May 2022 Franklin Public Library News & Events
Library Hours
The Franklin Public Library will be closed Sunday, May 29th and Monday, May 30th for Memorial Day. 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.
Exciting Library News
Inspired by the Ken Burns’s four-hour documentary on Benjamin Franklin, two-time award winning broadcast journalist, Pamela Watts will host a program on Rhode Island PBS Weekly about Benjamin Franklin’s book donation to the Franklin Public Library.
This program will air on Sunday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. with an encore on Wednesday, May 11th. After that, it will be on PBS website at ripbs.org/weekly .
From the Friends of the Franklin Library
Friends of the Franklin Library Annual Meeting
Wednesday, May 4th at 7:00pm
Friends of the Franklin Library is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and promoting the Franklin Public Library’s collections and programs. Want to learn more about becoming a Friend? Join us on May 4th in the FoFL Community Room to learn more about our group and ways to get involved. If you can’t attend our Annual Meeting, drop us a line at FoFL02038@gmail.com for more information on the Friends.
Book Sale
Franklin Library Book Sale
Friday, May 13th , 1:00-5:00 p.m. Saturday, May 14th , 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon.
All books are just one dollar!
Bag Sale - $5 A Bag—Saturday, May 14th , from 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Come fill a brown bag with all the books you can!
Homework Help Program
The Franklin Public Library is now offering its free Homework Help program for grades 1-8. The program takes place Monday through Thursday, 3:00-5:00 p.m. Students will be assisted by either retired teachers or high school students. Application forms for both participants and volunteers are available at the Circulation Desk and on the Library’s website https://www.franklinma.gov/children-teen-services/pages/homework-assista... .
Featured eResource
Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines to read on your phone or tablet using the Libby app by OverDrive. You can even send and read your borrowed ebooks to your Kindle ereader ! It’s free and easy to get started for new users and a streamlined experience for current OverDrive app users. Learn more at overdrive.com/apps/libby .
Programs for Children and Teens
Weekly Events for Families!
Move Along! Mondays @ 10:30AM
This thirty minute program features music, movement, stories, and other interactive activities to encourage social skills and promote early literacy!
Dungeons and Dragons Club for Kids! Mondays, 4:00-6:00PM (7+)
Kids are invited to join us for a weekly Dungeons and Dragons Club! The library will supply dice, rule books, and blank character sheets! (Dungeon Masters must be ages 10 and up) Email mgousie@minlib.net to sign up!
Animation Nation Anime Club! Mondays, 6:00-7:30PM (10+)
Your weekly dose of anime goodness at The Franklin Public Library! Come watch the latest releases and popular anime shows, ideal for ages 7+!
Cool Cruisers! Tuesdays @ 9:30AM
Babies who have graduated from tummy time and are scooting all over the place are welcome to this playgroup just for them! We recognize that fun age of exploring is very different from their first few months, so join us for a special playgroup just for this exciting time!
Get Ready for Kindergarten! Tuesdays @10:30AM (3–5)
This 45 minute program featuring stories, songs, activities, and crafts will help prepare your children for preschool and kindergarten. Parents and caregivers can attend with their child if they wish. No registration required!
Homeschool Hangout! Tuesdays from 12:00-2:00PM
Join other local homeschool families in a space dedicated to you! Each Tuesday between 12-2PM, the Friends of the Franklin Library Room will be available for homeschool families to hang out, get work done, and connect!
Toe-Tapping Tuesdays! Tuesdays @ 4:00PM (2-4)
Let’s play some music and get those little toes moving! We will have fun learning to move to the music while building coordination and confidence.
Girls Who Code! Grade 3-5 Meeting time Tuesdays @ 4:00 PM
This club is a great introduction to coding languages and concepts while building the community and group work skills needed to excel! Whether you want to try something new, build on skills, make friends, or help someone else grow... Welcome to our club!
Terrific Toddlers! Wednesdays @10:30AM (18 mos–3yrs)
Enjoy thirty minutes of interactive stories, songs, and activities for families and children from birth to age 3. No registration required!
Tummy Time! Thursdays @ 9:30AM
Babies and caregivers: join us each Thursday morning for Tummy Time! Nurture your baby’s development with gentle music, movement, and sensory play at the library! Please bring a small blanket or towel for your baby’s comfort!
Story and Craft, Thursdays @10:30AM (3+)
Join us for 30 minutes of themed stories, songs, and movement followed by 30 minutes of craft and sensory play. For children ages 3 and up that can attend on their own. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to watch from the adjoining room.
Bookworm Bounce! Thursdays @ 4:00PM
Join us for an afternoon story time full of music, movement, stories, and other interactive activities to encourage social skills and promote early literacy!
