Grafton Public Library

Library Updates

CANCELLED: TeenHalloween/Day of the Dead Party

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Due to low enrollment, we have cancelled this session.

Celebrate Halloween and the Day of the Dead together! Enjoy snacks while watching the movie, Hocus Pocus (PG). Missed our Day of the Dead Skull Shirt program? This is your second chance! Just bring a plain shirt or tote bag (colored will be best) with you.

Please register by calling 508-839-4649 or email acusher@cwmars.org.

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Writing Workshop: What’s in the Trash?

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Participants, ages 9-12, will have the opportunity to pick through a “stranger’s” trashcan (no smelly banana peels – promise!) Piecing together crumpled letters, movie ticket stubs, and a slew of other items, they will use those scraps to write a short script or piece of fiction about the character they’ve glimpsed.
The first 12 participants to register will receive a free copy of Jen Malone’s book: At Your Service.

Jen Malone writes books for tweens and teens. Her debut At Your Service published with Simon & Schuster/Aladdin MIX in 2014 and her new series, RSVP (Simon & Schuster), co-written with Gail Nall, launches with Book #1 in 2015. She has three young adult titles forthcoming with HarperCollins, beginning with Map to the Stars in Summer 2015. Jen lives outside Boston with her husband and three children, teaches at Boston University, loves school visits, and has a “thing” for cute hedgehog pictures. You can learn more about her and her books at www.jenmalonewrites.com.

Please register for the program by calling 508-839-4649 or emailing graftonlibrary.ma@gmail.com

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Pumpkin decorating, Spooky Stories, Scarecrows and more!

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Check out our Event Calendar for all these upcoming Fall fun programs!

  • Mini-Pumpkin Decorating, Saturday October 25th 12-4 pm: For all ages. Just bring your imagination, pumpkins and decorating supplies will be provided.
  •  Build-a-Scarecrow Day, Saturday October 25th, 9 am-12 noon on the Grafton Common: Hosted by Grafton Recreation, stakes, twine and hay will be provided.
  • Teen Program – Day of the Dead Skull T-shirts, Monday October 27th 6:30 pm: The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated at the end of October and beginning of November. Get in the spirit early by hand sewing a Day of the Dead skull onto a t-shirt! Please bring a plain shirt or tote bag, all other supplies will be provided.
  • Spooky Stories Storytime, Wednesday October 29th 6:30 pm: A family friendly program open to all ages. Spooktacular stories, ghoulish goodies, and fun! Costumes are encouraged!
  • Teen Program – Halloween/Day of the Dead Party, Saturday November 1st 6:00 pm: Celebrate Halloween and the Day of the Dead together! Enjoy snacks while watching the movie Hocus Pocus.

For more details or to register for the Teen programs, please contact the Library at 508-839-4649 or by email at graftonlibrary.ma@gmail.com

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“Welcome to the Graveyard!” The Gravestone Girls present a virtual tour of Grafton Cemeteries

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Cemetery educators, The Gravestone Girls, whose mission is to “Keep Our Dead Alive”, will be presenting a virtual tour, called “Welcome to the Graveyard”, centered on Grafton’s eight local cemeteries at the Grafton Public Library (35 Grafton Common), Tuesday, October 21st at 7pm. The 90 minute presentation is built on photographs recently taken in these special and interesting burying places around Grafton, which was founded in 1735, and charts the evolution of cemeteries and gravestones from the colonial era into the 21st century.
This is a popular program that has been given around the New England area by The Gravestone Girls for almost fifteen years. The group regularly works with libraries, historical societies and genealogical groups, among others, to teach about “the art, symbolism and history of these living history museums located on everyone’s mainstreets and backyards” says Ms. Sullivan, one in the group of three cemetery enthusiasts. She further added “Almost everyone is interested in these peaceful and beautiful spaces, but may be hesitant to say so to others. Our presentation lets you know you’re not the only one. Come see what we do, we fill the room every time!”

