Greetings from Newton Free Library!

The Newton Free Library staff have cooked up another exciting week of virtual offerings to help you stay connected and engaged from the comfort of your home. Read all the way down to learn about opportunities for adults, teens and tweens, and kids!

Calling all Makers and Crafters! Librarians have created an impressive Virtual Makerspace Guide. The guide is broken into sections by age and skill level to get you creating with tools you have at home. The Low Tech section focuses on drawing and fiber arts, the Medium Tech area highlights cooking, gardening, and sewing, and if you’re a High-Tech maker, there are sections on 3-D printing, robotics, and web design. Kids will love the painting, weaving, and puppet projects and tweens and teen audiences can tackle creating personalized Zoom backgrounds, temporary tattoos, and sewing projects.

Virtual Trivia Night. Join on May 14th at 7:00 pm to test your knowledge of books that were made into movies. Library staff will challenge players with questions from a variety of categories on Zoom. One registration per team; the Zoom link will be sent out a few hours before the event.

NEW Adult Events:
Beginner Drawing Studio on May 12th at 6:30 pm. This workshop will help you understand how your brain interprets the world and give you the tools to start drawing fearlessly! Learn new skills and join a community of creative practice. All levels welcome.

Saddle Stitching Booklets: Introduction to Basic Bookbinding on May 13th at 2:00 pm. Learn basic bookbinding as you make simple folded booklets using the saddle stitch with supplies you are likely to have around the house. You’ll see an informational video with step-by-step instructions and be available for questions and support.

Virtual Knitting Circle on May 13th at 6:30 pm. Are you missing your regular knitting circle? Or are you looking for folks to craft with for chat and advice? If so, come join the virtual knitting circle! Whether you’re just starting out, an advanced fiber artist, or somewhere in between, grab your project and come chat.

Generation Zapped Q&A on May 13th at 10:00 am. Learn more about how wireless devices may impact your health by emitting radiation. Watch the movie Generation Zapped anytime before the program on the Library’s Kanopy service, then join the group for a Q&A with Cecelia (Cece) Doucette, Technology Safety Educator and Dr. Judy Tsafrir, a Newton-based holistic adult and child psychiatrist and psychoanalyst. Registrants will receive an email with the zoom link the day of the event.

Genealogy Resources on May 14th at 11:00 am. Join a brief overview of some online genealogy resources.

Introduction to Citizen Science on May 14th at 12:00 pm. Citizen Science is real science investigation conducted by you the average Citizen! From experiments on the International Space Station to exploring the inhabitants of tide pools there are investigations that will appeal to all ages. Join this workshop to discover how you can become a scientist too! You don’t need a background in science—just interest and enthusiasm!

Don’t Take the Bait – Finding Fact Based News on May 15th at 10:00 am. Learn new strategies to help you sift through what is exaggerated, misleading or completely false to find more accurate information and become better consumers of digital news during coronavirus and in general.

Positive/Negative Space: Drawing for Beginners on May 15th at 2:00 pm. Drawing is a skill anyone can learn. Explore how negative and positive spaces can help shape your drawing skills. Discover some of the tricks and methods taught in art school. All you need is a pencil and paper.

NEW Tween/Teen Events :
Magic the Gathering on Wednesdays at 5:30 pm. Interested in finding a virtual meet up to play Magic: The Gathering after school? Come to Zoom! Moderated by a local Newton South student, please download Magic the Gathering Arena.

Virtual Teen Area on Saturdays at 3:00 pm the Teen Area is going virtual! Use this time to be together at home, ask questions, play games, complete challenges, and craft! This is a librarian-moderated Zoom program hosted for tweens and teens in grades 5-12.

NEW Children’s Events:
Pajama Storytime on May 11th at 7:00 pm. Put on your pajamas and bring your favorite stuffed animal friend to pajama storytime on Zoom! For kids ages 4 and older.

Kids Craft! on Tuesday afternoons, check the Kids Facebook Page for a new DIY craft video for kids age 5-8. The current craft video is creating a nature diary, and on May 12th, they’ll release a video to show you how you can make a cool paper hat!

Kids Poetry Club Do you love discovering new poems? Would you like to listen to a librarian or author reading their favorite poems aloud? Every Thursday you’ll receive the Kids Poetry Club email featuring video links, writing prompts, and reading suggestions for budding young poets. This week we are celebrating the poems from the book Spectacular Science edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins. For kids ages 6-9.

Facebook Challenges for Kids. Each Wednesday and Friday, discover a new activity challenge on the Kids Facebook Page! This Wednesday’s Lego Challenge is Tallest Tower! Friday’s Art Challenge is Simply Silly Collage! Families are encouraged to send a picture of their child’s creation to newtonkids@newtonfreelibrary.net to be shared on the library’s social media. For kids ages 5-8.

Virtual Morning Storytimes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00 am. Zoom in for online stories, songs and rhymes for kids 4 and younger.

Wait there’s more! Don’t miss the continuing programming:

  • Tech Time appointments: Need help with your device or to borrow ebooks from the library? Book a session to have a librarian help you over the phone. Appointments available Monday-Friday.
  • Tele-Librarian: You’ve got questions? Sign up for an appointment for a librarian to assist you with a research-related question.
  • Star Wars Virtual Escape Room available anytime. BB-8’s missing! Try to find him before Kylo Ren gets to him and is able to download the map to find out where Luke Skywalker is! May the force be with you. (For all ages)
  • Teen Zoom Poetry Mondays at 7:00 pm. (For grades 7-12).
  • Virtual Jackbox Party Games Tuesdays at 4:00 pm. (For grades 5-12).
  • Virtual Queer Netflix Party Fridays at 4:30 pm. (For grades 7-12).
  • Stack ‘Em Up Youth Spring Reading Challenge. You can earn badges by logging the books you are reading and participate in fun activities through June 30th. For all ages.
  • Call Dial-a-Story line at 617-796-1415 to listen to a new story each day read by one of the Children’s Librarians.
  • Stay tuned for even more great remote offerings from your Library!