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Bellingham Library Announces August 2014 News & Events

Jul 30, 2014 12:03PM ● By Pamela Johnson

Bellingham Public Library

The library is closed on Saturdays for the summer and will reopen on Saturdays after Labor Day. The library’s new hours are:  Monday—Thursday, 10 am—8 pm,  and Friday, 10 am—5 pm.  (After Labor Day, Saturday hours of 10— 5 will resume.)
 

Fall Library Anniversary Fundraiser

The Friends of the Library, in coordination with the Library Trustees, are in the planning stages for a fall fundraiser to celebrate 120 years of library service in Bellingham and 25 years of service in the Blackstone Street building. The fundraiser will include raffle baskets. If you or your business would like to donate an item or a raffle basket, please drop them off at the library. If you’d like to help plan or volunteer for this event, please come to the Friends of the Library meeting on Monday, Aug. 11, 7 pm, or contact the Friends’ President Jane Vichi, [email protected].

Featured Events

The summer reading program, Fizz, Boom, READ, is sponsored by the Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation, Friends of the Bellingham Public Library, the MA Library System, the Boston Bruins and the MA Board of Library Commissioners.

 Win Prizes This Summer.  Here’s How: 
1)  Do science experiments at home. Pick up a science experiment instruction sheet at the library.  Email us a picture or video of the completed experiment and get a prize, as well as a raffle ticket to win one of our bigger prizes. Then, bring home a different experiment sheet, do it, and get another prize.
2)  Keep track of your reading hours with one of our reading sheets. Bring in a completed sheet (10 hours of reading) for a prize and a raffle ticket. Then take home another sheet and keep reading for more prizes. There are many ways to win.
Fizz, Boom, READ Film Challenge
Calling all aspiring actors & actresses, directors, writers and filmmakers. We challenge you—all ages—to make a 3- to 5-minute film somehow incorporating the summer reading theme, Boom, Fizz, READ. Your film can be as creative as you can make it—use your imagination and have fun. Films must be completed by Aug. 9 and will premiere at the Boom, Fizz, READ Film Festival on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Every person who submits a film will receive a raffle ticket for the summer reading prize pack of their choosing. Please register and we’ll send you more information.
School Summer Reading Lists are on the library website under the “Summer Reading” tab. We encourage you to get your books as early as possible; there is always a rush in August and often there is a wait for these popular titles.

Summer Reading for Adults

For the first time the library is offering a summer reading program for adults. Read one of the Massachusetts Book Awards “Must Read” books of 2014 from the adult fiction or non-fiction category. The list and books are on display at the library. A book discussion will be held on Monday, Sept. 22, at 6:30 pm. If you attend the book discussion, you will be entered into a raffle for a $25 gift card from Barnes & Noble. Please register to participate in the summer reading program through Aug. 15. Register before the September 22 date to attend the book discussion.
Summer Reading Special Programs

In early August, we continue our jam-packed schedule of events for children of all ages.
Water Games: Tuesday, Aug. 5, 1–2 pm for grades 4-7, and 2:30–3:30 for grades 8-12.  See how well you can concentrate on winning a game while getting splashed with water. Make sure to wear clothes that you don’t mind getting wet and don’t forget to bring a towel. In case of thunderstorms on this day, the program will be cancelled. Please register.

Summer Movie:  Frozen. Thursday, Aug. 7, 12 pm for kids preschool through grade 3 (older siblings welcome), and 6 pm for kids in grades 3 and up. Have a frozen treat while watching and singing along with the hit movie. Please register.

Magician Bob Conrad: Friday, Aug. 8, 10:30 am, for families. This show is all about books, robots, rockets, butterflies, optical illusions, and just plain fun. Meet Robie the Robot, see robots magically change places and members of the audience help change a caterpillar into a butterfly, and launch a rocket ship. It’s magic, puppets, ventriloquism, audience participation and lots of laughs and fun. Please register. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Bellingham Public Library.

Giant Candyland: Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 1–2 pm for grades 4–7, and at 2:30–3:30 for grades 8-12. In this game, you’re the game piece. Move around the board and collect special treats. Please register.
Fizz Boom Read Film Festival: Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 6:30 pm, for all ages. Attend this premier showing of all of the children’s short movies made using the title Boom, Fizz, READ. (Movies can be no longer than 5 mins.) The stuffed animal sleepover video will also be premiered tonight. Please register.

