Town of Blackstone Public Library Releases Engaging Slate of September Events

BLACKSTONE — Library Director Lisa Cheever and the Blackstone Public Library Board of Trustees are pleased to invite members of the community to end their summer on a high note and to ease into fall with an engaging schedule of events at the Blackstone Public Library, including the chance to create a tree made out of buttons, the return of the LEGO Club and a team-based puzzle race. The Blackstone Public Library is located at 86 Main St.

Monthly Activity Highlight:

Craft a Tree That is Cute as a Button

Get crafty under the direction of Celeste Langlois, chairperson of the Blackstone Parks and Recreation Committee, who is leading a free class on how to create a tree illustration with leaves made out of buttons. No sewing skills are necessary for this relaxing evening of creativity. But registration is required. Every participant will go home with their own work of art celebrating the beauty of trees, just in time for the foliage to change color this coming fall.

• WHEN: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 11
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: Free event. Registration is required. To register or to get more information, please visit the library or call 508-883-1931. This program is supported by a grant from the Blackstone Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Children’s Programs:

LEGO Challenge Offers Kids a Chance to Build

The Blackstone Public Library LEGO Club is back. The club typically meets once a month on Thursday evenings. The Blackstone Public Library LEGO Club is strictly for children ages 6 and up. Participants are given a monthly challenge with a general theme, giving them the chance to use LEGOs to build animals, vehicles, homes, people and even food. Children will be able to work alone, team up with friends, or collaborate with parents. Space is limited to 20 kids for each event.

• WHEN: 6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 25
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: Registration required. Participants must be at least 6 years old. Space is limited to 20 children per meeting. To register or to get more information, please visit the library or call 508-883-1931.

Sing and Swing into September and Through the Rest of 2025

A series of fun events for children is being facilitated by musician Deb Hudgins. Deb’s Sing & Swing Pre-K Music & Movement program features singing, guitar music, dancing, rhythm instruments, stories and several fun props, including a parachute, beanbags and scarves. These Friday morning events are aimed at children ages 1 through 5. The first Sing & Swing event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to noon on Sept. 19, with another being held the following week, Sept. 26, at the same time. Registration is required.

• WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to noon, Fridays, Sept. 19, Sept. 26, Oct. 17, Oct. 24, Nov. 14, Nov. 21 and Dec. 12
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: Registration is required. To register or to find out more information, please visit the library or call 508-883-1931. This event is sponsored by the YMCA Family & Community Partnership, a grant program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education & Care, administered by the YMCA of Central Massachusetts.

Fall into Children’s Story Time and Craft Classes This Autumn

The Blackstone Public Library is launching its fall 2025 series of Children’s Story Time events, aimed at preschoolers and kindergartners, ages 3 through 5. First, Story Time & Craft Classes will be held at 11 a.m. on Mondays, starting on Sept. 15, and 1 p.m. on Thursdays, starting Sept. 18. Each class consists of two stories and a simple craft. The capacity for each class is 15 children. Registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Additionally, Toddler Story Time is taking place at 10:15 a.m. on Fridays, starting on Sept. 19, and will run for six weeks. These 45-minute story time events are aimed at babies and toddlers, from 6 months through 3 years old. In addition to book children’s book readings, the event will feature sing-alongs, finger plays, toys and games.

Registration for these programs begins on Sept. 2 for Blackstone residents and on Sept. 8 for all library patrons.

Lastly, all patrons are invited to attend Drop-In Story Time for children held at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday.

• WHEN: Story Time & Craft classes will be held at 11 a.m. on Mondays, starting on Sept. 15, and 1 p.m. on Thursdays, starting Sept. 18; Toddler Story Time is taking place at 10:15 a.m. on Fridays, starting on Sept. 19; and Drop-In Story Time continues to be held at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday. 
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: Registration is required for Story Time & Craft Classes and Toddler Story Hour. For more information or to register, call 508-883-1931 or email Tressy Collier at tcollier@cwmars.org. When emailing, please be sure to include your child’s full name, age, and the caregiver’s email and phone number. More information can be found on the library’s Facebook page or at www.blackstonepubliclibrary.org.

Adult Programs at the Blackstone Public Library:

Give it Your Best Shot at the Photography Club

Join other photographers to discuss various topics, including equipment and techniques. Each month, the Blackstone Photography Club hosts a guest speaker, exploring all things photography-related and providing special insight into the craft.

• WHEN: 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 16
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: Registration is required. Call the Blackstone Public Library at 508-883-1931 for more information or to register. This club is sponsored by the Friends of the Blackstone Library.

