50 Hopedale Street, Hopedale MA 01747

Contact: Keely Bethel-Penny, Library Director 

508-634-2209

The Library will be closed on Fri., July 3, and Sat., July 4, in observance of the July 4th holiday.

Reminder: Our Friday Summer Hours (10 a.m. to 2  p.m.) begin on July 10.

Summer Reading is underway, and it's not just for kids - we have exciting Grand Prizes for adults too! To participate, simply complete a registration form at the Library. Read or listen to 5 items (books, audiobooks, magazines, etc.), and complete a reading log. Each completed log earns a raffle ticket toward a Grand Prize drawing. Best of all, there is no limit to the number of entries you can earn, so keep reading all summer long!

Community Conversations – Wed., July 1, at 6:30 p.m.

Community Conversations will meet in the Program Room to talk about “Wish List for Government Reform.”

News from the Friends of the Hopedale Library:

Online Auction coming in August!

The Friends of the Hopedale Library are excited to host an online auction during the week of Aug. 10! With prizes ranging from Bruins game tickets and hotel stays to gift certificates for local restaurants and more, there’s something for everyone.  Auction details and the bidding link will be available soon on the Library website and social media, so be sure to watch for updates. Every bid helps support Library programs, services, and collections. Bid often, spread the word, and share the auction with friends and family both near and far!

Ongoing Book Sale

Looking for a book to bring to the beach or keep in your car? Visit the Friends of the Hopedale Library Ongoing Book Sale, located downstairs outside the Program Room. The sale is open when the Library is open, making it easy to browse at your convenience. We offer a wide selection of books for adults and children, as well as puzzles. All proceeds support Library programs and services, including Summer Reading, museum passes, and other enhancements not covered by the regular library budget. Prices start at 50¢. The selection is refreshed weekly!

News from the Marjorie Hattersley Children's Room:

Summer Reading 2026 – “Plant a Seed, Read!”

Summer Reading is underway! This year’s theme is “Plant a Seed, Read!” and registration is ongoing. Programs run now through Fri., Aug. 14. Each week brings something new with themed activities and events. Grand Prize Raffles will be held for kids, teens, and adults - everyone has a chance to win!

Family Stand Up Night! – Wed., July 1, from 4-6 p.m.

Help us celebrate International Joke Day by joining us for Family Stand Up Night. Drop in and try your hand at stand up with an open mic (we can provide the jokes if you need some). Wear a goofy outfit and write some jokes so we can create a Bancroft Library Funny Flyer to share!

Open Play – Thursdays 7/2, 7/9, 7/16, 7/23 & 7/30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for kids in Grades 2 - 6

School age kids can drop in for Open Play in the Program Room. Different play opportunities will change weekly, such as arts & crafts, a crochet lesson, board games, Wii gaming, assorted puzzles, life size games, learn a card game and more!

Planting Our New Library Herb Garden – Mon., July 6, from 4-6 p.m.

Join us in the Library yard as we plant our new Community Herb Garden beds!

Tummy Time Summer Reading Style  – Tuesdays, 7/7, 7/14,7/21  & 7/28 at 10 a.m. 

Drop in for some safe and comfortable movement and socialization for infants from birth through 18 months. 

Rock Painting – Wed., July 8, from 4-6 p.m.

Drop in and decorate some rocks! You can leave them at the Library to share or take them home for your own yard.

Summer Reading Big Book Story Time – Fridays, 7/10, 7//17, 7/24 & 7/31 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Big Book Story Time is an interactive Story Time we make together. Attendees will choose which Big Book we will read together then we will all collaborate and build our story time activities. Drop in!

Saturday Movie Matinees – Saturdays, 7/11, 7/18 & 7/25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Drop in at the Library to beat the heat or just to enjoy a fun, family friendly movie! (G or PG titles only). You can bring a snack, a blanket, a stuffy and even come in your PJs! Stop by or call the Library to find out what the movie is.

Summer Dance Party – Mon., July 13, from 2-3 p.m.

Drop in for dancing fun with laser lights, glow bracelets, tattoos and bubble fun!

Photosensitive Paper Art Science – Wed., July 15, from 1:30-2:30 p.m. 

Learn how to make Turmeric based photosensitive paper and then to use it to create unique natural art!

Super Food, Super Hero! – Mon., July 20, from 4-6 p.m.

Drop in for Super Hero FUN!  Make your own Super Food Super Hero costume and then we can create an action scene to act out! We will also take "action shots" of our Super Heroes that  we can share with our Library community!

Still Life Art – Wed., July 22, from 4-6 p.m.

Drop in and try your hand at Still Life Art. We will provide the models and a variety of art materials such as pencils, pens, pastels and watercolors.

Bee Motel and Mason Bees – Mon., July 27 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Join us as we hang our new Bee Motel to welcome mason bees!  Learn all about these pollinators and their behaviors as we introduce them to our new herb garden beds.

Seed Art – Wed., July 29, from 4-6 p.m. 

Get creative with seeds of all shapes and sizes to make one-of-a-kind artwork. Drop in!

Rolling Programs:

Genre Book Club – All ages

Join the Genre Book Club and create your own bookmark with a cable ring. Read any book you choose on your own schedule; after each finished book, stop by the Children’s Room to collect a genre badge. The club has no scheduled meetings, is open to all and can be joined at any time.

Reading Dragons: A Card Game Reading Club – All ages

Reading Dragons allows readers to earn collectible dragon cards through logged reading time. Every 30 minutes recorded on a Time Tracker earns one card, and completing two hours earns all four stages of a dragon. The card game can be played with friends as additional dragons are earned. Readers are invited to add book recommendations as “Book Scales” to the dragon display in the Program Room. The program runs on a rolling basis and can be joined at any time.

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Bancroft Memorial Library offers the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program for young families and early readers. At registration, you will be provided a starting kit with a library book bag, cable for achievement tags, program information, suggested book list and a log for books 1–100. Every 100 books read earns a tag for the cable, and reaching 1,000 books ea6+rns a lawn sign celebrating the achievement. This program runs on a rolling basis and can be joined anytime.

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 www.bancroftmememoriallibrary.org