Adult & Teen Programs

Upcoming Events:

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

Adult Handcrafting Group

Join the Adult Handcrafting Group on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. downstairs in the library. 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. 

Slow Flow Yoga for Adults and Teens

Join Katie Aissis from Sprouting Tree Yoga for Slow Flow Yoga. This Vinyasa style yoga class links breath to movement in a dynamic sequence of postures. Participants will build strength while also finding moments throughout the practice to quiet the mind and rest the body. This class is appropriate for all levels, and no previous yoga experience is necessary.  Please bring your own yoga mat.  Join us on March 24, April 14 and May 12 at 7 p.m. Registration required.

Adult Book Club

The Adult Book Club is led by Library Assistant Kris Heumann. The group typically meets the second Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Upcoming book club discussions are as follows: In March, The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse. In April, Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Adult Book Club books can be picked up at the downstairs desk. 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! The current book in the Awards Book Club discussion series is The True True Story of Raja the Gullible by Rabih Alameddine, winner of the 2025 National Book Award for fiction. Copies of the book can be picked up at the downstairs circulation desk. Discussion is TBD, likely early May. Contact the library at 508-473-3259 for further information.

Footnotes Nonfiction Book Club

Footnotes Nonfiction Book Club is back with a whole new slate of books to discuss for 2025-2026. Led by Library Director Andrew Jenrich, the club will tackle the following upcoming books this year:

An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong. Discussion will be on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m.

Dates of discussion for some of the upcoming books are to be determined. The Footnotes Nonfiction Book Club typically meets on a quarterly basis. Those interested can request a copy of the next book at the downstairs circulation desk.

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. In February the group will meet on Monday the 23 at 6 p.m. Contact the library at 508-473-3259 for additional details. Registration is required. To register, visit our website. 

2026 Challenge Book Club

The library is beginning a new book talk series revolving around a monthly challenge prompt. Participants are encouraged to share the title or titles (and brief synopsis) of a book they’ve read or would like to read centered on the prompt. Prompts for the next few months of the club are as follows:

February: A book about love or friendship

March: A book by a woman author

April: A book from a different time period

The group typically meets on the last Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. 

Assistance from Jenna Gouin and the Blackstone Valley Partnership for Public Health

Jenna Gouin, MBA/MSOL will be on site at the Taft Library on March 9 from 9 - 11 a.m. to provide assistance filling out applications for MassHealth, SNAP, WIC, fuel assistance, Medicare, Social Security, Veteran’s Benefits, and more. Ms. Gouin can also provide referrals to community organizations, mental health and substance abuse providers and give guidance in obtaining financial resources to address past due bills. Each session is 30-minutes long. Those interested can sign up for a 30-minute block of time by clicking on the Calendar & Events link on the Taft Library website www.taftpubliclibrary.org.

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. 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 website.

Friends Wool Felting Class

On Thursday, Feb. 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the library, learn the art of needle felting or perfect your skills with Rachel Benson from The Fiber Web. With a few basic tools and some practice, anyone can make beautiful and unique needle felted creations. Preregistration and a payment of $13 per person (no refunds) required. All materials will be supplied. Payments in cash or check (made out to the Friends of the Taft Public Library) can be dropped off at the library. Register by using the Calendar & Events link on the Taft website.

Coming in March!

Dustin Pari Presents The Montauk Project

Join paranormalist Dustin Pari on Tuesday, March 10 at 7 p.m. for a program exploring the enduring legend of the Montauk Project – an alleged series of secret Cold War-era experiments said to involve mind control, psychic research, and interdimensional phenomena – and examines how these claims influenced popular culture. Attendees will learn how the original concept for the hit television series Stranger Things was rooted in the so-called Montauk Project before the story was relocated to the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. Blending documented history, conspiracy lore, and television storytelling, the program invites participants to consider how government secrecy, 1980s nostalgia, and speculative science converge to create one of modern pop culture’s most compelling mythologies. Registration is required as space is limited.

Taft Children’s News

Registration is required for all programs. Please log onto our website  taftpubliclibrary.org and find the events page to register along with more information for the programs. 

Itty Bitty Story Time 

Itty Bitty Storytime is designed for our youngest patrons birth to 3 years old. Join us for a lot of fun on Tuesdays and select Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. 

Story & Craft Time 

Join us for Story and Craft Time perfect for the preschool-aged child. All sessions take place on Tuesday mornings at 10:30 a.m. and Wednesday afternoons at 1 p.m.

Alphabet Storytime 

It’s all about the alphabet! Each week we will focus on a different letter. We will read a couple of books, sing songs, and learn about the letter of the week. Wednesday mornings at 10:30 a.m. Please note there is no Alphabet Storytime the last Wednesday of the month. 

Music & Movement with Deb Hudgins & Coffee and Conversations at the Taft

Join Deb Hudgins on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 9:15 a.m. for a 30-minute music and movement theme-based program which features singing and guitar music for young children (infants and preschool). Coffee & Conversations is from 9:45 - 10:45 a.m. Join us for an informal playtime where families will be able to build social connections and learn about early childhood development and family-friendly resources. The library will supply Muffin House Muffins!

Music & Movement with Deb Hudgins 

Join Deb Hudgins for a 30-minute music and movement theme-based program which features singing and guitar music for young children (infants & preschool). Join us on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The program starts promptly at 10:30 a.m.

Book Clubs

Books are available for pick up at the upstairs circulation desk. Pizza and refreshments will be available. 

6-9 Book Club: Kung Pow Chicken by Cyndi Marko will be our next book! Hope you can join us on Tues., Feb. 24  5 p.m. 

Jungle Jim’s Wizard Academy: A Magical Training Experience: Tues. Feb. 17 6 p.m.

Calling all young witches and wizards. If your child loves Harry Potter and spends their days practicing spells with a homemade wand, this interactive program is for them. Jungle Jim’s Wizard Academy is fully interactive Hogwarts-style training where children become part of the magic. Led by Professor Jungle-Flick, participants are guided through a high-energy experience filled with comedy, imagination, and hands-on fun. Children learn simple magic skills, take part in Balloon Quidditch, and even train in Defense Against the Dark Arts. This is not a sit-and-watch show. More than a dozen volunteers are invited to participate throughout the program making every performance unique. The experience is designed to encourage creativity, confidence, and laughter while keeping children actively engaged from start to finish. Register today for this fun event!