Happy National Library Card Signup Month!

In this Newsletter: National Library Card Sign up month, August stats, Expansion Update, Upcoming Programs, and more!

SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Please take the Long Range Planning survey, online at bit.ly/LRP2025, to assess community needs, which helps us define library roles and service proirities for the next five years.

We added 688 new materials in August! Sign up for Wowbrary to get a weekly email update of new titles. Still not sure what to read next? Call 508-839-4649 for Reader's Advisory assistance, Mon-Sat 10am-4pm. We are happy to take requests for specific titles or put together a mystery bag of items to delight and entertain based on age/interests.

We welcome your requests and questions by phone, email or Facebook messenger.

The Library answered 579 reference questions in August and completed 690 no-contact curbside pickups to 396 unique patrons, circulating a total of 2,793 physical items and 22 museum passes. Library cardholders can now reserve museum passes after contacting the museum to schedule a visit.

Digital materials have no late fees and no quarantines! In August, we circulated 6,712 digital items and launched two new databases. Check out FREEGAL to stream 3 hours of music per day and 3 downloads/week--to keep--from a database of 16 million songs and COMICSPLUS to read and stream graphic novels and comics for all ages - no holds, no wait, over 20,000 titles always available.

We continue to adjust quarantine time periods for delivery items and returned materials as we get new information from Institute of Museum and Library Services -- at this time, we are quarantining for 7 days, so be aware items may remain on your account after returning, and we check items in on Amnesty Mode, forgiving any fines. The Board of Library Trustees voted to waive fines for overdue materials through September 30. Please donate to the Grafton Food Bank instead.

Not sure what to read next? Sign up for WOWBrary for a weekly newsletter with links to new digital and physical items, or check out what's new in the Grafton catalog.

September is National Library Card Month! We are thrilled to announce our new card design, which has a keytag AND card option with the same barcode. Replacement cards are FREE all month, and we are debuting a new design that is a combination key tag/card with the same barcode number. Sign up for a free card online.

Beth Gallaway,

Library Director

Expansion Update

Steel framing is complete, concrete foundations poured, and walls and windows are coming soon!

Check out construction photos in albums on our Facebook Page:

Construction

Excavation

Upcoming Library Planning & Building Committee Meetings:

Library Planning and Building Committee

Mon Oct 5, 2020 6 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81759881407?pwd=MlhlM1lYckh2c3hxOFJZbVEveU51Zz09

Meeting ID: 817 5988 1407

Passcode: 430234

One tap mobile

+16465588656,,81759881407#,,,,,,0#,,430234# US (New York)

Agenda & Minutes: https://www.grafton-ma.gov/library-planning-building-committee

New Beanstack Reading Challenges

Visit graftonlibrary.beanstack.com to participate.

2020 Virtual Summer Reading Program

Take our

end of summer survey!

Survey open to all Grafton residents and Grafton library users, participation in our summer reading program is not required.

Winter Reading Program Wrap Up

"Recent events must be taken into account. And I have a few last minute points to award." - Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

We've had a chance to count up the points for the House Cup and Gryffindor won!

If you are in Gryffindor and would like to receive the House Cup winner badge or due to COVID-19, were unable to pick up badges that you earned, fill out this survey. We will contact you when your badges are ready to pick up.

Upcoming LIVE Virtual Events

Virtual Program: G.U.M. Grafton Ukulele Musicians

TONIGHT! Thursday, Sep 10

6:30-8 PM

Online via Zoom

Virtual Book Discussion: Not Just for Young Adults Book Group

Monday, Sep 14

7:30-8:30 PM

Online via Slack

Virtual Book Discussion: Daytimers' Book Group

Tuesday, Sep 15

1:30-2:30 PM

Online via Slack

Virtual Book Discussion: GPL Mystery Book Group

Tuesday, Sep 15

7:30-8:30 PM

Online via Slack

Virtual Book Discussion: Reads Well With Others Book Group

Monday, Sep 28

7:30-8:30 PM

Online via Slack

Virtual Book Discussion: Inspirational Book Group

Monday, Sep 14

7:30-8:30 PM

Online via Slack

Where are the programs for kids?

Typically the Children's Room starts programs in mid September, but with school pushing the start date back to September 16, we have decided to move our programming back to October to allow families a chance to transition to their new schedule. We are working on lots of fun for October!

In the meantime, check out our coloring pages (new fall designs added), our Fall Into a Good Book Reading Challenge on Beanstack, and our at home learning resources.

See all of our upcoming LIVE and PASSIVE PROGRAM events:

GPL Event Calendar

See what's happening around town:

Grafton Community Calendar

Teen DIY Program in a Bag

Grafton teens in grades 6-12 can fill out the form here to put your own program together.

Introducing ComicsPLUS

Comic Book, Manga, and Graphic Novel Lovers Rejoice!

With your Grafton Public Library card you can now access 20,000 comics, graphic novels and manga, with no holds or wait time! Your LibraryPass includes popular titles for all age ranges and interests, like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Big Nate, Bone, How to Draw Manga, Kirby, March, My Little Pony, Stranger Things, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, from publishers like Disney, TokyoPop and Dark Horse. Log in with your library card barcode and PIN to access 24/7. Download the app through iTunes or Google Play and start reading now!

Featured Databases

Grab your card and head to: http://ezcw.ez.cwmars.org:5400/menu

Teen Resource Center

This resource for teens provides introductory information on the full range of topics (including COVID-19) that may be interesting or important to teens, including health and wellness, finances, education, voting, driving, substance use/abuse, sex and sexuality, and more.

Access now!

Learning Resources

Stay Busy at Home

We've compiled a list of resources for students to stay busy and learn at home: virtual storytimes, books, virtual tours, learning websites and more!

Check back frequently as we are always updating the page with new resources.

A special resource page for adults is also available.

OverDrive

Digital eBooks, eAudio, and eMagazines - subscribe to our Wowbrary Newsletter to get a weekly email with new ebook purchases that you can check out or place on hold.