**LIBRARY NEWS**
Library Hours
The library’s hours are Monday through Thursday, 9am to 8pm, Friday and Saturday, 9am to 5pm. The library will be close early Wednesday, December 31 at 2pm and remain closed Thursday, January 1 for the New Year holiday. The library will be closed Monday, January 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
2026 Reading Challenge
January: A Book about or Set in Winter
Starting January 1, 2026 Massachusetts Center for the Book is launching their 2026 reading challenge for adults and the library will be rewarding your reading! Check out the new details on the library website. While you visit you can also look into the ongoing challenge for students.
VITA: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Site Opening Saturday February 7
We Need You! Volunteers are always needed for the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs, better known as VITA and TCE. Many volunteer roles are available. You can help as a greeter or an interpreter, but most of all we need tax preparers. Training for certification is provided! Learn more at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/irs-tax-volunteers or email site coordinator Mitzi Gousie at mgousie@minlib.net.
ESOL Program
The library is looking for more volunteer tutors for our English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program. If you want to make a difference right in your own community, this is a great opportunity! To volunteer please be at least 18 years old, have a High School diploma, & speak English clearly. No prior teaching experience needed and volunteers and students do not need to be Franklin residents. If interested, please fill out the volunteer form.
Homebound Delivery Program
Can’t make it to the library? Let us bring the library to your door! Franklin Public Library is excited to begin offering Home Delivery Service for Franklin residents who are unable to visit the library due to aging-related limitations, illness, disability, or temporary mobility limitations. Items will be delivered to and picked up from a homebound patron’s home by staff members approximately every three weeks. For eligibility requirements, registration, and more information, please visit the library website.
Franklin Library Book Sale
Friday, January 16: 1 - 5pmSaturday, January 17: 9am - 12pmAll books are just one dollar!Bag Sale - $5 A BagSaturday, January 17: 1 - 4pmCome fill a brown bag with all the books you can!
**LIBRARY EVENTS**
Weekly/Monthly for Children
Move Along, Mondays @ 10:30am (Ages 0-5)This thirty-minute program features music, movement, stories, and other interactive activities to encourage social skills and promote early literacy! No registration required.
Doggie Tales! Mondays @ 4pmRegistration RequiredKiddos who are working on their reading skills will be able to sign up for a time slot to practice reading to a trained therapy dog. Bring your favorite book or read one of ours. Registration is required, and once attendees arrive they will get their time slot on a first come, first served basis. (We'll also have a greeter dog to keep you company while you wait!)Cool Cruisers, Tuesdays @ 9:30amBabies who have graduated from tummy time and are scooting all over the place are welcome to this playgroup just for them! We recognize that this fun age of exploring is very different from their first few months, so join us for a special playgroup just for this exciting time. No registration required.
Pre-K Pals, Tuesdays & Thursdays @ 10:30am (Ages 3-5)This 30-minute program is a perfect jumpstart for kiddos that are approaching school-age! Stories, music, movement, and engaging activities designed to prepare kids for a school environment. No registration required.
Wiggle Worms, Tuesdays @ 4pm (Ages 0-5)Beat the afternoon witching hour craziness with a dynamic program for littles! Enjoy music, movement, and some fun surprises. No registration required.
Terrific Toddlers! Wednesdays @ 10:30am (Ages 18mo-3)Enjoy thirty minutes of interactive stories, songs, and activities! No registration required.
Bookworm Bounce, Wednesdays @ 4pmJoin us for an afternoon story time full of music, movement, stories, and other interactive activities to encourage social skills and promote early literacy! No registration required.
Tummy Time, Thursdays @ 9:30amBabies 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. No registration required.
Tot Bop, Thursdays, @ 4pm (Ages 3-5)Get ready to dance around to an energetic playlist in a class that offers littles a chance to play with musicality, coordination, and creativity - all while practicing listening and learning skills! No registration required.
Artsy Afternoons, Thursdays @ 4pm (Ages 5-11)Registration RequiredJoin Ms. Cindy for a step-by-step art project specifically for kids! All materials will be provided.
Bubble Buddies, Fridays @ 10:30am (Ages 0-5)Enjoy a Friday bubble dance party with music, movement, and fun surprises! No registration required.
Weekend Wiggles, Saturdays @ 10:30am (Ages 0-5)Littles and their grownups are invited to an epic dance party to kick off the weekend! Get those wiggles out with fun music, exciting surprises, and plenty of joy and laughter. No registration required.
