Closures:

Sundays - beginning May 7
Monday, May 29 - Memorial Day

Notices:
For those patrons who wish to continue pickup outside, go to 'Curbside' under Services on our website or contact the Circulation Desk at 781.275.9440 for details.

There will be no notary services available May 25 - June 10. Services will resume June 13.

ALL closings, whether planned (such as holidays) or unplanned (such as power outages, weather, etc.) are posted in the banner across the top of our website at https://bedfordlibrary.net/ 

Monday, May 1

7:00-8:30 pm

Are you new to board gaming and want to learn?
Are you a skilled gamer and want to find more people to play with?
Join us for games in the Reference Room - we'll have a selection of old favorites and new games to learn. 

Best for adults and teens at any skill level.

Virtual Program:
In The Newsroom With Nbc10boston/Necn's Susan Tran
Monday, May 15 
@ 5:00 pm ET

Meet Susan Tran, on-air reporter for NBC10Boston/NECN!

We'll be discussing how Susan got to where she is, her experiences in TV media, especially as an Asian American woman, and how local news impacts our perceptions of the world around us. Bring your questions, this is sure to be a fascinating and enlightening conversation!

Please register through Ashland Public Library.

(Note the time. Susan has to get up very early in the morning!)

Thursday, May 25
10:00 - 11:30 am
[Eastern Daylight Time-US & Canada)

Finding Jewish Records
From The Russian Empire
with Alan Shuchat

What records were kept of subjects in the Russian Empire?
What information was recorded?
What records still exist and how can they be found?
How can we learn where our ancestors lived and locate their records?
How can we deal with the language barrier?

We'll see examples from JewishGen, JRI-Poland, Ukrainian archives, FamilySearch, Ancestry and other sources on both sides of the Atlantic. We'll learn how we can combine various types of information to trace the history of a family!

Join the Zoom Meeting: ' data-src="https://mcusercontent.com/c16ee62c1b74be66d5f6ecec9/images/a98b5277-20cc-4b1d-f891-fda6398a87fa.jpeg" v:shapes="_x0000_s1026">
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85766307917?pwd=YXhMdGNyaURxSnBvbDJMU1grckc2UT09
Meeting ID: 857 6630 7917  -  Passcode: 616894

Alan Shuchat is Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at Wellesley College. He has researched his family’s history for several decades and traced branches back to around 1800. He has lectured on various aspects of Jewish genealogy and the Russian Empire, including shifting borders and the Pale of Settlement, locating Jewish records, and Jewish agricultural colonies. At the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston, he coordinates the Ukraine Special Interest Group and is an instructor in the annual genealogy course.

Get ready for the summer travel and play months. Get help with using apps or creating social media accounts before you leave town.

Patrons can book a half-hour appointment with our Head of Reference Services by contacting the Reference Desk at 781-275-9440 option 3. 

Just be sure to bring any needed passwords along with your device. 

Slots are available at: 7-7:30 pm / 7:30-8 pm / 8-8:30 pm

Mass Library Collaborative's 50+ Job Seekers Networking Group

This month's workshop topics  You can register for just one or both of this month's topics as well as register for the June's meetings.

Workshop 9:
Interview Preparation & Strategy
May 3 @ 9:30-11:30 am Register Here to attend the morning session. 
May 10 @ 6:00-8:00 pm Register Here to attend the evening session. 

Workshop 10:
Interview Practice
May 17 @ 9:30-11:30 am Register Here to attend the morning session. 
May 24 @ 6:00-8:00 pm Register Here to attend the evening session..

June Topics: 'Meet Hiring Employers' and 'Networking 2.0'

Facilitator: DEBORAH HOPE, MBA, PCIC, experienced executive career coach, certified in a variety of coaching models and assessment tools and has facilitated 50+ job seekers networking groups since 2016.

For Tweens & Teens

Tween/Teen Activity Group  [TAG]
Open to everyone in grades 6-12!

Join us in the 1st Floor Meeting Room after school

Wednesdays @ 1:00 pm
May 3, 10, 17 & 24

Join us in the 1st Floor Meeting Room

Drop in for snacks, crafts and games, and a comfortable place to hang out with your friends!

Note: NO TAG from May 31 through mid September.

Just For Kids

Murphy's Birthday Party!

Tuesday, May 23
4:00-4:45 PM

It's World Turtle Day - and that means it's time to celebrate Murphy's birthday!

Complete crafts, sign a birthday card for Murphy, enjoy a cupcake, and more.

All ages welcome - no registration necesary.

Celebration

Thursday, May 4
4:00-5:00 pm
Best for ages 5+.

Join us for a celebration of all things Star Wars on May the Fourth. Crafts, games, and jedi practice will all be involved.

No registration necessary. 

Music With Sarah

Saturday, May 6
10:30-11:00 AM

Sarah is back again this month with all the music and fun we love!  Join her in the meeting room for singing, dancing, and lots of music-making.

Fun for all ages.

No registration needed.

Wednesdays
May 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31
10:30-11:00 AM
Best for ages 0-6, all welcome

Join our Children's librarians for stories, songs, rhymes, shakers, scarves, and fun for all. 

No Registration Necessary

Monday, May 8
4:00-5:00 PM
Recommended for ages 4+

Join us for an afternoon of Lego Building! All Legos are provided, and have to remain here in the library. There will be a small amount of Duplos for younger siblings.

Homeschool Hangout

Tuesday, May 9 & 23
11:30-1:00 PM
All ages welcome.

Play games, complete crafts and get to know other homeschooling families in the area in these relaxed meetups.

