PlaySpace (Ages 2-3)

Join our PlaySpace program for twos and threes to enjoy a story and then bring it to life with activities, crafts, and play! (Drop in, registration is not required.)

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Homework Cafe Grades 9-12

Come to the library after school on Thursdays from 3 to 5 to hang out and be productive! The homework cafe is a perfect place to work on group projects, study, collaborate, and have fun while doing schoolwork. Enjoy snacks and drinks to fuel your brain and lofi beats to......More

Come to the library after school on Thursdays from 3 to 5 to hang out and be productive! The homework cafe is a perfect place to work on group projects, study, collaborate, and have fun while doing schoolwork. Enjoy snacks and drinks to fuel your brain and lofi beats to study and relax to.

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

History Book Group: The Art Spy

This month's book is The Art Spy: The extraordinary untold tale of WWII resistance hero Rose Valland by Michelle Young (2025) 390 pages. Based on troves of previously undiscovered documents, The Art Spy chronicles the brave actions of the key Resistance spy in the hear......More

This month's book is The Art Spy: The extraordinary untold tale of WWII resistance hero Rose Valland by Michelle Young (2025) 390 pages. Based on troves of previously undiscovered documents, The Art Spy chronicles the brave actions of the key Resistance spy in the heart of the Nazi's art looting headquarters in the French capital. A veritable female Monuments Man, Valland has, until now, been written out of the annals, despite bearing witness to history's largest art theft. While Hitler was amassing stolen art for his future Führermuseum, Valland, his undercover adversary, secretly worked to stop him. At every stage of World War II, Valland was front and center. She came face to face with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, passed crucial information to the Resistance network, put herself deliberately in harm's way to protect the museum and her staff, and faced death during the last hours of Liberation Day. If you are new to this group, please register, particularly if you plan to join virtually. Contact Jeff Hartman at [email protected] if you have any questions. Our meetings are held in the library conference room on the lower level and simultaneously via Zoom.

Conference Room

VIRTUAL: Art on Thursdays- April - From Tiffany to Chihuly: Masters of Glass Art

Please CLICK HERE to register on zoom and receive the link.Discover the luminous world of glass art, where molten sand transforms into breathtaking works that capture and refract light in ways that seem to defy the very nature of solid matter. From Louis Comfort Tiffany......More

Please CLICK HERE to register on zoom and receive the link.Discover the luminous world of glass art, where molten sand transforms into breathtaking works that capture and refract light in ways that seem to defy the very nature of solid matter. From Louis Comfort Tiffany's jewel-toned stained glass windows that turned churches into cathedrals of color, to Dale Chihuly's explosive blown glass sculptures that bring the ocean's mysteries to museum galleries, to Dan Dailey's whimsical figurative pieces that blend fine art with storytelling magic. This program illuminates how fire, breath, and imagination combine to create some of the most spectacular and ethereal art forms known to humanity. Image: Louis Comfort Tiffany and Agnes Northrop. Danner Memorial Window, 1913. Private collection. Speaker Bio: Jane Oneail is a sought-after speaker, educator, and independent art historian. Jane curates and delivers engaging art appreciation programs through her company Culturally Curious, founded in 2017. She holds a master’s in Art History from Boston University and a master’s in Education from Harvard University. Born and raised in New Hampshire, she has worked at some of the state's most esteemed cultural institutions, including the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, where she served as Executive Director, and the Currier Museum of Art, where she held the role of Senior Educator. Jane has also taught at the college level for more than a decade, most recently at Southern New Hampshire University. For more information visit iamculturallycurious.comProgram provided by the Chelmsford Public Library and sponsored by the Friends of the Library. This program is brought to you in collaboration with the Ashland, Groton, Amesbury and Tewksbury Libraries.

Online - Zoom (AAdams)

Friends of the Library Book Sale

To be held at the Town Offices' Gym. There will be a Members' Only pre-sale on Thursday, April 16 at 5pm.We'll have plenty of fiction, children's books, biography, history, cookbooks, sciences and social sciences. $2 for adult books, $1 for kids books. All proceeds help......More

To be held at the Town Offices' Gym. There will be a Members' Only pre-sale on Thursday, April 16 at 5pm.We'll have plenty of fiction, children's books, biography, history, cookbooks, sciences and social sciences. $2 for adult books, $1 for kids books. All proceeds help support library programs and services!Volunteers needed! May require some lifting and a lot of activity as we move books around and get boxes in and out of cars. Contact the friends at: [email protected]

Offsite - Town Gym

Baby Storytime (0 to walking)

Join Deborah and fellow parents for a wonderful introduction to early literacy. Caregivers share parenting experiences with one another and bond with their babies through lap bounces, nursery rhymes, songs, and board books. Registration is not required--drop in for some......More

Join Deborah and fellow parents for a wonderful introduction to early literacy. Caregivers share parenting experiences with one another and bond with their babies through lap bounces, nursery rhymes, songs, and board books. Registration is not required--drop in for some fun!

