Tewksbury Public Library Events, Week Of May 17, 2026

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.

Adult Events (In-Person)

IN PERSON: CrafterDARK

Monday, May 18, 7pm

Can't attend Crafternoon? Try CrafterDARK, a monthly crafting date after work! Calling all knitters, crocheters, needle workers, beaders, and colorists! Bring your own craft project to the Library and work on it while enjoying conversation with other crafters. (Please, no crafts involving glue or paint.) Take advantage of the many books available at the library to get ideas for your next project or to explore a new craft. We will be meeting in person.

IN PERSON: Book a Tech Help Appointment! (*RR)

Tuesday, May 19, 2pm-3pm

You can book a TPL Librarian for 30 minutes to help you with your technology questions. You may book up to twice a month, one question per session. Ask about: Using Libby, Hoopla, Kanopy and other library resources; Basic computer skills; Basic tablet skills; Basic phone skills; Using email; and Using Microsoft Office and comparable programs.

IN PERSON: Crafternoon

Wednesday, May 20, 1:30pm

Calling all knitters, crocheters, needle workers, beaders, and colorers! Bring your own craft project to the Library and work on it while enjoying conversation with other crafters. (Please, no crafts involving glue or paint.) Take advantage of the many books available at the library to get ideas for your next project or to explore a new craft. We will be meeting in person.

IN PERSON: Supporting Parents & Caregivers of LGBTQIA+ Youth (*RR)

Wednesday, May 20, 6:30pm

Caregivers play a vital role in helping youth explore and understand their identities. This training provides parents, family members, and trusted adults with practical guidance on how to approach conversations about identity in a supportive and respectful way. You’ll learn how to create a safe and loving space for young people to express themselves, while gaining tools to navigate challenges. Special focus is given to the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth and how caregivers can affirm and support their unique journeys. Led by a trainer from Greater Boston PFLAG.

IN PERSON: Other Worlds Fantasy Book Group (*RR)

Wednesday, May 20, 6:30pm

Enjoy a discussion of Going Postal by Terry Pratchett. Copies of the book are available at the Front Desk one month prior to meeting.

Adult Events (Virtual)

VIRTUAL: The Bee Gees, Saturday Night Fever & Disco Music (*RR)

Monday, May 18, 2pm

The Bee Gees, Saturday Night Fever & Disco Music! In the mid-1970s, these three cultural forces collided and changed pop culture forever. Just a decade earlier, the Bee Gees were known for their Beatlesque pop harmonies. But while disco music was building a loyal underground following, the Bee Gees were reinventing themselves as a white rhythm and blues band. Then came Saturday Night Fever. Starring John Travolta, the film didn’t just capture a scene; it ignited a nationwide phenomenon and propelled disco into the American mainstream. Using music and video clips, explore it all - the pop-culture moment that reshaped our nightlife, dancing, fashion and music. Led by music historian Gary Wenstrup, who -- after a rewarding career in advertising sales -- retired and developed courses on the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel and Motown Records for the Continuing Education Department of College of DuPage.

VIRTUAL: Banning Books In America (*RR)

Monday, May 18, 7pm

Author and professor Samuel Cohen will discuss his new book, Banning Books in America: Not a How-to, which features novelists on banning and being banned, arguments about the histories and politics of book banning, readings of banned books in national and international contexts, and responses to new legislation by anti-censorship advocates, teachers, and librarians. Together, these writers and educators provide a view from the trenches of the wars on reading. They offer, if not a single blueprint, models for how to think about what it means to ban books and how to fight back against the forces that would ban them. Cohen is Associate Professor of English at the University of Missouri, where he teaches a course on banned books.

VIRTUAL: The Construction & Demise Of Penn Station (*RR)

Tuesday, May 19, 2pm

One of the New York City’s most devastating architectural losses was the original Beaux Arts masterpiece Penn Station, designed Charles McKim of the Gilded Age’s McKim, Mead & White. Learn what made building the station possible, how it connected Manhattan to the rest of the country, and its ultimate demise in this informative presentation with vintage photographs. Led by Ginny Poleman, owner of New York City Encounters. A graduate of Cornell University, Poleman is a licensed New York City Sightseeing Guide, a trained docent for the Municipal Art Society, and a trained educational guide at Manhattan’s largest art museum.

VIRTUAL: The Musicals Of Gower Champion (*RR)

Tuesday, May 19, 7pm

Enjoy an in-depth look at how director/choreographer Gower Champion crafted some of the most popular musicals of the 60's, 70's, and 80's, including Bye Bye Birdie; Hello, Dolly; 42nd Street; and more. Led by Clint Edwards, a New York-based composer, arranger, and pianist, who lectures on the history of music.

