Taft ADULT News July 2026

Upcoming Events:

Teen Summer Reading - It’s here! Our Teen Summer Reading incentive program rewards patrons in grades 5 through 12.  For every three hours of reading, participants can redeem their hours for a weekly gift card prize. Limit one per week. To register for the program go to www.taftpubliclibrary.org, scroll down to Current Events at Taft and click on the Teen Summer Reading post.

Adult Summer Reading - Why should kids have all the fun? The Taft Library has a Summer Reading incentive program for adults too! Track and log your minutes of reading over the summer and be automatically entered to win gift cards each week. Visit our website, scroll down to Current Events at Taft and click on the Adult Summer Reading post to register for the program.

26th Taft Public Library Great Cardboard Boat Race - Attention all captains of cardboard!  The 26th running of the Taft Public Library Great Cardboard Boat Race will be on Mon., July 13, (rain date is Tues., July 14) at the Mendon Town Beach. Boat check-in begins at 5:30 p.m. with races set to start at 6:30 p.m. For those interested in registering a boat, please visit us at www.taftpubliclibrary.org, scroll down to Current Events at Taft, and find the Cardboard Boat Race post. There you’ll find the list of boat categories, special awards, and rules and regulations for the event. Click on the link entitled Form Center to access the boat race registration form. For those who would prefer, the library will also have a limited number of paper registration forms available for distribution at the upstairs desk.  Not interested in entering a boat? Just come and cheer on the competitors at our beyond belief boat battle by the beach!  We hope to see you there!                                                                                                                         

Mosaic Pendant Craft with Cheryl  Cohen (via Zoom) - Join Cheryl Cohen of Cheryl Cohen Mosaics for a pendant making class on Zoom, Tues., July 21, at 6:30 p.m. Each participant will be supplied all materials needed to make a beautiful flower pendant. Pendant kits will be available for pickup at the upstairs Circulation Desk prior to the class. Registration is required as spots are limited. Click on the Calendar & Events link at www.taftpubliclibrary.org to register.

Adult Handcrafting Group -

Let’s get crafty! Join the Adult Handcrafting Group on Wednesday, July 15, 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 - 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. No book club discussions are scheduled for July or August.

Upcoming book clubs - 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.  

Sept. 14: The Measure by Nikki Erlick and The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys 

Oct. 12: The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill 

Nov. 9: West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge 

Dec. 14: The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni  

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 request the latest Awards book for discussion. The current book in the Awards Book Club discussion series is “Angel Down” by Daniel Kraus, winner of the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.  Discussion will be on Tues., Aug. 18, at 7 p.m. Contact the library at 508-473-3259 for further information.

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. The group will meet next on Mon., July 27, 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 has begun a new book talk series revolving around a monthly challenge prompt. The group typically meets on the last Wednesday of each month at 12 p.m. 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:

July: A book under 200 pages

August: A classic or modern classic

September: A book about school, learning, or growth

Taft Children’s News July 2026

Summer Reading Is Here! Plant a Seed…READ! Head over to our website to register for the Summer Reading program. For every three hours of reading children, birth to grade four, will be able to pick a prize from our treasure chest! Also, on our website you will find more information and links to register for all our summer programming! Hope to see you around the Taft this summer!

July Programs 

7/13:

Spanish Storytime at 9:30 a.m.

Cardboard Boat Race at 5:30 p.m. Check In/6:30 p.m. Race begins

7/14:

Read Around Town: Police Station at 10:30 a.m.

7/15:

Itty Bitty Storytime at 9:30 a.m.

Read Around Town: Southwick Zoo at 11 a.m.

Adult Handcrafting at 2 p.m.

7/16:

Animal Craze Petting Zoo at 9:30 & 10:15 a.m.

7/20:

Spanish Storytime at 9:30 a.m.

Music at the Blissful at 10:30 a.m.

7/21:

Itty Bitty Storytime at 9:30 a.m.

Story & Craft at 10:30 a.m.

Egg Drop Challenge at 1 p.m.

Mosaic Pendant at 6:30 p.m.

7/22:

Read Around Town: JJ’s Ice Cream at 1 p.m.

7/27:

Spanish Storytime at 9:30 a.m.

7/28:

Itty Bitty Storytime at 9:30 a.m.

Story & Craft at 10:30 a.m.

Joe Buckley Mini Golf at 2-6 p.m.

Rolie Polie Guacamole Concert at 6:30 p.m.

7/29:

Santa Storytime at the Beach at 10:30 a.m.

Challenge Book Club at 12 p.m.

Worm Race at 1 p.m.

7/30:

Mr. Vinny the Bubble Guy at 10:30 a.m.