December brings a festive line-up of programs to Snow Library. Make gingerbread houses, attend a concert, watch holiday movies and more. See complete details on our calendar page.

On Saturday, Dec. 14 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., families are invited to participate in our annual Gingerbread House Decorating. All materials are provided, from the milkbox-sized houses to all the candies and confections you’ll need to embellish them. Bring your imagination and take home a colorful, edible ornament.

The All Worn Out Jug Band performs a holiday concert in the Craine Room on Wednesday, Dec. 18 from 5 to 6:15 p.m. Expect an eclectic mix of American roots music, including songs from icons like Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, along with country, bluegrass, traditional, and gospel offerings. Admission is free and all are welcome. Sponsored by the Helen Telfair Trust.

Celebrate the winter solstice with a special Solstice Sparkle Storytime on Saturday, Dec. 21 from 11 a.m. to noon. Children are invited to the Craine Room for the story hour, which will include a winter-inspired craft. Them, at approximately 3 p.m., the celebration continues with a sing-along concert led by wandering minstrel Frank Toppa on his accordion. It’s all part of the town of Orleans’ Solstice Sparkle winter festival (visit the Orleans Chamber of Commerce website for more info).

Continuing our Friday afternoon movie series, “Elf,” starring Will Farrell, will be shown at 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 27. Come see this Christmas comedy on the big screen in the Craine Room. Popcorn & candy will be served.

Fred Di Maggio, a cancer survivor, and Pan-Mass Challenge cyclist Tanya Johnson will lead a standalone class on the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Pan-Mass Challenge from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Nov. 20 in Snow Library’s Craine Room. The Dana Farber Cancer Institute is a premier cancer treatment/research center in Boston, where they “specialize in cancer- and you.” Learn about Dana Farber and one man’s journey in fighting high-risk prostate cancer, and a woman’s commitment to cycle and help the Pan-Mass Challenge hit its $1 billion fundraising mark in its 44th year.

To register or for more information, visit https://friendsofsnowlibrary.org/lifetime-learning-program/.

Come to Snow Library’s tent on the village green during Outermost Friday Market in the Park, a festival featuring live music, food trucks, and local business vendors from 1 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11. Under the library tent, we’ll be offering stickers, bookmarks and a “Guess the Weight” game: win a $20 gift card to the Snow Library Book Sale if you can guess the weight of a big stack of books. Library tours will also be offered.

John Whelan, former WOMR radio host and author, teaches “The Art of the Duet,” a three-part Lifetime Learning course, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Thursdays from Oct. 10 through Oct. 24 at Snow Library. Accompanied by Peter Gaines on piano and Denise Page on vocals, Whelan will explore the aesthetic challenge of writing and arranging a proper duet and the art of the delivery. He’ll also use short films and video clips to illustrate.

The Friends of Snow Library’s fall Lifetime Learning session will begin on Monday, Sept. 30 and continue through Nov. 21, with 25 new courses presented both online and in person in the Craine Gallery at Snow Library. The fall session includes many popular past presenters as well as engaging new ones.

Join us under the disco ball from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20 for a dance party suitable for all ages! Youth services librarian aka DJ Kim Auclair leads the fun. There will be lively music (bring your song requests), light refreshments, glow sticks and more. The party will be held in the Craine Room; admission is free and all are welcome.

The 2024 Summer Reading program begins on Friday, June 21 at Snow Library. Drop by the library anytime during open hours after that date to register and pick up a logbook in which to record your reading time. For every three hours that you read, you’ll win a raffle ticket for one of five exciting prizes.

To celebrate the start of summer reading, come to the library’s annual Summer Reading Ice Cream Kickoff from 4 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 11. Fill out a registration form and pick up your logbook while enjoying a sweet cold treat. If you’ve already signed up and logged three hours or more of reading time before July 11, you may collect raffle tickets at the party.  

Three Town of Orleans citizen advisory committees and several nonprofits will host a free program at Snow Library on Friday, June 14th from 2:00-4:00 pm on “Water and Climate Change - What You Should Know.”

Four candidates are running for two spots on the library’s board of trustees. Watch a video of “Meet the Candidates” night, held last Wednesday at the library.

A new library feasibility study, prepared by Oudens Ello Architecture in coordination with the town of Orleans and the Snow Library Feasibility Task Force, is available to the public. Read the report here.

More information on the new library building program, including questions and answers, flyers, and a video of the November public hearing on the project, is available on the Building Our Future page.

The Board of Library Trustees and the Friends of Snow Library are asking for your help and your vote.

The Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program awards grants that support the design and construction of library buildings. The Snow Library Trustees and Staff have been working on a grant application that’s due by May 31, 2024.

In the application, we must demonstrate the town’s support for a new library building. That’s where you come in.

A vote to approve $150,000 at Town Meeting will allow Orleans to go forward with the application. If awarded, the grant can cover a large part of the construction cost for a new building. Approval of these funds is required for the application. If the town does not receive the grant, the design funds will not be expended.

Our Sailor’s Valentine craft program was “snowed out” on Feb. 13. It has been rescheduled to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20. There are still a few spots left; please call the library at (508) 240-3760 if you would like to participate.

Snow Library will be closed and all programs cancelled on Tuesday, February 13 due to the snowstorm.

Come and hear the latest updates on efforts to build a new library and see the vision developed by the Snow Library Feasibility Task Force for a state-of-the-art building. All are welcome and encouraged to attend this second and final public forum held by the Task Force at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23 in the library’s Craine Room.

Manage your account, create and view lists, browse the collection and more with the new CLAMS app.

Download it to your Apple device at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/clams-library-network/id6471598057

Download it to your Android at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.aspendiscovery.clams&hl=en&gl=US&pli=1

Read the article: https://www.capecodchronicle.com/articles/139/view

A public forum held by the Snow Library Feasibility Task Force took place on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Thank you to those who attended in person and via Zoom. A video of the forum may be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=uUCp7cED2Dk&feature=youtu.be

Come to a public forum on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. to hear what the Snow Library Feasibility Task Force, with support from the Trustees and the Friends of Snow Library, is doing to build a new library. See exciting building concepts and get an update from the task force’s consultant. Your input is wanted and needed! To join the meeting via Zoom, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86242894910 (meeting ID 862 4289 4910).