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April Programs and Events at Bellingham Public Library

Mar 29, 2018 06:00AM ● By Pamela Johnson

Bellingham Public Library

Financial Fitne$$ for Everyone: Setting and Meeting Your 2018 Financial Goals—To assist Bellingham families in setting and meeting two new financial goals for 2018, the library will offer programs on a variety of financial topics including budgeting, retirement and estate planning, saving for college, and more, 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.

Community Read Book Discussion—Monday, April 2, at 3 or 6:30pm.  Pogue’s Basics: Money by David Pogue will be discussed. Books are available at the library to check out.  The discussion is facilitated by Cecily Christensen, Reference Librarian.

Selecting Your Financial Products & Team—Tuesday, April 3, 6:30-8pm. Join representatives from Charles River Bank, Middlesex Savings Bank, Moody Financial Group and UniBank in a panel discussion on choosing a bank, debit and credit cards and hiring a financial advisor. Please register.

Saving Money Tips—Wednesday, April 11, 6:30pm, and Saturday, April 14, 10:30 am; based on David Pogue’s book Pogue’s Basics: Money. Copies of the book will be available for checkout with your library card at the workshop. Please register.

Identity Theft Workshop—Thursday, April 12, at 6:30 pm. The Better Business Bureau will cover the most common current scams, major “red flags” to watch out for, and precautionary steps to prevent becoming a victim of identity theft. Please register.

Electric Cars, Solar Power & More!—The library is wrapping up its grant-funded “Enlighten Bellingham” program this month with Electric Car Show, Solar Power & More on Saturday, April 28, 11–2 pm.
 
Because the fall show was so successful, the library will host the N.E. Electric Auto Association’s (NEEAA’s) Spring Electric Car Show. Talk to electric car enthusiasts about the experience of owning and driving an electric car.
 
Other energy efficiency programs will also be featured, including representatives from Mass Renewables, Bellingham’s own solar panel installation company, who will be on hand to answer all of your questions about solar power.

The library will demonstrate its newly acquired electric battery powered lawn equipment (lawn mower, leaf blower, string trimmer and more!)

Make a Solar Car for kids in grade 3 and up; program starts at 2 pm. (For information see
Special Events for Children, pg. 15)
Refreshments will be served courtesy of the NEEAA. Registration preferred but not necessary (except for Make a Solar Car).

Friends of the Library April Programs:

  • Open House—Monday, April 9, 6–7:30pm. Learn more about the Friends of the Library and their role in helping the library provide programs and services that are outside of the municipal budget and learn about available volunteer opportunities. Light refreshments will be served.
  • Book Sale—Donations for the sale will be accepted through April 19.  Members-only sale: Friday, April 20, 4–8 pm; public sale: Saturday April 21, 9am—3pm (most items $1 or less). Includes fiction, nonfiction and audio visual materials for people of all ages. If you'd like to volunteer to help, visit http://bit.ly/2pefX8v to select a time slot.
  • Also on April 20, at 6:30 pm, Friends of the Library will host a return concert by Too Human, a Western MA-based jazz trio (www.toohumanonline.com). Held on the same evening as Friends of the Library members-only book sale preview—join at the door for $10 and get member-only access to the book sale the day before the public sale. This event is free but seats are limited. Tickets are available at the library, limit is 4/pp.  Tickets must be picked up in person at the library and will be collected the night of the concert. Sponsored in part by a grant from the Bellingham Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the MA Cultural Council, a state agency.

For Parents

The Parent Witching Hour:  Handling Weeknight Chaos with Young Children—Monday, April 23, at 6 pm. For lots of parents with young children, weeknights are chaotic—parents and children arrive home after long days at work or childcare and everybody is hungry and tired. Kids may be in one continual temper tantrum from the moment they walk in the door. Janine Halloran, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and play specialist, and child development expert Karen Lock Kolp, M.Ed., offer this workshop to help parents of young children say goodbye to the weeknight chaos and enjoy this time with their kids. Parents will learn why a young child’s behavior can be so challenging on weeknights; concrete, useful tools for the toughest moments; and simple changes parents can make to streamline week nights. Check out this free workshop and start enjoying weeknights with your young kids right away. Please register.