Doggie Tales! 1st and 3rd Thursday of the Month @4:30 PM (1st grade +)
Improve your reading skills and make a new friend by reading aloud to a trained therapy dog! Bring your favorite book or pick out one of ours to read. REGISTRATION REQUIRED. SPOTS ARE LIMITED. Register on our website to reserve your spot.
Happy Feet! Alternating Fridays @10:30AM (2-4)
Let’s play some music and get those little toes moving! Join us for an introductory class into creative movement using very basic ballet moves. We will have fun learning to move to the music while building coordination and confidence. Laughter and giggles are definitely expected!
Silly Songs and Stories! Alternating Fridays @10:30AM (0-5)
This thirty minute program features music, movement, stories, and other interactive activities for littles! Parents and caregivers are welcome and encouraged to participate. No registration required!
Lego Free-Build Friday! Alternating Fridays @2:30 (0-5)
Let imaginations run WILD! Enjoy 2 hours of Friday fun time to build what you like with the Library Legos! Cool builds will be displayed on the Library Website & Facebook! ALL Legos are washed in between sessions!
Special Events for Kids & Families
May-dle! May 2nd - May 28th (Mondays - Saturdays only)
We're bringing you our version of the wildly popular online game: Wordle! Each day we will provide you with the starting word, and from there you will have 5 tries to uncover the mystery word of the day!
Kids Take & Makes: Birdseed Cookies!
Starting Monday, May 2nd stop by the library to pick up your very own birdseed cookie kit! Kits include supplies and instructions for making your very own birdseed cookie for the feathered friends in your neighborhood! SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED! Birdseed Cookie Kits will be distributed on a first come first serve basis!
Southwest Dancers! Wednesday May 4th @4:00PM
Join the Southwest Dancers for a special interactive presentation which includes song and dance, storytelling and hands on arts and crafts!
Interactive Beauty & the Beast Viewing! Friday May 6th @1:00PM
It’s a half-day for the schools! Join us for a special viewing of a classic fairy tale, complete with props and snacks and interactive fun!
Whalemobile! Friday May 6th 2:00-4:00PM
Kids ages 5+ are welcome to join us for a special 30 minute journey inside Nile—the life-sized inflatable humpback whale,to learn about how whales and humans are similar and different, and have a chance to touch baleen, teeth and bones! REGISTRATION REQUIRED! Register on our website to reserve your 30 minute time slot.
Scott Magoon Visit! Saturday May 7th @1:00PM
Come celebrate with famous author/illustrator Scott Magoon as he shares his new graphic novel The Extincts with us, and tells us all about how he makes a whole graphic novel come to life!!
Eid Celebration! Monday May 9th @4:00PM
Families! Join us for a special celebration of Eid, complete with crafts, music, snacks, and more! For questions/to get involved, email Caleigh at ckeating@minlib.net!
Baby Sensory! Saturday May 14th @9:30AM
Join us for a 45 minute baby sensory program! Watch your little one interact and engage with a variety of sensory items! Sensory play is a fantastic way to help babies explore their worlds, stimulate the senses, and create little inquisitive explorers! Babies under 2 are welcome and encouraged! (Got older siblings? They can bring along a stuffed toy or baby and play along!)
Alec Carvlin Visit! Saturday May 14th @2:00PM
Calling all cosmic chefs! Alec Carvlin will be reading his debut picture book, How to Bake a Universe! Kids will love decorating their own cosmic sunglasses, hearing the book read aloud by the author, and asking questions about the fun and funky science at the end. So come on down and bring nothing! Just make sure you have enough.
Nature in your Neighborhood! Wednesday May 18th @4:00PM
Tap into your artistic side and explore the nature of Dedham with Mass Audubon! Join us for a printmaking and nature journaling session to learn about local bird species, practice your observation skills, and explore signs of spring. Ideal for ages 6-9! Register with Mass Audubon through the library website!
Weekend Wiggles! Saturday May 7th and May 21st @10:30AM
A weekend storytime for littles and their grown-ups! Let’s play some music and get those little toes moving! We will have fun learning to move to the music while building coordination and confidence. Laughter and giggles are definitely expected! Ideal for children ages 2-5!
Elephant & Piggie Party! Saturday May 28th @10:30AM
Come celebrate the beloved book characters and 2 time winners of the March Madness Character Challenge! Enjoy a party with games, crafts, activities, and more!
Python Problem! Saturday May 28th @2:00-3:30PM
Join Miss Mitzi and work on a Python challenge to learn some new expressions, code new applications, or fix broken code. Best for grades 5 and up! Previous coding experience encouraged, not required.
