Franklin Public Library - December 2019 News & Events

Library Hours

The Franklin Public Library will close at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 24th, and will be closed Wednesday, December 25th for Christmas Day. The Library will be closing at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31st, and will be closed on Wednesday, January 1st. The Library’s regular hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday, 1:30-5:00 p.m.

Patriots Hall of Fame Pass Now Available

The Patriots Hall of Fame pass is once again available to be reserved. This pass gives free admission to two people. For more information, please visit https://www.franklinma.gov/franklin-public-library/links/museum-passes-0 .

Al Testa Renaissance V Brass Quintet Holiday Concert
Sunday, December 1, 2:00 p.m.

Get in the holiday spirit with Al Testa’s Renaissance V Brass Quintet! They will play a selection of holiday favorites for all to enjoy. This performance is free and open to the public.

The Importance of LinkedIn, Tuesday, December 3, 6:30 p.m.

 Did you know that there are over 340 million LinkedIn users worldwide? Two people join every second of every day.  We will review best practices as they relate to online profile creation and managing one’s account.  We will also discuss the many additional usages of LinkedIn including the importance of joining groups and getting others to offer testimonials.

Presenter: Gary Gekow.  Mr. Gekow has over 20 years of employment consulting and recruiting experience in the Boston marketplace.  He also works with individuals throughout New England assisting them with job search strategies. This program is free and open to the public.

Snowman Paint-Along Class for Adults, Saturday, December 7, 2:00 p.m.

Paint along with artist Denise Palmieri, and create an adorable snowman! This class is for adults, and is limited to twenty participants. Please register with Assistant Library Director Kim Shipala at kshipala@minlib.net or by calling 508-520-4941.

Krissy E Christmas Trivia Night, Monday, December 9, 6:30 p.m.

It’s time for Christmas Trivia at the Franklin Public Library hosted by Krissy E! Test your knowledge of all things Christmas – television, movies, music, literature, history, tradition, and more. This program is free and open to the public.

Foreign Film Night, Tuesday, December 10, 6:30 p.m.

Black Orpheus. Portuguese (1959)

Winner of both the Academy Award for best foreign-language film and the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or, Marcel Camus' Black Orpheus brings the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice to the twentieth-century madness of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

With its eye-popping photography and ravishing, epochal soundtrack, Black Orpheus was an international cultural event, and it kicked off the bossa nova craze that set hi-fis across America spinning. This showing is free and open to the public.

Julian Gerstin Sextet, Wednesday, December 11, 7:00 p.m.

The Julian Gerstin Sextet reimagines Caribbean musical traditions for a border-crossing world. Rhythmic drive from a battery of unusual percussion instruments combines with lyrical melodies and jazz sophistication. To see videos of the group, please visitwww.juliangerstin.com/music.

Now in its fifth year, the Sextet has performed throughout New England. We have released two CDs, described as “uproarious and jubilant … sweet and strong like sugarcane” (DeeDee McNeil, musicalmemoirs.com) and “dynamic and lively” (Dick Metcalf, Contemporary Fusion Reviews). Our 2018 CD release, The Old City, received extensive radio airplay in Latin America and on US college radio (Top 100, 2018).

Julian Gerstin (PhD, MFA) is an ethnomusicologist, percussionist and composer. He has performed Caribbean music for over forty years, conducted research in Martinique and Cuba, published numerous academic articles, and taught at Wesleyan, Clark, and San José State Universities. He is President of the Board of Directors of the Vermont Jazz Center.

The Sextet’s other members live in southeastern Vermont and Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley, and include Anna Patton, clarinet; Don Anderson,

trumpet; Eugene Uman, piano; Wes Brown, bass; and Ben James, drum set. Between them they have worked with a stellar array of musicians: Bo Diddley, Earl “Fatha” Hines, Sheila Jordan, Olatunji, Bobby Sanabria, Wadada Leo Smith, Anthony Davis, Marilyn Crispell, Ed Blackwell, Sonny Fortune, and many others.

The Julian Gerstin Sextet is a member of Creative Ground, New England Foundation for the Arts’ select list of regional touring performance groups, and Julian is registered with NEFA as a teacher and workshop leader.

Technology Help, Saturday, December 15, 10:00 a.m.—11:00 a.m.

Staff from Nerds To Go Computer Service will be available to assist patrons with common technology issues such as email access, password reset/recovery, cell phone feature usage, getting onto public Wi-Fi, and accessing information on line. This service is free and is on a first come, first serve basis.

Franklin Public Library Book Club, Tuesday, December 17, 7:00 p.m.

The book for discussion is Becoming, by Michelle Obama. A limited number of copies of the book will be available for checkout at the Circulation Desk. Refreshments will be served. For more information, please contact Assistant Library Director Kim Shipala at kshipala@minlib.net .

Library Tech Help, Thursdays, 2:00-3:00 p.m.

Need help downloading ebooks to your Kindle? Trouble downloading the Libby or Minuteman apps? Curious about hoopla, Kanopy, or the many databases available to Franklin residents? Stop by or make an appointment during Tech Time now available on Thursdays 2:00-3:00 p.m. Can’t make that time? Don’t worry, technology assistance is always available at the Reference Desk. Please contact Assistant Library Director Kim Shipala or Reference Librarian Vicki Earls for more information.

Proctoring Services

The Franklin Public Library will now be offering proctoring services to its patrons. Proctoring will be free of charge, and by appointment only. See Library Director Felicia Oti or Assistant Library Director Kim Shipala for more information. 

Knitting Group, Fridays, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Love to knit or crochet? Join our group of local fiber artists who will be meeting in the Friends of the Franklin Community Room on Fridays 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Franklin Library Book Sale
Friday, December 13, 1:00-5:00 p.m.  Saturday, December 14, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon.
All books are just one dollar!
Bag Sale - $5 A Bag—Saturday, December 14, from 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Come fill a brown bag with all the books you can!