NEWS & UPDATES
Holidays and Regular Hours

The holidays are upon us! Below, please find the following changes to our regular schedule. 

Christmas
Hours on Monday, December 24th: 9am to 12pm
Closed Tuesday, December 25th

New Year's
Hours on Monday, December 31st: 9am to 7pm
Closed Tuesday, January 1st, 2019 
Library Friends Pop-Up Book Sale
Saturday, December 8th
10am-4pm, Flett Room
The Friends of the Belmont Public Library will be having a Pop-Up Book Sale Saturday December 8th 10am-4pm. The sale will feature mostly children's books and adult fiction books. Come by the Flett Room and pick up something for the book lover in your life! 
Children's Room reopens! 


After three weeks in the Assembly Room the Children's Room is back home with a fresh coat of paint and a new carpet! Thank you to all of our patrons for your patience!  
 
 
150 Things to Do at the Library - Complete List
A sesquicentennial anniversary is no small feat. In honor of our 150th anniversary, the library is celebrating its extensive past and exciting future by highlighting programs that capture the essence of the library and its place in the community.  Scroll down for a complete list of "150 Things to Do at the Library!" and see if you've used the library to the fullest extent.

  1. Ask our Director for a tour of the Library;
  2. Utilize our Low Vision Reader;
  3. Help out with our Community Puzzle in the Ref. Room;
  4. Find the portrait of the first Belmont librarian;
  5. Visit the 1-of-a-kind Frankenstein collection;
  6. No. 6: Start your own book club using our pre-made kits
    Start your own book club using our pre-made kits;
  7. Join the Library's annual, all-ages Summer Reading program;
  8. Practice speaking English at our English Conversation Circle;
  9. Watch a movie and eat popcorn at our movie club, Dial M for Movies;
  10. Watch our public service announcement and find out why the library is yours to discover;
  11. Visit the wildlife that frequents the creek. We have otters, hawks, turkeys, and muskrats!
  12. Ask to see the completed Feasibility Study;
  13. Read and relax in a comfortable easy chair;
  14. Attend Sensory Storytime designed especially for those on the autism spectrum;
  15. Use Wowbrary to stay on top of the newest books, music, and movies available;
  16. Sign up for RB Digital (formerly Zinio) to read popular magazines on your device;
  17. Get books delivered to you or loved ones who are housebound through Books on Wheels;
  18. Check out Homework and Hot Chocolate for teens;
  19. Attend a Library Trustees Meeting;
  20. Visit the Belmont Historical Society in the Claflin Room;
  21. Donate some books to the Friends of the Library;
  22. Get to know your elected officials during office hours;
  23. Sign up for our e-newsletter;
  24. No. 24: Click on the image above to meet Libby!
    Download Libby, our one-tap reading app;
  25. Reserve a museum pass to one of twenty museums and play spaces in the area;
  26. Read Belmont newspapers from 1890 to the present;
  27. Try out a book by receiving first chapters via email;
  28. Check out a library tote to carry home all of those items you just checked out;
  29. Got a hero? Let's find his/her biography;
  30. Use one of our catalog computers for access to the millions of materials available through the Minuteman Network;
  31. Find resources to write or rewrite your resume;
  32. Visit our Digital Display to see what's new and upcoming in our resources and programs;
  33. Host a meeting for a group of up to 130 people in our Assembly Room;
  34. Catch up on the latest news and gossip with our extensive periodical and magazine collection;
  35. Consult consumer guides online and in the library to make informed decisions on your next big purchase;
  36. Use our online language learning resource, Mango, to learn a new language;
  37. Take home the newest Bluray;
  38. Use Biography In Context to find great resources for that assignment;
  39. Visit the fishtank and make some new fishy friends;
  40. Try out our self-checkout machines;
  41. Attend a playgroup;
  42. Buy a gently used book for your home collection at the Friends Everyday Book Sale;
  43. Sign up to volunteer with the Friends of the Library;
  44. Take a look at this month's newsletter;
  45. Visit the Memorial Garden off the West Parking Lot;
  46. Follow @belmontlibma on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram;
