Presenting the Past: Berkshire Memoirs of Work Memoir Writing Workshop

Thanks to Housatonic Heritage, The Friends of the Monterey Library, Mark Makuc and Mary Jo Maichack.

In 2024, professional storyteller and teaching artist Mary Jo Maichack worked with Monterey Library to facilitate a four-session memoir writing workshop through funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Ten-twelve participants from Monterey and the area participated and wanted more. Turning our hopes to the Housatonic Heritage, she worked on a similar proposal and through their auspices developed another series, the results of which are displayed in this exhibit. We kept many in hand-written form and love the feeling of immediacy to thought and work that they give.

This time, there was a twist — HH had a year-long theme of “work” by people in the Berkshires, wherever and whenever it had been done. At first, the mission seemed daunting, as Maichack created writing prompts after culling from literature. Would there be inspiration from literature on labor? Would it be dry? The purpose of prompting from literature is its power to inspire writers of all levels to go deeper, not just to record activities in life, but their roots, results and emotional experience on the writers and people and places in their lives.

Many thought first of the Studs Terkel classic, Working, certainly an apt source, but we needed more, so in time, Maichack developed prompts from poetry and from as far back as Daniel Defoe’s 1722 Journal of the Plague Year. From that example, participants responded by creating historical documents describing the effects of Covid on their work and personal lives.

To delve into various aspects of work, we covered themes of failure/success, the work of caring for others, rhythms in the work day, ethical issues, and the pandemic. Each session consisted of Maichack reading aloud from varied literature, then the prompts she created. Participants typically wrote for 20 minutes and read their pieces aloud to the group.

“The affirmation and writing by this group has been exceptional. People wrote in free form without critique, instead, building on positive feedback. The pieces in this exhibit were done spontaneously in the moment, so are for the most part, unedited first drafts. The participants were to a fault supportive, helpful and kind to each other. This project brought me joy. I am grateful to you writers, to Mark and Friends, and to Housatonic Heritage, especially Judith Monachina and Dan Bolognani.

Enjoy these beautiful pieces. I hope you are inspired to write your own. Just pick a theme/ prompt, set a timer for 20 minutes and write without editing. Then read your work aloud to yourself and to someone else. I believe you’ll find joy and satisfaction in it. And you are leaving history a record of your work, your life, your personal living experience. All are precious.” —Mary Jo Maichack

Mary Jo Maichack made a career as a professional singer-storyteller in some 5,000 performances, workshops and residencies for all ages. She is the former Director of Marketing and Development for the Connecticut Storytelling Center and Northeast Director of the National Storytelling Network. Her first love was writing, which led her to her B.A. cum laude from Middlebury College. Born and raised in the Berkshires, she spent most of her adult life in the Holyoke/Northampton area, and in 2020 returned to live in Lenox.

“It is only when I am doing my work that I feel truly alive.” —Federico Fellini

“Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else.” —J.M. Barrie

“The two most important days are the day you were born and the day you find out why.” —Mark Twain

“Getting fired is nature’s way of telling you that you had the wrong job in the first place.” —Hal Lancaster

“I’d rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate.” —George Burns

SUMMER INTERN OPPORTUNITY

The Library is looking for a summer intern to assist with the Children’s Reading Program, and Children’s Summer Programming as well. This position is sponsored and funded by the Friends of the Monterey Library. The intern will work up to eight hours a week, flexible hours except for help with the Saturday morning programs.

MEET OUR NEW DIGITAL NAVIGATOR!

The Monterey Library, using grant money from the AARP for help in bridging the digital divide, has hired Cole Rosseter as our Digital Navigator. The AARP grant has been completed. While we wait for the Digital Equity Grant to kick in and fund this position, The Friends of the Monterey Library are funding this position.

Cole grew up in New Marlborough and graduated Mt Everett High School.  He enjoys using technology to stay organized and informed, and appreciates how each advancement makes life a bit more efficient.  When he’s not on a device, he enjoys hiking, biking and reading. 

The Digital Navigator will be in the library available for consultations Monday night 7-9, Thursday 4-8, and Saturday morning 9-1.  He can also be reached at digitalnavigatormonterey@gmail.com.  Cole is available through the grant program to help those who cannot leave their homes to come to the library.

He will help you through questions about technology and how to use it to your benefit.  Every day it becomes more necessary to deal with the world we live in.  We, at the library, have had many of these questions, mostly concerning library uses including printing, but occasionally simply general questions that are as complicated as how to turn off an iPhone.  We are happy to assist as we can, but now Cole will be here to help. 

We recently received more iPads that can be borrowed, more hot spots to assist in internet connection, and chromebooks are on the way. This is your chance to have someone help you try out a device that you might not feel comfortable buying without seeing how it works.

MONTEREY NEWS DIGITAL COPIES and other books on Monterey history READY FOR VIEWING

Click above on the link and it will bring you to the Digital Archive. The Library, with the assistance of the Monterey News, the Digital Commonwealth, and the Internet Archive, has been working on digitizing all of the Monterey News. The rest of the collection will be available in the future, but for now enjoy the first 35 years!

Interested in having an event at the Monterey Library? Please read the policy below. If you have any questions about that, please email montereylibrary.com. If you’re still agreeable, then fill out the Building and Grounds Use Form.

TO BORROW e-MATERIALS CLICK HERE!

For details of other sources for electronic content— check out our Resources page!

WATCH THE CHILDREN OF MONTEREY CUT THE RIBBON AT THE GRAND OPENING!

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