Unless noted otherwise, all programs are free of charge and in person at the Roslindale Branch. Learn more at friendsofroslindalelibrary.org. All branches will be closed on Monday, October 10, in observance of Indigenous Peoples Day.
Roslindale Branch is Open!
Branch Hours
The Roslindale Branch is open Mondays - Wednesdays 10 AM - 6 PM; Thursdays 12 PM - 8 PM; Fridays 9 AM - 5 PM; and Saturdays 9 AM - 2 PM.
BPL Library Protocols
All branches follow the latest city and state public health guidance. While there will be no capacity limits or social distancing required, library patrons are recommended to wear masks since the library serves vulnerable populations. For more information, see https://www.bpl.org/news/health-and-safety-guidelines/.
BPL COVID-19 Resources
Are you looking for reliable information about COVID vaccines? The City of Boston has put together a resource guide to help answer your questions.
September + October 2022 Book Ambassador: E.B. Bartels
Thursday, October 27, 6-7:30 PM
E. B. Bartels will participate in a discussion and sign copies of her new book, Good Grief: On Loving Pets, Here and Hereafter, on Thursday, October 27, 6 – 7:30 PM at the Roslindale Branch Library. It is an unexpected, poignant, and personal account of loving and losing pets, exploring the singular bonds we have with our companion animals and how to grieve them once they've passed. Books will be available for purchase at the event. The book can also be purchased at the Rozzie Bound popup on Saturdays or borrowed from the library.
The Roslindale Book Ambassador Program is a joint effort of the Friends of the Roslindale Branch Library and Rozzie Bound.
Day of the Dead Celebration!
October 29, 10:30 AM
Join Rosalba Solis of La Piñata for a family celebration of Día de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead. Learn about the importance of this holiday and craft your own ofrendas to honor those who have passed.
Attention Local Authors!
Do you have a book coming out in 2022 or 2023? Please keep us updated so we can share the news with Rozzie residents in our newsletter and ask our partner at Rozzie Bound to link to the book online. Rozzie Bound generously shares a portion of sales with Friends. Please email us at [email protected] with the book title, author, format, ISBN, and a brief description.
Rozzie Bound Author Signings
The following author events take place at Rozzie Bound, 4228 Washington Street. More information: rozziebound.com.
Michael Bleicher and Andy Newton, authors of The Carlyles
October 1, 11 AM - 1 PM
Willie Wideman and the Dorchester Community Writers, authors of Anthology: A Writer's View (All proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Upham's Corner Branch Library)
October 8, 11 AM - 1 PM
Janet Costa Bates, author of Rica Baptista
October 22, 11 AM - 1 PM
Cleyvis Natera and Elizabeth Gonzalez James will have a conversation, followed by signings for their latest books, Neruda on the Park and Mona at Sea, respectively.
October 29, 11 AM - 1 PM
Volunteers Wanted!
We are looking for book sorters, sellers, and program coordinators. Interested? Email: [email protected].
Library One-on-One Tech Help
By appointment
Get assistance with basic computer skills or your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Stop by in person or call 617-323-2343 to make an appointment.
Book Discussion Club: A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
Thursday, October 6, 6:30-7:30 pm
Join our conversation group and share your insights with others. Email [email protected] to register.
My Night in the Planetarium
Saturday, October 8, 11 AM
Ages 5 and up - Best-selling children's book author Innosanto Nagara's true story of art and social protest comes to life as a dynamic pop-up puppet show by Little Uprisings! Created and performed by artist/activist Tanya Nixon-Silberg, the show transports audiences to Jakarta in the 1970s, where 7-year-old Inno learns firsthand how a play has the power to spark a resistance movement.
Meet Your Neighborhood Age Strong Advocate
Tuesday, October 11 at 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Age Strong's Mary Sullivan will assist older adults with applying for city services and government benefits and connect them to programs and resources. Mary will be returning monthly on the second Tuesday of each month from 2:00-4:00 pm. This is a drop-in program; no registration is required.
Rozzie Reads Poetry
Thursday, October 20, 7 pm
Roslindale House, 120 Poplar Street
The audience size will be limited. We'll also be on Zoom.
Featured readers: Will C and Jennifer Markell
To sign up for a link or for an audience seat, contact [email protected]
The Films of David Lean: Great Expectations (1946)
Monday, October 24, 1:30 - 3:30 PM
Barry Marshall, Senior Affiliated Faculty member in the Visual and Media Arts Department at Emerson College, will lead a pre-and post-viewing discussion of director David Lean’s 1946 film Great Expectations, based on the 1861 novel by Charles Dickens and starring John Mills, Valerie Hobson, and Tony Wages. No registration is required. This is the first in a series of three films directed by David Lean.
Games People Play
Fridays, 3 – 4:30 PM
Backgammon, Bananagrams, Blokus, Catan, Cribbage, Password, Scrabble, Telestrations, Ticket to Ride, Yahtzee, anyone? Boost your brain and meet new friends with our variety of board games. Feel free to bring along a favorite game! No registration is
required. Email [email protected] for more information.
Knit/Crochet Circle
Tuesdays, 11 AM - 1 PM
Bring your projects and enjoy the company of other crafters. Crafters of all levels are welcome.
Online Spanish Conversation Group
Saturdays, 11 AM - 12 PM
A casual conversation for Spanish speakers of all levels. Email [email protected] to get on the group's email list.
