I'm still recovering from a March of budget meetings, building meetings, and board meetings. Okay, let's be real: like you, I'm still recovering from a March that marks a year of battling a global pandemic. To that end, we held a staff development day with a self-care theme in recognition of the trauma we have been struggling with. We schedule these professional development days several times a year and they often include a self-care element alongside library-specific training.

This year, staff watched a webinar on Filling Your COVID Cup about grieving, reflecting, setting intentions, creating themes for your day, practicing gratitude, and other tips and techniques to feel your feelings and then move on still get things done. Next, we had a session on digital mobile photography on getting out and taking socially distanced photos, and finding ways for nature to nurture. We concluded with a session on laughter yoga. There might have been shaking our sillies out, a dance party and a joy shaker as part of the process... As part of the day, I compiled a display of library materials on grieving, coping, meditating, nature photography, and other self-care topics. If you're looking for resources on these topics, please check out our Pinterest Board at

Like you, some days we are on fire getting all the things done, and some days, we feel like zombies moving through our day. Hearing from our patrons help! Please continue to call (508-839-4649) and email graftonlibrary.ma@gmail.com to request materials, or just to say hello and let us know how you are doing!

This month's highlights: Millwork (like windowsills), doors hung, tiling began and carpeting is scheduled. The Library Planning and Building Committee voted to approve the furniture and shelving quotes so those items could be ordered. Check out a preview of the furniture with the carpet, flooring and tile at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1itLi5qyIu6txAQkg7KU59Lo0S3YhatIo/view?usp=sharing

Check out construction photos in albums on our Facebook Page:

Agenda & Minutes: https://www.grafton-ma.gov/library-planning-building-committee

The Library's online catalog, Evergreen, will be offline for a scheduled upgrade Sunday, April 18th at 5:15 PM and will be down for part or all of the day on Monday, April 19th. EZProxy bypass will be in place so library databases, including Overdrive, will still be available. 

In celebration of the library's construction project and National Library Week, The Friends of the Grafton Public Library encourage everyone to participate in this year’s Community Read. Stop by the Grafton Public Library's temporary location (53 North Main Street, North Grafton MA –the old St. Andrew's Church) to pick up a copy of the adult, young adult and / or children’s Community Read title using our no-contact curbside pickup and attend any of the virtual Community Read events. The book discussions will be held on Slack.

Learn more about public library services of the past and how libraries change lives by reading this year’s Community Read selections. The adult title is The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes, the young adult title is A Kind of Paradise by Amy Rebecca Tan, and the children’s title is That Book Woman by Heather Henson, illustrated by David Small.

Please register for programs online at graftonlibrary.org/events or visit the Community Read website at www.graftonlibrary.org/communityread. If you have any questions about how to read or listen to the digital titles, how to get a physical copy of the book or how participate in the events, contact the Grafton Public Library at info@graftonlibrary.org (email) or 508-839-4649.

Or go directly to

Grab your card and head directly to Ancestry: http://ezcw.ez.cwmars.org:5400/menu

Not sure where to begin? Read an overview with some tips by our very own Donna Bates-Tarrant! https://graftonlibrary.org/2021/02/28/become-a-time-traveler-like-donna/

Want to visit Tower Hill's Hello Spring exhibit April 1 through May 31? Reserve a museum pass.

See all of our upcoming LIVE and PASSIVE PROGRAM events, including Children & Teens:

Visit graftonlibrary.beanstack.com to participate or learn more and see a list of all our challenges at graftonlibrary.org/beanstack/

C/W MARS has added over 3,000 new titles to their OverDrive magazine collection! These magazines are always available and there are never any holds or waiting. Go to https://cwmars.overdrive.com/cwmars-grafton/content or open the Libby app and log in with your library card number to access.

The free program only requires a Grafton Public Library card to get started. Apply for a library card at https://graftonlibrary.org/home/get-a-library-card/.

To join the discussion, learn about past Big Library Read titles and download Libby, visit biglibraryread.com.

Sign up for individual newsletters and stay up to date with the latest news, events, items and more!

Teen - for grades 6-12 and their caregivers

Children for ages 0-grade 5 and their caregivers

Wowbrary - weekly new releases of library materials in digital and physical formats.

The Friends gifted the library $3,000 towards museum passes and the Summer Reading Program. Thank you, Friends!

We circulated 293 museum passes to 20 attractions in 2020. Two museum are doing e-tickets. We just renewed Garden in the Woods and Roger Williams Park & Zoo. We have tried to keep on top of closures and reopenings dues to COVID-19 at https://graftonlibrary.org/passes/

The Friends are collecting donations in saleable condition for their

Spring Book Sale on the Common Saturday May 1. Contact

info@friendsgpl.org to arrange your donation.

Stay tuned for more details!