Adult and Teen Programs Upcoming Events:

Teen Summer Reading 

There’s still time to sign up! 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.

Adult Handcrafting Group

Let’s get crafty! Join the Adult Handcrafting Group on Wednesday, Aug. 19 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 August.

Upcoming book club discussions are as follows:

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

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

West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge on Nov. 9 

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

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! 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 Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. Contact the library at 508-473-3259 for further information.

Footnotes Nonfiction Book Club

Footnotes Nonfiction Book Club is led by Library Director Andrew Jenrich. Over the next few months the club will be tackling the following books:

A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko. Discussion will be on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 6:30 p.m. downstairs in the library.

Material World: The Six Raw Materials That Shape Modern Civilization by Ed Conway. Date TBD.

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. The new slate of nonfiction titles for 2026 into 2027 will be decided following the book discussion in August.

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 Monday, Aug. 31 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. 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:

August: A classic or modern classic.

September: A book about school, learning, or growth.

October: A mystery, thriller, or spooky book.

The group typically meets on the last Wednesday of each month at 12 p.m. 

Friends of the Taft Public Library Meeting

The Friends of the Taft Public 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! The group will not meet over the summer. The next meeting of the Friends is Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. 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.

Taft Children’s News - August 2026

Summer Reading 2026

Summer Reading continues in August! Your friends at the Taft have been busy for months putting together a Summer Reading program that is sure to please. For every three hours of reading, children through grade 4 will be able to pick a prize from our treasure chest! To register please visit our website at www.taftpubliclibrary.org. 

Wednesday, Aug. 12

Music at the Blissful 10:30 a.m.

Egg Drop Challenge 1 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 15

Last Day to Collect Prizes