For a detailed calendar of this and other Gravestone Girls events please visit www.GravestoneGirls.com Further information can also be found on the library’s website at http://www.graftonpubliclibrary.org

The Gravestone Girls not only provide interesting historical cemetery presentations, they also create beautiful and unusual sculpted art pieces using the primitive art from the faces of original New England gravestones as well as teach gravestone rubbing classes and lead cemetery tours. Their gravestone art is shown regularly at art and craft festivals. Often commissioned for documentation and fundraising projects utilizing special aspects of important cemeteries and gravestones, they have executed these public and private projects for clients nationwide.

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Books & Authors: October Database of the Month

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Books & Authors helps you figure out what to read next, with themed booklists, browsing by Character, Subject, Location and Time Period. Search for an author to get a list of all their books, browse by genre for new and upcoming titles, and search for a title you love to get recommendations for readalikes!

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Review: I Hunt Killers series by Barry Lyga

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For Teen Read Week 2014, I want to share my favorite new teen series: the I Hunter Killers trilogy (also referred to as the Jasper Dent series) by Barry Lyga. The series consists of I Hunt Killers, Game, and the newly published, Blood of My Blood.

What if the world’s worst serial killer… was your father? Jasper (Jazz) Dent is a likeable teenager. A real charmer. But he’s also the son of the world’s most infamous serial killer. And now, even though Dad has been in jail for years, bodies are piling up again. In an effort to prove murder doesn’t run in the family, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for this new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret — could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

Book reviewer Blake Norby describes I Hunt Killers best: “Lyga brilliantly combines the feel of a true crime story with mystery, adventure, and psychoanalysis in this intense story of a different kind of family bond. It is a classic “whodunit” with the added intrigue of describing murders in great detail while not becoming overly gruesome, as well as the police work involved in solving the crime, so it feels like a true crime novel instead of fiction. The characters are especially believable, and the reader will be drawn in by their motivations and actions. Jazz’s inner struggle to understand his compulsions to both save and hurt people will captivate readers into wanting to know which path he will ultimately choose.”

I highly recommend this series to mature readers who enjoy mysteries and thrillers. If you are a fan of CSI, Dexter or learning about serial killers, you should try this series – it’s not just for young adults! I also strongly recommend that you have the third book in hand when you finish reading the second book because it’s a cliffhanger!

Ready to read? Place a hold or download below!

Book 1:

Request I Hunt Killers in print

Request I Hunt Killers on Audio CD

Download I Hunt Killers on eAudio

Book 2:

Request Game in print

Request Game on Audio CD

Book 3:

Request Blood of My Blood in print

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Children’s Room News:

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The December (yes, December!) Calendar is ready! As always, check our EVENTS Calendar for a listing of programs but we wanted to highlight some upcoming Children’s Room activities:

December 1st will bring Sugarplum, our Library Elf, for her annual visit. She likes to do different activities every day and children are invited to come in and find her and complete their elf card. Collect 5 stickers on the card and then pick from our prize bin!

Write your letter to Santa at the Library – supplies and mailbox provided!

Make the Library one of your stops on December 7th during Grafton Celebrates the Holidays. We’ll have crafts, stories, Storywalk plus a holiday concert with David Polansky at 3:30 p.m. – Library open from 1-4:30

Celebrate Harry Potter Month and join us December 26th at 1 p.m.for a viewer’s choice screening of one of the Harry Potter movies. Please note, some movies are rated PG or PG-13 and may be inappropriate for very young children.

Ring in 2015 with GPL at our New Years Eve at Noon Party on December 31st at 11:30 a.m. We’ll have music, bubbles, and a special countdown at noon!

Be sure to stop by during school vacation week to make a special winter craft, play a board game, or have a go at a Minute-to-Win-it challenge.

ALSO this month:
Once Upon a Storytime at the Willard House – December 3rd at 2:30 p.m. Please call 508-839-3500 to register.

First Fridays with Mr. Kim, Music and Movement Program for Preschoolers – December 5th at 10 a.m. Registration opens on November 28th.

