Programs

Come with us on a delightful romp through the traditional tale of Goldilocks, but be prepared for a new twist at the end. Did you ever wonder what happened after Goldilocks ran all the way home? Well, we answer that question in a fresh and fun way and teach some lessons about proper manners, too. This is a show you just can't 'bear' to miss! Please register by calling 294-3306, x5. 

Join local historian Tim Cranston for a walk along Pleasant Street and learn the history of some of the buildings. Among the buildings discussed will be the John Updike House, built in 1745, confiscated from its Tory owners during the American Revolution, and restored by Norman Isham in 1920 for Alonzo Cross, inventor of the Cross Pen and Pencil; and the house “Doc” Young built for his bride in 1895. Doc Young took many of the earliest photographs of Wickford at the turn of the last century. Registration is required. Participants will meet at the town dock at the end of Main St.
REGISTRATION CLOSED

Remember the fun of long, lazy summers spent swimming and reading? Join our reading club for adults, read as many books as you wish (fiction or nonfiction) and keep track of what you’ve read on a log sheet. Upon signing up, you will receive several coupons provided by the Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS). When you finish reading a book, your name will be entered in a weekly prize drawing and you may choose a free book to take home! Register online or in the library, grab your log sheet at the downstairs reference desk and get started! Come to our meeting on Thursday, August 15th at 6:30 P.M. to discuss your summer reading picks and be eligible for the grand prize.

June 24—August 15

Join us for this exciting, interactive program that both entertains and educates people of all ages regarding the mysterious realm of reptiles. Audience members are encouraged to participate, hands on, in order to gain the ultimate reptilian experience. Registration begins Monday, June 10th.

Come enjoy the annual Lafayette Band Concert at the library. Bring beach chairs or blankets and don’t forget the insect repellent. In the event of rain it will be held in the meeting room. Registration requested, but not required.

When Oscar Diggs, a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he's hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora, Evanora and Glinda, who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone's been expecting. Please Register. (PG)

At a home for retired musicians, the annual concert to celebrate Verdi's birthday is disrupted by the arrival of Jean, an eternal diva and the former wife of one of the residents. Directed by Dustin Hoffman and starring Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay and Billy Connolly. PG-13, 98 min.

Please register beginning June 1st.

In this workshop led by Deenie Pacik Giuliano, teens create their own fused glass pendants using colorful pre-cut glass, crushed glass, powders, and dichroic glass. Deenie discusses how
books influence her creative process as
a professional artist and encourages crafters to incorporate their favorite books into their glass project. The pendants then will need to be fused at 1480° in a kiln at Deenie’s studio and can be picked up at the library the following week. This program is for ages 10 and up.  Please register beginning June 10th.

In this interactive music show Sarah sings and accompanies herself on guitar. Kids get to play along with instruments "like a band" and do crazy stuff with scarves. Kids volunteer for leading dance numbers and "helping out" with jams. Parents are welcome to play too! Bring your imagination and we will unearth some fun! For ages 3 – 4th grade. Registration begins Monday, June 17th. Please call 294-3306, x5.

The group will be reading The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss for a discussion in September. Told in his own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man, Kvothe, who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. Copies of the book are available. During the summer the group will be viewing movies. Serenity is a 2005 American space western film written and directed by Joss Whedon. It is a continuation of Whedon's short-lived 2002 Fox science fiction television series Firefly, taking place after the events of the final episode. Set in 2517, Serenity is the story of the captain and crew of Serenity, a "Firefly-class" spaceship. The captain and first mate are veterans of the Unification War, having fought on the losing side. Their lives of petty crime are interrupted by a psychic passenger who harbors a dangerous secret. All are welcome. Please register.

Tuesdays 7-8:00 P.M.
July 9, 16, 23, 30, August 13 and 20

Children get a chance to read one-on-one to a certified therapy dog!  Reading with a dog builds excitement about reading and is a great way to practice reading in a non-judgmental environment. Space is limited. This program is for children going into 1st grade and up.  Registration is necessary and begins Monday June 17th.

Come and make a tie dye t-shirt. Bring in your own clean white t-shirt; we’ll provide all the other supplies you will need. This program is for ages 10 and up.  Please register beginning June 10th.

Join us for an hour of fun and creativity. A snack and drink will be served at the end of the program. This program is for ages 4-10. Space is limited. Registration begins Monday June 24th. Please call 294-3306, x5.

Ed Hughes of North Kingstown will talk about his journey with throat cancer and how it helped spark his passion for wildlife and landscape photography and how that passion helped him on his road to recovery. Ed will be exhibiting his photographs at the library during the month of July. Please register for this talk and slide show.

Join us for 45 minutes of movies, songs and fun. Two short films will be shown along with marching and coloring. This program is for ages 3-7. SPACE IS LIMITED. Please sign up beginning Monday, June 24th, by calling 294-3306, x5.

Back by popular demand, the Elderly Brothers are sure to entertain as they sing songs from the 60s and 70s. Bring chairs or a blanket and a picnic dinner for this concert on the lawn. A great evening for the whole family! Please register in case we have to be inside (no food) due to rain.

Join Tim Cranston for this stroll through Wickford as he explains how many of the historical details of the village are woven together and account for the one of a kind place we all cherish today. Along the way we will stop and examine six of the “big picture” concepts that help shape Wickford’s history, including the extraordinary Washington Academy, the intriguing business enterprise that was the livestock drover’s turnpike known as the Ten Rod Rd, shipbuilding, and the impacts of transportation changes throughout the centuries. Registration opens July 1st and is required.

