Clapp Memorial Library

Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library Meeting
2025-04-17 18:30 - 19:30, 2025-05-15 18:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
All are invited to the The Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library Board Meeting in the Activity Room at 6:30pm. For information email friendsofclappmemoriallibrary@gmail.com
http://www.friendsofclapplibrary.org/
​The Friends of Clapp Memorial Library is a volunteer not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising monies to assist the Library beyond the ordinary scope of the Library’s budget to reach its potential in our community. The group’s additional purpose is to promote and maintain close relationships between the Library and the people it serves, to increase public awareness of Library resources, and to encourage community participation in Library activities.

CANCELED: Ask-a-Nurse
2025-04-18 14:00 - 15:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Come and see the Public Health Nurse, Kirsten Krieger RN, BSN, Quabbin Health District! No appointments needed, no charge!

Blood pressure and blood sugar screening
Health and wellness education
Community resource connection
Harm Reduction resources
And more!

Intro to Nature Photography for Kids at Lake Wallace
2025-04-22 09:30 - 11:00 | Parks & Recreation, 66 State Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Learn how to capture beautiful images of nature in these photography workshops. Come for a short presentation and then go outside to explore for hands-on photography. You will gain an understanding of photography fundamentals, and then apply what you’ve learned. Attend one or both workshops.
Registration is required, sign up here: https://forms.gle/wjKvvdZCbqhHRxPh6
Geared towards photographers 5 & up. Children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult caregiver. Dress for the weather. Bring a camera or smartphone or take turns borrowing one of the Library’s cameras. There will also be some phone microscope lenses to borrow that can be used with most smartphones. Holly Fields and Meru Causeway will be our instructors, and Louise Levy and Jennifer Whitehead will help when we break up into groups. Come take a different look at the beautiful nature Belchertown has to offer.
The ViewFinder workshop series is sponsored by the Clapp Memorial Library and the Town of Belchertown’s Creative Economy Committee, with support from the Belchertown Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.
Intro to Nature Photography for Kids at Lake Wallace on Tuesday, April 22 will meet at the Belchertown Recreation Department, 66 State Street, Belchertown. Intro to Nature Photography for Kids at the School Gardens on Saturday, May 3 will meet at the Swift River Elementary pavilion, 57 State Street, Belchertown
Workshop List

Tuesday, April 22: Intro to Nature Photography for Kids at Lake Wallace, 9:30am-11am
Saturday, May 3: Intro to Nature Photography for Kids at the School Gardens, 4pm-5:30pm

Astral Evening - Stargazing at the Library
2025-04-23 20:00 - 21:00 | Foley Field, 66 State Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Telescopes will be set up on Foley Field and a representative of Springfield STARS will lead us on a tour of the night sky and some of its most interesting and impressive sights. Please wear comfortable footwear and clothing to be able to stand outside for an extended period of time. To get to the event, turn onto Whitlock Way from State St (Rt.202). You will pass the Belchertown Police Department and then the Rec Department on your left. As you near a turn, go straight onto the unpaved road and follow it to Foley Field.

Fiber Arts with the Woolies
2025-04-24 17:00 - 18:30, 2025-05-01 17:00 - 18:30, 2025-05-08 17:00 - 18:30, 2025-05-15 17:00 - 18:30, 2025-05-22 17:00 - 18:30, 2025-05-29 17:00 - 18:30, 2025-06-05 17:00 - 18:30, 2025-06-12 17:00 - 18:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Woolies are a local fiber arts group who meet weekly at the library to socialize and work on their various projects. Whether you’re interested in knitting, crocheting, felting, weaving, embroidery, needle point, sewing, or another fiber art, you’re welcome to join the fun.

