Editor’s note: This schedule was provided by the Town of Pelham Public Library. The Pelham Examiner publishes announcements in the form received as a service to the community.
September 2024 Newsletter
It’s September and that means K-Day — the special day when kindergartners receive their FIRST Library cards! This month we also have an Author Talk with local Rabbi Benjamin Resnick, chess class for children, and the return of our book clubs.
For all this and more, please see below or check our calendar.
Adult Programs and News
Booktemberfest
Friends of the Town of Pelham Public Library are hosting Booktemberfest on September 28th, 2024 from 5:00 – 8:00 pm. Please note that this event is for adults 21 and over.
For one evening only, the Library lawn will become a biergarten — don your dirndls and lederhosen to sample beers from around the world, enjoy German nibbles, get a chance to win a great raffle prize (two tickets to a 2025 Novel Night Dinner of your choice!), and find your next favorite read!
Click here to learn more about the night and buy tickets!
Saturday, September 28, 5-8 pm
Library Card Sign-up Month!
September is National Library Card Sign-up Month, and we’re celebrating here at the Library by forgiving late fees during the month of September!
Bring in your overdue items and we will waive all late fees that have accumulated on your card. (Sorry, this does not apply to charges for books and other items that are lost or damaged).
Last Call! Adults: Read Books, Win a Prize
We have had a flurry of people coming in to pick up their Summer Reading Bingo Cards. Be sure to turn them in soon to the reference desk by September 30 to enter our raffle. One lucky raffle winner will receive a brand-new Kindle!
Adults and teens in 9th grade and up can play our Reading BINGO game for adults. You can get the instructions and download a BINGO board by clicking here, or stop by the Library reference desk to pick up a form.
Now through Monday, September 30
English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL) for Intermediate Students
Join us for a series of ESL classes for adults with Pelham resident, EJ Sepp!
This class is intended for low-intermediate to advanced students who are learning English as a second or foreign language. (No beginners please!)
EJ Sepp has taught ESL for 20 years and is the co-author of English Express New York: A Cultural Reading & Writing Text for English Language Learners.
These classes are walk-ins that do not require preregistration or attending all sessions.
Mondays, September 16, 23, and 30 6-6:45pm
Author Talk with Local Rabbi Benjamin Resnick for Next Stop
Benjamin Resnick is the Rabbi of the Pelham Jewish Center, and author of Next Stop. Join us for a talk with the author, and to purchase your signed copy of the book!
This program will take place in-person at the Library. Registration is suggested, but walk-ins are welcome. Click here to register.
Monday, September 23, 7-8 pm
Food as Medicine with Dr. Kaushik
This series from Dr. Somesh N. Kaushik discusses the effect of food on the body and its healing abilities. With over 35 years’ experience as an Ayurvedic physician, Dr. Kaushik is one of the most experienced Ayurvedic physicians in North America. Dr. Kaushik recently founded the Institute for the Advancement of Ayurvedic Sciences, a research and teaching institution. This program will take place on Zoom, and registration is required. Click here to register. The Zoom link will be emailed to you before the presentation.
Tuesday, September 24, 7-8 pm
Crafty Adults: Tiny Treehouses
Join our resident artist/instructor Sara Mallach this month as we build adorable Tiny Treehouses to take home and install in our house plants.
This event will take place in-person at the Library and separate registration is required for each attendee. Click here to register. Sign up early, as space and supplies are limited.
Please note: Time change to 7:15 pm for Crafty Adults classes. Please arrive on time as late arrivals disrupt the class.
Monday, September 30 7:15-8:15 pm
Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home with Darrel Alejandro Holnes
Watch this space for more information about our upcoming visit from Afro-Panamanian American writer, performer, and educator, Darrel Alejandro Holnes! We’ll be treated to a performance of Holnes’ work, and participate in a discussion with poet Amy Lemmon about Latino Poetry and what it means to our community.
This program is presented as part of Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home, a major public humanities initiative taking place across the nation in 2024 and 2025, directed by Library of America and funded with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Emerson Collective.
