Berkshire Athenaeum Hosts Seed Library Opening Celebration

07:14AM / Monday, March 16, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Saturday, March 21, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. – noon, the Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield's Public Library, will host an event to celebrate the season opening of the Berkshire Seed Library.

The centerpiece of this event will be a ribbon-cutting for the Seed Library at 11 am, after which anyone with a library card may select up to 10 packets of vegetable or flower seeds to take home, free of charge.

If those interested do not have a library card, patrons can sign up for one for free anytime the library is open. In the spirit of a community library, users are encouraged to learn how to save seeds from plants they grow and donate them to the library next season.

The Season Opening celebration will also include a Seed Exchange area. Anyone may bring seeds they have at home to share with their neighbors. Particularly welcome are seeds that are unique, saved from previous harvests, or hold special meaning to growers. No library card is required to share or collect seeds from the Seed Exchange.

Finally, community organizations including Roots Rising, Master Gardeners, and the Common Seed Project will be available to answer questions and discuss resources related to gardening and healthy food. The Berkshire Seed Library is supported by the Friends of the Berkshire Athenaeum, and with donations from John's Ace Hardware, Carr Hardware, and the Pittsfield community. To learn more about the Seed Library, visit www.pittsfieldlibrary.org/seedlibrary.

For more information about the Seed Library Opening Celebration, call 413-499-9480 ext. 202 or email info@pittsfieldlibrary.org.

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Recent E. Coli Detection in Pontoosuc Lake Confined to Lanesborough

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:05AM / Tuesday, August 04, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Only Lanesborough's portion of Pontoosuc Lake had a bacterial exceedance last week.

During the Lake Management Commission's second meeting on Thursday, members received an update on the situation.

On July 22, the Lanesborough Board of Health closed the Sunrise Street and Narragansett Avenue beaches due to high E. Coli levels. They have since cleared.

"We didn't have any bacterial exceedance in Pittsfield, so there's no concern at all last week for any E. coli concerns in Pittsfield,” Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath reported.

Regular monitoring for bacterial exceedances at swimming beaches across the Commonwealth is required. Pittsfield's Board of Health tests Pontoosuc and Onota Lake weekly on Wednesdays throughout the summer.

Lanesborough also conducts weekly testing through its Board of Health, and an exceedance was reported to the state at Sunrise Beach, at the very north end of Pontoosuc Lake.

McGrath noted that he did not see Narragansett Beach on the state's dashboard.

"The City of Pittsfield was made aware of the bacterial exceedance and we, of course, were concerned,” he said.

"Our weekly testing happened the next day on Wednesday. Our results were returned Thursday morning. We did not have a bacterial exceedance at Pontoosuc Lake Park, where we test off of the wall on the north side of the channel, and also proximate to the boat ramp, at this point in time.”

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