Events
The Acton Library provides educational programs for all ages. Our events are free and open to the public. Some programs have age recommendations. Please look at the event calendar to see if you need to register for a seat.
- ALL AGES: Patriotic Jigsaw Puzzle Competition
Saturday, May 9, 2026 1:00—4:00 PMGrady RoomThomas RoomJoin us for an ALL AGES Patriotic Jigsaw Puzzle Competition. You may join as a team (4 max.) or as an individual (to be added to a team with less than 4). Each team will receive the same 500-piece puzzle. This event was rescheduled from May 2. Sponsored by the Friends of Acton Public Library. Register online between 4/9/2026 10:00 AM and 5/9/2026 12:00 PM.
- OUTREACH: Tech Time_ Estuary
Monday, May 11, 2026 10:15 AM—1:30 PMEstuaryOff Site Tech Assistance with Brian at the Estuary of Old Saybrook. Book him at yourestuary.org
- Meet-up Mondays
Monday, May 11, 2026 1:00—2:30 PMGrady RoomThomas RoomMeet up with your friends or make new ones. Play one of our games (Rummikub, Mexican Train, Scrabble, Cribbage & more) or bring your own (Mahjong?). Coloring & puzzles too! Light refreshments will be served. Register online between 4/10/2026 10:00 AM and 5/11/2026 1:30 PM.
- HYBRID - Social Justice Book Discussion
Monday, May 11, 2026 6:30—7:45 PMGrady RoomThomas RoomTV We will be joined by Elijah Manning from Inclusive Education LLC who will help facilitate a lively and thoughtful conversation. Copies of the book will be available for checkout at the library! We will make a Zoom link if people want to participate that way. This month we will discuss Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for America’s Independence by Carol Berkin. Register online between 4/11/2026 10:00 AM and 5/11/2026 3:00 PM.
- The Web They Wove
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 6:00—7:30 PMGrady RoomThomas Room The Web They Wove: Women & Their Wardrobes During New England’s Revolution will be presented by Amanda Flynn Rumney & Rebecca Bayreuther Donohue of the Dirty Blue Shirts. Underpinning the sensationalism of battle reports & broadsides is the often-silent steadiness of women’s work with textiles. The choices they made every day about fashion and fabric consumption & creation drove the course of Revolution just as determinedly as any congress. As southern New England commemorates the 250th anniversary of the War for Independence, it is these local lives dressed in fulled wool or spun silk that continue to inspire creativity, resilience, and empathy in us today. From the mythology of homespun to legends of midnight rides in red cloaks & calashes, the Dirty Blue Shirts share stories of women who waged war on multiple fronts as well as a look at what they wore as their worlds turned upside down. This program is presented by costumed historians and includes reproduction clothing pieces & fabric samples as well as a PowerPoint presentation with images of extant originals. Sponsored by the Friends of Acton Public Library. Register online between 4/12/2026 10:00 AM and 5/12/2026 6:00 PM.
- ALL AGES: Patriotic Jigsaw Puzzle Competition
Saturday, May 9, 2026 1:00—4:00 PMGrady RoomThomas RoomJoin us for an ALL AGES Patriotic Jigsaw Puzzle Competition. You may join as a team (4 max.) or as an individual (to be added to a team with less than 4). Each team will receive the same 500-piece puzzle. This event was rescheduled from May 2. Sponsored by the Friends of Acton Public Library. Register online between 4/9/2026 10:00 AM and 5/9/2026 12:00 PM.
- YA : Library Advisory Board - Planning Meeting
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 3:30—4:30 PMFriend's Conference RoomTeen SpaceDo you want to help at the library? Have a club you'd like to run ? help decide on games, displays, programs and collections Join us! Once a month- Service credit available for active participation - Last one of the School Year ! Register online between 4/14/2026 10:00 AM and 5/12/2026 2:30 PM.
- Peace Crane Folding
Thursday, May 14, 2026 1:00—2:00 PMSelf-directedJoin us each week to fold Origami Peace Cranes. The purpose is to bring people together and find inner peace while folding the cranes. Once we reach 1,000 cranes, the cranes will be donated to a charity of the group's choosing. Directions and materials provided. No experience needed.
