Clapp Memorial Library

Halloween Spook-Tacular
2024-10-24 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Chestnut Hill Community School, 59 State St, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Halloween Spook-Tacular
Belchertown Pollinator Garden 5:30 pm on Sunday, October 20th and Thursday, October 24th. Registration is required, sign up here for your choice of date: https://forms.gle/Wfd5gTSa7Z54QPFX9. Space is limited.
Sunday is full, new Sunday signups will be added to the waitlist.
Have fun with spooky stories, a scavenger hunt, cider, cookies and crafts.
Bring a flashlight and come in costume to enjoy a story with Jennifer Whitehead, Youth Services Librarian!Registration is required at the Clapp Memorial Library. Geared toward ages 4 to 11.
The Pollinator Garden is located at 57 State St. at the School Gardens.
Donations for the garden are appreciated.

Needle Felting Pumpkins
2024-10-23 18:00 - 21:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Come learn the art of needle felting at the Clapp Memorial Library on Monday, October 21 from 2:30-5:30 OR Wednesday, October 23 from 6:00-9:00. Local fiber artist Anna Sunschauer will teach you how to sculpt fluffy wool fiber into a pumpkin using felting needles. No prior needle felting experience is necessary, but it is recommended that all participants have good fine motor skills to avoid injury with the sharp needles. All necessary tools and materials will be provided.
This workshop is open to adults and teens. Space is limited and registration is required.
Register here: https://forms.gle/xJp85btxgZxPbg5y8
All adult seats have been filled.
This program is made possible by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.

Maltese Falcon Book Group
2024-10-22 14:00 - 15:30, 2024-10-15 14:00 - 15:30, 2024-10-08 14:00 - 15:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Have you ever wanted to take the time to discuss a novel in depth? In this six-session group we will discuss the classic detective novel The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. The discussion will be introduced and facilitated by retired professor David Spector, who has some expertise on birds in literature. There are, indeed, birds, including the famous title one, in this mystery story, but David hopes that discussion will range widely over many aspects of the plot and characters of this novel. After registration is confirmed, participants can pick up a copy of the novel to keep, while supplies last.
Registration & confirmation required, sign up here: https://forms.gle/DVBeozi3dHhqBYRG6
The group will meet 2 to 3:30 P.M. on Tuesdays, October 8, 15, 22, and 29, and November 12 and 19. There is no meeting on November 5. October 15th meeting location to be determined.
A public screening of the classic 1941 John Huston film version of the novel with Mary Astor, Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Elisha Cook, Lee Patrick, et al., is tentatively set for Tuesday, 3 December, at 7 P.M.

Once Upon a Halloween
2024-10-19 15:00 - 16:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Saturday, October 19th 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
What would Halloween be without some chillin’ tales for the spookiest time of the year? Once Upon A Halloween is a fun-filled, Halloween event – complete with a huge cauldron bubbling over with fog for the last dramatic story! This family program contains some old chestnuts as well as great new Halloween stories full of surprises. All tales are appropriate for family audiences and contain a well-rounded blend of suspense and humor.
We are thrilled to have the talented Diane Edgecomb return to the Clapp Memorial Library. This event is geared towards children ages 3 and up and their families and will be held upstairs on the main library floor. Costumes encouraged. No registration required.
This program is made possible by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.

Friends’ Book Sale!
2024-10-19 09:00 - 15:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library Book Sale
Monday: 4:00-8:00pm Members Night – memberships available at the door
Tuesday-Friday: 10:00am-8:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am-3:00pm
The Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library Book Sale accepts cash, check, and credit card.
Want to join the Friends? The Friends meet every third Thursday of the month at 6:30PM!

Free Food Friday
2024-10-18 14:00 - 15:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Teens are invited to the library after school on the third Friday of the month (October 18th) for free snacks as they visit and use the library! Students must be in grades 7-12 and arrive between 2:00-3:30PM for a free snack, courtesy of the library, as supplies last.

