Celebrating spring with author visits and more
Newmarket Public Library is celebrating the arrival of spring with three author visits in April. Adwoa Badoe will be providing a fun and engaging online event for children 7 and up, while authors Sherry Lawson and John Payton Foden will be providing insightful discussions for both teens and adults.
The month will also see the return of the popular Repair Café, a collaboration with NewMakeIt and York Region. Volunteers will be at the library to repair appliances, toys, clothing, electronics and more. It’s your opportunity to see if you can get that item you don’t want to part with fixed.
We’ve also got two fun programs lined up for the kids celebrating Easter and Earth Day. This year, we are excited to be holding them in-person at the library.
Check out these and other great programs below.
Musicians, we want to hear from you!
This summer NPL is launching the Artist Spotlight Series 2022 to highlight musical talent to support the local arts community. It’s an opportunity to showcase your music, perform and connect to your community. The series will run from May to September and take place at the library. Performances will be filmed and posted to social media. Here’s your chance to show off your talent! For more information on participating in the series please contact makerhub@newmarketpl.ca
Get a head start on gardening with the Newmarket Grows Seed Library
It’s time to start planning your garden and the Newmarket Grows Seed Library can help you get a head start. Drop by the Seed Library on the library’s lower level and borrow a few packages of vegetable or flower seeds. For a limited time, mixed cactus seeds are also available. Take some seeds, leave some seeds. Donations help keep the Seed Library fully stocked so everyone in the community can enjoy it. Learn more about the Seed Library
Mandatory COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted
NPL continues to follow Public Health guidelines and as of April 1 visitors are no longer required to wear a mask in the building and capacity limits have been lifted. However, patrons who feel more comfortable continuing to wear a mask should do so. Visitors who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to stay home if they are unwell. Continuing to practice good hand hygiene is also recommended.
We are open during regular hours
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.
To register for programs
You can register for programs directly by using the links in the following program descriptions, or by calling 905-953-5110 Ext. 4770 for adult programs and 905-953-5105 for children’s programs.
April Author Events
Sherry Lawson, author of I’ve Been Shot At, What’s Your Excuse? - Online
Author Sherry Lawson’s wonderful series of biographical books about her life growing up on the Rama Reserve in Orillia, Ontario, as well as her professional life in the halls of justice, provide insight into Indigenous history, language and culture. Her books are inspiring and well-loved by readers around the world. Sherry is a librarian, archivist and anthropologist who has improved library and literacy services in First Nations communities. As an oral storyteller, Sherry’s lively and engaging events inform, inspire and entertain. Sherry will discuss her book I’ve Been Shot At, What’s Your Excuse? and the importance of oral storytelling in communities. Part of the Ancestral Voices author series, hosted by Newmarket Public Library, and co-developed by Maxine Gordon Palomino and Kim Wheatley. It features Canadian authors of Indigenous, Caribbean and African ancestry and descent.
Thursday, April 14
Time: 7:00 –8:00 p.m.
Ages: 14 years and up
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: FREE
Register for this event
John Payton Foden, author of Magenta – In-Person
John Payton Foden’s novel Magenta (2021), is a timely reminder of how the tragedy and heroism of war impacts people. It follows journalist Silva as she ventures into Sarajevo, a city under siege, during the Bosnian War of the early 90s. This look at front-line journalists working in a conflict zone could not be more relevant with the current events unfolding in the world today. John was a consultant on issues relating to communities for municipal governments around the world, his articles have appeared in magazines and newspapers, including The National Post and The Globe and Mail, and he has provided broadcast commentary for CBC, CTV, and Global TV.
Thursday, April 21
Time: 7:00 –8:30 p.m.
Ages: 14 years and up
Location: Multipurpose Room
Cost: FREE
Register for this event
Adwoa Badoe, author of The Pot of Wisdom, Ananse Stories – Online
Adwoa provides a fun and engaging event for children 7 and up. She will talk about her book The Pot of Wisdom: Ananse Stories, why we tell stories, compare written and oral stories, and look at the elements of oral storytelling, including call and response, story chants and more.
Adwoa has written books for children and young adults, including Aluta and Between Sisters. She is a renownedoral storyteller who speaks and performs internationally at conferences and festivals. Part of the Ancestral Voices author series, hosted by Newmarket Public Library, and co-developed by Maxine Gordon Palomino and Kim Wheatley. It features Canadian authors of Indigenous, Caribbean and African ancestry and descent.
Tuesday, April 26
Time: 10:30 –11:30 a.m.
