Bellingham Public Library News & Events for July
For updates about library programs and services, please see the library website, www.bellinghamlibrary.org.
Additional details about library programs are available on the library calendar at https://bit.ly/3xMECCt
July Hours
Monday - Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed Saturdays and Sundays, Closed July 4th and 5th for the Independence Day
Summer Reading 2024
It’s not too late to sign up for our Summer Reading Program! This year the Summer Reading program is sponsored by the Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation and the Friends of the Bellingham Public Library. Thank you to these organizations for their continued support of programs at the Bellingham Library!
Summer Reading 2024 theme, “Read, Renew, Repeat!” is all about conservation and sustainability! There will be two options on how to track your reading this summer. School aged children will record every 30 minutes that they read on a tracking sheet and reach a prize after every 2 hours of reading. Our pre-readers will keep track of the number of books they read and reach a prize after every 10 books. Prizes you’ll be able to earn this summer include sunglasses, bubble wands, mini beach balls, stickers, temporary tattoos, and more! We’ll also have different activities and challenges here at the library that’ll earn you tickets to enter our weekly raffle drawings. Let’s all Read, Renew and Repeat!
We are also working with the Bellingham Public Schools to share their information about the school’s summer reading/math programs for BHS students!
The Write Stuff – Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
A creative writing program for Grades 3-6 where the group will publish a book together at the end of the summer! Registration is required for this program
Krafty Kids returns! – Thursdays at 1 p.m.
A weekly craft for families with Miss Diane! Details of the craft each week are on the calendar. Please register for each week that you would like to attend to help us plan for materials.
Mr. Vinny’s Bubble Show – Thursday, July 11th at 6 p.m.
Mr. Vinny the Bubble Guy is bringing his giant bubbles back to Bellingham! Join us at the Bellingham Town Common for an all-ages Bubble Show featuring Mr. Vinny’s homemade bubble wands and a whole lot of family fun. For families - No registration necessary. This event was sponsored by the Bellingham Friends of the Library and the Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation.
Camp Millionaire – Tuesday and Wednesday, July 16th and 17th from 2-4 p.m.
A two-day program that teaches kids in grades 4-6 about money, spending, taxes, and saving!
Registration is required for this program
Ordinary Olympics – Wednesday, July 24th at 1 p.m.
Get ready for Summer Olympics 2024 by joining in our Ordinary Olympic games! Test your skills by competing in different challenges that use everyday household items. For grades K and up. Drop in - No registration needed!
Online Author Talks for Kids – Tuesdays at 2!
This month our online author talks are focused on children’s authors!
• July 9th at 2 p.m., A Visit to Deckawoo Drive with Mercy Watson and Kate DiCamillo (pre-K to 2nd grades)
• July 16th at 2 p.m., Surviving the Summer with the Last Kids on Earth and Max Brailler (3rd-6th grade)
• July 23rd at 2 p.m., Learning the Power of Poetry with Bestselling Author Elizabeth Acevedo (grade 7 and up)
• July 30th at 2 p.m., Telling Your Own Story in a Graphic Novel with Dan Santat (for Tweens and Teens)
Coming in August sponsored by The Friends of the Library and the Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation
Magic Show, Saturday, August 3rd at 11 am
Steve Blunt & Friends Family Concert, Saturday, August 10th at 12 noon, on the ball field near the library as part of Bellingham Days
Bellingham Days Vendor Fair to benefit the Friends of the Library!
On Saturday, August 10th from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. there will be a Vendor Fair on the field between the football field and BMS. Vendor tables are $25 for a 10-foot space. Funds raised at this event will benefit the Friends of the Bellingham Library. For more information or an application contact Sue Garten at [email protected].
Highlighted Programs
Summerween! – Not Christmas in July, but Halloween!
This summer the library will be celebrating Summerween with a series of 4 films on alternating Friday evenings in July (the 12th and 26) and August (the 9th and 23rd). Doors will open at 6:30
p.m. and the movie will start at 7 p.m. Bring your own blanket or pillows for comfy floor seating or chair seating provided by the library. There will be crafts and scavenger hunts within the movies. We will serve popcorn, candy, water and punch! See the library website for details on the titles and ratings of the films.
Red Cross Blood Drive – Friday, July 19th from 9 am to 2 pm. Register at redcrossblood.org
Community Clothing Swap –Wednesday, July 31st from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm
See website for details on drop off instructions, dates and times as well as information on the swap day!
Ongoing Children’s Programs
The Baby Bunch – Mondays at 9:30 a.m., for infants 0-18 months and their caregivers to come play and socialize. No registration required!
Read to Freedom the Reading Dog – Mondays from 5:30-7. Check calendar for details and to sign up for a 15-minute time slot!
Safari Story Time – Tuesdays at 10:15 a.m.
The theme for Summer Reading 2024 is all about conservation and wildlife! Each week’s stories and crafts will focus on one of the many different types of habitats that can be found around the world.
For children ages 2-5 (younger siblings always welcome). Please register for each session that you would like to attend.
Picnic Stories on the Bellingham Common – Wednesdays at 12 noon, weather permitting.
Green Thumb Club – every other Monday through August 5th. A bi-weekly program where families can come plant different types of seeds during each session and watch them grow throughout the summer! Our Green Thumb Club will meet every other Monday at 1 p.m. (on 6/24, 7/8, 7/22, and 8/5). Please register to help us plan for materials!
Ring a Ding – Thursdays at 10:15 a.m., drop in!
Adult/Child Book Club –For kids in grades 4-6 or 6-9 and an 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 should contact Diane Nelson, [email protected] . Check the library calendar for details on the June meeting dates and times.
Sensory Story and Play – Friday, July 12th and 26th at 10:15 a.m., For children ages 2-5 of all abilities (younger siblings always welcome). Please register for each session you’d like to attend.
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:
July: The Blue Between Sky and Water by Susan Abulhawa
August: Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
September: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Yoga for the Seasons – Summer Series
Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m. Check the library calendar for details and to register.
Bellingham Skein Artists – Adult Knitting Group -Wednesdays at 6 p.m., All skill levels welcome, bring your own materials
Writing Group for Adults – Tuesday, July 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 Monthly Meeting – Tuesday, July 9th at 7 p.m.
Email [email protected] for the Zoom link
Library Board of Trustees Meeting – Thursday, July 11th at 7 p.m. in the Conference Room at the library.
Virtual Ask-A-Lawyer Program with Attorney Brian T. Salisbury – Monday, July 15th starting at 5 p.m., 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. Free appointments are 20 minutes long, between 5 and 7:30 p.m. Register for an appointment and you will receive the Zoom link close to the appointment date. 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.
