Upcoming Programs

We are offering virtual, in-person, hybrid, and outdoor program opportunities. See below for our scheduled programs.

Looking for our Adult Craft Club and Digital Resource Classes?

Virtual Speakers Series:
Thank you to the Friends of the EPL for their continued support of our adult programing. Some of our talks from bestselling authors and thought leaders are brought to you in partnership with the Friends of the Eldredge Public Library and the Library Speakers Consortium. You can view these upcoming and past author programs at https://libraryc.org/eldredgelibrary.

2026 Year Long Presidential Series with Artist Heather Rogers:
Welcome to our yearlong series in which “America’s Preeminent Presidential Doodler”, Heather Rogers, shares facts, factoids, and fun illustrations about the presidents of these United States. In 2026, journey through Heather's sketchbooks as she shares some of her favorite tidbits, doodles, observations, and resurrection stories about the first 12 presidents. Register directly on Zoom HERE for this virtual program. You can sign up for one session or for all! This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

Monday, March 2 @ 2:00 pm - Monday Movie Matinee

Want to get out of the house while still embracing the coziness of winter? Join us for Monday Movie Matinee! We’ll be showing Grumpy Old Men, a charming 1993 comedy about lifelong neighbors and friendly rivals who find love later in life. The film offers plenty of humor and heart, with familiar faces starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Popcorn will be provided, with time after the movie to mingle and chat. We suggest bringing a blanket or seat cushion for comfort, along with a beverage in a lidded, sealed container.

Registration is strongly recommended. Walk-ins welcome subject to availability. This is an adult only program. For children's programming, please check the calendar for our Youth Services offerings.

Wednesday, March 4 @ 2:00 pm - Humor, Heart and Reflective Rural Stories with Michael Perry

Join us in conversation with bestselling author and humorist Michael Perry, whose collection of genre-spanning works encapsulates the experiences–and the magic–of rural town communities and the everyday people who reside in them. Michael Perry is a New York Times bestselling author, humorist, corporate speaker, volunteer firefighter/first responder, and amateur snowplow driver. A lifelong resident of the rural Midwest, his “reflective roughneck” takes on life in Middle America have left hundreds of thousands of readers and live audiences laughing, nodding, and sometimes misty. Registration is required for this virtual program.

Wednesday, March 11 @ 2:00 pm - Unlock the Hidden Power of Dreams with Sleep Expert Michelle Carr

Learn how to harness your dreams to improve your sleep and health with dream engineer Dr. Michelle Carr. In Nightmare Obscura, Dr. Carr unlocks the science behind the sleeping body. Drawing on her expertise in nightmares, lucid dreaming, and the cutting-edge field of dream engineering, she reveals how we can revolutionize our sleeping—and waking—health. Registration is required for this virtual program.

Thursday, March 12 @ 7:00 pm - Author Kate Quinn

You’re invited to join us for a virtual conversation with acclaimed author Kate Quinn about her latest fantastical work, The Astral Library, which poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures. Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga and two books set in the Italian Renaissance before turning to the 20th century with The Alice Network, The Huntress, The Rose Code, The Diamond Eye, and The Briar Club. The Astral Library is her first foray into magic realism. Registration is required for this virtual program.

Friday, March 13 @ 10:30 am - Presidential Series with Artist Heather Rogers: Thomas Jefferson

Welcome to our yearlong series in which “America’s Preeminent Presidential Doodler”, Heather Rogers, shares facts, factoids, and fun illustrations about the presidents of these United States. This month we're all about Thomas Jefferson: He was a redhead, invented the swivel chair, and was bizarrely obsessed with proving that America’s mammals were bigger than Europe’s mammals. Don't you want to know more? In 2026, journey through Heather's sketchbooks as she shares some of her favorite tidbits, doodles, observations, and resurrection stories about the first 12 presidents. Register directly on Zoom HERE for this virtual program. You can sign up for one session or for all! This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

Monday, March 16 @ 2:00 pm - Monday Movie Matinee

Want to get out of the house while still embracing the coziness of winter? Join us for Monday Movie Matinee! We’ll be showing The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a 2011 "dramedy" where a group of British retirees travel to India, drawn by the promise of an idyllic retirement at the Marigold Hotel, featuring a star-studded cast led by Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Bill Nighy. We suggest bringing a blanket or seat cushion for comfort, along with a beverage in a lidded, sealed container.

Monday, March 23 @ 7:00 pm - Author Matthew Algeo Discusses "New York's Secret Subway"

We are so excited to welcome author Matthew Algeo to our virtual stage! He will be discussing her latest book, New York’s Secret Subway: The Underground Genius of Alfred Beach and the Origins of Mass Transit. A classic story of good versus evil, pitting the mild-mannered Beach, a visionary inventor and entrepreneur, against the Tammany Hall boss William M. Tweed, the exemplar of corruption in the Gilded Age. It also tells the story of one of the most astonishing feats of engineering in American history, the surreptitious creation of the nation’s first operational subway. Registration is required for this virtual program offered through Ashland Public Library.

