In Memoriam:

Sharon G. Davis, 1952-2023

It is with great sadness that we share with you the news of the passing of our colleague and friend, Sharon Davis, in late January.

You'd most likely have seen Sharon at the circulation desk in the Children's Room where she worked three nights a week and every other Saturday, in addition to her full-time day job as a beloved English teacher at Bridgewater-Raynham High School. She'd been with the Library for 22 years and over that time, served countless Middleborough children with her signature sense of humor and love of literature, learning and Summer Reading.

Our hearts go out to her sons, Andy and Rob. Her library family will miss her terribly.

The staff of the Middleborough Public Library

Saturday -- Black History Heroes, Soldiers and Spies

Help us celebrate Black History Month this Sat., Feb. 11 at 1:00 p.m. by attending a theatrical production for all ages called, "Black History Heroes, Soldiers, and Spies." Offered by the North Carolina-based Bright Star Theatre, it will take place at Town Hall.

Experience, celebrate and learn about forgotten heroes and soldiers of Black History. Click here for more details. No registration required.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Middleborough Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Support also was provided by the Friends of the Middleborough Public Library.

Sharebrary Item of the Week

Sharebrary: Borrow. Try. Experience.

This week's featured item is our accessibility collection.

We have crutches, a knee scooter, a walker, and even a wheelchair you can borrow for those times you need a little help getting around.

We currently have 34 different items to lend out from our Sharebrary collection.

Thank you to the Wilfred M. Silvia Library Trust for its generous support of the Sharebrary collection.

Robots on the Run for Tweens & Teens

There are still a few spots left in the Robots on the Run workshop run by The Rhode Island Computer Museum (RICM) on Wed., Feb. 22 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. at the Library. For ages 10 and up.

This workshop aims to explain basic coding and instructions on how to command a simple robot. You'll learn programmable electronics and instructions for making motors run, sounds, and a lot more. We’ll take time to learn about interactive software titled “MBOT Arduino” and you can create your own sample “Robot code.” We'll end with Robot Wars, breaking balloons attached to the MBOTS!

Registration is required. Please call the Library at 508/946-2470 or email Teen Librarian Christine Dargelis.

The presentation is part of ongoing traveling exhibits by the RICM, and this workshop is part of the museum's community outreach program.

Buildwave- Hands-on Building Game

Tues., Feb. 21, 4:00 p.m.

Want to foster your child's interest in S.T.E.M., while igniting their creative spark at the same time?

Buildwave is a creative building program that feels like a video game. Over the course of the workshop students create with over a dozen different building materials, including Lego®, PlusPlus®, and custom-made Buildwave materials. The workshop is structured like a videogame, with an audiovisual setup featuring animations and music that guide students through the different building waves. As your child creates with wave after wave of new objects, they build creative confidence, become better collaborators, and encounter design and engineering fundamentals in a unique and memorable context.

This program is for kids in grades K-6. Space is limited so register by calling 508/946-2470 or stopping by the Library.

Dashbots with FrankenSTEAM

Thurs., Feb 23, Two sessions: 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Up your S.T.E.M. skills with Dash Robots and Tony Ghelfi from FrankenS.T.E.A.M. Robotics and Coding.

Help Dash solve a maze. Play soccer and shoot some baskets with Dash.

Yes, you read it right, play soccer and shoot baskets with a robot!

This program is open to kids ages 8 to 12. Space is limited so registration is required. Call the Library at 508/946-2470 to sign up. (One session per person.)

Thanks to the Friends of the Middleborough Public Library for generously sponsoring all of our February Vacation Week programs.

Stop By For Lego Building Afternoons

Drop by the Large Meeting Room for Lego Afternoons from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., Tuesdays throughout February (except during School Vacation Week). Create a Lego masterpiece using the Library's bricks. Space is on a first-come, first-served basis. One table per family or group, and social distancing is encouraged.

Mush--Let's Read! IditaREAD Winter Challenge

The IditaREAD Winter Reading Challenge continues through Fri., March 31.  Kids up to 6th grade can enter and log reading time and complete activity badges related to seasonal and timely topics for the chance to win one of three grand prizes, including a gift certificate for ice cream, a plush husky dog, and an Alaskan prize pack.

Use the Beanstack Reading Program site or download the free Beanstack Tracker app.

This program is generously supported by the Friends of the Middleborough Public Library.

Dianne: Lost Ticket by Freya Sampson (2022)

Strangers on a London bus unite to help an elderly man find his missed love connection in this heartwarming novel, named one of Amazon's Best Books for September.

When Libby Nicholls arrives in London, brokenhearted and with her life in tatters, the first person she meets on the bus is elderly Frank. He tells her about the time in 1962 that he met a girl on the number 88 bus with beautiful red hair just like hers. They made plans for a date at the National Gallery art museum, but Frank lost the bus ticket with her number on it. For the past 60 years, he’s ridden the same bus trying to find her, but with no luck.

This is a beautifully uplifting novel about how a shared common experience among strangers can transform lives in the most marvelous ways.

Stephanie: The Call of the Wild + Free by Ainsley Arment (2019)

This is an inspiring read about how to follow your child's interests to foster natural curiosity and wonder. It's chock full of ideas and summaries of different ways to explore and learn. If you're thinking about homeschooling or just need some ideas about how to develop a love of learning throughout life, this is a wonderful, rousing read.

A New Year Means New Features from OverDrive:

Notify Me

If you're searching for a book in Libby but no title is found in any of your libraries, Overdrive will present you with the title from a broader "deep" search of its entire catalog. If it's offered in the catalog but not owned by any of your libraries, a "notify me" button will appear. The first time you click on the button, the Libby app will walk you through the process. Click here for step-by-step instructions.

The "Notify Me" button doesn't guarantee that the title will be purchased, but if it is, you'll be notified with the option to borrow it or place a hold.