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

All Ages Storytime

Join Deborah for a fun morning of stories, songs, and rhymes! Registration is not required--drop in for some fun!

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Novel Conversations Book Group

In May 2026, the group will be meeting to discuss Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks"It was Memorial Day, 2019, when Geraldine Brooks received news that her husband, Tony Horwitz, had collapsed and died, far from home, in the middle of his own book tour. The complex task......More

In May 2026, the group will be meeting to discuss Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks"It was Memorial Day, 2019, when Geraldine Brooks received news that her husband, Tony Horwitz, had collapsed and died, far from home, in the middle of his own book tour. The complex tasks required in the face of such a sudden death left her no time to properly grieve for him. Three years later, still feeling broken and bereft, she booked a flight to a remote island off the coast of Tasmania. Alone on a rugged stretch of coast, she revisited a thirty-five-year marriage filled with risk, adventure, humor, and love. There, she pondered the ways other cultures deal with mourning and finally seized the time and space she needed for her own grief"Copies of the book are available at the Main Library's circulation desk.New members are always welcome! This group meets in-person at the Main Library downstairs in the Conference Room.

Conference Room

Friends of the Library Book Sale

To be held at the Town Offices' Gym. We'll have plenty of fiction, children's books, biography, history, cookbooks, sciences and social sciences. $2 for adult books, $1 for kids books. All proceeds help support library programs and services!Volunteers needed! May requir......More

To be held at the Town Offices' Gym. We'll have plenty of fiction, children's books, biography, history, cookbooks, sciences and social sciences. $2 for adult books, $1 for kids books. All proceeds help support library programs and services!Volunteers needed! May require some lifting and a lot of activity as we move books around and get boxes in and out of cars. Contact the friends at: [email protected]

Offsite - Town Gym

Construction Zone: come build with us! Drop in for all ages

Come build with our giant collection of Legos, Duplos, and other construction toys! Drop in for all ages. Note: Legos have very small pieces; please use caution if attending with very young children!

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Teen DnD One-Shot Adventure!

Casually interested in D&D? Looking to get a taste of play without committing to a group or campaign? Grab your dice and join us for a fun, action-packed one-shot encounter! No experience is necessary, and character sheets are available at the library. Please create a c......More

Casually interested in D&D? Looking to get a taste of play without committing to a group or campaign? Grab your dice and join us for a fun, action-packed one-shot encounter! No experience is necessary, and character sheets are available at the library. Please create a character ahead of time, and contact us with any questions. This program is for grades 7 - 12.Contact Julia Sullivan (978) 256-5521 ext. 1123, [email protected] with any additional questions

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Toddler Storytime (Ages 1-2)

Join us for shorter books, lots of rhymes, and songs with movement perfect for wiggly toddlers and their caregivers!

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Big Kid Storytime (Ages 3-5)

Drop in for books, songs, and fun for children ages 3-5! We will read three or four books, with songs and activities between each. If you prefer a storytime with fewer books and more movement, try the Toddler Storytime on Mondays at 10am.

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Monday Evening Book Group

This is a hybrid book group, where we meet in person as well as on zoom. Please register in person if you'd like to join us in the conference room, or online via zoom.This month we will be discussing, The Names by Florence Knapp.The extraordinary novel that asks: Can a......More

This is a hybrid book group, where we meet in person as well as on zoom. Please register in person if you'd like to join us in the conference room, or online via zoom.This month we will be discussing, The Names by Florence Knapp.The extraordinary novel that asks: Can a name change the course of a life?In the wake of a catastrophic storm, Cora sets off with her nine-year-old daughter, Maia, to register her son's birth. Her husband, Gordon, a local doctor, respected in the community but a terrifying and controlling presence at home, intends for her to name the infant after him. But when the registrar asks what she'd like to call the child, Cora hesitates...Spanning thirty-five years, what follows are three alternate and alternating versions of Cora's and her young son's lives, shaped by her choice of name. In richly layered prose, The Names explores the painful ripple effects of domestic abuse, the messy ties of family, and the possibilities of autonomy and healing.With exceptional sensitivity and depth, Knapp draws us into the story of one family, told through a prism of what-ifs, causing us to consider the "one . . . precious life" we are given. The book’s brilliantly imaginative structure, propulsive storytelling, and emotional, gut-wrenching power are certain to make The Names a modern classic.

