Bellingham Library Announces October News
Sep 25, 2020 06:00AM ● By Pamela Johnson
Bellingham Public Library
Public Hours: Mon. & Thu., 12—6:30 pm; Tue., Wed. & Frid, 11 am—3 pm. Special Hours for seniors and the immunocompromised: Fri., 10—11 am. Closed on Saturdays. Holiday Hours: Closed on Monday, Oct. 12, in observance of Columbus Day. Check the website at www.bellinghamma.org/library for updates on library services, and the calendar for more details and to register for programs.
Virtual After-School Program for Grades 4-7: Miss Diane will start “Virtual ASK” (After-School Kids) in October. Please check the library calendar for details.
Some preschool programming will be held outdoors at the Town Common. Other programs for kids of all ages will be virtual; some of them are listed herein. Check the library calendar for details.
Patrons can self-register on the library calendar or call and library staff will let you know when the next available reservation is open. Limit 2 reservations per week.
Sessions are strictly limited to one hour, so please plan accordingly.
October Family Programs:
The Library Board of Trustees will meet via Zoom on Thursday, October 8, at 7 pm. The Friends of the Bellingham Library Monthly Meeting, also via Zoom, will take place on Tuesday, October 13, at 7 pm.
Children in the Library—Temporary Policy in Response to Covid-19: Effective August 13, 2020 children in 7th grade and under are not permitted in the library without a parent or guardian. Children in grades 8 and up are welcome to come to the library to browse and check out materials, but we will be unable to offer in-person programming for children of any age, including after school programming, for the foreseeable future.
Some preschool programming will be held outdoors at the Town Common. Other programs for kids of all ages will be virtual; some of them are listed herein. Check the library calendar for details.
Grab & Go Service—New this month: Expanded Browsing Area. We have expanded the open area to include most of the children’s room collections, all of the DVD collection, and more teen and large- print titles.
- Computer Use by Reservation—Starting October 5th we will offer computer use by advance registration at specific times for crucial uses such as job searching, checking email, and printing for up to one hour. The available reservation times are on the library calendar. Patrons can self-register on the library calendar or call and library staff will let you know when the next available reservation is open. Limit 2 reservations per week.
Please be aware that library staff will NOT be available to assist with computers. If you need assistance, we ask that you bring someone with you.
Sessions are strictly limited to one hour, so please plan accordingly.
Ongoing Grab & Go Services—When visiting the library, patrons must wear face coverings that cover their mouths and noses.
Because of social distancing guidelines, only 10 patrons will be permitted in the building at one time, so please limit your visit to no more than 30 minutes.
For browsing, we have moved high-demand collections to a central area near the library service desks. If you are looking for an item that is not in the browsing area, a staff member may be able to get it for you, pending staff availability.
A self-checkout station is available for patron use.
Curbside pickup is continuing for obtaining all requested materials.
The play area of the Children’s Room, Teen Room, Café, and all meeting rooms remain closed to the public.
There are currently no desks, tables, or chairs available for patron use.
The copier is available for patron use, but please bring exact change (15 cents per page for black & white or 50 cents a page for color).
Donations are still not being accepted at this time.
For additional details regarding our policies and procedures, please visit our website, www.bellinghamMA.org/Library.
Returning Library Materials—Please place items you are returning on the cart that is near the library entrance. If the cart is not there, please use the book drop that is near the flagpole. All items that are returned will be quarantined for at least 4 days before being checked in. Any late fees will be waived once the items are checked in.
October Family Programs:
Concert on the Bellingham Common—Saturday, October 3, at 2 pm: Raianne Richards and Mark Mandeville (http://markandraianne.com). Limited attendees due to social distancing guidelines, so registration is required. See library website for details. Sponsored by the Bellingham Cultural Council.
Drive-in Concert at the Senior Center— Thursday, October 8, at 2 pm: Jumpin’ Juba (https://www.stevehurl.com/jumpin_juba.html). Limited attendees due to social distancing guidelines, so registration is required. See library website for details. Sponsored by the Bellingham Cultural Council.
Fall Cooking with Chef Rob —Tuesday, October 27, at 7 pm (via Zoom). Chef Rob Scott is back! Make pumpkin pie scones and decorate scarecrow cookies from your home with a cooking expert. Please register to be sent the Zoom link. Ingredient list is on the library calendar registration page.
Book Discussion Group —Monday, October 5, at 6:30 pm (virtual meeting on Zoom). We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter will be discussed.
October Children’s Programs
Check the library calendar for details.
- ABCs with Mr. Steve—Mondays, at 9 am, on You Tube.
- Read to Daisy on Zoom—Monday, October 19. 15-minute sessions start at 5 pm and end at 6:15 pm.
- 15 Minutes of Facebook Fun—Tuesdays, at 10am, on Facebook Live.
- Alphabits Live on Zoom—Tuesdays, at 12:30 pm, and Thursdays, at 9:30 am (replayed on Fridays, at 9 am).
- Ravenous Readers on Zoom—Tuesday, October 20, at 4:30 pm (for grades 4–6), and Thursday, October 22, at 3:30 pm (for grades 1–3).
- Costume Show & Tell on Zoom—Tuesday, October 27, at 5 pm.
- Picnic Stories on the Bellingham Common—Wednesdays, at 12:30 pm (weather permitting).
- Halloween Crafts—Wednesday, October 14; virtual program debuts on YouTube at 3:30 pm.
- Lego Build on Zoom—Wednesday, October 28, at 3:30 pm.
- Virtual STEAM Time—Thursdays, Oct. 1, Oct. 15, and Oct. 29, at 3:30 pm.
- Halloween Story Time & Costume Parade—Friday, October 30, at 10:30 am, on the Bellingham Town Common (weather permitting—will be on Zoom if weather is inclement).
- Bookventurers on Zoom—Saturday, Oct. 24, 3 pm.
- Scary Story Saturday—New episodes debut on Saturdays, at 7 pm, on YouTube.