Sew Far, Sew Good: Blackstone Quilters Unite at the Library

Patch it up with a group of like-minded crafters by joining the Quilting Club at the Blackstone Public Library. Come together for a relaxing and creative gathering with fellow quilters. Not a quilter? Become one. Each meeting is an opportunity to learn, relax, share ideas, work on projects, and enjoy each other’s company.

• WHEN: 1 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 25
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: Call the Blackstone Public Library at 508-883-1931 for more information. This club is sponsored by the Friends of the Blackstone Library.

More than Books: Borrow Appliances, Board Games,
Puzzles and Even a Telescope

Have you ever heard about the Library of Things? Through the Blackstone Public Library, you can follow through with those healthy eating goals by borrowing the library’s blender, allowing you to make a smoothie packed with vitamins (fruits and vegetables not included). Graduations and graduation parties are just around the corner. Borrow fun outdoor games offered by the Library of Things to bring the graduation festivities to a whole new level. Just call the library with your library card ready at 508-883-1931 to reserve items from the Library of Things. To browse the catalogue for the Library of Things, click here.

Flower Power: Preserve Some Beauty with a Bookmark

Participants in the Senior Crafty Corner for the month of September will be able to preserve a piece of beauty and their place in a book after completing this activity. Everyone age 60 and older is invited to make a dried flower bookmark at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18, in the Library Meeting Room. Supplies will be provided. No experience is necessary, but registration is required. Space is limited to 20 spots. 

• WHEN: 1 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 18
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library, Meeting Room
• MORE INFO: This event is for people age 60 or older. Registration is required. There are 20 spots available. Call the Blackstone Public Library at 508-883-1931 to register. This event is funded by a donation from the Blackstone Library’s LIG MEG account, as authorized by the Board of Library Trustees.

Scrap it Up: Learn How to Preserve Family Memories

Scrap your other plans for the evening. A family history scrapbooking class is being held at 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 18, at the Blackstone Public Library. This is an opportunity to create beautiful scrapbooks, meant to preserve memories and family history. Guests at this Blackstone Public Library event are asked to bring at least four photographs each to use in the scrapbook, along with information about the subject. The rest of the supplies will be provided by library staff.

• WHEN: 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 18
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: Registration is required. Call 508-883-1931 to sign up. This program is funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Federal Library Services Act, as administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

Turn a Book into a Container for Flowers

Bring an old, dusty book back to life by turning it into a vase to hold flowers. This Adult Crafting class, led by library staff member Jean Piechocki, is being held twice in September. Registration is required and there is a maximum of 20 participants for each day. All supplies will be provided, and no experience is necessary.

• WHEN: 1 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 16; 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 25 
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library, Library Meeting Room
• MORE INFO: Space is limited to 20 spots for each day. Registration is required. Call the Blackstone Public Library at 508-883-1931 to register or to get more information. This event is funded by a donation from the Blackstone Library’s LIG MEG account, as authorized by the Board of Library Trustees.

Jigsaw Sprint: Take Part in a Team Puzzle Race 

Jigsaw puzzles are becoming a team sport at the Blackstone Public Library at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13. The puzzle race will allow participants to test their skills by rushing to complete a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle together with a team composed of up to four players. Want to join the fun but don’t have a team? Solo participants are also invited to come and will be assigned a team on the day of the race. Each team will have up to two hours to complete their puzzle. Every team will be issued the same puzzle, which no one may see until the start of the race. This event is for all people age 14 and up.

• WHEN: 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 13
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: This event is for all people age 14 and up. Registration is required. Call the Blackstone Public Library at 508-883-1931 to register or to get more information. This event is funded by the Friends of the Blackstone Public Library.

Young Adult Programs at the Blackstone Public Library:

Your Story, Your Choice

Choose your own path and join the fun with fellow middle school-age students at the Choose Your Own Adventure Read-Aloud Book Club. Group members get to decide together on which path to take as they go through Choose Your Own Adventure stories each Tuesday afternoon. This group invites participants to read the stories out loud together.

• WHEN: 4 p.m., every Tuesday in September
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: Registration required. Open to 5th through 8th-grade students. For more information or to register, call 508-883-1931 or email Mandi Whipple, Young Adult Librarian, at mwhipple@cwmars.org.

Have a Say in the Future of the Library

The monthly meeting of the Teen Advisory Board gives local youth a chance to make their voice heard regarding the future of the Blackstone Public Library and its Young Adult Area. Teenagers now have an opportunity to help shape the library’s programs, materials, and offerings. Stop in and have a say.

