Events Calendar / Monthly
Queer Reads: Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
The Queer Reads Book Discussion celebrates queer authors, books, and themes. This discussion meets in person every third Tuesday of the month at the McAuliffe Branch. Register here: https://bit.ly/fpl-queerbookdiscussion
June 16th: Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
- Set in the contemporary Paris of American expatraites, liasons, and violence, a young man finds himself caught between desire and conventional morality. James Baldwin's brilliant narrative delves into the mystery of loving with a sharp, probing imagination, and he creates a moving, highly controversial story of death and passion that reveals the unspoken complexities of the heart.
McAuliffe Matinee: The Birdcage
A gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion agree to put up a false straight front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancée's right-wing, conservative parents.
(1996 | 1h 57m | R | CC)
Watch the trailer here.
Writing Together on Wednesdays
Bring your writing tools and join us as we build a local community of writers. No experience required, only a will to write and connect.
Craft Ladies: Faux Stained Glass Pictures
We will be making faux stained glass pictures using picture frames, permanent markers and foil. Supplies and space are limited. Registration is required and opens on June 1st.
Register at https://tinyurl.com/FPL-Glass
[Craft Ladies will be on hiatus in July. They will return on August 19.]
McAuliffe Book Discussion (Morning): The Murmur of Bees by Sofia Segovia
The McAuliffe Branch hosts two book discussion groups to discuss various fiction and nonfiction, as well as contemporary and classic literature. You can join us anytime to discuss one particular book or become a regular. Register here: https://bit.ly/mca-bookdiscussions
June 18th: The Murmur of Bees by Sofia Segovia
- From the day that old Nana Reja found a baby abandoned under a bridge, the life of a small Mexican town forever changed. Disfigured and covered in a blanket of bees, little Simonopio is for some locals the stuff of superstition, a child kissed by the devil. But he is welcomed by landowners Francisco and Beatriz Morales, who adopt him and care for him as if he were their own. As he grows up, Simonopio becomes a cause for wonder to the Morales family, because when the uncannily gifted child closes his eyes, he can see what no one else can—visions of all that’s yet to come, both beautiful and dangerous. Followed by his protective swarm of bees and living to deliver his adoptive family from threats—both human and those of nature—Simonopio’s purpose in Linares will, in time, be divined.
Musicals at McAuliffe: Cabaret
A Kit Kat Klub entertainer in Weimar Republic era Berlin romances two men while the Nazi Party rises to power around them. (1972 | 2h 4m | PG | CC)
Veterans At Ease Coffee Hour
Join us and your local, fellow veterans on the 3rd Friday of each month for free coffee and light refreshments.
This program is a collaboration between the Framingham Public Library and the City of Framingham Veterans Services.
Mandarin Storytime with BrightUpKids
非常适合母语人士和初学者，通过生动的故事和精美的绘本，带您领略汉语之美。每周相约，与我们一同开启语言、文化与创意的新奇旅程！适合3-5岁儿童！
由于恰逢周末假日，原定于5月23日在McAuliffe 分管举行的普通话故事活动将被取消。
McAuliffe Branch: 周六下午 3 点 1 月 24 日、2 月 21 日、3 月 21、日 4 月 18 日、5 月 23 日、6 月 20 日
Main Library: 周六下午 3 点 1 月 10 日、2 月 7 日、3 月 7、日 4 月 4 日、5 月 9 日、6 月 6 日
Perfect for both native speakers and beginners, it introduces the beauty of Mandarin through lively storytelling and picture books. Join us each week for a new adventure in language, culture, and creativity! Ages 3-5!
Storytime on May 23rd at McAuliffe Branch is cancelled due to the holiday weekend
McAuliffe Branch: Saturdays at 3pm: 1/24, 2/21, 3/21, 4/18, 5/23, 6/20
Main Library: Saturdays at 3pm: 1/10, 2/7, 3/7, 4/4, 5/9, 6/6
Art Journal Jam for Adults
Bring your own art journal and prepare to get messy! Join us for this casual, unstructured session exploring the possibilities of art journals. No experience required. Some supplies are provided, but feel free to bring your favorite medium to work in. Space is limited. Registration required.
Make it Tuesday: Tree of Life Wreaths
This month, bring a touch of the outdoors inside! Join us as we create a rustic Tree of Life wall hanging. Using a combination of natural twine and preserved moss, we’ll create a textured wall hanging that celebrates the spirit of nature and looks like it was plucked straight from a fairy tale. It’s the perfect earthy accent for any wall. Supplies are limited.