After School Programs

Hours for after-school programs may vary on early release days; no programs during school vacation. Visit the library website, www.BellinghamLibrary.org for more information.

April Vacation Week Programs

  • Mini Golf—Tuesday, April 17 (for families). Play a round of mini-golf, between 2 and 4 pm.
  • Giant Candy Land—Wednesday, April 18 (for families). Play a round or two of Giant Candy Land between 10 am and 12 pm. Meet Lord Licorice, Princess Lolly, Frostine, and King Kandy…and best of all, get lots of candy.
  • Ordinary Olympics—Wednesday, April 18, 2–3 pm  (best for ages 7 and up). Discover talents you never thought you had in this fun and funny interactive program. Please register.
  • Teddy Bear Picnic—Thursday, April 19, at 12:30 pm  (for families). Join us behind the gazebo at the Town Common. Bring your teddy bear and a picnic lunch (weather permitting).
  • Pictionary—Thursday, April 19, 2–3 pm (for ages 7-12). Come with friends or by yourself to play Pictionary. Teams will be formed, so please register.
  • Where’s Waldo Scavenger Hunt—Friday, April 20 (for families). Waldo is hiding in the Children’s Department. Follow the clues to find him. Stop by any time, 10am–4pm to use your detective skills and find the elusive Waldo (aka Mr. Steve). Featuring different scavenger hunts at varying levels of difficulty.

Special Events for Children

  • Drop-in Harry Potter Crafts—Monday, April 2. Stop in between the hours of 2 and 5 pm to make some Harry Potter crafts.
  • Nevermoor Book Club—Friday, April 6, at 11:30 am (for homeschoolers). This 4-week series is all about Jessica Townsend’s new book series, Nevermoor. Book 1: The Trials of Morrigan Crow will be discussed. Participants are expected to read approximately 100 pages for the first meeting and approximately 100 more pages for each of the subsequent weeks. Target audience is 8- to 12-year-olds. Please register.
  • Spring Crafts—Monday, April 9, at 4 pm (for ages 4 and up). Make a handful of spring-related crafts. Please register.
  • Mother/Daughter Book Club—Monday, April 9, at 6:30pm (mothers & daughters in grades 7-8). Each month, a mother/daughter pair selects a book for the group to read; this month: This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills. Copies are available at the library. Please register if this is your first time attending.
  • Shopkins Party—Thursday, April 12, at 4 pm (for families). Celebrate all things Shopkins with crafts, games, and fun activities. Please register.
  • Scary Stories in the Dark—Friday, April 13, at 4 pm.  The Community Room will be dark for Friday the 13th, and the stories will be scary. (for ages 8 and up). Please register (use your discretion in registering your child).
  • Picnic Stories Resumes—Starting Wednesday, April 25 at 12:30 pm, on the Town Common (for families). Bring a picnic lunch and join us behind the Town Common gazebo for stories and activities (weather permitting). Please register.
  • Solar Cars for Kids—Saturday, April 28, at 2 pm. After attending the Electric Car Show, kids in 3rd grade and higher can make their very own solar car to take home.  Each child will receive a solar car-making kit and will be guided by library staff and volunteers on how to make the solar car. If it’s sunny, we’ll take the cars outside for a spin. (Made possible by funding from a federal LSTA grant through Cornerstones of Science, a Maine nonprofit organization that is collaborating with Massachusetts and Maine Libraries to bring STEM programming to public libraries.

Events for Adults

  • Monday, April 2, 3 and 6:30 pm: Book Discussion Group—See details under Financial Fitne$$ Community Read.
  • Monday, April 2, 7 pm, Friends of the Library Meeting.
  • Monday, April 9, 6–7:30 pm: Coloring for Adults resumes. One coloring page per person will be provided, or you can bring your own. Colored pencils and markers are provided. Drop in.
  • Thursday, April 12, at 7 pm: Library Board of Trustees Meeting.
  • Monday, April 9, 6:30 pm: Writer’s Group. Please register.
  • Wednesdays, 5 and 5:45 pm: Book a Librarian. 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. No 5:45 session on April 11.
  • Thursdays, 6:30 pm: Bellingham Skein Artists Adult Knitting Group. Drop in.
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