Introduction to Basic Photography
2025-04-26 09:00 - 12:00 | Parks & Recreation, 66 State Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Registration required, click here to sign up.
Learn how to capture beautiful images of nature in this series of photography workshops. Belchertown’s abundant natural resources offer limitless opportunities for creating amazing photos. Through these workshops, you’ll gain an understanding of photography fundamentals, and then go into the field to apply what you’ve learned. All levels of photographers are welcome, as are all types of cameras (including smartphones). Attend one or all workshops. All sessions are free to attend.
Open to Adults & Teens!
The ViewFinder workshop series is sponsored by the Clapp Memorial Library and the Town of Belchertown’s Creative Economy Committee, with support from the Belchertown Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library. For more on ViewFinder, visit https://clapplibrary.org/art-in-the-library/viewfinder/
Introduction to Basic Photography on Saturday, April 26 with Ed Comeau and Creative Nature Photography on Saturday, May 3 with Mark Lindhult will meet at the Belchertown Recreation Department, 66 State Street, Belchertown. The Art of Smartphone Photography workshop on Saturday, May 10 with Linda Repasky will meet at the Les and Terry Campbell Visitor Center at Quabbin Reservoir, 100 Winsor Dam Road, Belchertown
ViewFinder Workshop List – click here to sign up:

Saturday, April 26: Introduction to Basic Photography, 9am-12pm
Saturday, May 3: Creative Nature Photography, 9am-12pm
Saturday, May 10: The Art of Smartphone Photography: Nature and Landscape, 9am-12pm

Servas
2025-04-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Are you interested in having a greater cultural experience when you travel in the US or abroad? Do you have commitments preventing you from traveling yet you are still looking to make connections with the world? Are you 18 to 30 years of age and want a language or cultural immersion experience? Perhaps Servas is for you?
Servas connects hosts and travelers from over 100 countries to provide a network for its members to build friendships and broaden their understanding of the world. Are you interested in learning more about what Servas can offer you? Join this informational session where current members share their experiences and answer your questions about hosting and travelling.

Fairy Seats & Future Sculpture: Creative Play at Lake Wallace
2025-05-02 16:30 - 17:30 | Parks & Recreation, 66 State Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Imagination and nature will come together at Lake Wallace on Friday, May 2, from 4:30–5:30 PM for Fairy Seats & Future Sculpture: Creative Play at Lake Wallace, a free, all-ages event inviting the community to spark creativity and collaboration in the outdoors.
Led by Kiran Jandu, a professor of fine arts and MFA candidate at UMass Amherst, this playful hour of making will blend the magic of tiny fairy chairs with STEAM/STEM-inspired thinking. Using clay and found natural materials — twigs, moss, flowers, and stones — participants will design and build miniature fairy-sized seats that celebrate curiosity, problem-solving, and the joy of creating something together.
This event is more than just an afternoon of fun — the designs crafted on May 2 will help inspire Kiran’s full-scale public bench sculpture, coming to Lake Wallace in Fall 2025. No experience is needed, and all materials will be provided. Just bring your imagination!
The upcoming bench sculpture is funded by the Belchertown Cultural Council (BCC), a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Creative Nature Photography
2025-05-03 09:00 - 12:00 | Parks & Recreation, 66 State Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States

Acres of Clams Documentary Screening
2025-05-03 14:30 - 16:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
On Saturday, May 3 at 2:30pm, the Clapp Memorial Library will host a screening of the documentary, Acres of Clams. Eric Wolfe’s Acres of Clams is a feature-length video history of the Clamshell Alliance’s direct-action campaign against the Seabrook nuclear plant in the 1970s. Acres of Clams combines archival film footage and music with the personal remembrances of the activists themselves to reveal how disciplined nonviolence can have an out-sized impact on the world – when people take action together. The screening will be immediately followed by a Q&A/discussion of the film with Cliff McCarthy and Sharon Tracy of the Clamshell Alliance.