Special Events for Kids & Families
K-Pop Demon Hunters Party, Friday, January 2 @ 10:30amCalling all Demon Hunters! Join us for an epic celebration of everyone's favorite movie, with music, crafts, games, and a few surprises. No registration required.
Rainforest Reptiles! Saturday, January 3 @ 10:30amTravel with us to the different rainforests around the world and meet the critters, turtles, snakes and more that call these places home! Real, LIVE animal fun for all ages. No registration required.
Petite Picassos, Monday, January 5 @ 4pm (Ages 6-12)Registration RequiredJoin Miss Lily and create a step-by-step painting of fireworks! All materials will be provided.
Stuffed Animal Village, Saturday, January 10 @ 10:30amBring your favorite stuffed animal for a special daytrip to our stuffed animal village! Visit the bakery, post office, gym, library, doctors, and more. No registration required.
Hairstyling Workshop for Grown-Ups & Kiddos! Friday, January 16 @ 3:30pmJoin us for a special hairstyling workshop, perfect for learning something new in the New Year! Learn to do a few special styles, and leave with a kit to continue building your skills at home. No registration required.
Franklin as Composer w/ Metro-west Symphony Orchestra, Saturday, January 17 @ 11amBenjamin Franklin: statesman, entrepreneur, scientist… composer?! Yes, our beloved Ben even dabbled in composing his own music. Join us to explore this aspect of our namesake with the help of the Metro-West Symphony Orchestra. Members of the Metro-west Symphony will also perform works written around the same time which influenced Franklin as a composer and musician, including a Mozart Flute Quartet and French Horn Quintet. No registration required.
Ben Franklin Birthday Bash, Saturday, January 17 @ 2pmJoin us as we celebrate the birthday of Ben Franklin himself with music, games, and more! No registration required.
Vison Board Making, Wednesday, January 21 @ 1pmFamilies - set your intentions for 2026! Join us as we get crafty, creating vision boards AND setting our reading resolutions. No registration required.
Tape Town! Saturday, January 24 @ 10:30amSpend an imaginative afternoon at the library! Bring along a small toy vehicle (or borrow one of ours) and cruise along our "roads" made of tape all through our program room, and enjoy a series of interactive pretend play stations all through the town. No registration required.
Weekly / Monthly Events for Teens
D&D Club, Mondays @ 4pmRegistration RequiredKids ages 10-17 are invited to join us for a weekly Dungeons and Dragons Club! Dungeons and Dragons, also known as D&D, is one of the most complex tabletop games in history. The library will supply dice, rulebooks, and blank character sheets! We will be using the 5th edition books and rules. Other Table Top systems are welcome!
- Registration for this club is for the September to December season of Dungeons and Dragons Club.
- If missing a session please email: mgousie@minlib.net as soon as possible.
- Dungeon Masters must be at least 12 years old and have experience with Dungeon and Dragons.
- Dungeon Masters are signing up to lead a table for ALL 16 meetings between September 8th and December 29th.
- Dungeon Masters are required to choose a premade adventure. Homebrew additions to the adventure are allowed.
- Players and Dungeon Masters are required to be respectful, kind, and attentive to each other.
- Groups of Players with a Dungeon Master are welcome to share our space!
- If you have any questions please email: mgousie@minlib.net
Teen Advisory Board, 2nd Wednesday of the Month @ 6:30pmJoin 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, all while eating snacks and getting volunteer hours. It's a win-win-win! No registration required. Game Bytes, Wednesdays @ 4pmBring a snack and join us for two hours of casual co-op and solo play. Bring your own device or play on the big screen! No registration required.
Special Events for Teens
K-Pop Demon Hunters Party, Friday, January 2 @ 10:30amCalling all Demon Hunters! Join us for an epic celebration of everyone's favorite movie, with music, crafts, games, and a few surprises. No registration required.
Live Reading of the Franklin Autobiography, Thursday, January 15, 9:30am-7:30pmA tradition returns home! Join us for a live reading of Ben Franklin's Autobiography at the Franklin Public Library. Everyone is welcome to read, listen, and comment on the life of our favorite Founding father! No registration required.
Franklin as Composer w/ Metro-west Symphony Orchestra, Saturday, January 17 @ 11amBenjamin Franklin: statesman, entrepreneur, scientist… composer?! Yes, our beloved Ben even dabbled in composing his own music. Join us to explore this aspect of our namesake with the help of the Metro-West Symphony Orchestra. Members of the Metro-west Symphony will also perform works written around the same time which influenced Franklin as a composer and musician, including a Mozart Flute Quartet and French Horn Quintet. No registration required.