Thursday, October 17, 7-8 pm
Adult Hybrid Book Clubs
The After-Dark Book Club will meet on Thursday, September 5 at 7:30 pm to discuss The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt and on Thursday, October 10 at 7:30 pm to discuss The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
The 2nd-Friday Book Club will meet on Friday, September 13 at 10:30 am to discuss The Falcon Thief by Joshua Hammer and on Friday, October 18 at 10:30 am to discuss Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.
To join, email [email protected]. For more information about the 2nd-Friday Book Club click here and for the After-Dark Book Club click here.
Adults Who Color
We’re bringing back adult coloring night! Join us at the Library on Thursday evenings starting in September to relax and unwind in our drop-in coloring sessions for grown-ups. The Library will supply coloring pages, colored pencils, and markers.
Every Thursday, anytime between 6-8 pm
Fiber Fridays
Love to knit or crochet? Gather your needles, hooks, and yarn, and join us every Friday afternoon for an informal adult needlework group. Knitters, crocheters, and needle point enthusiasts of all abilities are welcome, but please note that no instructors will be present.
Every Friday, 1-3:30 pm
Tuesdays are Digitizing Days
Our Time-Warp Tuesdays continue. This program for digitizing photos has been a great success. Bring in your family photos and our librarians will assist you with scanning them to a USB drive using our new high-speed scanner. Appointments are required for a 45-minute session. To learn all of the details and to register, please click here.
Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with This List of Library Resources
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. Click here to access our list of resources. To learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month click here.
September Closings at the Library
The Library will be closed the following days in September:
- Monday, September 2 in observance of Labor Day
- Saturday, September 28 for our Friends of the Library Booktemberfest party
Children’s News and Events
K-Day is Coming!
The Pelham Public Library’s K-Day is an annual event when Pelham children entering kindergarten can get their first library cards. This year, it will be held on Saturday, September 21st from 10am-2pm.
To save time, please pre-register for your kindergartner’s library card. Click on this link to fill out the form so that the card will be ready as soon as you arrive. Parent/guardians must bring a photo ID and proof of Pelham residency to pick up cards the day of the event.
Saturday, September 21, 10 am-2 pm
Chess for Beginners
Want to learn how to play chess? Join local student Ari Drucker for semi-private lessons here at the Library. Registration is mandatory for this program, and space is limited to two students per session. To register, please email Tasha at [email protected] with your child’s name and age. A waitlist will be kept. This program is for children ages five to eight.
Wednesdays in September, 3:30-4:30 pm
Kids Craft: SLIME!
Get ready for some messy fun at the Library. We’ll be making our own colorful and gooey slime. No previous slime-making experience is necessary. We’ll provide the materials and teach you everything you need to know.
This program is for children ages six and up. No registration necessary.
Tuesday, September 10, 3:30-4:30 pm
STEM Story Time by Pelham High School Student
Join us for a special STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Story Time and craft!
This program is for children ages five and up. Registration is not required, but please arrive on time: first come, first served.
Saturdays, September 7 and 14, 11-11:30 am
South American Flair! An Andean Journey via Storytelling, Folklore, Dance, and Music
Join local author Maria Rosell, and dancers from the Tumbaga Colombian Dance Company of New York, who will show us some traditional dances and costumes, and teach us a few dance moves too. Fun for all ages!
This program is presented as part of Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home, a major public humanities initiative taking place across the nation in 2024 and 2025, directed by Library of America and funded with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Emerson Collective.
Saturday, October 5, 1-3 pm
Outdoor Story Time
Join us for our popular Story Time for infants and toddlers outside on our front lawn. Story Time is designed to enhance early literacy skills and features diverse children’s books in which all children can see themselves represented… plus we have a lot of fun! Please bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit on. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Story Time will be held outdoors throughout the year, but will be cancelled on days when the temperature is above 90°, or if it is raining. You may call the Library when we open at 10 am to inquire.
Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:30-11 am
- Announcements from Pelham organizations will always have a home in the Pelham Examiner. We’ve published more than 4,000 from government, nonprofits, community service groups, entertainment and education events—and the list goes on. Donate to support the Pelham Examiner, the one-stop read for what’s happening in town.
