January 2026 Library News & Events

Unless noted otherwise, all programs are free of charge and in person at the Roslindale Branch. Learn more at friendsofroslindalelibrary.org.

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 - 5 PM.

Holiday Sale!
Thanks to everyone who shopped at our holiday sale last month. We made over $6,000, which will support future library programming. It's a great way to start the new year.

January Events

Three Kings Day Kits - Monday, January 5 - Tuesday, January 6
(while supplies last). 
Stop by the Roslindale Branch to pick up a Three King’s Day kit that includes musical instruments, art, and crown-making materials, a camel grass box, and a new book signed by the author about the Three Kings Day celebration. Thanks to the Friends of Roslindale Branch for their support of these kits.

Pasa por la biblioteca para que te lleves un kit en celebración del Día de los Reyes Magos. El kit incluye instrumentos musicales, materiales de arte para crear coronas de Reyes, una cajita de yerba de los camellos y un nuevo libro gratis sobre los Tres Reyes Magos. Gracias a los Amigos de la Biblioteca Roslindale por su apoyo para obtener materiales y copias de libros para los kits.

Race & Inclusion: People Before Highways
In-Person: January 3, 17 & 31, 9:15-11 AM
Virtual: January 8, 22 & 29, 6:30 PM
The group will discuss Karilyn Crockett's book, People before Highways: Boston Activists, Urban Planners, and a New Movement for City Making, which looks at the local movement involving a broad coalition of residents, community groups, and activists from Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and Cambridge, who opposed the I-95 highway's plan to bisect their neighborhoods.  Kevin Murray will facilitate the discussions. RSVP for the in-person session at roslindale@bpl.org and the virtual sessions at kevinmurraysc@gmail.com.

My Self in the World Story Time - Ages 3-5
Monday, January 5, 4:30 PM 
Join Miss Celeste for stories, songs, and crafts to support Social Emotional Learning for ages 3-5. This month, our theme is feeling shy.

Back to Work Basics
Tuesdays, January 5, 13, 20, and 27, 4 - 5:30 PM
The Back to Work Basics series is here to help you get hired! Join Workforce Development Librarian Michael Brown as he takes you through essential skills to find your next job. Participants can sign up for the entire series or attend a single workshop. For more information, email mbrown@bpl.org

Week 1 - January 6 - Stay Organized While Job Seeking: In this workshop, you’ll discover online project management tools to stay organized and efficient during your job search. Learn how to track applications, set reminders, manage deadlines, and prioritize tasks.

Week 2 - January 13 - AI-Assisted Job Search: In this workshop, you’ll learn how to leverage ChatGPT to analyze job postings and optimize your resume and cover letter, tailoring them to each application.

Week 3 - January 20 - Resume 101: In this workshop, you’ll learn how to edit your resume using Microsoft Word. We’ll guide you through selecting and customizing a professional template, including one created by the BPL Workforce Development Team.

Week 4 - Back to Work Drop-In: A BPL Workforce Development Librarian will help you connect with resources to help you meet your job goals by providing:

- Referrals to other organizations that help with job placement and other workforce tools.
- Templates for crafting resumes and cover letters.
- Resume reviews
- Resources that you can use to help you prepare to enter the job force

Adult Book Discussion Group
Wednesday, January 7, 1 - 2 PM
This month, we will discuss This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub. A limited number of copies are available at the Circulation Desk. You don't need to register. This group meets on the first Wednesday of every month.

Gentle Chair Yoga with Lynne Cohen
Wednesday, January 7, 21, 28, and February 4, 11 AM - 12 PM
Please note this class will not meet on January 14th
Gentle chair yoga is designed for seniors and any individuals seeking to improve strength, focus, flexibility, balance, and overall health. During this mostly seated class, led by Lynne Cohen, students will practice breathwork and gentle movements while learning basic yoga postures, including optional standing poses. Accessible to all levels of experience and ability, gentle chair yoga will increase your stamina and confidence, and you’ll enjoy it! Mats will be provided for participants. If you prefer to use your own mat, please bring it. The Friends of Roslindale Branch Library generously funds this program. To register, email roslindale@bpl.org or call 617-323-2343.

Kid Writer’s Club - Ages 9 and up
Thursday, January 8 & 22, 5 PM
A writing club for kids run by kids. Join in the fun with writing prompts, activities, and more!

Family Story Time with Miss Celeste - Ages 0-5
Saturday, January 10 and 24, 10:30 AM
Join Roslindale Children’s Librarian Miss Celeste for stories, rhymes, finger plays, and other activities to support early literacy. This program is best for ages 0-5.

Pure Imagination! Reconnect with Your Superpower with Dr. Sheila Pontis
Thursday, January 15, 4 - 6 PM
In this workshop, you will learn the science behind imagination and the main barriers. You will practice a range of techniques to identify your obstacles and strategies to overcome them, build confidence in individual and collaborative thinking, and experience the positive effects. The goal is for you to walk away feeling hopeful and empowered to use your imagination in your daily life, at work, or to contribute to society. Everyone is welcome!

