Editor’s note: This announcement was provided by the Town of Pelham Public Library. The Pelham Examiner publishes announcements in the form received as a service to the community.
We are starting off the New Year with expanded hours and a new Library trustee. Join us for an author talk, winter seed sowing workshop, and crafts for the whole family.
For all this and more, please see below or check our calendar.
Adult Programs and News
Expanded Hours
Starting Monday, January 6 we will be opening at 10 am on Mondays instead of 1 pm. Our new hours are 10 am to 8 pm on Mondays and Thursdays; 10 am to 5 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; and 10 am to 4 pm on Saturdays. Please click here to see details about our expanded hours.
Starting Monday, January 6
WLS App
Our New Year’s Resolution is to provide you with a better app! The Westchester Library System (WLS) App will no longer be available after December 31, 2024. While we’re waiting for the new app, you can use the Pelham Library Catalog to search for materials, place holds and manage your account. We will provide updates on the app on our website and in the February newsletter.
Starting Monday, January 6
Trustee News
The Town of Pelham Library Board of Trustees is happy to welcome Katie Sheehy to the Board.
Katie moved to Pelham in the summer of 2018 with her husband, Jim, and their four children. She is currently Counsel at PZ Law Group, a boutique Trusts & Estates law firm in NYC.
Katie is thrilled to serve as a Pelham Public Library Trustee. She is a big fan of borrowing physical books from the Library, enjoys audio books on Libby and loves visiting the Library with her kids.
For more information about Katie click here.
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, January 27 and February 3, 6-6:45pm
Eating in Harmony with Nature 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, January 14, 7-8 pm
Crafty Adults: Polymer Clay Penguins
Join our resident artist/instructor Sara Mallach this month as we bring back a Crafty Adults favorite and make Penguins out of Polymer Clay. These adorable little keepsakes will bring their happy feet to a special spot in your home to cheer us up during the long winter months.
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 arrive on time as late arrivals disrupt the class.
Monday, January 27, 7:15-8:15 pm
Author Talk: The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern with Lynda Cohen Loigman
Join us for an author talk from local author, Lynda Cohen Loigman, who will be discussing her latest book, The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern.
She is the author of four novels: The Two-Family House, The Wartime Sisters, The Matchmaker’s Gift, and The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern.
Copies of the book will be available for purchase. Registration is suggested, but walk-ins are welcome. Click here to register.
The Library is normally closed Tuesday evenings, but will be open for this event only. No circulation or computer services will be available.
Tuesday, January 28, 7-8 pm
EcoPel’s Winter Seed Sowing Workshop
Learn how to sow native plants and annual flower seeds during a hands-on workshop. Perfect for beginners, you’ll grow easy favorites like golden alexander, threadleaf amsonia, penstemon, cosmos and zinnias, ready for spring planting! We’ll use recycled materials to create mini-greenhouses.
Space for this event fills up quickly and registration is required. Click here to register.
Saturday, February 1, 10:30 am – 12 pm
Adult Hybrid Book Clubs
The After-Dark Book Club will be taking a break in January. We will resume on Thursday, February 6 at 7:30 pm to discus Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead and on Thursday, March 6 at 7:30 to discuss Code Girls by Liza Mundy.
The 2nd-Friday Book Club will meet on Friday, January 10 at 10:30 am to discuss The Gathering by Anne Enright and on Friday, February 14 at 10:30 am to discuss Bagdad Without a Map by Tony Horwitz.
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.
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.
Holiday Closing and Hours
We will be closed or closing early on the following days:
- December 31: Closing at 1 pm
- January 1: Closed (New Year’s Day)
- January 20: Closed (MLK Day)
In honor of Martin Luther King Day come into the Library during the month of January to put your sticker on our “What can people do to make their community a better place” community board! We also have a MLK Day quiz to take at the Circulation Desk for the month of January.
Please click here to see our Library Hours page for more information on closings including any weather related events.
Wishing all a happy and healthy New Year!
Children’s News and Events
NOON Year’s Eve Countdown
Welcome the new year with the entire family. We’ll have coloring and other activities for kids. And, for those of us who won’t be staying up until midnight, we’ll have a countdown at twelve o’clock noon complete with noisemakers and silly hats.
This event will take place indoors.
Tuesday, December 31, 10:30 am-12:30 pm (please note that we close at 1pm)
Albanian for Kids
Are you looking to learn Albanian, or brush up on language skills you already have? Are you curious about Albanian music, festivals, or history? Join Pelham High School student Selena Nezaj for this Albanian language and culture class just for children ages six to 13!
Fridays, January 10, 17, 24 and 31, 3:30-4:30 pm
Crafty Families: Two Special Winter Break Editions
Join our resident artist/instructor Sara Mallach from Crafty Adults for special Winter Break crafts for the whole family. This program is for all ages and registration is not required.
- Thursday, December 26, 6:30-7:30 pm-Wine Cork Cottages
- Thursday, January 2, 6:30- 7:30 pm-Paper Stars
Kids Craft: Paper Snowflakes
Come learn how to make paper snowflakes at the Library! This program is for children ages six and up, accompanied by an adult. Registration is not required, but be sure to arrive on time, as supplies are limited. First come, first served.
Friday, December 27, 3:30-4:30 pm
Canine Story Time
Join Lisa and her furry friend Freckle from The Good Dog Foundation for a special kind of Story Time. This time, it won’t be adults reading to kids: it will be kids reading to dogs! Young readers ages six and up can sign up for 10-minute sessions, during which they will be able to read to Freckle, Lisa’s adorable canine companion. This will give kids a safe space to become comfortable reading out loud.
To reserve a spot, join us at the Library on the day of the program, and see the reference desk to sign up for your 10-minute session. We will start accepting reservations at 3 pm (not earlier!). First come, first served.
Thursdays, January 9, 16, 23 and 30, 3:30-4:30 pm
Lego Club!
Join us for an hour of open Lego play at the Library! This program is for children ages six and up, and will take place in-person at the Library. Registration is not required.
Please note the date change! Lego Club will now be meeting on Wednesday afternoons.
Wednesdays in January, 3:30-4:30 pm
Express Yourself! Music and Crafts for Neurodiverse Kids
Music and art aren’t just fun: they can help kids to develop speech and language skills, reduce stress, and cope with all sorts of daily challenges. Join Concordia Conservatory student Shay Armand for expressive drawing, finger painting, sing-alongs, and more fun activities to promote learning and relaxation for children ages five and up!
This program is open to all kids ages five and up, but we would like to extend a special invitation to neurodiverse and intellectually disabled children.
- Saturdays, January 4 and 18, 11 am-12 pm
- Special Sessions on Thursday, January 2 and Friday, January 3, 11-12 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, January 11 and 25, 11 am-12 pm
Girl Scout Mission Sisterhood
Girl Scout Senior Troop 1561 invites girls in 5th grade through high school to a “Girls Mixer” where we will discover the powerful benefits of sisterhood and ways to nurture healthy friendships. Girl Scouts will guide girls through some friendship scenarios, teach some trust exercises and make a joint vision board on “what is friendship/sisterhood for tweens & teens in 2025?”
Wednesday, January 29, 1-2:30 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 below 40°, 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
