50 Hopedale Street,

Hopedale MA 01747

Contact: Keely Bethel-Penny,

Library Director 

508-634-2209

[email protected]

Reminder: Our Friday Summer Hours (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) continue through Sept. 4. 

Summer Reading 2026 wraps up on Aug. 14, so be sure to turn in all of your reading logs for raffle tickets for a chance to win one of the grand prizes! There is no limit to the number of entries you can earn, so keep reading!

Community Conversations – Wed., Aug. 5, at 6:30 p.m.: Community Conversations will meet in the Program Room to discuss “Reimagining the Supreme Court.”

News from Marjorie Hattersley Children's Room

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

Summer Reading wraps up on Friday, Aug. 14 with a Beach Party from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Be sure to redeem all reading logs to receive raffle tickets for a chance to win one of the Grand Prizes. Winning tickets will be drawn after closing on Friday the 14 and all winners will be notified by telephone.

Open Play – Thursdays 8/6 & 8/13 from 11 a.m.-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 and crafts, a crochet lesson, board games, Wii gaming, assorted puzzles, life size games, learn a card game and more!

Design a Grass Head – Mon., Aug. 3, from 4-6 p.m.: Design, cut and decorate a Grass Head that you can take home!

Tummy Time Summer Reading Style  – Tuesdays, 8/4 & 8/11 at 10 a.m.: Drop in for some safe and comfortable movement and socialization for infants from birth through 18 months. 

Build a Rube Goldberg Machine – Mon., Aug. 10, from 4-6 p.m.: Drop in and use all the recyclable items we have collected to build your own Rube Goldberg Machine! Named after the American cartoonist and inventor Rube Goldberg (1883–1970), these machines are meant to be fun, creative, and highly engineered for a hilariously basic end goal (e.g., turning off a light or wiping a chin.)

Summer Reading Big Book Story Time – Fri., Aug. 7, from 11 a.m.-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, 8/1 & 8/8 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Drop in at the Library to beat the heat and enjoy a fun, family friendly movie. (G or PG titles only). You can bring a snack, a blanket and a stuffy.  Stop by or call the Library to find out what the movie is.

Beach Party – Fri., Aug. 14, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Let's celebrate the end of another fantastic Summer Reading Program with a drop in, outdoor, beach theme party featuring music, bubbles, ice pops, tattoos, shell painting and making kinetic sand.

Donations Wanted for the 2nd Annual Bancroft Library Costume Swap: Do you have old costumes or dress-up clothes that you no longer need? The Bancroft Library would love to give them a new life! The Library is collecting gently used costumes and dress-up clothes for its 2nd Annual Costume Swap, which will take place on the first Saturday in October. If you are cleaning out a closet, attic, or play-clothes trunk, please consider donating your unwanted costumes to the Library. Donation bins will be available upstairs and downstairs at the Library beginning Aug. 1. Help us make this year’s Costume Swap bigger and better!

Holiday Toy Swap: We are planning a Toy Swap on the first Saturday in November, giving families a chance to pass along gently used toys their children have outgrown and discover something new. Participants can sign up for free table space to display toys they no longer need and arrange their own swaps with other participants. At the end of the event, any remaining toys may be taken home or donated to the Library. Donated toys will be offered to local preschools and schools, with any remaining items donated to Savers. The Toy Swap is a fun, community-focused way to give gently used toys a second life while helping families find new treasures without having to buy something new. More information will be forthcoming so keep an eye out.

News from the Friends of the Hopedale Library

Online Auction Aug. 10-15 

The Friends of the Hopedale Library are excited to announce an online auction taking place the week of Aug. 10. This year’s auction offers an impressive variety of items and experiences for all ages and interests. Highlights include a Bruins High Five Experience (2 game tickets and the opportunity to high five the players as they exit the locker room), a one-hour private reading with medium Ellen Henry, an overnight stay at the historic Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, generous gift cards to favorite local restaurants, relaxing riverboat cruises and museum passes. Additional items and surprises will be added as the auction approaches. Whether you are looking for a fun family activity, a thoughtful gift, or a special treat for yourself, there is something for everyone.  From children’s programming and summer reading to technology access and community events, your participation helps keep Bancroft Memorial Library thriving. Auction details and the bidding link will be posted on the Library’s website and social media pages soon. Be sure to bid early, bid often, and share the link with friends and family near and far!

FlowerPower Fundraiser

Please support The Friends of the Hopedale Library by shopping our FlowerPower.com fundraiser through Oct. 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 Library! Shop at http://hopedalelibrary.fpfundraising.com.

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.

The Friends of the Library

The Friends of the Hopedale Library, founded in 1983, is an active volunteer, non-profit organization with a town-wide membership and a representative executive board. We work with the Library staff and the Trustees to support the Library in providing funds for equipment, materials, and programs not covered by the Library's regular operating budget. The Friends of the Hopedale Library meets the second Wednesday of the month, September through June at 6:30 p.m. New members and ideas are always welcome.