Big Library Read, programs for all ages, and more!

We are so pleased to be able to offer a wide range of engaging programs in partnership with local organizations. Among those taking place this month is an Ancestral Voices author event with award-winning authors Shani Mootoo and Pamela Mordecai, a seven-week York Regional Police online program for youth ages 11 to 14, and Newmarket Cycles will be at the library for a hands-on workshop on a valuable skill every cyclist should know, how to change a flat tire. Plus, our regular drop-in children’s storytimes, Film Fridays matiness and more!

Big Library Read: A Taste of War by Grace M. Cho
Big Library Read, the first global eBook club, invites you to read Grace M. Cho’s memoir Tastes Like War, with unlimited access in Overdrive from May 3 to 17, 2023. Cho details her relationship with her mother who developed schizophrenia. As a teenager, Cho learned to cook dishes from her mother’s childhood and during shared meals learned about her mother’s past and the events that shaped her. Read the award-winning book in our Online Library under eBooks, Overdrive https://bit.ly/nplonlinelib

Register for programs with Xplor Recreation
Create an Xplor Recreation account. Online registration for Library and Town programs can only be done using Xplor Recreation. Take a few moments to sign up for your account

SPECIAL EVENTS
Register for event with title at Xplor Recreation
NOTE: Registration ends one week before program date

NPL’s Second Annual Community Plant Swap
Back by popular demand, our annual plant swap where you can swap plants and chat with other people who share your plant passion. May is a great time in the garden to divide your perennials including hostas, irises and many others. Put some in pots so you’ll be ready to share. Take clipping from your houseplants and root them to get them into pots ready to swap. Or perhaps you have too many of one houseplant or a plant isn’t bringing you joy anymore and you would like to swap? We had a great time swapping plants and chatting about gardening and growing last year and we are sure to have an amazing time this year. For more information call 905-953-5110 Ext. 4770.

Saturday, June 10
Time: 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Multipurpose Room
$5 at the door (proceeds go to NPL’s FREE community seed library).


AUTHOR EVENTS

Celebrating Stories with Shani Mootoo and Pamela Mordecai
Shani Mootoo is an award-winning writer and visual artist, and Pamela Mordecai is an award-winning poet, writer and scholar. They will be discussing the vast landscape of own voices literature and their roles as storytellers. Presented in collaboration with York, Durham and Peel Region Libraries. This program is part of the Ancestral Voices series hosted by Kim Wheatley and Maxine Gordon Palomino.

Wednesday, May 10
Time: 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Ages: Adults
Location: Via Zoom
Cost:FREE
Register for Celebrating Stories with Shani Mootoo and Pamela Mordecai

Local Author Showcase and Marketplace
Drop-in and meet local authors and enjoy light refreshments at this intimate evening where we will hear author readings from featured books, and browse their works in our local author marketplace.

Thursday, June 1
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Ages: Adults
Location: Multipurpose Room
Cost:FREE

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AT THE LIBRARY:
In May, drop in to meet and chat with representatives from community organizations  
and learn more about the services they offer.  

Canadian Mental Health Association support for job seekers
CMHA will be in the library to talk about services and support available to help you find work and be successful in your new job.

Thursdays, May 11, 25
Time: 10:00 – 12:00 noon
Ages: Adults
Location: Main Floor

York Region Community and Health Services
Stop by and chat with representatives who can let you know all about the community services available to York Region residents, including referrals to housing services, food, health and wellness, and more.

Fridays, May 5, 19
Time: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Ages: Adults
Location: Main Floor

FUN FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES:
Register for programs with their titles at Xplor Recreation
NOTE: Registration ends one week before program date

Babytime
An interactive program for you and your baby. Featuring songs, a variety of active rhymes, and puppets. Lots of fun for the young ones. Registration required.

Fri., April 14 – June 2
Time: 10:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Ages: 6 to 23 months
Location: Picture Book Area
Cost: FREE

Family Storytime – Drop-in program
Let’s have fun as we enjoy stories, songs, rhymes and finger-plays and share good times together. Drop-in program, no registration required.

Every Saturday until June 24
Time: 9:45 – 10:15 a.m.
Ages: 6 months to 5 years
Location: Picture Book Area
Cost: FREE

Toddlertime – Drop-in program
A great way for young children and their caregivers to have fun learning to read! We read books, sing songs, recite rhymes and do entertaining fingerplays. Drop-in program, no registration required.

Tues., Apr. 4 – May 23
Time: 9:45 – 10:15 a.m.

Wed., Apr. 5 – May 24
Time: 9:45 – 10:15 a.m.

Ages: 24 – 35 months
Location: Program Room
Cost: FREE

Tales for Threes – Drop-in program
This fun and unique storytime will include stories, songs and fingerplays that are specially crafted to help increase children's vocabulary, comprehension and ability to interact socially. Full of engaging techniques, it's a great way to get kids excited about reading. Drop-in program, no registration required.

Tues., Apr. 4 – May 23
Time: 9:45 – 10:15 a.m.

Wed., Apr. 5 – May 24
Time: 9:45 – 10:15 a.m.

Age: 3 years
Location: Story Room
Cost: FREE

Blox Builders Club with LEGO: Drop-in Program
Bring your imagination and create your own world with Lego. Children must be accompanied
by an adult.

