**LIBRARY NEWS**
Library Hours
The library’s hours are Monday through Thursday, 9am to 8pm, Friday and Saturday, 9am to 5pm. The library is closed on Sundays.
2025 Reading Challenge
September: Get inspired
Welcome to the Franklin Public Library's 2nd Annual Reading Challenge! For each monthly prompt that you complete and submit on time you will receive a Free Book Coupon that you can redeem at the library's Book Sale. Submissions MUST be submitted by the last day of each month in order to qualify for that month's Free Book Coupon. For complete details and to sign-up, visit our website. Grand prizes made possible by the Friends of the Franklin Library.
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.
Museum Passes
Now is a great time to reserve passes to the area’s most popular museums, aquariums, and more! Passes are available to be reserved up to thirty days in advance.
Franklin Library Book Sale
Friday, September 19: 1 - 5pm
Saturday, September 20: 9am - 12pm
All books are just one dollar!
Bag Sale - $5 A Bag
Saturday, September 21: 1 - 4pm
Come 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.
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 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 for kids ages 3-5 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)
Dance, sing, clap, and play along with Miss Mitzi for a story time party! Enjoy 30 minutes of interactive stories, songs, and activities. No registration required.
Bookworm Bounce, Wednesdays @ 4pm (Ages 0-5)
Join 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 @ 9:30am
Babies and caregivers: join us each Thursday morning to 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.
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.
Tot Bop, Thursdays, @ 4pm (Begins September 11) (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 (Begins September 11) (Ages 6-11)
Registration Required
Join 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
Messtival! Saturday, September 6 @10:30am
Join the library for a super messy Saturday! Enjoy ooblek, bubbles, slime, and more outdoors on the library lawn. It will get messy, so bring a change of clothes for after! No registration required.
Chess Club, Saturday, September 6 @2:30pm
The Game of Kings has resumed play! All ages and ability levels are welcomed. If you would like to learn how to play chess, you are welcome as well! Learn an opening, develop strategic & tactical abilities, and improve endgame skills. Sets will be available. No registration is required, and there is no fee.
Stuffed Animal Spa, Thursday, September 11 @ 1pm
Join us as we turn the library meeting room into a Stuffed Animal Spa! Treat your fluffy friend to a "bath," brush, and fluff, and more! No registration required.
Tiny Art Show Reception, Friday, September 12 @ 3:30pm
Community members of all ages are invited to a special reception celebrating this summer's tiny masterpieces and their artists! We hope to see as many of the show's artists and loved ones as possible. Refreshments will be served. No registration required.
Harvest Festival Library Lawn Games, Saturday, September 27 @ 12pm
We're joining in on the Harvest Festival Fun! Visit us on the Library Lawn for Giant Board Games, a scavenger hunt, and more. No registration required.
R.I. Pirate Guy Party, Saturday, September 20 @ 1pm
Join the R.I. Pirate Guy for a rollicking adventure to recover his wrongfully gained treasure while learning pirate skills along the way. We'll dress like pirates, create our very own pirate flags (just like the real pirates used to), engage in a few pirate games and team building activities, as well as locate and uncover the buried treasure! No registration required.
Petite Picassos, Monday, September 22 @ 4pm (Ages 6-12)
Registration Required
Join Miss Lily and create your very own step-by-step painting inspired by the famous American artist Keith Haring! This paint party is a great fit for children ages 6 through 12. All materials will be provided.
Clue in the Library: A Mystery Scavenger Hunt! Tuesday, September 23, All Day
It’s a day off from school and we have a mystery to solve! Can you help us investigate? Follow the clues, rule out the suspects and crack the case! This is a passive program; you can come anytime and go at your own pace. No registration required.
Weekly / Monthly Events for Teens
D&D Club, Mondays @ 4pm (Begins September 8)
Kids 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'll 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 September 8 - December 29.
- 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.
- Established groups of Players with a Dungeon Master are welcome to share our space.
- If you have any questions please email: mgousie@minlib.net
Code Club: Code Along, Tuesdays @ 4pm
Join us for an hour of code exploring project tutorials, STEM practices, and free coding time. All levels of skill are welcome and personal projects are encouraged! This can be a great way to dip your toes in the pool and see what learning to code can do for you. No registration required.
Teen Advisory Board, 2nd Wednesday of the Month @ 5:30pm
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, all while eating snacks and getting volunteer hours. It's a win-win-win! No registration required.
