Tewksbury Public Library (Week of March 24, 2025)

Tewksbury Library News: Library To Hold 23 Programs Next Week, Including Monarch Ranch Visit

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 Board Game Night (*RR)

Monday, March 24, 6pm

Enjoy playing board games while socializing with others! This month, board game extraordinaire Jonah McCreary will be teaching us how to play Dog Park. Additionally, several tables will be available for “open play” if you’d like to bring your own games or borrow one of the library’s games to play. Complimentary pizza will be provided.

IN PERSON: The Page-Turners Fiction Book Group — How to Age Disgracefully

Wednesday, March 26, 6:30pm

This month, join us for a discussion of How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley. When Lydia takes a job running the Senior Citizens’ Social Club, she assumes she’ll be spending her time drinking tea and playing cards. When the city council threatens to sell the community building, the members of the Social Club join forces with their tiny friends in the daycare next door.

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

Thursday, March 27, 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.

IN PERSON: AFTERNOON MOVIE – We Live In Time (*RR)

Friday, March 28, 2pm

Enjoy a screening of one of Hollywood’s newest DVD releases – “We Live In Time.” After an unusual encounter, a talented chef and a recently divorcée fall in love and build the home and family they’ve always dreamed of, until a painful truth puts their love story to the test. Starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh. Romance. R. 1 Hour, 48 Minutes. Doors will open at 1:45pm. Candy & water will be served. A $1 donation is suggested.

IN PERSON: How To Help Save The Monarch Butterfly with Tewksbury’s Monarch Ranch (*RR)

Saturday, March 29, 2pm

Discover how you can do your part in saving the Monarch Butterfly with John Ryan, founder of Monarch Ranch in Tewksbury. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the put the Monarch Butterfly on its endangered list in 2023 and its threatened list in 2024. Learn about an ambitious plan to plant 15 million milkweed plants by 2030 to support the declining population of monarchs by restoring their habitat. Milkweed is crucial for Monarchs as it’s the only plant their caterpillars can eat.

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Adult Events (Virtual)

VIRTUAL: An Evening with Historical Romance Author & National Park Ranger Carla Kelly (*RR)

Monday, March 24, 7pm

Award-winning historical romance author (and retired National Park Ranger) Carla Kelly will discuss both her early novels and her latest releases.

VIRTUAL: The Life of Ilse Seger — Wife, Mother, Hostage, Nazi Resister (*RR)

Monday, March 24, 7pm

Melissa Kravetz, Associate Professor of History and Co-Director of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Longwood University, will discuss her new book, The Memoir of Ilse Seger: Wife, Mother, Hostage, Nazi Resister.

VIRTUAL: The Greatest Women Of The Louvre (*RR)

Tuesday, March 25, 2pm

Explore the iconic women of the Louvre, from Mona Lisa to Venus de Milo, contrasting beauty through the ages. Enjoy this fascinating journey, from ancient times to modern times, while contrasting beauty through the ages. Led by French tour guide Patrick Herpe.

VIRTUAL: Pulitzer Prize Winner Megan Marshall Discusses “Margaret Fuller: A New American Life” (*RR)
Tuesday, March 25, 7pm

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Jane Carr and Lori Harrison-Kahan will discuss the life and career of Elizabeth Garver Jordan, the groundbreaking journalist, suffragist, author, and editor whose fearless reporting on women preceded the #MeToo movement and popularized the true-crime genre. As editors of The Case of Lizzie Borden and Other Writings, Jane and Lori will share their journey to rescue this overlooked feminist figure from history and explore why Jordan’s work, much of which has been out of print for over a century, matters now.

VIRTUAL: The Groundbreaking Female Journalist Who Covered The Trial of Lizzie Borden (*RR)

Tuesday, March 25, 7pm

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: TEWKSBURY WRITING GROUP — Advice From Mystery Author C. Matthew Smith (*RR)

Tuesday, March 25, 7pm

Are you a writer — or an aspiring writer — looking for some support? The Tewksbury Writing Group is open to everyone who’s interested in writing — all genres, all skill levels. Each meeting — which will take place via Zoom — features a guest speaker (typically a published author or editor) offering some tips of the trade. The March 2025 guest speaker is author C. Matthew Smith. Matthew is an attorney and writer whose short stories have appeared in numerous outlets, including Mystery Tribune, Mystery Weekly, Close to the Bone, and Mickey Finn: 21st Century Noir Vol. 3.