Ages: 7 years and up
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: FREE
Register for this event
Children’s Programs
Family Storytime - In-Person
Join us as we enjoy stories, songs, rhymes and finger-plays and share good times together.
Maximum 10 children, registration required.
Every Saturday, starting Jan. 8 to June 25
Time: 9:45 – 10:15 a.m.
Ages: 6 months to 5 years
Location: Children’s Picture Book Area
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
Tales For Threes - In-Person
This is a program just for the terrific threes that will help increase children’s vocabulary, comprehension and ability to interact socially. Featuring stories, songs and fingerplays. Choose from two sessions. Maximum 10 children, registration required.
Tuesday, April 5 to May 24
Register for this program
Wednesday, April 6 to May 25
Register for this program
Time: 9:45 – 10:15 a.m.
Ages: 3 years
Location: Story Room
Cost: FREE
Kids Groove Music Program - In-Person
An active program that combines singing with visual stimulation, movement, instrumental experimentation and the spoken word. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Maximum of 2 children per adult. Infants may accompany caregiver without charge, to a maximum of 5 per class. Maximum 15 children per class, registration required.
For Babies and Toddlers
Wednesday, April 6 – May 25
Time: 10:15 – 10:45 a.m.
Ages: 6 to 18 months
Register for this program
For Preschoolers
Wednesday, April 6 – May 25
Time: 9:35 – 10:05 a.m.
Ages: 2 to 5 years
Register for this program
Location: Multipurpose Room
Cost: $82 per child
Groovy Art - In-Person
Presenter of Kid’s Groove Music, Nikki Forrester, will host this fun craft-based program. Each week children will get to experience different art mediums, where it’s about the experience not the finished product. Children will complete 5 different art and craft activities each week as they move around the art stations at their own pace. Sand and water may be included. Dress your child in old clothes and bring a plastic bag to take home your child’s crafts.
Maximum 15 children per class, registration required.
Friday, April 8 – May 27
(No class on Good Friday, April 15)
Time: 10:30 – 11:15 a.m.
Ages: 2 to 5 years
Location: Multipurpose Room
Cost: $72 per child
Full STEAM Ahead – Online
Join us for two great STEAM workshops in April that will inspire your child’s curiosity about Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. Each workshop includes hands-on activities and experiments. Registration required.
Workshop 1: Simple Circuits
Tuesday, April 12
Workshop 2: Light Science
Tuesday, April 26
Time: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Ages: 10 to 12 years
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: $10 per child for activity kits for both workshops
Register for this program
Hoppy Easter at the Library - In-Person
It’s that time of year when the Easter Bunny hops into town. Join us for Hoppy Easter. We’ll read stories, sing songs, and create a colourful bunny garland to celebrate this special time of the year. Maximum 10 children, registration required.
Saturday, April 16
Time: 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Ages: 3 to 6 years
Location: Program Room
Cost: FREE
Celebrating Earth Day - In-Person
Join us and share stories about caring for our planet, cleaning up our environment, and making Earth a better place. We’ll also create a cool hand print craft of the Earth. Let’s have fun honouring this big, beautiful world of ours.
Maximum 10 children, registration required.
Thursday, April 21
Time: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Ages: 3 to 6 years
Location: Program Room
Cost: FREE
Adult Programs
Seminar On U.S. University Options with Imbert Fung – In-Person
Students 14 and up, parents and educators can learn about attending university in the U.S. in a free in-person information session with education coach Imbert Fung. Learn about post-secondary options in the U.S., available scholarships, financial aid and more. Imbert is the founder of Future Research Education, and has a degree from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from MIT. He is also a member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA). Register early, space is limited
Saturday, April 9
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Multipurpose Room
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
Dazzle with a Prezi Presentation: Create Dynamic Slideshows for School or Work – Online
Want to take your meeting game to the next level? Need to develop a presentation that will impress your teacher and classmates? Forget Powerpoint and try Prezi! This is a free presentation tool that you can use in person or online to create punchy and memorable presentations to entertain and inform your audience. Create something amazing today!
Wednesday, April 6
Time: 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
Knitting, Crocheting and Sewing Circle – Online
All levels welcome. Join us and work on your projects, compare patterns, connect with fellow makers, share techniques and tips. If you have never tried knitting or crochet but would like some information on how to get started, please email makerhub@newmarketpl.ca and a staff member will get in touch with you.