Elementary-Level ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Classes
Wednesdays, 12:45 – 2:00 pm
This class is for speakers of other languages who know some basic English and would like to learn more. Students will expand their vocabulary and grammar, as well as practice conversation and writing. Register by emailing [email protected] or calling 617-859-2446. Please note that this is a class rather than a conversation group.
Anime/Manga Society
Mondays, 4 – 5:30 PM
Watch Anime, discuss Anime and Manga, and try some Manga drawing. For ages 9 - 14. No registration is required.
Baby/Toddler Storytime
Tuesdays 10:15 to 10:45 AM
Best for ages 0-2 - Join Miss Celeste for a short book, bouncing songs, baby sign language, and many movement activities to promote early literacy.
Preschool Storytime
Wednesdays, 10:30 - 11 AM
Best for ages 3-5 - Miss Celeste will read two to three stories, sing songs, and do activities that promote early literacy and school readiness skills. Note: if your family includes multiple children, please pick one storytime to attend each week. Pick the one that works best for you and your family.
Explore and Play
Fridays, 9:30 - 10:30 AM
Best for ages 0-2 - Meet new friends and explore different stations full of sensory toys, including shakers, bells, and other noisemakers, blocks and magnates; play dough; tunnels and playmats, and more! This is an informal playgroup, so feel free to drop in late or leave early to suit your family’s needs.
Kids Club: STEM
Tuesdays, 4:30 to 5:30
Ages 6 and up - Welcome to Kids Club! Each month we will explore a different theme. In September, we focus on STEM with books and activities that dive into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
Lego Club
Wednesdays, 4:30 to 5:30 PM
Ages 4 and up - Welcome to LEGO Club! Come build with the library’s collection of LEGO and DUPLO blocks.
Art Explorers
Thursdays, 4:30 - 5:30 PM
Learn about the life and work of famous (and not so famous) artists with Miss Celeste! We will explore painting, collage, clay, and more! After reading and listening to a short biography and looking at the artist’s work, kids will have an opportunity to make their art inspired by the artist of the week.
Memory Kits
Memory Kits are now available for public use. A collaboration between the City of Boston’s Age Strong and the library, the kits are for use with those who have dementia, memory loss, or cognitive impairment and are intended to stimulate conversation and create positive interactions between caregivers and loved ones. The kits can be loaned for two weeks with a Boston Public Library card. There are three themed kits: Arnold Arboretum, Pets, and Roslindale History. Each kit contains conversation cards, a journal for caregivers to share their thoughts and experiences, art supplies, information for caregivers, and an assortment of picture-based books, DVDs, and music CDs.
Online Race and Inclusion Book Discussion:
Mediocre
Saturdays, November 5, 12 & 19
9:15 - 11 AM (Morning) or 2 - 3:45 PM (Afternoon)
We will read Ijeoma Oluo's Mediocre. Through the last 150 years of American history -- from the post-reconstruction South and the mythic stories of cowboys in the West to the present-day controversy over NFL protests and the backlash against the rise of women in politics -- Ijeoma Oluo exposes the devastating consequences of white male supremacy on women, people of color, and white men themselves. Mediocre investigates the real costs of this phenomenon in order to imagine a new white male identity, one free from racism and sexism.
The discussion will happen on Zoom and will be led by local educator Josh Frank. You can get the book from bpl.org or an online bookstore like Rozzie Bound, which has the book listed on the Friends "Black Histories and Futures" adult virtual bookshelf. The Friends will receive 50% of the proceeds from each book sold. You can find the virtual shelf here: https://bookshop.org/shop/rozziebound.
We will have two sessions with 20 participants each on the three dates. Times: Morning session at 9:15-11 AM and an afternoon session at 2-3:45 PM.
To register, please email Roslindale Branch librarian Jennifer Hawes at [email protected]. Please write "Mediocre Discussion" in the subject line when you RSVP.
- You only need to register once for all three dates, even if you think you might miss a date.
- Please choose the morning or afternoon time, and you will be registered for that same time for each date.
- Jennifer will register the first 40 people, 20 each, for the morning and afternoon groups. You will get an email if you are registered. If you are still waiting for an email from Jennifer, please assume that you still need to register.
- You only need to register once for all three dates, even if you think you might miss a date.
- Please choose the morning or afternoon time, and you will be registered for that same time for each date.
- Jennifer will register the first 40 people, 20 each, for the morning and afternoon groups. You will get an email if you are registered. If you do not get an email from Jennifer, please assume that you are not registered.
Approaching Cookbooks In a New Way plus HUGE cookbook sale
Thursday, November 10, 6 - 8 PM
Odessa Piper, Roslindale resident and founder of L’Etoile, a pioneering farm-to-table restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin, will share her experiences and thoughts about using cookbooks. Piper turned to cookbooks in order to bake for her first restaurant job in 1972 and continued to rely on them when culinary school and chef mentoring weren’t an option when she launched L’Etoile in 1976. She ran the restaurant for 30 years, building her culinary knowledge on the principle that respect for nature and all that grows is the beginning of understanding good food. At this talk, she will discuss her takeaways: “Don’t try to be smarter than your ingredients” and “My favorite cookbooks inspired ideas, provide context, instill confidence, and reveal the science behind ingredients and cooking.” Be prepared to look at the many ways to make the best use of all kinds of cookbooks. Bring a favorite, or pick up a new one, and be ready to share. The cookbook sale begins at 6 PM. Most books are $1, and some are giftable for the holidays. The talk begins at 6:30 PM.
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