Adult Programs July 2025

Upcoming Events:

To register for an event, click on the Library Event Calendar & Registration link at the top of the library’s homepage (www.taftpubliclibrary.org). 

Adult Handcrafting Group

Let’s get crafty! Join us on Wednesday, July 16 at 2 p.m. downstairs in the library and get your craft on! Bring your own craft project, whatever it might be, to work on while you visit.  Intended for adults. No registration is required. Crafts are NOT supplied. 

Adult Book Club

Over the summer the Adult Book Club is reading Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver and The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave. The discussion for both books will be upstairs in the library on Monday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. For additional information on upcoming book clubs contact the library at 508-473-3259 

Awards Book Club

Hosted by Taft Library Assistant Jane Blackwood, the Awards Book Club meets on a quarterly basis to discuss fiction award winners of the year. Jane selects from the books that took home the coveted Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Booker Prize and more! Stop at the downstairs circulation desk to pick up the latest Awards book for discussion.  

The next book in the Awards Book Club discussion series is We Do Not Part by Han Kang, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature for 2025. The discussion will be on Tuesday, Aug. 5 upstairs in the library at 7 p.m.

Cursive Writing Workshop

Library Assistant Monika Schmid will lead a workshop in cursive writing for grades 7 and up on Tuesday, July 22 at 6 p.m. Participants will begin with basic handwriting exercises and warm-ups followed by instruction on all the letters of the alphabet. The goal of the session is for each participant to have learned to pen a legible signature they can use on work, legal, and other documents going forward. Registration is required.  Click on the Library & Event Calendar link at www.taftpubliclibrary.org to register.

The 25th Taft Public Library Great Cardboard Boat Race

Calling all captains of cardboard! The 25th Taft Public Library Great Cardboard Boat Race launches in July! On Wednesday, July 23 join us at the Town Beach for a night at the races. Check-in and inspection of boats will be at 5:30 p.m. with races starting promptly at 6:30 p.m. Boats in six different categories will complete for recognition and glory on the waters of Lake Nipmuc. Interested in participating? Stop in at the library to pick up a copy of the boat race rules and regulations and a registration form. Online registration will begin soon at www.taftpubliclibrary.org. If you’ve never made a cardboard boat before and are looking for instructions, tips, and tricks, be sure to attend our cardboard boat-building workshop at the library on Thursday, July 17 at 6 p.m. hosted by James Thach and Greyson Michael. Registration required. And whether you’re in a boat or cheering one on, be sure to be looking your beachfront best by picking up an official 25th Taft Public Library Cardboard Boat Race t-shirt! The Friends of Taft Library are selling them as part of a fundraiser for $20 apiece. All proceeds go toward future programming at the library. T-shirts come in two colors (light blue or grey) sizes SM – XXXL. The boat race is a few short weeks away! Don’t miss out!

German Conversation Club

Are you looking for a place to practice what German you remember or to improve your German vocabulary? Conversations in German is no pressure, just fun! Lead by Library Assistant (and Mendon resident) Monika Schmid, the group typically meets the last Monday of each month. Registration is required. To register, visit our website! Please note: German Conversation Club is currently on hiatus, but will resume again in the fall. Contact the library at 508-473-3259 for further details.

Check out Mango Languages at Taft Library!

Visit the Taft Public Library website for access to the Mango Languages platform. If you have an interest in learning a language, Mango provides lessons in over 70 languages.  Children can try their hand at language learning with Mango Little PIM, a platform designed just for them, and for those interested in learning American sign language we provide access to Mango ASL. Mango’s Intuitive Language Construction methodology helps build skills in vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, culture, comprehension, and retention. To see all of the Mango options the Taft Library offers scroll down the left-hand side of our webpage to the Databases section.

Friends of the Taft Public Library Meeting

The Friends of the Library meetings are typically held on the last Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. downstairs in the Art Holmes Community Room, unless it falls on a holiday or during a school vacation. All are welcome (and encouraged) to attend! If you plan on attending, it’s always a good idea to call the library at 508-473-3259 or email the Friends at [email protected] to confirm the date and time of the meeting. The group will do its best to post any meeting changes on the Taft Library web site. Please note: The next Friends meeting will be in September.

CHILDREN Programs July 2025

Summer Reading – July 2025

Summer Reading is in full swing at the Taft Library! Hope you can join us for some of our fun events!

For more information on how to register for prizes and events, please visit our website at www.taftpubliclibrary.org. 

July 14 – Lego Club 10:30 a.m.

July 15 – Itty Bitty Storytime at 9:30 a.m., Story and Craft at 10:30 a.m., and Joe Buckley Mini Golf from 2 – 6 p.m.

July 16 – Itty Bitty Storytime at 9 a.m., Storytime with Santa at Town Beach at 10:30 a.m., Egg Drop Challenge at 1 p.m., and Adult Handcrafting at 2 p.m.

July 17 – Mr. Vinny’s Bubble Show at 10 a.m. and Read Around Town at Southwick’s Zoo at 1 p.m.

July 21 – Itty Bitty Storytime at 9:30 a.m. and Story and Craft at 10:30 a.m.

July 22 – Cursive Writing Workshop at 6 p.m.

July 23 – Itty Bitty Storytime at 9 a.m., Poop Museum at 10:30 a.m., and 25th Cardboard Boat Race at Town Beach at 6 p.m 

July 24 – Read Around Town at the Police Station at 10:30 a.m.

July 28 – BaNannies at 10:30 a.m.

July 29 – Itty Bitty Storytime at 9:30 a.m., Story and Craft at 10:30 a.m., Ed the Wizard Balloon Tying Workshop at 2:30 p.m.

July 30 – Itty Bitty Storytime at 9 a.m. and Oreo Stacking at 10:30 a.m.

July 31 – Read Around Town at JJ’s Ice Cream at 1 p.m