News & Notes from the Blanding Library

PAPERBACK BOOK & PLANT SALE MAY 15
The Friends of the Blanding Library will hold a “Paperback Blowout” sale of gently used paperbacks at the library on Sat. May 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Also for sale will be heirloom vegetable plants (tomatoes and peppers). Plants will be $2 each or four plants for $7. This event will be held OUTSIDE at Goff Hall. Rain date is Sat. May 22.

Donations of used paperbacks for this sale are most welcome. Please drop them off inside the hall door during library hours. Please do not put book sale donations in the outside book drop, which is only for returned library-owned items. Volunteers are also needed to help with the sale. If you would like to volunteer, call the library at 508-252-4236.

Looking ahead, the Friends are planning a presentation on fermentation on August 13, where you can learn how to make sauerkraut and fizzy non-alcoholic drinks such as ginger ale. Samples will be available for tasting. More details to follow. The Friends are always looking for crafters and hobbyists. If you have a special hobby or craft you’d like to share with others, we would like to hear from you.

As of this writing, the Blanding Library is still open to visitors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and for curbside pickup only from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday (call ahead to arrange for pick-up). Please check www.blandinglibrary.net or call 508-252-4236 for the latest information. Please continue to return library items into the outdoor book drop. Meeting space in Goff Hall is not available at present.

ONLINE PROGRAMS IN MAY
A Slob Comes Clean, May 11 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Blogger Dana K. White, author of the blog, A Slob Comes Clean, says she does not think like neat people. She calls herself a slob, so she has to tackle her house and her clutter in a way that is intuitive to the way her mind works. https://www.aslobcomesclean.com/

Edible Perennials in Gardening and Landscaping with John Root, May 24, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. https://www.facebook.com/events/322031195936363. John Root will give a power point presentation on the trees, shrubs, vines and herbaceous perennials that can be grown in New England for their fruits, nuts and berries.

These online programs are free and open to all. They are sponsored by a six library collaborative called the Southcoast Six that Rehoboth has joined.  The others are Berkley, Dighton, Fall River, Somerset and Swansea.  Blanding Library director Whitney Pape says, “We're doing collaborative online programming during the pandemic, and hope to continue the model into in-person programming once we can do things in person.”

PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN
The library continues to offer Take & Make kits for children, virtual adventures with Miss Joyce, Through Me to You puppet stories with Newton, Story Walks around the library garden, and of course lots of children’s books! The latest Story Walk is “The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit” by Susan Lowell and Jim Harris. This family activity is made possible by the Friends of the Blanding Library and will be on display until June 6.

Through Me to You Puppetry presents “And the People Stayed Home,” by Kitty O’Meara. Newton and his puppet friends read a new children’s book. This book started out as a poem, written during Covid 2020. Kitty shared it on social media and friends encouraged her to make it into a children’s book. We hope you enjoy the book, and the original song, “Safe At Home.” This video program will be available through May 22.

Summer is not that far away, and the children’s library is stocking up for summer reading fun. Did you know that children age 5 and up, with the help of a parent or guardian, are able to receive a library card? Be sure to check the library's program and events page at www.blandinglibrary.net and the Blanding Public Library Youth Services page on Facebook for updates on library events.