Upcoming Programs

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

 

 

 

Thank you to the F riends 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.

 

Monday, September 9 @ 1:00 pm - Music in Dementia-Finding the Piano

Dr. Randi Lebar will present an inspirational talk about the wild ride she has taken with her mother, pianist Elaine Lebar (96), a resident of Buzzards Bay, who went viral on TikTok in 2020.  Specifically focusing on the magic and power of music in dementia, the talk features many videos of Elaine, and also includes lessons Randi learned along the way about finding meaning and joy in their relationship, in spite of her mother’s mental decline.  The presentation is sure to entertain a wide audience of all ages, and it will be especially educational, inspiring and hopeful for those dealing with a loved one in any stage of cognitive decline. This program is made available in collaboration with the Chatham Center for Active Living. Registration is recommended.

 

Tuesday, September 10 @ 2:00 pm - Author Garrett Graff

Join us for a virtual chat with New York Times bestselling author Garrett Graff! An expert at capturing the human drama, Graff will speak about his body of work with particular focus on his oral histories, The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 and When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day.  Registration is required for this virtual program.

Garrett M. Graff has spent nearly two decades covering politics, technology, and national security. The former editor of Politico and contributor to Wired and CNN, he’s written for publications from Esquire to Rolling Stone to The New York Times, and today serves as the director of the cyber initiative at the Aspen Institute. Graff is the author of multiple books, including the FBI history The Threat Matrix, Raven Rock (about the government’s Cold War Doomsday plans), When the Sea Came Alive (an oral history of D-Day), and the New York Times bestsellers The Only Plane in the Sky and Watergate, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History.

Wednesday, September 11 @ 2:00 pm - Winslow Homer: Master of Seascapes

Join us as we host Sue Altman of Artworks Lectures as we explore the works of artist Winslow Homer, the master of seascapes and the medium of watercolor. We will also learn how Homer played an important role as a Civil War correspondent. Winslow Homer is known for his powerful paintings of American life and scenery, especially seascapes. Less well known, but equally important, are his representations of the charged subjects of war, race, politics, and the environment. Sue will be discussing his life, his works during and after the Civil War, and his legacy. Suzanne Altman is an art educator, art historian and painter who works out of her studio and art school in Ossining, NY, and exhibits frequently. See her work at www.suealtmanart.com or on Instagram @artworkshudson. Registration is recommended.

Monday, September 16 @ 10:30 am - Monday Craft Club - Kindness Rocks

To kick it off our new EPL Monday Craft Club, we are offering a staff-led Kindness Rock painting workshop. We will start by creating our individual positive affirmations and words of kindness we would like to share with the community, followed by bringing them to life through painting messages and/or pictures on rocks. Attendees are able to keep their rocks, otherwise, we will spread them throughout the library to display our work and share a little joy. You are welcome to bring some of your own rocks, however, we will have plenty for you to paint! If this month's theme doesn't sound up your alley, you are welcome to bring a current project you are working on and come for the social aspect.

Monday 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. This program is for adults 18+.

Tuesday, September 17 @ 5:00 pm - The History of Blues in America with musician Joey Leone

In the spirit of Ken Burns' breakout PBS documentary series on American country music, acclaimed guitarist and music historian Joey Leone presents “The History of Blues in America” a one hour program covering the history, influence and social impact of American blues music through songs, stories and historical facts.

Joey highlights the influence of blues on virtually all styles of contemporary music over the past 7 decades playing a variety of songs on multiple guitars from his personal collection. In addition to the live music segments, he touches on recurring themes of how the blues transcended racial boundaries, brought people together in times of celebration and times of healing, and how the blues followed the migration of African Americans from the rural south to the urban north. Registration is recommended.

Wednesday, September 18 @ 2:00 pm - Author Nate Klemp

Join us as New York Times bestselling author and philosopher Nate Klemp helps us explore pathways back to openminded living when he talks to us about the core tenets in his new book Open: Living with an Expansive Mind in a Distracted World. With the avalanche of information we get every day, closing down our minds and hearts seems to be the only way to survive. We close off to ourselves by compulsively checking our devices. We close to each other by getting caught in echo chambers of outrage. But what if there’s another way? In this climate of distraction and division, Nate Klemp’s Open offers a path back to a way of living that is expansive, creative, and filled with wonder. Registration is required for this virtual program.