Kate Klise Writing Workshop: Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2 pm, for kids entering grades 3 and up. Award-winning children’s book author Kate Klise (www.kateklise.com) will conduct a writing workshop. Learn writing tricks that Kate learned to write books such as the ones listed at www.kateandsarahklise.com/books.html. If you like to write, don’t miss this opportunity to gather tips from a professional writer as well as a really cool person. Please register.

Farmer Minor & Daisy Summer Reading Finale:  Thursday, Aug. 14, 6:30 pm, for families. Tonight marks the end of our summer reading program with special guests Farmer Minor and his pot-bellied pig, Daisy. Daisy is the self-proclaimed “World’s Most Famous Pig” and has been on TV and in newspapers from all around the world, including on Belgian National TV and across the U.S. Make sure you bring your camera since you will be able to meet Daisy. We will also be raffling off our summer reading prizes. (You do not need to attend this program to win.) Please register. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Bellingham Public Library.

Shaking Up STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math). These programs are funded by an IMLS federal LSTA Grant and administered by the MA Board of Library Commissioners. Thank you to the sponsors of the program for providing supplemental funding to make this program a success: 
Gold: Anonymous, Charles River Bank, Friends of the Bellingham Public Library, UniBank; Silver: ANP Bellingham Co., LLC, Barbara & Russell Selvitella, Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation, Walmart; Bronze: Bellingham Business Association, Dean Bank.

STEM Programs

3D Printer Training Workshops: Learn about the operation of our 3D Printer and NEW Sense 3D Scanner on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2–2:45 pm for grades 3–6; 3:30-4:15 pm for grades 7-12; and 6:30–7:30 pm for high school age and above. Please register.

Super Science: Aquadomes. Thursday, Aug. 14, at 2 pm for kids entering grades 3–6; and 3:30 pm for grades 5–8. Make your very own, take-home aquadome. Please register.

Schedule of Ongoing Events

Ring-A-Ding—Tuesdays and Fridays, 10:15 am, for ages 0–5. A musical and play story time; drop in. Note: No class on Aug. 8.

Lego Build—Wednesdays at 3:30 pm, for preschool & elementary-school students; drop in.

Book Babies—Tuesdays, Aug. 5 and 12, 11:30 am, and Wednesdays, Aug. 6 and 13, 9:30 am. For ages 0–23 months.

Picnic Stories – Wednesdays, 12:15 pm, on the town common, through Aug. 13; for all ages. When it’s not raining, bring a blanket and lunch and meet us behind the gazebo for picnic stories, activities and Vitamin D! Please register. You need to register only once to attend all Picnic Stories.

Reading with Indy – Mondays at 6:30 pm; for any age. Kids are invited to read with Indy, our certified reading dog. There are four 15-minute slots each evening; please register.

Crayon Box Story Time – Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10:15 am, through Aug. 14. For ages 2–5. We’ll focus on a different color for this chromatic story timE each week. Wear the color of the week; bring in one item for show-and-tell that is the color of the week. 

Magic School Bus – Mondays, Aug. 4 and 11, 3:30 pm; for ages 4-7. Watch a Magic School Bus video and do a related activity afterwards. Please register.

Storytime Lab –Mondays, Aug. 4 and 11, and Thursday, Aug. 14, at  1:30 pm; for ages 3–6. In conjunction with the summer reading theme of Fizz, Boom, READ, each week's Storytime Lab will have a mixture of stories and science. Please register.

Lunch Bunch—Fridays, Aug. 1 and 8, 12:15 pm; for children entering grades 1–3. Bring a lunch. While eating lunch, we will watch a video or read a story about the day’s science topic, followed by some interactive activities for the last part of the program. Please register. You need to register only once to attend any and all Lunch Bunch programs. 

Family Book Club—Monday, Aug. 4, at 6:30 pm; for families with children in grades 1–3. For this new monthly book club, each family will read the book of the month at home then discuss it at our meeting (book title TBA). Copies of the book will be available at the library. Please register your family.

Summer Crafts—Wednesday Aug. 6, 1 pm; for students entering grades 4–7. Create summer-themed crafts. Be sure to register so we have enough supplies for everyone.

Mother Daughter Book Club—date and title TBA; check the library website.

Library Trustees Meeting—Thursday, August 14, at 7 pm.

Friends of the Library Meeting—Monday, August 11, at 7 pm.

Book Discussion Group – Monday, August 4,  at 6:30 pm. Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple will be discussed. New members always welcomed!

Bellingham Skein Artists—The library’s adult knitting group meets on Thursdays at 6:30 pm; new members welcomed!
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