  47. Read a book found in our "New Books" section;
  48. Read a book that's less than 150 pages;
  49. Read the New York Times online, at home or in the library;
  50. Read a book from our Young Adult Room, not just for teens!
  51. Grab a great read from a local author in our "Local Spotlight" collection;
  52. Download an eAudiobook using Libby or Hoopla;
  53. Read Belmont newspapers from 1890 to present online;
  54. Use our free wifi located throughout the Library, network is "Belmont Public Library," NO PASSWORD;
  55. Have lunch by the creek at one of our picnic tables;
  56. Meet one of our great staff members;
  57. Borrow a Kill-o-Watt monitor to see how much energy your home appliances use;
  58. Use one of our public computers to browse the web, email, or print;
  59. Attend a Library Building Committee Meeting;
  60. Get involved with our community read, One Book, One Belmont;
  61. Borrow one of the Library's Kindles, which come preloaded with dozens of fiction and nonfiction bestsellers;
  62. Attend one of the Library's ongoing book clubs, like the Belmont Book Discussion Club or the Senior Book Discussion Group;
  63. Check out the best community bulletin board in town, just outside the Children's Room;
  64. Join our Knitting Group;
  65. Use one of our study carrels to write your next great novel;
  66. Attend our annual Purple Heart Ceremony, this year on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 10am;
  67. Check out a Playaway, plug in your headphones, and go for a walk;
  68. Ask us about the Library of Things;
  69. Stop and smell the flowers at every entrance;
  70. Participate in the Belmont Story Project;
  71. Show respect to our veterans, and review the names on the War Memorial in the lobby front entrance;
  72. Find the mural painted by the Belmont High School Class of 2012;
  73. Ask to meet Elaine Alligood, our longest serving trustee;
  74. Attend one of the Selectman office hours the Library regularly hosts;
  75. Visit the statue in front of our west entrance;
  76. Ask a children's staff member about Jane Gray Dustan;
  77. Visit the Pop-up Library at the Farmers' Market, monthly during market season;
  78. Play with the Magna-Tiles in the Children's Room;
  79. Browse our video game collection - we've got games for Wii, Wii-U, PS4, XBOX 360, & Nintendo Switch;
  80. Attend one of our weekly storytimes for babies, toddlers, or pre-k;
  81. Attend one of our Friends Author Series events, like September 17th's talk with Lindsay Mattick, author of Finding Winnie Winnie's Great War;
  82. Snap a pic using one of our resources & tag @belmontlibma with the hashtag
  83. #BelmontLibraryMA & we'll repost!
  84. Get CCNA Security certified, or take a digital photography class using our online learning resource, lynda.com;
  85. Suggest a reading list to our resident reading list creator and librarian, Chris, by emailing ctremblay@minlib.net;
  86. Take yourself out to a ball game! Reserve our latest pass, discount tickets to the Lowell Spinners;
  87. Reduce your carbon footprint: walk to the library on a warm day and leave your fan or air conditioner off at home, read the newspaper, enjoy the air conditioning at the library while the day heats up and read or use any resource at the library. Sharing resources uses less energy. Let's make global cooling our priority!
  88. Go to the cooking section and pick a random page from a random book, then challenge yourself to make whatever you found;
  89. Ask to meet Corinne McCue Olmsted, our newest Trustee;
  90. Sign up for a library card or ask for a replacement card redesigned with our logo;
  91. Ask us how you can watch movies at home, DVDs, Roku, Hoopla, Kanopy - we've got many options for you;
  92. Ask our Library Director about quiet study rooms; coming soon;
  93. Check out the hidden corner of the creek behind the library shed, it's beautiful;
  94. Come and meet Fire Fighters and touch a firetruck during Fire Prevention week every October;
  95. Chipmunks, otters, hawks, rabbits, and more have all been spotted on library grounds, observe our furry friends today;
  96. Meet Fred Dooe, our longest serving employee and Radhika Tavshikar, our newest employee;
  97. The Library Building Committee is working towards building a new Library for our community. Ask our Library Director for the latest update on how things are going;
  98. Town Meeting members: Pick up your packet of materials at the library before important town meetings and votes;
