Did you know that as a Waltham resident, you have access to three different video streaming services through the library? Our subscriptions to Hoopla, Kanopy, and Mango Languages allow our patrons to watch a variety of content on your computers, phones, tablets, and televisions at no charge. There is a lot of content and it can get a little overwhelming so here are some suggestions of what our staff have enjoyed through these services. If you need help using these services, please send an e-mail to lbernheim@minlib.net.
For more suggestions from our staff, please read our last “Staff Reads” post or review our “Staff Favorite Podcasts”
Kate
What We Do in the Shadows, available on both Hoopla and Kanopy
Victorian Slum House (Hoopla): I love these reality shows where people live like we did 100 years ago.
Coal House and Coal House at War (Hoopla): Families recreate living in a coal mining community in Whales during the Great Depression, and World War II.
We Bare Bears (Hoopla): Adorable cartoon about three bears who live together.
Nancy Drew (1995) (Hoopla): The best TV version of Nancy Drew.
Dance Academy(Hoopla): Show about kids at an elite Australian ballet academy.
Laura
Clue (Kanopy): This is one of my favorite movies. I’m so excited that it’s available for free to our patrons! There are so many good lines. “Communism is just a red herring” “It flames, flames, on the side of my face.” I could go on and on and on.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco(Kanopy): Jimmie acquaints himself with the large house that his grandfather built in San Francisco and goes on a journey of self discovery.
You Can Count on Me (Kanopy): Quiet and touchingly funny movie about the relationship between an adult brother and sister.
I’ve been spending most of my time using Kanopy Kids these last few weeks. It’s great because it has some of my son’s favorites like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and even new-to-us titles featuring favorite characters, like The Miffy Movie. Also in heavy rotation are Wild Kratts and Franklin, which makes me feel nostalgic for the 90s.
It’s National Park Week! I have been very lucky and have had the pleasure of visiting a small number of our many National Parks, including Yellowstone, The Grand Tetons, The Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park. That doesn’t even cover the National Parks and Historic Sites that we’re lucky to have in our state, including the beautiful Cape Cod National Seashore. Visiting a National Park in person is not an option right now, so please enjoy this guide featuring a variety of online resources and do some “visiting”.
National Park Service and National Park Foundation The National Park Service (NPS) and National Park Foundation are amazing resources and have put together a lot of great initiatives so you can enjoy the National Parks from the comfort of your home.
Junior Ranger Online Program: Those who have visited National Parks with young children may have had the pleasure of participating in the Junior Ranger program. I highly recommend it as its informative and fun for the adults just as much as the kids. A few years ago, my young travel companion held the distinction of being the first “Junior Ranger” of the season at the Boston Harbor Islands and the actual ranger made a big announcement to others at the visitor center to a huge round of applause.
Distance Learning: Great resources for teachers who are teaching via virtual classrooms or for parents looking for some ideas for home schooling. Even those of us who are neither teachers or parents can find something to learn.
Virtual Visits to a National Park Though nothing beats an in person visit to these amazing landmarks, these still photos and web cams are the next best thing. Here are a few I’ve been enjoying:
Yellowstone live webcams: In addition to Old Faithful, “visitors” can view the various entrances to the park, different views of Mount Washburn, and the Mammoth Hot Springs.
Channel Islands National Park Tour with Jordan Fisher: Actor Jordan Fisher, best known for co-starring in the live productions of Greaseand Rent, gives visitors a brief look at this California National Park. Of the three I mentioned here, this was the one I had not visited (or knew) so I really appreciated it.
Massachusetts National Parks When the COVID-19 crisis is behind us, you’ll be able to satisfy your National Park itch by not traveling far. We’re lucky in this state to be home to 15 National Parks, 5 National Heritage Areas, 3 National Trails, and 189 National Historic Landmarks! Here are some of the highlights that you can enjoy from home:
Cape Cod National Seashore: Jaws Mayor Larry Vaughn does not run Wellfleet and so the beach’s facilities are, luckily, closed. It doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the treasures from this beautiful seashore. I’ve been really enjoying the social media feeds for @CapeCodNPS, including this Facebook post using Peeps to illustrate social distancing. (embedded at the bottom of this post)
National Parks Exploration Seriesfrom Overdrive (note, these videos can be viewed on the Overdrive website on your browser but can’t be viewed on the Libby by Overdrive app)
Our staff love podcasts of all different types and opinions. Please read below to get a list of what some of our staff have been enjoying. Want to see more staff suggestions? Read the latest edition of “Staff Reads”.
For Harriet: Thoughts from Kimberly Foster about pop culture and news affecting the African-American community.
Musical Hell: “Diva” gives sentences in her court to some of the worst offenders when it comes to movie musicals.
Greg
Lore by Aaron Mahnke: My personal favorite. He looks over folktales, mysteries and historical events throughout the world, and explains how they’ve impacted modern day culture. Also, he’s a Massachusetts local, so while he explores all sorts of stories it’s New England tales that really get to shine.
Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It: (My household) loves Crooked Media and these three pods are mainstays- Jon, Jon, and Tommy are involved in 1 or more of these 3. The pods are varying levels of seriousness with humor. Lovett is pure fun though it is news related, Pod Save America is more serious and in-depth discussions about current events revolving around US politics but still with some humor. PSTW is by far the most serious of the three and it focuses on foreign affairs. Occasionally we listen to other pods by Crooked Media and I’d encourage you to check them out!
The Daily: Brief look at a big story to start your day. So good.
This American Life: About ten years ago I went through their archives and listened to every.single.episode. It was before podcasts were really a thing, (I think of TAL as the OG pod) so there wasn’t as much out there. It took a while of course (it was about 600+ episodes at the time)but it was worth it. I particularly love stories from David Rakoff (RIP), David Sedaris, and Sara Vowell. They stick out in my memory, but Ira and his team always put out amazing stories. They connect dots you didn’t think to connect, and of course, pull on my heart strings. I don’t listen as regularly these days, instead bingeing it now and then to catch up, but it always feels like home. You can still find all of their archives on their site.
99% Invisible: All about design, why things are the way they are. Excellent episodes include “Ten Thousand Years”, “Weeding is Fundamental” and “The Great Bitter Lake Association”
Criminal: A show all about crime, best intro episode “Ex Libris”
Spooked: Spooky ghost stories told by the people who experienced them. Are the stories real? I don’t know, but they’re definitely fun to listen to!
Headlong: Surviving Y2K: An interesting look back at what people thought would happen NYE 1999.
Good Christian Fun: A discussion about contemporary Christian culture from the late 90s. Discussed from a evolved, progressive viewpoint, but with a fondness for the past.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Jenny Owen Youngs and Kristen Russo recap every episode, and Jenny (a musician) writes a song related to each episode.
Brains On: The most recent episode I listened to was “Narwhals: Unicorns of the Sea?” So much fun!
Grace
Last Podcast On The Left: Hilarious and meticulously researched, covering true crime and all things spooky. A bit loud, a bit raunchy, but very very funny.
My Favorite Murder: Two friends and comedians hang out and discuss cases. These two are down to earth, and have a looser feel to the format.
This Podcast Will Kill You: Two epidemiologists go over a different disease each episode, covering the biology as well as the history. Currently they have a six part series on Covid-19.
Bear Brook: Investigative podcast. A wild story about how a crime can be solved, even without knowing the identity of the victims. The people interviewed, investigators and townspeople are great characters, and the story is packed with twists and turns.
