Starting May 2, we’ll be expanding our evening hours and ending our Monday hours. There will be an article regarding library funding and Monday hours on the Town Meeting warrant being held on May 9 at 7:00 PM.
Our new hours, effective May 2 will be:
Tuesday 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Wednesday 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Thursday 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Friday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sunday and Monday CLOSED
The Lawrence Library recently installed a Little Free Library to the exterior of our local food pantry, PACH Outreach. Thanks to the Friends of the Lawrence Library, the library staff is able to supply new or gently used books from the numerous donations they receive for their annual book sale. The Little Free Library is the latest addition to the library’s Books to Keep program at PACH.
In 2015, the Lawrence Library launched Books to Keep, along with the Friends of the Lawrence Library, to become the first public library in the United States to launch a Chapter of the Books to Keep Program. Books to Keep was founded in The Villages, Florida by a neighborhood book club in 2013. The goal of the organization is to provide new and gently used books to children and teens in need through local food pantries and/or soup kitchens so they can create their own personal libraries.
In June 2016, the library added adult books to the baby, children’s, and young adult selection of books. Similar to the Little Free Library, these books are sourced from donations for the library’s annual book sale. With a growing number of lower-income families becoming disenfranchised within their own communities, the library staff felt it was important to have a presence at the food pantry to serve as a reminder that our doors are open to all.
PACH has very limited hours, especially given the fluctuating Covid restrictions, and this new Little Free Library allows for easy access 24/7. This opportunity has allowed our library to help foster the love of reading to all while promoting the many free services the library offers.
The Lawrence Library, located at 15 Main Street in Pepperell, MA is part of the CWMARS consortium. PACH is located at 66 Hollis Street in Pepperell, MA. For more information on the library and our services, please visit http://www.lawrencelibrary.org or contact Deb Spratt at 978-433-0330.
The Lawrence Library Board of Trustees is happy to announce that effective December 1, 2021, the library is no longer charging overdue fees on library materials. Fine-free materials include books, audiobooks, magazines, music, games, and DVDs. We are proud to join many libraries around the state of Massachusetts, and the country, by removing this potential barrier to library services.
“The Lawrence Library is committed to equity and to supporting literacy efforts in our community. Library fines can be a barrier and deterrent to library use, and they disproportionally impact lower income families. With the additional burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, we want everyone in our community to feel encouraged to check out reading material for their families. Staff can attest that the vast majority of patrons are respectful of each other and return materials promptly when finished so that everyone may enjoy them. We don’t anticipate this changing,” said Carol Case, vice-chair of the library trustees.
Lost or damaged items, overdue materials from other libraries, and some specialty items (WiFi hotspots and museum passes) will still incur fines and replacement costs.
The Lawrence Library, located at 15 Main Street in Pepperell, MA is part of the CWMARS consortium. For more information on the library and our services, please visit http://www.lawrencelibrary.org or contact Deb Spratt at 978-433-0330
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month! All Massachusetts residents aged 5 and up are welcome to get a Lawrence Library card. You can stop by the library to fill out an application for a library card in person. You can also start your registration by printing out this form, completing it, and bringing it to the library. You can also jumpstart your registration by filling out this form online. For all the details, including forms of identification we accept, please visit our website.
Another great way to celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month is by signing up for a Boston Public Library eCard! The Boston Public Library (BPL) eCards are available to anyone who lives, resides part-time to attend school, owns property, or works in Massachusetts. With the BPL eCard, you’ll get expanded access to eResources like Audiobook Cloud and Kanopy. Visit their website for all of the details and to sign up!
In honor of Library Card Sign-Up Month, the American Library Association is running a contest called “How Do #LibrariesEmpower You?” Here’s how you can play along:
“Post to Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #LibrariesEmpower. Entries can also be submitted by posting as a comment or wall post on the I Love Libraries Facebook page. Don’t forget to tag your library (Instagram: @lawrencelibrarypepperell Twitter:@lawrencelib Facebook: The Lawrence Library, Pepperell MA).
The creator of one randomly-selected post will receive a $100 Visa gift and an ALA Graphics The Child Poster. Additionally, three second-place winners will receive an ALA Graphics The Child Poster.
The #LibrariesEmpower promotion begins Wednesday, September 1, at noon CT and ends Wednesday, September 22, at noon CT. All librarians and library lovers are encouraged to participate. The promotion is open to residents of the United States, Washington, D.C., and U.S. Territories. Employees of the American Library Association are not eligible to participate.“
We are thrilled to be open to the public again! No appointments are necessary, though masks are still required. Our summer hours are:
Monday 10-5
Tuesday 10-7
Wednesday 10-5
Thursday 10-7
Friday 10-5
Saturday 10-2
We will continue to offer Curbside Pick-Up 24/7, but starting Thursday, July 1, our default for pickups will be inside on our hold shelf behind the circulation desk. Patrons will have to opt-into curbside (either in-person, by phone or email).
Please note that the library will be closed on Saturday July 3 thru Monday July 5 in honor of the 4th of July holiday (we’re normally closed on Sundays).
Summer Reading is in full swing! Stop by the library to pick up a free summer reading packet. Each week we will be posting a new reading road trip video on our YouTube channel. We are also offering various in-person and online events for children, teens, and adults all summer long. Make sure you check out our Event Calendar for a full listing of our events, sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay in the loop!
On July 10, kids ages 6-10 are welcome to participate in Cartoons with Bob. This is a Zoom program where Bob teaches kids how to draw various cartoon characters, animals, and superheroes! Bob is an illustrator who has had work published for major comic book companies and gaming companies. Just give your kids some paper and crayons and let them enjoy drawing and jokes. This program is sponsored in part by a grant from the Pepperell Cultural Council, a local agency that is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. This is also sponsored by the Shrewsbury Public Library and the Friends of the Lawrence Library. Please register online.
School’s out for summer! Come visit the library’s Animal Crossing island, Athenaeum, and meet its residents Pepper, Reneigh, and more! Search the island for free prizes, fossils, and DIY recipes. This all-ages program is limited, so make sure you sign up in advance! On the day of the program, we’ll be emailing a “Dodo code” so that you can fly to our island. NOTE: You’ll need to have a Nintendo Switch Online account to visit us. Play with Us Anytime: Join us on Discord to chat about Animal Crossing New Horizons, schedule visits between islands, and more. If you’d like to become friends with the library, our Nintendo Switch Online code is SW-4125-4566-5513
On Saturday, August 7, we’re hosting Playful Engineers: Chain Reactions & Creative Contraptions at 11 AM. Come build with the Playful Engineers Traveling Maker Space. Teaching artist Jay Mankita will demonstrates his favorite techniques then, kids plan, gather materials, build, and test each simple part, linking them to make machines. Fun for all ages and abilities. Space is limited and registration is required. This outdoor event is weather permitting. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Pepperell Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
We’re starting a new book club – all about cookbooks! Every month we’ll choose a cookbook to explore and try recipes from, and then we’ll get together to talk and eat. We are going to start with dessert! For the first meeting, we’ll be making recipes from Bravetart: Iconic American Desserts by Stella Parks. Request a copy through our catalog, or ask any staff member for help. Our first meeting will be held at the library’s outdoor tent on Tuesday, August 10 at 6:30 PM. Please register online!
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