  99. Enjoying our new furniture? We'd be happy to share the source, and take your suggestions on furniture ideas you'd like to see in the future;
  100. No. 100: Meet Elvis the Therapy dog, he makes a few visits every year
    Meet Elvis the Therapy dog, he makes a few visits a year;
  101. Teens, come work together to find freedom in one of our escape rooms;
  102. Checkout one of our slide scanners or signup to have a library staff member scan your slides for you;
  103. Scan your documents to your email or USB using one of the copiers in our Reference Room;
  104. Sign up for one of our monthly 3D printing classes;
  105. Teens, attend one of our Homework and Hot Chocolate sessions;
  106. Teens, attend one of our Teen LGBTQIAP+ drop ins;
  107. Find the perfect gift for the book, movie, and music lovers on your list using our annual Gift Guide;
  108. Vote in the Assembly Room on Election Day if you live in Prescient 1;
  109. See what Belmont has been reading with our annual list of our top circulating titles;
  110. Teens, come to one of our Teen Gaming events featuring new and retro video games;
  111. Attend an instruction session to learn more about one of our databases;
  112. Read the Boston Globe in person or online;
  113. Find the legal form you need from our comprehensive database of Massachusetts legal forms;
  114. Submit and interlibrary loan request to get material that is not in any Massachusetts library;
  115. Find your next read using the Novelist database;
  116. Pick up a free photocopy of the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle;
  117. Pick up a free photocopy of the New York Times bestseller list;
  118. Check out the artwork outside of the Claflin Room;
  119. Read the inscription above the main entrance;
  120. Checkout a graphic novel and see what all the fuss is about, found in our Reading Room;
  121. Charge your cellphone with one of our portable chargers;
  122. See the U.S. flag donated by the local Boy Scouts in our Children's Room;
  123. Get lost in prose reading one of our books of poetry;
  124. Take a trip down memory lane by going through Belmont High School yearbooks, available online at the library or in the comfort of your own home!
  125. Read the library's mission statement;
  126. Advance your career using the books from our Career Center section;
  127. Get ready for your professional or academic aptitude test using one of our test prep books;
  128. Complete your homework assignment using one of the high school textbooks you can checkout from the Reference Desk;
  129. Improve your foreign language skills or read in your native language by checking something out from our foreign language collection;
  130. Attend one of our music programs;
  131. Find your neighborhood on the 3D relief map in the library's balcony;
  132. Take a peek at the library's ceramic tile mural;
  133. Discover the artwork dedicated to Shirley Gerber in the Children's Room;
  134. No. 134: Check out the library's paperweight collection case
    Check out the library's paperweight collection case;
  135. Request help with you digital device or a digital library resource with our Tech One-on-One sessions;
  136. Attend one of our tai chi classes;
  137. Come to the Parent Child Book Club for children in grades 3-6 and their parents;
  138. Attend one of the weekly story times run by the Children's Room;
  139. Check out a book on CD to make your commute or long drive fly by;
  140. Request an item through the Commonwealth Catalog to get something that is available in a Massachusetts library but not an MLN library;
  141. Suggest an item we should purchase for our collection by filling out the form on this page;
  142. See what the news is saying about libraries with the articles linked at the bottom of our homepage;
  143. Login to the Minuteman catalog to renew and request items on your account;
  144. Read the latest editions of local newspapers in our West Wing;
  145. Plan your next adventure using our collection of travel guides;
  146. Explore the visually impressive books in our Oversize collection;
  147. Checkout a documentary film from our Nonfiction DVD collections;
  148. Ask a reference librarian for a guest pass to get on one of the public computers if you forgot your card;
  149. Sign up for Girls Who Code;
  150. Come hear the Ukuladies!
Food For Fines
 
