Tewksbury Public Library: Week of March 17, 2025

Library To Hold 29 Programs Next Week, Including New Film Discussion Group

Event Registration

Please register online using our Calendar of Events at http://www.tewksburypl.org or by calling 978- 640-4490.  We strongly recommend registration for programs that are marked *RR.

Adult Events (In-Person)

IN PERSON: Adult Stamping Workshop

Monday, March 17, 6:30pm

Can’t attend Crafternoon??? Try CrafterDARK, a monthly crafting date after work! Calling all knitters, crocheters, needle workers, beaders, and colorists! Bring your own craft project to the Library and work on it while enjoying conversation with other crafters. (Please, no crafts involving glue or paint.) Take advantage of the many books available at the library to get ideas for your next project or to explore a new craft. We will be meeting in person.

IN PERSON: Now Playing Film Club (*RR)

Tuesday, March 18, 7pm

Love chatting about movies new and old? This is the place for you! Join fellow cinephiles four times a year to dig into a recently released film and chat through the plot, themes, cast, cinematography, and more. We’ll start with Conclave (2024) directed by Edward Berger and starting Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci. This film is rated PG.  All are welcome to drop by and no registration is required to attend. Meetings will take place in the second floor Trustees Room. DVD copies of the film can be borrowed from TPL or through our wider library network of MVLC. Please click here to access the library’s online catalog to locate a copy. We will not view the film as part of our meetings, kindly review the film at home!

IN PERSON: Crafternoon

Wednesday, March 19, 1:30pm

Calling all knitters, crocheters, needle workers, beaders, and colorers! Bring your own craft project to the Library and work on it while enjoying conversation with other crafters. (Please, no crafts involving glue or paint.) Take advantage of the many books available at the library to get ideas for your next project or to explore a new craft. We will be meeting in person.

IN PERSON: Other Worlds Fantasy Book Group — Assassin’s Apprentice (*RR)

Wednesday, March 19, 6:30pm

In March, we’re diving into the world of Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy, with the first book, Assassin’s Apprentice. Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father’s gruff stableman. He is treated as an outcast by all except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz’s blood runs the magic Skill – and other skills as well. Copies of the book are available at the Front Desk one month prior to meeting.

IN PERSON: Meditation Class (4-Week Series) (*RR)

Thursday, March 20, 3:30pm

Chris Connolly, RN, BSN, owner of “Living My Dream Yoga,” will lead a 4-week series of meditation classes. Classes will take place from 3:30pm to 4:30pm over four consecutive Thursdays — March 6, 13, 20 and 27 — in the library’s Meeting Room. Classes are designed for both those who are new to meditation and regular practitioners. Participants will practice different types of meditation each week. Classes will begin with a settling-in practice with breath work, followed by a few gentle stretches before settling into a comfortable seat (or in a lying down position if a yoga mat is brought). Connolly will then offer a guided meditation followed by 8-10 minutes of stillness. The class will end with an integration that may include silent journaling or a poetry reading. Connolly, a retired 43-year registered nurse, is a certified 500-hour Kripalu Yoga Teacher, Level 1 iRest Yoga Nidra Teacher, and Reiki II Practitioner.

OFFSITE: Book-Themed Trivia at Dragonfly Café (*RR)

Thursday, March 20, 7pm

Join TPL and Dragonfly Cafe in Lowell, MA. for an exciting Book-themed Trivia Night! Test your knowledge with a variety of questions covering classics, contemporary works, fantasy, non-fiction, and much more! The full kitchen will be available for your enjoyment. Dragonfly Cafe is located at Thorndike Exchange 165 Thorndike Street, Lowell, MA. Parking is available in front of the cafe at Thorndike Exchange and behind the cafe at the LRTA parking garage. 

IN PERSON: AFTERNOON MOVIE – Gladiator 2 (*RR)

Friday, March 21, 2pm

Enjoy a screening of one of Hollywood’s newest DVD releases – “Gladiator 2.” After his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now lead Rome, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to his past to find strength to return the glory of Rome to its people. Starring Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Pedro Pascal. Action Adventure Epic. R. 2 Hour, 28 Minutes. Doors will open at 1:45pm. Candy & water will be served. A $1 donation is suggested.

