Clapp Memorial Library

Sushi Diamond-Painting with Kansai!
2026-05-06 16:30 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Teens in grades 7-12 are invited to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with a special Sushi Diamond-Painting Program at the Clapp Memorial Library featuring free sushi donated by Kansai Asian Bistro! On Wednesday, May 6th from 4:30-6:00PM in the library’s Activity Room, teens will diamond-paint their own kawaii sushi magnets while enjoying sushi from Kansai. Instruction and materials will be provided. Space is limited; email clapplibrarytab@gmail.com to register. Upon registering, please make our Teen Events Coordinator aware of any allergies. The library wishes to thank Kansai for their generous donation and partnership!

Free Food Friday (May 2026)
2026-05-08 14:00 - 15:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Join us for the last Free Food Friday of the school year! Teens in grades 7-12 are invited to the library Friday, May 8th, from 2:00-3:30PM for free snacks (as supplies last) as they visit and use the library. This program is funded by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.

Cookbook Club (May 2026)
2026-05-08 18:30 - 20:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
May 8, 6:30 PM
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! The May cookbook is Nothing fancy by Alison Roman.
Registration & confirmation required, click here to sign up.

Janet Crosier Book Talk
2026-05-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Join us for a presentation and book signing with author Janet Crosier. Her novel, Shadows on the Heath, imagines the missing three years of Heathcliff’s life from Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. Copies of the book along with Janet’s latest novel, Weymouth House, will be available for purchase.
Janet Crosier is an adjunct English Professor in Western Massachusetts and member of the Brontë Society, Modern Language Association, and Straw Dog Writers’ Guild. She has published her research, poetry, and several short stories with the International Academic Forum, New Dimensions in the Humanities, Common Ground, and the University of Massachusetts.

Drama 101: The Finale!
2026-05-13 14:00 - 15:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Teens in grades 7-12 are invited to the Clapp Memorial Library on Wednesday, May 13th, a BPS early release day, for Drama 101: The Finale! From 2:00-3:00PM, the library’s Teen Services Coordinator (a former theater kid herself) will lead teens and tweens in various theater games in the library’s Activity Room as well as host a theater-themed Jeopardy! game. This program is perfect for drama and theater enthusiasts and those looking to try their hand at acting. Email clapplibrarytab@gmail.com with any questions and to register.

Teen Advisory Board (May 2026)
2026-05-15 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 have its last meeting of the school year on Friday, May 15th from 4:30-5:30PM in the library’s Activity Room. Free pizza will be provided as we celebrate this year’s accomplishments and talk about opportunities for summer programming and volunteering. Teens who have attended any TAB meetings during the past school year are invited and can email clapplibrarytab@gmail.com to register.

An Introduction to Nature Photography for Children
2026-05-16 13:00 - 15:00 | Chestnut Hill Community School, 59 State St, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
There will be two ViewFinder photography workshops for children. These will be open to children 4 years old and above. Children up to the sixth grade must be accompanied and assisted by an adult. Maximum group size is 6 children. Click here to register.
Location: The School Garden in front of the Swift River Elementary School
Instructor: Holly is interested in the colors, forms, and patterns displayed throughout the diversity of life. She believes that photography allows us to look more thoughtfully and carefully at all of nature’s beauty, big and small. She volunteers with students at Swift River Elementary and in the Belchertown School Garden.

Plant Swap
2026-05-19 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. The 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

Transform Your Yard to Support Pollinators: A 12 Step Program
2026-05-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Many people now realize the importance of pollinators and other essential wildlife. They want to make their yard pollinator-friendly, but don’t know where to start. This talk will step you through the process of evaluation, planning, and implementation, with many options for large and small changes.