Fine Forgiveness
Monday, December 10th through Monday, December 24th
We're forgiving fines  December 10th through December 24th, return overdue or billed Belmont materials and we'll take care of the late fees. We are also waiving old overdue fines on Belmont items. 

Please bring non-perishable canned foods to the library when you come to have your fines forgiven. All items will be given to the Belmont Food Pantry to support those in need. Suggested donations include:
  •  Coffee
  •  Tea
  •  Hot Cocoa
  •  Chili w/ meat
  •  Stews
  •  Canned veggies
  •  Mac-n-cheese
  •  Pasta
  •  Tuna fish
  •  Canned /dried fruit
  •  Cereal
  •  Toiletries
*Please note: All overdue fines on BELMONT items will be eligible for forgiveness. Charges for lost or damaged items are not eligible, nor are fines from other libraries.
Holiday Gift Guide
bright_wrapped_presents.jpg
Trying to find the perfect gift for the book, music, or movie lover on your list? Then check out the Belmont Public Library's Holiday Gift Guide filled with suggestions from staff members. And remember: you can borrow it before you buy it by clicking on the links to the catalog to place your hold.
EVENTS & PROGRAMS 
Books and Bites
Author Robert B. Charles to speak on Eagles and Evergreens: a Rural Maine Childhood
Monday, December 10th
11am, Assembly Room

Over four seasons, Charles describes Maine half a century ago--ice houses, moose encounters, and learning from World War II vets.  George Mitchell, former U.S. senator from Maine, says of  Eagles and Evergreens:  "Anyone who loves rural Maine, or just the incomparable charm of small towns across America, will enjoy this book.  It will warm your heart."

Robert B. Charles attended Dartmouth College, Oxford University, and Columbia Law School.  He entered law practice, spent time in two White Houses, conducted oversight for Congress, and taught.

All are welcome to attend this free program, sponsored by the Friends of the Belmont Public Library.  Refreshments will be provided.  Books will be available for purchase and signing.  
 
Movie Club: 
Scrooged
Viewing: Friday December 14th  
6:30pm, Assembly Room 
Discussion: Tuesday, December 18th  
7pm, Flett Room 


   
Dial M for Movies is the Library's movie club, hosted by Library Director Peter Struzziero. Join Peter for the film viewing - with popcorn of course - then come back later in the month to discuss the film. 
Tai Chi at the Library
Tuesday, December 4th
7pm, Assembly Room
Registration optional but appreciated
Saturday, December 15th
10am, Assembly Room 
Registration optional but appreciated 
   
Join us for tai chi at the Library. Tai chi practitioner and coach, Aisling O'Shea, will guide you through this beautiful and low impact form of martial art and meditation. NO equipment necessary, just bring yourself and wear comfortable clothing.  
 
Can't make this month? Join us for one of our two offerings in January:
Saturday, January 5th, 10-11pm, Assembly Room.  Registration optional but appreciated 
Tuesday evening, January 22nd, 7-8pm, Flett Room.   Registration optional but appreciated.
Knitting Group
Fridays, 12:30-2:30pm (drop in) 
Flett Room 
   
Do you enjoy knitting and a nice group chat? 
Drop in to the Library's Knitting Group, Fridays between 12:30-2:30pm in the Flett Room. Bring your knitting, crochet, weaving, or other portable crafts or projects, and we'll get to know each other as we work. We're mainly a social group who like to take a few hours on Friday afternoon to relax and work with yarn, although we're happy to help if you've reached a tricky point in your pattern, or need assistance fixing a dropped stitch. No commitment necessary - we look forward to meeting you!
For more information, contact Mary Carter at 617-993-2870 or  mcarter@minlib.net
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY 
3D Printing Workshops
3D Printing Workshops are one of the free learning opportunities funded by the Friends of the Belmont Public Library. These monthly classes are taught by John Walsh, a makerspace expert who works with many libraries in the Minuteman network. Typically offered on the first Saturday morning of the month the workshops are open to anyone age 10 and up but limited to 12 people, so registration is required. No design or 3D experience necessary-all equipment & software are provided. Designs are printed after the class for pickup within two weeks.

Help us continue to fund programs like 3D Printing Workshops by supporting the Friends. Click here: https://belmontpubliclibrary.net/about/fobpl/ to learn how you can help. We are a separate non-profit dedicated to enhancing Belmont Public Library programs and services.