CANCELLED: Intro to Nature Photography for Kids at the School Gardens
2025-05-03 16:00 - 17:30 | Chestnut Hill Community School, 59 State St, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Program cancelled due to weather forecast and low registration
Learn how to capture beautiful images of nature in these photography workshops. Come for a short presentation and then go outside to explore for hands-on photography. You will gain an understanding of photography fundamentals, and then apply what you’ve learned. Attend one or both workshops. If you attended the Lake Wallace program, you are welcome to join us at 4 pm for the presentation or meet us at the School Gardens around 4:15 pm.
Geared towards photographers 5 & up. Children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult caregiver. Dress for the weather. Bring a camera or smartphone or take turns borrowing one of the Library’s cameras. There will also be some phone microscope lenses to borrow that can be used with most smartphones. Holly Fields and Meru Causeway will be our instructors, and Louise Levy and Jennifer Whitehead will help when we break up into groups. Come take a different look at the beautiful nature Belchertown has to offer.
The ViewFinder workshop series is sponsored by the Clapp Memorial Library and the Town of Belchertown’s Creative Economy Committee, with support from the Belchertown Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.
Intro to Nature Photography for Kids at Lake Wallace on Tuesday, April 22 will meet at the Belchertown Recreation Department, 66 State Street, Belchertown. Intro to Nature Photography for Kids at the School Gardens on Saturday, May 3 will meet at the Swift River Elementary pavilion, 57 State Street, Belchertown
Workshop List
Tuesday, April 22: Intro to Nature Photography for Kids at Lake Wallace, 9:30am-11am
Saturday, May 3: Intro to Nature Photography for Kids at the School Gardens, 4pm-5:30pm

Ukulele Play Along (Virtual Event)
2025-05-05 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-06-02 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual, MA
Strum along with the Ukulele Play Along on the first Monday every month!
Grab your ukulele and play along – because playing your ukulele is more fun when you do it with others. We’ll be focusing on 3 and 4 chord songs, with lyrics and chords provided on screen. Participants will be muted, so don’t worry about how you sound!
To join, email Julie Stepanek (julie@musicjulie.com) for the Zoom link and to receive the songs for the program. Don’t have a Ukulele? Don’t worry – you can borrow one from us!

The Art of Smartphone Photography: Nature and Landscape
2025-05-10 09:00 - 12:00 | MA
Registration required, click here to sign up.
Anyone can take a snapshot with a smartphone, but what does it take to create photos that are worthy of hanging on your walls? Learn how to elevate your smartphone photos from meh to stunning with a Clapp Memorial Library program on Saturday, May 10th from 9am-noon at the Les and Terry Campbell Visitor Center at Quabbin Reservoir. We’ll cover smartphone camera basics, as well as tips for creating compelling images. Learn how to find interesting scenes and subjects that can lead to breathtakingly beautiful photos, with many examples that can provide ideas and inspiration. A Department of Conservation and Recreation staff member will be on hand to discuss the wide range of wildlife and natural resources at Quabbin Reservoir. We’ll finish by heading outdoors to try out some of the ideas covered during the workshop. What you’ll need: just bring your smartphone. Instructor: Linda Repasky
Open to Adults & Teens!
Location: Les and Terry Campbell Visitor Center at Quabbin Reservoir, 100 Winsor Dam Road, Belchertown, MA
The ViewFinder workshop series is sponsored by the Clapp Memorial Library and the Town of Belchertown’s Creative Economy Committee, with support from the Belchertown Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library. For more on ViewFinder, visit https://clapplibrary.org/art-in-the-library/viewfinder/
ViewFinder Workshop List – click here to sign up:

Saturday, April 26: Introduction to Basic Photography, 9am-12pm
Saturday, May 3: Creative Nature Photography, 9am-12pm
Saturday, May 10: The Art of Smartphone Photography: Nature and Landscape, 9am-12pm

Bio: Linda Repasky is a Belchertown resident who enjoys capturing the beauty of local natural resources with her iPhone. She particularly enjoys exploring around the Quabbin Reservoir, as well as pursuing macro photography to capture the tiny details in nature that are so easy to overlook. Her iPhone photos have received recognition in numerous international photography competitions. Her iPhone photos can be seen at: https://www.instagram.com/lindarepaskyphotography/

Wonder Women, Super Girls, and Villainous Vixens
2025-05-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
There’s been a lot of attention paid to female comics fans in the last few years, but the truth is women have always been part of superhero storytelling. We’ll explore the importance of female heroes and the women who brought them to life in the larger history of American superhero comics.
This program is funded by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.

