The Shrewsbury Public Library has partnered with Headspace! The Headspace app includes hundreds of meditations along with exercises for sleep, focus, and movement. Shrewsbury residents are eligible to request access to Headspace on a first come, first served basis, typically between the 14th and 28th of the month for the month that follows (i.e., you should sign up between September 14th and September 28th to request a October license). Find out more on our website.

Library Programs

Spanish Conversation Club
Tuesdays, September 6, 13, 20, & 27
6:00–7:00 p.m.

At the library (Learning Lab on second floor) 

Are you looking for a casual space in which you can practice your Spanish and learn more about the multiple cultures of those who speak that language?

Join our Spanish Conversation Club every Tuesday in September at the Shrewsbury Public Library at 6:00 p.m. in the Learning Lab on the second floor.

¿Buscas un espacio informal en el que puedas practicar tu Español y aprender más de las múltiples culturas que hablan este idioma? Únete a nuestro club de conversación todos los martes de septiembre en la biblioteca pública de Shrewsbury a las 6:00 p.m. en el laboratorio. 

No registration required/No es necesario registrarse.

50+ Job Seekers Networking Group 
First and third Wednesdays (September 7 & 21)
9:30–11:30 a.m.
Virtual

If you are over 50, unemployed and actively looking, underemployed, seeking a new career direction, re-entering the job market after a long employment gap, or recently retired and looking for your "Encore Career", this networking group program is perfect for you! Remember, 85% of jobs are found through networking! 

Join us in a professional forum for networking with peers in a safe and comfortable environment conducive to developing new relationships and developing skills and strategies to help in your career transition. Each meeting features a new topic. Meetings include a presentation and hands-on workshop on topics relevant to career transition, guest speakers, access to hiring managers, small group breakout rooms to network, and 1-on-1 coaching guidance. Participating on a regular basis will give job seekers the many tools and strategies needed for a successful job search.  

Each biweekly meeting is facilitated by Deborah Hope, MBA, PCIC, an experienced executive career coach. Deborah is a former Fortune 500 executive, investment banker and entrepreneur and transitioned to executive coaching over 10 years ago. She has coached with Harvard Business School Executive Education programs, the Mass. Conference for Women, and is a Certified Leadership Agility Coach. She has facilitated 50+ Job Seekers Networking Groups for 5 years and is a Licensed Group Leader.  

This month's topics will be:

-Sept 7: Developing a Resume: Part 1

-Sept 21: Resumes Part 2: Experience/STARS

This program takes place virtually on Zoom; please register to attend separately for each session. 

View the full list of topics on our Facebook event page.

Introduction to Personal Finance
Wednesday, September 7th
7:00–8:15 p.m.
At the library

This workshop, run by Merwyn Figueiredo, will help attendees learn about the financial planning process and how to use financial statements and budgets to help increase their savings and networth.

Merwyn worked for Digital Equipment and Millipore for a combined 25 years and then retired at the age of 50. For 12+ years he taught courses at QCC, including Micro and Macro Economics, Introduction to Business, Personal and Corporate Finance, Principles of Real Estate, and Principles of Management.

This program will take place in person at the library; please register to attend

How to Stress Less & Thrive By Shifting What’s Keeping You Emotionally Stuck!
Thursday, September 8th
6:30–8:30 p.m.
At the library

Are you:

-Troubled with ongoing stress and anxiety?

-Feeling fear and worry about the present or future?

-Experiencing chronic pain or tension in your body?

Then attend this dynamic workshop to learn to:

-Calm your emotional stress in the moment.

-Clear triggers causing your emotional stress.

-Strengthen your immune system and reduce chronic pain.

Join presenters Brad and Pamela Thompson, Certified Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Practitioners, for this workshop. They will share knowledge and tools on how to release stress, anxiety, feelings of being overwhelmed, fear, worry, chronic pain, and more. Participants will be able to immediately use a powerful self-help technique to reduce the harmful effects of stress.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Shrewsbury Public Library.

This event will take place in person at the library; please register to attend. 

Climate Change: What it Means for New England
Thursday, September 8th
7:00–8:00 p.m.
Virtual

Join Quentin Prideaux he presents the basic science of climate change and its effect on New England. Combining powerful images of the early effects of climate change with concrete data on what is happening right now, this presentation is both moving and enlightening. The talk will cover the impacts and causes of climate change, the actions we need to take, and what it all means for the Northeast.

This program is presented in collaboration with the Ashland Public Library and other MA public libraries and is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library.

This event will take place virtually on Zoom; please register to attend.