Tuesday, March 24 @ 2:00 pm - America's Failed Response to the Opioid Crisis with Author Shoshana Walter

Join us for a special conversation between award-winning journalist Shoshana Walter and bestselling and award-winning author Barbara Kingsolver as they chat about Walter’s book Rehab: An American Scandal. In this work, Walter, a Pulitzer finalist, exposes the country’s failed response to the opioid crisis, and the malfeasance, corruption, and snake oil which blight the drug rehabilitation industry. Registration is required for this virtual program.

Thursday, April 2 @ 2:00 pm - On a Mission: The History of US Women Astronauts with Smithsonian Curator Emerita Valerie Neal

Join us for an exhilarating journey through the history of US women astronauts with Valerie Neal, emerita curator from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and expert on human spaceflight. Sally Ride became a household name as the first American woman in space, but scores of equally impressive women have also left their mark in space. On a Mission: The Smithsonian History of US Women Astronauts spans 45 years and 61 astronauts to share the epic journeys of women who made space for themselves in a male-dominated field. Author Valerie Neal interviewed many of the US women astronauts to bring their experiences to life. She offers a culturally insightful history of their achievements, the challenges they've faced, and their distinctive stories. Registration is required for this virtual program.

Thursday, April 9 @ 11:00 am - The Greeks, the Romans and America's Democratic Republic with Dean Nicastro

Join us with Chatham Select Board member Dean Nicastro, as he shares the ancient antecedents of America’s democratic and republican institutions of government, like the concept of a president and separation of powers. Centered on the civilizations of Athens and Rome, the focus will be on major historical developments and the leading personalities of the day. Guided by a generous slide presentation, the talk will provide context around the origin and development of the features of our contemporary American governmental structure. Registration is strongly recommended for this event.

Friday, April 10 @ 10:30 am - Presidential Series with Artist Heather Rogers: James Madison

Welcome to our yearlong series in which “America’s Preeminent Presidential Doodler”, Heather Rogers, shares facts, factoids, and fun illustrations about the presidents of these United States. This month we turn to James Madison: Our teensiest president who tried to conquer Canada. Instead, Canada captured Michigan. Oops. Don't you want to know more? In 2026, journey through Heather's sketchbooks as she shares some of her favorite tidbits, doodles, observations, and resurrection stories about the first 12 presidents. Register directly on Zoom HERE for this virtual program. You can sign up for one session or for all! This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

Tuesday, April 14 @ 7:00 pm - Author Brad Taylor

Join us in conversation with acclaimed author Brad Taylor on his latest work, Shadow Strike, book 20 (yes, you read that right!) of the bestselling Pike Logan series. Register today to learn why the Pike Logan series has everyone buzzing! Brad Taylor served for more than twenty years in the U.S. Army, including eight years in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, commonly known as Delta Force. He retired as a Special Forces lieutenant colonel and now lives in Charleston, South Carolina. Registration is required for this virtual program.

Wednesday, April 15 @ 2:00 pm - A Season-by-Season Guide to Ecological Gardening with Cathy Weston

Join us in partnership with Chatham Conservation Foundation, Inc. (CCF), as we welcome local gardener and Trustee of the CCF, Cathy Weston to share a season-by-season guide to ecological gardening. The surge in interest in native plants and eco-friendly gardening is a wonderful thing. In this session we will focus on a season-by-season approach to increasing the biodiversity within the home garden. Attendees will learn what the birds, bees, and pollinators need from the garden each season and the best native plants and gardening practices will help meet those needs. We will discuss how to layer native plants into existing home gardens, and attendees will receive a handout with plant lists and practical resources to help them become a more ecological gardener. Registration is strongly recommended.

Thursday, April 16 @ 2:00 pm - The Explorer's Gene with Alex Hutchinson

In The Explorer’s Gene: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map, Alex Hutchinson dives headfirst into a fascinating and provocative new field of research, examining how exploration is a fundamental part of what makes us human. From paddling the lost rivers of the northern Canadian wilderness to the ocean-spanning voyages of the Polynesians, The Explorer’s Gene combines riveting stories of exploration with cutting-edge insights from behavioral psychology and neuroscience. The end result offers a singular approach to finding meaning in our past struggles, embracing the possibility of failure in our future, and crucially, recognizing when our present is good enough. Register now to participate in this timelessly relevant discussion. This is a virtual program

Thursday, April 16 @ 5:30 - Your Guide to Voting & Town Meeting in Chatham

Do you have questions about how the local voting process works or what to expect at Town Meeting? You’re not alone. With elections approaching and Town Meeting just around the corner, join us on Thursday, April 16 for an informative program with Chatham Town Clerk Julie Smith. She’ll walk us through voter registration, Town Meeting procedures, how to review warrant articles, and everything you need to participate with confidence.

Saturday, April 18 @ 2:00 pm -Annual Peter Saunders Memorial Chatham Reads Poetry

The Peter Saunders Memorial Chatham Reads Poetry event is back and looking for readers! Join us as community and staff members share poems and conversation during this wonderful and joyful annual event, in memory of dear friend and Trustee for Eldredge Public Library. If you are interested in reading a poem by a published poet, pre-registration is required by contacting Amy Andreasson (amyandreasson@clamsnet.org) Everyone is welcome to join us to watch the event. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Eldredge Public Library.

