between 6 PM and 8PM, when the library closes. Water and other refreshments will be available for readers and audience. 

To register, visit https://forms.gle/tpwzALpEb4XhzD279 .

Ben Franklin Autobiography Readathon 2020 - Jan 16

Happy Anniversary!

Some things change, some things don't.

Eight years ago the Senior Center was celebrating its opening.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2007/11/senior-center-entrance-area.html

The common room was filled for the Senior Center open house on Sunday, Nov 11, 2007

There is a Building Committee working on completing the interior 2nd floor and expanding the parking to accommodate the increased usage.

Eight years ago, the Center Commons was still getting the exterior brickwork completed.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2007/11/franklin-center-commons-building.html

brick work underway in Nov 2007 at what is now the entrance to The Cake Bar

A couple of months ago, Dean College completed the purchase of the building to add to their dormitory options.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/10/dean-college-buys-franklin-center.html

FranklinMAtters.org began publishing regularly becoming the citizen powered journalism site that it is today. Readership has continued to grow. 

Franklin Matters readership growth from November 2007 to November  2015

How can you help?

• If you like this, please tell a neighbor. 
• If you don't like this, please tell me.

Through this feedback loop, I can continue to provide good information for you.


If you want to stay informed on what matters in Franklin, you can subscribe to receive a daily dose of what matters via email (yes, only one email daily. It should arrive in your Inbox just after 9:00 AM each day.)

Subscribe by following this link http://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html

Thank you!

Franklin LIbrary: How to Select eReaders

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

How to Select eReaders

via Franklin Public Library by Franklin Public Library on 11/26/12

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Franklin Public Library using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

From the feed reader

I have several tools to capture information being published about Franklin, MA. One of my key tools is Google Reader http://googlereader.blogspot.com/ In today's reader, I find several good articles about what is happening in and around Franklin.


1 - Warren Reynolds publishes regularly at 02038.com. He has his write up for the FHS ground breaking event held last week

New Franklin High School ground breaking celebrated

by Warren Reynolds

2 - Amanda Spittell writing for Berry Insurance lets us know about the Jack-o-lantern spectacular at Roger Williams Park in Providence, RI

Roger Williams Park Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular 2012

by aspittell

3 - Mary writes about the new items that have arrived for the Mill Store on Union St located at the railroad crossing.

Autumn awesomeness

by Mary

Enjoy!

Current readership statistics

Occasionally I am asked, what is the readership for Franklin Matters? This is not something I focus on. The numbers tend to be quite dependent upon a variety of factors beyond my control. I prefer to focus on providing good content and letting the rest happen.

You have helped in this area. You have found what you wanted here. Usually spending a good bit of time reading here. And over time (as shown by the charts below) have continued to spread the word about what you find here.

You have four options to follow what matters in Franklin

1. the daily update via email
2. the weekly update via email
3. visit the website regularly
4. follow us on Facebook

You can sign up for the each email listing or follow us on Facebook here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html


And as I frequently have said on the audio version:

• If you like what you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors.
• If you don't like what you find here, please let me know. It is through this feedback process that I can continue to provide good content that meets your needs.

Note: 
This website was "born" in November 2007. Right after the election. All posts on the Franklin election and the override (earlier in May) were to my personal website - Steve's 2 Cents.

The readership for Jan-Feb-Mar of this year already exceeds all of the first full year 2008!

Year			Page Loads	Unique Visits	First Time Visits	Returning Visits
2012			23,029	17,566	14,433	3,133
2011			67,814	48,020	37,004	11,016
2010			63,307	42,461	31,121	11,340
2009			41,845	28,131	20,016	8,115
2008			22,574	15,243	9,730	5,513
2007			1,816	1,085	511	574

Note: 2012 covers only Jan-Feb-Mar

Franklin Library: Nook eReaders Workshop

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Nook eReaders Workshop

via Franklin Public Library by Franklin Public Library on 3/5/12

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Franklin Public Library using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

Franklin Library: Kindle eReaders

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Kindle eReaders

via Franklin Public Library by Franklin Public Library on 1/24/12

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Franklin Public Library using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

Franklin Public Library: eReaders and eBooks

 

 

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

 

 

eReaders and eBooks

via Franklin Public Library by Franklin Public Library on 1/9/12

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Franklin Public Library using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

Live reporting - FHS Summer Reading

2. Guests/Presentations
c. FHS Summer Reading – Peter Light, Chris Schmidt

multiple attempts to get reading for the summer with some good involvement
after multiple tries, they put together a committee with students and other faculty representatives

the hours of work put in included surveying other schools, the middles schools, etc.
the program should be fair and inclusive and successful so we are not having a conversation again on this next year

life long readers include the joy of reading

students need choice, the wrong thing is to say this is the book you are going to read

create a program that will be sustainable over time
encourage students to read widely

Corey would tell it like it was, if it wasn't going to work, he would let us know

create a student friendly listing of books, an online annotated bibliography include links to Amazon, etc.
we may not be able to offer everything that is in the library

category listing includes "banned books" designed to catch the eye and interest

listing of books and students for their respective assignments provided to the teachers who will be prepared to do their assessment review

summer reading would be included on the Q1 report card

designated period - peer review discussion and self assessment will account for 50% , teacher/coordinator assessment would account for the remaining 50%.

Different assessment possibilities, i.e. paper, audio, visual, or artistic product
each would include a summary of the book, etc.

working to finish the rubric in March, collect book recommendations and get rolling for this summer


Franklin, MA

I love my white shoes

Reading is so important. Do you have good reading habits for your kids to pick up?

Cute girls



Author version



Kindergarten version

Our example to our children, to our families, and to the world around us is constant. The question is not whether or not anyone is watching, the question is what are they learning as they watch. -- Kirk Weisler

Franklin, MA

Thank you!

The growth of visitors and page views on this site has been gradual and wonderful to watch.

Thank you for coming to visit. I trust you are finding what you are looking for here.

Consider subscribing via RSS, email or iTunes to stay current with minimal effort on your part.

If you don't find what you are looking for, let me know.

Davis Thayer Reading Challenge

Saw this sign out walking this morning:



Yea for reading!
Go Davis Thayer readers!

Over 50? - Take this survey, please!

Ronni Bennett and others in the elder blog world have put together a survey.

The goal is to find out what elderbloggers are like, how we may be similar and how we are different, how we relate to technology, how we came to be bloggers or blog readers, how we feel about it and what our demographics are.

There are 57 questions, many of which are required so that there is the largest possible population from which to draw conclusions. They are straightforward questions, mostly multiple-choice, and it shouldn’t take longer than about 15 minutes to complete.

If you are over 50, please consider taking the survey.

Franklin has an important elder community, we should be fully represented in this survey.

I just took the survey myself, it is quick and easy to do.

By the way, there is no registration, no identification to provide as part of the survey and it knows that once you complete it won't let you come back for a second round.


Updated 4/23/08 5:00 PM - If you tried the survey link and it failed, you can try again now. From this time forward it should be working properly.