Upcoming Programs

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

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.

 

Wednesday, May 21 @ 2:00 pm - How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us with Author Rachelle Bergstein

You’re invited to an online intimate conversation with bestselling author Rachelle Bergstein as she chats about her newest book The Genius of Judy. This book takes an expansive look at Judy Blume’s life, work, and cultural impact, focusing on her most iconic—and controversial—young adult novels, from Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret to Blubber.   Rachelle Bergstein is a lifestyle writer, author, and editor, focused on style, pop culture, and families. Her work has appeared in the New York Post, The New York Times, NPR, and more. She is the author of three books: Women from the Ankle Down, Brilliance and Fire, and The Genius of Judy.  Registration is required for this virtual program.

 

Wednesday, May 21 @ 2:00 pm - Dog Behavior with Cape Canine Academy

Do you ever wish you could read your dog's mind or wonder what their body language means? Understanding dog behavior is a crucial part of training and building a bond. Join MJ Stoltz of Cape Canine Academy as we welcome her back to share insight into the general behavior of dogs and basic training techniques you can bring home. She'll share common bad habits we make as owners and give a glimpse into what it takes to create a safe, positive space for dogs and humans to work together. Bonus! MJ will recommend items to keep for first aid as well as some of her tried and true treats and accessories. This information session is a perfect opportunity for anyone with a pup at any age or stage to learn more and get curious about their dynamic with their four-legged sidekick.  (As much as we love dogs, this program is for humans only!)

Thursday, May 22 @ 4:00 pm - Shoreline Beachcombing Walk with Tor Hansen

Take a walk with wildlife illustrator and nature photographer Tor Hansen along a Cape Cod Seashore and find what beachcombing can reveal regarding inshore biological diversity. Explore tideline seaweeds and how they shape habitat for fish like salt marsh minnow, cunner, and tautog that inhabit cove, tidal creek, sand flat and estuary. Search tide pools for skate, dogfish, sea urchin and whelk, squid and sand lance. Examine the role of shellfish and sea star, ecology of crab, anemone and skeleton shrimp, and their importance in the overall food chain.

Wednesday, June 4 at 11:00 am - Mosquito 101 with Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project

Join Aubrey Paolino, entomologist with Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project (CCMCP), for a talk about mosquitoes on Cape Cod. Learn about mosquito biology, how CCMCP manages mosquito habitat, and what you can do to protect yourself from mosquito bites and the diseases mosquitoes transmit.

 

 

Wednesday, June 4 @ 2:00 pm - Extinctopedia–A Discovery of What We Have Lost, What is at Risk, and What To Do About it with Smithsonian Scientists

Extinctopedia tells a complex story, not just of those who are extinct but also of those in greatest peril, with explanations of what threatens their survival. It is also a story of hope—hopes for animals that have been rediscovered, hope in the form of newly-discovered animals, and hope that we might hear the warning call and act to preserve the amazing biodiversity of our fragile planet for future generations to come. Brian Gratwicke is a conservation biologist and leads the amphibian conservation programs at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Dr. Gina Della Togna is a researcher and conservationist, currently serving as the Executive Director of the Amphibian Survival Alliance and a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.  Registration is required for this virtual program.

Tuesday, June 10 @ 2:00 pm - Author Lisa Jewell

You’re invited to an exclusive preview event with New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell as she introduces readers to her forthcoming title Don’t Let Him In (Out June 24, 2025!). Along with an introduction to her newest bone-chilling, psychological thriller, Jewell will chat about her life as a writer and her critically-acclaimed body of work. 

Lisa Jewell is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-three novels, including None of This Is True, The Family Upstairs, and Then She Was Gone, as well as Invisible Girl and Watching You. Her novels have sold over ten million copies internationally, and her work has also been translated into twenty-nine languages. Registration is required for this virtual progam.

Tuesday, June 10 at 4:00 pm - Friends Annual Meeting with guest speaker Pippa Norris

We hope you can join us for the Annual Meeting of the Friends of the Eldredge Public Library.  Following a short business meeting our guest speaker is Pippa Norris. 

