Note from the Director

Last week, our Library joined many libraries in the nation to observe National Library week. This year’s theme was Share Your Story. During this week we celebrated by offering fine amnesty to our patrons, and also created a wall for patrons to share their library story. The fine amnesty event was a huge success where 172 patrons returned 541 materials for a total of $1,665.36 in fines forgiven. We were also delighted to have so many adults, teens, and kids share their library story, both on our wall and during our pizza party. To top off the week, the Friends of the Haverford Township Free Library had a great turn out, with 49 orders for their Taco Tuesday fundraiser with Moe’s Southwest Grill this past Tuesday. Thank you for supporting the Friends, which in turn, supports the Library.

May is Mental Health Awareness month and the Library is providing many essential resources to educate and bring awareness around this important topic. The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) cites that 1 in 5 Americans experience mental illness and 17% of youth ages 6-17 experience a mental health disorder. These statistics have only risen since the Pandemic. The Library has resources for all ages around Mental Health. On our first floor we have a “Mental Health Self” display that contains information about mental health issues and local resources. Throughout the Library we have books and other materials for adults, teens, and children that cover topics ranging from attaining happiness to depression and anxiety to overcoming grief. Check out our displays all over the library that highlight these collections during May.

This past Tuesday the Library hosted the program Challenging Stigma: Helping Friends and Families Understand Addiction. This event drew over 30 people for an important conversation about addiction and how families can support their loved one who is suffering from substance abuse disorder in a healthy way. We are also offering Teen Meditation Yoga on Mondays in May and Self Care Bingo for adults and teens through May 31. Stop by either the Reference Desk or the Youth Services Desk for more information.

We hope you are enjoying the beautiful May weather and we hope to see you at the Library soon!

Warm Regards,



Sukrit Goswami, Library Director

Annual Association Meeting

Wednesday, May 17 - 7:00 pm

Community Room

Join us for the Annual Association Meeting of the Haverford Township Free Library on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 beginning at 7pm. The Vice President of the Board of Trustees will give a report on the state of the Library.

Pre-registration is not required, and all residents are invited to attend in person. 

For additional information on the Library Board of Trustees, check out our web page on Board of Trustees & Governance.

Teen Summer Volunteer Program

Application Deadline: May 26

The Haverford Township Free Library is welcoming teen volunteers to apply for the Summer Volunteer Program. Applications are available on the website or by stopping by the front circulation desk. The application deadline is May 26th. The program will run for 6 weeks from June 20-July 24. To apply you must be 13 years or older, be available to volunteer at least twice weekly in June-July, and available to attend Teen Volunteer Training.

Complete a Teen Volunteer Application, signed by your parent or guardian if you are under 18. Click here for the application.

Self Care Bingo is Back!

Monday, May 1 - Wednesday, May 31

For Tweens, Teens, and Adults

To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, we are playing Self Care Bingo all month. Pick up a bingo card at the Youth Services Desk or the Reference Desk. Get a complete card (all squares) and be entered into a raffle for a basket of prizes to help you relax and take care of yourself!

Teen Mindful Yoga

Mondays in May, 5/15 & 5/22 (No yoga on Memorial Day)

5:00 - 6:00 pm

Community Room

Teen Yoga is back for Mental Health Awareness Month! Experience how yoga and meditation can help decrease stress and anxiety, create calmness, and improve your mood! Teens of all experience levels are encouraged to attend. Led by local registered yoga instructor, Lisa Palumbi. Mats are provided. Please wear or bring appropriate attire.

Space is limited! Registration required. To register, click here.

Cinema in the Park: Student Filmmakers Showcase

Friday, May 19 - 8:00 - 10:00 pm

Merwood Park

Join us at Merwood Park to showcase the amazing talent of student filmmakers in our community. Produced by Off the Script Films, the shorts that will be shown are: Reverie, Retrograde, Fall For Me Too, Martyrs, The Law Of Entropy, and The Report.

Off the Script Films is a a non profit production company that strives to bring the reality of hands-on filmmaking to students. They are dedicated to helping young creatives explore their talents and showcase their projects by providing the resources and support they need to pursue their filmmaking interests. For more about OTS, check out their website at www.offthescriptfilms.org.



The screening is free and open to the public.

HTFL Writing Group

1st Monday of the Month, next meeting Monday, June 5 - 7:00 pm

Community Room

Are you a writer who is tired of creating alone? Do you need some extra support in your work and want to share it with others? Do you just need to brainstorm ideas with other artists on some aspect of your writing? Come join Reference Librarian Mandy Folwell in our writer's group here at HTFL. Bring something you would like to share, or whatever you are working on, to discuss it in our monthly writer's group. Here we will support each other, share criticism, and offer advice.

Essays, Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, all are welcome. To register, email Mandy Folwell, folwell@haverfordlibrary.org.

