Holiday Hours 

The library will close early on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 1 p.m. and will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 27. The library will be open regular hours on Friday, Nov. 28, and Saturday, Nov. 29. The library staff wishes everyone a wonderful holiday.

Sacrifice: The Heart of the Military – Quilt Exhibit 

During November, The John W. Powers American Legion Auxiliary Unit #59 will sponsor a moving tribute to the men and women who serve our country. Sacrifice: The Heart of the Military is a traveling quilt exhibit that shares visual narratives of military service through American heritage quilts.

Accompanied by educational posters with historical photos, poetry, and military history, this exhibit offers a unique and meaningful way to reflect this Veteran’s Day.

The quilts will be on display November 1-28, 2025. The exhibit is free and open to the public during library hours. A special reception will be held on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. at the library.

Intergenerational Chess Club: Open Play 

Families, teenagers, millennials, boomers, centenarians and anything in between are invited to enjoy one of the world's greatest pastimes at the Milford Town Library on Saturday, Nov. 22, from 1 - 3 p.m. Games will begin no later than 1:15 p.m., please arrive by that time to participate.

•  Basic chess knowledge is needed to participate.

•  Players aged 8+ at all skill levels

•  Chess sets provided

•  Open-play: Play against whomever you wish among the participants.

•  Casual format (No clocks)

•  Player pre-registration is recommended but not required. Walk-ins accommodated as space allows. To pre-register, visit the library’s events online events calendar, www.milfordtownlibrary.org.

English Classes

The library offers free drop-in classes for adults who want to learn and improve their English.  Beginner classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7 - 8 p.m. An intermediate class is held on Thursdays from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Classes are held on the lower level of the library in the ESL Classroom. Registration is not required. For more information, please call the Information Desk at 508-473-2145 ext. 2.

Las clases gratuitas sin cita previa para adultos que quieran aprender y mejorar su inglés comienzan el martes 14 de enero de 2025. Las clases para principiantes se llevan a cabo los martes y jueves por la noche de 7 a 8 p.m. Una clase intermedia se lleva a cabo los jueves de 5:30 a 6:30 p.m. Las clases se llevan a cabo en el nivel inferior de la biblioteca en el aula de ESL.  No es necesario registrarse. Para obtener más información, llame al mostrador de información al 508-473-2145 x 2.  

As aulas presenciais gratuitas para adultos que desejam aprender e melhorar seu inglês começam na terça-feira, 14 de janeiro de 2025. As aulas para iniciantes são ministradas nas noites de terça e quinta, das 19h às 20h. Uma aula intermediária é ministrada às quintas-feiras, das 17h30 às 18h30. As aulas são ministradas no nível inferior da biblioteca, na sala de aula ESL. O registro não é necessário. Para obter mais informações, ligue para o balcão de informações em 508-473-2145 x 2.

Center Book Group  

The Center Book Group meets next on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 10 a.m. to discuss The Celebrants by Stephen Rowley.

In this novel, five friends who met and bonded while in college at Berkeley gather over a thirty-year timespan to throw “living funerals” for one another as a way to honor a classmate who died from a drug overdose prior to their college graduation. Using dark humor and the bigheartedness that readers have come to expect from Rowley, The Celebrants really is a celebration of life.

Rowley is the author of The Editor, The Dogs of Venice, Lily and the Octopus, The Gungle, and The Gungle Abroad.

To reserve a copy of The Celebrants or to learn more about the Center Book Group, call 508-473-2145 ext. 2.

Mary Bonina: Author Reading and Signing 

The Friends of the Milford Town Library welcome back Mary Bonina to read from her new novel, My Way Home on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m.

Set in Boston, My Way Home, brings former teenage lovers Clare and Ray together after sixteen years apart. They'd been separated by the Vietnam war and the denial of a woman's choice. Clare has struggled privately to heal from the injustice she experienced as a teenager with an unplanned pregnancy, haunted for years by thoughts of what might have become of the child she was forced to give up for adoption. Just as she is feeling she has regained emotional stability and has moved on from that trauma-a desperately guarded secret, even from her husband-the father of the secret child reappears, back from Canada where he'd been living. Clare fears that the life she's made for herself and her family, could easily fall apart.

Mary previously published a memoir My Father's Eyes and several poetry collections including Lunch in Chinatown, Clear Eye Tea and Living Proof. Mary grew up in Worcester and spent time visiting relatives in Milford. In My Father's Eyes, Mary wrote of caring for her father as this eyesight failed. Her poem “Drift” won the UrbanArts “Boston Contemporary Authors” prize and is engraved on a granite monolith, a permanent public art installation in the City.

Copies of My Way Home will be available for purchase.

Food Pantry Spice Drive 

The library will be spicing things up for the holidays by hosting a spice drive for the Daily Bread Food Pantry. Holidays taste better with flavor! Please bring unopened spices and place them in the blue bin located underneath the Friends book table near the main staircase.

Lucky Day Bestsellers  

We know how frustrating it can be to be on a waiting list for a book you’re dying to read. Try your luck with our Lucky Day Bestsellers! Many of the most requested books will be available on a first come, first serve basis for a 7-day loan with one renewal. Lucky Day titles cannot be reserved. Look for the Lucky Day titles on the endcaps at the beginning of the fiction stacks.

Mahjong at MTL

A Mahjong group meets twice a month at the Milford Town Library. This group welcomes players familiar to Mahjong to join for enjoyment of the game, not for high stakes competition! The group meets on select Tuesdays from 6 - 8 p.m. at the library in the Quarry Room, including Nov. 25 and Dec. 9.  

Those who are interested can attend any of the meetings. Mahjong sets are provided. Questions? Please call the Information Desk at 508-473-2145 ext. 2.

Milford Area Wordsmiths 

Looking for a quiet, dedicated time and place where you can write? Join the Milford Area Wordsmiths writers' group! We provide a safe place for adults (18+) to write and even share your work if you desire. All levels are welcome, from first-time writers to published authors. All genres are welcome, too, from picture books to romantasy to nonfiction!

The group meets the first and third Monday of each month (except holidays) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Drop-ins are welcome. Carol Allen, a first-time writer of children's books, lifelong bookworm, and recently retired middle-school teacher, serves as facilitator of the Milford Area Wordsmiths. For more information, please call 508-473-2145, option 2.

Ongoing:

Find great deals on gently used books for children, teens and adults at the Friends Book Store and book table, replenished weekly.

Donations for the Daily Bread Food Pantry can be dropped off in the blue bin by the Friends book table.

Community Puzzle Tables are always available in the adult services area.

Upcoming: 

The popular holiday wrapping station returns on December 1 and will run through Dec. 23. Wrapping paper, tissues, bows, tags, and space to wrap will be available FREE of charge while supplies last. We are NOT accepting donations of wrapping supplies this year.