Unless otherwise noted, the following programs are made possible by the Friends of the Library.
Director’s Corner: Director’s Corner: In observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the Library will be closed on Monday, October 12, 2026. The Library will re-open on Tuesday, October 13 at 10:00 a.m.
Annual Magazine Giveaway! Each fall we discard our oldest issues of magazines to make room for the incoming year, and we offer these discarded titles first to our patrons before we recycle them. We continue this tradition this year and are taking requests for our 2025 issues. If you would like any particular titles, contact Bari Pender, bpender@westfordma.gov or by calling Information Services at 978-399-2304. This giveaway is “first come, first served”. Titles will be ready in December and you will be notified when your titles are ready to pick up.
Stargazing Party: Thursday, October 15, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Stony Brook Middle School, 9 Farmer Way Join us for an evening of stargazing at Stony Brook Middle School’s Field! We’ll go stargazing with members of the Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston. They will bring along their telescopes to get a great look at the night sky. Please feel free to bring along your own telescope too! This program is for all ages (recommended for ages 5+). We will need clear skies, so please check our website for updates. This event is weather dependent; a rain date is scheduled for Thursday, October 22nd at 6:00 p.m.
Registration is required.
A star party is a gathering of amateur astronomers who set up their telescopes and other observing equipment so attendees can view the night sky. It is wonderful way to see things that you normally can’t see without a telescope. During a typical start party you may view the moon, planets, stars, galaxies and more.
Please park by the school and walk back up the hill to the viewing area next to the baseball diamond. We need to keep the car headlights away from the telescopes for this program. Questions? Please email us at youthservices@westfordma.gov.
This fun event is sponsored by the Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston, Westford Climate Action, the Westford Recreation Department, and the J.V. Fletcher Library.
Adult Programs
Virtual – Historical Fiction Book Recs with Bestselling Author, Jane Heale: Tuesday, October 13, 6:30 p.m. Love Historical Fiction but not sure what to read next? Join bestselling author, Jane Healey monthly for 30 minutes of pure book recommendations – the best of historical fiction out there! We’re sure you’ll find something to like from Jane’s many enthusiastic reviews. Register here.
Virtual – Women’s Fiction Book Recommendations with Bestselling Author, Kristan Higgans: Thursday, October 15, 6:30 p.m. Love Women’s Fiction but not sure what to read next? Join bestselling author, Kristan Higgins (and Ashland fave!), quarterly for 30 minutes of pure book recommendations – the best of women’s fiction out there! We’re sure you’ll find something to like from Kristan’s many enthusiastic reviews. This program is presented in collaboration with the Ashland Public Library. Register here.
Virtual Job Search Help for 50 & OVER – LinkedIn: Wednesday, October 21, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (please note time change) The Massachusetts Library Collaborative’s 50+ Job Seekers Group meets on biweekly the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., via Zoom. If you are 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! Take advantage of these free, weekly skill-building and networking group meetings. A new topic will be covered at each meeting. Register here.
Monday Mystery Book Club: Monday, October 26th at 2:30 p.m., Roudenbush, 3rd floor. The Mystery Book Club will discuss Clown Town by Mick Herron. Copies are available at the Main Desk at 515 Groton Rd. The e-book and audiobook are available to download from Overdrive/Libby. The audiobook is also available to download from Hoopla. Drop-ins welcome. Email lernick@westfordma.gov for details!
Virtual – Even More Haunted Lighthouses of New England with Author Jeremy D’Entremont, Monday, October 26th, at 7:00PM Lighthouses and ghost stories often seem to go hand in hand. In the past, Jeremy has discussed the lovelorn spirit known as Ernie at Connecticut’s New London Ledge Light and the piano playing ghost of Maine’s Seguin Light, among others as well as about the mysterious Woman in White in the Isles of Shoals and the spirit of a drowned lighthouse keeper at Penfield Reef in Connecticut. This time, who knows what fascinating and haunting tales Jeremy will come up with. This program is brought to you in collaboration with the Ashland, Chelmsford, Groton, and Tewksbury Libraries, as well as a multitude of additional MA & NH Libraries. Register here.
Staff Recommends: The Birthing Tree by Amanda Peters
“Born under the shadow of a birthing tree sacred to generations of Mi’kmaq women, Aliet Paul grows up outside a small Nova Scotia town with her fierce, loving grandmother Kiju. Her mother died bringing Aliet into the world under that very tree; her father remains a mystery no one will name. Aliet’s childhood is shaped by seasonal apple pickers, the medicinal wisdom of the old ways, and the quiet, steadfast presence of John, a boy who becomes her anchor. But the world beyond their community is changing. Traditional midwifery is condemned, prejudice deepens, and when the wrong person witnesses a birth, the consequences are disastrous. Spanning decades of loss and reclamation, this sweeping yet intimate novel follows one woman’s journey to protect the land, the traditions, and the memory of the women who came before her–and to decide which parts of her inheritance she will carry into the future.”