Conference Room

Little Learners Playgroup; drop in for ages 0-5

Come and join us for STEM Play Group! Every week we will explore a new STEM topic. We'll read a story, and then enjoy a hands-on activity based on science, technology, engineering, or math. Best for ages 3-5, but everyone from age 0-8 is welcome to attend with their ca......More

Come and join us for STEM Play Group! Every week we will explore a new STEM topic. We'll read a story, and then enjoy a hands-on activity based on science, technology, engineering, or math. Best for ages 3-5, but everyone from age 0-8 is welcome to attend with their caregiver. We can't wait to see you there!Presented by Chris Cole, CFCE Coordinator for Community Teamwork Incorporated. The Family Resource Network is funded by the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement Grant (CFCE) from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Intermediate English Conversation Circle

Join our small informal group to practice speaking English. Come for 2 hours or drop in for a little while. We talk about anything and everything. There is no homework, and our conversations range from world issues to personal stories. Come listen, and talk if you want......More

Join our small informal group to practice speaking English. Come for 2 hours or drop in for a little while. We talk about anything and everything. There is no homework, and our conversations range from world issues to personal stories. Come listen, and talk if you want to!

Conference Room

Zoom Book Club for Grades 3-5

Please join us for a Book Club for children in grades 3 - 5. Each week kids will be expected to read several chapters from a chosen book. Each book will be completed over the course of several weeks. Books will be available at the Circulation Desk at the Chelmsford P......More

Please join us for a Book Club for children in grades 3 - 5. Each week kids will be expected to read several chapters from a chosen book. Each book will be completed over the course of several weeks. Books will be available at the Circulation Desk at the Chelmsford Public Library. Each week participants will engage in discussions, games and fun activities related to the book that the group is reading. A good time is had by all! Registration is required. The Zoom link will be emailed in the early afternoon on Tuesday. For more information feel free to reach out to Deborah in the Children's Room at [email protected].

Online - Zoom (Chelmsfordlibraryzoom)

PJ Storytime!

Wear your jammies and bring a stuffie for storytime with Ms. Julia in the Library! We will meet in the window seat area of the Children's Room.

Main Library - Children's Room

VIRTUAL: 50 Job Seekers Networking Group -- Interview Strategies ("How To Land On The Short List")

The Library 50 Job Seekers Networking Group meets via Zoom on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, from 9:30am to 11:30am. Informal networking takes place from 9am to 9:30am and 11:30am to noon. If you are unemployed and actively looking, underemployed, seeking a n......More

The Library 50 Job Seekers Networking Group meets via Zoom on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, from 9:30am to 11:30am. Informal networking takes place from 9am to 9:30am and 11:30am to noon. If you are unemployed and actively looking, underemployed, seeking a new career direction, re-entering the job market after a long employment gap, or recently retired and looking for your "Encore Career," this networking group program is perfect for you! Remember, 85% of jobs are found through networking!Join us in a professional forum for networking with peers in a safe and comfortable environment conducive to developing new relationships and developing skills and strategies to help in your career transition. Each meeting features a new topic. Meetings include a presentation and interactive workshop on topics relevant to career transition, guest speakers, access to hiring managers, small group breakout rooms to network, and 1-on-1 coaching guidance. Participating on a regular basis will give job seekers the many tools and strategies needed for a successful job search.Each biweekly meeting is facilitated by Deborah Hope, MBA, PCIC, an experienced executive career coach. Deborah is a former Fortune 500 executive, investment banker and entrepreneur. She transitioned to executive coaching over 12 years ago. Deborah has coached with Harvard Business School Executive Education programs and the Massachusetts Conference for Women. She has been trained or certified in a variety of coaching models and assessment tools. Deborah has facilitated 50 job seekers networking groups since 2016. This week's topic (May 6) is Interview Strategies. Register directly on Zoom HERE. This group is sponsored by approximately 30 Massachusetts public libraries.RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.ACCESSIBILITY NOTE: The Tewksbury Public Library does not discriminate on the basis of disability and is committed to providing a reasonable modification to participate in our events, services or documentation. Contact Director Diane Giarrusso at 978-640-4490 or [email protected] at least two weeks before an event to arrange for modification, or at any time you need accessible documents.

