Programs & Events

What’s going on at the library? We have plenty of programs for children, teens, and adults!

Children | Teens | Adults

Children’s Programs

Babytime

We’re currently taking a quick break from Babytime, but our next session returns on Tuesday, March 4 and runs through April 15th.  Sorry–there will be a pause on Babytime during March Break (Tuesday, March 11).

Babytime is open to everyone, even if you’d only like to come to one or two sessions. The new drop in format has been working well, but make sure to get here early–we can only accommodate the first 15 babies and parents. Once the room is full, we will put a notice on our door to let parents know they should try again next week and we’ll have a fun resource pack to take home.

Welcome back to fun, drop-in programming!

Storytime

Storytime runs from January 8 – June 25th, 2025 at 10am for ages 2-5.

Storytime is our weekly early literacy program for children aged 2-5. We sing songs, read great books and practice lots of early literacy skills in a fun manner. This is the perfect session for families with children of a variety of ages as we work hard to engage everyone through lots of activities and get kids to enjoy books. If your child hasn’t really had the opportunity to meet or socialize with other children, this is the perfect setting to get them started. We do a lot of repetition to make sure kids start to keep comfortable and learn about routines and following direction. It’s a great session to get your child ready for school!

This program is also provided in an accessible space, with access to our meeting space from our outdoor ramp. During most storytime hours, the library is still closed to regular visitors so please plan on using the side door access–posters are placed on the front door with arrows providing direction to the accessible space.

While we do periodically offer sensory-friendly storytime programming, there are also always sensory objects available for children who might need some stimulus-calming during the session. We expect these sessions to be a little noisier or busier than some programs due to the age of the children, so please prepare if you have sensory issues if necessary.

If your child is in need of accessible reading options such as Braille books, dyslexia-friendly options such as decodable books or audiobooks, we can provide you with options for reading at home. Please feel free to let is know ahead of time if your child would like some of these options, or if they have other sensory or accessibility issues that may prevent them from enjoying our space or the program. We’d be happy to try to accommodate. You can email Heidi at hsinnett@carletonplace.ca

No registration is required for this fun program.

See you at the library!

Intergenerational Storytime

Intergenerational Storytime will continue in 2025 at Waterside Retirement Village at 105 McNeely Avenue. It’s a great place to attend a smaller version of storytime in a quiet environment that really makes a difference in the lives of the residents at Waterside who take part. No registration is required–just arrive a few minutes early and be prepared to have fun.

Due to staffing issues, we’re taking a short break from Waterside until summer. Please watch our website for updates.

Waterside is an accessible space with easy-access electronic door buttons at the front door. Please feel free to bring in strollers or other child-friendly vehicles such as carts or wagons when visiting for storytime.

Many seniors don’t receive a lot of visitors and very few see children so this is a great opportunity for them to experience the joy of youth in their comfortable setting and try something new. Kids will enjoy the quiet, cozy environment of Waterside–we’ll meet in the front lobby and do all of the same fun songs, stories and early literacy activities that we do at the library, but on a different day in a different place. If you can’t make it to our storytime that week, you’ll have another opportunity to get out and enjoy an activity.

Waterside is located at 105 McNeely Avenue. There is plenty of free parking up front or at the rear of the building and we’ll end each session with a fun stamp, sticker or treat just to wrap things up. No registration is required–please invite your friends to come along! We’d love for these sessions to really grow this year.

French Language Storytime

French Language Storytime is back!

The Carleton Place Public Library is proud to partner with Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est to offer a monthly French language storytime program!

Currently, we’re fitting the sessions into our calendar please make note up the upcoming sessions for 2024 & 2025 as they don’t happen on a regular day of the month.

Saturday, November 23 at 10:30am – Cancelled due to illness

Saturday, December 14 at 10:30am

Saturday, January 18 at 10:30am

Saturday, February 22 at 10:30am

Saturday, April 5 at 10:30am

Saturday, May 10 at 10:30am

Saturday, June 7 at 10:30am

French Storytime is open to children of all ages and is primarily aimed at those who speak French, although all levels of French are welcome. This can be a great session for parents who want to expose young children to the language when they don’t speak it themselves, and it’s also great for those in French Immersion who need extra practice.

No registration is required–just come to the library on one of the Saturday mornings listed above and enjoy a fun hour of stories and songs in French.

Book Dragons Book Club

Book Dragons Book Club is for kids in Grades 6-8 and happens on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 6-7pm at the library, from September to May.

REGISTRATION IS NOW FULL for the 2024-2025 season.

We read a new novel each month and meet in person to discuss it as a group. The aim of this book club is to teach kids to read critically, but it’s also a lot of fun. We do an activity and usually play at least one fun ice breaker game during each meeting as well.  All of our book clubs this year will be in person so please plan on having your child at the library by 6pm so we can start on time.

Please note: if the buses are cancelled, we do not run programs. Please listen to local radio stations on snowy mornings or visit https://www.steo.ca/delays/ for updates on bus cancellations.

Reading Rabbits Book Club

Reading Rabbits Book Club is for kids in Grades 2 & 3 and happens on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 6-7pm at the library.

Reading Rabbits is now full for the fall session. If we have any more spaces open up, we’ll advertise here and on our social media platforms.  Thank you to everyone who applied this summer!

Kids read short chapter books, fun and easy graphic novels and we have great discussions about the topics covered each month. Parents are welcome to read the books with their kids.

Book clubs are great for kids who LOVE to read and who would like a little challenge–these are not suitable for kids who are looking for extra reading help or who may not be able to read a whole chapter book in a month–everyone needs to have read the book before coming to the session if possible. If you have any questions about the Reading Rabbits book club, please feel free to email Heidi at hsinnett@carletonplace.ca

Wild Readers Book Club

Wild Readers Book Club is for kids in Grades 4 & 5 and happens on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 6-7pm at the library.