Adult Events (Virtual)

VIRTUAL: The Fight Against Book Banning in America with Bestselling Author Amanda Jones (*RR)

Sunday, March 16, 1pm

Bestselling author Amanda Jones will discuss her new book, That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America. Part memoir, part manifesto, That Librarian tells the inspiring story of a Louisiana librarian advocating for inclusivity on the front lines of our vicious culture wars.

VIRTUAL: Irish Genealogy 101 (*RR)

Monday, March 17, 2pm

Learn a step-by-step method for finding the home places of Irish ancestors. Explore techniques that are quick, cheap and easy – research that anyone can do in their PJ’s in their kitchen. This lecture contains music, animation and video and is designed to be entertaining as well as informative. Led by Tom Toohey a modern day seanchaí (Irish storyteller) who has traveled to Ireland more than 20 and collected hundreds of stories. While there, he met many local historians and learned a great deal about early Irish genealogists. In the last few years Tom has recorded his family stories in a five-volume book called Images of Other Lives. Tom was a teacher for more than 40 years, and has taught all levels from elementary school through graduate school as a public school teacher, adjunct professor and educational consultant.

VIRTUAL: AUTHOR HOUR IN MASSACHUSETTS: Bestselling Author Alison Gaylin (*RR)

Monday, March 17, 7pm

Bestselling author Alison Gaylin will discuss her new thriller, We Are Watching, in this installment of “Author Hour in Massachusetts.” Gaylin is the USA Today and international bestselling author of thirteen books, including the stand-alones The Collective and If I Die Tonight (winner of the Edgar Award) and the Brenna Spector series: And She Was (winner of the Shamus Award), Into the Dark, and Stay With Me. Nominated for the Edgar four times, she has also been a finalist for numerous awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Strand Book Award and the ITW Thriller, Macavity and Anthony Awards. She lives with her husband in Woodstock, New York.

VIRTUAL: Irish Whiskey: History & Recommendations with Travis Ireland of The Friskey Whiskey Podcast (*RR)

Monday, March 17, 7pm

Travis Ireland, of the Friskey Whiskey Podcast, will discuss the history of Irish whiskeys and the best he’s encountered. Pull up your comfy chair and highball glass, get ready to be educated and entertained!

VIRTUAL: AUTHOR HOUR IN MASSACHUSETTS: Bestselling Author Lauren Willig (*RR)

Tuesday, March 18, 7pm

Bestselling author Lauren Willig will discuss her new historical fiction mystery, The Girl from Greenwich Street: a Novel of Hamilton, Burr and America’s First Murder Trial, in this installment of “Author Hour in Massachusetts.” Willig is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. An alumna of Yale University, she has a graduate degree in history from Harvard and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. She lives in New York City.

VIRTUAL: Rodgers & Hammerstein – Masters of Song (Part #3) (*RR)
Tuesday, March 18, 7pm

Explore the success of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, the duo which revolutionized the Broadway Musical in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Follow a detailed exploration of their major works, including “Carousel,” “South Pacific,” “The Sound of Music,” and many more. Led by Clint Edwards, a New York-based composer, arranger, and pianist, who lectures on the great jazz bands, legendary band leaders, and virtuosic musicians from America’s Big Band era.

VIRTUAL: VIRTUAL: 50+ Job Seekers Networking Group — Resumes (“A Pocketful of STARS”) (*RR)

Wednesday, March 19, 9:30am

The Massachusetts Library Collaborative’s 50+ Job Seekers Group meets via Zoom on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, from 9:30am to 11:30am. Informal networking takes place from 9am to 9:30am and 11:30am to noon. If you are unemployed and actively looking, underemployed, seeking a new career direction, re-entering the job market after a long employment gap, or recently retired and looking for your “Encore Career,” this networking group program is perfect for you! Remember, 85% of jobs are found through networking! Each biweekly meeting is facilitated by Deborah Hope, MBA, PCIC, an experienced executive career coach.