Weekly / monthly Events for Teens
Animation Nation Anime Club! Mondays, 6:00-7:30PM (10+)
Your weekly dose of anime goodness at The Franklin Public Library! Come watch the latest releases and popular anime shows, ideal for ages 7+!
Teen Book Bites! Weekly on Wednesdays, 5:30-PM
Teens! Bring along a snack and join us in the teen room each Wednesday for a casual chat about what we're all reading!
Teen Advisory Board, 2nd Wednesday of the Month @ 6:30PM
Join us each month for Teen Advisory Board! The Teen Advisory Board is a GREAT opportunity to get involved here at the library! You'll help plan events and programs, create displays and decorate the teen space, and help drive decisions around the kinds of materials we bring to the YA collection, from books and beyond, all while eating snacks and getting volunteer hours! It's a win-win-win!
VolunTeens! 2nd & 4th Thursday of the Month, 6:00-7:00PM (6th-12th Grade)
An elite volunteering program for dedicated library volunteers, this program is designed to facilitate unique volunteer opportunities for committed teens to work on special library projects. You will learn all about event planning and execution, hone your creative and crafty skills, and build your resume!
For more information please contact Bree at bcomeau@minlib.net.
Special Events for Teens
May-dle! May 2nd - May 28th (Mondays - Saturdays only)
We're bringing you our version of the wildly popular online game: Wordle! Each day we will provide you with the starting word, and from there you will have 5 tries to uncover the mystery word of the day!
Teen Take & Makes: Melting Crayons!
Starting Monday, May 2nd stop by the library to pick up your very own Melting Crayons Art kit! Kits include supplies and instructions for making your very own piece colorful artwork! Perfect for brightening these rainy spring days! SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED! Melting Crayon Art Kits will be distributed on a first come first serve basis!
Teen College Panel Discussion! Wednesday May 18th @6:30PM
Teens! Join a panel of FHS graduates as they share their experiences and advice, as well as answer any questions you may have about college with a uniquely Franklin perspective!
Python Problem, Saturday, May 28th @2:00PM
A Python challenge to: Learn some new expressions, Code new applications, or Fix broken code.
Each session starts with an explanation of a concept or code piece followed by a challenge using that code or concept!
Spring Fever: Bad Horror Movie Series Saturday, May 28th @4:30 PM
Enjoy an after-hours Teen Horror Movie Event! In April, May, and June; join us for a screening of some of the best 'bad' zombie movies ever made! Screaming this month: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (R)
Events for Adults
Take and Make Craft for Adults: String Art Kit
Kits will be available starting May 2nd at the Circulation Desk. Supplies are limited. There is a limit of one kit per adult.
Creativebug Database
Love crafting? Check out the CREATIVEBUG database! Available to Franklin residents with a valid Minuteman Library Network library card. Creativebug.com has more than 1,000 award-winning art and craft video classes, taught by recognized design experts and artists.
An Afternoon with Mark Twain and Stephen Foster, Saturday, May 7, 2:00 p.m.
Enjoy an afternoon of Stephen Foster and Mark Twain by musicians and storytellers Mary King, Ed Sweeney and Cathy Clasper-Torch.
Delight in Steven Foster’s beautiful and heart-rending tunes played on banjo, dulcimer, fiddle, guitar, and harp. Laugh at Mark Twain’s shrewd witticisms and pointed quips. Drop in for a lively celebration of the best of 19th century America infused with Mary, Ed, and Cathy’s warmth and spontaneity. This event is free and open to the public.
We’re Not Making This Up! Sisters in Crime New England, Tuesday, May 10, 7:00 p.m. on Zoom
This virtual event deals with the ever-popular subject of true crime. True Crime authors, Maureen Boyle, Jan Brogan, Sue Coletta, and Manju Soni, will discuss how they tell a great story while sticking to the facts.
The link to register is: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vdOuqrzgjHtyrKZVUxdvsA1jL97h...
Maureen Boyle is an award-winning journalist and the author of two true-crime books. Shallow Graves: The Hunt for the New Bedford Highway Serial Killer was published in 2017 and The Ghost: The Murder of Police Chief Greg Adams and the Hunt for His Killer (Black Lyon) was published in June 2021. She was named New England journalist of the year three times and has been honored for her work covering crime, drug issues and human-interest stories. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in criminal justice. She is now the journalism program director at Stonehill College in Easton, MA.