Online - Partner Organization

Sensory Storytime - Registration Required

Join Ms. Marty in the McCarthy Meeting Room for a Sensory Storytime, designed for neurodivergent children and caregivers. We will read, sing, and do some sensory play activities together. In order to keep the group small, registration is required. Children are welcome t......More

Join Ms. Marty in the McCarthy Meeting Room for a Sensory Storytime, designed for neurodivergent children and caregivers. We will read, sing, and do some sensory play activities together. In order to keep the group small, registration is required. Children are welcome to bring or wear headphones, fidget toys, chews, and other comfort objects with them to storytime.If you have any questions about the storytime and whether it will be a good fit for your family, please email Marty at [email protected]

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Singalong (All Ages)

Join Marty for a morning of movement and song for the whole family! Enjoy favorite tunes and discover new songs you will love in English and a variety of world languages.

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Beginner English

ESL learners can stop by for basic lessons in English with an instructor. The instructor has taught for many years in both local schools and abroad. Please bring a notebook and your questions about English and its challenges. Materials will also be provided for partici......More

ESL learners can stop by for basic lessons in English with an instructor. The instructor has taught for many years in both local schools and abroad. Please bring a notebook and your questions about English and its challenges. Materials will also be provided for participants. This is a weekly meeting, every Wednesday afternoon. Students are not obligated to come for meetings each week and are welcome to drop in on the weeks they are able. If you have any questions, please reach out to Jianna Christopher at [email protected] or 978-256-5521 ext. 1107

Conference Room

Crafty Kids Club: Grades K-4

Join Miss Stephanie to make crafts at the Chelmsford Public Library in the McCarthy Meeting Room. This craft will take place every month of the following Wednesdays.February 4March 11April 1May 6Questions about this event? Email Stephanie at [email protected]......More

Join Miss Stephanie to make crafts at the Chelmsford Public Library in the McCarthy Meeting Room. This craft will take place every month of the following Wednesdays.February 4March 11April 1May 6Questions about this event? Email Stephanie at [email protected].

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

PlaySpace (Ages 2-3)

Join our PlaySpace program for twos and threes to enjoy a story and then bring it to life with activities, crafts, and play! (Drop in, registration is not required.)

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Homework Cafe Grades 9-12

Come to the library after school on Thursdays from 3 to 5 to hang out and be productive! The homework cafe is a perfect place to work on group projects, study, collaborate, and have fun while doing schoolwork. Enjoy snacks and drinks to fuel your brain and lofi beats to......More

Come to the library after school on Thursdays from 3 to 5 to hang out and be productive! The homework cafe is a perfect place to work on group projects, study, collaborate, and have fun while doing schoolwork. Enjoy snacks and drinks to fuel your brain and lofi beats to study and relax to.

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Teen Volunteer Shelf Reader Training

Are you detail oriented? Do you love books? Are you looking for community service hours? Our volunteer shelf reading program might be just for you! Register here to complete our brief in-person training to be a volunteer shelf reader. Our volunteer shelf readers serve a......More

Are you detail oriented? Do you love books? Are you looking for community service hours? Our volunteer shelf reading program might be just for you! Register here to complete our brief in-person training to be a volunteer shelf reader. Our volunteer shelf readers serve an essential purpose - helping to keep our shelves neat and organized! In this training, library staff will walk teens through the library and show them how to sign in for shelf reading, how our collection is organized, and answer any questions that may come up.Volunteers will need to complete an application and have it signed by a parent or guardian before registering for this training and earning service hours.If you have any questions, please email Marty Mason at [email protected].

Main Library - Children's Room

Chelmsford Friends of the Library

Join the Friends of the Library to become more involved in your community! The Friends meet on the first Thursday of each month. Their support makes possible educational, cultural, art and music programs for adults and children, as well as museum passes, computer workst......More

Join the Friends of the Library to become more involved in your community! The Friends meet on the first Thursday of each month. Their support makes possible educational, cultural, art and music programs for adults and children, as well as museum passes, computer workstations, equipment, and furniture for both the Anna C. MacKay Branch and the Main Library. Learn more about the Friends of the Library and what they do on their website: https://www.chelmsfordlibraryfriends.org/.This meeting will be a hybrid meeting. The options are to join the meeting through using the zoom link or to attend in-person. Please email the Friends of the Library for the zoom information at [email protected]

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Baby Storytime (0 to walking)

Join Deborah and fellow parents for a wonderful introduction to early literacy. Caregivers share parenting experiences with one another and bond with their babies through lap bounces, nursery rhymes, songs, and board books. Registration is not required--drop in for some......More

Join Deborah and fellow parents for a wonderful introduction to early literacy. Caregivers share parenting experiences with one another and bond with their babies through lap bounces, nursery rhymes, songs, and board books. Registration is not required--drop in for some fun!