Storytimes resume the week of December 15th with PreK STEM Storytime at Unibank, Library Babies, Toddler Time, and Preschool Storytime. Please see the Events Calendar for the details.

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Teen Read Week October 12-18th

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Teen Read Week is a time to celebrate reading for fun and a time for taking advantage of reading in all its forms —books, magazines, e-books, audio books and more! The Grafton Public Library celebrates Teen Read Week™ (October 12-18, 2014) with the theme Turn Dreams into Reality @ your library and will celebrate with special events and programs:
• Wed. October 15th at 7pm – Dream Interpretation Workshop: Join dream interpreter Loralee Dubeau to explore types of dreams, why we dream, tips to remember dreams and beginner dream interpretation
• Thur. October 16th at 6:30pm – Soul Surfer Movie Night: This is the inspiring true story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton who lost her left arm in a shark attack and courageously overcame all odds to become a champion again. This movie is rated PG. Snacks will be served.
• Fri. October 17th at 3:30pm – Journal Decorating: Whether you want a dream journal or it’s your dream to be a writer, this program allows you to customize your own notebook. All supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring your own photos.
These programs are for teens in grades 6-12. Sign up in the library or by emailing the teen librarian.
Teen Read Week is a national adolescent literacy initiative created by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association. It is held annually during the third week of October. For more information, visit http://teenreadweek.ning.com/.

For more details or to register for a program, please contact Allison Cusher, Teen Librarian, at 508-839-4649 or by email acusher@cwmars.org

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Grafton High School Yearbook Archive now Online

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The Grafton Public Library, in partnership with Grafton High School, has digitized a collection of Grafton High School yearbooks. To view the complete scanned editions for 1952-2013, please visit the online archive. Additionally, the 1940 yearbook has been scanned as well.

Yearbooks are scanned in full color from 1980 on and can be read in a variety of formats on a computer, smartphone, or Kindle. The full page scans are not currently searchable; volunteers are needed to index the contents (i.e. enter the names of the students). GHS graduates with yearbooks dating from 1941-1951, or prior to 1940, are invited to loan their yearbooks for the scanning project.

The project was completed by the Boston Public Library and funded by a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant administered by the Digital Commonwealth, an online library of photographs, manuscripts, recordings, and other materials of historical interest from libraries, museums and archives in Massachusetts. Projects are hosted on the Internet Archive website. The scanning project is part of an ongoing effort to increase digital content and to make the Library mobile and accessible to Grafton residents 24/7, wherever they are.
For more details, to volunteer your time, or to loan your yearbooks, please contact Beth Gallaway, Library Director, at 508-839-4649 or by email at graftonlibrary.ma@gmail.com.

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Scarecrow Contest Winner Announced!

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Congrats to our WINNER!

click to see winner!

click to see winner!

 

 

Reminder: Scarecrows remaining on Tuesday November 4 will be discarded. Please pick up your scarecrow on Monday!

Grafton Recreation and the Grafton Public Library will be hosting the annual Scarecrow Contest on the Common at the end of October. Families, businesses, groups and clubs are encouraged to create a scarecrow at home and then stake it on the Library Lawn / or outside the fence at the Grafton Common beginning Saturday October 11 through Sunday October 24.

Or, competitors can create a scarecrow during Build-A-Scarecrow Day on Saturday October 25 from 9am-12 noon on Grafton Common, weather permitting. Stakes, twine and hay will be provided at this event only. The name of the family, business, group or club must appear on the scarecrow. Scarecrows must remain on the Lawn/Common through Halloween.

Once all of the scarecrows are up, vote for your favorite online at www.graftonlibrary.org between Oct 25 and Oct 30; a winner will be announced on Halloween. We’ll be sharing and posting photos of all competitors, but you can get in on the action by taking a photo of your favorite scarecrow and sharing it on social media, using the tag #GraftonMAScarecrow.

For further details, please get in touch with Beth Gallaway, Library Director, 508-839-5335 x 1105 or Betty Wright, Recreation Director, 508-839-5335 x 1156.

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