Library Hours

Monday through Friday, 9:30-5:30 with extended hours on Tuesday until 7:00pm; Saturdays 9:30-1:30

Curbside pickup is available during all open hours

Check our website for the most up-to-date information and to register for programs:  https://baconfreelibrary.org

Children’s Programs

Story Time: Mondays and Tuesdays @ 10am -- We’ll feature a combination of stories for listening and songs for singing & dancing.  

Baby Time: Wednesdays @ 10am --  Join us for a cozy story time filled with lap bounces, rhymes, songs, and simple stories. Geared toward infants and young toddlers with their grownups.  

Jammin with You: Fridays, Jan 3rd & 17th @ 10:30am -- Be prepared to laugh, dance, sing, and jam your way through 30 minutes of non-stop family fun!  **Registration is required

Read to a Dog: Saturday, Jan 4th @ 10-11:15am -- Children ages 5 and up can sign up for a 15-minute reading session with Sophie, a gentle golden retriever who loves belly rubs, stories, and cuddles. Registration is required for each child attending.

Music & Movement with Walnut Hill: Friday, Jan 10th @ 10:30am -- Join Miss Katie from the Community Theater Academy at Walnut Hill School for the Arts for a fun program that emphasizes the bond between children and their caregivers, while enriching their musical, cognitive, and physical development. Caregivers are led in enjoyable, simple rhythmic patterns, dances, and activities. Instruments like rhythm sticks, bells, shakers, and drums are used, as well as scarves, balls, bubbles, and more. This program is geared toward ages 6 months to 4 years. Registration is required.

Puppet Story Time -- Friday, Jan 24th @ 10:30am -- Through Me To You Puppetry invites you to join Newton and the gang for some story time fun! Newton and his puppet friends take turns reading stories and singing songs with the kids. At the end of the show, the kids are invited to say hi to Newton and even play with some of the puppets during a hands-on free play session.

All ages welcome. Registration is required.

All Ages Programs

Featured art display:

December 12th - January 22nd: Carlos Santiago Art -- Carlos Santiago’s still lifes walk a line between representational and abstract art, with his primary source of inspiration being flowers and vases. In flowers, he finds complicated patterns, shapes, and repetition; elements that show up in all of his paintings.

Adult Programs

Virtual Q&A with Author Erica Cirino: Healthy Plastic-free Pregnancy and Parenting: Weds, January 8th @ 7pm -- Erica Cirino, author of Thicker Than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis, joins us once again to help new parents (and all concerned!) with reducing plastic in their lives as they also welcome new life into their homes. As a new mom, herself, Erica will not only be sharing the knowledge she has of the plastic crisis in general, but her own personal story of how she found ways to reduce plastic in this new phase of her life. This program is held in partnership with the Ashland Public Library. Register to receive the Zoom link.

Francais a la bibliotheque: Saturday, January 11th @ 10am - Vous parlez français? un peu, beaucoup, pas de problèmes. Venez nous rejoindre pour parler ou pour écouter.

Winter Sowing: Saturday, January 11th @ 11:30am -- Winter sowing is a simple way to start seeds outdoors during the wintertime. All you need is a milk jug, potting soil, seeds, and a sunny, protected location. At this workshop, you’ll learn all about this process while creating your own winter sowing jug. All supplies will be provided in the workshop.  Registration is required.

How Birds Created the World and Other Stories from The Complete Language of Birds with author Randi Minetor (virtual program): Monday, January 13th @ 7pmon Zoom -- Author and journalist Randi Minetor and her photographer husband Nic have visited 354 (out of 429) National Parks. All of their travels have inspired one of Randi’s books, The Complete Language Of Birds. In this program, Randi will discuss her book, birds and their evolution, and some of her travels. This program will be held over Zoom, in collaboration with the Ashland Public Library.  Register to receive the Zoom link. 

In conversation with author and historian Philippa Langley: Finding King Richard III and The Princes in the Tower (virtual program): Weds, January 22nd @ 2pm on Zoom -- We are looking forward to chatting with author and historical sleuth Philippa Langley about her book The Princes in the Tower: Solving History’s Greatest Cold Caseand her discovery of the grave of King Richard III in 2012. Join us as she discusses her research methods, her team, her findings, and how solving this cold case affects our understanding of the royal monarchy (in the 1500s, of course).  This program will be held over Zoom, in collaboration with the Ashland Public Library.  Register to receive the Zoom link.

Encounters with Killers with true crime author and professor of forensic psychology Katherine Ramsland (virtual program) -- Monday, January 27 @ 7pmon Zoom --  Dr. Katherine Ramsland recounts her most memorable interactions with serial killers over the course of her life, describing how it shaped her career in forensic psychology. A Pied Piper, two Coed Killers, a Candy Man’s handyman, and BTK, among others, have left their marks on her research and writing, both fiction and nonfiction. This program will be held over Zoom, in collaboration with the Ashland Public Library. Register to receive the Zoom link.

Adult Book & Film Clubs: registration required for all clubs

Mystery Book Club: first Thursday of the month @ 1pm on Zoom

January 2nd: How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

History Book Club -- second Thursday of the month @ 11am on Zoom

January 9th: The Frozen River  by Ariel Lawhon

Environmental Book Club -- third Tuesday of the month @ 7pm on Zoom

January 21st:  Fire Weather by John Vaillant

Nonfiction Book Club: fourth Saturday of the month @10am at the library

January 25th: Ice: from mixed drinks to skating rinks, a cool history of a hot commodity by Amy Brady

Tuesday Book Club -- fourth Tuesday of the month @ 7pm at the library

January 28th: Demon Copperhead: a novel by Barbara Kingsolver

Cinephile Mondays: last Monday of the month @ 4pm on Zoom; watch and discuss films. Check the BFL website for the film of the month and to register. 

Museum Passes

The Bacon Free Library and Morse Institute Library offer passes for free or reduced-admission to 30 local museums.  Check one out and plan your next day trip!