Hot Takes: The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri
Hot Takes: Romance Book Discussion at the Main Library meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month. This discussion group will delve into the world of romance through genres such as contemporary fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, and more! We welcome all tastes and experiences in our judgement free zone. Register here for email updates: https://bit.ly/FPL-Hot-Takes
June 24: The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri
- In a Britain fuelled by stories, the knight and the witch are fated to fall in love and doom each other over and over, the same tale retold over hundreds of lifetimes. Simran is a witch of the woods. Vina is a knight of the Queen's court. When the two women begin to fall for each other, how can they surrender to their desires, when to give in is to destroy each other? As they seek a way to break the cycle, a mysterious assassin begins targeting tales like theirs. To survive, the two will need to write a story stronger than the one that fate has given to them. But what tale is stronger than The Knight and the Witch?
Baby Storytime at Main
Come sing and play with words, rhyme, and puppets!
Ages 0-2 and their caregivers, all welcome.
Monday Matinee: All of Us Strangers
A screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home enters into a fledgling relationship with his downstairs neighbor while discovering a mysterious new way to heal from losing his parents 30 years ago.
(2023 | 1h 45m | R | CC)
Watch the trailer here.
Kids Chess Club
This Chess Club is an informal group welcoming everyone from new players to junior chess masters! Chess boards are provided, but you can bring your own. Staff are available to help with questions, but will not be teaching chess. For Elementary and Middle School students.
1st Tuesday of every Month, 5PM | MAIN, HOMEWORK CENTER
3rd Tuesday of every Month, 5PM | MCAULIFFE, COMMUNITY ROOM
McAuliffe Matinee: Johnny Tremain (1957)
Johnny Tremain is drawn into the Revolutionary War, and becomes a patriot fighting to free the colonies from England. Along the way he learns about life and about himself.
(1957 | NR | 1h 20m)
Sci-Fi Book Discussion: The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton
The Sci-Fi Book Discussion reads and discusses both classic and contemporary science fiction, covering subgenres such as speculative fiction, alternate history, and apocalyptic. This discussion meets the second Wednesday of the month, from 7-8 pm. This group is hybrid, meeting at the Main Library and streaming to Zoom. Register here: https://bit.ly/fpl-scifidiscussion
July 8: The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton
- Dalton Greaves is a hero. He’s one of humankind’s first representatives to Unity, a pan-species confederation working to bring all sentient life into a single benevolent brotherhood.
That’s what they told him, anyway. The only actual members of Unity that he’s ever met are Boreau, a giant snail who seems more interested in plunder than spreading love and harmony, and Boreau’s human sidekick, Neera, who Dalton strongly suspects roped him into this gig so that she wouldn’t become the next one of Boreau’s crew to get eaten by locals while prospecting.
Funny thing, though―turns out there actually is a benevolent confederation out there, working for the good of all life. They call themselves the Assembly, and they really don’t like Unity. More to the point, they really, really don’t like Unity’s new human minions.
When an encounter between Boreau’s scout ship and an Assembly cruiser over a newly discovered world ends badly for both parties, Dalton finds himself marooned, caught between a stickman, one of the Assembly’s nightmarish shock troops, the planet’s natives, who aren’t winning any congeniality prizes themselves, and Neera, who might actually be the most dangerous of the three. To survive, he’ll need to navigate palace intrigue, alien morality, and a proposal that he literally cannot refuse, all while making sure Neera doesn’t come to the conclusion that he’s worth more to her dead than alive.
Board Game Night
Bring your friends or meet new ones at this evening of board game fun! Try one of the Library's selection of board games, we’ll teach you the rules, no experience needed. Or, bring your own and teach us something new! Relax, connect, and play at your own pace. All are welcome.
Baby Storytime at Main
Come sing and play with words, rhyme, and puppets!
Ages 0-2 and their caregivers, all welcome.
Bachata by the Bookmobile
Summer Bachata is Back! Come out to Cushing Park for a one-hour dance lesson with J&L Dance Studio followed by 30 minutes of social dancing and light refreshments.