Pippa Norris is a comparative political scientist who has taught at Harvard for more than three decades.  She is the Paul McGuire Lecturer in Comparative Politics at Harvard's' Kennedy School for Government, an Affiliated Professor at Harvard's Government Department, and founding Director of the Electoral Integrity Project, Vice President of the World Values Survey and Co=Principle Investigator of the Trust in Democracy (TRUEDem) project.

 

Tuesday, June 10, 6:30-7:00 pm - Historical Fiction Book Recommendations with Bestselling Author, Jane Healey

Love Historical Fiction but not sure what to read next? Join bestselling author, Jane Healey, monthly for 30 minutes of pure book recommendations - the best of historical fiction out there! We're sure you'll find something to like from Jane's many enthusiastic reviews.  Registration is required for this virtual program.  Sign up for one session, or for all the sessions!  This program is a collaboration with Ashland Public Library.

 

Wednesday, June 11 at 11:00 am - Cape Cod Wildlife Series: Landscaping for Wildlife with Mass Audubon

Come learn how fall may be the best time to rejuvenate your soils and help ensure flourishing spring plantings. We will show you sheet mulching techniques to get rid of lawn and get your soil ready for those spring pollinator plants. We will discuss compost and other organic amendments. We will touch on inexpensive composting techniques including how to use worms for a doubly rich composting process.

 

Thursday, June 12 @ 1:00 pm - Tracing your Historic House

Explore the process and tools for researching the history and genealogy of your historic home with EPL genealogist and Chatham Historical Commissioner Nancy Barr. We’ll identify the records and other resources available locally and online for telling your house history, which goes beyond the physical structure to include the people who built it, the families who lived there, and the neighborhoods that surround it. This program is part of Historic Chatham's June History Month.

 

 

Thursday, June 12 @ 2:00 pm - The History of Howard Johnson’s: 28 Flavors of Ice Cream!

Howard Johnson created an orange-roofed empire of ice cream stands and restaurants that stretched from Maine to Florida, and all the way to the West Coast. With a reputation for good food at affordable prices, hungry customers would regularly return for more. Boston historian and author Anthony M. Sammarco recounts how Howard Johnson introduced twenty-eight flavors of ice cream, the "Tendersweet" clam strips, grilled frankforts and a menu of delicious and traditional foods that families eagerly enjoyed when they traveled. Registration is required for this virtual program

 

Thursday, June 12, 6:30-7:00 pm - Mystery/Thriller Book Recommendations with Bestselling Author, Joseph Finder

Love Mysteries and Thrillers but not sure what to read next? Join bestselling author, Joseph Finder, for this quarterly session of his recommendations of some of the best of mystery/thrillers out there! We're sure you'll find something to like from Joe's many enthusiastic reviews. Registration is required for this virtual program.  Sign up for one session, or all four!  This program is in collaboration with Ashland Public Library.

Monday, June 16 from 1:00-3:00 pm - Bloomsday Celebration

June 16, 1904, is the single day depicted in James Joyce’s masterpiece, Ulysses. Bloomsday is celebrated annually all around the world. For the 121^st anniversary of Bloomsday, participate in Chatham’s own celebration at Eldredge Public Library.  

Join us for an afternoon celebration of James Joyce and his monumental novel, Ulysses. This Bloomsday, we'll gather for selected readings, a costumed stroll through our own version of Dublin, and reflections on literature, Ireland, and the day that changed the modern novel forever.  Suggested Attire: Edwardian /1904-themed costumes encouraged!  Bring your copy of Ulysses and/or a favorite passage for the reading.

Wednesday, June 18 @ 11:30 am - The Sweet Life of 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. 

Wednesday, June 18 @ 2:00 pm - Resilient Roots Series: Permaculture 101

Join us for a brief introduction to one pathway to ecological, earth-friendly gardening. We will share how, by using permaculture techniques, your household can make meaningful environmental impacts—sequestering carbon, building soil health and boosting biodiversity—while growing nutrient-dense foods for humans, birds and other forms of wildlife. And it is fun, too!

Resilient Roots is a Cape Cod based nonprofit whose mission is to inspire and enable people to be good caretakers of the earth by sowing knowledge of nature-based gardening practices throughout the community.