• WHEN: 5 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 2
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: No registration required. Open to students in grades 5 through 12. For more information, call 508-883-1931 or email Mandi Whipple, Young Adult Librarian, at mwhipple@cwmars.org.

Cursive Comeback: Keep in the Loop with Old-Fashioned Penmanship

Cursive handwriting used to be a standard part of the curriculum in schools, but its use has sharply declined in recent decades, falling out of favor as education has become more digital. But it’s making a comeback, including at the Blackstone Public Library, where younger generations will be able to practice their penmanship at 5 p.m. every Thursday, starting on Sept. 4.

• WHEN: 5 p.m., every Thursday, starting Tuesday, Sept. 4
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: No registration required. Open to students in grades 5 through 12. For more information, call 508-883-1931 or email Mandi Whipple, Young Adult Librarian, at mwhipple@cwmars.org.

Technology 101: Learn the Basics of Computers, Smartphones and the Internet

For all the tech novices out there, here’s your chance to learn the basics of email, the internet, computers, social media and smartphones. Technology Assistant Hannah Rishel is offering basic hour-long classes on how to use technology, including online library services, such as databases and ebooks. Classes are by appointment only and can be scheduled by calling the library at 508-883-1931 or emailing Rishel at hrishel@cwmars.org.

• WHEN: Scheduling by appointment
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: Classes are by appointment only and can be scheduled by calling the Blackstone Public Library at 508-883-1931 or by emailing Technology Assistant Hannah Rishel at hrishel@cwmars.org.

Ongoing Book Groups:

The Blackstone Book Group Examines ‘Small Things Like These’

The Evening Book Group, also known as the Blackstone Book Group, offers participants the chance to discuss amazing works of literature with like-minded readers. This month the group is delving into “Small Things Like These,” a novella written by Claire Keegan, published in 2021. The story follows Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant in Ireland, who encounters a disturbing scene involving a girl under the care of the nuns, leading him to reflect deeply on the moral compromises and willful blindness of the community around him.

• WHEN: 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 9
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: Contact Renee Milliken at rmilliken@cwmars.org or call 508-883-1931.

Get Spooked with the Grim Reader’s Society, a Horror Book Club

The strange, scary and mysterious world of horror literature comes alive with the Grim Reader’s Society, also known as The Horror Book Club, at the Blackstone Public Library. This monthly book club focuses on spooky, spine-tingling tales, including this month’s read, “The Staircase in the Woods.”  The story centers on five high-school friends who go camping and come across a mysterious staircase in the woods leading to nowhere. One of them climbs it and vanishes, and then the staircase disappears as well. Decades later, the staircase reappears, and the now-adult friends reunite in an attempt to solve the mystery. The Grim Reader’s Society welcomes newcomers, if they are brave enough. Scaredy cats are welcome, too. Copies of the book of the month are available at the front desk.

• WHEN: 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 4
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: Contact Tressy Collier at tcollier@cwmars.org or call 508-883-1931.

Feed Your Appetite for Culture and Literature with the Heritage Book Club

Members of the Heritage Book Club dig into a new book each month, while also sampling a foodthat represents the ancestry of people who live in Blackstone. As they explore diverse literary works, members also explore the diversity of ancestral backgrounds of the various people who reside in Blackstone.

• WHEN: 2 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 25
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: The Heritage Book Club program is part of the “Voices: A Common Thread” program, and it is sponsored by Unibank. For more info or to sign up, contact Renee Milliken at rmilliken@cwmars.org or call 508-883-1931.

The Senior Center Book Club is Back

Following a summer hiatus, the Senior Center Book Club is back with a meeting scheduled for 11 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 16. This group meets on the third Tuesday morning of every month at the Senior Center on St. Paul Street. Monthly books are available at the library’s front desk or the Senior Center. New members are always welcome.

• WHEN: 11 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 16
• WHERE: Blackstone Senior Center, 15 St. Paul St.
• MORE INFO: Contact Ellen Goudreau at egoudreau@cwmars.org or call 508-883-1931.

Spend an Afternoon Recapping the Latest Book of the Month

The Afternoon Book Club meets on the last Tuesday of each month. Join the group for a lively chat and a cup of tea. Take a seat, relax and unwind during an afternoon of great conversation about the Afternoon Book Club’s latest book of the month. Newcomers are welcome. Copies of the book of the month are available at the front desk.

• WHEN: 3 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 30
• WHERE: Blackstone Public Library
• MORE INFO: Contact Donna Foster at dfoster@cwmars.org or call 508-883-1931.