Middle School and High School Summer Reading

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This summer, Read Beyond the Beaten Path! Complete challenges and write book reviews to enter the grand prize drawing, and spin our prize wheel every time you visit the library!

Register: You must register to participate! Register online at bedfordlibrary.beanstack.org or at the Reference Desk in the Bedford Free Public Library.  Registration is now open!

Book Reviews: Read whatever you’d like this summer—fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, manga,  audiobooks, ebooks, and any books that might be required reading for school—and write reviews in Beanstack. Book reviews must be at least 3 sentences long and should not just recount the plot of the book. Think about what you liked or didn’t like about the book and who you might recommend it to. Each review will count as one ticket for the Grand Prize Drawing.

Badges: There are a variety of badges to earn. Some of them are activities to complete, and others are about reading different types of books. You may complete badges in any order, and you don’t have to complete them all. Need help picking out a book for a badge or finding other resources? Check the lists below or ask at the Reference Desk. Each badge will count as one ticket for the Grand Prize Drawing.

Prize Wheel: Every day this summer, you can come in to the library to spin our prize wheel! You could win stickers, buttons, candy, gift cards, additional grand prize drawing tickets, and more!

Grand Prize Drawing: The Grand Prize is a $50 gift card to Barnes & Noble! You can earn tickets for the drawing by completing badges, writing book reviews, and spinning our prize wheel.

Questions?? Confused or wondering about something? Looking for a book recommendation? Email bedmail1@minlib.net and put “Teen Summer Reading” in the subject line or just stop by the Reference Desk at BFPL!

More details on our Summer Reading page!

D.I.Y. projects for Spring?

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Is working on D.I.Y. projects one of your goals? Take a look at our Library of Things page to reserve a Laser Distance Measure, Magnetic Stud Sensor, Thermal Leak Detector, or another of the many useful tools in our collection. We also have just what you need to preserve family photos or VHS tapes from the past if that is something yu want to accomplish this year?

On Exhibit in the Gallery…

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Grounded: Landscape Explorations in Wax

An exhibition with works by CAROL KRAUSS, TRACY SPADAFORA, and SARAH SPRINGER
 
May 12th through July 14th, 2022
 
Reception to meet the artists: Thursday, May 12th 2022,
7-8 PM
The event is free and open to the public

The public is invited to view the exhibit during regular library hours.

This exhibit would not be possible without assistance from the Friends of the Bedford Free Public Library.

 

On Exhibit in the Gallery…

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Connecting Threads

An exhibition with works by
textile artist JOETTA MAUE and photographer BECKY BEHAR 
Through May 11, 2022

The exhibition explores connections we make throughout our lives, the threads we spin and the bonds we create, starting in the nuclei of our families. Joetta Maue’s embroidered fabrics and Becky Behar’s photographs use the element of stitching to construct a visual story of their lives. Their work acts as a document of lives lived and relationships felt.
 
Reception to meet the artists
Sunday, April 10, 2022
5-6 PM
The event is free and open to the public

The public is invited to view the exhibit during regular library hours.

This exhibit would not be possible without assistance from the Friends of the Bedford Free Public Library.

 

Winners of the 12th Annual Peeps Diorama Contest

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Congratulations to our winners!

 

Peeple’s Choice – My One True Peep (Grades K-5)

First in Class (Grades K-5) – Peeps Night Out to the Movies

First in Class (Grades 6-8) – Peeps Peak

First in Class (Grades 9-12/Adult) – A Charlie Brown Christmas

First in Class (Family) – Not a Peep About Bruno

Bragging Rights (Staff) – Camp iRead

Thank you to everyone who built dioramas and everyone who voted! We had a very successful year, and we love seeing everyone get excited about such a fun event!

Please pick up your dioramas by Monday, March 28th.

Spring Lecture Series

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Great Moments in Polar Exploration

A 4-PART SERIES:
  Sundays: March 13, March 20, April 3, and April 10 from 2-4 pm

Professor Dan Breen is back. This year’s lectures cover the many great moments in polar exploration. The history of polar exploration is filled with stories of courage and endurance, as well as triumph and tragedy, that continue to intrigue us today. Dan will reveal the little known facts and nuggets of information that we expect from his lectures.

This year will be a bit different than in past years. We are offering a ‘hybrid’ format. Limited seating for 40 people and the use of the meeting OWL for those who wish to join us ‘virtually’ through Zoom.

