Bancroft Memorial Library
50 Hopedale Street, Hopedale MA 01747
Contact: Tricia Perry, Library Director 508-634-2209
Labor Day
The Bancroft Memorial Library will be closed on Saturday, September 2 and Monday, September 4 in observance of Labor Day.
Friday Hours
Friday hours will return to 1-5pm beginning on September 8.
Library Card Sign-Up Month
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month! Any resident of Massachusetts is eligible for a library card free of charge. All you need is a picture I.D. and proof of a Massachusetts address. To learn more about the library’s resources and programs, please visit our website: https://www.hopedale-ma.gov/bancroft-memorial-library/bancroft-memorial-library.
Display Case
Do you have a special collection that you would like to share? The Bancroft Memorial Library has a display case to showcase your collection. If interested, please email Keely at [email protected]!
Community Conversations Sponsored by Hopedale For Change
Community Conversations will meet this month on Wednesday, September 6 at 6:30pm. If you are interested in joining the conversation, please sign up at the Circulation Desk.
Helen Symonds Book Group
The Helen Symonds Book Group will resume monthly meetings on Sept. 6, 2023 at 1:00 pm in the Library Program Room. We will discuss This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger. If you are not on the current book group list, books are available in the Library. “Minnesota, 1932. Twelve-year-old orphan Odie and his 16-year-old brother, Albert, are the only white students at the Lincoln Indian Training School. When Odie accidentally kills a fiendish school employee, he, his brother, their Sioux friend Mose, and a bereft little girl, Emmy, whose single-parent mother has been killed by a tornado, must flee by canoe down the nearby Gilead River. And so their adventure begins, a quest in search of self and home.” From Library Journal review
Wednesday Needlework Group
Join us for an evening of needlework every Wednesday night from 6:00pm until 7:45pm. Bring your latest project. No commitment required – come when you can!
News from The Friends of the Hopedale Library
Farm Girl on the Front Lines: Deborah Sampson’s Secret
The Friends of the Hopedale Library are pleased to present “Farm Girl on the Front Lines: Deborah Sampson’s Secret” on Wednesday, September 27th at 6:30 pm. Join us as Janet Parnes portrays Deborah Sampson, the only woman known to have disguised herself as a man and served in the Continental Army without detection. Learn about Deborah’s childhood as an indentured servant, what life was like for women and girls in Colonial America, and how she managed to reach her goal of serving in the Continental Army. This free program is appropriate for ages 7 to adult. To register, please sign up at the upstairs circulation desk or call 508-634-2209. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Hopedale Cultural Council, a local agency that is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
Flower Power Fundraiser
The Friends of the Hopedale Library are running a Flower Power Fundraiser through 10/15! You can order fall bulbs online and have orders shipped directly to you. The Friends of the Hopedale Library earns 50% which goes right back to the Bancroft Memorial Library to pay for children’s and adult programs, museum passes and other expenses not covered by the Library budget. Shop at http://hopedalelibrary.fpfundraising.com. Thank you for your support!
Who are The Friends of the Hopedale Library?
We are a volunteer, non-profit organization. Our purpose is to stimulate interest in the use of the Library, focus attention on community services the Library offers, and raise funds for equipment, materials, and programs not covered by the Library’s regular operating budget. We assist library staff as needed for special events. Our fundraising supports the museum pass program and children’s and adult programming, including summer reading. Our next meeting is Wednesday, September 13th at 6:30 pm. We love new members!
News from the Marjorie Hattersley Children’s Room
Celebrate Mrs. Kraimer!
Join the Library and community in celebrating Mrs. Kraimer’s 29 years of service as the Youth Services Librarian on Friday, September 1 from 12pm to 2pm. All are welcome to join the festivities!
2023 Summer Reading at the Bancroft Memorial Library The 2023 Summer Reading Program at the Bancroft Memorial Library numbered 305 participants this summer (88 more than last year!), and included infants, toddlers, and students and adults of all ages. In talking with students and parents, it was clear that the addition of the “Read and Bead” initiative was also a huge hit; with many readers challenging themselves to read as many hours as they could to submit multiple reading logs every week. Library staff would like to thank everyone who participated for making such an important commitment to celebrating literacy and “Finding Your Voice” as part of this annual program.
An assortment of 43 raffle prize baskets also provided reading incentives for all participants and included baskets for children, teens, and adults. We are thankful to our community and business sponsors for providing such a wide and varied selection of options. Summer Reading sponsors included Milford Ace Hardware, Six Flags New England, StoryLand NH, The Hanover Theatre, Hopedale Community House, Hopedale Police and Fire Departments, OverDrive, BestBuy, An Unlikely Café and Bookstore, and All About Quilts (Walpole). Members of the Friends of the Hopedale Library and individuals in the community also contributed special prize baskets; with additional support provided by the Friends of the Library.
Congratulations to all of our 2023 Summer Reading participants! You did an awesome job!
Back to School Story Walk®
The Bancroft Memorial Library is pleased to present a “Back to School” themed Story Walk® on the Community House Lawn from Wednesday, September 27 through Saturday, October 7.
For updates throughout the month, Friend us on Facebook and sign up at www.wowbrary.org to discover the Library’s newest books, movies and music. Our webpage is https://www.hopedale-ma.gov/bancroft-memorial-library