VIRTUAL: AUTHOR HOUR IN MASSACHUSETTS: Bestselling Author Curtis Sittenfeld with Gabrielle Zevin (*RR)

Wednesday, March 19, 7pm

Bestselling author Curtis Sittenfeld will discuss her beloved novel, Prep, in celebration of its 20th anniversary, as well as her new short stories collection, Show Don’t Tell, in conversation with bestselling author Gabrielle Zevin, in this installment of “Author Hour in Massachusetts.” Sittenfeld is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels including Romantic Comedy, Rodham, Eligible, Prep, American Wife, and Sisterland, as well as the collection You Think It, I’ll Say It. Her novels have been translated into thirty languages. In addition, her short stories have appeared in The New Yorker, The Washington Post Magazine, Esquire, and The Best American Short Stories, for which she has also been the guest editor. Her nonfiction has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Time, and Vanity Fair, and on public radio’s This American Life.

VIRTUAL: Women Models Who Became Artists In The 19th & 20th Centuries (*RR)

Thursday, March 20, 10:30am

Models who became artists themselves will be illustrated in the works of artists such as Elizabeth Siddal and Marie Spartali Stillman, models for Dante Gabriel Rossetti; Laura Theresa (Epps) Alma-Tadema, a model for Lawrence Alma-Tadema; Victorine-Louise Meurent, a model for Édouard Manet; Suzanne Valadon, a model for Pierre-August Renoir and Henri Toulous-Lautrec; Alice Ernestine Prin (Kiki de Montparnasse), a model for Man Ray; and Dora Maar, a model for Pablo Picasso. Led by Martha Chiarchiaro, owner of Seeing History, who has brought history to life through the art of the times for more than 30 years. She received her Masters’ degree in the History of Art from Williams College and provides a variety of art history presentations at the Worcester Art Museum, the Worcester Institute for Senior Education (WISE), libraries, senior centers, and garden clubs.

VIRTUAL: Mystery/Thriller Book Recommendations with Bestselling Author Joseph Finder (*RR)

Thursday, March 20, 6:30pm

Love Mysteries and Thrillers but not sure what to read next? Join bestselling author Joseph Finder for this quarterly session of his recommendations of some of the best of mystery/thrillers out there! We’re sure you’ll find something to like from Joe’s many enthusiastic reviews.

VIRTUAL: AUTHOR HOUR IN MASSACHUSETTS: Bestselling Author Brianna Labuskes (*RR)

Thursday, March 20, 7pm

Bestselling author Brianna Labuskes will discuss her new historical fiction novel, The Boxcar Librarian, in this installment of “Author Hour in Massachusetts.” Labuskes is the USA Today bestselling author of the historical novels The Librarian of Burned Books and The Lost Book of Bonn as well as nine thrillers. For the first decade of her career, Brianna worked as a journalist for national news organizations covering politics and policy.

VIRTUAL: Nourishing The Caregiver — Cultivating Calm In Chaos (*RR)

Thursday, March 20, 7pm

In this interactive workshop, learn how to define stress, discover daily stress management techniques, understand the de-stress alphabet, explore the seven dimensions of wellness, and set goals for yourself. This workshop is designed for anyone caring for someone (even themselves!) and is not dementia-specific. Led by Olivia Companion, a certified dementia practitioner with over a decade of experience in dementia care. She has been a home care case manager, memory care director, and activity director, earning a nomination for the Massachusetts Assisted Living Association’s Activities Excellence Award. In 2022, Olivia founded Purple Hydrangea Dementia Care Consultation and Support to address gaps in dementia education.

VIRTUAL: Inclusive & Diverse Book Recommendations (*RR)

Thursday, March 20, 7:30pm

Looking for the best books with diverse characters (e.g., BIPOC/LGBTQ+/Neurodivergent, etc.) or by representative authors but not sure what to read next? Join bookstagrammer Leelynn Brady (aka @sometimesleelynnreads), monthly for 30 minutes of pure book recommendations by diverse authors and with inclusive storylines.

