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Bellingham Library Announces August Events

Aug 01, 2017 04:31PM ● By Pamela Johnson

Bellingham Public Library

Summer Reading Is in Full Swing.

This summer’s reading theme is “Build a Better World.”  Upcoming events include the following:

Community Science Fair—The summer reading finale, set for the evening of Thursday, Aug. 17, at 6 pm, will include a Community Science Fair.  Kids, groups of kids, and families are invited to participate. Select a topic from the suggested list at the library website (www.BellinghamLibrary.org), or take the quiz at sciencebuddies.org to find a topic. We’d like the majority of the projects to fall under topics that are either part of our Enlighten Bellingham program (alternative energy, recycling and water resources) or the Build a Better World summer reading theme. Topics will be approved by library staff. Participants may be reimbursed for up to $75 for materials used to create and display the project. Check the library website for details. 

The summer reading finale will also include a program by Sciencetellers called Tall Ships & Pirate Tales, Thursday, Aug. 17, at 6:30 pm. Ahoy. People don’t just build on land. They build on water too. Set sail with us on a thrilling action-packed adventure about a crew of quirky pirates marooned on a deserted island. With mutiny and high-tide looming, they must rescue their salty captain and find a way to construct a ship before all hope is lost…at sea. Planks, sails, rigging, rails... what else could building a pirate ship possibly take? Throughout the story, volunteers from the audience will help us explore the incredible science behind clouds, flash paper, air pressure, inertia, explosions and more. Don’t miss this refreshing nautical tale with a twist.

We are helping to “Build a Better World.” Our summer reading incentive program this year is providing light for families in Africa.  Five-hundred and ninety-eight million people in Africa have no access to electricity. They have no clean source of light, so they use kerosene lamps, which are unhealthful, expensive, and unsafe. Kerosene lamps are a poor source of light as well, and kids are unable to see well enough to do their homework after it gets dark outside.

For every 5,000 minutes read by Bellingham-area children this summer, we will purchase a solar light bulb for a family in need. The more you read, the more light bulbs we will buy. Make sure you log your minutes read, so that we can count them. Pick up a reading log, or create an online reading log. Help us build a better world. And you can get prizes too. For every 500 minutes (8 hours, 20 minutes) you read this summer, you can get a book or a prize of your choice. When you are at the library check out the bulletin board to see how many homes we have provided with lightbulbs. Keep reading so we can reach our 120 lightbulb goal.
Playful Engineers: Rube Goldberg Machine Workshop—Wednesday, August 2, at 10 am; ages 6 and up preferred. Please register. Artist/Educator Jay Mankita guides and inspires kids to construct delightfully complicated contraptions that accomplish simple tasks. Jay supplies dominos, popsicle sticks, magnets, rubber bands, string, balls, marbles, etc. Set-up includes Jay’s basic table and floor-based templates as well as some pre-constructed machines for kids to study and play with, with plenty of opportunities for making, and learning from, their own mistakes. Goofy fun, and real engineering, with a bit of Rube Goldberg history thrown into the mix.

Lego Build Challenge—Wednesdays through August 16, 4—5 pm (for all ages). All you have to bring is your imagination—the Legos and the fun are provided. Each week this summer, we will provide a building challenge. You can try to meet the challenge or just enjoy free build time. Drop in.

A Better World Story Time—Thursdays through August 17, at 10:30 am; for ages 2-5. Each week, there will be stories and activities relating to a way that we can make our world better. Please register. You only need to register once in order to attend as many Better World Story Times as you can make.

Stuffed Animal Vet Checkup & Spa—Thursday, August 3rd; for any age. Bring your stuffed animal in between 4 and 5:30 pm to get examined by our stuffed animal vets and to get relaxed by our stuffed animal masseuse. Plus, enjoy a self-grooming station. No registration necessary

Ravenous Readers—Monday, Aug, 7, for grades 1–3 and Monday, Aug. 14, for grades 4–7, at 12 pm. Enjoy lunch and books. Bring a favorite book to talk about, or just come and discover some great new books. Pizza and water will be provided. Please register.

Cupcake Wars—Monday, August 7, at 2:30 pm;  for grades 3 and up. Decorate your cupcake to meet each round’s “Cupcake Challenge.” Cupcakes will be provided. Please register.

Book Dominoes—Tuesday, August 8, at 1 pm; for any age. Stop by to help us make a huge domino track of books in the Community Room. No registration necessary.

Toto the Tornado Kitten—Wednesday, August 9, at 10:30 am. Meet Toto the Tornado Kitten (http://totothetornadokitten.com/totostory.htm) and listen to his story, as told by the man who saved him. We are also doing a pet food drive (details to follow), so please bring in some pet food when you come to the program.

PawSox Game—Friday, August 11, 7:05 pm start.  It’s Bellingham Library night at the Pawtucket Red Sox. Complete a summer reading log (read for 10 hours) to get a free ticket to this game. All summer reading participants will be honored on the field before the game, so please arrive by 6 pm to be ready for the ceremony.

