With the economy still in recovery, libraries find themselves doing more with less. Among the challenges they face: reduced budgets, and the technology-driven needs of a growing number of patrons.

In the basement of Sturgis Library in Barnstable, director Lucy Loomis moves some boxes around on the shelves lining a small, climate-controlled room that looks like a bank vault.

She finds what she wants and takes it to a nearby table where she removes a ship's passport from the early days' of American History. Sturgis Library dates back to the 1860s, and like most libraries, for most of its history it focussed on printed materials -- primary documents like the ones in this box, as well as books, magazines and newspapers.

Let's talk beer. Not the kind you buy, but the kind you make at home. In this 3-part episode of the Local Food Report, originally broadcast in February and March of 2012, Elspeth dives into the process of brewing your own beer.  She begins with a little history: 5000 years ago the Sumerians were already at it...

Elspeth has more information about homebrewing, including a recipe and links for brewing resources, on her blog Diary of a Locavore.  

(Note: This is not a full transcript of the radio story. The full story can be heard by clicking above.)

In autumn 2003, Scott Price and his son Pat of Nashville, Tennessee, found themselves driving around Hyannis in a rental car looking for good will. The trip was Scott's idea after Pat graduated from college. During the course of a year, they would travel to all 50 states and interview people about the good things in their lives.

  Snappy, Stretcho, and Criss-Cross are jugglers from Falmouth. They formed "The Suspenders Juggling Troupe" back in 1984 and have been performing ever since.

Visit Suspenders Juggling Troupe's website.

This piece comes from production partners Atlantic Public Media, through their media training program, The Transom Story Workshop in Woods Hole.  Find out more.

  Bob Jordan has a 3000-degree forge in his garage. He’s a blacksmith with over 40 years of experience – including work with German, Italian and North American Masters. J.P. Davidson visited Bob’s workshop in Orleans for our Creative Life series.

Visit Bob Jordan's website.

This piece comes from production partners Atlantic Public Media, through their media training program, The Transom Story Workshop in Woods Hole.  Find out more.

A conversation with inventor Scott Smith, of Osterville. Since 2001, Mr. Smith has owned a company that produces cellular foam products -- things like padding for football helmets, and packaging inserts. Two disasters, four years apart, gave Mr. Smith first the creative inspiration for an invention, and then an opportunity to test it on a world stage.

As the popularity of tattooing reaches new heights, more people of all ages and types are getting tattoos. In this week's installment of Creative Life, Alex Crowley visits the studio of tattoo artist Angel Quinonez in Oak Bluffs.

For this week’s Creative Life, Steve Junker spent an afternoon with Martha's Vineyard artist Jenifer Strachan in her West Tisbury studio, which is a small tree house, just ten feet by twelve. Seated at her work table, looking out into the surrounding woods, she pieces together mosaics - detailed images of animals, and of women - that she usually mounts in antique frames.

Visit Jenifer Strachan's website to see images of her mosaics.

Part 3 of 3 - Power Struggle: The Future of Pilgrim Nuclear Plant

PLYMOUTH, Mass. — On a Saturday morning in October, volunteer John Lamb greeted cars at the Eddy Elementary School in Brewster. One of those cars held Al and Kathy Wyman, who came to get their potassium iodine.