Library Closing: Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2024
2024-10-14 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will be closed in observation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Friend's Annual Meeting and Junior Volunteer Recognition
2024-10-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Friends of Clapp Memorial Library announce that they will hold their annual meeting for this year at 7 PM on October 10, 2024, in the Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA 01007. The meeting will review actions (including disbursement of funds) from the past year, hold elections for Board members, and discuss plans for the coming year. The general public is invited, and current members of the Friends group are highly encouraged to attend.
Students who completed the Junior Volunteer program are invited to this event, where they will be recognized for their volunteerism and will receive letters of acknowledgement as well as a gift certificate to the Friends of the Library book sale.

Edible Palette Painting (Teens)
2024-10-09 17:30 - 19:00, 2024-10-09 15:30 - 17:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
October 9th, 3:30-5:00pm and 5:30-7:00pm
Library Activity Room (downstairs)
Learn how to paint with buttercream and royal icing in this Edible Palette Knife Painting class! Sarah Maroney of Cakes by Pip will work with participants on how to decorate 4 cookies together to include a pumpkin, flower bouquet, Sunflower, and fall leaves. The class will also go through what the difference between royal icing and buttercream is and how they are made. Decorating Boxes include a palette knife kit to take home and show off your brand new skills!
Registration & confirmation required, sign up for a session here: https://forms.gle/KS7ErSGNuKSv6ACR6
This program is funded in part by a grant from the Belchertown Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, and by the Friends of Clapp Memorial Library
This session is for Teens. Edible Palette Painting for Adults is on September 25th, and for Kids on October 1st.

Nine Neighbors You Should Know
2024-10-07 18:30 - 19:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
On Monday, October 7 at 6:30pm, come to the Clapp Memorial Library for “Nine Neighbors You Should Know,” a presentation by Cliff McCarthy, Stone House Museum archivist and author/editor of several books on Belchertown’s history. Do you know which Belchertown native has had a full-length Hollywood movie devoted to his life and has been portrayed by actors John Carradine and James Coburn in other films? Do you know what Belchertown woman drew the plans for remodeling the Stone House into a museum? Do you know of Belchertown’s connection to the first Governor of Kansas? This talk will present nine historical figures connected to Belchertown that will astonish and surprise. Some you will admire, some you will despise, but all have interesting stories to tell.

Edible Palette Painting (Kids)
2024-10-01 16:00 - 17:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
October 1st, 4:00-5:30pm
Library Activity Room (downstairs)
Learn how to paint with buttercream and royal icing in this Edible Palette Knife Painting class! Sarah Maroney of Cakes by Pip will work with participants on how to decorate 4 cookies together to include a pumpkin, flower bouquet, Sunflower, and fall leaves. The class will also go through what the difference between royal icing and buttercream is and how they are made. Decorating Boxes include a palette knife kit to take home and show off your brand new skills!
Registration & confirmation required, sign up for a session here: https://forms.gle/PNJUHS5vbEd7ECqY7
This program is funded in part by a grant from the Belchertown Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, and by the Friends of Clapp Memorial Library
This session is for Kids ages 8-11. A caregiver, age 14 or older, must be in the building for participants under 10.
Edible Palette Painting for Adults is on September 25th, and for Teens on October 9th.

Edible Palette Painting (Adults)
2024-09-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
September 25th, 3:00-5:00pm and 6:00-8:00pm
Library Activity Room (downstairs)
Learn how to paint with buttercream and royal icing in this Edible Palette Knife Painting class! Sarah Maroney of Cakes by Pip will work with participants on how to decorate 4 cookies together to include a pumpkin, flower bouquet, Sunflower, and fall leaves. The class will also go through what the difference between royal icing and buttercream is and how they are made. Decorating Boxes include a palette knife kit to take home and show off your brand new skills!
Registration & confirmation required, sign up for a session here: https://forms.gle/tsY3xJuvqNUhPqJ36
Both sessions are full, waitlists are open
This program is funded in part by a grant from the Belchertown Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, and by the Friends of Clapp Memorial Library
This session is for Adults. Edible Palette Painting for Kids is on October 1st, and for Teens on October 9th.

