Programs and Book Groups
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Book Groups
Most groups are meeting virtually while the building remains closed to in person groups. Call in information has been provided within each group’s information or will be emailed to registered patrons. Some groups will meet outside as the weather permits this spring and summer.
Forever Young Adults
Young Adult (YA) books capture the vibrance, intensity, and adventure of teenhood with groundbreaking style and refreshing perspective. You’re never too old to enjoy! If you are an adult looking to explore YA, join us on the 4th Wednesday of every month.
Click on the program date to register.
Page Turners
1st Tuesday of the Month at 1pm (*meeting virtually until further notice)
This lively discussion group typically meets on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. virtually. The reading selections are mostly fiction choices–with a sprinkling of non-fiction and classics–with an emphasis on books appealing to an eclectic taste as well as those with interesting points of discussion. This group runs September through June. Registration is not required and drop-ins are welcome. Copies of the discussion book are available in the library to check out at the circulation desk a month prior to discussion. For more information, or to receive Zoom meeting link information, contact: Tamara Dalton, [email protected]
This year’s theme is “Award Winning Books”: Catch up on some of the Pulitzer Prize, Kirkus Review, National Book, etc. award winners you may have missed or may want to read again!
This book group will resume this fall.
Taste of Poetry
1st Tuesday of the month at 11:30am
Location: This group will meet virtually until further notice
Bring your lunch and an appetite for poetry. Each month we look at few poems by a well-known poet. We provide copies of the poems and lead a discussion after reading them. All are welcome. Registration is required. Once you register, a PDF of poet and poems to review before discussion as well as a link to join the virtual discussion will be sent to you a few days in advance of the meeting. For more information contact: Tamara Dalton [email protected]
This group will resume in the fall.
Read It and Eat It
Virtual Meetings until further notice. Click on the date to register.
Read It and Eat It has gone virtual! Each meeting we will be discussing a different chef or cuisine. Copies of the books we will be discussing will be available at the circulation desk. E-mail Sarah to request some titles be checked out to you and a pick up scheduled. Join other local foodies at the virtual meeting to talk about what you made, what you liked or did not like, get recipes, and more! Registration for each individual meeting is required, click on the date to be brought to the registration form. For more information contact Sarah Ward, [email protected]
July 8th: Free for all! (Choose anything you would like from a cookbook, blog, website, etc. This meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held in person outside. More information will be sent to registrants as the date approaches.)
August 19th: Vegetarian (Take advantage of the awesome farm stands around town! This meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held in person outside. More information will be sent to registrants as the date approaches.)
October 14th: Celebration Food (Happy 5 year anniversary Read It and Eat It! This meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held in person outside. More information will be sent to registrants as the date approaches.)
NPL/COA Book Group
All meetings are at 2pm and meeting virtually. Open to all adults 18+. To register, click on the date or call the circulation desk at 508-528-3380. Registration is also available through the Council on Aging.
June 15th: A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler
July 20th: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
August 17th: American Dirt Jeanine Cummins
September 21st: The Art Forger by B.A Shapiro
October 19th: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Real Life Reads (a non-fiction book group)
Do you like to learn something while you read? Think you could never enjoy non-fiction? Join Sarah for Real Life Reads, a non-fiction book group that will span a wide variety of topics including history, biographies/memoirs, nature, true crime, travelogues, and more. These titles are non-fiction that read like fiction. Copies of each title will be available at the circulation desk (regular print, large print, and audio), contact the library to request your copy and to schedule a pick up appointment.
Registration is required, click on the date to be brought to the registration page. This group will meet on Town Hill, please bring a chair. Masks will be required. In the event of inclement weather everyone will be emailed and a new date chosen.
Contact Sarah with any questions, [email protected].
July 9th: Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
August 13th: Troublemaker – Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini
September 10th: The Day the World Came to Town by Jim Defede
October 7th (Thursday): Bad Blood by John Carreyrou
November 19th (Thursday): Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe
Summer Programs
Click the program name to register!
