Book Seller and Appraiser Ken Gloss Returns

Kenneth Gloss, antiquarian bookseller, guest appraiser for "Antiques Roadshow," and proprietor of the internationally known Brattle Book Shop in Boston, returns for a program and book appraisal event on Wed., Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m. Ken will discuss the value of old and rare books and, following the talk and Q&A session, will give free verbal appraisals of books participants have on hand or will do so at his shop in Boston at a later scheduled date.

Ken, a rare book specialist and appraiser who is frequently seen on national TV, will talk in part about the history of his historic bookshop which goes back to circa 1825. He'll discuss growing up in the book business, show some of his favorite finds while enjoying “the thrill of the hunt,” and explain how he appraises books and manuscripts.

Yankee Magazine Editor's Choice Award for Best of New England, the Brattle Book Shop is one of America’s oldest and largest antiquarian bookstores. This year marks the 74th year of Gloss family ownership, as Ken succeeded his late father, George Gloss, a well-known figure both in Boston and national antiquarian circles. He had worked in the store since childhood and chose to go into the book business rather than pursue a doctorate in chemistry. He became the sole proprietor upon his father's death in 1985. "I found that books were in my blood and that I would never be really happy if I abandoned the business."

Registration is required so call 508/946-2470 or email Reference/Adult Services Librarian Libby Fox.

Sourdough Brandon Visits the Library

Curious about who or what Sourdough Brandon is?

On Wed., Sept. 27 at 6:30 p.m., Brandon Cochran, better known as Sourdough Brandon, will visit the library to teach you how to make, maintain, and store a sourdough starter.

Brandon, an expert sourdough baker and food blogger, will provide you with with many tips and tricks on how to keep your sourdough starter active and what to make with your starter. You'll even leave with some free sourdough starter.

Registration is required as space is limited. Call 508/946-2470 or email Reference/Adult Services Librarian Libby Fox.

Thanks to the Friends of the Middleborough Public Library for funding this program.

Next Up in Our Virtual Author Talk Series

Our new virtual author talk series features bestselling, award-winning, and highly acclaimed authors from around the world, covering a wide range of fiction and nonfiction genres in one-hour-long programs.

Register for upcoming events here, and submit your questions for the author, or you can watch here at any time, any of the previous programs archived up to a year back.

Life, Love, Family, and Food: An Author Talk with Lidia Bastianich, Thurs., Sept. 7, 7:00 p.m.

You’re invited to an intimate evening with award-winning television host and bestselling author Lidia Bastianich as she talks about her memoir My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food. 

Born in Pula, on the Istrian peninsula, Lidia grew up surrounded by love and security, learning the art of Italian cooking from her beloved grandmother. But when a communist regime annexed Istria, Lidia’s family fled to Trieste, where they spent two years in a refugee camp waiting for visas to enter the US.

When she finally arrived in New York, Lidia soon began working in restaurants, the first step leading to her becoming one of the most revered chefs and businesswomen in the country.

Heartwarming, deeply personal, and powerfully inspiring, My American Dream is the story of Lidia’s close-knit family and her dedication and endless passion for food.

As a special bonus (and pre-release!) Lidia will preview and chat about her newest cookbook Lidia's: From Our Family Table to Yours. In this inviting, deeply personal new cookbook, she shares the dishes she cooks for those she loves the most. Bringing together more than 100 delicious, flavorful, and easy-to-make Italian recipes, this new book is a celebration of the dishes Lidia’s family turns to over and over—and yours will, too.

Lidia Bastianich is the author of 15 previous cookbooks and is the Emmy Award-winning host of "Lidia’s Kitchen."

Register here.

How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most: An Author Talk with Adam Alter, Wed., Sept. 20, 2:00 p.m.

Join us as we chat with New York Times bestselling author Adam Alter about his new book. Almost everyone feels stuck in some way. Whether you’re muddling through a midlife crisis, wrestling with writer’s block, trapped in a thankless job, or trying to remedy a fraying friendship, the resulting emotion is usually a mix of anxiety, uncertainty, fear, anger, and numbness. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Anatomy of a Breakthrough is the roadmap we all need to escape our inertia and flourish in the face of friction.

The solution to becoming unstuck rests on a process that Alter calls a friction audit—a systematic procedure that uncovers why a person or organization is stuck and then suggests a path to progress. The friction audit states that people and organizations get unstuck when they overcome three sources of friction: HEART (unhelpful emotions); HEAD (unhelpful patterns of thought); and HABIT (unhelpful behaviors).



Artfully weaving together scientific studies, anecdotes, and interviews, Alter teaches us that getting stuck is a feature rather than a glitch on the road to thriving, but with the right tweaks and corrections, we can reach even our loftiest targets.

Register here.

Learn How to Play Pokemon with

One Up Games

Kids ages eight and up are invited to sign up for this three-hour program to learn how to play Pokemon, the card game, on Sat., Sept. 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. One Up Games will be leading the instruction and everyone who participates will go home with a structure deck and playing mat. (Grown ups also are welcome to learn along with their Pokemon players.) 

There's a limited number of spaces available for this program so please register by calling the Library at 508/946-2470.

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

Clark the Shark Series for 3-5 Year Olds

Join Carol Carver for her new "Clark the Shark" Series. This four-week, fun-filled story time get-together for preschoolers will meet at 10:30 a.m. on consecutive Mondays starting September 11 and running through October 2.

It will touch base on the social-emotional skills of friendship, sharing, fears, and more.  Clark the Shark will surely become a friend whom we'll learn lessons from each week. Best for kids ages 3-5 and their families. Register by emailing Carol.



This program is brought to you by Self Help Inc. Coordinated Family Community Engagement.

Little Explorers

Preschoolers and their caregivers are invited to sign up for a STEAM Storytime (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) on Thurs., Sept. 21 at 2:00 p.m.

Each Little Explorers will feature a story and group activity followed by stations of hands-on learning. Best for ages 3-6 and their caregivers. Siblings are welcome. This month's theme is apples, and real apples will be part of the program.  

Space is limited. Register by calling the library at 508/946-2470 or emailing Children's Librarian Miss Amanda.



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

Costume Swap

It's time to dig out those outgrown holiday costumes and sort through the dress-up clothes. Let's recycle and reuse while saving money this season. Donate any clean, gently used costumes and accessories before Mon., Oct 2 and get a ticket to shop the Sat., Oct. 14 swap early. Donations can be brought to the Children's room in the lower level of the Library.

Find something new-to-you for the upcoming holiday or just for dress up fun! No donation is necessary to come and shop the swap. We'll have music, games and other festive activities to enjoy during the event.

10:00 to 10:30 a.m.:  Preview party for all those who donated items towards the swap. Bring your tickets.

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Public hours for the swap. 

If you have any questions, please call Amanda Meyer at 508/946-2470 or email her.

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

Sharebrary Item of the Week: Microscope

Sharebrary: Borrow. Try. Experience.

School's back in session (already?) so maybe it's time to brush up on some of those science skills with our microscope.



In addition to the scope, the padded carrying case includes instructions, lens tissues, one 1 WF10X lens, one WF16X lens, and one 2X lens, a box of 12 prepared slides, and a power adapter.

The microscope is one of 40 different items we have in our Sharebrary collection. Check them all out!