The Rhode Island Museum of Science and Art (RIMOSA) presents this program in which participants learn that things are not always as they sound, while exploring the intricacies of human perception. They will experiment with a variety of materials to make as many sounds as they can and then interpret a narrative passage with these sounds. The mission of RIMOSA is to kindle curiosity and encourage experimentation. This program is for ages 10 and up.  Please register beginning July 1st.

Use tin foil and a mason jar to create a skyline or constellation light for your room. We will provide the materials, just bring yourself and your creativity! This program is for ages 10 and up. 
Please register beginning July 1st.  

Do you love stories of hidden treasure and grand adventure? Do you like reading comic books? How would you like to help CREATE one? Join Eric Fulford as he uses ideas from the audience to draw and tell the story of a brand new adventure hero! Featuring comedy, cartoons, and plenty of creativity, audience members of any age can enjoy the fun. Registration begins Monday, July 1st. Please call 294-3306, x5.

Author Mitra K. Shavarini will discuss her latest book, Desert Roots, Journey of an Iranian Immigrant Family. This deeply personal narrative chronicles her parents’ remarkable journey to America as self-imposed exiles and then back again to Iran thirty-three years later. Mitra holds a doctorate from Harvard and is a lecturer at Brandeis University. Her work has appeared in numerous professional journals.

Just bring your imagination! No registration necessary.

Come and learn improv comedy with professional actor Eric Fulford! We don't use scripts or props- we make up everything as we go! All you need to bring is yourself and an open mind! This workshop is designed for all levels, so if you've never tried improv before, don't worry. It will be more fun than you can handle! This program is for ages 10 and up. Please register beginning July 1st.

Join the Great Baldini and his assistant Skinny, on a magical journey as they dig into reading. As the audience chants Skinny's name, the magic begins to happen. Everyone will discover that reading can be fun and entertaining. Registration begins Monday, July 15th. Please call 294-3306, x5.

This creative, instructional workshop led by artist Pam Santos will focus on the basic techniques of watercolor painting while we capture the beauty and strength of trees beneath the surface and above. With gentle guidance and encouragement each participant will complete their own work of art. This is an opportunity for teens of all abilities; come enjoy the peaceful art of watercolors. This program is for ages 10 and up.  Space is very limited.  Please register beginning July 1st.

The Kropp Dusters are a group of veteran musicians featuring banjo master Mike Kropp, guitarist and singer Bill Henry, bassist and vocalist Jeff Horton, mandolin man and singer Monty McClanahan, and claw- hammer banjo player Lisa Schmitz. Henry, Kropp, and Horton are all former members of Northern Lights. The vocal blend culminates in some fine 4-part harmony. Bring chairs or a blanket and a picnic dinner for this concert on the lawn. A great evening for the whole family! Please register in case we have to be inside (no food) due to rain.

The story of a tourist family in Thailand caught in the destruction and chaotic aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. 114 min, PG-13.

Is it a shovel? Is it an excavator? No, it's an amazing animal! These crafty critters give the saying "down to earth" a whole new meaning! Come learn the reasons why so many different animals dig, and the various ways they do it. Registration begins Monday, July 22nd. Please call 294-3306, x5. For ages 4 and up.

In 1915, 14,800 acres of land in rural Scituate were condemned to build the Scituate Reservoir. The hardworking people of the five villages that were located on this land lost their property and their homes. Today, water from this reservoir serves more than 60% of Rhode Islanders. Ray Wolf, author of several books about Rhode Island history for the Images of America series, will show slides and tell us about these villages, lying now beneath the water, and describe the construction of the reservoir. Please register.

Just bring your imagination! No registration necessary.

The group will be reading The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss for a discussion in September. Told in his own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man, Kvothe, who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. Copies of the book are available. During the summer, the group will be viewing movies. All are welcome. Please register.

Tuesdays 7-8:00 P.M.
August 13 and 20

Children get a chance to read one-on-one to a certified therapy dog!  Reading with a dog builds excitement about reading and is a great way to practice reading in a non-judgmental environment. Space is limited. This program is for children going into 1st grade and up.  Registration is necessary and begins Monday June 17th.

Library Outreach Coordinator Elizabeth Donovan will share her slides of bike rides in Burlington, Vermont. Cruise along Lake Champlain, through Ethan Allen Park, past cornfields in the Intervale and end up at the University of Vermont. Or try a more challenging road ride through the quiet country roads of the Champlain Islands. Bring stories of your own favorite bike rides. Please register.

Come and join us for a night of duct tape fun!  Come with an idea in mind or we can show you how to make a wallet! This program is for ages 10 and up.  We will provide craft materials. 

The true-life adventure books by Michael Tougias read like fast-paced thrillers. His entertaining slide presentations keep up the pace. Join us as Michael tells the story behind his latest book, “A Storm Too Soon: A True Story of Disaster, Survival and Incredible Rescue.” Register, beginning July 22nd, for what will surely be a “sold out” presentation.

The original Providence Brigade Band was chartered in 1847. They performed in concerts and parades, dedicated monuments to fallen heroes and in general fostered civic pride. The band continues that tradition today. Members dress in military uniforms of the period and play original music of the time. Songs of the American Civil War are highlighted. Facts, anecdotes, and the legends of the songs and composers are included to enhance the unique qualities of this musical genre and time period.
Bring chairs or a blanket and a picnic dinner for this concert on the lawn. A great evening for the whole family! Please register in case we have to be inside (no food) due to rain.