Wednesday, October 9 at 6:30pm.

Sebastian Privitera, Methuen native (known to his friends as Subby), creates the most wonderful works of art at our local seashore.

If you have been on the coast of New Hampshire or Maine, you may have seen some of his creations, pieces of art that only last for hours.

He will be with us to talk about how he began, his process, design choices and passion for the work.

Thursday, October 24 at 6:30pm

Join us as Siobhan McDonough, Northeast Legal Aid Staff Attorney, talks about the laws in Mass regarding LGBTQ+ rights as well as the organization’s ability to assist transgender clients with changing their legal name & updating identity documents like social security cards, state IDs, driver’s licenses, etc.

This program is designed for adults and teens aged 16 and over.

Saturday, October 26 from 10am - 12pm

Do you have craft supplies you no longer need? Want to start a new hobby without investing money? Come by our Community Art Supply Swap and exchange items for something new to try.  

Pass along supplies, grab some for free, and keep them out of the landfill!

No registration required. But, please visit the link below for some important guidelines about the swap.

We have two awesome Zoom programs for adults coming in October. You can register for these programs via the links below, and you will be emailed the Zoom link ahead of the program.

First up, Thursday October 10 at 7pm, join us virtually as we chat with author Madeline Martin about her newest release, "The Booklover's Library", as well as several of her other book-related novels such as "The Librarian Spy", etc. We hope you can join us for this fun and fascinating conversation.

Then on Wednesday, October 16 at 7pm, join us as author and journalist Sam Baltrusis takes us on a bone-chilling journey through the streets of Sleepy Hollow as he breathes new life into the legendary village’s long-departed souls. 

Finally on Thursday, October 24 at 1pm, join us as retired Captain Greg Ketchen discusses historic shipwrecks that have occurred south and east of Massachusetts.

Learn about the region that has been called the Graveyard of the North Atlantic with over 3,000 wrecks here since European sailors first began exploring the shores of the western Atlantic.

Summer is just barely still hanging on in the Merrimack Valley, and so is the Farmers Market. The Nevins Library is proud to host the Methuen Farmers Market every Friday on the front lawn from 10am to 4pm.

Come and shop fresh produce from local farmers!  All the farmers accept SNAP/EBT/food stamps as well as debit, credit, and cash; GroundWorks Lawrence market coupons, WIC, and senior farmers market coupons are also welcome.

And this year, thanks to a grant from the Mass Cultural Council, everyone is invited to enjoy Music at the Market as well. All performances are 11am-1pm, unless otherwise noted.

The musical lineup for October is:

• Oct 4 - Kirk Baker - Acoustic guitar and voice playing original songs and popular favorites
• Oct 11 - JOE PETE is 3'n1 - Roots Rock Jams, blues, country, rockabilly, Cajun/zydeco, originals. (And playing until 2pm!!)

We’re settling into our school-year routine now, enjoying our variety of storytimes, book groups, and programs for kids of all ages, but we also have some special programs to offer this month. First and foremost, we are so excited to welcome award-winning author and illustrator Raúl the Third to the library for a special appearance! Known for his Vamos! picture books, El Toro & Friends early readers, Coco Rocho board books, and his illustrations for Stuntboy and the Lowrider series, Raúl the Third is an incredibly versatile talent who enjoys sharing ideas with kids – please join us as he talks about his books, how he works, what he reads, and more!

Other special events this month include an offsite bilingual program at the Methuen Music Hall, where stories by Mo Willems will be read aloud and set to music – sure to be an innovative way to enjoy Willems’ popular work! And we’ll be offering another entertaining bilingual event, as well, when storytellers Esther Gomez and Karina Liendo return to the library with a sweet story, “I Remember Abuelito,” in honor of the Day of the Dead holiday. Last but not least, you won’t want to miss our “Rhythms of the Tropics” workshop for ages 8 and up, a hands-on exploration of the rich percussion heritage of Afro-Caribbean music.

October brings special Halloween programs, as well! Once again this year we’ll have a “Haunted Woods” event, where kids can take a tour through our spooky woods and enjoy Halloween games and crafts. (Some parts of the program will be scarier than others, for kids who enjoy different levels of spookiness.) And your littlest ones won’t want to miss our annual “Halloween Happenings” program – dress up your kids in their costumes, and bring them to the library for Halloween stories and trick-or-treating throughout the building! 

Parents also get a special event this month: a workshop on identifying and coping with children’s anxiety (for parents of children 2-12). Led by Ashley Abesamra, a Licensed Mental Health Clinician, this discussion will help parents acquire tools to help them navigate these challenges with their child. 

Keep an eye on the Youth Services calendar and Facebook page to check the dates for these programs and to learn the latest about upcoming programs, fundraisers, and special events – there’s always something interesting going on! 

Happy October, and Happy Reading!