Medicare Educational Workshop
Monday, September 12th
7:00–8:00 p.m.
At the library

Would you like to see a simple explanation of Medicare?  Are you new to Medicare, getting ready for open enrollment, or have some burning questions? Please join us to hear Russ Swallow, a Certified Senior Advisor™ and WCRN 830 AM Radio show host of “The Medicare Advisor.”  Russ will cover all the “moving parts” of Medicare with simple explanations.  He will also be available after the presentation should you have questions.

Attendees will receive the “Medicare Cheat Sheet” which is a snapshot of all the basics you’ll need to understand.

This event will take place in person at the library; please register to attend.

Community Conversation: The Immigrant Experience
Wednesday, September 14th
6:30–8:00 p.m.
At the library

Join us for this interactive panel discussion with members of the Shrewsbury community who have all immigrated from other countries. Ashish Cowlagi, Ragoo Raghunathan, Kosmas Karadimitriou, and the library's own Shi Wen Chen will discuss their experiences leaving their countries of origin and settling in the United States, as well as their reasons for making the Town of Shrewsbury their permanent homes. The panelists will compare their experiences amongst themselves, but questions from attendees will be welcomed.

Part of the library's “Radical Empathy and Community Conversations” series of programs, this panel discussion will highlight the shared bonds of the Shrewsbury community as well as the wonderful uniqueness of all of its members.

This event will take place in person at the library; please register to attend.

SPL Foundation Distinguished Lecture: Dr. Sanjiv Chopra
Thursday, September 15th
7:00–8:00 p.m.
Hybrid: At the library and virtual

This talk by Dr. Sanjiv Chopra, speaker, thought leader, author of a number of bestsellers, is part of the Distinguished Lecture Series sponsored by the SPL Foundation.

In this talk, Dr. Sanjiv Chopra will reflect on the four major tenets of happiness. What are the lessons we have learned from ancient and modern day philosophers? What can we glean from the longest study on what makes a good life?  A study that is ongoing after almost four decades! What are the Two Most Important Days in one’s life journey? What is the key to sustained and lasting happiness?

This will be a hybrid event that will take place at the library, offered on Zoom, livestreamed on Facebook and recorded by the Shrewsbury Media Connection.

Registration is required for in-person attendance and Zoom.

12 Lifestyle Factors That Affect Our Well-Being More Than Food
Thursday, September 22nd
7:00–8:00 p.m.
At the library

There are twelve lifestyle factors that affect a person's well-being more than food. People are taught to change their diets and eat lots of organic fruits and vegetables; however, what people put into their mouths is not their only source of nourishment. If someone has already changed their diet and still feels unhealthy or lacks passion and energy, they may be lacking in one or more of these factors that support a healthy and fulfilling life. In this workshop, participants will discover the factors that affect their wellbeing and truly nourish them as well as create an action plan for a happier and healthier life.

Lori Kendall-Taylor holds a master’s degree in Life Coaching from Liberty University, a health coach certification in holistic health, nutrition, and coaching, and an advanced certification in Gut Health from the Institute Of Integrative Nutrition. She is the owner of Lifestyle Reset Coaching With Lori where she uses event-based, motivational interviewing techniques coupled with accountability to support her clients in making diet and lifestyle changes to attain their health goals.

This event will take place in person at the library; please register to attend.

Mekong River Journey
Saturday, September 24th
2:00–3:00 p.m.
At the library

In this program, world traveler Bob DeCoteau will share his experiences from his trip up the Mekong River from Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), Vietnam to Siem Reap, Angkor Wat, Cambodia, during which he traveled by small boat to get a better view of life along the riverbank.  

Participants will experience the growth of the modern city of Saigon and trace the history of this fast-growing metropolis, then cross over into Cambodia and see life on one of the largest lakes in Southeast Asia, known as the Tonle Sap. While in Cambodia, attendees will spend time at the largest religious temple monument in the world, Angkor Wat. 

Sponsored by the Friends of the Shrewsbury Public Library.

This event will take place in person at the library; please register to attend.

Shrewsbury Genealogy Club
Monday, September 26th
7:15–9:15 p.m.
Virtual

Anyone interested in genealogy (or family history) can now join the Shrewsbury Genealogy Club from the comfort of their home! The club will meet on Zoom the fourth Monday of every month starting at 7:15 p.m. 

To register, email the Genealogy Club’s clubmaster, former SPL Assistant Director George Brown, at [email protected].

The Environment & Modern Agriculture film screening
Tuesday, September 27th
7:00–8:00 p.m.
At the library

Join us for a screening of a documentary film examining the relationship between agriculture and the environment. The worldwide demand for animals, products, and crops impacts ecosystems and human health through climate change, natural resource depletion, environmental pollution, and wildlife extinction. Watch to learn how humans can help create a better future, starting today!