Thursday, April 7
Time: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
Powerful Tools for Caregivers with CHATs – In-Person
Join us for a 6-week workshop for caregivers with CHATS and Centralhealthline. Participants meet once a week to discuss a wealth of self-care tools to help reduce caregiver stress, communicate effectively in challenging situations, deal with difficult feelings and make tough caregiving decisions.
Tuesdays, April 12 to May 17
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Multipurpose Room
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
Getting Started with NPL’s Online Library – Online
Would you like to know more about our Online Library? Are you overwhelmed with all the options, resources and just want to get started? If you would like a personal introduction to our Online Library, the opportunity is here! Join us for a 1-hour virtual meeting where the first half will be a brief introduction to what we offer, and the second half will be an open question period.
Wednesday, April 13
Time: 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
Free eBooks for Kids – Online
Discover new and fun reads with free ebooks from the library! Together we'll look at how to get them and how they can be used. Read together as a family, listen to the story read to you, or learn to read with a little help from the ebook itself! You will need a Newmarket Public Library card to use ebooks at the library. Visit our membership and borrowing page to learn more about getting a new library card or renewing an existing card.
Thursday, April 14
Time: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
Dark Evenings Mystery Book Club – Online
April’s Book: The Dry by Jane Harper
We’ll be reading The Dry by award-winning author Jane Harper, her atmospheric, page-turning debut mystery. For more information on the club contact 905-953-5110 Ext. 4770 or register now for our next book club meeting when we’ll get together to discuss Harper’s book.
Thursday, April 14
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
Design Your Own 3D Printable Custom Light Switch Plate – Online
Personalize your space with a 3D printed custom light switch plate. Learn to navigate two of the most popular 3D printing resources online: Thingiverse.com and Tinkercad.com. We'll download a design from Thingiverse and customize it in Tinkercad. Afterwards, you can send us your designs to print on the library's 3D printers for $5. Please note: attendees are encouraged to create accounts on the Thingiverse.com and Tinkercad.com websites before the event.
Wednesday, April 20
Time: 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
Intro to NPL’s Virtual 3D Printing Service – Online
An introduction to how to access our virtual 3D printing service including how the process works, cost and print options.
Thursday, April 21
Time: 2:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
NPL’s Online Cookbook Club: Tea Time Recipes in April – Online
If you’re looking for an opportunity to share your enthusiasm for the culinary arts with like-minded individuals, then join us for our online cooking club. We’ll select different recipe ideas ahead of our meetings, get cooking, then meet to share and discuss the results. And we’ve got two meeting times to accommodate your schedule.
Afternoon Meeting: Thursday, April 21
Time: 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Register for this program
Evening Meeting: Thursday, April 21
7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Register for this program
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: Free
Earth Day Movies – In-Person
Join us for free showings of two movies to celebrate Earth Day on Friday, April 22:
An Inconvenient Sequel
1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
A decade after An Inconvenient Truth brought climate change into the heart of popular culture, Al Gore continues with his mission to train an army of climate champions worldwide, and influence international climate policy. An inspiring look at how close we are coming to a real energy revolution. Rated G.
The Biggest Little Farm
3:00 to 4:40 p.m.
Follows two dreamers who leave their L.A. apartment and move to the countryside to build a diverse farm in complete coexistence with nature. They plant 10,000 orchard trees, hundreds of crops, and bring in animals of every kind. Their work to create the perfect farm utopia takes some wild turns and they soon realize it will take a greater understanding of the intricacies and wisdom of nature to create the perfect ecosystem they desire. Rated PG.
Ages: Adults and teens
Location: Multipurpose Room
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
How To Buy & Sell Local: Discover Online Marketplaces for Used Items – Online
Looking to clear out clutter from your home? Learn how to buy and sell items you no longer need through online markets. We’ll show you how to save money and make money using Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji and VarageSale. These online markets are a great way to buy locally, sell locally and prevent items from ending up in the landfill. Register now and enjoy the benefits of taking your garage sale virtual.
Thursday, April 28
Time: 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
Repair Café – In-Person
The popular Repair Café, in collaboration with NewMakeIt and York Region, returns to the library. Volunteers will be on hand to repair items like appliances, toys, clothing, bicycles, electronics, and more. Instead of throwing away an item you cherish, bring it in with any replacement parts it may need and let our volunteers work their magic. One item allowed per guest. Registration required.
Saturday, April 30
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Multipurpose Room
Cost: FREE
Register for this program
For more information on upcoming programs check our Programs and Activities calendar on the homepage of the library’s website www.newmarketpl.ca
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