Teen Book Club (May 2026)
2026-05-20 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 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. May’s meeting will be Wednesday, May 20th from 3:00-4:00PM. Teens will discuss a nominee from the MTCBA’s 2026 Nominee List, announced in April. Copies of the book are available for checkout at the library’s circulation desk and on the Libby and hoopla apps. Snacks will be provided at the meeting. Email clapplibrarytab@gmail.com with any questions.

ViewFinder Submission Support
2026-05-23 10:00 - 12:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Taking part in ViewFinder, Belchertown’s all-ages photo contest? Come by the library for assistance submitting your photos online:

Saturday, May 23, 10am-12pm
Tuesday, May 26, 5:30-6:30pm
Wednesday, May 27, 5:30-6:30pm

What is ViewFinder?
A juried, all-ages, photo contest will run from March 21 through May 30. Photographs must be taken in Belchertown. Contestants will be juried alongside their peers in youth and adult age groups, and between wildlife, landscape, and macro/close up categories.
Winning photos will be printed and exhibited at the library in July, with a reception on July 1st at 6PM to celebrate the winners. Winners will receive a certificate and 5 postcards with their photo, and can pick up and keep their photo after the exhibit.

Library Closing: Memorial Day 2026
2026-05-25 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will be closed in observation of Memorial Day

Love and Loss After Wounded Knee: A Book Talk with Julie Dobrow
2026-05-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
On Wednesday, May 27 at 7pm at the Clapp Memorial Library, Tufts University Professor Julie Dobrow shares the tumultuous and storied lives of Charles Eastman, and his wife, Elaine, former Belchertown residents. Like most star-crossed lovers, they came from vastly different worlds. Elaine Goodale, a white woman who grew up on a farm in the remotest part of the Berkshires, was a poet, writer and teacher who’d come to the Dakota Territory in 1884 to teach Native American children. Ohíye S’a, or Charles Alexander Eastman, was a Santee Sioux, born in Minnesota and one of the only Native Americans educated at Dartmouth College and Boston University Medical School. He’d come to Pine Ridge as a reservation physician. Elaine and Charles improbably met in December 1890, and more surprisingly, fell in love. And then the Wounded Knee Massacre happened, and changed everything. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.

Kinti Ensemble
2026-06-02 19:00 - 20:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
On Tuesday, June 2 at 7pm, the Clapp Memorial Library will be hosting the musical duo, Kinti Ensemble. Kinti is named after the Quechua word for hummingbird, qʼinti, and, like their namesake, builds a bridge between North and South America. Inti Curi Cachimuel is a virtuosic Quichua indigenous musician and composer from Otavalo, Ecuador with fluidity in a wide range of styles from traditional Andean to jazz. Cellist Rebecca Hartka has always concurrently explored a variety of styles and improvisation. With a strong impulse to connect across cultures, Hartka was inspired to travel to Cuba and the Yucatán, Mexico in 2019 and 2020, where she collaborated with Mayan musicians in concert. The duo has been inspiring audiences since 2021 in a range of venues throughout New England with a unique sound rooted in the music of their Celtic and Andean indigenous ancestors, as well as original looped and partially improvised compositions inspired by the natural world. This program is funded by the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library.

Pride Movie Matinee: Were the World Mine
2026-06-09 15:00 - 16:45 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Grab your popcorn for this program series! Tuesdays in June we’re showing a series of films for Pride Month in our Activity Room! Features include a Hayes-code era classic, a teen coming of age, parents helping their son propose, and a documentary. Snacks provided, no registration required.
Were the World Mine (2008), TV14, 1hr 36min
A coming of age romance at a private boy’s school where a gay teen is cast as Puck in his school’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, ending up with a love potion that causes havoc in his conservative town.
Starring Tanner Cohen, Nathaniel David Becker, Zelda Williams, Judy McLane, and Jill Larson.
Public performance rights provided through Kanopy