McAuliffe Book Discussion (Evening): The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama
The McAuliffe Branch hosts two book discussion groups to discuss various fiction and nonfiction, as well as contemporary and classic literature. You can join us anytime to discuss one particular book or become a regular. Register here: https://bit.ly/mca-bookdiscussions
July 14: The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama
- A 20-year-old Chinese painter named Stephen is sent to his family's summer home in a Japanese coastal village to recover from a bout with tuberculosis. Here he is cared for by Matsu, a reticent housekeeper and a master gardener. Over the course of a remarkable year, Stephen learns Matsu's secret and gains not only physical strength, but also profound spiritual insight. Matsu is a samurai of the soul, a man devoted to doing good and finding beauty in a cruel and arbitrary world, and Stephen is a noble student, learning to appreciate Matsu's generous and nurturing way of life and to love Matsu's soul-mate, gentle Sachi, a woman afflicted with leprosy.
McAuliffe Matinee: The Patriot (2000)
Peaceful farmer Benjamin Martin is driven to lead the Colonial Militia during the American Revolution when a sadistic British officer murders his son. (2000 | R | 2h 45m)
McAuliffe Book Discussion (Morning): Over My Dead Body by Greg Melville
The McAuliffe Branch hosts two book discussion groups to discuss various fiction and nonfiction, as well as contemporary and classic literature. You can join us anytime to discuss one particular book or become a regular. Register here: https://bit.ly/mca-bookdiscussions
July 16th: Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries by Greg Melville
- The summer before his senior year in college, Greg Melville worked at the cemetery in his hometown, and thanks to hour upon hour of pushing a mower over the grassy acres, he came to realize what a rich story the place told of his town and its history. Thus was born Melville’s lifelong curiosity with how, where, and why we bury and commemorate our dead.
Melville’s Over My Dead Body is a lively (pun intended) and wide-ranging history of cemeteries, places that have mirrored the passing eras in history but have also shaped it. Cemeteries have given birth to landscape architecture and famous parks, as well as influenced architectural styles. They’ve inspired and motivated some of our greatest poets and authors—Emerson, Whitman, Dickinson. They’ve been used as political tools to shift the country’s discourse and as important symbols of the United States' ambition and reach.
But they are changing and fading. Embalming and burial is incredibly toxic, and while cremations have just recently surpassed burials in popularity, they’re not great for the environment either. Over My Dead Body explores everything—history, sustainability, land use, and more—and what it really means to memorialize.
Musicals at McAuliffe: Hamilton the Musical
The real life of one of America's foremost founding fathers and first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. Captured live on Broadway from the Richard Rodgers Theater with the original Broadway cast. (2020 | PG-13 | 2h 40m)
Veterans At Ease Coffee Hour
Join us and your local, fellow veterans on the 3rd Friday of each month for free coffee and light refreshments.
This program is a collaboration between the Framingham Public Library and the City of Framingham Veterans Services.
Baby Storytime at Main
Come sing and play with words, rhyme, and puppets!
Ages 0-2 and their caregivers, all welcome.
Queer Reads: Don’t Let the Forest In by C. G. Drews
The Queer Reads Book Discussion celebrates queer authors, books, and themes. This discussion meets in person every third Tuesday of the month at the McAuliffe Branch. Register here: https://bit.ly/fpl-queerbookdiscussion
July 21st: Don't Let the Forest In by C. G. Drews
- High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality―Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.
But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won't say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork―whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew's wicked stories.
Desperate to figure out what's wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster―Thomas's drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator...
Hot Takes: First Time Caller by B.K. Borison
Hot Takes: Romance Book Discussion at the Main Library meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month. This discussion group will delve into the world of romance through genres such as contemporary fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, and more! We welcome all tastes and experiences in our judgement free zone. Register here for email updates: https://bit.ly/FPL-Hot-Takes
July 22nd: First Time Caller by B.K. Borison
- Aiden Valentine has a secret: he's fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore's romance hotline, that's a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.
Baby Storytime at Main
Come sing and play with words, rhyme, and puppets!
Ages 0-2 and their caregivers, all welcome.
Make it Tuesday: Cat Grass Heads
Looking for a fun, low-stress way to add some greenery to your space and provide a treat your furry friend at the same time? Come get your hands dirty at the McAuliffe Branch Library.
We’ll use thin cloth, soil, and pet-safe cat grass seed to sculpt a quirky grass head creation. After some water and sun you’ll get a wild head of green hair that you can style, trim, or let your cat happily munch on! Supplies provided.
Art Journal Jam for Adults
Bring your own art journal and prepare to get messy! Join us for this casual, unstructured session exploring the possibilities of art journals. No experience required. Some supplies are provided, but feel free to bring your favorite medium to work in. Space is limited. Registration required.
Baby Storytime at Main
Come sing and play with words, rhyme, and puppets!
Ages 0-2 and their caregivers, all welcome.