PAWS to Read
2024-04-25 15:30 - 18:30, 2024-05-02 15:30 - 18:30, 2024-05-09 15:30 - 18:30, 2024-05-16 15:30 - 18:30, 2024-05-23 15:30 - 18:30, 2024-05-30 15:30 - 18:30, 2024-06-06 15:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
“Paws to Read” pairs certified therapy animals with young readers who gain reading confidence in a relaxed, stress-free environment. For reluctant or struggling readers in grades 1-5.
Our therapy dogs & bunnies visit the Library with their owners, who volunteer their time to help young readers. Children’s reading abilities improve as they gain confidence through reading to animals. Why? Animals listen uncritically and wag their tails or twitch their noses as the children read. Research indicates that under these conditions, children’s heart rates actually slow, resulting in a state of calm that leads to greater reading success.
Children involved in PAWS programs nationwide have shown:

Improved READING skills
A sense of PRIDE in their accomplishments
Willingness to become INVOLVED in other positive activities
Increased RESPECT and KINDNESS in their interactions with animals
Greater READING enjoyment and increased LIBRARY usage

Program is currently full, please contact Jennifer Whitehead and Judy Schmidt to join the interest list.
323-0417.

Music with Pop Spring 2024
2024-05-01 10:30 - 11:30, 2024-05-08 10:30 - 11:30, 2024-05-22 10:30 - 11:30, 2024-05-29 10:30 - 11:30, 2024-06-05 10:30 - 11:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
10:30 am, Wednesdays, May 1, 8, 22, 29, June 5th
Music with Jacques Hooten aka Pop! Wednesdays at 10:30 am in the Children’s Activity Room, geared towards infants to age 6. Spaces will be filled first by children who reside within Belchertown. Enjoy singing and dancing in this interactive music series. Limited space so click here to register today.
Registration & confirmation required.
Funded by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.

Music & Movement with Julie (Spring 2024)
2024-05-04 10:30 - 11:15, 2024-05-11 10:30 - 11:15, 2024-05-18 10:30 - 11:15, 2024-05-25 10:30 - 11:15, 2024-06-01 10:30 - 11:15 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Saturdays, 10:30 am to 11:15 am
May 4th, May 11th, May 18th, May 25th, and June 1st
Music and Movement with Julie. Join us for a music series on Saturday mornings at the Clapp Memorial Library. Julie’s programs let babies and young children explore music in a fun and creative environment. Her program is geared toward ages 0 to 7, but all ages are welcome!
This series is funded in part by the Friends of Clapp Memorial Library and a grant from the Department of Early Education and Care through the Collaborative for Educational Services.
Registration required and confirmation. Click here to sign up: https://forms.gle/yy1G9UgDS9tKk5WCA
Registration open until all slots are filled – just sign up for the Program and Jennifer Whitehead, Children’s Librarian, will be in touch!

Storytime at Umbrella of Wellness Fair
2024-05-04 12:30 - 13:00 | Chestnut Hill Community School, 59 State St, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Join Jennifer at BOAT’s Umbrella of Wellness Fair at Chestnut Hill Community School on Saturday, May 4th at 12:30PM for a storytime!

Comic Book Workshop with Jonathan Todd
2024-05-08 14:30 - 15:30 | Lawrence Memorial Hall (Town Hall) Auditorium, Belchertown, 01007, United States
May 8 at 2:30PM, Lawrence Memorial Hall auditorium
Belchertown kids in grades 3-6 are invited to come by for an afternoon with comic book creator Jonathan Todd, author of Timid, a semiautobiographical graphic novel about frenemies, fitting in, and finding your voice! The Clapp Memorial Library is teaming up with Mass Center of the Book for their Mass Kids Lit Fest to host this comic book-focused workshop.
Learn how to make your own comic from a pro! In this workshop, Jonathan Todd will teach the elements of a story, panel planning, creating thumbnail sketches, and penciling and inking your very own graphic novel page.
Registration & confirmation are required, sign up here: https://forms.gle/3nLkshx6WXr1U9ER8. Students under the age of 10 must have a caregiver present.
The Odyssey Bookshop will be present with copies of Timid for purchase.

Poop Museum #2
2024-05-10 18:00 - 19:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
PROGRAM FULL – WAITLIST ONLY
May 10th at 6PM
Ages 4 -11
This past fall, we hosted the Poop Museum with Susie. The audience filled the library and laughed and ewwww-ed while learning so many facts about poop, but we didn’t learn it all! Poop Museum #2 will teach about pooping in space, pooping underwater, poop from the past, and more!
If you missed the Poop Museum, you will not want to miss #2. If you attended the Poop Museum, we know you don’t want to miss #2!
Registration & confirmation required. This program is for ages 4-11. Sign up for the waitlist here: https://forms.gle/HvZoTSMywN5YFS4f9
Program made possible by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.