Sat., April 1  – June 24
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Ages: 4 years and up
Location: Story Room
Cost: FREE

Chess in the Library – Drop-in program
Love playing chess? Want to learn? Here’s your opportunity to play a challenging game with your peers, or learn how to play. Chess in the Library is an organization whose mission is to promote chess across Canada through its student volunteer-run program at libraries. For more information, visit the Chess in the Library website. Make your move and have a great time playing chess at NPL

Every Saturday
Time: 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Ages: 8 years and up
Location: Program Room
Cost: FREE

Home Alone          
Designed for the older child to give them basic emergency and safety training. Topics include: handling phone calls, people at the door, 911 emergencies, basic first aid, and at home do’s and don’ts. Presented by St. John Ambulance. Registration required.

Friday, June 2
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Ages: 8 – 11
Location: Multipurpose Room
Fee: $44 per child

TEEN PROGRAMS:
Register for programs with their titles at Xplor Recreation
NOTE: Registration ends one week before program date

VIP: Values, Influences and Peers  
VIP is a seven -week program that York Regional Police has developed in conjunction with educators. VIP is designed to engage positively with youth ages 11 to 14 and talk about matters affecting them such as bullying, on-line Internet safety a, legal issues and more!

Thursdays, May 18 to June 29
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Ages: 11 to 14
Location: Story Room
Cost: FREE

What Every Babysitter Should Know         
Learn how to care for infants, toddlers, and older children; what questions to ask parents; how to give first aid and what to do in an emergency. Receive a workbook and a certificate from St. John Ambulance. Program includes a babysitter's kit. Registration required.

Fri. May 5
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Ages: 11 – 15
Location: Story Room/Program Room
Fee: $52 per youth

SENIORS PROGRAMS:
Register for programs with their titles at Xplor Recreation
NOTE: Registration ends one week before program date

End-of-Life Planning: Making Informed Choices
Join us with special guest from Order of the Good Death to look at this taboo topic in a new way. Learn about the importance of planning for end of life, common misconceptions about end-of-life planning, discussing the rights of the deceased, highlighting important documents that should be prepared, exploring the available options for end-of-life care, and providing guidance on how to select providers. By the end of the presentation, you will have a better understanding of the necessary steps to take when planning for end-of-life, and be empowered to make informed choices about your own end-of-life care.

Thursday, May 4 
Time: 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: FREE
Register for End-of-Life Planning

Seniors Discovery Program: Online Library Collection
Seniors 55+, learn how to access Newmarket Public Library’s Online Library collection. Using a tablet provided by the Library (or your own device), discover digital eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, streaming music and movies, and more. A valid library card or e-access card is required. This program for seniors 55 years and older is funded by the Seniors Community Grant Program and the Government of Ontario.
Friday, May 12
Time: 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Board Room
Cost: FREE

DO-IT-YOURSELF PROGRAMS:

How To Change A Bicycle Flat Tire with Newmarket Cycles
Get step-by-step instructions on how to change a flat tire on a bicycle, from locating the puncture to using tools to remove the tire. By the end, you will have valuable skills for repairing and maintaining your bike. We will be working hands-on with bicycle wheels, so please dress accordingly. Younger participants can bring a parent or caregiver to assist.

Tuesday, May 23 
Time: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Multipurpose Room
Cost: FREE
Register for How To Change A Bicycle Flat Tire

FILM FRIDAYS AT NPL – Drop-in program
No registration required, just drop in and enjoy a free movie in the Library’s multipurpose room. All movies start at 2:00 p.m. Movie titles to be announced for certain dates (watch our social media posts for upcoming titles).

Dune (2021)
Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel gets a modern adaptation by Canadian director Denis Villeneuve. Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, travels to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people.
Rated PG
Friday, May 5

Dog (2022)
Channing Tatum stars as an Army Ranger paired against his will on a road trip with Lulu, a Belgian Malinois dog. As they travel in a Ford Bronco hoping to make it to a fellow soldier's funeral on time, they have many encounters and must work to get along and learn to let down their guards in order to have a fighting chance of finding happiness.
Rated PG
Friday, May 12

See How They Run (2022)
In the West End of 1950s London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to a halt when one of the crew members is murdered. Inspector Stoppard and a rookie constable are assigned to the case, and have to investigate within the glamorously sordid theater underground. Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan star in this comedy mystery.
Rated PG
Friday, May 19

The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021)
1893, the Australian Outback, a rough area where the law is often ignored. Molly Johnson struggles to raise her children and run the family farm while her husband is away. Her resilience and courage is put to the test when due to circumstances she must to everything she can to protect her children.
Rated PG
Friday, May 26

P. A. DAYS MOVIES AT NPL
P.A. Day Movies are back. We’re showing free family movies in the library’s story room every P.A. Day this year. Free snacks, but please bring your own beverage. Children must be accompanied by an adult. No registration required, just drop in and enjoy!

Rumble (2021)
In a word where humans and giant monsters co-exist, professional Monster Wrestling is a sport that monster athletes compete in. Winnie is a young human girl who wants to be a successful wrestling coach like her father. When she meets the lovable but inexperienced monster Steve, Winnie plans to coach him and turn him into a global wrestling superstar. Rated G
Friday, June 2
Time: 1:30 – 3:15 p.m.
Location: Multipurpose Room
Cost: FREE

The library is open during its regular hours Tuesday to Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.

Enquiries about adult programs 905-953-5110 Ext. 4770 and children’s programs 905-953-5105