Notices
For those patrons who wish to continue pickup outside, go to 'Curbside' under Services on our website or contact the Circulation Desk at 781.275.9440 for details.

Weather-related closings are posted in the banner across the top of our website at https://bedfordlibrary.net/ 

Daylight Savings Time begins March 12 at 2:00 am. So set your clocks ahead.
PI Day is Tuesday, March 14 -celebrate with a slice (savory or sweet)
Spring arrives Monday, March 20 at 5:24 pm.

The Minute Madness Championship starts now!

Bedford will be competing with 20 other Massachusetts Libraries for the most minutes read in March!  Everyone can use Beanstack to record the minutes spent reading books, graphic novels, magazines, and newspapers. Listening to audiobooks also counts.

Here's how it all plays out:
Week 1: (March 1- March 8) This week will be a “free for all” - all libraries will compete and the 16 libraries with the most minutes logged by 11am on March 8 will land a spot on the bracket. Rankings from this week will be used to seed the bracket for Week 2

Week 2: (March 8- March 15) 16 libraries will compete in a bracket-style tournament. (For the less sporty amongst us - this means your library will be playing head-to-head against one other library. The winner moves forward to Week 3). 

Week 3: (March 15- 22) 8 libraries will compete in a bracket-style tournament with 4 libraries proceeding to the “Fierce Four”

Fierce Four: (March 22- 29) 4 libraries compete in a bracket-style tournament for the chance to compete in the Championship round. 

Championship: (March 29 - April 5) the top two libraries compete for victory!

All ages are welcome to help Bedford fight for a spot in the Minute Madness Final.
Sign up with Beanstack from your computer or smartphone and get reading.

Game Night

Monday, March 6
7:00-8:30 pm

Are you new to board gaming and want to try something new? Are you a skilled gamer and want to find more people to play with? Join us for games in the Reference Room - we'll have a selection of old favorites and new games to learn. 
Best for adults and teens at any skill level.

All Ages Crafting

Peeps® Diorama Making
 Wednesdays, March 8 & 15
2:30-4:00 PM

It's that time of year again - time for our Peeps® Diorama Contest. This year we are providing an opportunity for families and/or groups to come and design a diorama in library. Use our craft supplies to build your diorama for our 13th Annual Peeps® Diorama Contest! We'll have Peeps®, shoeboxes, entry forms, and anything else you might need.

For details, see the Guildelines and entry form on our website.

Key Dates To Remember:

Entries due:  Monday, March 20 at 6 pm
Voting: Tuesday, March 21 - Monday, 3/27 (ballots available at Reference Desk)
Awards Ceremony: Wednesday, March 29 begins at 2 pm
Winners announced: Wednesday 3/29 at 2:30 pm 
Diorama Pick Up: Wednesday 3/29 (after the ceremony) through Monday, 4/3.

Three Special Programs ~ Virtually 

Dirtbag, Massachusetts

An Evening with Isaac Fitzgerald
Tuesday, March 7
7:00 PM

Join us for this very special author event - a discussion moderated by Daniel Ford, host of The Writer's Bone Podcast.

Isaac Fitzgerald has lived many lives. He's been an altar boy, a bartender, a fat kid, a smuggler, a biker, a prince of New England. But before all that, he was a bomb that exploded his parents' lives - or so he was told. In his memoir Dirtbag, Massachusetts, Fitzgerald, with warmth and humor, recounts his ongoing search for forgiveness, a more far-reaching vision of masculinity, and a more expansive definition of family and self. [Isaac is Boston born, raised in Athol, Mass, and currently lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.]

This live online event will be held on the platform Crowdcast.
To register, first create a Crowdcast account or sign in with Twitter, Facebook, or Google. After you have signed in, click the "Save My Spot" button and use the password below.

The registration link is: https://www.crowdcast.io/c/an-evening-with-isaac
and the password is: ?dirtbagmass

Spark Joy®
“Make tidying a special event.” ~ Marie Kondo
Thursday, March 9
7:00 PM
Virtual Program with Shannon Huneycutt

Shannon will be bringing the life-changing magic of tidying to you through an inspiring presentation on what it means to lead a life that Sparks Joy®. You will learn the KonMari philosophy and guiding principles needed to tidy once and for all and leave feeling motivated to Spark Joy® in your home, office, and life!

Shannon is sharing her Spark Joy® Charlotte tidying checklist for you to use on your tidying journey! Click here to download or print the checklist.

Register here.
You will receive a reminder email with the Zoom link and password.

Shannon Huneycutt is the founder of Spark Joy® Charlotte and a certified Gold level KonMari® Consultant trained by tidying expert Marie Kondo.