VIRTUAL: Mating Rituals of Woodcocks with the Mass Audubon (*RR)

Friday, March 21, 2pm

Witnessing the American Woodcock’s intricate courtship ritual is a unique experience that showcases the species’ impressive aerial acrobatic capabilities. Learn about the flurry of feather-produced sounds and animated nasal “peent” calls, amazing spirals to invisible heights, and repeated zig-zagging descents of their famed courtship dance. Discover the American Woodcock’s unique adaptations and life cycle and share where you can observe this remarkable annual spectacle. Examine how woodcock populations are doing in Massachusetts and the northeast, and how we can help protect them. Led by Patti Steinman, the Education Coordinator for Mass Audubon’s Connecticut River Valley Sanctuaries. Led by Doug Lowry, Senior Teacher Naturalist with the Mass Audubon.

Children’s Events (In-Person)

IN PERSON: Toddler Story Time

Monday, March 17, 10:15am

Join Miss Renee for stories, songs, movement, instruments, dancing and more, and get your early literacy skills on! All of our story times are interactive for children and their caregivers. Please be ready to participate and play. Don’t worry, we will have a printout with all of the songs and rhymes we are using so you can follow along!

IN PERSON: Reading Buddies (*RR)

Wednesday, March 19, 4:30pm

Join us for Reading Buddies! Littles in grades K-5 who are learning to read will be paired with a teen volunteer in grades 9-12.  Each week, they’ll practice reading to one another and then do a craft. Reading Buddies runs from March 19-April 23 and meets every Wednesday from 4:30-5:15 PM in the Children’s Room. Please only register if you can attend all six weeks and are independently reading or working on independently reading. If you have any questions, please contact Emily at eleggat@tewksburypl.org.

IN PERSON: Preschool Playgroup

Thursday, March 20, 11am

Preschool playgroup is a weekly group where kids can meet, play, and learn. Pick up some literacy skills and have some fun while you’re at it! This program is hosted by Community Teamwork Incorporated in collaboration with Tewksbury Public Library.

IN PERSON: Fluffy Stuff (*RR)

Thursday, March 20, 3:30pm

Get ready for some fluffy, squishy fun! In this hands-on activity, we’ll mix cornstarch and shaving cream to create a delightfully soft, cloud-like mixture that’s perfect for sensory play. Please note that this is a messy activity. Fluffy Stuff is intended for children in grades 1-3, but all children are welcome.

IN PERSON: Baby Story Time

Friday, March 21, 10:15am

Join Emily for a fun session of stories, songs, fingerplays, and gentle movement that help build early literacy skills. Babies experience the sounds and structure of language through rhythm, rhyme and repetition. Baby Story Time is designed for young children ages 0 to 2 years old and their caregivers. All of our story times are interactive for children and their caregivers. Please be ready to participate and play. Don’t worry, we will have a printout with all of the songs and rhymes we are using so you can follow along!

IN PERSON: Board Game Blast

Friday, March 21, 2:30pm

Did you know we have board games? Come play together! You can check out the games from our board game library when you’re done. Board Game Blast is open to children in grades K-5. Registration is not required.

Teen Events (In-Person)

IN PERSON: Peeps-O-Rama (Grades 6-12) (*RR)

Tuesday, March 18, 3:30pm

Join us for Peeps-O-Rama! Use peeps and other food to create a scene from your favorite movie or book.  All supplies will provided. This event is open to teens in grades 6-12.

IN PERSON: Reading Buddies Volunteers (Grades 9-12) (*RR)

Wednesday, March 19, 4:30pm

Join us for Reading Buddies! Littles in grades K-5 who are learning to read will be paired with a teen volunteer in grades 9-12.  Each week, they’ll practice reading to one another and then do a craft. Reading Buddies runs from March 19-April 23 and meets every Wednesday from 4:30-5:15 PM in the Children’s Room.  To volunteer as a big buddy, you must apply here and be in grades 9-12. If you have any questions, please contact Emily at eleggat@tewksburypl.org.