Hygge Craft for Adults: Kumihimo Braiding
Thursday, January 15, 6:30-7:30 PM
Learn about Kumihimo braiding and its origins while enjoying a relaxing craft you can do anywhere. If you have a foam Kumihimo disk, please bring it. Otherwise, supplies will be available. Registration required. Email roslindale@bpl.org or call 617-323-2343. Limited to 15 people.

Rozzie Reads Poetry & Open Mic
Thursday, January 15, 7 PM
Roslindale House, 120 Poplar Street
Features: Charles O. Hartman and Josette Akresh-Gonzales

Stuntology - Ages 4 and up
Saturday, January 17 at 10:30 AM
Come see Sam Bartlett wow and amaze with stunts using everyday objects like cups, straws, string, and more.  A mixture of humor and science blended so successfully that you wonder which is which. Sam’s stunts will be accompanied by live music from Eden Mac-Adam Somer of the New England Conservatory.

Fun with Shakespeare Club
Tuesday, January 20, 4 - 5:30 PM 
This month, we will begin reading one of Shakespeare’s historical and tragedy play, Richard II. Familiarity with the plays will help, but all are welcome; facilitated by John Galton. John Galton is a retired English teacher with experience at many different levels: college, elementary, and high school. He earned his PhD in literature from the University of Rochester. John has taught various lifelong learning courses for older adults. He once played minor roles in a professional production of Hamlet and directed Twelfth Night at Hanover High School. Register at roslindale@bpl.org or call 617-323-2343.

Banned Book Club: The Hate U Give
Saturday, January 24, 3-4:45 PM
The Banned Book Club will discuss Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give. The book is banned or challenged in some schools and libraries due to its content, which includes profanity, violence, and discussions of sensitive issues like racism and sexual activity. Critics have also argued that the book promotes an anti-police message.

Roslindale Historical Society Presentation:
The Oldest Businesses of Roslindale
Thursday, January 29, 6:30 – 7:30 PM
Hear Joe Porteleki describe prominent businesses of early 20th-century Roslindale, some still in operation today, including the heritage of his Roslindale Hardware Store and many others. Joe was the first president of the Roslindale Village Main Streets. For further information, contact George Wardle geordie1953@msn.com

Dominican Carnival Experience with Asociacion Carnavelesca de Massachusetts
Saturday, January 31, 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Space is limited. Tickets for this program will be given out at the Front Desk 30 minutes before the show begins. Asociacion Carnavalesca joins us to present a Carnavalesca Experience. Enjoy a curated display of traditional Dominican Carnaval costumes, an interactive workshop where participants can design and decorate their own miniature Dominican masks, and a dynamic live performance featuring Carnaval dancers, traditional choreography, character movements, and a live demonstration of the Dominican whip. Asociación Carnavalesca de Massachusetts is a cultural organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating the traditions of Dominican Carnaval. Through educational programs, artistic presentations, and community engagement, the Asociacion promotes cultural awareness and shares the rich history behind Dominican folklore.

John Boorman Film Series 
Join Barry Marshall, Senior Affiliated Faculty member in the Visual and Media Arts Department at Emerson College, to view and discuss two films in January and two films in February by the director, John Boorman. Bring your own popcorn!  Bring a friend! NOTE: We are back on Mondays again.

Point Blank (1967)
Monday, January 5, 2026 (Note back to Mondays)
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
After being double-crossed and left for dead, a mysterious man named Walker single-mindedly tries to retrieve the money that was stolen from him.

Deliverance (1975)
Monday, January 26, 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Intent on seeing the Cahulawassee River before it's dammed and turned into a lake, outdoor fanatic Lewis Medlock takes his friends on a canoeing trip they'll never forget into the dangerous American back-country.

Excalibur (1981)
Monday, February 9, 2026
1:30 PM - 4:00 PM (Note early start time)
Merlin, the magician, helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart.

Queen and Country (1987)
Monday, February 23, 2026
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
In this sequel to Hope and Glory (1987), Bill Rohan has grown up and is drafted into the army, where he and his eccentric best mate, Percy, battle their snooty superiors on the base and look for love in town.

This program was made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Roslindale Branch Library.

SAVE THE DATE:

36 Questions for Civic Love, Thursday, February 16, 5:30-7:00 PM

Lunar New Year Celebration, Saturday, February 28

Kids Storytime: Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie
Saturday, January 10, 10:30 AM
Birch St House & Garden, 760 South St
Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie will read her new children's book, We Go Slow. She is an interdisciplinary artist, poet, and scholar. Tallie is the author of the Ezra Jack Keats Honor-winning children’s book Layla’s Happiness (Enchanted Lion Books), the poetry collections Strut (Agape Editions), Karma’s Footsteps (Flipped Eye), and the epistolary work Dear Continuum: Letters to a Poet Crafting Liberation (Grand Concourse Press).

Author Talk: Katherine Ann Power
Wednesday, January 14, 6 PM
Distraction Brewery, 2 Belgrade Ave
Katherine Ann Power will discuss her memoir, Surrender. Power offers an intimate portrayal of her remarkable life as a former criminal and fugitive. This candid narrative chronicles her tumultuous journey from impassioned college activist to fugitive on the run for 23 years, exploring the motivations behind her decision to surrender after decades in hiding.