Game Bytes, Wednesdays @ 4pm
Bring a snack and join us for an hour of casual co-op and solo play. Bring your own device or play on the big screen! No registration required.
Pixel Pals, Thursday, September 25 @ 4pm
An afterschool book group for graphic novels, manga, anime, cartoons, etc.! We’ll talk new releases, dabble in drawing, and more. No registration required.
Special Events for Teens
Karaoke! Saturday, September 6 @ 2pm
Come Karaoke at the library! Whether you like to perform or just want to have a good time with friends, everyone is welcome to join in for a great selection of songs. Get ready to sing, laugh, and make memories! No registration required.
Chess Club, Saturday, September 6 @ 2:30pm
The Game of Kings has resumed play! All ages and ability levels are welcomed. If you would like to learn how to play chess, you are welcome as well! Learn an opening, develop strategic & tactical abilities, and improve endgame skills. Sets will be available. No registration is required, and there is no fee.
MetroWest Symphony Orchestra Concert, Saturday, September 13 @ 10:30am
Join us in welcoming the MetroWest Symphony Orchestra as a group of their amazing cohort perform a few pieces by composers from around the world and give us an inside look at the history and instruments involved. No registration required.
Harvest Festival Library Lawn Games, Saturday, September 27 @ 12pm
We're joining in on the Harvest Festival Fun! Visit us on the Library Lawn for Giant Board Games, a scavenger hunt, and more. No registration required.
Events for Adults
English Conversation Group, Tuesdays @ 6:30pm
Looking 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 @ 6pm
Registration 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 bi-monthly game of tabletop role playing games for adults. Email mgousie@minlib.net to sign up or get more info.
1st & 3rd Tuesday - D&D: Tyranny of Dragons
2nd & 4th Thursday - Pathfinder: Strength of Thousands
1st & 3rd Thursday - D&D: New Table!
Knitting Group, Fridays, 10am – 12pm
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! All skill levels are welcome. No registration required.
Painting for Adults, Saturday, September 6 @ 1pm
Registration Required
Are you feeling creative? Join Miss Lily to create your very own step-by-step painting inspired by American artist Georgia O'Keefe! All materials are provided.
Chess Club, Saturday, September 6 @ 2:30pm
The Game of Kings has resumed play! All ages and ability levels are welcomed. If you would like to learn how to play chess, you are welcome as well! Learn an opening, develop strategic & tactical abilities, and improve endgame skills. Sets will be available. No registration is required, and there is no fee.
Community Song Circle, Wednesdays, September 10 & 24 @ 6:45pm
Join local musician Jamie Barrett to sing some favorite songs. Lyrics will be provided, and all are invited to come together in community to sing songs new and old. This program is geared toward adults and older teens. No knowledge of music or singing experience required - anyone who likes to sing is a singer, and everyone is welcome! English Language Learners who want to practice English through singing are especially invited to participate! No registration required.
Craftalong for Adults, Saturday, September 13 @ 2pm
Registration Required
Get crafty at the library! Adults of all ages and craft ability levels are welcome to join us for this new 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: Marbled Clay Leaves
MetroWest Symphony Orchestra Concert, Saturday, September 13 @ 10:30am
Join us in welcoming the MetroWest Symphony Orchestra as a group of their amazing cohort perform a few pieces by composers from around the world and give us an inside look at the history and instruments involved. No registration required.
Harvest Festival Library Lawn Games, Saturday, September 27 @ 12pm
We're joining in on the Harvest Festival Fun! Visit us on the Library Lawn for Giant Board Games, a scavenger hunt, and more. No registration required.
From the Friends of the Franklin Library
Friends of the Franklin Library is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and promoting the Franklin Public Library. As we start our new year, we invite interested community members and library lovers to join our mission and become Friends. Visit our website or email fofl02038@gmail.com for more information, including tax-deductible membership and donation options. If you’d like to join us at an upcoming meeting, our next two are Tuesday, September 9 and Tuesday, October 14 at 7pm at the library. And be sure to visit the Friends' booth at the Harvest Festival on Sept 27 and pick out a free book. We can’t wait to see you there!
One last reminder: The Butterfly Place in Westford, MA is an indoor garden filled with hundreds of freely flying butterflies and is a treat for all ages. The Friends are delighted to have purchased passes to The Butterfly Place as part of the library’s awesome Museum Passes program. We encourage Franklin residents to check out The Butterfly Place website and plan your visit before they close for the 2025 season after October 13. An important reminder: these passes are for Franklin residents only.