Nate Klemp, PhD, is a philosopher, writer, and mindfulness entrepreneur. He is the coauthor of the New York Times bestseller Start Here, the New York Times critics’ pick The 80/80 Marriage, and his newest book, Open: Living with an Expansive Mind in a Distracted World

 

Wednesday, September 18 @ 7:00 pm - Author Lucy Gilmore

Join Lucy Gilmore as she discusses her newest release, The Library of Borrowed Hearts. Take a deep dive into the inspiration that drives her stories, how she balances writing and life, and her use of the great works of literature to shape her books. This event will include a brief reading and a Q&A portion. Lucy Gilmore is a celebrated author in a range of genres, including women's fiction, contemporary romance, and cozy mystery. As Tamara Berry, she was the inaugural recipient of the Lilian Jackson Braun Memorial Award at the 2023 Edgars. She began her reading (and writing) career as an English literature major and ended as a book lover without all those pesky academic papers attached. She lives in Spokane, WA with her family.

This is a virtual event and registration is required.

Thursday, September 19 @ 5:30 pm - Banned & Challenged Books: Understanding and Defending Your Right to Read

Are you curious, confused, or concerned about the rise in book challenges and bans occurring across the country and here in Massachusetts? Censorship is nothing new, however, the number of attacks on books, library displays and programs, and the professionals who champion them is increasing at an alarming rate. Join Tammy DePasquale for an exploration of this important topic:one that impacts readers of all ages. Registration is recommended.

Ms. DePasquale is the Assistant Director at the Eldredge Public Library in Chatham, holds a Master's Degree from the Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Simmons University, and has worked in education, publishing, and the public library for over 25 years.

Saturday, September 21 @ 11:00 am - Dyeing To Wear It

“Dyeing to Wear It” ™ is an interactive workshop with textile artist Rhonda Fazio where participants will create a beautiful and versatile piece of wearable art. Classes are infused with storytelling by the artist, filled with the textile history from the region and around the world, and how this history intersects with our shared American culture. It is a fun and interesting social event open to everyone.  Registration is required, space is limited.

 

Saturday, September 21 @ 7:00 pm - Author Liane Moriarty

Join us as we chat with mega-bestselling author Liane Moriarty about her newest novel Here One Moment. Moriarty’s Here One Moment is a brilliantly constructed tale that looks at free will and destiny, grief and love, and the endless struggle to maintain certainty and control in an uncertain world. Registration is required for this virtual program.

Liane Moriarty is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Truly Madly Guilty, Big Little Lies, The Husband’s Secret, The Hypnotist’s Love Story, What Alice Forgot, Apples Never Fall, and Here One Moment. She lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two children

Saturday, September 28 @ 10:30 am - 1:00 pm - Chatham Fixit Clinic

Gather up your broken items and join us for Chatham's second annual Fixit Clinic presented by Chatham Recycles and the Eldredge Public Library!  Fixit Clinics are do-it-together, hands-on community-based exploration and discovery workshops where people bring broken household items and learn to assess, disassemble and possibly repair items instead of throwing them away.  The volunteer coaches can assist with small appliances and electronics, wooden items, bikes, sewing and mending, knitting, fishing equipment and general household items in need of repair. Our hope is attendees will learn more about how items are made, work, and repaired - passing the knowledge along to friends, neighbors and the community at large.  Click here for more information and to register.

Thursday, October 3 @ 2:00 pm - Glass Flowers: History and Process of the Blaschka Glass Models of Plants

Jenny Brown, Collection Manager of Harvard Museum, guides us through the glass flower collection, which were made by hand more than 100 years ago by Rudolf and Leopold Blaschka, a father-son duo, and mastercraftsman. We will step back in time to the late 19th century and marvel at the exquisite craftsmanship of Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, renowned creators of the mesmerizing Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants. Delve into their captivating educational models that meticulously illustrate the life cycles of non-flowering, spore-forming plants and fungi. After nearly a quarter century, these remarkable state-of-the-art teaching models make a triumphant return to the spotlight in the Glass Flowers Gallery of the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Behold these models' timeless beauty and intricate detail, which continue to enchant and educate visitors just as they did over a century ago. Registration is recommended.

