Teen Photojournaling Workshop at Brewster Ladies’ Library

It’s not the same as keeping a diary, as the course organizers explain. Indeed, journaling seems to be viewed by its proponents as a high science. Even the word seems to have taken over from boring old ‘blogging’ as a term to describe what one US expert has described as one of the easiest and most powerful ways to accelerate your personal development and gain insights you’d otherwise never see.

And with a growing number of opportunities to “get your thoughts out of your head and put them down in writing”, using media like Evernote, Wordpress or even the humble Blogspot that I use, it’s no surprise to find that Google lists 79,900,000 entries for ‘journaling software.’

For the week of 20-24 July 2009 Brewster teenagers will learn the basics of journaling. By combining photos and personal memories of their lives on Cape Cod, participants will create a journal of their experiences and observations. Activities will include a field trip to the beach to take pictures and write, reading excerpts of published journals, having some fun bringing memories to life, and a pizza party.

“Journaling is great way to create stories without making it up,” say the organizers. “Teens will have the opportunity to hone their writing skills, while also having a good time!”

The workshop will be taught by Amy Woods, Language Arts Instructor at the Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School, and is designed for students in grades 6-8, approximately 11-14 years old.

Participants will meet from 10.30 am – 12.30 pm each day at the Brewster Ladies’ Library. There is no charge for this workshop. The Library will provide digital cameras and printing materials for use during the workshop, although participants are invited to use their own cameras. Each student will receive a journal to take home at the end of the
course. Participants should plan on attending each session, and are asked to register in
advance by calling the library at 508-896-3913, or online at our calendar of events at
http://www.brewsterladieslibrary.org/

This is just one of the many programmes, projects and exhibits organized by the Brewster Ladies' Library, which is of course by no means just for the ladies of the town in spite of retaining its original name. Started in 1852 by two young women, Sarah Augusto Mayo and Mary Louise Cobb, when Brewster was flourishing with the wealth of homecoming sea captains and the vigour of many small businesses, the Ladies' Library is a private institution which serves as the free public library for the town of Brewster. The Library is managed by a Board of Directors elected by the membership of the Brewster Ladies' Library Association.