Here is what's going on this month @MyWPL!
WPL OCTOBER NEWSLETTER
Community Conversation: Saturday, October 1

You can help the Worcester Public Library plan for the future!

Please join us for the final Community Conversation on Saturday, October 1 at 10 a.m. as we begin the strategic planning process. The Board of Directors of the Worcester Public Library is seeking assistance from the community as it considers options for future programs and services.

The planning process will result in a written strategic plan, which will serve as the library's guide over the next five years. This is your chance to be heard! Click here for details.
Sunday Sundaes are Back!
 
Join us for a Grand "Sundae" Sunday Celebration as we celebrate the return of our Sunday schedule on Sunday, October 16 at 2 p.m. The event takes place in the Saxe Room of the Main Library, 3 Salem Square, Worcester, MA . Join us for ice cream sundaes to celebrate, while they last!

The Main Library's Sunday hours will be 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. starting October 16.
A Celebration of Authors
 
The Worcester Public Library Foundation will host its 11th Annual  A Celebration of Authors  fundraising event on  Thursday, October 20, 2016.  The event will be held at The  White Room of the Crompton Collective, 138 Green Street, Worcester from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Through A Celebration of Authors, the Foundation aims to raise funds to assist the Worcester Public Library in enhancing and expanding library services in our community. Click here  for more info .
Friends Fall Book Sale
 
The  Friends of the  Worcester Public Library  will be holding their Friends Fall Book Sale on Friday, October 21 and Saturday, October 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale will feature fiction, non-fiction, biographies, children's books, etc. All proceeds support programs at the Worcester Public Library.

For more information click here or call 508-799-1686.
College of the Holy Cross Hosts "Libby" Rededication Ceremony

On Wednesday, September 21 the College of the Holy Cross hosted a rededication ceremony for the Worcester Public Library's "Libby" Library Express, to celebrate their commitment to helping fund "Libby's" operations for another three years. Check out this article from Masslive for more on the event!
Adult Programs & Classes

The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, but not to fear! October brings lots of exciting events to the Worcester Public Library to keep you busy!

Join us for a Banned Books Week Challenge Event on Saturday, October 1 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Have you ever read a banned book? Take our banned books challenge and learn about your freedom to read.

Join us for part 2 of A Celebration of Authors 2016 Book Discussion with selections from authors featured at A Celebration of Authors, the Worcester Public Library Foundation's signature fundraising event. The book discussion will take place on Tuesday, October 4 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The discussion will cover Euphoria by Lily King and The Children by Joseph Finder. For more information on the Foundation's event click here.

You'll want to swing by for a spooky Holiday Crafting: Poe Print workshop on Saturday, October 22 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Create a Halloween print inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven. Register online.

The Worcester Public Library will be partnering with EPOCA (Ex-prisoners and Prisoners Organizing for Community Advancement) for a CORI Sealing Workshop on Monday, October 24 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. If you are seeking employment and have issues with your CORI, join EPOCA to learn how to seal past offenses and make the most of your job search.

Finally, you won't want to miss Latin Logic* on Tuesday, October 25 from 7 to 8 p.m. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the Latin Logic Band.

*T his program is administered by the Worcester Arts Council, for the Local Cultural Council - an agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
 

If you're looking for more recommendations be sure to check out the Fall Book List brought to you by the WPL Reference Librarians. There are lots of other great events coming up as well as regularly scheduled programming. For all the details check out the Fall Calendar or click here.
Teen Services - Main Library

There are loads of awesome programs happening this month in the Teen Zone.

Teen Mindfulness Class for ages 13 to 17 continues on Tuesdays, October 4, 11, 18 & 25 from 4 to 6 p.m. Registration is required. This 4-week class, led by certified mindfulness, yoga and meditation instructor Ginny Wholley, will delve deeper into mindfulness techniques to help teens improve focus, sense of well-being, and self-regulation. Email teen librarian Rachel for more details!

The monthly Masters of Minecraft will be held Wednesdays, October 5 & 19 from 4 to 5 p.m. Ages 8 to 17 are welcome.

This month we're also hosting a special program Learn Video Game Development: Beginner on Fridays, October 7, 14, 21 & 28 from 3 to 5 p.m. for ages 13 to 17. WPL is going to teach YOU how to make your own video game from start to finish! Join Becker College game designers Rejon and Rachel for this 6-week long workshop series as they help teens create a complete game from the ground up using Game Maker! Registration is required, as space is limited. Email teen librarian Rachel for additional information.

TAG Teen Advisory Group will meet on Tuesday, October 18 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. this month. The Teen Games Guild will run on Thursday, October 20, join us to play Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, tabletop and video game galore! It's time for FANDOM FRIDAY on Friday, October 28, join us for trivia, crafts, snacks, and games, all centering on your favorite fandoms.

There's also some fun Halloween events going on this month! Costume Building will be on Friday, October 28 at 6 p.m. for ages 10 - 17. There will also be a Teen Zombie Party on Monday, October 31 from 3 to 5 p.m. Thwart the zombie apocalypse as part of our spooky escape room, then enjoy food, drinks, zombie face paint, and zombify a rubber duck to take home! Costumes encouraged! For all the details click here.
Youth Services - Main Library

There's so much going on this October in the Children's Room!

