Friends of the Ashland Library

Friends of the Ashland Public Library Donation Day & Mini Book Sale!
Saturday, September 9 @ 10-1pm

Customers for all our sales will find thousands of titles on the permanent sales shelves including hard and soft cover fiction (all alphabetized by author for ease of shopping), a wide selection of history and politics titles, health and family living books, plus memoirs, biographies, and loads of additional titles, all arranged by genre. An entire section of the Book Sale Room is arranged for children to browse and select from a huge collection of board books, picture books, easy readers, and chapter books. 

And, you can donate your gently used books for future sales! It's a win/win/win. 

Your donations to the Friends fund 100% of the library's programs, museum passes, and summer reading initiatives. Thank you!!

Adult Programs

We have in person, hybrid or virtual programs! Please click on the link to receive the zoom information if it's online. Check your spam folder if you don't see the confirmation in your inbox.

Featured this week:

Virtual: Asian Art Series: Art Across Asia - Masterpieces from the Asian Art Museum with Steve Zilles
Sunday, September 10 @ 2:30pm

What constitutes a “masterpiece?” Why are some objects considered masterworks while others are relegated to lesser positions? Explore some answers as illustrated by a few of the very best treasures of the Asian Art Museum. These are masterworks from the vast and varied regions we collectively call Asia, which stretches from the Mediterranean to the Pacific. Fabulous statues, ancient bronzes, mystic jade, delicate ceramics, and evocative paintings – let them engulf you in their amazing beauty and workmanship.

This Week and Next

Front Street Readers Book Club
Tuesday, September 5 @ 6:30pm
Read "Long Bright River" by Liz Moore.

Virtual - Environmental Book Club
Wednesday, September 6 @ 6:30pm
Read "Thicker Than Water: the quest for solutions to the plastic crisis" by Erica Cirino. And then join us on September 18th for a conversation with the author. 

Virtual - Romance Book Club
Thursday, September 7 @ 6:30pm
Read Gilded Age Romances

Virtual - Friday Night Film Discussion
Friday, September 8 @ 7pm
Watch "The Country Doctor"

Virtual: Unleash Your Potential with AI Technology: Igniting Productivity, Creativity, and Wellness
Tuesday, September 12 @ 10am
Do you have questions about how you can use AI to maximize your resources and play with your creative juices? Then this workshop is for you!

Virtual: Andrew Carnegie & the Carnegie Libraries (Ashland Library is one!)
Tuesday, September 12 @ 7pm
The topic is a combination of Carnegie and the steel industry + the philanthropy and library project. Presenter Rick Feingold will cover both the Homestead and Braddock libraries in Pittsburgh.

Mystery Book Club
Wednesday, September 13 @ 6:30pm
Read "The Hunting Party" by Lucy Foley

More Next Week

Virtual - Author Heather Wolf Discusses "Find More Birds: 111 Surprising Ways to Spot Birds Wherever You Are"
Wednesday, September 13 @ 7pm
This one is for our bird and nature lovers! Author Heather Wolf will be with us discussing her new book "Find More Birds: 111 Surprising Ways to Spot Birds Wherever You Are". It will be a fascinating conversation about being in the moment and noticing the wonderful and varied birds around us. And, apparently, this is a high migration time, so perfect to see even more birds in your backyards!

Art for Adults with Nancy Atkinson
Thursday, September 14 @ 6:30pm
Nancy will teach us drawing techniques with different mediums, papers, and ideas. We hope you can join us and up your artistry game.

The Garden of Words: A Writing Workshop
Friday, September 15 @ 10:30am
Join us to put into writing your story or come to commune with other budding authors as we learn how to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard :).

Cookbook Club
Saturday, September 16 @ 12pm
Cook from "Provisions: The Roots of Caribbean Cooking" by Michelle Rousseau and Suzanne Rousseau

Name That Tune – TV Theme Songs Through The Ages 
*For Older Teens and Adults
Saturday, September 16 @ 2:30pm
Sunday, Monday, Happy Days! I'll Be There For You! The Youngest One in Curls.... Shake off your TV theme song brain and join us for another fun afternoon of Name That Tune! We’ll have several rounds with shorter and shorter clips of TV theme songs through the ages. If you can pick the show, stars, and director (maybe?), you could be a winner!

