Hydrangea Festival Week Events

Color in the Garden Throughout the Year

Tuesday, July 7th, 2026 at 3:00pm

Join Master Gardener Priscilla Husband as she discusses the seasonal organization of bloom periods throughout the garden.

All the colors of our annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs bring vibrancy to our gardens but making sure they all compliment one another and continue to be colorful until the end of the season is a challenge that requires a plan.

In addition to the talk, there will be light refreshments, a silent auction, and a a chance to tour the Library's gardens.

Tickets for this event are 10.00 each.

Space is limited. Please stop by the library to purchase tickets in advance or call 508-362-6636 to purchase over the phone.

During the week leading up to our Hydrangea Festival Garden Tours, we will be holding a silent auction of themed baskets donated by local individuals, businesses, and organizations. The auction will be open for bids from July 6th at 10 am through July 11th at 4 pm.

We will post a list of all the baskets in the auction online so that folks who can't bid in person can place an absentee bid. We'll be sharing more information on the silent auction in mid-June.

Would you like to donate a themed basket for our auction? Contact Lucy Loomis, Library Director at director@sturgislibrary.org or 508-362-6636 for more information. The deadline for donations is June 30th, 2026.

Adult Programs

Writing Cape Cod: Nature and Memoir Writing with David Gessner

Tuesday, June 9th, 2026 at 5:30pm

Join us for a special evening with David Gessner, a New York Times bestselling author whose fourteen books weave together the natural world, humor, memoir, and environmentalism. 

David will share the tools and instincts behind nature memoir writing with a special focus on the beauty of Cape Cod. Attendees will leave with a take-home practice component to try on their own. 


For writers, readers, and anyone who loves Cape Cod. 


Copies of David’s work will be available for purchase thanks to Titcomb’s Bookshop.

June 15th, 2026

Location: Trayser Trail

(Meet at the Coast Guard Heritage Museum)

3353 Main St. Barnstable Village

Time: 9:30am

June 22nd, 2026

Location: Bridge Creek Sanctuary

(Due to limited parking, participants will meet at Sturgis Library and carpool to hike location)

Time: 9:15am at Sturgis Library 3090 Main St. Barnstable Village

June 29th, 2026

Location: Great Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary

(Due to limited parking, participants will meet at Sturgis Library and carpool to hike location)

Time: 9:15am at Sturgis Library 3090 Main St. Barnstable Village

Spending time outside is beneficial to your body and mind. Let's gather, walk, and reap the benefits of spending time in nature, together!

Each trail will take about one hour to complete. Participants should bring water and a snack, wear comfortable shoes for trail walking and should consider wearing sunscreen and bug spray.

We kindly request no dogs join us on the trails.

Space is limited. Separate registration for each hike is required.

Saturday, June 13th. 2026 at 10:30am-12:00pm

Join nature writer and artist Mary Richmond for a morning of simple book binding for beginners.

Participants will make a single signature book with a hard cover!

All materials will be provided but participants are welcome to bring pictures from magazines or old calendars for cover art, if desired.

Space is limited. Registration is required.

Barnstable's Own Lemuel Snow: Patriot and Pioneer

Tuesday, June 30th. 2026 at 5:30pm

From Barnstable to the front lines of the Revolution, Lemuel Snow and his son served eight years with the Massachusetts Line, taking part in the war at Saratoga, Valley Forge, Providence, and beyond. Their journey carried a Cape Cod family into the heart of America’s founding and later into the nation’s early westward expansion.

Join Kirk Moldoff for a talk about this fascinating piece of Barnstable Revolutionary War history.

Tuesday, June 16th, 2026 at 5:30pm

Join The Letter Writing Club and pledge to write one letter each month for the entire year.

Club members are encouraged to gather at Sturgis Library once a month where stationery, art supplies, a letter prompt, and a sense of connection will be provided.

If gathering in person is not possible, letter prompts can be emailed to club members.

To join the club, email Christy at youth.adult@sturgislibrary.org

To attend the in-person gathering, click the button below.

Picture Book Club

Friday, June 12th, 2026 at 12:30pm

Adults are invited to join Children's Librarian Christy Munier for a monthly gathering honoring the brilliance of picture books and picture book art.

Together, participants will thoughtfully analyze and discuss a select picture book.

This gathering will focus on Broken by X Fang

Copies of the book will be made available to participants at the gathering.

To register, email Christy at youth.adult@sturgislibrary.org

Barnstable Council on Aging: Brain Booster

Tuesday, June 16th. 2026 at 10:00am

Learn about brain enhancement programs that involve activities and practices aimed at improving cognitive abilities, memory, and general brain wellness. These programs consist of cognitive training exercises, physical activities, and lifestyle changes.

No registration is required.

Questions? Contact Stacey Cullen at

stacey.cullen@town.barnstable.ma.us

or call 508-862-4765

Saturday, June 27th, 2026 at 10:30am

Let's celebrate cats!

Kiddos are invited to Sturgis Library for a cat-themed morning of fun! Enjoy a short film about Pusheen the Cat, cat-inspired art creations, and more!

This program is intended for ages 6+

Space is limited. Registration is required.