Maker Monday with The Learning Hub is back on Mondays, October 3 and 24 from 4 to 5 p.m. Stop by for some great STEM-related activities!

You are not gonna want to miss Flamenco for Kids Part 2: In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month on Friday, October 14 at 4 p.m. with Edmy Ortiz. This is your chance to practice and show off your new Flamenco dancing skills. Please sign-up at the Children's Room desk.

Check out our new program Preschool Science Class on Mondays, October 3, 17, 24 from 10 - 10:45 a.m. Science is all around! Learn some beginner science concepts with the help of books and fun activities!

Join us for Thursday's Mystery Club on Thursdays, October 20 & 27 from 4 - 5 p. m. We'll talk about favorite mystery books and we'll solve a mystery!! Bring a friend you can trust a secret to! Snacks will be provided.

Art Lessons with Bayda are back starting Saturday, October 29 from 11 - 12:30 p.m. The lesson for this month is an Autumn Painting Party.

Don't forget to come by for Halloween Fun at the Library on Monday, October 31. Stop by in costume for any of our fun Halloween events! The fun starts at 10:30 a.m. with a Halloween Craft & Spooky Fun followed by a Trick-or-Treat Parade & Creepy Cookie Decorating at 11 a.m. Don't worry, we didn't forget about the school age kids, come by at 4:00 p.m. for another Halloween Craft & snack followed by a Trick-or-Treat Parade at 4:30 p.m.

Storytimes are also back! Check our full schedule for all the different storytimes we have this month, and find one that is just right for you!

There are so many other fun things going on this month including Construction & Lego Club, Get Your Game On, MCBA Book Club, Cooking Class, Magic Treehouse Club, and Paws to ReadFor a full schedule of all our events  click here .
Branch Updates

This month at the Burncoat Branch, Game On continues on Tuesday, October 4, 11 & 18. Make and Take Wednesdays will continue every week, and Construction Club will keep building every Thursday. You won't want to miss Drive-In Movie on Thursday, October 20 at 4 p.m. Join us at the drive-in! Come in to create your own car, take it for a ride and stay for a movie. Be sure to swing by for our Halloween Party on Tuesday, October 25 from 4 - 5:30 p.m. Come in costume and join us for snacks, crafts and games!

At the Goddard Branch, Construction Club will run every Tuesday, and on Thursdays it's Make and Take. Be sure to visit for our Halloween Party on Wednesday, October 26 from 4 - 5 p.m. Can't get enough Halloween? You won't want to miss Halloween BINGO on Friday, October 28 at 4 p.m.

At the Roosevelt Branch, Make and Take runs every Tuesday, Construction Club builds on Wednesdays, and Game On plays on every Friday! Coloring Club is Thursday, October 5. Be sure to visit for our Halloween Party on Thursday, October 27 from 4 - 6 p.m. Don't forget your costume!

At the Tatnuck Magnet Branch, Construction Club will be on Tuesdays, Game On runs every Wednesday, and Make and Take will be on Thursdays. You won't want to miss our Family Nutrition Program on Friday, October 21 at 3:30 p.m. with the YMCA of Central Mass. Be sure to grab your costume and swing by for our Halloween Party on Friday, October 28 from 4 - 5:30 p.m.

This month at the  Frances Perkins Branch there are plenty of fun favorites going on including Family Storytime, Legos, PJ Storytime, and Anime Club. This month you can also Make Your Own Bath Bombs and Soap on Friday, October 21 from 4 - 5 p.m. Take another shot at Teen & Tween Escape the Room on Thursday, September 22 from 4 - 5 p.m. You also won't want to miss our Halloween Extravaganza on Friday, October 28 from 4 - 5 p.m. Dress in your costume and join us for a Halloween party! We'll have crafts, activities, a parade around the library, and of course candy. . Check our website for all the details!

Libby and Lilly continue to deliver books to schools and neighborhoods throughout Worcester! Check out MyWPL for a complete schedule!
NEW! Online Guide to Social Services

WPL has created and posted an online guide to social services agencies in Worcester and anyone can access it! The guide is intended to complement the library's print resources, and function as a convenient referral tool for members of the community in need of the following:
  • Emergency Shelters
  • Food Pantries
  • Mental Health Services
  • Domestic/Sexual Violence Support
  • Veterans Assistance
  • Medical Services
  • Housing Resources
  • Employment & Career Development
  • Legal Services
  • Reintegration Programs
Not every agency listed has a corresponding website, but the majority do and you can link to them directly from the guide on mywpl.org. Also, each page is printable.

Best of 2016 Book Recommendations & Reviews

Adults

Teens

Children
    
  
There's something for everyone here! Recommendations from library staff for literary fiction, fantasy, romance, sci-fi, sports, biography, non-fiction, teen lit and children's books...Don't know what to read next? Browse  our most requested titles , and the New York Times fiction and nonfiction  bestsellers lists!


Heat Exchange: Boston Fire

By Shannon Stacey

This is a lively, fast-paced, contemporary romance set in Boston that pulled me out of my prolonged book rut. Still, even though the book was engrossing,I found myself critiquing it more than enjoying it...   Read more...
Reminders

Please note: The Worcester Public Library and all Branches will be closed Monday, October 10 in observance of Columbus Day.
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