December can be a chaotic month; with holidays, school breaks, winter weather. So we have some fun programs to help entertain your children and give you a little break to enjoy the season.

First up on Wednesday, December 11th at 6pm: we have the very family friendly movie “the Wild Robot”. This movie is still in theaters, but we are able to show it absolutely free. Come by and watch it on our new projection system. It looks great!

Next on Thursday, December 12th at 4pm: we are welcoming back “Teeth Time”. Help your little one feel good about cleaning their teeth. This program has an activity, and approaches the topic in a fun and engaging manner. No registration, just come and enjoy.

On Saturday, December 14th at 3pm: we are hosting performer Steve Blunt for a “Winter Sing-a-long”. Steve will lead us all in fun holiday and winter themed songs. This program is open to children of all ages.

Wednesday, December 18th at 2pm: we are opening the galleries for arts and some crafts. Come make ornaments while looking at the beautiful art the Converse building has on display. It is the perfect space to relax and be inspired. This is an all ages event. The whole community is welcome.

And while you are planning for your holidays please remember that the library takes a short break around Christmas. We strongly encourage everyone to pick up their holds before close on Saturday December 21st as we will be closed on Monday December 23rd-Wednesday December 25th. We will be back and ready to go for December 26th, so if you miss us please stop by then!

Happy Merry December everyone!

Young Adults in the 5th through 12th are invited to make their own Pocket Monster at the Malden Public Library.

Join us on Tuesday, November 5th from 3:00 – 4:30 in the Maccario Room for this fun and fast craft. Bandai Model Crafts require that you snap your creation together like a puzzle following simple instructions. Sign up is required so make sure to look at our online calendar and reserve your spot today:

https://maldenpubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/young-adult-pokemon-model-crafting/

We’ll supply the LEGO bricks, and children can have fun using their imaginations and creating their own LEGO projects on Tuesday, November 5, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Recommended for grades K-5.

The Malden Public Library will be closed on Monday, October 14th in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The library will reopen on Tuesday, October 15th at 9 a.m.

Young Adults in the 6th – 12th Grade are invited to celebrate the spooky season with a party at the MPL. Join us on Thursday, October 31st from 3:00 – 4:30 for gaming, snacks, pizza and fun!

No sign up is required, but the trick is treats will go fast, so come after school for a ghoulish good time.

Young Adults in the 6th through 12th grade are invited to the Malden Public Library to get crafty in the spooky season on Thurs. October 17th from 3:00-4:30 PM.
We will be making spooky candles for the fall season with YA Librarian Patrick. All materials are free but sign-up is required so click this link to register today:

https://maldenpubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/young-adult-craft-spooky-candle-making/

Beauty of Nature will be on exhibit from September 28 through November 22, 2024; Extended to January 25, 2025.  Open Wednesdays 2-4 PM; for additional gallery hours or to schedule a group tour,  call 781-324-0218.

From National Gardener Magazine (Fall, 2024).  “The Coopers … worked together delightfully. It took Joel about 100 hours to create a print. Once completed, he would place it on an easel in the middle of everything, hoping that Deborah would find that little thread to inspire the poem that might express the feelings that print brought out in her, much like a fairy tale. Sadly, Joel passed away in 2021.” The Cooper family has donated 85 of Joel’s prints to the Malden Public Library’s Art Collection. The current exhibit showcases 30 prints and poems created by the Coopers over the past 40 years. The exhibition is made possible by the generous contributions of John Giso, Michael Nuttall, Martin Cooper, Kim Taylor and the Trustees of the Malden Public Library.

Joel Cooper (April 16, 1945-October 13, 2021) began fine art screen printing in 1989, having been introduced to the process through a workshop at the Duluth Art Institute. Joel was a talented printer for over 28 years, with a portfolio of over 170 prints. His work has been exhibited at various Duluth Art Institute shows including the Arrowhead Regional Biennial Exhibits. In February 1998 a collaborative show, As We See It, took place at the Duluth Art Institute. It combined 42 screen prints along with poems by his wife, Deborah Gordon Cooper and this began a series of many exhibits they did together, including the Northern Prints Gallery and the Johnson heritage Post Gallery in Grand Marais. Joel owned and operated Cooper Enterprises in Duluth for over forty years and was a founding member of the Northern Printmakers Alliance.

Deborah Cooper is the author of six collections of poetry, including Between the Ceiling & the Moon (Finishing Line Press 2008), Under the Influence of Lilacs (Clover Valley Press 2010) and Blue Window (Clover Valley Press 2017). Deborah’s work has been published in numerous journals and anthologies, among them two collections by her writing group of over thirty years, most recently Bound Together: Like the Grasses (Clover Valley Press 2013). She has co-edited anthologies published by Holy Cow Press: Beloved on the Earth, The Heart of All That Is and Amethyst & Agate. Deborah has conducted writing circles with homeless individuals in her community. She has taught poetry classes in jails and juvenile centers for many years. Deborah was honored to serve as the Duluth Minnesota Poet Laureate from 2012 to 2014.