Library Closing: Belchertown Fair 2024
2024-09-21 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will be closed during the Belchertown Fair

Craft with the Teen Advisory Board at the Exhibit Hall!
2024-09-20 16:00 - 17:00 | MA
The library’s Teen Advisory Board is offering a free craft in the Exhibit Hall from 4:00-5:00PM the Friday of the Belchertown Fair. All ages are welcome to stop by and do a craft paired with this year’s Fair theme, “Barn in the USA,” as supplies and materials last!

Teen Wellness Table
2024-09-20 14:00 - 15:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Clapp Memorial Library will have a table on their front lawn from 2:00-3:30PM the Friday of the Belchertown Fair (September 20th). Teens in grades 7-12 walking from school to the Fair are invited to stop by for free water, granola bars, and snacks as supplies last!

Early Closing: Belchertown Fair 2024
2024-09-20 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will close at 2pm.

Teen Advisory Board (Sep 2024)
2024-09-13 16:30 - 17:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Clapp Memorial Library’s Teen Advisory Board will meet Friday, September 13th from 4:30-5:30PM in the library’s Activity Room for its first meeting of the 2024-2025 school year! TAB is a group of 7th-12th grade students who meet monthly during the school year to propose library programming for teens, provide input on teen services, volunteer, and have fun! At this meeting, teens will get to meet each other, discuss the year ahead, and learn about a volunteer opportunity during the Belchertown Fair weekend. Teens can email clapplibrarytab@gmail.com to register.

D&D Campaign
2024-09-10 18:00 - 19:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
When a cosmic enemy threatens to destroy their world, brave heroes must do everything in their power to save it. This quest will take them across the teeming oceans of Wildspace to the silvery void of the Astral Sea and beyond. Along the way, they’ll make friends, encounter terrifying foes, and face one cliffhanger after another. Can they save their world before time runs out?
Game will run on the 2nd Tuesday of the month through a starter series of adventures and into “Light of Xaryxis,” through the end of that campaign. Interested players should email tmannino@cwmars.org. Current campaign is expected to end fall 2024, registration to open soon for the next campaign… GHOSTBUSTERS!
Program is intended for adults, but we regularly offer teen RPG programs.

Belchertown & the California Gold Rush
2024-09-09 18:30 - 19:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
On Monday, September 9th at 6:30pm, come to the Clapp Memorial Library for “Belchertown and the California Gold Rush,” a presentation by Cliff McCarthy, Stone House Museum archivist and author/editor of several books on Belchertown’s history. The California Gold Rush was an important event in American history, having an enormous impact on migration, land development, the slavery debate, and the nation’s economy. At least nineteen Belchertown men went west in pursuit of their dreams. Some played important roles in the development of California; some returned to New England and built on their western adventures to achieve positions of stature and importance in our communities.

Ukes for Ukraine
2024-09-07 15:00 - 16:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
On Saturday, September 7 at 3pm, the Clapp Memorial Library will host a free acoustic concert by the Belchertown duo, Ukes for Ukraine. Terry Nagel (soprano ukulele) and Jimmy Burgoff (bass ukulele) will bring their street corner music, and their little blue tip bucket, indoors with an hour of favorite uke tunes and more stories about their adventures on the streets. Although the situation in Ukraine is grim, the music of Ukes for Ukraine is anything but. Drawing from the best Tin Pan Alley music of the 20’s and 30’s, classic string band tunes, and occasional big band classics, the duo presents cheerful and unique versions of familiar chestnuts, and some obscure songs that deserve to be dusted off and brought back to life.
So far, Ukes for Ukraine has raised over $3,300, a few dollars at a time playing on street corners and in outdoor markets. All the money has gone to Blagovist 2013, an NGO providing food, school supplies, and clothing to displaced families and children in the Karkhiv region.

