Tewksbury Public Library Events, Week Of June 17, 2024

Information via Tewksbury Public Library

Event Registration

Please register online using our Calendar of Events at www.tewksburypl.org or by calling 978- 640-4490. We strongly recommend registration for programs that are marked *RR. Thank you to the Friends of the Library for generously sponsoring our programs.

Scheduling Note

The Library closes at 3:30pm on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 and is closed on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, in observance of Juneteenth.

Adult Events (In-Person)

IN PERSON: Adult Felting Class -- Owls (*RR)

Monday, June 17, 7pm

Learn the basics of felting (or continue your felting journey) by completing a needle felted project you'll be proud of! Create your own felted owl to bring home. Led by fiber artist and instructor Rachel Benson, owner of The Fiber Web. All supplies will be provided.

Adult Events (Virtual)

VIRTUAL: Bestselling Author Maria DiRico Discusses "The Witless Protection Program" (*RR)

Monday, June 17, 7pm

Author Maria DiRico will discuss her new mystery, The Witless Protection Program. In the fifth Catering Hall Mystery by Agatha Award-winning author Maria DiRico, series sleuth Mia Carina has finally steered her Italian-American family’s catering hall, Belle View Banquet Manor, into becoming the premiere party site of Astoria, Queens. Now if only her presumed dead ex-husband would get out of the way. "Maria DiRico" is the pseudonym for Ellen Byron, author of the award-winning, USA Today bestselling Cajun Country Mysteries. Born in Queens, New York, she is first-generation Italian-American on her mother's side and the granddaughter of a low-level Jewish mobster on her father's side. DiRico has been a writer-producer for hit television series like “Wings” and “Just Shoot Me,” and her first play, Graceland, appears in the Best Short Plays collection.

VIRTUAL: An Overview Of The 500-Year History Of Bookmaking (*RR)

Tuesday, June 18, 10am

Books have transformed humankind by enabling authors to create, document, and entertain. Yet we know little about the individuals who brought these fascinating objects into existence and of those who first experimented in the art of printing, design, and binding. Learn about these renegade book-makers who changed the course of history. Led by Adam Smyth, author of the new book, The Book-Makers - A History of the Book in Eighteen Lives. Smyth is a Professor of English Literature and the History of the Book at Balliol College, Oxford University. He is a founder member of the 39 Steps Press printing collective, co-hosts the literary podcast “LitBits,” and writes regularly for the London Review of Books.

VIRTUAL: The Power & Perils Of Travel -- A Truthful Look At The Tourism Industry (*RR)

Tuesday, June 18, 2pm

Explore how tourism has shaped the world, for better and for worse. The tourism industry accounts for one in ten jobs worldwide and generates nearly ten percent of global GDP. How did a once-niche activity become the world’s most important means of contact across cultures? When does tourism destroy the soul of a city, and when does it offer a place a new lease on life? Is “last chance tourism” prompting a powerful change in perspective, or driving places we love further into the ground? Led by Paige McClanahan, an American journalist based in France and author of the new book, The New Tourist: Waking Up to the Power and Perils of Travel. A regular contributor to The New York Times, she has reported from more than a dozen countries, writing for publications like The Guardian, the BBC, and The Washington Post, among many others.

VIRTUAL: An Exploration Of Queer Representation In Manga & Anime (*RR)

Tuesday, June 18, 7pm

Join fellow anime-enthusiast and Massachusetts Librarian Dina Delic to learn about the history of queer representation in manga and anime. You will receive an overview of queer representation throughout various series, from The Rose of Versailles to Yuri on Ice, as well as answers to your most pressing questions: What is shipping? What is the difference between yaoi and yuri? Why are the greatest love stories in anime always platonic? Delic is a Youth Services Librarian at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood.

VIRTUAL: LGBTQ+ Rights In An Increasing Cultural Divide (*RR)

Tuesday, June 18, 7pm

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of bills targeting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and transgender/nonbinary (LGBTQ+) people in the U.S. Since the start of 2024, there have been close to 500 bills restricting rights in healthcare settings, education, public spaces, drag, and sports (ACLU, 2024). Learn the ways that these bills, known as anti-LGBTQ+ bills, negatively impact LGBTQ+ people and their families, with a particular emphasis on mental health and well-being. Examine how LGBTQ+ people and allies are resisting in the face of anti-LGBTQ+ bills and advocating for their rights. Led by LGBTQUARC, a group of psychology researchers from UMass Boston conducting LGBTQ+ affirmative and social justice-oriented research.