Solar Cars—Monday, Aug. 14, at 2:30 pm; for children entering grade 3 and above. In this hands-on activity, build a model solar car that demonstrates solar energy and physics concepts such as force, motion, speed, velocity, and acceleration. Then we can test it (weather permitting). Bonus: your car is for you to keep. Space is limited, so please register.
Video Game Hangout—Tuesdays through Aug. 15, at 10:30 am for those entering grades 2–5, and 11:30 am for those entering grades 6–12. Drop by the Teen Room to play our XBox One or Wii U. No registration required.

Crafternoon—Wednesdays through Aug. 16 at 1:30 pm; for those entering grades 4-7. Like arts & crafts? Come to the library for a different craft each week. Check the library website for details. Please register individually for each craft you plan on attending.

Play-Doh Madness—Monday, Aug. 7, and Wednesday, Aug. 16, at 10:30 am; for any age. Use our Play-Doh® and Play-Doh tools to make some creations. Please register.

Country Club—Thursdays through Aug. 10 at 1:30 pm; for children entering grades 1–3. For each week of this five-week program, we’ll venture to a different country, learning about it through stories, games, and other activities. Please register. Only register one time in order to attend as many Country Clubs as you can make.

Try It Tuesday—Tuesday, Aug. 15, at 3 pm; for kids entering grades 1 and up. Put together a tinker crate or kiwi crate (http://www.kiwicrate.com/?), and/or use our LittleBits®. Because space is limited, registration is required.

Magic School Bus—Tuesdays through Aug. 15, at 4:15 pm; for ages 4–8. Each week, we will show a different Magic School Bus video and do a related experiment/craft/activity.

Sparky’s Puppets—Friday, Aug. 18, at 10:30 am; for families, best with children ages 3–10. Construction Zone—watch the “Three Little Pigs” work on their houses.  Also, see magic wishes build a cottage, a mansion and a castle. Please register.

Enlighten Bellingham

Since March and through October, the library is offering the community a variety of programs for people of all ages under the Enlighten Bellingham program. Because of our science programming, we are one of six libraries—three in Massachusetts and three in Maine—that were chosen as pilot libraries by the Maine State Library, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and Cornerstones of Science, a Maine nonprofit.  The goal for the initiative is for the pilot libraries to create a field-tested, replicable science literacy method that can be used to enable their public libraries to become skilled STEM facilitators.  The project seeks to empower public libraries to build their science capacity so that they can connect their communities to engaging and meaningful informal science and technology experiences, equipment, books, media and the scientific community. We have chosen the topic of Environmental Literacy and will be offering programs on Alternative Energy, Recycling and Water Resources.

In August the Community Science Fair and the Solar Cars programs (see above) are funded by the Enlighten Bellingham program. Coming in September, Tiny Houses (postponed from July) and Electric Car Programs.

August  Events

Adult Writers’ Group—Monday, Aug. 14, at 6:30 pm.  Writers, readers, listeners—come join us. The Bellingham Library, in partnership with local area writers Amy Bartelloni and Marjorie Turner Hollman, welcomes the public to come join us for monthly evenings of reading and listening. This group was launched in May and is off to a great start. Come hear what local writers are working on. Share what you’re working on. Works of fiction or non-fiction are all welcome. Reading limit is 9 minutes per reader, with a brief opportunity for positive, personal comments only. We plan to meet monthly on the second Monday of each month. If the library is closed for a holiday we will reschedule. Please register.

Book a Librarian—Wednesdays at 5 and 5:45 pm. Would you like a personal introduction to resources available at the library? Do you need more time with a librarian than you can get over the phone or if you just walk in? Book a Librarian sessions are tailored to meet the specific needs of the individual. A library staff member will give undivided attention to patrons who want in-depth help with a wide variety of library services, such as learning to use a computer, tablet, email or the Internet; downloading eBooks and audiobooks; researching a topic; discovering new books and authors to read and enjoy; business, nonprofit or genealogy help; or other topics you define.  Please register.

Regular Events for Children

  • Ring-A-Ding—Tuesdays and Fridays through August 15, at 10:05 and 10:50 am, for ages 0–5.  Drop in.
  • Book Babies—Tuesdays, at 11:35 am, and Wednesdays, at 9:30 am, through August 16; no class on August 2.
  • Picnic Stories on the Town Common—Wednesdays, at 12:30 pm, through August 16; weather permitting.
  • Babygarten—Thursdays, at 9:30 am, and Fridays, at 11:30 am, through August 11.

Events for Adults

  • Book Discussion Group—Monday, August 7, at 6:30 pm; new members welcome, drop in. 
  • Friends of the Library Meeting —Monday, August 7, at 7 pm.
  • Coloring for Adults—Monday, August 14, at 6 pm. Drop in.
  • Library Board of Trustees Meeting—Thursday, August 10, at 7 pm.
  • Bellingham Skein Artists (adult knitting group)—Thursdays, at 6:30 pm. Drop in.
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