Jan Brogan is the author of The Combat Zone: Murder, Race, and Boston’s Struggle for Justice, a true account of the 1976 murder of a Harvard football player in Boston’s old red light district, and the two criminal trials which produced the opposite verdicts. The author of four murder mysteries, she sold the rights to the first in her Hallie Ahern series, A Confidential Source, to Stephen Soderbergh’s Transactional Pictures, which is currently developing it as a TV series for HBO Max. A former correspondent for the Boston Globe, she also worked as a staff writer at the Providence Journal and the Worcester Telegram.
Sue Coletta is an award-winning crime writer and an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. Feedspot and Expertido.org named her Murder Blog as “Best 100 Crime Blogs on the Net” (2018-2021). She also blogs at the Kill Zone (Writer's Digest "101 Best Websites for Writers" 2013-2021). Sue lives with her husband and two spoiled guinea pigs in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire and writes two psychological thriller series (Tirgearr Publishing) and true crime/narrative nonfiction (Rowman & Littlefield Group). And recently, she appeared on the Emmy award-winning true crime series Storm of Suspicion.
M. J. Soni is an eye surgeon turned author. She is the author of Defying Apartheid, her nonfiction book about her experience of growing up in South Africa. Her short fiction and nonfiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Akashic Books, Apeiron Review and The Establishment. She’s the recipient of the Leon B. Burnstein/MWA-NY Scholarship, and 2020 runner up to the Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award. She was a 2019 Pitch Wars mentee, and a 2020 Pitch Wars mentor. Her domestic suspense novel about an Indian-American doctor solving a murder in a New England town is currently out on submission.
Lyme Disease: Beyond the Basics, Wednesday, May 11, 3:00 p.m.
Franklin Town Nurse Alisha Deptula will talk about identifying Lyme Disease, what you can do to prevent tick bites, and insect repellant safety. This program is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome to attend.
Poor Richard’s Women: a presentation from author Nancy Rubin Stuart, Thursday, May 12, 6:30 p.m.
Award winning author, Nancy Rubin Stuart, will be here at the library to discuss her newest bestselling book, Poor Richard’s Women: Deborah Read Franklin and the other women behind the founding father. Poor Richard’s Women reveals the long-neglected voices of the women Franklin loved and lost during his lifelong struggle between passion and prudence. This program is free and open to the public.
Last Call: Maya Angelou’s Last Interview, Saturday, May 14, 3:00 p.m.
Come listen and watch Dr. Maya Angelou’s last interview with Mike Nice. He had the privilege and was lucky enough to interview her a week before she passed away. May marks the 8-year anniversary of her passing. The program is free and open to the public.
Franklin Public Library Book Club, Tuesday, May 24, 7:00 p.m.
The book for discussion is On Earth, We’re Briefly Gorgeous, by Ocean Vuong.
Brilliant, heartbreaking, tender, and highly original - poet Ocean Vuong's debut novel is a sweeping and shattering portrait of a family, and a testament to the redemptive power of storytelling. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family's history that began before he was born--a history whose epicenter is rooted in Vietnam--and serves as a doorway into parts of his life his mother has never known, all of it leading to an unforgettable revelation. At once a witness to the fraught yet undeniable love between a single mother and her son, it is also a brutally honest exploration of race, class, and masculinity. -- Provided by publisher.
For more information, please contact Assistant Library Director Kim Shipala at kshipala@minlib.net . Book Club meetings are now taking place both in-person at the Library and on Zoom. To participate through Zoom, please register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kduuppj0oGd1riTUPnGfsy7Qph0W... .
Franklin Public Library Genealogy Club, Thursday, May 26, 6:30 p.m.
10 Steps to Researching the History of Your House presented by Marian Pierre-Louis
You can research the history of your house whether it is 20 years old or 200 years old. Marian Pierre-Louis will introduce where to find the deeds to your house, how to chain a deed, and locating other sources of information such as the US Federal Census records, maps and tax records. Come learn 10 steps to get you started on your house history research. This talk is appropriate for both beginners and those who have research experience.
Genealogy Database: MyHeritage
Available to Franklin residents with a valid Minuteman Library Network library card. MyHeritage Library Edition is one of the largest, internationally diverse databases of its kind (Ancestry & Familysearch are other examples). Access to billions of historical documents, millions of historical photos, and other resources, in thousands of databases. Home access available.
The Backyard Orchard with Blackstone Valley Veggie Gardens, Tuesday, May 31st, 7:00 p.m.
Growing tree fruit can be challenging, but with a few hints and the right techniques, you'll have enough apples, pears, and everything else for the entire neighborhood! The program is free and open to the public. To learn more, please visit https://www.blackstonevalleyveggiegardens.com/ .
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 Library Community Room on Fridays 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.