Monday, July 6th, 2026 at 11:00am

Meet and greet New England Wildlife Center's amazing animal ambassadors!

After you meet our guests of honor, be sure to sign up for Sturgis Library’s Summer Reading Program and Hyannis Public Library's Summer Reading Program and earn prizes all Summer long!

This is a drop in program. No registration required.

Weekly Storytime

Wednesdays at 10:30am

Kiddos and their grownups are invited to join Children's Librarian Christy to share a story, illustrate a picture, talk with friends, and learn about nature at Sturgis Library's weekly Storytime!

Geared to ages 1-3 but all are welcome to attend.

Registration is not required.

Questions? Email Christy at youth.adult@sturgislibrary.org

Saturday, June, 27th, 2026 at 1:00pm-2:00pm

Master Builders of all ages are invited to swing by Sturgis Library to create a Lego masterpiece!

Lego creations will be put on display for one week in the Children’s Room for all to admire.

Registration is not required.

Questions? Email Christy at youth.adult@sturgislibrary.org

Tuesday, June 16th, 2026 at 5:00

Readers ages 13ish-15ish are invited to join The Bookish Society’s monthly book club!

This gathering will focus on We Were Liars by E. Lockhart.

Copies of the book are available at the circulation desk.

Registration is required. For more information and to register, please email Christy at youth.adult@sturgislibrary.org

In Other News....

June Pride Book Display

June is Pride Month, and we're celebrating with special book displays! Stop by to browse our curated selection of titles featuring LGBTQ+ stories, histories, and voices. Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to preview some of our picks. Happy Pride!

To learn more about Pride Month, discover regional LGBTQ+ businesses and museum exhibits, and learn about Massachusetts Pride events this June, CLICK HERE.

June Art Exhibits

Richard MacCormack

and Kayla McEntee

in the Simpkins Room Gallery

This special father-daughter exhibition celebrates the creative bond between Richard MacCormack and Kayla McEntee, two Cape Cod based artists whose unique styles compliment one another across painting, photography, and watercolor. Richard's timeless seascapes and still lifes reflect a lifelong pursuit of painterly depth; Kayla's expressive photography and fresh watercolors bring a contemporary, heartfelt perspective. Together, their works invite visitors into a shared artistic legacy grounded in observation, storytelling, and a deep appreciation for Cape Cod's beauty.

Barnstable Historical Society Exhibit

Stop by the front display case at Sturgis Library to view The Barnstable Historical Society's display focusing on the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution on Cape Cod.

Elevate your home's style at Sturgis Library this July! The Library will be hosting a sale of designer-quality pillow covers created by master craftsperson Oona Coggeshall-Burr. The pillows come in a variety of sizes and styles to fit any home or taste, and many feature high-end designer fabrics. They are perfect to spruce up the look of your couch, bed, or patio furniture.

The sale will be held from Thursday, July 23rd through Friday, July 31st. A portion of the proceeds benefits Sturgis Library.

John of John
by Douglas Stuart


 A vivid, moving, and beautifully crafted novel following a young man returning to his Hebridean island home--a portrait of a close-knit community and a fraying family, of a father’s expectations and a son’s desires.

Nymph

By Sofia Montrone


A coming-of-age novel about a girl who spends summers working at her family’s timeworn Italian agriturismo, the tragedy that rends her life into “before” and “after,” and her romance with an American girl, which has unexpected consequences.

The Outer Country
By Davin Malasarn

Ben's aunt suspects his femininity is a spiritual possession and arranges a secret Buddhist exorcism that changes his life forever. To move forward, he must accept his queerness and confront his family's past.

Better Living Through Birding by Christian Cooper

In 2020, Cooper, a Black man, was harassed and threatened by a white woman in Central Park while birding. Cooper tells the story of his extraordinary life leading up to the now-infamous encounter in Central Park and shows how a life spent looking up at the birds prepared him, in the most uncanny of ways, to be a gay, Black man in American today.

Raising Trans Kids: What to Expect When You Weren't Expecting This by Rebecca Minor, LICSW

Raising Trans Kids is the essential guide for parents, families, and educators committed to creating a world where transgender and nonbinary youth can thrive. With compassionate insights, evidence-based research, and practical advice, this groundbreaking book provides the clarity and reassurance needed to navigate the complex journey of raising trans and gender-expansive children.

Burn the Place: a Memoir

by Iliana Regan

Iliana was a little girl who longed to be a boy, gay in an intolerant community, an alcoholic before she turned twenty, and a woman in an industry dominated by men. But as she learned to cook in her childhood farmhouse, got her first restaurant job at age fifteen, taught herself cutting-edge cuisine, and worked her way from front-of-house staff to running her own kitchen, Regan found that food could help her navigate the world around her.

Bathe the Cat

by David Roberts

How It All Ends

by Emma Hunsinger

Are You a Friend of Dorothy?

by Kyle Lukoff

Sturgis Library

3090 Main Street P.O. Box 606

Barnstable, MA 02630

www.sturgislibrary.org

director@sturgislibrary.org

508-362-6636

Our hours are:

Monday 10-5

Tuesday 10-7

Wednesday 10-5

Thursday 10-5

Friday 10-5

Saturday 10-4

Sundays and holidays CLOSED