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Knit-Lit Book Group

In May, the group will meet to discuss The Magnolia Palace by Fiona DavisSummary: "Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue, returns with a tantalizing novel about the secrets, betrayal, and murder within one of New York City's most im......More

In May, the group will meet to discuss The Magnolia Palace by Fiona DavisSummary: "Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue, returns with a tantalizing novel about the secrets, betrayal, and murder within one of New York City's most impressive Gilded Age mansions. Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, twenty-one-year-old Lillian Carter's life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists' models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless and desperate-the work has dried up and a looming scandal has left her entirely without a safe haven. So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion-a building that, ironically, bears her own visage-Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family-pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death. Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career-and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home-within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City's most impressive museums. But when she-along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua-is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica's financial woes, but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family"--Language: EnglishGenre: Historical fiction. Mystery fiction.Subject Term: Murder -- Fiction. Models -- Fiction. Heiresses -- Fiction.Copies of the book will be available at the main library circulation desk.This group meet will now be meeting in person only in the fireplace room. Bring yourself, your discussion points, your crafting project or just to listen! All are welcome. Any questions? Contact Jill Kenny, [email protected]

Main Library - Fireplace Area

Virtual - Presidential Series with Doodler Heather Rogers: James Monroe

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Webinar via email.** Welcome to our yearlong series in which “America’s Preeminent Presidential Doodler”, Heather Rogers, shares facts, factoids, an......More

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Webinar via email.** Welcome to our yearlong series in which “America’s Preeminent Presidential Doodler”, Heather Rogers, shares facts, factoids, and fun illustrations about the presidents of these United States.This month we move to another James - James Monroe: James Monroe and James Madison are not interchangeable! It’s true. He wore knee breeches and stockings long after they were cool; the only foreign capital named for a U.S. president was named for him. Like two of his predecessors, he died on July 4. Don't you want to know more? In 2026, journey through Heather's sketchbooks as she shares some of her favorite tidbits, doodles, observations, and resurrection stories about the first 12 presidents. Register directly on Zoom HERE. You can sign up for one session or for all! RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.About Heather: Heather Rogers isn’t a historian, an academic, or an impartial storyteller… but she has read more than one book about every U.S. president. Out of spite. She was dubbed “America’s Preeminent Presidential Doodler” by one of her favorite biographers and she’s been repeating it ever since. When she’s not reading or doodling history books, she’s a freelance graphic designer, illustrator, and content creator.To keep her interest during her accidental spite project, Heather Rogers filled hundreds of sketchbook pages doodling her way through presidential biographies. Doing so heightened her curiosity and turned her into an insufferable presidential nerd. Along the way, she discovered unexpected threads connecting seemingly unconnected people, times, and events. She can’t get enough of the weird trivia, coincidences, and quirks. Like the fact that English wasn’t the first language of the first president born in the U.S. Or that a three-part plan was proposed to bring George Washington back to life. Don’t even get her started on William Henry Harrison – he was only president for a month, but she could talk about him for hours.*All illustrations for this series have been created by Heather Rogers and are her property therein. Please register for this event and you'll receive the link in the confirmation and reminder emails - make sure to check your spam folder for them, the email will be coming from Zoom.This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library and is in collaboration with a multitude of MA and NH libraries.

Online - Partner Organization

All Ages Storytime

Join Deborah for a fun morning of stories, songs, and rhymes! Registration is not required--drop in for some fun!

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Morning Munchkin Storytime! (Formerly Dads & Donuts) Drop in for all ages

Children are invited to bring their favorite grownups to enjoy this special storytime! Munchkins, juice, and coffee will be provided.This event is generously sponsored by the Family Resource Network. The Family Resource Network is funded by the Coordinated Family andCo......More

Children are invited to bring their favorite grownups to enjoy this special storytime! Munchkins, juice, and coffee will be provided.This event is generously sponsored by the Family Resource Network. The Family Resource Network is funded by the Coordinated Family andCommunity Engagement Grant from the MA Department of Early Education and Care.It is managed by Community Teamwork.

McCarthy Meeting Room (Entire Room)

Genealogy: Irish SIG

For those interested in Irish Genealogy, please stop by for the monthly meeting of the Irish SIG group. Bring in your research to share or questions you have for others on how to approach genealogical research on your Irish ancestors.

Conference Room

Visit with Calvin the Therapy Dog!

Come to the Children's Room and meet Calvin the therapy dog! He loves to hang out with people of all ages, likes getting gentle pats, and is an all-around good boy.

Main Library - Children's Room