Fabric of the Revolution Workshop
2026-06-13 10:00 - 11:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
On June 13 at 10am, local fiber artist Holly Field will be hosting an activity at the Clapp Memorial Library where participants can make their own copy of George Washington’s headquarters flag, the Washington Standard. This flag was flown during the Revolutionary War to mark Washington’s position in camp and on the battlefield. During the activity, participants will dye a Washington Standard of their own using a natural Indigo dye bath to color our flags blue. The cotton fabric we will be using has been pre-treated so that the dye will not stick to the area where the stars are, creating the star pattern as if by magic when the flag is removed from the dye. The dyeing process can be messy so please dress appropriately. This activity is limited to 18 participants, ages 10 to adult, and will take place on the front lawn of the library. Kids under 13 need to be accompanied by an adult. Click here to sign up.
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.

Pride Movie Matinee: The Children’s Hour
2026-06-16 15:00 - 16:45 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Grab your popcorn for this program series! Tuesdays in June we’re showing a series of films for Pride Month in our Activity Room! Features include a Hayes-code era classic, a teen coming of age, parents helping their son propose, and a documentary. Snacks provided, no registration required.
The Children’s Hour (1962), PG, 1hr 47min
Based on the play of the same name by Lillian Hellman, this movie tells the story of two women who start a boarding school and have their lives ruined by a lie. This movie was only possible due to an amendment to the Hayes code the previous year, and is the second film adaptation of the play by director William Wyler.
Starring Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner, and Miriam Hopkins
Public performance rights provided through SWANK

Library Closing: Juneteenth 2026
2026-06-19 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will be closed in observation of Juneteenth

Pride Movie Matinee: The Birdcage
2026-06-23 15:00 - 17:00 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Grab your popcorn for this program series! Tuesdays in June we’re showing a series of films for Pride Month in our Activity Room! Features include a Hayes-code era classic, a teen coming of age, parents helping their son propose, and a documentary. Snacks provided, no registration required.
The Birdcage (1996), R, 2hr
A gay couple who run a nightclub are challenged to play it straight when their son brings home his fiancée—the daughter of an ultraconservative senator.
Starring Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest, Dan Futterman
Public performance rights provided through SWANK

Pride Movie Matinee: Stonewall Uprising
2026-06-30 15:00 - 16:30 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
Grab your popcorn for this program series! Tuesdays in June we’re showing a series of films for Pride Month in our Activity Room! Features include a Hayes-code era classic, a teen coming of age, parents helping their son propose, and a documentary. Snacks provided, no registration required.
Stonewall Uprising (2010), TV14, 1hr 22min
In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in the Greenwich Village section of New York City. Such raids were not unusual in the late 1960s, an era when homosexual sex was illegal in every state but Illinois. That night, however, the street erupted into violent protests and demonstrations that lasted for the next six days.
The Stonewall riots, as they came to be known, marked a major turning point in the modern gay civil rights movement in the United States and around the world.
Public performance rights provided through Kanopy

Library Closing: Independence Day 2026
2026-07-03 - 2026-07-04 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will be closed in observation of Independence Day

Library Closing: Labor Day 2026
2026-09-07 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will be closed in observation of Labor Day

Early Closing: Belchertown Fair 2026
2026-09-25 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will close at 4pm.

Library Closing: Belchertown Fair 2026
2026-09-26 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will be closed during the Belchertown Fair

Library Closing: Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2026
2026-10-12 | 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
2026-10-22 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 22, 2026, in the Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA 01007. The meeting will review actions 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.

Library Closing: Veterans’ Day 2026
2026-11-11 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will be closed in observation of Veterans’ Day

Early Closing: Thanksgiving 2026
2026-11-25 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will close at 5pm in observation of the Thanksgiving holiday. Safe travels!

Library Closing: Thanksgiving 2026
2026-11-26 - 2026-11-27 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will be closed in observation of Thanksgiving

Early Closing: Christmas Eve 2026
2026-12-24 | Clapp Memorial Library, 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA, 01007, United States
The Library will close early at 1PM Christmas Eve, save travels!
