- The Concord Free Public Library will be closed on Nov. 24 & 25. Regular hours resume on Nov. 26. We wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving.
- Our next issue of the Weekly Updates will be posted on Dec. 2 due to the holiday.
- In this issue: Holiday Book Sale and Preview Party - Poetry at the Library - Hoopla Bonus Borrows - Adult Events - Teen Events - Children's Events - Special Collections Highlights
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Holiday Book Sale and Preview Party | |
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The Friends of the Concord Free Public Library are hosting their popular Holiday Book Sale in early December in the Goodwin Forum of the Main Library. The sale is full of nearly-new or gently used books, movies, and music CDs for adults and children. Come for your holiday shopping and have a fun time!
Friday, December 2, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 3, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 4, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Volunteers needed - The Friends are still looking for volunteers to help with the Book Sale. [Sign up to volunteer]
Friends Book Sale Preview
Thursday, December 1, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Goodwin Forum, Main Library
As a thank you gift to our members, the Friends of the Library are hosting a Holiday Book Sale Preview Party. Stop by, shop early and enjoy some snacks and refreshments. Not a member of the Friends? No worries, you can join now or at the Preview Party. RSVP appreciated, but not required. Email: friends@concordlibrary.org
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Poetry At the Library: Brian Burt & Quintin Collins
Sunday, November 20, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Goodwin Forum, Main Library
Join us for an in-person afternoon with award-winning poets Concord resident Brian Burt and Boston-based Quintin Collins who will read and engage in a Q & A about their creative process. Concord resident Brian Burt reads from his second collection Black Dog Day (Finishing Line Press, 2022) which poet and editor Kirun Kapur has praised as "a book of modern pastorals, reminding us that even in the time of iPhones and plagues, the land and the word can still replenish the spirit." Boston-based Quintin Collins reads from his award-winning second collection Claim Tickets for Stolen People (Ohio State Univ. Press, 2022). “Collins brings inner life into focus,” Terrance Hayes has written. “Blackness is reclaimed, celebrated, embodied.”
This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library. [Register]
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Being with Grief - Session Two
Tuesday, November 29, 7:00 p.m.
On Zoom
Grief is hard. In times of deep sorrow, tender feelings arise, especially during seasons when we gather together. Yet, it is possible to tend to our inner garden of emotions through simple self-care practices. Be Well Be Here has listened deeply to requests for Grief Practices to help you on this path. Join BWBH’s compassionate communication facilitators to navigate the landscape of grief. These Being with Grief sessions mindfully co-create a sustaining space to explore how loss impacts the body, mind and spirit. [Register]
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FREE Online Group Meditation with Be Well Be Here
Thursday, December 1, 8:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Zoom
Join Be Well Be Here for a 30-minute morning meditation practice with the Concord Free Public Library and start your day with a moment of ease. Discover mindful tools that center the body, settle the mind, and open the door to wellbeing. [Register for Zoom Link]
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Teen PYOB: Paint Your Own Bookmark
Tuesday, November 29, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Teen Lounge, Main Library
Teens - Design your own bookmark (or make one as a gift for a friend/family member) with watercolor. Multi-faceted artist Margaret McCandless will facilitate. Registration is required. [Register]
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Teen Dungeon and Dragons (Figurine Painting and Character Sheets)
Wednesday, November 30, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Teen Lounge, Main Library
Join our winter season Dungeons & Dragons campaigns with figurine painting (choose from a selection) and character creation. Meet with our DM's, and plan with other players. No registration required.
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Children's Events at the Main Library | |
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Read to Laddie the Collie
Saturday, November 19, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Children's Activity Room, Main Library
Children ages 5 years and up are invited to “Read to Laddie the Collie” on the third Saturday of each month. Register for your own 15-minute session with Laddie. Bring along a favorite book. Laddie is a certified therapy dog through Pets and People Foundation. [Register]
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Musical Mondays: Tim Seston
Monday, November 21, 10:30—11:15 a.m.
Goodwin Forum, Main Library
Every Monday at 10:30 a.m. we feature musical programs geared for children aged 0 - 6 years. Come join the fun at our music/play activity session for young children and the adults who sing with them. This session will be led by Tim Seston who has been entertaining audiences since 2006 with original stories and songs. Sponsored by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library. No Registration Required.
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Musical Mondays: Rockabye Beats
Monday, November 28, 10:30—11:15 a.m.
Goodwin Forum, Main Library
Rockabye Beats is a fun, family group whose music is reminiscent of founder Marcos Valles’s Puerto Rico. Enjoy movement, dancing, counting, singing, and a little bit of Spanish vocabulary. Sponsored by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library. No Registration Required.
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Beede and Books
Monday, November 28, 1:30—2:00 p.m.
Beede Center
The Beede Swim and Fitness Center and the Concord Free Public Library have teamed up to bring you Beede and Books. This is a free program available to all. Families do not need to have a Beede membership, but caregivers do need to be in the water with their child for the 30 minutes of Children’s Pool time. One child per parent. Sign up your child and have them arrive in their swim suit. Registration is required. [Register]
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Concord Puppet Theatre at Main
Friday, December 2, 10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Goodwin Forum, Main Library
Each week we will feature different puppets, new songs to learn and sing along to, and occasional crafts. Feel free to bring your own puppet (sock or otherwise) or instruments from home to join in on the fun. No registration required.
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Fowler Branch Children's Events | |
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PJ Storytime and Treats at Fowler for West Concord Early Birds
Saturday, November 19, 9:30 - 10:15 a.m.
Fowler Branch Large Meeting Room
November 19 is the day for Early Birds in West Concord. It is Pajama Day at many local businesses. They are opening early and offering sales from 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Come unwind at Fowler after your whirlwind morning with a storytime, muffins from Debra's Natural Gourmet and coffee and hot chocolate from Equal Exchange. This is a family storytime. All ages are welcome.
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In Person Fowler Storytime
Tuesdays, 10:00 - 10:45 a.m. & 11:00 - 11:45 a.m.
Fowler Branch Large Meeting Room or
Labyrinth Garden at West Concord Union Church
Join us at Fowler for storytime. We will share stories, songs, and rhymes and do a simple hands-on activity. Outdoor: If weather permits, we will meet across the street at the labyrinth garden at the West Concord Union Church (1317 Main St). Rain location: Fowler Large Meeting Room. No registration required.
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Messy Fun at Fowler, Ages 5 & under
Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Fowler Branch
Drop by the Fowler Branch weekly for a range of activities from play dough to blocks. Stay for 15 minutes or for the full hour. We will have different stations, allowing for child-guided play and social distancing. No registration required.
For more Children's events at Fowler, visit here.
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Special Collections Highlights: Town of Concord Annual Report Collection | |
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The holdings of Special Collections include the Town of Concord Archives' historical records, including vital records (births, deaths, and marriages), town meeting minutes, select board records, annual reports, early town records (1639-1876), and the historical records of other departments, boards, and committees.
The Municipal Archivist manages the Town Archives and works closely with the Curator of Special Collections of the Concord Free Public Library.
The Town of Concord has produced Annual Town Reports since the mid-19th century. The content of these reports has varied over the years. In the early years, the reports were primarily financial documents detailing the accounts of the Selectmen. The reports evolved to include yearly summaries of the varied Town Departments and the various Boards and Committees of the Town. The Town of Concord Archives maintains a collection of these reports, which are available to view at the William Munroe Special Collections.
In addition, the Town of Concord Archives has begun adding digital versions of the reports to its Digital Repository. Available are reports from 2000-present, and selected historical reports from 1840, 1849, 1850, 1852, 1912, 1921, 1960, and 1975.
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