No Registration Necessary

Sunflower Planting
Tuesday, May 9
3:30-4:30 PM

Children and families of all ages are invited to drop into the meeting room anytime between 3:30 - 4:30 pm to plant a small sunflower seed in a biodegradeable pot.

Take your pot home, watch it grow and when it's big enough, plant it (pot and all) in your yard. 

No registration necessary.

Friday
May 26
10:30-11:30 AM

Home school students are invited to join us as we read, discuss and complete activities with Miss Sue. Recommended for children ages 8-11.

May's book choice:
The Parker Inheritance
by Varian Johnson

The letter waits in a book, in a box, in an attic, in an old house in Lambert, South Carolina. It's waiting for Candice Miller.

Please Register

Marble Painting
Friday, May 5
4:00-5:00 PM
Best for ages 5+
Join our new Children's Librarian, Abigail, for a crafternoon activity: Painting with marbles!

This fun and somewhat messy technique creates a Jackson Pollock-esque masterpiece. Paint will be washable, but we always recommend clothes that can get dirty.

No registration required.

Mo Willems Storytime & Craft
Thursday, May 11
10:30-11:15 AM
Best for ages 3+

Join Miss Nicole for a special storytime filled with Mo Willems books, followed by a craft. No registration necessary.

Spring Card Making
Thursday, May 11
4:00-5:00 PM
All ages welcome
Join us in the meeting room for informal, drop-in card making. Say thank you to someone in your life, create a get well soon card, the possibilities are up to you! 

No registration necessary.

Giant Bubbles

Friday
May 26
4:00-4:45 PM
Best for ages 8 +

Make giant bubbles outside with Miss Abigail!

In this program you will experiment to see what combination of supplies make the best giant bubbles. Do different wands make better bubbles. Let's find out together!

No registration necessary.

Rain Date: Friday, MAY 2

Minecraft Pixel Art
Monday, May 15
4:30-5:15 PM
Best for ages 5+
Join Miss Nicole to create a Minecraft themed pixelated picture. There will be multiple character options to choose from.

No registration needed.

Fairy Houses & Doors
Monday, May 22
4:00-5:00 PM
All ages welcome
Join Miss Nicole for a fairy themed afternoon of crafts. You can choose to make and decorate a fairy house or a fairy door (great for younger children).

No registration required.

Parachute Storytime
Saturday, May 13
10:30-11 AM

Join us for a special outdoor storytime (weather permitting) with the parachute. Stories, rhymes, songs and parachute games.

All ages are welcome.

Friday, May 12
10:30-11:30 AM

Suitable for ages 0-6 years.

Sing, dance, and make merry noise in this guided exploration of music and movement for young children and their caregivers.

No Registration Necessary
Please dress comfortably!

Stories with
Miss Calico

Tuesday, May 16
11:30-Noon
Best for ages 3.5+

Join Children's Librarian, Abigail and her trusty companion, Miss Calico the cat for stories, rhymes and songs - all about cats!  

No registration necessary.

Preschool Science

Thursday, May 18
11:15-12:00 Noon
Best for ages 3 yrs+

Join Miss Nicole in the meeting room and explore various science related stations and activities.

Stay for five minutes or the whole 45, stay at one station or try them all. Your child can lead with this drop-in program.

No registration necessary.

Storytime With 
Miss Owl

Thursday,
May 25
4:30-4:45 Pm

Best for children 3.5 yrs & older

Join us for a special themed storytime. Miss Owl (children's librarian, Abigail) teaches kids through stories, songs and movements how to be the best owls they can be.

No registration necessary.

Mondays, May 1, 8, 15 & 22
10:00-11:00 AM
For children ages 3-6 with a caregiver. Younger siblings welcome.

Young children notice differences in people like skin color, hair type, eye shape, and the foods they eat and languages they speak. We adults can help them learn about these differences and try to prevent them from absorbing prejudiced ideas they may see or hear other places. In this group, we will read books together about skin color, race, culture, and the prejudice and discrimination associated with those traits and explore our own physical appearance and culture through play and art. Each week, families will also get to borrow a bag with books to read at home and tips for parents and/or activities related to the books. 

This group is facilitated by an Early Childhood Educator from First Connections, CFCE. This is a 10-week group with the same families meeting each week. 

Unless otherwise noted, Library programs are made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Bedford Free Public Library.
To become a 'friend', visit their website.

Full Calendar Of Programs

On Exhibit at the Library

In the Gallery:
Now through May 11, 2023

Next Exhibit: Thursday, May 10 - Wednesday, July 12, 2023

This series captures the beautiful design and science applied by global car manufacturers from 1885 thru 2020 including: Antique, Vintage, Classic, Modern through to current high-end performance models.

The public is invited to view the exhibit during regular library hours.

On the Community Art Wall
Located on the wall opposite the Children’s Room entrance

Anti-Idling Aw-Air-Ness

The Energy & Sustainability Committee collaborated with the Green Teams at Lane and JGMS to host an anti-idling art contest in an effort to promote awareness of the harmful impact of fossil fuels. In total, over 50 submissions were received. Lane winners were selected the week of March 13-17 and JGMS winners were selected the week of March 27-31. 

The Community Art Wall

Are you an emerging artist and interested in exhibiting artwork on the Community Art Wall?  We encourage students and amateur artists to apply. Generally, each exhibit is up for two months, though there is some flexibility in dates. All work submitted must be original and not previously shown at the Bedford Free Public Library. If you are interested in showing your work, please contact Library Director Richard Callaghan at [email protected] or call 781-275-9440.