Wednesday, April 22 @ 2:00 pm - Lush Lyricism and Intimate Confessions with Miranda Cowley Heller

Award-winning and bestselling author Miranda Cowley Heller takes us on an intimate journey through the life stages of a woman in her new poetry collection, What the Deep Water Knows. Delicate, yet exceedingly raw, these poems will transport you as vividly as any work of fiction. In poetry that is at once bold and lyrical, affecting and devastatingly frank, Miranda Cowley Heller takes us through childhood, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. Suffused with the natural world and the landscape of Cape Cod, where many of the poems are set, What the Deep Water Knows contemplates love in all the seasons. Register now to celebrate National Poetry Month with this graceful new poetry collection. Miranda Cowley Heller was raised in New York City and Cape Cod. Her debut novel The Paper Palace was a number one New York Times bestseller in the US. Registration is required for this virtual program.

Tuesday, April 28 @ 2:00 pm - Friends Beatrix Potter Tea with Special Guest Betsy Bray

All Friends of the Library are invited and encouraged to bring a friend. This year in addition to tea and cookies we will be joined by Betsy Bray who will entertain us with tales of Beatrix Potter and her creation, Peter Rabbit. Beatrix Potter was a woman ahead of her time. Raised in mid-Victorian London, Beatrix Potter grew into an independent and determined woman whose life still captures our imagination. At a time when women had few rights or opportunities, she built a career as a writer and illustrator, creating children’s books that remain beloved around the world.” We hope you will join us. Betsy has been a Beatrix Potter Society member since 1984. In 2012, she became the first overseas Trustee ever elected to The Beatrix Potter Society. She has spoken at several of the Society’s International Study Conferences and given illustrated talks to various groups in the United States. Registration is recommended.

Thursday, May 14 @ 5:00 pm - Sound Meditation with Ashley Woodworth

Join us quarterly for Sound Meditation with Ashley Woodworth, local yoga teacher and sound facilitator! Sound meditation is an integrated practice that combines a restorative setting with an emphasis on breath, mindful presence, and judicious listening. Instruments such as Tibetan singing bowls, etheric chimes, frame drums, rattles, and crystal pyramids are played during the meditation. Ashley guides yoga practices in hatha, vinyasa flow, power, meditative, and restorative styles, drawing upon over 400 hours of training in the Kripalu and Bhakti traditions. She trained with ethnomusicologist, sound therapist, and sound researcher Alexandre Tannouse. Save your spot by registering today; walk-ins are welcome but subject to availability.

Adult Craft Club

Adult Craft Club is a great way for adults to try new arts and crafts while easing stress and having a little fun. We will alternate between open crafting, staff-led projects, and art-based programming. The projects focus more on technique and joy than on the outcome, allowing all to tap into their creative freedom. Thanks to the Friends of the Eldredge Public Library and craft donations, there is no fee, and no experience is necessary.

Monthly registration is required to save your spot and space will be limited. Please be aware this is an 18+ club. Please visit our calendar or connect with our Youth Services department for more information on children's programming. Your space is not secure unless you receive confirmation.

Monday, January 12 @ 11:00 am - Creative Votive Jars. Registration is required.

Monday, February 9 @ 11:00 am - Stone Bird Ornaments. Registration is required.

Monday, March 9 @ 11:00 am - Bird Nesting Ball. Registration is required.

Monday, April 13 @ 11:00 am - Seed Starting and Terra Cotta Pot Painting. Registration is required.

Digital Resource Classes

Ready to download eBooks and Audiobooks? Get Started with Libby

Next class: March 5 @ 11:00 am (@ the Library) and March 26@ 11:00 am (@ the Library/Hybrid) Registration is required

Getting Started with Libby - Learn how to download ebooks and audiobooks from the CLAMS digital library through the Libby app by Overdrive. Join Mike McCartney through a Zoom program or in-person and he will show you how to download items and answer your Libby questions. Registration is required for both the zoom and the in-person program. *Libby app is currently compatible with smart phones and tablets. EBooks can be download on another device (phone, ipad, etc) and transferred to Kindle devices.

Canvassing Canva

What's all the hubbub with Canva? Although Canva has many uses across a variety of different specializations and functional areas, its primary use is as a graphic design platform. You can use Canva to edit photos and videos, design custom graphics, and create or modify other image-, text-, and video-based projects. From Presentations and Flyers to Social Media Posts and Birthday Cards, Canva has something for everyone!

Join our Circulation Supervisor, Mike McCartney, for a guided tour of this special tool.

Next class: April 16 @ 11:00 am (@ the Library) Registration is required

Google Suites

If you have a Gmail address, then you have access to Google Suites. Google Docs, Sheets, and Presentations give you almost all the same functionality as Microsoft Office but for free - and with the ability to share your work or even collaborate. This is an in-person program, no registration is required.

Join our Circulation Supervisor, Mike McCartney, for a guided tour of this special tool.

Next class: March 12 @ 11:30 am (@ the Library) Registration is required