VIRTUAL: Creative Couples -- Lee Krasner & Helen Frankenthaler (*RR)

Thursday, June 20, 10:30am

Examine the relationship of two artistic couples who worked in New York City in the mid 20th Century -- Lee Krasner & Jackson Pollock and Helen Frankenthaler & Robert Motherwell. Explore the contributions of these two creative couples in the artistic revolution of Abstract Expressionism. Although 20 years apart in age, Lee and Helen knew each other and traveled in the same artistic circles in the 1950s. Led by Martha Chiarchiaro, owner of Seeing History, who has brought history to life through the art of the times for more than 30 years. She received her Masters’ degree in the History of Art from Williams College and provides a variety of art history presentations at the Worcester Art Museum, the Worcester Institute for Senior Education (WISE), libraries, senior centers, and garden clubs.

VIRTUAL: How To Write Ancestral Stories Your Relatives Will Want To Read (*RR)

Thursday, June 20, 7pm

Part of the thrill of genealogy is sharing our discoveries with those we love, so it can be disappointing when our family members and friends have no interest in the subject. However, with good research, thoughtful planning, and a dash of ingenuity, we can create engaging stories designed to entice even the most reluctant readers. Learn how to breathe life into dry genealogical facts, chose a compelling story structure, make decisions that enhance the quality of the writing, and present what you’ve written in an appealing way. Creating a captivating ancestral story from our ancestors’ names, dates, and places is like turning fish eggs into caviar: the facts don’t change, but the way we describe them makes all the difference. Led by Pam Vestal, a professional genealogist and speaker who turned her focus to her longtime love of genealogy after a 20-year writing career. Her articles have appeared in the National Genealogical Society Magazine and The Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, and her lectures take her from coast to coast. Pam specializes in conducting genealogical research and then transforming that information into illustrated stories that even non-genealogists can enjoy.

VIRTUAL: An Evening with #1 Bestselling Author & TikTok Sensation Mercury Stardust (*RR)

Thursday, June 20, 7pm

#1 New York Times bestselling author and TikTok phenomenon Mercury Stardust, the world's most famous trans handywoman, will discuss her career and her acclaimed book, Safe and Sound: A Renter Friendly Guide To Home Repair. Mercury has dedicated her time to helping people on TikTok reclaim their independence through home improvement. (She currently has over 2.6 million followers!) Mercury been featured in stories by NBC, NPR, Newsweek, Washington Post, and Pink News. Her leadership within the trans community has led to collaborations with such brands as Dolby, Lowe’s, and Point of Pride. As an out and proud non-binary trans feminine person, Mercury has also used her platform to help raise over $2 million for trans healthcare.

VIRTUAL: Mindfulness & Meditation Class (*RR)

Friday, June 21, noon

Practice clearing your mind, being in the present moment and reducing stress in this 30-minute class. Participants are welcome to find a quiet, comfortable space to relax and join mindfulness teacher Lauren Masse. Learn how to practice daily mindfulness and calm your mind and body. Lauren will focus on a different type of meditation for each session.

Teen Events (In-Person)

IN PERSON: Teen Anime Club (*RR)

Thursday, June 20, 3:30pm

Join Emily for snacks and anime at our Anime Club meeting in person. This month we'll be watching Shadows House. Shadows House is rated TV-14. This event is open to grades 6-12.

Children’s Events (In-Person)

IN PERSON: Tiny Tykes Story Time

Monday, June 17, 11am

Tiny Tykes Storytime is designed for young children ages 0 to 18 months. Older siblings are always welcome to join in. Join us for a fun session of stories, songs, fingerplays, instruments, and gentle movement that help build early literacy skills. Babies experience the sounds and structure of language through rhythm, rhyme and repetition.

IN PERSON: Spanish Fun Story Time

Monday, June 17, 3pm

Join special guest Esther Gomez for a fun Story Time in English and Spanish! There will be Bilingual Storytelling, based on history, myths, tales, and legends, narrated consecutive in English and Spanish by native Spanish speakers who wear traditional dresses, followed by singing and dancing!

IN PERSON: Sprouts Story Time

Tuesday, June 18, 11am

Join Miss Kat for stories, songs, movement, instruments, dancing and more, and get your early literacy skills on! Sprouts Storytime is designed for is designed for little ones 18 months through 4 years, but siblings are always welcome.

IN-PERSON: Preschool Playgroup

Thursday, June 20, 11am

Preschool Playgroup is a weekly group where kids can meet, play, and learn. Pick up some literacy skills and have some fun while you're at it! This program is hosted by Community Teamwork.

IN PERSON: Family Fun Friday: WildKat Hoops

Friday, June 21, 11am

Every Friday morning this summer, there will be an awesome program for kids! This week, we're thrilled to invite you to the most awesome hula hoop event of the year with WildKat Hoops! It's time to put on your dancing shoes and grab those dazzling hoops for an unforgettable workshop of hula hoop magic! To make these events even more fun, don't forget to bring sunblock, picnic blankets, chairs, snacks, and drinks!