Friday, Oct. 4
Happy Feet Sensory Story Time
10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Event Center (105)
Children ages 5 and under are invited to an inclusive story time and playgroup program held two Fridays a month, led by staff from The Power of Speech, a local speech and occupational therapy organization. Communication boards and other adaptive equipment, as well as visual storyboards, will be available to help with program structure.
Online registration is required.
An Afternoon with Asha Jaffar: On the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy
2 p.m.–4 p.m.
Event Center (105)
Join international journalist Asha Jaffar as she shares the powerful story of how her life was transformed by education. Jaffar attended the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy (KGSA), a free high school that serves 150 girls every year in the Kibera slums of Nairobi. KGSA provides health care, counseling, school meals, extracurricular activities, and boarding. Since 2009, KGSA has graduated over 400 students, with more than 100 pursuing tertiary education.
Jaffar’s presentation will include a video, a program, and a Q&A with KGSA Foundation Executive Director Katy Troyer. Light refreshments will be provided.
Asha Jaffar graduated from KGSA in 2011 and received her bachelor’s in journalism from Moi University. She works as a freelance journalist, producer, and social activist. She has been featured in The New York Times and National Geographic, and has worked for Clear Water Productions and the Foreign Correspondents’ Association of East Africa. Her awards include the Haller Prize for Development Journalism and the Africans Rising Activist of the Year.
Katy Troyer’s international development experience includes a decade with Global Dental Relief and two years supporting women’s projects in Guatemala. She received a bachelor’s in Spanish and Latin American studies from Kalamazoo College and a master’s in international development from the University of Denver. She cherishes every trip to Kenya, where KGSA feels like home.
Saturday, Oct. 5
Craft Supply Swap
10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Event Center (105)
Swap your extra craft supplies for something new! Declutter your craft stash, bring your unused supplies to the library, and browse for new inspiration. Leftover supplies will be donated to the library’s Makerspace for patrons’ future projects.
Drop off new or gently used items at the Reference Desk by Friday, Oct. 4, during library hours.
Questions? Email librarian Wesley Sueker at wsueker@noblenet.org.
Accepted supplies include:
- Items for mark making: inks, pencils, paints, brushes, pastels, erasers, chalks, charcoals, markers
- Fibers: yarn, fabric, felt, thread, embroidery supplies, knitting needles, crochet hooks, patterns, ribbon, quilting tools, sewing notions
- Surfaces: canvas, watercolor paper, drawing paper, scratch boards, panels, sketchbooks, scrapbook paper
- Craft supplies: beads, jewelry findings, scrapbooking supplies, stamps, ink pads, glue, tape, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, stickers, miniatures
Monday, Oct. 7
Early Learning Playgroup
10:30 a.m.–11 a.m.
Event Center (105)
Nathalia Hernandez leads a playgroup for curious young minds, nurturing a love for learning in a fun, engaging environment. For children ages 2–5.
Online registration is required.
This program is sponsored by the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) Grant of the North Shore, funded by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.
Evening Chess Instruction with Flynn MacCallum
6 p.m.–7 p.m.
Killam Children’s Room (101)
Students in grades 3–6 are invited to weekly evening chess instruction, from beginner to advanced levels, led by high school student Flynn. The Children’s Room provides chess boards and pieces.
Online registration is required.
This program is sponsored by the Oliver P. Killam Jr. Fund.
Learn the Tarot: A 3-Part Series
7 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Marblehead Room (304)
Learn tarot with librarian and third-generation tarot reader Wesley Sueker! This three-session course will introduce the structure and meaning of tarot and get you started reading your own cards.
Session 1: Introduction to the cards – structure, symbols, and seeing
Session 2: Forging meaning – balancing intuition and story
Session 3: Multi-card spreads – weaving threads between
Attendance at all three sessions is required. A tarot deck will be provided, or you may bring your own.
Registration is required and limited to 10 participants.
Tuesday, Oct. 8
Adult Fiction Book Club
10 a.m.–11 a.m.
Marblehead Room (304)
Join the Adult Fiction Book Club to discuss The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See. Copies are available at the Reference Desk.
Registration is required. For more information, contact Jane Wolff, Head of Public Service, at wolff@noblenet.org.
Babies and Books with Library Director Kimberly Grad
10:30 a.m.–11 a.m.
Killam Children’s Room (101)
Join Abbot Public Library Director Kimberly Grad for story time featuring songs, fingerplays, board books, and playtime for babies ages 0–12 months and their caregivers.
Online registration is required.
This program is sponsored by the Dr. Charles P. Louden Fund.
Adult Crafternoon: Playing with Pony Beads
1 p.m.–3 p.m.
Event Center (105)
Join us for an Adult Crafternoon! Create pony bead patterns with a variety of options, including trivets, bookmarks, bracelets, and Bead Buddies. No experience necessary—all supplies provided by the library.
Registration is required and limited to 10 participants.
This program is sponsored by the Friends of Abbot Public Library.
Afternoon Chess with Charles Gilligan
4 p.m.–5 p.m.
Killam Children’s Room (101)
Children in grades 3–6 are invited to learn chess strategies and improve their skills under the guidance of Charles Gilligan. Chess boards and pieces will be provided.
Online registration is required.
This program is supported by the Oliver P. Killam Jr. Fund.
Wednesday, Oct. 9
Story Time A-Go-Go
10:30 a.m.–11 a.m.
Courtyard
Children ages 1–4 are invited to Story Time A-Go-Go, led by early childhood educator Debbie Leibowitz.
Online registration is required.
This program is sponsored by the Oliver P. Killam Jr. Fund.
Bring-Your-Own Book Club
2 p.m.–3 p.m.
Marblehead Room (304)
Share your recent book obsessions with fellow readers at the Bring-Your-Own Book Club. Optional theme: mysteries. Whether you’ve read a thriller, cozy mystery, or any genre with a mysterious twist, we’d love to hear about it.
Registration is required and limited to 10 participants.
On the Trail of Your Family Roots: A Six-Week Genealogy Course at Abbot Public Library
6 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Event Center (105)
This class is currently waitlist-only.
Course dates: Sept. 11, Sept. 25, Oct. 2, Oct. 9, Oct. 16, and Oct. 30.
Participants will learn how to gather and organize historical materials, and search genealogy resources through Abbot Public Library and Boston Public Library databases. Participants must have basic computer skills and attend the first two sessions.
Instructor: Linda B. MacIver, former director of genealogy classes at Boston Public Library.
This program is supported by the Marblehead Cultural Council, with funding from the Mass Cultural Council.