Bellingham Library Plans a Busy September

The jury is in, and by any measure, the Library’s summer reading program was a success. Over 350 Bellingham kids participated in the summer reading program and approximately 4,500 people attended events throughout the summer! Thank you to Middlesex Savings Bank for their sponsorship of four of our August special performances.

Free Concert with Mandeville & Richards—Fri., Sept. 28, 6:30 pm. Join original, folk and Americana band “Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards,” who create music that is both original and evocative of a rich tradition, blending distinctive voices and a wide range of accompaniment (guitar, harmonica, ukulele, clarinet, penny whistle, electric bass).Sponsored by the Bellingham Cultural Council; light refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Bellingham Library. Registration is preferred, but not necessary.

Financial Fitne$$ for Everyone—Setting & Meeting Your 2018 Finan-cial Goals. This is our last month of formal programming under this grant.Over the past 9 months we had encouraged all Bellingham families to set 2 new financial goals for 2018 and look to the library for resources to help you meet those goals. This program is made possible by a federal Institute of Museum & Library Services grant through the Library Services & Technology Act, administered through the MA Board of Library Commissioners.

• Credit: What Consumers Need To Know—Wed., Sept. 12, 6:30pm.  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. Please register.

• Buying a Home—Mon., Sept. 24, 6:30pm. Buying a home? Learn all about the process from a panel of experts, including a real estate agent, home inspector, bank mortgage originator, and closing attorney. Please register.

Bellingham will celebrate its 300th Anniversary, and the Bellingham Library has received a $15,000 federal grant from the Institute of Museum & Library Services through the Library Services & Technology Act, administered through the MA Board of Library Commissioners.

The Library, in partnership with the town’s 300th Anniversary Committee, will collaborate to make the library an important partner in the celebration of this milestone anniversary. The library is dedicated to promoting this historic event through community-wide programs; digitization; video, audio and photography projects; and publication of a book to document and record town history. We will be digitizing library and town collections of documents and photographs of historical significance, photographing historical sites as they currently appear, and creating and publishing a 300th Anniversary commemorative book.

To that end, a meeting of the 300th Anniversary Commemorative Book Committee will be held on Mon., Sept. 10, 3–5 pm. Join us for a planning meeting and provide community input on content, layout and other information to be included in the book. All are welcome to attend. (Registration preferred but not necessary.)

The 300th Anniversary Committee will host a Red Cross Blood Drive at the library on Fri., Sept. 7, 12–5 pm. (Register at RedCrossBlood.org). 

A general meeting of the full 300th Anniversary Committee will be held at the library on Wed., Sept. 26, 6:30 pm.

For full information about the library’s after-school programs, including a message from the Library staff; What’s New; and Annual Reminders on behavior, supervision and expectations, visit https://bit.ly/2OwbTva.

The After-School Program for Teens (grades 6-12) resumed in the Teen Room on Wednesday, Aug. 29. This program runs every day, 2–5 pm. 

The ASK Program for grades 4-7 will resume in the Children’s Program Room on Tuesday, Sept. 4, and run on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 2:30–4:45 pm. 
 

New this Year: Bonus ASK. On the third Thursday of the month (Sept. 20), join Miss Diane at 2:30pm for scrapbooking. Don’t forget to bring a stack of your favorite photos. Please register.

Hours vary on early release days and there are no programs on days there is no school.

• Alphabits Resumes—Starting the week of Sept 17; Mon., Wed., & Thu., at 10:10 & 11 am; Tue., at 1:15 pm

• Book Babies Playgroup—For ages 0–23 months; Mon. & Wed., 9:15am.  (No program Sept 10 or 12.)

• Ring-A-Ding—For ages 0–5; drop in on Tue. & Fri., at 10:05 & 10:50 am. (No program on Sept 7 or 11.)

• Magic School Bus—Monday, Sept. 24, 4:15 pm; for ages 4-8. Watch a Magic School Bus video and do a related experiment/craft/activity. Please register.

• Picnic Stories—Wed., 12:30 pm, Town Common, weather permitting. (No program Sept 12.)

• Build It Up—Wed., Sept 5, 4–5 pm. Build with bricks, Legos, and Magnatiles. NOTE: Build it Up
will move to Tuesdays, at 3:30 pm, starting on Sept 18. Drop in.

• Babygarten—Tue., 2:15 pm, &  Thu., 11:45 am, beg. Sept. 18; for pre-walking babies. Please register.

• Crazy 8s Club—Wed., starting Sept 19, 4:30 pm; for kids in grades K–2. Crazy 8s is a recreational after-school math club that helps kids enjoy the math behind their favorite activities. Build glow-in-the-dark structures, crack secret spy codes and play games like Toilet Paper Olympics. More details at https://crazy8s.bedtimemath.org/home/what. Registration required to attend this 8-week event. While we understand things can come up, participants are expected to be able to attend all eight weeks of the program.

• Favorite Characters Story Time—Thu., 1:15pm, beg. Sept. 20; for ages 3-5. Features 3-4 stories about a single character—from Pete the Cat and Berenstain Bears to Curious George and Elephant and Piggie. Includes movement activity in between and a craft at the end. Please register. You need register only once to attend any storytime. 

• Book Discussion Group—Mon., Sept. 10, 6:30pm; new members welcome; drop in.  A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman will be discussed. Meets on the first Monday of the month; facilitated by Reference Librarian Cecily Christensen.

• Friends of the Library Meeting—Tuesday, Sept. 18, 7 pm. Please note date and time change. New and prospective members welcome to attend.

• Coloring for Adults—Mon., Sept. 10, 6–7:30pm.  Meet new people and color for stress relief. One coloring page per person will be provided, or you may bring your own; colored pencils and markers also provided. Drop in.

• Writer’s Group—Mon., Sept. 10, at 6:30 pm.  Please register.

• Book a Librarian—Wed., 5 and 5:45pm. 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.

• Library Board of Trustees Meeting—Thu., Sept. 13, 7 pm.  Open to the public.

• Bellingham Skein Artists Adult Knitting Group—Thu., 6:30 pm.  Lots of fun—drop in!