UPDATE: The Community Room has been reopened for the scheduled Friends Book Sale Setup. Teen Room’s Maker Space iMac computers and Gaming Room televisions were restored when electrical use was approved. The Children’s Room is scheduled to reopen on Tuesday September 5.
The Library sustained significant flooding on Friday morning August 18 as a result of intense rainstorms, with water sheeting off the wetlands side of the building and flowing into the Community Room, A/V closet, Kitchen, Children’s Room, Children’s Program Room, and Sprinkler Room.
We do not yet have an update from the Town’s fire department or building official when these spaces will be habitable – Town and Library staff responded heroically, and ServPro was on site over the weekend to install industrial dryers.
Currently, the rugs and walls are dry, electrical has been restored, and an insurance claim has been filed.
The Children’s Room, and Children’s Program Room will be CLOSED to the public until further notice. The Friends Book Sale will proceed as scheduled, and we are currently accepting donations.
A collection of Children’s Materials will be available for browsing in the Historic Reading Room on the Common (upper) Level, accessible by elevator and from the Common Entrance.
We will share more information as soon as we have new information, and will make every effort to reschedule meetings and programs in other spaces.
We thank you for your flexibility and understanding of these circumstances beyond our control.
Please join us in celebrating Senior Library Associate Marilyn Wilcox, who will be retiring on June 30 after nearly 19 years of service in the Children’s Room at the Grafton Public Library. We will be honoring her with a reception on Friday June 30 from 10am-12noon at the Grafton Public Library, 35 Grafton Common, and the community is invited to attend.
Miss Marilyn staffed the children’s room service desk, navigated two library moves and several library renovations with grace and patience. She did a LOT of meticulous shelving and shelf-reading, helped with programs and displays, provided storytime, and served as volunteer coordinator. Miss Marilyn has provided a warm, welcoming presence to families, fostered compassion and kindness towards co-workers, and delivered excellence in connecting the right person with the right book at the right time. She was awarded a level II Paralibrarian Certificate from the MA Library Association in May 2022.
We wish her well and she will be greatly missed! We will both celebrate our joy in the next chapter of her life, and drown our sorrows in her leaving, with cake! Please RSVP via the event on our Facebook Page or directly to Beth Schreiber at 508-839-4649 x1836 or by email at schreiberb@graftonlibrary.org.
Calling all young explorers, dreamers, and creative minds! Grafton Public Library is thrilled to announce our exhilarating 2023 Summer Reading Program, where we invite you to embark on a journey to “Find Your Voice” through the power of books, stories, and imagination. 📖🌍
At Grafton Public Library we believe that every child has a unique voice that deserves to be heard, and this summer, we’re here to help you discover and express your own extraordinary stories.
Inspired by the amazing resources provided by the iREAD program, our Summer 2023 program promises an unforgettable experience filled with captivating tales, exciting events, and interactive workshops. From July to August, we’ll be your guide as you explore the enchanting worlds of literature and unleash your creative potential. 🚀🌟
Due to decreasing COVID-19 case counts in Grafton, we are able to reduce our Children’s Room “Masks Required” mandate to “Masks Recommended.” Masks can be provided if needed.
Computers, manipulatives, and in-person programming for school-age children is now available, as well.
The remainder of the Library remains Mask Optional.
On Friday 8/18, portions of the Children’s Room, Children’s Workroom (where staff offices are located), and Community Rooms, as well as the entirety of the Children’s Program room flooded during a late summer storm. Construction began Monday, 9/25 to remove and replace damaged sections of walls and flooring in the above-mentioned areas.
Open play will be from 11:30am-7:00pm Monday through Thursday, and 11:30-2:00pm on Friday and Saturdays.
In the temporary location in the Community Room, children can enjoy various activities, including playing with toys, games, and AWE computers. There is ample space to play, meet friends, or read a story in our cozy seating and dedicated play areas.
The temporary Children’s collection is still being housed in the Friend’s Corner. Thank you to the Friends for their continued hospitality!
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding.
The Children’s Room strives to be a fun place for children and families to learn and read together. We offer a wide variety of materials for learning and fun, including materials like books, media and games; toys like blocks, puzzles, puppets, and technology like computers.
The Library offers a variety of storytime programs for ages birth through 5 during the school year. Check the event calendar to see what’s happening this week!
HOMEWORK HELP & ONLINE RESOURCES
Bookflix offers an eBook experience for children in grades K to 2, and pairs fiction and nonfiction picture books for a themed reading experience.
Gale in Context: Elementary contains kid-friendly topics in eBooks, articles, video and audio format, at a grade K to 4 reading level. Searching is more visual. It’s perfect for resources school reports!
OverDrive Kids offers ebooks for kids – log in for access to the C/W MARs network overdrive and click “Partner Libraries” to access other MA network collections.
Pronunciator is an online language-learning system that can help you learn languages like Spanish, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, German, Mandarin Chinese, Greek, Italian and more, with flash card for kids and a pre-K language learning module. Over 80 languages in English and your native tongue, free! Enter your Library card # and PIN to access.
Scholastic Teachables provides worksheets, lesson plans, learning games, and more for parents, homeschoolers, and educators. Formerly known as Scholastic Printables, we offer printable activities for any subject: math, science, reading comprehension, STEM, writing, and beyond. Download printable lesson plans, reading passages, games and puzzles, clip art, bulletin board ideas, and skills sheets for kids in any grade.
Tutor.com offers homework help for students in K to 12 from 2-9pm DAILY! Enter your Library card number to access.
UPDATE: The Community Room has been reopened for the scheduled Friends Book Sale Setup. Teen Room’s Maker Space iMac computers and Gaming Room televisions were restored when electrical use was approved. The Children’s Room is scheduled to reopen on Tuesday September 5.
