National Library Week 2024: Apr 7-13

(Adapted from the American Library Association (ALA) website)

The theme for National Library Week 2024 is Ready, Set, Library! National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and Newbery and Pura Belpré-award winning author Meg Medina is the 2024 Honorary Chair.

Ways to Celebrate

1. Visit your library.

National Library Week is the perfect time to visit your library. Bring the kids or invite your friends. Meet the librarians. Check out books or other great items in your library’s collection or attend a program. Take time to learn all your library has to offer!

2. Tell ALA how YOU library for a chance to win

The American Library Association needs your help spreading some library love by sharing what you appreciate most about the services and resources your library provides.

Do you love getting lost in the stories of the library’s summer reading program, storytime, or book club? When you walk through the library’s doors, are you looking for a quiet nook to study? Do you attend programs to enrich your mind, meet local authors, or find support from your community? What’s your favorite thing to check out—books, movies, outdoor games?

ALA wants to know how YOU library!

Participating is easy:

  • Snap a pic or shoot a video showcasing your favorite thing about your library.
  • Post to Instagram, X, Threads, or on the I Love Libraries Facebook page with the hashtag #HowILibrary.
  • And don’t forget to tag your library to let them know how much they are appreciated!

If you don’t have a photo to share, check out the Library Elements graphics at ilovelibraries.org.

What’s in it for you?
In addition to the gratification of supporting libraries, there’s also a chance to win great prizes from ALA. The promotion starts Sunday, April 7, at noon CT and ends Friday, April 12, at noon CT.

Join the #HowILibrary movement, and let’s make this the best National Library Week ever! Official Rules (PDF)

3. Follow your library, ALA, and I Love Libraries on social media.

Be sure to follow your library on social media so you don’t miss out on all they have to offer.

Help spread the word about #NationalLibraryWeek and the #HowILibrary promotion by sharing these graphics on social media:
Twitter/Facebook | Instagram

ALA accounts: Twitter: @ALALibrary | Facebook: @AmericanLibraryAssociation | Instagram: @americanlibraryassociation

I Love Libraries: Twitter: @IloveLibraries | Facebook @ILoveLibraries

Spanish Conversation Group

Join our new in-person Spanish conversation group for adults! 

All levels are welcome! However, it may be best suited for beginner and intermediate level speakers. Please note, this is not a class, but it is a great way to practice your Spanish conversational skills and connect with others who have an interest in the language. The group is led by a Spanish-speaking librarian and will meet every other Thursday at 5:30 PM for 45 minutes. Starts April 11th!

Registration is highly requested as space is limited to 6 attendees in the Library’s Director’s Room. Visit the Events calendar for dates.

Please contact the reference desk if you have any questions!

City Preliminary Election Voting Location

The library will be a polling place for residents of Ward 2 on Tuesday, September 19th. Residents can cast their vote from 7am to 8pm in the Program Room. Staff will be here to direct residents to the Program Room during the early morning hours the library is closed.

We are excited to offer residents of Ward 2 a place to vote this year and ask that our regular library patrons excuse the increased foot traffic coming in and out of the building throughout the day.

Círculo de Lectores

¿Le gusta leer libros en español? ¿O quisiera leer más y practicar su español?

¡La biblioteca lo invita a participar en nuestro grupo de lectura para adultos- El Círculo de Lectores! Nuestro grupo lee libros clásicos así también como aquellos recientemente publicados. Platicamos sobre la trama de la historia, los personajes, y su experiencia leyendo el libro. Los libros y platicas son completamente en español.

Discusiones se lleván a cabo en Zoom cada tercer martes del mes a las 3 pm. Visite nuestro calendario de eventos para encontrar nuestras siguientes fechas y libros.Si no puede participar, pero tiene interés en leer libros en español, visite nuestra colección en el segundo piso de la biblioteca. ¡Se agregan nuevos libros mensualmente!

¿Tiene preguntas? Contáctenos enviando un correo electrónico a info@newburyportpl.org o llamando a 978-465-4428 x242.

Do you enjoy reading in Spanish?

We invite you to join our growing adult Spanish language book group- El Círculo de Lectores! This is best suited for those who feel comfortable reading and speaking in Spanish. 

Discussions are held virtually every third Tuesday of the month at 3 PM. Future dates and titles can be found in our event calendar.

Not able to participate? Browse our growing Spanish collection in the second floor of the library! New books are added monthly.

Questions? Contact us by email at info@newburyportpl.org or by phone at 978-465-4428.

Summer Reading Fun for All Ages

It’s that time of year again. Summer Reading is here!

We have programs for all ages. All three programs have been created to keep you reading all summer long!

