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IFL LIBRARY NEWS &UPDATES
August 2026 | Issue 30
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August is one of the liveliest months on Block Island. The beaches are still bustling, beach roses are in bloom, blackberries are ripening, and families are making the most of these final weeks before the school year begins.
At Island Free Library, we're making the most of the season, too. Our August calendar is filled with opportunities to learn, create, and connect—from children's programs and special events to book discussions, workshops, and activities for adults. Whether you're a year-round resident, a seasonal visitor, or just spending a few days on the island, we hope you'll stop by to discover a new book, attend a program, or simply enjoy one of Block Island's welcoming community spaces.
Summer may be winding down, but there's still plenty to experience. We look forward to seeing you at the library this August.
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“There is nothing you can see that is not a flower;
there is nothing you can think that is not the moon.”― Matsuo Basho
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Night Market on Dodge Street Continues!
Join the Island Free Library and other local businesses on Dodge Street for shopping, live music, local artists, refreshments, games and festivities.
Start your Dodge Night Market early with us! Join us on the library lawn from
4:00–5:00 p.m. for...
August 6th, 4pm ~ Shell Decoupage
Join us as we transform ordinary shells into trinkets or meaningful Block Island keepsakes using decorative paper and decoupage techniques. Feel free to bring a favorite shell or decorative napkin to personalize your project or choose from the materials we'll have on hand.
All materials are provided. All ages are welcome.
August 13th, 4pm ~ Music with Mac Brown
Join us on the Island Free Library's front lawn for the final Dodge Night Market of the season! Stop by between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. to enjoy live acoustic music by local guitarist Mac Brown.
This is a free event and all are welcome.
ALL EVENTS ARE FREE &
ALL ARE WELCOME!
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PLANT A SEED, READ
Summer is winding down, but there's still plenty happening at the Island Free Library! Join us for the final weeks of our Summer Reading Program and the RI Statewide Scavenger Hunt.
This year's Summer Reading theme, Plant a Seed, Read, celebrates the remarkable world of seeds and the many ways they shape our gardens, landscapes, and food. Throughout August, we'll offer drop-in activities for children and families featuring hands-on projects, crafts, and opportunities to explore the life cycle of seeds. Whether you're finishing your reading log, searching for scavenger hunt locations, or simply stopping by to create and discover, we hope you'll join us as we celebrate the final weeks of summer.
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Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you.
Walt Whitman
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Stay Informed with NewsBank — Free with Your Library Card!
Want reliable news without paywalls breathing down your neck? Your Island Free Library card gives you full, free access to NewsBank, a powerhouse database featuring thousands of newspapers, magazines, and trusted news sources from around the world. Search local, national, and international coverage, dive into historical archives, or follow breaking stories across every topic you care about — all in one place.
Curious to dive deeper? Watch a short training video and explore more information to get the most out of it.
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Whether you’re tracking current events, researching a project, or just trying to sort signal from noise, NewsBank puts quality journalism at your fingertips. It’s easy to use, accessible from anywhere, and totally free to our patrons.
Stop wrestling with subscriptions you don’t need. Explore NewsBank through the library website, or ask staff to get you started. Your next great article is already waiting.
https://islandfreelibrary.org/free-e-resources/
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BLOCK ISLAND LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY: Panel Discussion and Q&A with Block Island Photographers: AUGUST 27th THURSDAY 5:30 PM | | |
Happiness can exist only in acceptance.
-George Orwell
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Yoga with Gwendolyn Alker
August 21st,
Friday, 8:30 am -10 am
Namaste!
Join us this summer for Coming Home to You, a series of yoga workshops exploring the connection between body and mind. Through breathwork, mindfulness, and yoga postures, participants will learn techniques to reduce tension, improve relaxation, and develop a greater awareness of body and breath. Yoga props will be provided.
Instructor Gwendolyn Alker, founder of Block Island Yoga, has been teaching yoga since 2000 and serving the Block Island community since 2007. During the winter months, she is an Associate Arts Professor in the Drama Department at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.
Please enter through the grey side door.
Free event, everyone welcome!
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Class III
Connecting Mind and Body
Back by popular demand, this workshop will focus on the nervous system and its connection to fight or flight. We will learn how to release the psoas the main muscle connected to the system of fight or flight. Please bring socks.
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ISLAND FREE LIBRARY CALENDAR
We do our best to include upcoming programs here, but additional events are added throughout the month.
For the most up-to-date schedule, visit our online calendar:
islandfreelibrary.org/events
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WEEKLY ADULT PROGRAM SCHEDULE
AUGUST 2026
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WEEKLY CHILDREN'S
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
AUGUST 2026
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