Birds of Prey with Wingmasters
2024-06-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Lawrence Memorial Hall (Town Hall) Auditorium, Belchertown, 01007, United States
This program is strictly for ages 5 and up.
Families, teens and adults are welcome as we kick off our summer reading programs.
Birds of prey, also known as raptors, are hunting birds characterized by hooked beaks and powerful grabbing feet armed with sharp talons. With some of the best eyesight and the sharpest hearing in the animal kingdom, raptors include eagles, hawks, falcons and owls. Learn about these different categories in a presentation that incorporates five live birds, including predation, the birds’ place at the top of the food web, their different hunting adaptations and their status in a rapidly changing world. Because many birds of prey are declining in number, this presentation also features one or more of the endangered raptors that we care for, and explains why these species face an uncertain future.
Wingmasters is a partnership of two people dedicated to increasing public understanding and appreciation of North American birds of prey. Julie Anne Collier and Jim Parks are both licensed raptor rehabilitators based in Massachusetts. Together they care for injured birds of prey. Most of the birds they rehabilitate can ultimately be released back into the wild, but in some cases the birds are left permanently handicapped.
This event is part of our Summer Reading Program and attending is worth a Kids SRP Raffle Ticket! Make sure to sign your child up for Summer Reading at clapplibrary.beanstack.com or via the Beanstack app.
Made possible by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library and our Community Sponsors

Food Truck Friday
2024-06-21 16:00 - 20:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Join the Clapp Memorial Library on our beautiful Common for an evening of fun with live music and food trucks. We will have crafts and activities for all to enjoy.
This event is part of our Summer Reading Program and attending is worth a Kids SRP Raffle Ticket! Make sure to sign your child up for Summer Reading at clapplibrary.beanstack.com or via the Beanstack app.
Program made possible by the Belchertown Cultural Council

Babytime Story time (3-12 mo) Spring 2024
2024-07-08 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-07-15 09:00 - 10:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
9:00-9:45 AM, Mondays, July 8, 15, 22, 29, August 5 & 12
Babytime is for ages 3 – 12 months and begins @ 9:00 AM. Registration is required. Our story times feature age-appropriate stories, songs, finger plays and art activities.
Registration and confirmation required. Registration open until all slots are filled. If the program is full you will be placed on a wait list. Confirmations and program information will be sent out several days before the program starts.
Summer Story Times are part of our Summer Reading Program, starting June 15th. Make sure to sign your child up for Summer Reading at clapplibrary.beanstack.com or via the Beanstack app.

Monday Firststeps (12-24 mo) Summer 2024
2024-07-08 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-07-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Monday Firststeps (12-24 months) Spring 2024
10:00-10:45 AM, Mondays, July 8, 15, 22, 29, August 5 & 12
Firststeps is for ages 12 – 24 months and begins @ 10:00 AM. Registration is required. Our story times feature age-appropriate stories, songs, finger plays and art activities.
Registration and confirmation required. Registration open until all slots are filled. If the program is full you will be placed on a wait list. Confirmations and program information will be sent out several days before the program starts.
Summer Story Times are part of our Summer Reading Program, starting June 15th. Make sure to sign your child up for Summer Reading at clapplibrary.beanstack.com or via the Beanstack app.

Tuesday Toddler Time (2 years) Summer 2024
2024-07-09 09:30 - 10:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Tuesday Toddler Time (2 years) Summer 2024
9:30-10:30 am, Thursdays, July 9, 16, 23, 30th, August 6 & 13
Toddler Storytime is for children aged 2 years, and begins @ 9:30 AM. Registration is required. Our story times feature age-appropriate stories, songs, finger plays and art activities.
Registration and confirmation required. Registration open until all slots are filled. If the program is full you will be placed on a wait list. Confirmations and program information will be sent out several days before the program starts.
Summer Story Times are part of our Summer Reading Program, starting June 15th. Make sure to sign your child up for Summer Reading at clapplibrary.beanstack.com or via the Beanstack app.

Getting Ready for Kindergarten Summer 2024
2024-07-10 09:30 - 10:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
9:30-10:30 am, Wednesdays, July 10, 17, 24, 31, August 6 & 12,
Getting Ready for Kindergarten is for children entering Kindergarten this fall and beings at 9:30 AM. Getting Ready for Kindergarten feature age-appropriate stories, songs, finger plays and art activities independent of their caregivers to prepare young children for school. Program will be held in the Children’s Activity Room.
Registration and confirmation required, click here to sign up. Registration open until all slots are filled. If the program is full you will be placed on a wait list. Confirmations and program information will be sent out several days before the program starts.
Summer Story Times are part of our Summer Reading Program, starting June 15th. Make sure to sign your child up for Summer Reading at clapplibrary.beanstack.com or via the Beanstack app.

Caravan Puppets - Read, Renew, Repeat
2024-07-10 18:00 - 19:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Join us at 6PM on July 10th for an evening full of stories and music on the Library Lawn (in the case of rain, Town Hall Auditorium)!
Multi cultural puppet tales that celebrate how we learn (“Read, Renew”) and we can enjoy taking the time to get things right (repeat!)! Read Renew Repeat! Features original hand crafted puppets and classic stories that teach: “If your patient and you keep trying…. you’ll succeed!!”
This event is part of our Summer Reading Program and attending is worth a Kids SRP Raffle Ticket! Make sure to sign your child up for Summer Reading at clapplibrary.beanstack.com or via the Beanstack app.
Program made possible by the Belchertown Cultural Council

Preschool Story Time (3-6 years) Summer 2024
2024-07-11 09:30 - 10:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
9:30-10:30 am, Thursdays, July 11, 18, 25, August 1, 8 & 15
Preschool Story Time is for ages 3-5 and begins @ 9:30 AM. Registration is required. Our story times feature age-appropriate stories, songs, finger plays and art activities.
Registration and confirmation required. Registration open until all slots are filled. If the program is full you will be placed on a wait list. Confirmations and program information will be sent out several days before the program starts.
Summer Story Times are part of our Summer Reading Program, starting June 15th. Make sure to sign your child up for Summer Reading at clapplibrary.beanstack.com or via the Beanstack app.