For children ages 0-12:

Make reading a habit this summer with the Children’s Summer Reading Program. Each day we want you to ask yourself, “Did I read today?” If the answer is yes, tick off that day in Beanstack. You decide how much you want to read each day, and all reading counts: listening, being read to, whatever!
For every 10 days of reading you log (consecutive or non-consecutive), come to the Library and pick out a prize from our prize bucket. As you log, you’ll also receive virtual raffle tickets. Use these raffle tickets to enter for a grand prize bag! We’ll notify grand prize winners at the end of the summer. All prizes must be picked up in person.

For teens ages 12-18:

This summer, dive in to a great book! Log the minutes you read to earn badges and virtual raffle tickets.
What can you read? Anything! Just track the time you spend reading (or listening). Tracking your reading time and completing activities earns you virtual raffle tickets, which you can then use to enter for prizes. And yes, you can use your summer reading book for school to earn tickets.
We will have two drawing this summer, one on July 15 and one on August 12. Some of the prizes will change between the two drawings, but you’ll be able to enter for the grand prizes all summer long. Grand prizes will be drawn on August 12.

For adults:

Come play BINGO with us and track your reading progress for a chance to win a $30 gift card to Jabberwocky! Use the online form to view the BINGO card and submit what you’ve read. Each submission will enter you into the raffle (even if you don’t hit BINGO), but you can only submit one book per category.

You can enter your submissions at any point during the Summer Reading challenge. Three lucky winners will each win a $30 gift certificate to Jabberwocky and all winners will be drawn after the conclusion of the program. Participants can win only once. If you have any questions or would like a physical copy of the BINGO card, please speak with a reference librarian on the second floor.

To find out more information about Summer Reading, including access to the online form for the adult summer reading program, please visit the Summer Reading page here on our website.

Come Chat With Us!

The Newburyport Public Library is proud to partner with Newburyport Youth Services to talk about all things parenting!

Join us for two moderated discussions of “Long Days, Short Years: A Cultural History of Modern Parenting,” by Andrew Bomback. We hope to engage in multigenerational discussions about parenting, how it has changed, and what today and tomorrow look like. 

Utilize current literature as a way of exploring parenting ideas and experiences through engaging community conversations! We can learn so much from books, but we learn so much more from each other, and hope this community read will spark some great discussions.

Parents and caregivers will have two opportunities to chat with other members of our community in May. Our first discussion will take place on Monday, May 8th from 6-7:30 PM. The second discussion will take place on Wednesday, May 10th from 6-7:30 PM. Both discussions will take place in our Program Room and no registration will be required.

Movie Fun For Families

The library is so pleased to offer two new movie experiences for our patrons in April.

On Monday April 3rd & April 24th, from 2:30-4:30, we will be hosting the Sensory Friendly Movie Matinee.

The room will be lighter, the volume will be lower, and audience members will be welcome to move around, talk, and sing or do anything they feel they need to do in order to be comfortable, unless the safety of the audience is in question.

On Monday April 10th, from 2:30-4:30, we will be hosting the Stroller Movie Matinee.

Stroller Matinees are a baby-friendly, judgment-free space for adults to enjoy films with babies who may otherwise be unwelcome in traditional movie theaters. The room will be lighter, the volume will be lower, and audience members are welcome to move around, talk to their babies, and bring their strollers or car seats inside.

Information about these unique movie viewing experiences, the movies we will be showing, and runtimes, visit our event calendar by clicking here.

Social Service Drop-in Support

The City’s licensed professional social worker Trish Boateng offers regular drop-in hours at the Newburyport Public for any Newburyport resident who may need assistance on behalf of the City of Newburyport. Consultations and referrals are confidential and free to all. Get connected with assistance for food, housing, transportation, health, child care, or other necessities.

Location: 3rd Floor Conference Room

Time: Tuesdays, 1:30-2:30 pm

Availability: First-come, first-served. Evening hours can be accommodated by appointment only.

See our event calendar for additional information.

The Library has groups!

Are you looking to connect with like-minded people over books or art? Ready to read something new or learn about a prolific artist? Then consider our collection of book and art groups!

The Newburyport Public Library is pleased to offer groups that meet monthly, virtually or in person, that cover a variety of interests.

Next Chapter: meets the first Wednesday of the month in person at the Senior Center.

Fiction book group: meets the second Thursday of the month virtually.

Just the Facts – nonfiction book group: meets the last Tuesday of the month virtually.

Circulo de Lectores – Spanish book group: meets every third Tuesday of the month virtually.

Art History Group: meets the second Tuesday of the month in person at the library.

To get more information on when and what time the groups meet, how to access them virtually, or what books/artists are being profiled for the month, check our our event calendar by clicking here.