VIRTUAL: 50+ Job Seekers Networking Group -- Second Act Careers (*RR)

Wednesday, May 20, 9:30am

The Library 50+ Job Seekers Networking Group meets via Zoom on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, from 9:30am to 11:30am. Informal networking takes place from 9am to 9:30am and 11:30am to noon. If you are unemployed and actively looking, underemployed, seeking a new career direction, re-entering the job market after a long employment gap, or recently retired and looking for your "Encore Career," this networking group program is perfect for you! Remember, 85% of jobs are found through networking! Each biweekly meeting is facilitated by Deborah Hope, MBA, PCIC, an experienced executive career coach. Deborah is a former Fortune 500 executive, investment banker and entrepreneur. She transitioned to executive coaching over 12 years ago. Deborah has coached with Harvard Business School Executive Education programs and the Massachusetts Conference for Women. She has been trained or certified in a variety of coaching models and assessment tools. Deborah has facilitated 50+ job seekers networking groups since 2016.

VIRTUAL: The Curse Of The Blumenthals -- 3 Generations Of Secrets, Crimes & Lies (*RR)

Wednesday, May 20, 7pm

Bestselling author and award-winning journalist Phyllis Karas will discuss her new book, Curse of the Blumenthals, the history of one close-knit New England-based, Jewish American family and their dark relationship with alcohol, from bootlegging arrests in 1920s Providence, a drunk driver killing six members of their family in 1935, the 1954 murder of a Boston seamstress committed by teenager Ronnie Blumenthal, to Ronnie's death and burial in 2012 in an unmarked pauper's grave, ending the curse. Karas -- a Blumenthal cousin -- is the author of a dozen books, taught journalism at Boston University, and was a stringer for People magazine. She is the co-author, alongside Kevin Weeks, of the New York Times bestseller Brutal: The Untold Story of My Life Inside Whitey Bulger’s Irish Mob.

VIRTUAL: Virtual Tour Of The Museum Of Modern Art (*RR)

Thursday, May 21, 2pm

The Museum of Modern Art, located in midtown Manhattan, is one of the most influential art museums in the world. Discover its fascinating origins, founded through the vision and determination of Abigail A. Rockefeller, and see how the Rockefeller family shaped the modern art world today. Visit some of the most famous and spectacular masterpieces by Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, and Matisse. Led by Marisa, founder of Museums With Marisa, a professional museum educator, Egyptologist and former archaeologist, and current private docent and art lecturer.

VIRTUAL: Expert Book Recommendations: Fantasy Cafe Talks Fantasy (*RR)

Thursday, May 21, 6:30pm

Join book reviewer Kristen, from the Fantasy Cafe, once per quarter for 30 minutes of fantasy book recommendations. Kristen is the founder of "Women in SF&F Month," an annual event in April that dedicates the month to highlighting women in the science fiction and fantasy genres.

VIRTUAL: Armchair Travel To Quebec City (*RR)

Thursday, May 21, 7pm

Explore Quebec through the lens of its two iconic cities -- historic Quebec City and dynamic Montreal -- highlighting their distinct character and shared cultural roots. Examine Quebec’s deeply intertwined history with the United States, from colonial rivalries to trade, migration, and modern cross-border connections. Led by photographer Bruce Magnuson.

VIRTUAL: Expert Book Recommendations: Leelynn Brady Talks Inclusive & Diverse Books (*RR)

Thursday, May 21, 7:30pm

Join book reviewer Leelynn Brady each month for 30 minutes of book recommendations featuring BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and/or neurodivergent characters and authors. Leelynn is a popular book blogger and bookstagrammer (someone who publishes book reviews on Instagram).

Children’s Events (In-Person)

IN PERSON: Baby Lapsit Story Time

Wednesday, May 20, 10:15am

A gentle, interactive story time designed especially for our youngest patrons! Babies and their caregivers will enjoy simple stories, rhymes, songs, and bounces that support early language development and bonding. This program is perfect for infants who sit in a caregiver’s lap and are just beginning to explore the world through sound and movement. Join us for sweet moments, early literacy fun, and lots of snuggles. Time is included at the end for a few minutes of play - get to know other families, explore our collection, and have some fun!

IN PERSON: Preschool Playgroup

Thursday, May 21, 11am

Preschool playgroup is a weekly group where kids can meet, play, and learn. Pick up STEM and early literacy skills, and have some fun while you're at it! Sponsored by Community Teamwork Inc's Family Resource Network. The Family Resource Network is funded by the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement Grant (CFCE) from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.

IN PERSON: Pokemon Club

Thursday, May 21, 3:30pm

Exciting news! The American Library Association has teamed up with Pokémon to bring Pokémon Clubs to libraries nationwide, and our library is one of them! Join us for our revamped and expanded Pokémon Club. Want to learn how to play? Already a seasoned battler? Just a Pokémon fan in general? No matter your level or interest, there is a place for you here! This event is for children in grades K-5

IN PERSON: Land's Sake Farms: Reading with Worms (*RR)

Friday, May 22, 3:30pm

Learn about our soil helping friends! This program features a worm-themed story, a dirt making activity in which we learn about composting and soil composition, and the chance to play with real live worms from the farm's vermi-composter. Sponsored by Community Teamwork Inc's Family Resource Network. The Family Resource Network is funded by the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement Grant (CFCE) from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. This event is for children in PreK - Grade 3.