Bellingham Public Library News & Events for March
For updates to library programs and services, please visit www.bellinghamlibrary.org. Additional details about library programs are available on the library calendar at https://bit.ly/3xMECCt
March Hours
Monday - Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday & Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Please note that the library is scheduled to have a boiler replacement sometime soon and will close for a time while the work is being done. Updates of the project will be posted on our website and Facebook pages.
Highlighted Programs
Coming in April! Save the Date!
The Second Annual Bellingham Business Expo, April 6th from 9 a.m. to 12 noon
The library is continuing its partnership with the Bellingham Business Association to sponsor a Business Expo where local residents can come to the library to meet representatives of local businesses to learn more about their products and services in a non-sales environment. Details, including links for vendor applications, are available at: https://www.bellinghamma.org/library/pages/bellingham-business-expo
Virtual Author Talks
The library will now host up to three virtual author talks each month! Register to attend the live talk, but if you miss it, you can still view the talk in the archive on our website. Go to: https://libraryc.org/bellinghamma to see the list of upcoming and archived talks, and to register to attend. The March author events are:
• Wednesday, March 6th at 4 p.m.: The Power of Friendships with NPR Legal Affairs Correspondent Nina Totenberg
• Thursday, March 14th at 4 pm: 20 Years of Dragon-Riding in YA Fantasy with International Bestselling Author Christopher Paolini
• Thursday, March 21st at
7 p.m.: On Retelling Greek Classics: An Exploration of the Modern Epics with Madeline Miller
1st Saturday Family Fun - Saturday, March 2nd at 11 a.m. to 12 noon
We will be making crafts that celebrate the start of the Spring season! Drop in!
Parenting in the 21st Century: Technology & Mental Health,
6-7 p.m.
The second presentation in our Parenting in the 21st Century Series. Dr. Ankita Jain and Michelle Gaudet will present a workshop on Technology & Mental Health. In this one-hour discussion, Michelle Gaudet and Dr. Ankita Jain will discuss the pros and cons of technology, how to teach your child/teen to set limits and boundaries with their use of technology, strategies to effectively support your child/teen around friendships, and most importantly, the link between social media and mental health issues.
The final presentation in the series is on April 9th and will cover Balancing Work and Family Life.
Ankita Jain, M.D. is Co-Founder of Sukoon Direct Primary Care in Franklin, and is one of the Direct Primary Care Physicians. She is Board Certified in Family Medicine and also specializes in Addiction Medicine.
Please register. This is a hybrid program, so you can attend virtually through Zoom or in person. When you register you will be asked which way you will be attending. The Zoom link will be sent out close to the event date.
History for Homeschoolers – Tuesdays at 11:30 am 6-week program starting on March 12.
Let’s learn Bellingham History! A Partnership with the Bellingham Historical Museum. Homeschool families are invited to join a 6-week program where participants will learn about Bellingham town history! Weeks 2 and 4 will meet at the Bellingham Historical Museum and the remaining weeks will meet at the library. This program will be held on Tuesdays from 11:30-12:30 and is geared for ages 8 and up, younger siblings are welcome with a parent/guardian present for the program. Please register for each weekly session that you plan on attending.
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 Programs
First Saturday Family Fun – Saturday, March 2nd 11 a.m. Spring crafts!
Ring a Ding – Mondays & Thursdays at 10:15 a.m. Drop in!
Read to Freedom the Reading Dog – Mondays from 6-7 p.m. Sign up for 15-minute time slot!
Sensory Story Time – Tuesdays at 10:15 a.m. Please register for each session.
Adult/Child Book Club –For kids in grades 4-6 or 6-9 and the adult in their life who loves to read. Meets monthly. If you are interested in joining, those in Grades 4-6 should contact Amanda Maclure,[email protected]; grades 6-9 contact Diane Nelson, [email protected] . Check the library calendar for details for March.
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:
March: The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
April: My Friend Anne Frank by Hannah Pick-Goslar
May: The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
Library Board of Trustees Meeting – Thursday, March 14th at 7 p.m. in the Conference Room.
Writing Group for Adults – Tuesday, March 12th 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 Monthly Meeting – Tuesday, March 12th at 7 p.m. Email [email protected] for the Zoom link
Virtual Ask-A-Lawyer Program with Attorney Brian T. Salisbury
Monday, March 18th 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. Note: Your registration with your email address will go to Attorney Salisbury so he can send you the Zoom link. Please 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
Varying Thursdays from 5:15 to 7:45 p.m., check the library calendar for dates.
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.
Library Resource of the Month – Meeting Rooms
PLEASE NOTE: As of this publication deadline, the town is in the process of finalizing the details on installing new boilers at the library to replace its 30+ year old heating system that has not been functioning well. We do not know the exact date that the work will begin but when it does, the library will be closed for a time while the systems are replaced, and meeting rooms will not be able to be used. Although room use will be approved for the foreseeable future, you should be aware that the reservation may be cancelled, and you will need to reschedule or find another location.
The library has 5 meeting rooms available for public use: Community Room, Conference Room, Program Room, Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation History Room, and Study Room. The Community Room, Conference Room, and Program Room can be reserved by members of the community when not in use for library programs. The Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation History Room and Study Room are available on a first-come, first-served basis with stipulations. Wi-Fi access is available throughout the building, including in all rooms.
Community Room
• Can be reserved when not already in use for library programs
• For groups of up to 80 people
• Free for community, town, and 501c3 nonprofit groups. Fees for other nonprofits and profit organizations, as well as use after library hours.
• Food and covered drinks are allowed
Conference Room
• Can be reserved in advance for up to a 3-hour time period
• Accommodates up to 12 people with 8 seated at the conference table and 4 other chairs available in the room
• When not reserved, the room is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Tutors cannot reserve the room but can use it under the first-come, first-served guidelines.
• Food and covered drinks are allowed
Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation History Room
• Cannot be reserved in advance, and when in use, we reserve the right to permit people researching local history to still access the room even if it’s in use.
• Accommodates up to 6 people with 4 seats at the table and 2 other chairs available in the room
• Food and drinks are prohibited in the room
Program Room
• Located in back of the Children’s Room. Can be reserved by members of the community when not in use for library programs.
• Groups of up to 20 people
• Free for community, town, and 501c3 nonprofit groups, but there are fees for other nonprofits and profit organizations, as well as use after library hours.
• Food and covered drinks are allowed
Study Room
• Available on a first-come, first-served basis
• For groups of up to 4 people for quiet study or group meetings
• Available for high schools students (grades 8-12) to use individually
• Food and covered drinks are allowed
For more information about room use, go to the library’s website at www.bellinghamlibrary.org and click on the “Meeting Rooms and Reservations” link.
