Bellingham Public Library News & Events for January
For updates to library programs and services, please see the library website, www.bellinghamlibrary.org. Click on the red alert banner on the top of the page for details.
Additional details about library programs are available on the library calendar at https://bit.ly/3xMECCt
January Hours
Monday - Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The library is closed on Monday, January 1st for the New Year’s Holiday and Monday, January 15thfor the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.
Highlighted Programs
Chess Club Returns! Session starts January 4th and ends March 28th
4th-9th graders are invited to join Bellingham resident and nationally ranked chess player Meghana for a return of our Beginner’s Chess Club. The group will meet on Thursdays from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the Conference Room at the library. Attendees are welcome to stay from 5:30-6 p.m. for practice play. There will be no meeting during February school vacation week. As the lessons in each session build on the content from the previous session, attendees should plan on attending all sessions. A free chess set will be awarded to all attendees with perfect attendance. Limited to 9 participants so please register early. Please note: registrant email addresses will be shared with Meghana so she can communicate directly with participants as a group about the program.
Indoor Growing with Blackstone Valley Veggie Gardens
Monday, January 22nd at 6:30 p.m.
Grow all kinds of plants, from ornamentals to edibles, from the comfort of your own home. Grow hydroponically or with LED lights. Learn all about self-watering plants and soil created especially for indoor growing. The mission of the Blackstone Valley Veggie Gardens is to inspire people to grow their own fresh produce. Registration is preferred. Sponsored by the Friends of the Bellingham Library.
Save the Date! Bellingham Library Art & Photography Show with music by Ric Allendorf
Saturday, February 17th from 6-8 p.m.
Did you participate in our Photography Show in 2019? If you did (or even if you didn’t) now is your chance to showcase your art and photography at the library. Details will be on the library website soon, but save the date and start thinking about what art and photography you would like to enter into the show!
After School Programs
Registration is mandatory for children in grades 4-6 to attend the ASK program.
• ASK Program hours 2:30-4:45 p.m.
• The Teen Room is open for grades 7-12 from 2-4:45 p.m.
• Check the library website for details on the programs. https://bit.ly/3QzITpI
Ongoing Children’s January Programs
First Saturday Fun – Saturday, January 6th at 11 a.m. Make winter animal artwork!
Ring a Ding – Mondays & Thursdays at 10:15 a.m. Drop in! No session school vacation week.
Read to Freedom the Reading Dog – Mondays from 6-7 p.m. Sign up for a 15-minute time slot!
Sensory Story Time – Tuesdays at 10:15 a.m. Please register for each session. No session school vacation week.
Adult/Child Book Club –For kids in grades 6-9 and the adult in their life who loves to read. Meets monthly, contact Diane Nelson, [email protected] if you are interested in joining! Check the library calendar for details on the January meeting date and time.
Adult Programs
Book Discussion Group – Generally meets the 1st Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Attend in person or on Zoom. Contact Cecily Christensen, [email protected] for more information.
Our upcoming titles are:
January: The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page
February: The Night Ship by Jess Kidd
March: The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
Writing Group for Adults – Tuesday, February 9th at 6:30 p.m.
Writers, readers, listeners – come join us! Local area writers Amy Bartelloni and Marjorie Turner Hollman welcome the public to an evening of reading and listening. Hear what local writers are working on, and share what you are working on. Works of fiction or non-fiction, all are welcome. Reading limit is 9 minutes per reader, with a brief opportunity for positive, personal comments only. To participate contact Marjorie Turner Hollman at [email protected].
Friends of the Library Annual Meeting – Tuesday, January 9th at 7 p.m.
All current and prospective members of the Friends of the Library are encouraged to join us for this once-a-year annual meeting. Andrea Fiorello of the Massachusetts Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom and Social Responsibilities Committee will be providing a short presentation on the current climate around intellectual freedom and book banning issues libraries are facing. Learn about the fundraising work of the Friends of the Library and how you can get involved. This meeting will be a hybrid meeting, so please register to let us know if you’ll be coming in person or attending online. All registrants will receive the Zoom link.
Library Board of Trustees Meeting – Thursday, January 11th at 7 p.m. in the Conference Room.
Virtual Ask-A-Lawyer Program with Attorney Brian T. Salisbury
Monday, January 22nd starting at 5 p.m.
Local attorney Brian T. Salisbury of the law firm Doherty, Dugan, Cannon, Raymond & Weil, PC will meet with you individually through Zoom to discuss any legal questions you may have. Appointments are 20 minutes long and are free. Appointments are between 5 and 7:30 pm. Register for an appointment and you will receive the Zoom link close to the appointment date. You will be asked to choose an appointment time when you register. Your registration with your email address will go to Attorney Salisbury so he can send you the Zoom link.
Note: The Bellingham Library Ask-A-Lawyer Program is a limited pro bono legal service provided by Attorney Brian T. Salisbury and is strictly limited to 20-minute consultations regarding legal questions that you may have. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, Attorney Salisbury will not provide legal representation in any legal matter discussed.
Yoga for the Seasons – Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m. Check the library calendar for details and to register.
Bellingham Skein Artists – Wednesdays at 6 p.m.
Do you enjoy knitting, crocheting, or any of the other fiber arts? Join us on Wednesdays! All skill levels are welcome, including beginners. Please bring your own materials. No registration required.
Drop in Sewing/Craft Night – Thursdays from 5:15 to 7:45 p.m.
Join members of your community for a night of sewing, quilting, knitting, or any other creative project you are working on.
• This is an independent setting for you to work on your current project
• Please bring your own supplies- supplies are not available
• Please bring a project to work on independently
• No classroom instruction
• Adults only, for safety no children permitted