Knitting

Saturday Knit & Crochet Club

Saturdays at 2pm

Monday Knit & Crochet Club

Mondays at 6pm

ESL Conversation Group with Theresa Cerullo

Mondays @ 7pm

Children's Programs

Unless otherwise specified, all programs are in-person walk-in. There may be room capacity limits for some, though, so come early! 

Featured:

Don't forget to come in to pick up your summer reading prize books through Sept 16th! 

Stem Thursdays

Lego Club 
*Ages 5-9
Thursday, September 7 @ 4pm
Each child will be given a box filled with an assortment of Lego blocks to build a creation using only what's inside the box within the 45 minute time limit.

Engineering Exploration 
*For Ages 5-9
Thursday, September 14 @ 4pm
Build a Bridge - Participants will work together to build a suspension bridge between two chairs.

Read to a Dog with Knives & Machete
(yes, these are the dogs' real names!)

Saturday, September 9 @ 1:30pm
Children with some reading ability will have the chance to read to one of our registered therapy dogs for 10 minutes. Books may be brought from home or checked out from the library shelves.

Recurring Programs

Lapsit
*Infants, Toddlers &  Caregivers
Wednesdays @ 10:30am
Join Miss Lois for a story time full of songs and fingerplays. Check out the songs performed by Miss Lois here!

Wednesday Afternoon Story and Craft
*For Ages 4-7
Wednesdays @ 3:30pm
Stop into the children's room as we read a story and do a related craft project.

Friday Afternoon Story and Craft
*For Ages 4-7
Fridays @ 4pm
Stop into the children's room as we read a story and do a related craft project.

More Recurring Programs

Saturday Story Time
*For Ages 3 and up
Saturday, September 9 @ 10:30am
Saturday, September 23 @ 10:30am
Saturday, September 30 @ 10:30am
Come listen to Ryan read some of his favorite stories aloud!

Crafty Saturdays! 
Saturdays 10am-3pm
Drop in on Saturdays in the Children's Room and find a different craft to do every week! 

Visit our website calendar for all of the details!

Teen Programs

If you're in 8th grade or higher (aged 13 or up) and want to keep up-to-date on events, be the first to know about new books coming in, and have easy access to library resources, join our Discord server!

Program Videos

Check out the library's YouTube Channel! We are recording many of our programs so subscribe today so you don't miss out. 

An Evening with Bestselling Authors Lisa Jackson & Nancy Bush

Zero Waste Kids: Birthdays, Lunches, and More with Sarah Robertson-Barnes

Art in the Library

Upstairs Display Case
“Pianista Cabinet of Curosities”
by Michael Frassinelli
August 28 to November 3, 2023

Holliston resident and artist Michael Frassinelli has created a mythological society/culture: “The Pianistas”.  He has exhibited work from the Pianista ‘culture’ several times since his first exhibit at the APL in 2007, most recently in 2019. All the objects in the case are made from piano parts. A most unique and delightful ‘cabinet of curious objects’. 

In October, the Downstairs Gallery will be filled with many other artifacts from the Pianista series. There will be an Artist ‘s Reception in the Gallery on Tuesday, October 3rd. 5:30 -7:30PM.  All are invited to meet the Artist, Michael Frassinelli, and explore the ‘world’ of the Pianistas. 

Downstairs Gallery

Architectural Esthetics
Painting by Raffi Kodjin
August 31 - September30, 2023

Ashland resident Raffi Kodjian became interested in art at an early age. Combining his talents as a self-taught painter with his degree studies in architecture and art history, Raffi has been creating unusual images that challenge one’s notion of reality. A most unusual and thought-provoking exhibit not to be missed.

Raffi says of his work:
“ What is reality and what is fantasy? This is the fascinating dilemma that I express in my art, with humor, gusto, and frivolity.  Taking an ordinary object, I try to manipulate it to convey different meanings and interpretations.  My goal is to make people stop, think, and use their imagination. I want people to say, ‘What is he thinking?’  Respectful of all genres and art expressions, I am inspired and influenced by the masters as well as nature and daily life”

Click Here for more information about Ashland Public Library Week Of September 4,2023