Youth Services Programs
Three & Up Storytime: Tuesday mornings, 10:30-11:15 a.m., Roudenbush – 3rd floor Join us Tuesday mornings for our preschool storytime full of interactive stories, rhymes, fingerplays, puppets, and songs. This storytime program, designed for children ages 3 to 6, promotes reading readiness and early literacy skills. Registration is recommended to receive both weekly reminder emails and updates in case of program changes. When you sign up, you are registered for the entire 8-week Three & Up Storytime session. Questions? Please email us at youthservices@westfordma.gov.
Time for Tots Storytime: Wednesday mornings, 10:30-11:00 a.m. Roudenbush – 3rd floor Our Time for Tots Storytime is a 30-minute interactive story time experience for our young library users and their caregivers. Join us for stories, songs, movements, and puppets that are developmentally appropriate for children from 15 months to 3 years of age. Enjoy time together with fellow parents, caregivers and little ones to learn, play and develop language, early literacy, and motor skills. Come prepared to sit on the floor one-on-one with your toddler. This program is designed for little ones who are on the move. Registration is recommended to receive both weekly reminder emails and updates in case of program changes. When you sign up, you are registered for the entire 8-week Time to Tots storytime session. Questions? Please email us at youthservices@westfordma.gov.
Baby Lapsit: Thursday mornings, 10:30-11:00 a.m., Roudenbush – 3rd floor Baby Lapsit is a 25-minute interactive story time experience for our youngest library users and their caregiver. Join us for stories, songs, rhymes, puppets, and bounces that are developmentally appropriate for children from birth to when they begin walking. This Lapsit program is just for you and the baby! Enjoy time together with other parents, caregivers and babies to learn, play and develop language, early literacy, and motor skills. Come prepared to sit on the floor one-on-one with your baby in your lap. This program is designed for newborns through pre-walking babies. Registration is recommended to receive both reminder emails and updates in case of program changes. When you register, you are registered for the entire 8-week Baby Lapsit
1st Grade Book Club: Tuesday, October 13, 4:00-4:45 p.m., 515 Groton Rd.
Join us for a lively discussion, a snack, and a fun book-related activity!
* Please note that you are registering for all three book club meetings.
The book for the first meeting is available in the Children’s Room. The next book will be available at the first meeting on Tuesday, October 13th and the final book at the meeting on Tuesday, November 10th. If you miss a meeting, you can pick up the book at the desk in the Children’s Room. We are asking all participants to bring along a reusable water bottle to all three meetings to stay hydrated and reduce our plastic usage. Questions? Please email us at youthservices@westfordma.gov.
The books will be:
10/13 – Night Owl Night / Susan Edwards Richmond.
11/10 – Night Sky / Marion Dane Bauer.
12/8 – Erno Rubik and His Magic Cube / Kerry Aradhya.
Stuffie Sleepover: Thursday, October 15, 2:00-4:30 p.m.,515 Groton Rd. Bring your stuffies over to the Children’s Room and let them roam the library overnight! Drop-off will be from 2:00 – 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 15th. You can pick them up on Friday, October 16th, starting at 1:00 p.m.
Drop off your stuffies and don’t forget to make them a nametag while you’re here! There will be lots of fun adventures in store for them! We’ll make sure to tuck them in for a good night’s sleep afterward. Pictures of what they got up to will be posted on the Children’s Instagram, @jvfletcherkids. Questions? Please email us at youthservices@westfordma.gov
Registration is recommended to receive reminder emails and updates in case of program changes. Drop-ins are welcome too.
YA – The Lost Mummy Escape Room: Thursday, October 22, 4:30-6 p.m., Roudenbush- 3rd Floor. For ages 11-14. Join us for a fun escape room! Attendees will be put into groups of four to solve the mystery of the lost mummy, and there will be a prize for the first team to finish! Registration is required.
Crypt-Kids Book Club: Wednesday, October 28, 4:00 p.m., 515 Groton Rd. Just in time for Halloween, join Miss Hannah for a one-time Crypt-Kids book club meeting where we will explore weird and creepy things. Enjoy a snack and create a creepy craft while we talk about Troubling Tonsils, one of Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales! by Aaron Reynolds. Read…if you dare!
We are asking all participants to bring along a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated and reduce our plastic usage. Registration is required. For ages 7-10. Copies of Troubling Tonsils will be available for pick up beginning Monday, October 5th at the Children’s Room desk. Questions? Please email us at youthservices@westfordma.gov.
If you have questions or need assistance, please call us at 978-399-2300 or send us an email at westfordlibrary@westfordma.gov
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