Bellingham Library Announces December Programming

The Bellingham Public Library is open Monday—Thursday, 10 am–8 pm, and Friday and Saturday,  10 am—5 pm.  The library will close at 1 pm on Thursday, Dec. 24, and remain closed on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 25 and 26, for the Christmas holiday. The library will also close at 1 pm on Thursday, Dec. 31, for New Year’s Eve, and remain closed on Friday, January 1, New Year’s Day; the library will be open its regular hours on Saturday, January 2.

Featured Events

• Gingerbread Mania—Friday, Dec. 11, at 4 pm, and Monday, Dec. 14, at 6:30 pm.  For ages 3 and up. Listen to the story “The Gingerbread Man,” and then decorate your own gingerbread man! Please register.
• Coloring for Adults—Monday, Dec. 14,  6–7:30 pm.  Have you heard about the new trend? Adults are buying coloring books and coloring for stress relief. Come to our monthly coloring group.  We will provide one coloring page per person and colored pencils, or you can bring your own. Registration preferred but not necessary.  Feel free to bring dinner and snacks.
• Christmas Crafts—Tuesday, Dec. 15, at 4:15 pm. For school-age children. We will make a variety of Christmas crafts. Please register.
• Christmas Stories & Craft—Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 4:15 pm. For ages 4-6. We will be reading Christmas stories and making a Christmas craft. Please register.
• The Polar Express—Saturday, Dec.19, at 3:30 pm, and Monday, Dec. 21, at 10:30 am and 6:30 pm.  For families. The Community Room will be set up like a train and we will take a “ride” on the Polar Express! The lights will be down, the story will be on the big screen, and the voice of Liam Neeson will tell the famous Christmas tale. Please register.
• December Holidays Story Time—Thursday, Dec. 10, at 4:15 pm. For kids ages 4-7. Have fun learning about and experiencing the many December holidays. Please register.

Regular Events for Children

• Ring-A-Ding—Tuesdays and Fridays, at 10:15 am, and Saturday, Dec. 12. (No class the week of Dec. 28.) For ages 0–5. A musical and play story time. Participants will enjoy songs, fingerplays, a story, pretend play and free play with parachutes and more. No registration necessary. Drop in.
• Alphabits—Tuesdays, at 1 pm; Wednesdays, at 10:15 and 11:15 am;  Thursdays, at 9:45 and 10:45 am through Dec. 17. Focus will be on a different letter of the alphabet each week, through stories, crafts, and other activities, from A—Z. Please register. You need to register only once to attend all Alphabits story times.
• Book Babies—Tuesdays, 11:30 am, and Wednesdays, 9:30 am. For ages 0–23 months. Registration required. Through December 16th.
• Favorite Characters Story Time—Thursday, Dec. 3 and 17, at 1 pm. For ages 3–5. This bi-weekly story time will feature a different favorite character each class. We’ll read stories, do a craft, and have fun. Please register.
• Hobby Hour—Tuesday, Dec.1, at 4 pm; Saturday, Dec. 12, at 2 pm; and Thursday, Dec. 17, at 4 pm.   Bring your Pokémon, Shopkins, knitting, Rainbow Loom, or whatever else you do for a hobby. Meet other kids with similar interests for play and discussion. Drop in; no registration necessary.
• Tail Waggin’ Tutors— Monday, Dec. 14, at 6:30 pm. Kids are invited to read with Indy, our certified reading dog.  There are four 15-minute sessions; please register.
• Preschool Activity Centers—Monday, Dec. 14, 10–11:30 am, and 1–2 pm. For any preschool age. Drop in during any time to work at centers. There will be four or five activity centers set up around the community room for kids to try at their own levels/pace. No registration necessary.
• Lego Build—Wednesdays at 4 pm. Drop in.
• Magic School Bus—Monday, Dec. 7, at 4:15 pm.  Ages 4–7. We’ll watch an episode of Magic School Bus and do a craft. Please register.
• After School Café—For grades 6–12. Looking for something to do after school? Stop by the after-xchool cafe. Use laptops, play on the Wii or XBox, play board games, and create craft projects with your friends.After-school cafes are every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 2:30–4 pm.
• Mondays in the Middle—Monday, Dec. 7, at 2:30 pm, join us for the movie Star Wars: A New Hope;  and Monday, Dec. 14, 2:30-4 pm, for games, food, challenges, crafts and activities. For grades 4 -7. Grab some friends and walk to the library. No registration necessary.
• Middle School Advisory Board—Tuesday, Dec. 15, at 2:30 pm.  For middle school students.  We’re looking for members. If you are interested in making the library a better place, we want you. Discuss your interests, see the newest books and help us think of ideas to improve the library.Please register.
• Doctor Who Marathon—Friday, Dec. 4, 2–5 pm. Ages 13 and up.  Come and watch 3 episodes of Doctor Who, featuring David Tennant as The Doctor.  Bring your own snacks.   No registration required. 
• YA Book Lovers Book Club—Tuesday, Dec. 8, 6:30–7:30 pm. Calling all lovers of teen literature. If you like to read and talk about books, then join us on the second Tuesday of each month for fun discussions and a snack. This program is for teens ages 14+ and adults. We’ll read from different genres chosen by group members.  Please register if this is your first time attending.   Check the library calendar for this month’s title.
• Anime Club—Friday, Dec. 18, at 2:30 pm. Ages 13-18. Come and meet new friends, watch anime (PG13), and discuss the latest things in the anime world. No registration required.

Events for Adults

• Bellingham Skein Artists—Our adult knitting group meets on Thursdays at 6:30 pm, new members welcomed.
• Friends of the Library Meeting—Monday, December 7, at 7 pm. 
• Book Discussion Group—Monday, Dec. 7, at both 3 and 6:30 pm. Starting this month, and lasting throughout the winter, the same book will be discussed at both sessions on the first Monday of the month. You can come at either time.  A Christmas Carol  by Charles Dickens will be discussed. Facilitated by Cecily Christensen, Reference Librarian. New members welcomed.
• Bellingham Parent Support Group—Tuesdays, Dec.1 and 15, at 5:30 pm.  See library calendar for details.
• Board of Library Trustees Meeting—Thursday, December 3,  at  7 pm. Note that the meeting is on the first Thursday, not the normally scheduled second Thursday.
• 3D Printer Training Workshops—will resume in the New Year.