Holiday Hours

The library will be closed from Thursday December 24 through Saturday December 26. On Wednesday December 30 and Thursday December 31 we'll be closing at 5pm instead of 8pm. Closed on New Year's Day. Happy Holidays!

Game Day!

Games will be stationed throughout the library for our 2nd annual Game Day on Wednesday December 30 from 10am to 3pm.

Barefoot Books Open House

Give the gift of a story! Come to our 2nd annual community book drive in partnership with Barefoot Books and Hopkinton Department of Human Services. A large selection of Barefoot Books will be available to purchase for your gift-giving needs or purchase a book for a local child in need. This event will take place Saturday December 19th from 11am to 3pm in the Children's Area, with ongoing storytelling featuring Barefoot Books!

Limited time passes to Museum of Fine Arts/Boston

We have eight passes to the MFA in Boston that are valid through 1/31/10. The passes admit two people into the museum for $5 each rather than the usual $20 each. Please call the library if you're interested in reserving one of these passes.

A New England Christmas with the Pontine Theatre

The Pontine Theatre touring company will be at the library on Friday, December 18th at 7pm. They will present holiday stories and poems by beloved New England authors. This program will be in the Community Room and is free and open to the public.

Hopkinton Steel Band at the Library

The Hopkinton Steel Band will perform in the Library's Community Room on Sunday December 6th at 2pm as part of the Starry, Starry Weekend events. Join us!

Need help on that knitting project?

Our knitting group "Chicks with Sticks" meets in the library's browsing area every Tuesday evening from 5:30-8:30. Come on in if you need help with a holiday project or just want some company while you're knitting.

Thanksgiving Week Hours

The library will be closing at 5 pm on Wednesday. Here are the hours for the week: open Tuesday 11/24 from 10 am to 8 pm, open Wednesday from 10 am to 5 pm, closed Thursday, open Friday 11/27 from 10 am to 5 pm, open Saturday 11/28 from 10 am to 3 pm and open Sunday 11/28 from 1 pm to 5 pm. Happy Thanksgiving!

No Story Times this week

There's no Story time or Baby Lap time this week (November 24, 25, or 27). See you next week!

Read our Fall Newsletter

Find out what's happening at the library in our fall newsletter.

Come Read to Ben!

Ben, a nine-year-old Shetland Sheepdog will be at the Hopkinton Town Library at 4:30 pm two Thursdays a month. He is a licensed Therapy Dog who loves to have kids come read to him. For questions or to make an appointment, contact Donna at the library. His first visit will be Thursday September 17th.

India: Land of Contrasts

Modern India is a mix of the ancient and the new. Sublime beauty right next to abject poverty. Natural beauty and urban slums. Remnants of British imperialism across the street from Internet cafes. Join us to get a contemporary view of a nation rapidly moving from colonial subject to modern world prominence. We'll erase some common stereotypes and leave you with some new images of successes, challenges and beauty in modern India. Join us for a special presentation by local resident David Feltus on September 22 at 6:30pm in the Community Room of the Library. This program is free and open to the public.

Library Hours

The library will be closed on Saturday and Sunday September 5th and 6th for Labor Day Weekend. Sunday hours will resume on September 13th.

Kill-A-Watt Meter Available for Loan

Starting in September we will have two Kill-a-Watt meters available for loan to library card holders. These meters can be plugged into your appliances to determine how efficient they really are by displaying your power consumption by the kilowatt hour. You can program in your local utility rate and display projected costs by hour, day, week, month or year.

Therapy Dog Update

As part of Therapy Dogs International, we will be bringing Ben, a 9 year old Shetland Sheepdog to the Library in September (he may stop by a few times in August as well). He loves to listen to children read and has had special training to be a good listener! He will be here two Thursday afternoons each month at 4:45, ready to be read to. If you have questions or would like to make an appointment with Ben, call Donna at 746-3663.

Summer Reading Program Wrap Up

This year's Summer Reading Program was a great success - 230 kids participated in the program, reading and reporting on books and attending programs. Highlights included a Hot Air Balloon Glow attended by over 150 community members, a visit to the "100 Acre Wood", hikes, Wildlife Encounters and the design, construction (and consumption!) of a Sand Castle Cake. Congratulations and thanks go to Children's Librarian Leigh Maynard and her unflappable partner Nancy Raymond!

***Thanks for supporting the Summer Reading Program:

• Friends of the Library
• Hopkinton Library Foundation
• Hopkinton Woman's Club
• 'Tween School and Home Child Care

***And for donations of sweet treats:

• Colonial Village
• Cracker Barrel

And of course, our 20 student volunteers!

New Biography Series in the Library

We have added titles in the Penguin Lives series to the collection. These are short, scholarly and very readable biographies of key figures in history. Now in the library are bios of Frank Lloyd Wright, Rosa Parks, Lincoln, and Jane Austen. Soon to arrive: Joan of Arc, Martin Luther, Simone Weill, Robert E. Lee and Julia Child. Someone for everyone!!

New Exhibition at the Library

It's state fair season in the Library Gallery with photos by master photographer, Bill Finney. A series of black and white photos from state fairs from around NH since the 1970s are on display, featuring many from the Hopkinton State Fair. Photos are for sale. Come to see if you can find yourself or someone you know in the photos and let us know if you do!!

Hopkinton READS! Voting Results

The community vote was tallied and Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma was selected as the title for our 2009 community read event. Stay tuned for a description of events related to this thought provoking book now being developed by the Hopkinton READS! committee. Events will take place in October and November.

Vote for Hopkinton READS!

The Hopkinton READS! committee has selected the following books as possibilities for this year's community read. Help select the title to be read and discussed this fall by checking your TOP choice on a ballot available at the library or by emailing your choice to info@hopkintontownlibrary.org. Voting ends August 7th.
Thanks for your input!

1) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
2) A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
3) Peyton Place by Grace Metalious
4) Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
5) Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout