Hello American!

We have so much going in September and October! We hope to see you soon!
 
Download our September Adult & Teen Program Brochure
Download our September Children's Program Brochure

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.


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!

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!

This Week and Next

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

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

Saturday Knit and Crochet Club and Workshop- Crocheted Towel Topper
Saturday, September 16 @ 2pm
Bring your knitting or crocheting project to our casual gathering where you can work, talk, and share ideas together. Join us this week for a special Saturday Workshop- Crocheted Towel Toppers!

Virtual - Author Erica Cirino Discusses "Thicker Than Water The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis"
Monday, September 18 @ 7pm
As plastic pollution piles up, time to negotiate real solutions is running out, and meanwhile plastics’ impacts on the Earth and our health grows worse. Erica hopes to share important facts and immediate action we can take to help our communities and protect our health from plastics.

Virtual - LGBTQ+ Book Club
*For 15-100
Monday, September 18 @ 7pm
 Read "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera.

Virtual - Sharing Culture Through Food with Chef Trisha Pérez Kennealy
Tuesday, September 19 @ 7pm
Please join Chef Trisha Pérez Kennealy for a culinary celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Trisha will demonstrate how to make mofongo and empanadas and share cooking tips and tricks. She'll talk about some of the memorable dishes from her childhood. A fun program for the whole family.

More Next Week

Virtual: Magic in the Medium: Image-Making in Mesopotamia
Tuesday, September 19 @ 7pm
Join Miriam K. Said, PhD, Tufts University Assistant Professor of Ancient Art for a fascinating art history lecture across different periods and regions spanning the Bronze and Iron Ages in the ancient Middle East.

Bio/Memoir Book Club
Wednesday, September 20 @ 11am
Read 'The Smallest Lights in the Universe' by Sara Seager

Virtual - Afternoon Tea with Author Louise Hare, Discussing "Harlem After Midnight"
Wednesday, September 20 @ 3pm
We're excited to be celebrating a book birthday with author Louise Hare! Her new book, "Harlem After Midnight" just came out on August 29th and is a must read for anyone who loves historical fiction, mysteries, and jazz music from the 1930s ! Louise is joining
us from "across the pond" - so BYOT (bring your own tea) for this very special Q&A.

Half-Past Crafts: Needle Felted Owls
Wednesday, September 20 @ 5:30pm
This month we tackle a new needle felting project, cute little owls!

Virtual: Ashland Adult Book Club
Wednesday, September 20 @ 6:30pm
Read "The Henna Artist" by Alka Joshi

Virtual - Q&A with Historical Fiction & Romance Author Piper Huguley
Wednesday, September 20 @ 7pm
Piper Huguley is an author of historical fiction featuring African American characters. She tells the untold stories of people who might have been lost to time. Her most recent book, "By Her Own Design: a novel of Ann Lowe, Fashion Designer to the Social Register" tells the inspiring story of the Black fashion designer of Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress.

VIRTUAL- Nature Photography (Discussion Session) with Steve McGrath
Thursday, September 21 @ 7pm
Join us for this virtual discussion of images, perhaps taken at a field session earlier this year or one's you've taken on your own.

Great Decisions
Thursday, September 21 @ 6:30pm
Discuss Iran at a Crossroads

Virtual - New England Shorebirds with Bill Gette
Friday, September 22 @ 1pm
Shorebirds are one of the most interesting and diverse groups of birds. In New England, we have the opportunity to observe not only species that nest in our area (e.g., Killdeer, Piping Plover), but also shorebirds (Whimbrel, White-rumped Sandpiper) that pass through our area on their long spring and fall migrations.

Virtual - Friday Night Film Discussion
Friday, September 22 @ 7pm
Watch "Rams"

STEM Thursdays

Engineering Exploration
For Ages 5-9
Thursday, September 14 @ 4pm
Solar Houses - Each participant will attach a mini solar panel to a house and use copper tape to connect it to a light inside the house. Kids will be able to take their houses at the end of the program.

Lego Club
Ages 5-9
Thursday, September 21 @ 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.

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 @ 4:15pm
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 @ 4:15pm
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 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

Friends of the Ashland Library

Friends of the Ashland Public Library Donation Day & Mini Book Sale!
Saturday, October 7 @ 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!!

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”