Library Closing: Labor Day 2024
2024-09-02 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will be closed in observation of Labor Day

Gardening Basics
2024-08-30 18:00 - 19:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Adults, teens, and tweens are welcome to the third and final session in our series of Homesteading Workshops by local teen Zackery W. Zawalski. In this session, Gardening Basics, learn how to start your own garden and pot your own plant to take home.
All workshops start at 6:00 PM at the Clapp Memorial Library and include a presentation and activity. This program is funded by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.
Friday, August 16: Introduction to Homesteading
Friday, August 23: Livestock Basics
Friday, August 30: Gardening Basics
Zackery Zawalski has raised livestock since 2010, including ducks, chickens, goats, doves, dogs, and a pig. He has helped his parents with their local 4-H club and has been a member of 4-H since 2013. Zackery takes pleasure in helping with his family garden since he could walk and still enjoys it to this day.
All workshops start at 6:00 PM at the Clapp Memorial Library and include a presentation and activity. These programs are funded by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.

Livestock Basics
2024-08-23 18:00 - 19:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Adults, teens, and tweens are welcome to attend the second session in our series of Homesteading Workshops by local Zackery W. Zawalski: Livestock Basics. In this session, learn the basics of raising your own livestock and meet (at least) one very special guest from Zack’s own farm.
Friday, August 16: Introduction to Homesteading
Friday, August 23: Livestock Basics
Friday, August 30: Gardening Basics
Zackery Zawalski has raised livestock since 2010, including ducks, chickens, goats, doves, dogs, and a pig. He has helped his parents with their local 4-H club and has been a member of 4-H since 2013. Zackery takes pleasure in helping with his family garden since he could walk and still enjoys it to this day.
All workshops start at 6:00 PM at the Clapp Memorial Library and include a presentation and activity. These programs are funded by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.

RESCHEDULED: Needle Felted Whales
2024-08-21 18:00 - 20:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
This is a reschedule of the July 31st workshop. Program is full.
Local fiber artist Anna Sunschauer will teach you how to sculpt fluffy wool fiber into a whale using felting needles. No prior needle felting experience is necessary, but it is recommended that all participants have good fine motor skills to avoid injury with the sharp needles. All necessary tools and materials will be provided.
This program is made possible by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.

Teen Book Club – August Meeting
2024-08-21 15:00 - 16:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Clapp Memorial Library has a book club for teens in/entering grades 7-12! This Teen Book Club is in conjunction with the MA Teen Choice Book Awards (MTCBA), the only book award in the state selected by teens. Each month teens will read and meet to discuss one book from the nominee list. On Wednesday, August 21st from 3:00-4:00PM, teens will discuss Rez Ball by Byron Graves. Copies of the book are available for checkout at the library’s circulation desk and on the hoopla app. Snacks will be provided at the meeting.

Introduction to Homesteading
2024-08-16 18:00 - 19:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Adults, teens, and children aged 10+ are invited to attend our series of Homesteading Workshops led by local Zackery W. Zawalski. You can come to one, two, or all three, and learn about ways to grow and raise your own food and make use of the land you live on.
Friday, August 16: Introduction to Homesteading
Friday, August 23: Livestock Basics
Friday, August 30: Gardening Basics
Zackery Zawalski has raised livestock since 2010, including ducks, chickens, goats, doves, dogs, and a pig. He has helped his parents with their local 4-H club and has been a member of 4-H since 2013. Zackery takes pleasure in helping with his family garden since he could walk and still enjoys it to this day.
All workshops start at 6:00 PM at the Clapp Memorial Library and include a presentation and activity. These programs are funded by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.

Preschool Story Time (3-6 years) Summer 2024
2024-08-15 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.