Author Talk with Steven Manchester
Thursday, June 30th, 7pm. Register here. 
New England’s Storyteller Steven Manchester is the author of the soul-awakening novel, The Menu, as well as the 80s nostalgia-fest, Bread Bags & Bullies. His other works include #1 bestsellers Twelve Months, The Rockin’ Chair, Pressed Pennies and Gooseberry Island; the national bestsellers, Ashes, The Changing Season and Three Shoeboxes; the multi-award winning novel, Goodnight Brian; and the beloved holiday podcast drama, The Thursday Night Club. His work has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show and BET’s Nightly News. Three of Steven’s short stories were selected “101 Best” for Chicken Soup for the Soul series. He is a multi-produced playwright, as well as the winner of the 2017 Los Angeles Book Festival, 2018 New York Book Festival and 2020 New England Book Festival. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or their children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing. Please visit www.StevenManchester.com for more information.
Join us as Steven virtually presents Chasing the Dream: From Gulf War Vet to Bestselling Author which describes his 30-year journey to making his lifelong dream come true. He will explain how Passion, Purpose, & Perseverance sustained him through many years of hardship and rejection. There will be an opportunity for questions following the presentation.
Registration is required. Participants will be emailed the Zoom login info the day before this event.
This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Norfolk Public Library.
Pooch Painting Kit
Pick up your kit the week of July 19th
Your pooch will create a work of art with this easy kit. Each kit will include a canvas, paint, peanut butter and plastic.
Emerging Technologies Discussion Group (continued from Spring)
Registration is required for each individual meeting. Click on the date to register.
Join us on the third Wednesday evening for the next three months at 7:30pm to learn all about emerging technologies and discuss with other community members the impact they might have on everyday life. Discussion group activities to do before each session will include watching videos, listening to podcasts, and reading articles that will explore new trends and gadgets in technology.
July 21: Read articles – More details to come
This program is brought to you through an LSTA grant by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
You had me at aloe: DIY Summer Herbal Remedies Workshop
Thursday, July 15, 7pm. Register here.
Every season has its unique challenges and ailments. Summer – in all its glory – is no exception. Join us virtually as Ehris Urban & Velya Jancz-Urban from Grounded Goodwife discuss these DIY summer herbal remedies:
- You’re Smokin’ Hot Sunburn Gel
- Ticked Off Tick Repellent
They will also share their research and beliefs about chemical sunscreen and Lyme disease protocols.
Registration is required. Participants will be emailed Zoom login info the day before this program.
This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Norfolk Public Library.
*The information in this workshop is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. All content discussed will be for general information purposes only.*
Beginning Birding for Families
Saturday, July 17th, 9am
Please note that this program will take place at Stony Brook and not at the library.
Beginning Birding – Family Style – if you’ve ever wondered what’s that bird? Then this program is for you. Learn some basic ID skills and bird behavior that you can take with you wherever you go.
When registering please register a spot for every member of your family that will be attending.
This program is brought to you through an LSTA grant with federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
Adult Ukulele with Julie Stepanek
July 21, 6:00-7:30pm
Want to try an instrument that is fun and easy to play? Join Julie Stepanek as she shows the fundamentals of ukulele playing. You’ll learn how to tune, strum and read chords. After a short lesson, you’ll be able to play songs. No experience necessary. Bring your own tuned ukulele or borrow one of hers. All instruments are sanitized and social distancing is followed.
Outdoors if weather permits.
Welcome to the Graveyard: A Virtual Tour of Cemetery Art, History & Symbolism
July 22, 7:00-8:30pm
“Welcome to the Graveyard!” is a 90 minute illustrated ‘virtual tour’ chronicling cemetery art, history and symbolism. From colonial New England burial grounds of the 16 & 1700s, through the nation-wide rural cemetery movement of the 19th century and into 21st century locations, the program examines why we have cemeteries and gravestones, why they look like they do and how styles and art have evolved over almost 400 years. The presentation is robust with photographs of original gravestones from many cemeteries visited by Gravestone Girls over time. This program has been presented to a wide variety of organizations for more than twenty years.
