Adult Programs

We have in person, hybrid or virtual programs! Please click on the link to receive the zoom information if it's online. Check your spam folder if you don't see the confirmation in your inbox.

Virtual - Afternoon Tea with Author Louise Hare, Discussing "Harlem After Midnight"
Wednesday, September 20 @ 3pm,

We're excited to be celebrating a book birthday with author Louise Hare! Her new book, "Harlem After Midnight" just came out on August 29th and is a must read for anyone who loves historical fiction, mysteries, and jazz music from the 1930s ! Louise is joining us from "across the pond" - so BYOT (bring your own tea) for this very special Q&A.

Bio/Memoir Book Club
Wednesday, September 20 @ 11am

Read 'The Smallest Lights in the Universe' by Sara Seager

Virtual: Ashland Adult Book Club
Wednesday, September 20 @ 6:30pm

Read "The Henna Artist" by Alka Joshi

Virtual - Q&A with Historical Fiction & Romance Author Piper Huguley
Wednesday, September 20 @ 7pm

Piper Huguley is an author of historical fiction featuring African American characters. She tells the untold stories of people who might have been lost to time. Her most recent book, "By Her Own Design: a novel of Ann Lowe, Fashion Designer to the Social Register" tells the inspiring story of the Black fashion designer of Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress.

VIRTUAL- Nature Photography (Discussion Session) with Steve McGrath
Thursday, September 21 @ 7pm

Join us for this virtual discussion of images, perhaps taken at a field session earlier this year or one's you've taken on your own.

Great Decisions
Thursday, September 21 @ 6:30pm
Discuss Iran at a Crossroads

Virtual - New England Shorebirds with Bill Gette
Friday, September 22 @ 1pm

Shorebirds are one of the most interesting and diverse groups of birds. In New England, we have the opportunity to observe not only species that nest in our area (e.g., Killdeer, Piping Plover), but also shorebirds (Whimbrel, White-rumped Sandpiper) that pass through our area on their long spring and fall migrations.

Virtual - Friday Night Film Discussion
Friday, September 22 @ 7pm
Watch "Rams"

Climate Week: Water is Life, Life is Water - Bharatanatyam Dance and Discussion
Tuesday, September 26 @ 6pm

NATyA Dance Collective presents an original suite of Indian classical and folk dances that explore and interpret how water pervades our bodies, our everyday lives and our environment. The dances invite the audience to embody water with gesture and movement, and to reflect on traditions of the past and present that have protected our water supply and healed our collective sorrows. All ages welcome.

Virtual: An Evening with A Raisin in the Sun and DIASPORA! Creative Teams
Tuesday, September 26 @ 7pm

Join us for a compelling conversation with the creative teams behind the New Repertory Theatre's fall shows: A Raisin in the Sun and DIASPORA! The first is a Tony award-winning classic by groundbreaking playwright Lorraine Hansberry, and the second is a world premiere by Phaedra Michelle Scott. Both grapple with history and legacy, families - biological and chosen, and race and identity (in Chicago and Boston, respectively).

Virtual - Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors with Tory Stephens Climate Fiction Creative Manager for Grist
Wednesday, September 27 @ 6:30pm

Join Tory Stephens of Grist Magazine, an independent non-profit media organization focused on the climate crisis, and learn how he created Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors. Imagine is a storytelling initiative that calls for fiction writers to envision the next 180 years of equitable climate progress, imagining intersectional worlds of abundance, adaptation, reform, and hope.

Virtual - At the Sports Stadium with NBC Sports Boston/NBC 10's Sports Journalist, Trenni Casey
Thursday, September 28 @ 10am

Meet Trenni (Kusnierek) Casey, on-air sports journalist for NBC Sports Boston/NBC 10! We'll be discussing how Trenni got to where she is, what it takes to be a sportscaster in New England, esp as a woman, and the current state of Boston sports! Bring your questions, this is sure to be a fascinating and enlightening conversation!

Virtual: How NASA Is Combating Climate Change
Friday, September 29 @ 2pm

Learn about the efforts of teams of NASA researches who are currently examining Earth to understand climate change, storms, fires, and where people fit in to all of it, including an active mission studying climate change in northern regions of the world (e.g., Alaska and Canada).

