The National Blank Book Company at the foot of Cabot Street (and later in Chicopee) was a Holyoke fixture for nearly a century and a half, producing internationally-distributed products from workforce ledgers, to diaries, to custom binders.  It ingrained itself in local factory culture in the process. As one former employee explained, "If you talked to a Holyoker and they didn't know someone who worked there or hadn't worked there themself, you knew they were new in town."

On June 15 at 5:00 PM, all are invited to join us in the Community Room for Every Book Guaranteed Perfect: The National Blank Book Company in Retrospect. The History Room’s Archival Fellow Joe Maspo, M.A., will begin with an overview of the newly-expanded National Blank Book Collection and the interviews he conducted for the project.  The highlight will be a panel discussion of former employees about life with the company. Some unique artifacts that tell the story of a factory and its city will be on display. This project is the culmination of a months-long archival processing project and was made possible with a generous donation from the Richard and Margaret Towne Charitable Fund. For more information, contact the History Room at (413) 420-8107.

Want to foster your child's interest in STEM, while igniting their creative spark at the same time?

Join ImagArena for the Buildwave: A hands-on building game!

Buildwave is a creative building program that feels like a video game! Over the course of the workshop students create with over a dozen different building materials, including Lego®,
PlusPlus®, and custom-made Buildwave materials. The workshop is structured like a video game, with an audiovisual setup featuring animations and music that guide students through the different building waves. As your child creates with wave after wave of new objects, they build creative confidence, become better collaborators, and encounter design and engineering fundamentals in a unique and memorable context. Learn more by visiting our website www.buildwave.com.

Age Range: Grades K - 6
Limited Number of Participants: Maximum: 20 -- registration is required.