Registration is required. Participants will be emailed the Zoom login info the day before this event.
This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Norfolk Public Library.
Pop Up Art School: Felted Mushrooms
August 5, 7:00-8:00pm
Join Pop Up Art School for a virtual craft program to learn how to make felted mushrooms. Kits will be available for pick up at the library a few days before the program. Registration is open to adults 18+.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Norfolk Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
Cocktail Culture: The Mad Men Era
August 10, 7:00-8:00pm
Cocktail parties in the home have been popular since the 1920s, after the onset of Prohibition. Join us for a look at cocktail culture fashion as we travel through time. We will focus on silhouettes in clothing from the late 1940s through the 1960s, including men’s and women’s styles from the popular TV show, Mad Men.
Karen (Ren) Antonowicz received her Master’s Degree in Textiles, Fashion Merchandising, and Design, with a concentration in Historic Costume & Textiles from the University of RI. She then taught History of Fashion and other courses full time at the college level for 13 years, and taught part time in the CE Program at the RI School of Design. In the meantime, Ren and her husband, Mike, opened Nostalgia Antiques & Collectibles, a 3-floor co-op located on historic Wickenden St. in Providence, RI and ran the business for five years. Ren continues to follow her passion for historic costume by conducting fashion era presentations, such as “The Fashions of Downton Abbey” at libraries, senior centers, schools, historical societies, and historic homes.
Recurring Programs:
Outside Knitting & Crocheting
Thursdays at 11am. **No registration is required**
Get Out and Knit (or Crochet)!
Thursday mornings at 11am
Bring a chair and your knitting to join a group for some socially distant knitting out on Town Hill.
In the event of inclement weather, this event will be canceled.
This program is brought to you through an LSTA grant by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
Maker Lab On-The-Go
Wednesdays in July & August, 11:00am-12:00pm. **No registration is required**
Join us outside for Maker Lab On The Go where community members of all ages can tinker with new tools and equipment from our new Maker Lab cart! No registration required, just pop in and explore.
This program is brought to you through an LSTA grant by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
Walk & Talk (about books!) – Click the dates to register
Join us this summer as we get out, get active and get sharing (on all the books we love!). We’ll meet at four different locations to explore Norfolk and the surrounding towns. On these leisurely walks through the woods, participants can connect with other community members while sharing some recent reads they’ve enjoyed.
July 13: Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary: 108 North St., Norfolk
July 20: Cranberry Bog @ Gillette Stadium
August 10: Wrentham State Forest: 691 Taunton St., Wrentham
August 17: DelCarte Conservation Area: Pleasant St, Franklin
Registration is required.
Take-home kits:
Coloring and Cocktails Summer Kit
June 21
Sign up for our new summer series Coloring and Cocktails to receive a take home kit to enjoy this summer. Each kit includes 8 coloring pages as well as 8 cocktail recipes.
Please note: No ingredients for the cocktails will be provided.
Take and Make Crafts for Adults: Summer Edition – Click the dates to register
Pick up a different craft kit each week during summer reading to bring home and enjoy. We will supply most of the materials, but there will be some items that you will need to provide (scissors, ruler, glue gun, etc.) Registration is required, open to adults 18+.
6/21/21: Flip Flop Welcome Sign
6/28/21: 4th of July Straw Starburst Wall Hanging
7/6/21: Pencil Holder
7/12/21: Pressed Flower Art
7/19/21: Terra Cotta Coasters
7/26/21: Seashell Wall Art
8/2/21: Sunflower Wreath
8/09/21: Wood Bangle Bracelet
Interactive Movie Kits – Click the dates to register
Kick off Summer Reading with an interactive movie experience at home! One registration per family, each bag will have enough supplies for 4 people. Need a copy of the dvd? Let us know when you register and we will make sure it is included in your bag.
Questions? Please contact Libby O’Neill, Director, at (508) 528-3380 x4 or send an email to [email protected].