Fruits of Labor : Celebrating Work and Industry in Massachusetts — Massachusetts was at the forefront of the industrial revolution. It was here that the textile and shoe making industries flourished during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Thousands of workers, including women and newly arrived immigrants flocked to the industrial centers, lured by the promise of jobs; jobs that were often difficult and dreary, but provided needed income and, for some, a measure of independence. From Wakefield to Westfield, from Lawrence to Leominster, from Hopedale to Holyoke and beyond, Massachusetts workers powered an array of industries, feeding their families and growing the local economy.

This exhibit honors the labor of the Massachusetts worker through a selection of images in the Digital Commonwealth.

• Hurricane Central — News and maps from Weather.com
• National Hurricane Center — From the National Weather Service

Reference Databases — Whether you’re writing a paper for school, doing research for a personal project you’ll find thousands of articles from magazines, scholarly journals, newspapers, investment reports, biographies, health resources, radio transcripts, reference books, and more using these online library resources. To access these databases from outside the library, you will need your library card.