SPECIAL EVENTS:

Second Annual Once Upon A Book Fest @ the Ashland Public Library

Saturday, March 25 @ 10am – 4pm

We are thrilled to welcome authors RW Alley & Zoe Alley, Janet Costa Bates, Diane deGroat, Jannie Ho, Renee Kurilla, Braden Lamb & Shelli Paroline, Rajani LaRocca, Nancy Tupper Ling, Gabriel Joy Reid, and Heidi EYStemple to Ashland for our Second Annual Once Upon A BookFest Children’s Book Festival! 

 We’ll have a day full of hands-on workshops, author presentations, book selling and signing and so much more! We hope you can join us for this very special day. Stay tuned for more about the festival, the schedule, sponsors and more. 

Adult:

Virtual: Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site Presents ‘Olmsted’s Life & Legacy’

Wednesday, March 1 @ 12pm

Examine Olmsted’s life from his early years up until his final days. Led by Community and Youth Engagement Coordinator Isabel Schulman from the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site in Brookline.

Jewelry Making - Joyful Words with Stretch Beaded Bracelets

Monday, March 6 @ 6pm

We’re learning how to make stretch beaded bracelets but this time, we’re adding a bit of joy and kindness to them! You’ll be amazed with what you can create with just a bit of stretch bead cord and some beads. Join us for a fun evening of creating and connecting.

Virtual: “Dirtbag, Massachusetts”: An Evening with Isaac Fitzgerald

Tuesday, March 7 @ 7pm

Join us for a very special author event! In “Dirtbag, Massachusetts”, Fitzgerald, with warmth and humor, recounts his ongoing search for forgiveness, a more far-reaching vision of masculinity, and a more expansive definition of family and self.

Virtual: Longfellow House-Washington’s HQ National Historic Site Present ‘Past & Present Here Unite’

Wednesday, March 8 @ 12pm

Learn more about this unique public resource, reopening for the season in May 2023. Led by Longfellow House Public Programs Manager Emily Levine.

Virtual - Author and Veterinarian, Philipp Schott, Discusses Pets, Vets, and Publishing *For Teens and Adults

Wednesday, March 8 @ 7pm

We are thrilled to partner with the Tewksbury Library to welcome author and veterinarian, Philip Schott, to our virtual stage! He will be discussing his latest book “The Battle Cry of the Siamese Kitten”, how his veterinary practices inform his stories, and the path to publishing. We hope all of our pet/author/speaker lovers out there will join us!

Virtual: Hidden Figures & Other Women of NASA

Thursday, March 9 @ 7pm

Celebrate Women’s History Month and explore the lives of the many women who made their dreams of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics come true at NASA, and who have been an essential part of the space program since its inception.

Environmental Stewardship Through Sustainable Gardening

Saturday, March 11 @ 10am

We’re partnering with the Ashland Garden Club for this one! Casey E. Doyle, a premiere agriculture and soil scientist, will share sustainable gardening practices that cause no harm to the earth and reduce negative environmental impacts. 

Environmental Justice Film Screening and Discussion: “RiverBlue”

Saturday, March 11 @ 1pm

Join us for a viewing and discussion of “RiverBlue”, which documents the profound and alarming impact of textile factories serving the fast fashion industry in Western countries, on rivers in Bangladesh, China, India, and Indonesia. Ashlander, Rajashree Ghosh will lead the follow up conversation.

Virtual: An America Divided: Can We Live With One Another? with New Yorker Staff Writer, Emma Green

Tuesday, March 14 @ 7:30pm

Join Emma Green in this exploration of the ways that Americans are divided - politically, religiously, economically, communities, and even families. What has caused these ruptures and what are some ways for us to come back together? Pulling from the many, many people she has spoken to over the years as well as her articles on the Federalist Society, the Supreme Court, and Affirmative Action, Emma will lead us in this difficult but essential discussion!

Virtual: Boston African American National Historic Site Presents ‘Explore The Black Heritage Trail’

Wednesday, March 15 @ 12pm

Enjoy a virtual lunchtime lecture from the Boston African American National Historic Site which showcases residences and community buildings associated with a Black community that thrived on, and near, the north slope of Beacon Hill.

Virtual: An Evening with Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, Author of “Big Girl”

Wednesday, March 15 @ 7pm

Mecca Jamilah Sullivan is the author of the novel “Big Girl”, “The Poetics of Difference”, and “Blue Talk and Love”. In her highly anticipated debut novel, Mecca Jamilah Sullivan explores the perils and undeniable beauty of insatiable longing.

Celebrate Women’s History Month: Author Susan Eisenberg Discusses “We’ll Call You If We Need You: Experiences of Women Working Construction”

Monday, March 20 @ 6:30pm

In this book, full of the raw drama and humor found on a construction site, Eisenberg gracefully weaves the voices of thirty women (including her own!) who worked as carpenters, electricians, ironworkers, painters, and plumbers to examine why their numbers remained small.