Vison Board Making, Wednesday, January 21 @ 1pmSet your intentions for 2026! Join us as we get crafty, creating vision boards AND setting our reading resolutions. No registration required.
Events for Adults
English Conversation Group, Tuesdays @ 6:30pmLooking for a casual, low-stress place to practice your English language skills? Join us on Tuesday evenings for a friendly group chat with your fellow English learners. Please note: this group is meant for folks who have a basic grasp of English and are looking for conversational practice, not very beginners. A tutor will be present to answer questions and help keep the conversation flowing, but the focus will not be on formal instruction. No registration required.
Table Top, Alternating Tuesdays & Thursdays @ 6pmRegistration Required (see below). No Experience Necessary.It's time to dust off your dice, grab a source book and role play your way through hijinks and horrors! Table Top is a monthly game of tabletop role playing games for adults! Email mgousie@minlib.net to sign up and/or get more info.
Knitting Group, Fridays, 10am – 12pmLove to knit or crochet? Join our group of local fiber artists who will be meeting in the Friends of the Franklin Library Community Room! All skill levels are welcome. No registration required. The Franklin Stove: An Unintended American Revolution, Saturday, January 10 @ 4pmAs part of the town’s annual Ben Franklin Month, Harvard Professor Joyce Chaplin will be at the Franklin Public Library to discuss her new book, The Franklin Stove: An Unintended American Revolution. Kirkus Reviews said: "Historian Chaplin focuses on Benjamin Franklin’s multiple renditions of an innovative stove to examine the intersection of scientific inquiry, race, class, politics, and economics at a time of climate change and resource depletion―a period, she underscores, not unlike our own.” No registration required.
Watercolors Workshop, Monday, January 12 & 26 @ 6pmRegistration RequiredRelax with a Monday watercolor class with local artist Sharon Carloni. For adults 18 and over.
Painting for Adults! Saturday, January 10 @ 1pmRegistration RequiredAre you feeling creative? Join Miss Lily and create a step-by-step painting of champagne glasses toasting! All materials will be provided.
Craftalong for Adults, Saturday, January 10 @ 2pmRegistration RequiredGet crafty at the library! Adults of all ages and craft ability levels are welcome to join us for this program. One Saturday each month, we'll complete a new DIY, creative craft. All supplies provided. Because adults deserve arts & crafts fun, too! This month: Watercolor Journals.
Live Reading of the Franklin Autobiography, Thursday, January 15, 9:30am-7:30pmA tradition returns home! Join us for a live reading of Ben Franklin's Autobiography at the Franklin Public Library. Everyone is welcome to read, listen, and comment on the life of our favorite Founding father! No registration required.
Franklin as Composer w/ Metro-west Symphony Orchestra, Saturday, January 17 @ 11amBenjamin Franklin: statesman, entrepreneur, scientist… composer?! Yes, our beloved Ben even dabbled in composing his own music. Join us to explore this aspect of our namesake with the help of the Metro-West Symphony Orchestra. Members of the Metro-west Symphony will also perform works written around the same time which influenced Franklin as a composer and musician, including a Mozart Flute Quartet and French Horn Quintet. No registration required.
Go/No Go? Launching your Business with Mentors from SCORE, Thursday, January 22 @ 6:30pmRegistration RequestedHey there, future small business owner! This one hour guided conversation will introduce you to the tools you need to confidently decide if your idea for a new business is ready to launch. Get your questions answered, avoid mistakes, and find FREE mentorship with SCORE. Want to attend, but can't make it to the Library? Join us over Zoom by registering here.
Friends of the Franklin Library
Valentine’s Day Fudge SaleFudge + Friends = a Very Sweet Deal: fudge for you and support for our library! This is our 4th year partnering with The Fudge Lady of Uxbridge, MA to offer many flavors of her delicious and decadent homemade specialty fudge. Order as gifts for friends & family, treat yourself, or do a little bit of both! Fudge order forms will be available on our website and at the library's circulation desk. Orders will be accepted through Friday, February 6th, and your fudge will be available for pick up at the library during designated times February 11–13 - perfect for Valentine’s Day gifting and enjoyment!You Are Invited! Friends of the Franklin Library is a nonprofit, volunteer-led organization with a mission to support Franklin Public Library. We meet at the library at 7pm on the second Tuesday of each month from September- June. Please consider joining us for an upcoming meeting (January 13 and February 10 are up next) to learn more about volunteering with the Friends.Friends of the Franklin Library wishes all community members a wonderful new year, including many moments spent enjoying Franklin Public Library’s amazing and extensive collections and programs!