 

Sunday, June 22 from 4:00-6:00 pm - Books in Bloom

Experience and explore the EPL in a unique way. Participants create floral arrangements inspired by a book of their  choice that are displayed throughout the Library. This annual event is a fund-raiser sponsored by the Friends of the Eldredge Public Library.  The event is open to all with an admission fee of $20.  Tickets are sold at the Library prior to the event and at the door.

Tuesday, June 24 @ 4:00 pm - Author Katherine Applegate

Join us as award-winning author and summer reading champion Katherine Applegate talks to viewers about her enthusiastically heartwarming novel in verse, Odder. Katherine Applegate’s Odder, is inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers. This poignant and humorous tale told in free verse examines bravery and healing through the eyes of one of nature’s most beloved and charming animals.Katherine Applegate is the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for young readers, including The One and Only Ivan, Wishtree, Crenshaw, the Endling series, the Roscoe Riley Rules chapter books series, and the Animorphs series.  Registration is required for this virtual program.

 

Tuesday, June 24 at 5:00 pm - History of South Chatham Library

The story of the South Chatham Library is an interesting one, spanning 150 years as of 2024.  It tells the history of not only the library but that of many of the well known Chatham names of the past. It gives us a sense of life through the years in a small seaside village where the library was often the heartbeat of the village. Conversations took place, neighbors visited and ideas were exchanged, be they books or community enrichment.  The South Chatham library is unique in its size and having had only 12 librarians in its history. Their stories are as intriguing as those of the library itself. Presented by Barbara Semple.  This program is part of Historic Chatham's June History Month.

Thursday, June 25 at 5:00 pm - Marcellus Eldredge: Catalyst for the Chatham We Know

Join Eldredge Library director Amy Andreasson and Chatham Railroad Museum co-director Gil Sparks to explore the life and legacy of one of Chatham’s most prosperous and benevolent native sons, Marcellus Eldredge (1838-1898), whose local investment and philanthropy catalysed the town’s transformation during the late 1800’s from fishing village to summer resort.  This program is part of Historic Chatham's June History Month.

Monday, June 30 @ 11:00 am - The Greenhead Chronicles with Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project

Anyone who has visited a beach on Cape Cod in July has probably experienced the painful bite of a greenhead fly.  Why do these flies bite and what is the Cape Cod Greenhead Fly Control District doing to reduce the annoyance level? How do those blue boxes on the marshes work and what can you do to fight the bite?  Learn the answers to these questions and more from Gabrielle Sakolsky the staff Entomologist at Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project/Cape Cod Greenhead Fly District.

Monday Craft Club

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.  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, November 18 @ 11:00 am - For our November Monday Craft Club, we will be decorating gift bags and tags! Decorating supplies and a few bags and tags will be provided, but please feel free to bring 2-3 more bags and/or additional supplies to decorate if you'd like.  Registration required

Monday, December 16 @ 11:00 am - This month we are making outdoor bird feeder ornaments.  NOTE: if you have a nut allergy, please contact Lauren Shea - lshea@clamsnet.org.  Registration is required.

Monday, January 13 @ 11:00 am - This month we are offering drop-in Open Crafting. Bring a project you are working on or take a chance and see what we have for materials that may inspire you.  Registration is required.

Monday, February 10 at 11:00 am - It's time for another Monday Craft Club guest workshop! We have Jessee Coen from Happy Hoops coming to do a fun, relaxing winterberry themed embroidery craft. During Happy Hoops workshops participants are provided with all materials and instruction needed to complete a handmade art project. Registration is required.

Monday, March 10 at 11:00 am - This month we will be using fruits and veggies to block print tote bags in honor of our Seed Library opening for the season! Registration is required.

Monday, April 14 @ 11:00 am - This month's project will be a community-run event with Heidi Hilty and Debbie Gaines as they bring us decoupage shells! All supplies will be graciously provided by Heidi and Debbie but feel free to bring a special shell or two if you'd like. Registration is required.

Monday, May 12 @ 11:00 am - This month's project will be suncatchers with Crystal Borealis Jewelry. Registration is required.

Monday, June 9 @ 11:00 am - This month's project will be sand art - painting with sand! Registration is required.

Ebook Classes

Ready to download eBooks and Audiobooks?

Next class:  June 12 @ 11:00 am (@ the Library) and June 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.