Adult Calendar

Tuesday, May 16

7:00 pm - Books on Tap (The Crossbar, 2225 Darby Rd.)*

Wednesday, May 17

2:00 pm - Great Courses - 12 Women Who Shaped America 1619 - 1920 (Zoom)*

7:00 pm - Annual Association Meeting In-person (Community Room)

Thursday, May 18

11:00 am - Cookies and Mystery (Board Room)

Friday, May 19

10:00 am - Tea and Stitch (Community Room)

8:00 pm - Cinema in the Park: Student Cinema Showcase (Merwood Park, Wynnefield Dr.)

Monday, May 22

7:00 pm - Hooked on History (Zoom)*

7:00pm - Regular Monthly Board Meeting (Zoom)*

Tuesday, May 23

7:00 pm - Reading a Round (Zoom)*

Wednesday, May 24

2:00 pm - Great Courses - 12 Women Who Shaped America 1619 - 1920 (Zoom)*

7:00 pm - Non Fiction Books Group - (Community Room)*

Thursday, May 25

2:00 pm - Quilting Group (Community Room)

Friday, May 26

10:00 am - Tea and Stitch (Community Room)

*Registration Required

Youth Services Department Highlights

Storytime Under the Trees

Mondays and Thursdays, 10:30 am

Haverford Township Parks

May 1 - October 30

Click here to find locations and addresses.

Join Haverford Library Children’s Librarians Mondays and Thursdays from 10:30am-11am for outdoor, in-person Circle Time Storytimes in local Havertown parks! 

Weather permitting. Registration is not required.

Haverford College Climbing Tree Storytime

Tuesday, May 30 - 10:30 am

Join us for a delightful time of books and songs! This outdoor, in-person storytime will be held once a month during the summer at the Haverford College campus in front of the climbing tree (N 40° 00.534 W 075° 18.482) from 10:30am-11am. This storytime will be in lieu of Babies & Books and is tailored to children ages 0 to 5.

Weather permitting. Registration is not required.

Teen Reading Lounge

Tuesdays, biweekly, next meeting May 16

5:00 - 6:30 pm

The Hub

Teen Reading Lounge is an award-winning, unconventional book club for teens ages 12-18. Unlike regular teen book clubs, teens take the lead in selecting the books we read, steering the discussions, and design projects that connect themes in their selections to tangible action in their communities.



We're focusing on teen mental health for May Mental Health Awareness Month. Join us for a free copy of the book of the month and to help design a community service project!

Regular TRL meetings will be held biweekly Tuesday nights at 5:00-6:30 PM.

Registration required. To register, click here.

Teen Reading Lounge is a program of PA Humanities, the Federal-State Partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, developed in part by federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds administered by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries.

Children's Calendar

Monday, May 15

10:30 am - Storytime Under the Trees - Vets Park (1002 Darby Rd.)

4:15 pm - Children's Art Club (The Hub)*

5:00 pm - Teen Mindful Yoga (Community Room)*

Tuesday, May 16

11:30 am - Babies and Books (The Hub)*

4:15 pm - LEGO® Club (The Hub)*

5:00 pm - Teen Reading Lounge

(The Hub)*

Wednesday, May 17

2:30 pm - Teen Art Club (The Hub)

4:15 pm - Preschool Storytime Craft (The Hub)*

7:00 pm - Annual Association Meeting (Community Room)

Thursday, May 18

10:30 am - Storytime Under the Trees - Westgate Park (301 Oxford Hill Ln)

Friday, May 19

10:30 am - Toddler Storytime (The Hub)*





Monday, May 22

10:30 am - Storytime Under the Trees - Westgate Park (301 Oxford Hill Ln)

4:15 pm - Children's Art Club (The Hub)*

5:00 pm - Teen Mindful Yoga (Community Room)*

Tuesday, May 23

11:30 am - Babies and Books (The Hub)*

4:15 pm - LEGO® Club (The Hub)*

Wednesday, May 24

2:30 pm - Teen Art Club (The Hub)

4:15 pm - Preschool Storytime Craft (The Hub)*

Thursday, May 25

10:30 am - Storytime Under the Trees - Grange Park, 599 Cumberland Road

Friday, May 26

10:30 am - Toddler Storytime (The Hub)*

*Registration Required

Spring Fling at Paddock Park

Saturday, May 13, 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Paddock Park (214 W. Hillcrest Ave)

Paddock Farms Civic Association

Join the Paddock Farms Civic Association for an afternoon of garden education and a plant/item swap!  

Plant Roots will be sharing their knowledge and passion about planting! This event is geared more toward adults, but they will have a few kids' activities as well.

Items you can bring to swap: plants, seeds, cuttings, extra tools, planting containers, garden trellises, garden art, gardening magazines and books etc. Please label your offerings so others know what they’d be swapping for. Click here for more information.