BOOK DISCUSSIONS
Senior Book Discussion
Friday, December 14th
11am, Classroom A, Beech Street Center
 
The senior book discussion group will meet to discuss the novel Deephaven by Sarah Orne Jewett. The senior book discussion group is co-sponsored by the Belmont Public Library and the Belmont Council on Aging. All are welcome to attend.
 
Belmont Book Discussion Group
Wednesday, January 16th
3pm,  Flett Room
Join us for a discussion of Elizabeth Strout's, Anything is Possible, a collection of  interconnected short stories set in small-town America, and featuring  unforgettable characters.  BBD meets on the third Wednesday of every other month.  
 
See our flyer showing the 
titles and dates for 2019.
 
Cookbook club coming soon!!
Starting in February the library will be hosting a cookbook club. Library staff will select a cookbook each month and make multiple copies available. Participants will choose a recipe and bring it in for the group to sample during a discussion of the book. Registration will begin the first week of January and will be required. 
FEATURED DATABASE 
NYTimes.com 


Thanks to our membership in the Minuteman Library Network, Belmont patrons have free, unlimited, access to NYTimes.com articles. Coverage includes 1981 to Current, plus historic coverage 1851-1922. Home Access includes the NY Times App and 5 Premium Archive (1923-1980) articles per day. Get started reading the New York Times today. For help, email  askbelmont@minlib.net or call 617-993-2870, to speak with a reference librarian.

Help us out: send an email to  askbelmont@minlib.net to give us feedback on how you value this new resource.  
 
CHILDREN'S EVENTS    
 
CAMP OUT FOR CARPET: COMPLETED!!
 
 
The Children's Room now has a new carpet and a fresh coat of paint! Thank you to all of our patrons for your patience over the last month!
 
MONTHLY STORYTIMES
 
NOTE: There will be no storytimes Monday December 24th through Sunday January 6th.
 
Active Learning for Infants
Wednesdays
10:30am, Flett Room
Every Wednesday, unless otherwise noted.
For infants up to 12 months and pre-walkers, this short program of songs and rhymes is focused on engaging with your baby  and me eting new friends.
 
Storytime for 1s
Thursdays
9:30am and 10:30am, Flett Room
For walkers and toddlers under 24 months. We'll share simple stories, song s, and nursery rhymes,  and end with time to play.
 
Storytime for 2s and 3s
Tuesdays
9:30am and 10:30am, Flett Room
Come listen to stories and rhymes, si ng, and even dance! For 2 and 3 year olds.
 
Preschool Storytime
Wednesdays
9:30am, Flett Room
We'll read longer books, sing and  dance, and make simple crafts. For 3-5 year olds with a longer attention span.
 
Early Literacy Playgroup
Fridays
10:30am, Flett Room
This parent and child group supports your child's language and literacy development. You'll play, read, sing and take home new ideas! Presented by educators from the CFCE grant program; for children age 4 and under.
 
 
DECEM BER EVENTS
 
Music and Movement with Rubi
Monday December 3rd 
9:30am and 10:15am,  Assembly Room
Monday December 17th
9:30am and 10:15am, Assembly Room 
For children ages 2-5, this active program will get kids (and their grownups) moving, dancing and having fun! 
 
Ukuladies Holiday Sing-A-Long
Thursday, December 13th
10:30am,  Assembly Room
Come sing, dance, and meet new friends! Librarians Rachel and Adrienne will play their ukuleles and get goofy with kids 5 and under. 
 
Stories and Snacks
Wednesday, December 19th 
2:30pm, Flett Room
Who says being read to is just for little kids? Join Children's Librarian Rachel and munch on  some yummy snacks while listening to fun stories in this program for kids ages 7 and older. RSVP's appreciated! RSVP online or call 617-993-2880.
 
Concert with Matt Heaton
Thursday December 20th
10:30am, Assembly Room
Join acclaimed local musician Matt Heaton for this sing-along for babies and toddlers up to 24 months with both original songs and classic favorites.
   
 
Playful Engineers with Jay Mankita
Thursday December 27th
10:30am, Assembly Room
In this hands-on, ST EM focused workshop, participants design, build, test, and play with Rube Goldberg "machines" , plus domino constructions, exploding popsicle-stick snakes, and other awesome engineering explorations.   
 