Virtual - Cassatt & Company: The Women Impressionists

Monday, March 20, 2023

This program explores the paintings of Marie Bracquemond, Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt and others and considers the unique challenges they faced as women artists in a male-dominated profession.

Virtual - Beyond the Library presents: The Gilded World of Isabella Stewart Gardner

Tuesday, March 21 @ 7pm

We will explore the details of Isabella Stewart Gardner’s life, friends, travels and collections. She broke all kinds of rules while setting up her museum but perhaps we can understand this when we read her personal motto “It is my pleasure.” She arranged things the way she wanted with relationships between objects that may at first escape us. What is left for us is to marvel at the space she created and filled with beautiful things.

Virtual: New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Presents ‘Stories From The Whaling Port’

Wednesday, March 22 @ 12pm

Discover the origins and historical significance of New Bedford’s whaling port. Led by National Park Guide Rufai Shardow.

Virtual - Romance Authors Maya Rodale & Caroline Linden discuss “Dangerous Books For Girls”

Wednesday, March 22 @ 7pm

Join us for a conversation between friends and romance authors Maya Rodale and Caroline Linden! They’ll be discussing Maya’s re-released and expanded edition of “Dangerous Books For Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels Explained”.

Virtual - Literary Café Celebrates Women’s History Month

Thursday, March 23 @ 7pm

We’re excited to partner with the Cary Library for its next Literary Cafe which will mark Women’s History Month with a panel presentation, hosted by Marjan Kamal, featuring Award-winning authors Joy Castro, Ava Homa, and Katherine Sherbrooke.

Virtual - Law and Order: Boston with Author David Kruh

Friday, March 24 @ 1pm

In this slide show, David brings Law & Order to Boston by looking at three high-profile cases from three eras of the city’s history: The Boston Massacre, The Parkman Murder, and the Boston Strangler. Together, we’ll look at the crime (or crimes), follow the investigation, and wind up in court, where we will argue the case and hear the verdict.

Virtual -Learn All About Fixit Clinics! The How and Why of Bringing One to Your Community

Tuesday, March 28 @ 1pm

We are partnering with Peter Mui, the founder of the Fixit Clinic and Kathi Mirza, an Environmental Analyst for MassDEP, to bring you the nuts and bolts of hosting or attending a Fixit Clinic in your very own community! Did you know that the APL has already hosted 2 Fixit Clinics?

Virtual: John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site Presents ‘From Beals St. To The White House’

Wednesday, March 29 @ 12pm

Receive a virtual tour of John F. Kennedy’s birthplace home on 83 Beals Street. Led by Lead Park Ranger Gabriella Hornbeck.

Virtual: Author Mia Mask Discusses “Black Rodeo: A History of the African American Western”

Wednesday, March 29@ 7pm

African American westerns have a rich cinematic history and visual culture. Professor and author Mia Mask examines the African American western hero within the larger context of film history by considering how Black westerns evolved and approached wide-ranging goals.

Teen: 

Saturday Video Games 

Saturday, March 4 @ 1:30pm

Come to the library afterschool to play switch games with your friends! Nintendo Switch, Xbox, games and snacks will be provided.

No registration required, for ages 13-18 only!

Early Release Day Teen Movie

Friday, March 17 @ 1pm

Come to the library afterschool to watch a movie, eat pizza and hangout!

Children: 

Saturday Story Time 

*For Ages 3 and up

Saturday, March 4 and March 11 @ 10:30am

Come listen to Ryan read some of his favorite stories aloud!

Lego Club

*For Age 5 & Up

Thursday, March 9 and March 23 @ 4pm

Each child will be given a box filled with an assortment of Lego blocks to build a creation using only what’s inside the box within the 45 minute time limit.

“You are the Hero of Your Own Story” Author Visit with Shawn Peters 

*For Grades 4 - 7

Friday, March 17 @ 2pm

This interactive session will include an author talk, two separate readings from THE UNFORGETTABLE LOGAN FOSTER, as well as in improvised superhero story based on a volunteer’s own suggestions and the audience’s participation with sound effects along the way.

Parachute Party 

*For Kids Ages 3 - 6

Saturday, March 18 @ 11am

Have fun working as a group to keep the parachute up in the air.

Family Movie

Tuesday, March 28 @ 3pm

(animated, rated PG)

Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, the original animated feature is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides.

SEED, Inc “Fossils” 

*for grades K-5

Wednesday, March 29 @ 2:30pm

Come explore with fossils. Learn how fossils form, examine fossils that are millions of years old, and even dig one out for yourself!

S.T.E.A.M. Story & Craft - “Potato Clocks” *For Grades K-3

Thursday, March 30 @ 2:30pm

Use a potato to make a battery that will power a mini clock. Kids will take their clocks home with them.

Friends of the Ashland Public Library Full Day Book Sale and Donation Day

Friday, March 3rd 6-8pm

Saturday, March 4th 10-4pm

Our Big Book Sale is back! Join us for the full day to pick up some wonderful books, movies, audiobooks and the beautiful Chinese Brush Paintings. We have thousands of gently used books if you’re looking for something special for the adult