Dr. Andrea Resciniti's giant gingerbread house 2023 is on display in the Main Library Lobby through Sunday, January 14. This is the 29th gingerbread house Dr. Resciniti, a surgeon at Emerson Hospital, has crafted and donated to the Concord Free Public Library since 1993. The freshly baked gingerbread house contains 31 batches of gingerbread and weighs over 100 pounds. We thank Dr. Resciniti for her time and generosity.
The 2023 Holiday Book Sale takes place in the Goodwin Forum of the Main Library on December 1 & 2, from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and December 3, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. The Book Sale is full of nearly-new or gently used books, movies, and music CDs for adults and children. Come for your holiday shopping and have a fun time. Sponsored by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library.
The Minuteman Library Network launched a new online catalog on November 1, 2023. Highlights of the new features include view all formats of a title under one search research result; browse new titles and spotlighted titles; manage your physical and digital holds and loans all in the same account; and easily create and save lists. [Visit Concord's Online Catalog]
The 2023 Concord Festival of Authors presents Poetry Panel with Oliver de la Paz and Jill McDonough on Sunday, October 29, 3:00 p.m. in the Goodwin Forum, Main Library, followed by book-signings and light refreshments. Sponsored by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library. [Register for Poetry Panel]
The 2023 Concord Festival of Authors Mystery Night presents Gledé Browne Kabongo, John Nardizzi, and Sharon Healy Yang on Monday, October 30, 7:00 p.m. in the Goodwin Forum, Main Library. Moderated by Concord's own mystery writer Kate Flora. Sponsored by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library. [Register for Mystery Night]
The Friends of the Concord Free Public Library will present the 2023 Ruth Ratner Miller Award to Robert A. Gross on Saturday, October 21 at 7:00 p.m. in the Goodwin Forum of the Main Library. A longtime Concord resident and a specialist in the social and cultural history of the United States from the Revolution to the Civil War, Prof. Gross focuses particularly on New England. His first book The Minutemen and Their World received the Bancroft Prize in American History. His latest book The Transcendentalists and Their World was chosen by the Wall Street Journal as one of the ten best books of 2021. Book signing and reception to follow. Tickets: $15 ($5 for students). [Read More and Register]
Join us to celebrate the Concord Free Public Library's 150th birthday on Sunday, October 1, 2023 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.! Please come to the Town House at 2:00 p.m. to hear local and state officials commemorate this historic day and hear special guest “Ralph Waldo Emerson” re-enact excerpts from his original Library Dedication speech on October 1, 1873. Immediately following, the Concord-Carlisle Regional High School Pep Band will kick off a parade to the Main Library’s Front Lawn, where the celebration will continue with special guests, music, cake, activities, and giveaways for all ages. [Read More about the Celebration]
The Library Green Team welcomes the launch of the CFPL Sustainability Newsletter - the "Climate Corner" - at the end of September 2023! Recent highlights include the CFPL Corporation working to identify options for decarbonization and Library staff offsetting the equivalent of 83,333 pages of paper consumption to date by going receipt-free.
The annual Leslie Riedel Memorial Lecture for Young People will present author/illustrator Chris Van Dusen on Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. in the Goodwin Forum, Main Library. The lecture series was created in memory of Leslie Riedel by her family and friends so that young people could meet some of their favorite authors. Past speakers of the series include children's authors/illustrators David Macaulay, Chris Van Allsburg, Jerry Pinkney, Lois Lowry, Tomie dePaola, Grace Lin, Katherine Paterson, Kate DiCamillo, Robert Sabuda and Rajani LaRocca. [Register for Chris Van Dusen Event]
Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Concord Free Public Library with an evening of food & drink & merriment for patrons 21+ at our After-Hours @ the Library fundraising event on Saturday, October 14, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. at the Main Library. Your ticket includes all food, drink, and entertainment. Proceeds benefit the new makerspace the Workshop of the Library. Tickets sold online only. [Read More About the Event] [Purchase tickets]