WILD READERS IS NOW FULL. If we have any spaces open up during the fall, we will add more registrations.

Kids read short chapter books, fun and easy graphic novels and we have great discussions about the topics covered each month. Parents are welcome to read the books with their kids.

Book clubs are great for kids who LOVE to read and who would like a little challenge–these are not suitable for kids who are looking for extra reading help or who may not be able to read a whole chapter book in a month–everyone needs to have read the book before coming to the session if possible. If you have any questions about the Wild Readers book club, please feel free to email Heidi at hsinnett@carletonplace.ca

Toddler Time

Toddler Time is back better than ever!

If you haven’t been to Toddler Time, then you’re in for some fun! Join us for a morning session on Tuesdays at 10:30am, open to children aged 1-3. Our early Spring session runs from March 4 – April 15th. Please note: there will be no Toddler session during March Break (Tuesday, March 11).

This program is also provided in an accessible space, with access to our meeting space from our outdoor ramp. We expect these sessions to be a little noisier or busier than some programs due to the age of the children, so please prepare if you have sensory issues if necessary.

If your child is in need of accessible reading options such as Braille books, dyslexia-friendly options such as decodable books or audiobooks, we can provide you with options for reading at home. Please feel free to let us know ahead of time if your child would like some of these options, or if they have other sensory or accessibility issues that may prevent them from enjoying our space or the program. We’d be happy to try to accommodate. You can email Heidi at hsinnett@carletonplace.ca

No registration is required for this fun program of activities, songs, books and much more to keep your toddler moving and learning. This will run for a 6-week session then take a quick break.

Forest of Reading

How and when can you register?

Registration is now finished for 2025.

How does it work?

Once registered, kids will read 8-10 books in their grade category. At the end of March, we’ll have a full week when they can come in anytime to vote on their favourite books! It’s a lot of fun and these books are the best books from 2022-2024 written or illustrated by a Canadian, so they’re extra special to all of us.

Is there a prize?

This year, everyone who registers for Forest of Reading will be entered to win a Kids Gardening Prize provided by our very own Carleton Place RONA store! Make sure to get in and register to win this great prize.  But even if you don’t win, kids will have fun trying to pick their favourite book of the season from the list of books in their category.  It’s the only Reading Program where a prize is given to a Canadian author or illustrator and voted on ONLY by children!

When do we vote?

Voting begins Monday, March 24 and runs through March 28th. Participants can come in anytime that week to cast their vote for their favourite book in their category.  Once all the votes are in, we’ll tabulate our local winner and draw from all of the entries for a great garden planting prize from RONA Carleton Place! We’ll also send all the votes to Toronto to be included in the final vote tabulations for the winning authors and illustrators. It’s an exciting month!

Please email Heidi with any questions at hsinnett@carletonplace.ca

Summer Literacy Tutoring

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Summer Literacy Tutoring program in 2024! Our tutors Laura and Emma worked with 30 kids this summer to some great successes, and we had lots of happy kids and parents as a result.  Please see the info below about our 2025 program and how you might be able to take part.

Our Summer Literacy Tutoring program runs from July through the middle of August for kids who have been in Kindergarten to Grade 2 during the current school year. In early May, we contact all local schools and ask teachers to recommend students for the program–those kids who might benefit from a few weeks of tutoring one-on-one to help with the summer reading slump.  Our tutors prepare lessons based on the teacher reports and work with their students for a 2-week period to help strengthen skills, work on reading confidence, and encourage a love a books and reading that will hopefully carry through to the next school year.

This is a very popular program and spaces fill up quickly. Once all spaces are full, we will still offer a weekly “Flex Friday” reading buddy style session with the tutors that is open to everyone each week, even if they are not participating in the literacy tutoring program. Registration begins on the Monday of each week. Please call the library at 257-2702 for more information.

Teen Programs

Teen Volunteers at the Library

Queer Sphere Crafting Circle

Queer Sphere in March is on a different day–so take note!  We’re meeting Wednesday, March 19 from 3-4:30pm and we’ll be creatively painting rocks.

Each month, teens from 12-16 can join us on the 2nd Wednesday of the month from 3-4:30 for a fun craft and chat. The sessions are inclusive, relaxing, and you’ll meet some new people you can call friends.  Don’t like the craft we’re doing? Don’t worry—you can bring your own and work on it while you’re here.

There is no registration for this program–just bring yourself and an open mind.

Adult Programs

Adult Book Club

Meets the second Monday of the month from 6:30 pm to 8 pm, in the Barbara Walsh Room.

Book club is a perfect time to relax and discuss some great reads.  Copies of books are available as eBooks, and are also sourced through the Provincial inter-library loan network.  Book club selections are made by members. Drop in for one session, or join us every month!

While all are welcome to attend Book Club meetings, the library is currently at capacity for the number of book club copies we are able to source through the Provincial inter-library loan network. Please place a hold on one of our physical or digital copies.

September 9, 2024 – Unkindness of Ravens by M.E. Hilliard

October 21, 2024 – Fire in the Stars by Barbara Fradkin

November 18, 2024 – Cracked Pots by Heather Tucker

December 9, 2024 – Dear Life by Alice Munro

January 13, 2025 – Theme month! This month’s theme is “Learn Something New”. Read any nonfiction book about a person, place, perspective, or thing you know little about. Come prepared to talk about what you have learned. Need some ideas? Check out our list of interesting non-fiction reads here.

February 10, 2025 – