North Berkshire Contra Dance to Hold Monthly Event in Williamstown

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The North Berkshire Contra Dance will host its monthly community dance on Saturday, January 11, at the First Congregational Church, 906 Main St., Williamstown.

The event will feature live fiddle music and dances led by caller Julian Blechner.

The dance will take place from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. in the church's Community Hall. Admission is pay-as-you-can, with a suggested contribution of $12 to $20. Barter, including assistance with cleanup, is also accepted.

New dancers and families are encouraged to arrive at 7:30 p.m. for an introductory lesson. Participants can attend with or without a partner, as dancers typically rotate partners throughout the evening.

Music will be provided by fiddler George Wilson and pianist Selma Kaplan. Wilson, known for his Cape Breton and French Canadian-influenced style, has been performing since the late 1970s. Kaplan is a pianist, composer, and arranger frequently sought after by dance events along the East Coast.

A pre-dance calling workshop will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Williamstown Public Library. Participants can bring a dance to practice or attend as dancers to assist others in the session.

The event’s respiratory illness policy advises attendees to stay home if they feel unwell or display cold symptoms. Masks are appreciated but not required.

For more information, visit www.NorthBerkshireDance.org.

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Williamstown's Milne Library Opens Makerspace on Thursday

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The David and Joyce Milne Public Library still is the best place in town to borrow a book.
 
But it is getting to the point where the word library itself is inadequate to describe all the Milne has to offer.
 
On Thursday, the Main Street library will hold a grand opening for Studio 1095, the Milne's new makerspace, where patrons will have access to creative tools ranging from sewing machines to soldering tools to jewelry-making supplies to creative software like Photoshop and Illustrator to green screen capability to a podcast studio.
 
It marks the latest step in the evolution of the town's library into a full-service community center.
 
"I think Studio1095 is very much part of that broader evolution," Milne Director Angela Zimmermann said last week. "Libraries are continuing to provide those core services people have always relied on — books, information, technology, research help, and a place for learning — while also becoming places where people can create, connect, explore, and participate in their community, a sort of community creative and learning space. 
 
"The Thingdom and Sensory Space are good examples of that same evolution — both of which just happened at the Milne in the last couple of years. They recognize that a library can meet community needs in ways that go beyond traditional collections. And Studio1095 builds on that idea by giving people access to equipment, technology, creative tools, and opportunities they might not otherwise have access to."
 
The Thingdom is the Milne's lending center where cardholders can check out such "non-book" items as a fondue pot, a leaf blower, a paper shredder, a snow sled or an electric drum kit.
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