Events in January at Belmont Library

BELMONT — Families should mark their calendars for the Winter Reading Kick-off  on Friday, Jan.7 from 3-5 p.m. Drop in for stories, crafts, and treats.

What is Winter Reading? The Winter Reading program (Jan. 9 - March 15) will be a lot like the Summer Reading program. Participants will track their reading hours and collect raffle tickets for prizes. All ages may participate.

Preschool Storytime (Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.) and Toddler Time (Wednesdays 10:30 a.m.) begin the week of Jan. 10. Activities include stories, practicing rhymes, and doing a craft or collaborative activity together.

Also starting the week of Jan. 10 are two tween and teen groups. Movie Club will be set up in the children's room to watch, discuss, and create movies every other Monday at 3 p.m. This program is geared toward middle school and high school kids and will be led primarily by the club members to meet their particular interests. Great Stone Face Book Club meets every other Thursday to discuss some of the best junior fiction of the year. Every other Thursday at 4 p.m.

For the Bring Your Own Baby event on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 11 a.m., a family-friendly movie will be selected to watch, while your little ones play nearby and are free to be noisy. While you’re in, grab a craft to take home with you, or stop in on Friday, Jan. 14 or 28 for Crafternoon, any time after 3 p.m.

The January non-fiction book group is centered on "I’ll be gone in the dark," a masterful true crime account of the Golden State Killer — the elusive serial rapist turned murderer who terrorized California for over a decade — from Michelle McNamara, the gifted journalist who died tragically while investigating the case. The discussion is set for Thursday, Jan. 13 at 1 p.m.

The Friday fiction book group meets on Friday, January 21 at 10:30 a.m. to discuss "I let you go" by Clare Macinktosh.

Both book group titles are available digitally and at the library and we welcome hybrid attendance.

The Library will be closed Jan. 1 and Jan. 17.

The Belmont Public Library is open six days a week and any time at www.belmontpubliclibrary.org, serving the community with books, digital resources, and cultural programming.