- YA : Drop-In Games Day
Thursday, May 14, 2026 3:00—4:30 PMThomas Room YA : Open Game Day 3:00 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. Join us this afternoon for some new and favorite tabletop or video games. Free and open to all, Ages 12-18.
- YA: Dungeons and Dragons Club
Friday, May 15, 2026 3:00—4:45 PMFriend's Conference Roomtwice monthly gathering of young adventurers. D&D 5e . Ages 12+ Register online between 4/15/2026 10:00 AM and 5/15/2026 2:00 PM.
- Grab & Go Crafts
Friday, May 8, 2026 12:00 AM—11:59 PMChildren's RoomStop by the library each week to pick up one of Ms. Aliza’s Grab & Go craft kits. Available while supplies last.
- Sing & Stomp
Friday, May 8, 2026 10:30—11:30 AMGrady RoomThomas RoomJoin us for a song and dance party for children of all ages and their grown-ups! Sing & Stomp is a noisy half hour of songs, dances, and fingerplays. Cool down afterwards with toys and music. Free and open to all, no registration required. What to expect: *large, open room space, with windows *large playmat is centered in the room *use of musical props throughout the program, including bells, tambourines, shaker eggs, and rhythm sticks *occasional use of dancing scarves and a large parachute *loud music is played *participants sing and dance *free play begins after the cool down and includes blocks and toys *quiet music is played during free play Free and open to all. No Registration Required
- ALL AGES: Patriotic Jigsaw Puzzle Competition
Saturday, May 9, 2026 1:00—4:00 PMGrady RoomThomas RoomJoin us for an ALL AGES Patriotic Jigsaw Puzzle Competition. You may join as a team (4 max.) or as an individual (to be added to a team with less than 4). Each team will receive the same 500-piece puzzle. This event was rescheduled from May 2. Sponsored by the Friends of Acton Public Library. Register online between 4/9/2026 10:00 AM and 5/9/2026 12:00 PM.
- Playgroup
Monday, May 11, 2026 10:30—11:30 AMGrady RoomThomas RoomThis drop-in, child-focused playgroup is for young children and their caregivers. Participants will be able to interact with others, make new friends, and learn by playing in a literacy-enriched environment. Each session will include activities, sensory materials, and toys. No Registration Required Free and open to children ages 0-5 and their caregivers What to expect: large, open room space, with windows room arranged with tables for craft and sensory play, mat spaces for playing with blocks and toys, a cart with a variety of books accessible to read quiet music played during the hour children moving freely from one activity to another Children's Room staff member available for questions, recommendations for books & activities, and general assistance Caregivers responsible for monitoring their children
- Tinker Lab
Monday, May 11, 2026 3:30—4:30 PMGrady RoomJoin us for Tinker Lab! We'll use problem-solving skills to imagine, explore, tinker, build, code, play, and design! Stop-motion, green-screen filming, and game building will be just a few of the areas we tinker with. No prior experience needed! January - March - Do you enjoy watching stop-motion movie shorts? Come make your own Lego Movie this month! April - Come learn all about Orienteering! We'll learn all about maps, symbols, and how to locate geographical points on the map! May - Ever wanted to make your own video game? Let's explore the Scratch Coding Platform to design and create your own digital game! For Grades 2-4. Registration required. Register online between 12/5/2025 10:00 AM and 5/16/2026 5:00 PM.
Why Hasn’t Construction Started?
While the funding is liquid and accounted for, the State Bond Commission must approve the release of the 2 million-dollar Connecticut State Library Construction Grant monies that was awarded in November 2023. Once their meeting convenes and the grant funds are released we can start contracting with architects and construction companies. The Acton Public Library Foundation is still currently fundraising for contingencies such as building construction cost increases and also for an endowment for future building projects. We appreciate all the supporters who have donated to get us to this point and hope the State Bonding Commission meets soon so that we can deliver an exciting new space for our community.
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