VIRTUAL: On The Trail Of Your Scottish Ancestors (*RR)

Wednesday, March 26, 6:30pm

Learn tips and tricks on tracing your ancestral roots in Scotland, through the years of civil registration from 1855, and the census decades of 1841 to the recently released 1921 census. Also explore the Old Parish Registers (OPRs), mainly from the 1600’s to 1854. Led by genealogist Linda MacIver, an educator, lecturer, librarian and researcher. She previously served as Secretary and Federal Records Director for the Massachusetts Genealogical Council, and currently serves as the New England Representative for the Essex, England Record Office.

VIRTUAL: Bestselling Author Madeline Miller Discusses “Circe” (*RR)

Thursday, March 27, 6:30pm

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Madeline Miller will discuss her 2018 acclaimed novel, Circe, a modern take on the world of Greek mythology told from the powerful feminist perspective of the goddess Circe, from Homer’s The Odyssey, who transforms from an awkward nymph to a formidable witch, able to challenge gods, titans and monsters alike. Madeline holds an MA in Classics from Brown University; studied in the Dramaturgy department at Yale School of Drama, where she focused on the adaptation of classical texts to modern forms; and taught Latin, Greek, and Shakespeare to high school students for over a decade.

VIRTUAL: Fierce Females In Art (Part #3) (*RR)

Thursday, March 27, 7pm

The art world has long overlooked the groundbreaking contributions of countless talented women. This program shines a spotlight on fierce female artists who defied societal norms and pushed the boundaries of creativity, yet remain underappreciated in the annals of art history. The program features a diverse array of artists and media, from the bold expressionist prints of Kathe Kollwitz to ebullient Impressionist paintings by Berthe Morisot. In celebrating these visionary women we help to redefine artistic greatness for future generations. Led by art historian Jane Oneail, founder of Culturally Curious.

Children’s Events (In-Person)

IN PERSON: Toddler Story Time

Monday, March 24, 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: Coloring Club

Tuesday, March 25, 6pm

Coloring is a relaxing activity that can help reduce stress, improve fine motor skills, and enhance creativity. Join us as we enjoy a variety of coloring materials. This event is for all children from birth up to 5th grade. No registration required.

IN PERSON: Reading Buddies (*RR)

Wednesday, March 26, 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 27, 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: Perler Bead Club (*RR)

Thursday, March 27, 3:30pm

It’s time to get creative! Come try the Perler Bead pattern we have available, or try your own ideas. You’ll have 30-45 minutes to create, and we’ll spend the last 15-30 minutes ironing your creations. This event is open to children in grades 3-5. Registration is required.

IN PERSON: Baby Story Time

Friday, March 28, 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: Land’s Sake Farms: Reading with Worms

Saturday, March 29, 11am

Learn about our soil helping friends! This program features a worm-themed story, a dirt making activity in which we learn about composting and soil composition, and the chance to play with real live worms from the farm’s vermi-composter.

Teen Events (In-Person)

IN PERSON: STEM Optical Illusion Crafts (Grades 6-12) (*RR)

Tuesday, March 25, 3:30pm

Have you ever wondered how film and animation came to be as we know it today? Rooted in the scientific discovery of optics, teens will learn the history and scientific concepts behind the optical illusion inventions that became the foundation for film and animation. We will also create a series of optical illusion crafts so we can experience it ourselves! We will start with making the early invention of the Thaumotrope, a version of the more leveled-up Phantistoscope, and finally to the evolved and widely recognizable Zoetrope. An an added bonus, an additional craft of an Origami Dragon Optical Illusion will be provided to take home alongside informational handouts from this event.

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

Wednesday, March 26, 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.