This event will take place in person at the library; please register to attend.

Friends of the Library Annual Meeting & Author Talk by Beverly Beckham
Wednesday, September 28th
6:30–8:00 p.m.
At the library

On Wednesday, September 28th, the Friends of the Library will have their annual board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Following their business meeting, author and speaker Beverly Beckham will give a talk at 7:00 p.m. that the public is welcome to attend.

Beverly Beckham began her writing career in 1979 and her articles and essays have appeared in newspapers and magazines around the world. Beckham wrote columns and editorials for the Boston Herald for 20 years and currently writes a Sunday column for the Boston Globe. Beckham is the author of A Gift of Time, a collection of personal essays; Back Then, a Memoir of Childhood; and The Best of Beverly Beckham, a Boston Globe ebook. Beckham's articles often give a voice to people who cannot speak for themselves. However, she is most known for her reflective words and ability to make her readers appreciate the extraordinary joys in everyday life.

No registration is required.

Reading Glasses
Thursday, September 29th
7:00–8:30 p.m.
Virtual

The September meeting of Reading Glasses, our book group for adults in their 20s and 30s, will be Thursday, September 29th on Google Meet. We’ll be discussing Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, “a novel of art, time travel, love, and plague that takes the reader from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon five hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and space” (penguinrandomhouse.com).

New attendees, please email [email protected] to receive a Google Meet invite closer to the date.

Meditation for Healthy Living
Thursday, September 29th
7:00–8:00 p.m.
Virtual

In this meditation workshop, Gerry Gorman will present research on how meditation can improve our physical, mental, and spiritual health. He will present effective methods for creating a more satisfying lifestyle, including harmonious relationships and a deep sense of peace. Attendees will learn effective strategies and have a chance to practice a simple but profound meditation technique that can help reduce stress, enhance relaxation, and promote inner growth. 

A student of meditation for over 40 years, Gerry studied with two of the most respected mystics of our time. He describes a very practical form of meditation and explores how this practice can help each of us develop physically, mentally, and spiritually.

This event will take place virtually on Zoom; please register to attend.

Goodbye OverDrive . . . Hello Libby!
Friday, September 30th
2:30–3:30 p.m.
At the library

Do you currently use OverDrive to access ebooks and audiobooks? Are you worried about making the switch to Libby? Bring your device and join us for a class in the Learning Lab to get help with the transition!

This program is intended for current OverDrive users. Sessions will be offered monthly through the end of the year.

Registration is required; please visit our events calendar and register for your preferred date. 

Shrewsbury Readers
Thursday, October 6th
6:30–7:30 p.m.
At the library

Shrewsbury Readers is a group about good books and good discussions. Titles are selected from various genres and copies of the book will be available for checkout at the main circulation desk of the library on the first floor. Meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month at the library.

At the October 6th meeting, we will be discussing The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate, “the dramatic story of three young women searching for family amid the destruction of the post–Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who learns of their story and its vital connection to her students’ lives” (lisawingate.com).

New members are welcome; please contact Priya Rathnam at 508-841-8537 or [email protected]

An Evening with Gish Jen (MetroWest Readers Fest)
Thursday, October 6th
7:00–8:00 p.m.
Hybrid: At the Goodnow Library and virtual

In partnership with Wayland Free Public Library and Goodnow Library (Sudbury, MA), MetroWest Readers Fest (MWRF) invites you to a talk by author Gish Jen. This event is a part of ONE, a community-wide read organized by MWRF and is a collaboration between 24 Massachusetts libraries.

The title for this year’s initiative is Thank You, Mr. Nixon, a short story collection by the acclaimed writer Gish Jen. In this collection of 11 linked short stories, Jen “embarks on a fictional journey through U.S.-China relations, capturing the excitement of a world on the brink of tectonic change.” The book was named the #1 Recommendation for AAPI Month by Oprah Daily, an Amazon Editor’s Pick for Best Literature & Fiction, and was called “marvelous” by Claire Oshetsky in the New York Times. In July 2022, NPR included Thank You, Mr. Nixon in its biannual “Books We Love” feature.

Whether or not you’ve read Thank You, Mr. Nixon, we enthusiastically invite you to a lively evening and hear from Gish Jen, an observant chronicler of American life. Attendees will have ample opportunity to ask questions, share thoughts, or just listen. The Silver Unicorn Bookstore will be onsite at the Goodnow Library to sell Ms. Jen’s books.

This is an in-person event with the opportunity to tune in virtually:

-Please register here to attend in person at the Goodnow Library in Sudbury, MA

-Please register here to attend virtually on Zoom.