Children's Programs

Unless otherwise specified, all programs are in-person walk-in. There may be room capacity limits for some, though, so come early!

Featured:

Ashland Moms - Little Crafters
Monday, September 25 @ 10:15am

Join us for a story & craft program for infants thru age 5. Caregivers are asked to participate with their children.

STEM Thursdays

Lego Club
Ages 5-9
Thursday, September 21 @ 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.

10-Minute Creation Stations
For Ages 5-9
Thursday, September 28 @ 4pm
Kids will be given a mystery box filled with a variety of building materials. As the timer counts down, they will have 10 minutes to create something using only the materials in their own box. Everyone will have a chance to build with at least 5-6 different boxes.

Recurring Programs

Lapsit
Infants, Toddlers &  Caregivers
Wednesdays @ 10:30am
Join Miss Lois for a story time full of songs and fingerplays. Check out the songs performed by Miss Lois here!

Wednesday Afternoon Story and Craft
For Ages 4-7
Wednesdays @ 4:15pm
Stop into the children's room as we read a story and do a related craft project.

Friday Afternoon Story and Craft
For Ages 4-7
Fridays @ 4:15pm
Stop into the children's room as we read a story and do a related craft project.

More Recurring Programs

Saturday Story Time
*For Ages 3 and up
Saturday, September 23 @ 10:30am
Saturday, September 30 @ 10:30am
Come listen to Ryan read some of his favorite stories aloud!

Crafty Saturdays!
Saturdays 10am-3pm
Drop in on Saturdays in the Children's Room and find a different craft to do every week!

Visit our website calendar for all of the details!

Teen Programs

If you're in 8th grade or higher (aged 13 or up) and want to keep up-to-date on events, be the first to know about new books coming in, and have easy access to library resources, join our Discord server

Friends of the Ashland Library

Friends of the Ashland Public Library Donation Day & Mini Book Sale!
Saturday, October 7 @ 10-1pm

Customers for all our sales will find thousands of titles on the permanent sales shelves including hard and soft cover fiction (all alphabetized by author for ease of shopping), a wide selection of history and politics titles, health and family living books, plus memoirs, biographies, and loads of additional titles, all arranged by genre. An entire section of the Book Sale Room is arranged for children to browse and select from a huge collection of board books, picture books, easy readers, and chapter books.

And, you can donate your gently used books for future sales! It's a win/win/win.

Your donations to the Friends fund 100% of the library's programs, museum passes, and summer reading initiatives. Thank you!!

Art in the Library

Upstairs Display Case
“Pianista Cabinet of Curosities”
by Michael Frassinelli
August 28 to November 3, 2023

Holliston resident and artist Michael Frassinelli has created a mythological society/culture: “The Pianistas”.  He has exhibited work from the Pianista ‘culture’ several times since his first exhibit at the APL in 2007, most recently in 2019. All the objects in the case are made from piano parts. A most unique and delightful ‘cabinet of curious objects’.

In October, the Downstairs Gallery will be filled with many other artifacts from the Pianista series. There will be an Artist ‘s Reception in the Gallery on Tuesday, October 3rd. 5:30 -7:30PM.  All are invited to meet the Artist, Michael Frassinelli, and explore the ‘world’ of the Pianistas.  

Downstairs Gallery

Architectural Esthetics
Painting by Raffi Kodjin
August 31 - September30, 2023

Ashland resident Raffi Kodjian became interested in art at an early age. Combining his talents as a self-taught painter with his degree studies in architecture and art history, Raffi has been creating unusual images that challenge one’s notion of reality. A most unusual and thought-provoking exhibit not to be missed.

Raffi says of his work:
“ What is reality and what is fantasy? This is the fascinating dilemma that I express in my art, with humor, gusto, and frivolity.  Taking an ordinary object, I try to manipulate it to convey different meanings and interpretations.  My goal is to make people stop, think, and use their imagination. I want people to say, ‘What is he thinking?’  Respectful of all genres and art expressions, I am inspired and influenced by the masters as well as nature and daily life