June Programs and Events at Bellingham Public Library

The Summer Reading Program Kick Off, featuring Jason Tardy, will be held on Monday, June 25, at  7 p.m., in the Bellingham High School Auditorium. No registration is necessary, and families are invited to attend.

Jason Tardy’s show is a combination of many years of relentless practice and virtually no social life. How else could he pull off standing on a yoga ball, juggling an ax, a spiked mace, and a toilet plunger, while reciting the alphabet forward and backward at the same time?  He also performs innovative choreographed juggling to music, fitting his body through a tennis racket and lots more.  Sometimes Jason is even funny.

His multifaceted training, and over 20 years of experience in the performing arts, has taken him all over the U.S. and abroad. Highlights include Disney Cruise Ships, the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, the Golden Phoenix Casino and even the White House three times. (See his promo video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3BGP1vRYD8.) Come to this fun free event and learn more about the library’s summer reading program.

Financial Fitne$$ for Everyone: Setting and Meeting Your 2018 Financial Goals—Over the next year, we hope to encourage Bellingham families to set 2 new financial goals for 2018 and look to the library for resources to help you meet them.  This year, we are offering a variety of financial topics, including budgeting, retirement and estate planning, saving for college, and more.  This program is made possible by a federal Institute of Museum & Library Services grant through the Library Services & Technology Act; the grant is administered through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

Credit, What Consumers Need to Know—On Tuesday, June 12, at 6:30 pm, learn about credit scores and how they are determined, how you can increase your score, different types of credit, where to get a free credit report, and more. Presented by Clete Thomas, HUD Certified HECM Counselor, Community Outreach Coordinator and Certified Credit Counselor from American Consumer Credit Counseling. Clete is an engaging speaker who makes learning about credit educational and fun.  He presented to a group of librarians here in March and received rave reviews. This program is not to be missed. Please register.

We will be offering financial and money programs for kids ages 8 and up in July and August.

The library offers opportunities for children in grades 4-12 to attend our supervised after-school programs. Parents are advised to review the Library’s Information for Parents of BMS & BHS Students Who Visit the Library After School at the following website:  http://bit.ly/2w6TIqd. Outlined therein are the programs, including supervision and attendance, library spaces, parking-lot safety and keeping in touch with your child. Please note: After-school programs for both middle and high school students will end on Wednesday, June 20.

ASK (After School Kids) for children in grades 4–7, Mon. through Wed., 2:30–4:45 pm, in the Children’s Program Room. (Check the calendar for time changes on early release days.) Play video games and board games, use Chromebooks, make crafts, and more.

Teen Room Activities: Mon. through Fri., 2–5 pm. (Check the calendar for time changes on early release days.) Sixth- through twelfth-graders can stop by the Teen Room after school to use computers, play on the WiiU and XBox One, play board games, and hang out with friends.

• Ring-A-Ding (through June 15) for ages 0–5:  drop in, Tue. and Fri., 10:05 and 10:50 am.  Saturday session on June 9, at 10:05 am.

• Book Babies Playgroup (through June 15) for ages 0–23 months: Mon. and Wed., at 9:15 am.  (Note: No class June 11.)

• Magical Story Time for ages 2–5. Mon., June 4, and Thur., June 7, at 10:30 am. Details online; please register.

•  Magic School Bus for ages 4-8: Monday, June 11, at 4:15 pm. Please register.

•  Picnic Stories: Wednesday June 6, at 12:30 pm, on the Town Common, weather permitting. (No other Picnic Stories slated in June.)

•  Build It Up: Wednesdays through June 13, 4–5 pm. Build with bricks, Legos, and Magnatiles.

• Mother Daughter Book Club—Monday, June 11, at 6:30 pm. Mothers & daughters (grades 7–8) looking for a way to bond should join the library’s Mother/Daughter Book Club. Each month, a mother/daughter pair selects a book that the group will read. This month’s book is The Silver Bowl by Diane Stanley. Copies are available at the library.  Please register if this is your first time attending.

• Star Wars Party—Thursday, June 7, at 4:30 pm. Best for Star Wars fans ages 4 and up. May the force be with you. There will be all sorts of Star Wars activities for kids to do at their own levels. Please register.

• Father’s Day Crafts—Thursday, June 14, at 4 pm (best for ages 4 and up). Come and make a variety of Father’s Day crafts.  Please register.

• Book Discussion Group—Monday, June 4, at  6:30 pm; new members welcome; drop in. Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult will be discussed. Meets on the first Monday of the month. Facilitated by Cecily Christensen, Reference Librarian.

• Friends of the Library Meeting —Monday, June 4, at 7 pm.

• Coloring for Adults—Monday, June 11, 6–7:30 pm. Meet new people and color for stress relief. One coloring page per person will be provided, or you can bring your own. Colored pencils and markers are provided. No registration, just drop in.

• Writer’s Group—Monday, June 11, at 6:30 pm. Please register.

• Library Board of Trustees Meeting—Thursday, June 14, at 7 pm.

• Book a Librarian —Wednesdays, June 6, 20  and 27, at 5 and 5:45 pm. These 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.

• Bellingham Skein Artists Adult Knitting Group—Thursdays, 6:30 pm. Drop in.