Monday, October 7 @ 2:00 pm - Going to Town: The Great Department Stores

Boston in the 20th century had department stores that were not only popular but covered the spectrum. Jordan Marsh, considered New England’s largest store, Filene’s which was a specialty store, Gilchrist’s, Raymond’s, R.H. White, R.H. Stearns, C. Crawford Hollidge, Conrad and Chandler, Kennedy’s, Shuman’s. Leopold Morse, Siegal’s and E.T. Slattery offered quality merchandise in various departments all under one roof, thus a department store. However who could forget Filene’s Basement, an icon and destination of Bostonian and tourist alike. This lecture is a fascinating glimpse into shopping in Boston. Registration is recommended.

Referred to as the “Balzac of Boston History” by the Boston Globe, Anthony Mitchell Sammarco is a noted historian and author of over seventy books on the history and development of Boston, and he lectures widely on the history and development of his native city. 

Wednesday, October 9 @ 11:00 am - Beyond the Book with Local Author - Janis Daly

Steeped in rich historical detail, the emotionally charged sequel to The Unlocked Path finds Dr. Eliza Edwards intensifying her commitment to effect social change through sacrifice, longing, and heartbreak. Will her unyielding pursuit to limit suffering and save lives sustain her amid the tumultuous landscapes of 1930s and1940s America? Registration is recommended.

Splitting her time between Cape Cod, New Hampshire, and Florida, a tablet becomes Janis Robinson Daly’s library and desk, packed for reading and writing, wherever she might land. Inspired by the discovery that an ancestor founded the Woman’s Medical College of PA in 1850, Daly wrote her first novel, The Unlocked Path, which celebrates pioneering women doctors at the turn of the 20th Century. Its sequel, The Path Beneath Her Feet, honors the work of the American Women’s Hospitals in rural America during the 1930s. 

Thursdays, October 10, 17, 24, 31 @ 11:15-12:45 - Family History Series

Are you interested in learning more about family history? The Eldredge Public Library will be hosting a Family History series which will be presented by David Martin from the Cape Cod Genealogical Society. This four part series will include: General Introduction to Genealogy; Immigration in Genealogy: Using the Census for Research; DNA and Genealogy and The Courthouse for Genealogy Research: A Case Study This four part series will be held on Oct 10, 17, 24, 31. Registration is required, space is limited to 12. By registering for this program, you are registering for all four sessions.

Friday, October 18 @ 2:00 pm - Iceland: Land of Fire, Ice, and Natural Beauty

[caption id="attachment_12357" align="alignright" width="176"] colorful northern light in iceland[/caption]

A unique country of the far north latitudes, Iceland is a rare jewel filled with so much natural beauty including spectacular waterfalls, glaciers, rocky coastlines, fjords, and so much ice. Join Betty Trummel as she takes us on a journey to Iceland through photography and storytelling, following the path around the Ring Road and exploring the peninsulas of the gem of a country...Iceland! Registration is recommended.

Betty Trummel earned her BA in Elementary Education at the University of Illinois and spent 35 years teaching elementary school.  She earned her Master’s in science/outdoor education from Northern Illinois University, later teaching “Science Methods for Elementary Teachers” there for ten years.  Since 2010, Betty’s work with the non-profit, A to Z Literacy Movement, has led her to Zambia five times to work with pupils/teachers, provide professional development, and learn from Zambian colleagues both at Shine Zambia School and in the rural village of Rufunsa. 

Tuesday, October 29 @ 5:30 pm - Local Author Beyond the Book - Talking Horror with Corey Farrenkopf

We are so thrilled to host local author, Corey Farrenkopf, to share more on his new release Living in Cemeteries. Through Q+A, we will discuss Corey's reading and writing Horror/Dark Fantasy Fiction process. Corey will also share a reading from the book as well. Farrenkopf was raised in Chatham and makes a wonderful impact as a Librarian at the Eastham Public Library. Given the subject matter, a fun fact about Corey's book is the majority of his deceased relatives now reside in the cemetery right down the street from Eldredge Public Library! Books will be available for purchase at the event. Registration is recommended.

Corey has been published in Electric Literature, Nightmare, The Deadlands, The Southwest Review, SmokeLong Quarterly, Bourbon Penn, and elsewhere. His debut novel, Living in Cemeteries, was released from JournalStone in April of 2024 and his short story collection, Haunted Ecologies, will be released in February 2025. He is the Fiction Editor for The Cape Cod Poetry Review. To learn more, follow him on twitter @CoreyFarrenkopf or on the web at CoreyFarrenkopf.com

Ebook Classes

Ready to download eBooks and Audiobooks?

Next class:   September 19 @ 11:00 am (@ the Library) and September 26 @  11:00 am (virtual).  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.