New Year's Concert with Sulinha & Trio
Monday December 31st
10:30am, Assembly Room
Ring in the new year with the Belmont Public  Library and Parents' Choice Award Winning singer Sulinha Boucher! Sulinha and her band mates will bring the musical sounds of Brazil to Belmont and help us count down to an (early) new year.  
TEENS  
Girls Who Code
Mondays, 4:15-6:15 pm
Flett Room
Girls Who Code clubs equip girls with concrete te chnical skills that will provide the foundation for futures in technology. The curriculum is provided by the organization, and involves 40 hours of instruction in computer science including project based activities to reinforce concepts like conditionals, lists, and loops, with primary learning tracks in Scratch and Javascript Registration required. Please email rmoir@minlib.net  for more information. NOTE: No Girls Who Code on Monday, December 24th or Monday, December 31st!
 
Homework and Hot Chocolate
Wednesday, December 5th, 1:30-3:30 pm
Assembly Room
Middle school students--come and eat snacks, do your homework and then play games, do crafts, or read books.  
 
Teen Advisory Board
Friday, December 14th, from 3-4:30 pm
Flett Room
Attention teens, grades 9 and up! Looking for a new community service opportunity? Join the teen advisory board. Meetings are held once a month during the school year on Friday afternoons, but you don't have to attend every month. We eat pizza, work on a volunteer project, and plan upcoming teen programs. Please email  rmoir@minlib.net for more details.
 
 
 
Teen LGBTQIAP+ Drop in
Wednesday, December 19th, 3-4:30 pm
Flett Room
Are you a lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, queer, intersex or asexual teen? Or are you a teen ally? Join us for our first LGBTQIA+ drop in, where you can meet and hang with like-minded teens in a safe, welcoming environment! For grades 6 to 12.
 
Teen Gaming
Thursday, December 27th, 3-4:30 pm
Flett Room
Join us for an afternoon of gaming on the new library Nintendo Switch and SNES Classic! We'll have Mario Kart both old and new for you to try. For grades 6 to 12.
 
 
All programs run by the Library are free and open to the public. The Assembly and Flett Rooms are accessible to all.
AROUND TOWN
Belmont Council on Aging-Robots: An Innovation in Healthcare
Friday December 21st 1:15pm
Beech Street Center
We are very excited to welcome Will Pong from Pong Robotics LLC! Pong Robotics develop mobile products that help users stay healthy, live independently longer, and improve quality of life. Currently, Will is working on applying robotic technology to help with pain manage-
ment, productivity, and fitness in an aging population. Do you believe robots can help as we age? Would you ever consider using one in your everyday life? Join us as Will shares more about new developments, his products, and why he believes robots are an important innovation for the future of healthcare. Cost: Free.
  
 
Belmont Council on Aging-Intergenerational Feature Film:  
Toy Story
Friday December 28th at 1pm
Beech Street Center
 
Scho ol vacation is the time to bring your grandchild and friends to the movies! Woody is a cowboy doll owned by Andy. Woody fears his place as Andy's favorite is jeopardized by a ne w toy Buzz Lightyear. Woody and Buzz team up when Andy's family moves away, and they must escape from the evil neighbor Sid. Enjoy some popcorn and laugs with this classic family movie. Approx: 1 hr. 2 minutes. Cost: Free. 
Save the Date: Kindergarten Parent Information Night for School Year 2019-2020
 
We are pleased to announce Kindergarten Parent Information Night for parents and guardians of students entering kindergarten at Belmont Public Schools in 2019-2020 on Thursday, January 24 at 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Winthrop L. Chenery Middle School auditorium, 95 Washington Street (snow date Thursday, January 31).
 
This is a general information night with all four elementary schools represented; Mary Lee Burbank, Daniel Butler, Roger Wellington, and Winn Brook. Presenting is Superintendent John Phelan along with school and central office personnel.
 
New in March is Kindergarten Central Registration for families with kindergarten students entering in 2019-2020. More details will be presented at Kindergarten Information Night and information is also available on the Belmont Public Schools website at:
 
 
We hope to see you there!
 
(Please note Kindergarten Parent Information Night is for Adults Only)

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