An America Divided:
Can we Live with One Another?
with New Yorker Staff Writer, Emma Green
Tuesday, March 14
Virtual Program - 7:30 PM

Join Emma Green in this exploration of the ways that Americans are divided - politically, religiously, economically, communities, and even families. What has caused these ruptures and what are some ways for us to come back together? Pulling from the many, many people she has spoken to over the years as well as her articles on the Federalist Society, the Supreme Court, and Affirmative Action, Emma will lead us in this difficult but essential discussion!

Please register for this event online at: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_w2fjNMsER0-OLQzFdkqx-A
You will receive the program link in the confirmation and reminder emails - make sure to check your spam folder for them. The email will be coming from Zoom. 

Emma Green is a staff writer at The New Yorker who covers education and academia. Her work has been anthologized in several books, including “The American Crisis” and “The God Beat,” and has won a number of awards, including the George W. Hunt, S.J., Prize for Excellence in Journalism, Arts & Letters and the Supple Award for feature writing from the Religion News Association.

We're thrilled to be collaborating with a coalition of MA Libraries to bring this program to our communities.

Thursday, March 23
10:00 - 11:30 am

Following The Trail Of Shared Matches
with SEEMA KENNEY, presenter

DNA test results can feel overwhelming. Fortunately for us, Seema Kenney is returning to teach us how to make sense of our shared matches!

Come hear how Seema used shared matches within her results to narrow in on her maternal grandfather and fill in many gaps in her family tree.

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82711809525?pwd=WDBEVTladFI3aTZZRUFLbno3STlBQT09

Meeting ID: 827 1180 9525
Passcode: 340736

Tax-Aide 2023

For low-to-moderate income individuals and/or families -  tax preparation assistance provided by IRS trained specialists.

Appointments are set for Fridays and Saturdays in March and April with a limited number of appointments on each day. Appointments will mostly start at 9:15 am. To book an appointment, clients can

- request an appointment directly online at bit.ly/bedfordtaxaide or

- call 978-245-6798 and leave a message-someone will return your call

Mass Library Collaborative's 50+ Job Seekers Networking Group

If you are 50+ years young and job seeking, this program may be for you!  This month's workshops are part of our 12 part series. You can register for just one or for any of the remaining meetings at once.

Workshop 5:
Develop Your Resume (Part I) via Zoom
Mar 1 @ 9:30-11:30 am Register Here to attend the morning session. 
Mar 8 @ 6:00-8:00 pm Register Here to attend the evening session. 

Workshop 6:
Develop Your Resume (Part II) via Zoom
Mar 15 @ 9:30-11:30 am Register Here to attend the morning session. 
Mar 22 @ 6:00-8:00 pm Register Here to attend the evening session..

April Topics: 'Create a LinkedIn Profile' and 'LinkedIn and Personal Branding'
May Topics: 'Interview Preparation & Strategy' and 'Interview Practice'
June Topics: 'Meet Hiring Employers' and 'Networking 2.0'

Facilitator: DEBORAH HOPE, MBA, PCIC, experienced executive career coach, has coached with Harvard Business School Executive Education programs and the Massachusetts Conference for Women. She is certified in a variety of coaching models and assessment tools and has facilitated 50+ job seekers networking groups since 2016.

March is 'mud month' in New England. Why not hone your skills on using apps or creating social media accounts? Patrons can book a half-hour appointment with our Head of Reference Services by contacting the Reference Desk at 781-275-9440 option 3.

Just be sure to bring any needed passwords.

Slots are available at:
7-7:30 pm / 7:30-8 pm / 8-8:30 pm

February For Tweens & Teens

Tween/Teen Activity Group  [TAG]

Join us in the 1st Floor Meeting Room after school

Wednesdays @ 1:00 pm

March 1 & 22: Board Games
Play an old favorite or learn something new!

March 8 & 15: Peeps® Diorama Craft
Use our craft supplies to build your diorama for our 13th Annual Peeps® Diorama Contest!.

March 29: NO TAG
We will be hosting the 13th Annual Peeps® Awards Presentations!

February For Kids

Wednesdays
March    8, 15, 22 & 29
10:30-11 AM
Best for ages 0-6, all welcome

Join our Children's librarians for stories, songs, rhymes, shakers, scarves, and fun for all. 

No Registration Necessary

Homeschool Hangout
Tuesday, March 14 & 28
11:30-1:00 PM
All ages welcome.

Play games, complete crafts and get to know other homeschooling families in the area in these relaxed meetups.

No Registration Necessary

(one day early!)
Monday, March 13
4-4:45 pm
Best for ages 4+.

Join us for a celebration with crafts, taste tests and play - this party has something for everyone. 

Space is limited to 20.
Register Here