Patrons interested in joining us ‘live’ will need to register. Please sign up online . Registration for the first lecture begins on March 4th.  Complete the registration form and be sure to enter the total number of people in your party that will attend that day. We will need to have a contact phone and email in case of a cancelation of the weekly lecture. On the day of the lecture, check-in begins at 1:45 pm at the Meeting Room door. NOTE: You will need to sign up each week you wish to attend in person.

Patrons interested in joining us ‘live’ will need to register for each week separately.
Please sign up online according to the schedule below:

Lecture 1: March 13                           Sign up online now

 

Lecture 2: March 20                           Sign up beginning March 11

Lecture 3: April 3                                Sign up beginng March 25

Lecture 4: April 10                              Sign Up beginning April 1

 
Couldn’t sign up in time or don’t feel comfortable quite yet in a crowd?
Join us ‘virtually’ with Zoom  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82445199921
Meeting ID: 824 4519 992
 
Dr. Daniel Breen is a professor of Legal Studies at Brandeis University. In the past fifteen years,   Dr. Breen has a BA from the University of Wisconsin,  a JD from the University of Georgia and a PhD in History from Boston College. He has taught at Framingham State University and Newbury College. 
 
Winter Lecture Series Programs:  (All with Professor Daniel Breen)
 
2006 World War I
2007 The Great Depression
2008 World War 2 Part 1
2009 World War 2 Part 2
2010 The Civil War Part 1
2011 The Civil War Part 2
2012 Prohibition
2013 Landmark Supreme Court Decisions
2014 Modern Chinese History
2015 Great Moments in Science: A Tale of Six Countries
2016 The Roosevelts:  An Intimate History
2017 Little Known Presidential Elections in American History
2018 Getting to the Moon: American Space Exploration 1945-1969
2019 The Hundred Years War: A Century of Native American Resistance 1790-1890
2020 History of the U.S. in Six Songs
2021 Five Real Life Murder Cases
2022 Great Moments in Polar Exploration – Artic

 Thanks to the Friends of the Bedford Free Public Library for sponsoring this program. Free and open to the public.

12th Annual Peeps Diorama Contest

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The days are getting longer, the weather doesn’t know what it’s doing, and Peeps candies have reappeared in supermarkets. That can only mean one thing – it’s time for our 12th Annual Peeps Diorama Contest! 

Our contest will be back in person this year! Dioramas will be on display near the Reference Desk at the Library.

Submissions are due by Monday, March 14.

Voting will take place Tuesday, March 15 through Monday, March 21.

Winners will be announced on Wednesday, March 23.

Full details, including rules, how to submit your dioramas, and slideshows from past years, are available here.

Community Art Wall: Kaylyn Sethakosee

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Kaylyn Sethakosee is a sophomore student and artist attending Bedford High School in Bedford, MA. She expresses herself through different types of media including acrylic paint, watercolor, and photography. Her facial depictions and cityscapes come from her imagination, which is largely inspired by reading books from the Bedford Free Public Library, while her nature works are influenced by Bob Ross. Her work is meant to evoke a divergence in perception, whether it be bewilderment, curiosity, warmth, or more.

                           

                                                                

                                          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let Kaylyn know how this gallery made you feel by emailing kaylynartcomments@gmail.

 

 

 

 

On Exhibit in the Gallery…

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Cut and Paste, collage by Jean B. Carter, Doron Putka, Kathie Rocha and Stephanie Stigliano is the new exhibit on display at the Bedford Free Public Library from  January 13 to March 9th 2022. 

Jean B. Carter is an artist holding a BFA Degree in Art History and Studio Art with an emphasis on print-making. Her work is geometric, hard-edged using mostly neutral colors with subtle movement of shapes, spaces between and repeated shapes.

Doron Putka has been painting in and around Boston, for more than 20 years. Her work is figurative: portraits, landscapes and still life. her media is oil painting and paper collage.

Kathie Rocha, a primarily self-taught artist, has been painting for over 45 years. Kathie’s early works focused on tole folk art painting working predominantly in oils. More recently she has spent time working in collage allowing for both artistic freedom and attention to detail.

Stephanie Stigliano has experience leading online art groups in book arts, drawing, and printmaking to students of all ages. This method develops community and creativity in a new and exciting way. Her artwork is in the collections of the Fogg Museum and the Houghton Library of Harvard University, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the National Museum for Women in the Arts, and the Book Art Museum of Łodz, Poland.

This exhibit would not be possible without assistance from the Friends of the Bedford Free Public Library.

The public is invited to view the exhibit during regular library hours.