Ask-a-Nurse
2025-05-16 14:00 - 15:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States

Visit us at the Umbrella of Wellness Fair!
2025-05-17 12:00 - 14:00 | Chestnut Hill Community School, 59 State St, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Clapp Memorial Library will have a table at BOAT’s Umbrella of Wellness Fair on Saturday, May 17th! Visit our table in the CHCS Gymnasium from 12:00-2:00PM before listening to VIVE18, the featured speaker. Learn about the library’s free services, pick up a booklist of recommended reads, and enter our raffle to win one of three self-care kits! We look forward to seeing you!

Plant Swap
2025-05-20 18:00 - 19:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Bring a plant (or not!) to the library and swap it for a new one. Program takes place on the library lawn. Monthly on the third Tuesday of the month from May to September.
This program is funded by the Belchertown & Around Plant Swap

Leveling Up: The Art of Scott M Fischer
2025-06-03 18:00 - 20:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Town Hall Auditorium (Lecture) and Clapp Memorial Library (Reception)
Join us for a very special evening with artist Scott M Fischer! Scott is a world-renowned fantasy artist known for (and this is the short list) Magic the Gathering card art, cover illustrations for Dark Horse Comics, mind blowing fantasy fine art, and being an amazing Belchertown community member. Scott has donated his time and talent to the Library’s Summer Reading Program – designing all of the logos – for the last 10 years!
Scott will give a lecture about his journey as an artist (and how he’s Leveled Up his artwork!) in the Town Hall Auditorium. His presentation will be followed by a reception at the Library where he’ll sign attendee’s Magic the Gathering cards and reveal the 2025 Summer Reading Program logo. You won’t want to miss this special event!
To read Scott’s article on the Muddy Colors website about his love for the Clapp Memorial Library, click here!
https://www.scottmfischer.com/

Echoes in Nature
2025-06-07 15:00 - 16:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Join singer-songwriter Jess Martin and poet-naturalist Kim Hoff at the Clapp Memorial Library in Belchertown for a free afternoon of music, poetry, and connection with the wild beauty of our local landscape on Saturday, June 7 at 3 pm. Come celebrate the magic of our home ecosystems and the stories they tell through art. This one’s for nature lovers, creative spirits, curious kids, and anyone craving a little inspiration. Let’s gather, listen, reflect—and grow something beautiful together. This program is funded in part by grants from the Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, and Williamsburg Cultural Councils, local agencies supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Trash Gala!
2025-06-13 16:00 - 18:00 | MA
A dedication event for Belchertown’s three new Transfer Station Container Murals & a celebration of community with family activities about sustainability.
June 13th, 4-6PM at the Belchertown Transfer Station
135 Hamilton Street
Trash Fashion Contest!
Come in wearable art from upcycled materials! Show off and win prizes. Visit the Swap Shop for inspiration and materials.
Grand Prize: Transfer Station Permit.
Other prizes include Transfer Station Bags
Rain Date: Saturday, June 14th

Cookbook Club
2025-06-13 18:30 - 19:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Friday, June 13th, 6:30PM
Do you like browsing cookbooks and trying new recipes? In the Cookbook Club, we each make a recipe from a cookbook and bring it for everyone to try. Taste, enjoy, and chat with your new cookbook friends!
Registration & confirmation required. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/SW89vY1PjHPSvBkL9
Program limited to 15 participants.
Due to the high popularity of Cookbook Club and limited capacity, seats will be filled by lottery drawn from all registrants signed up by May 26th.
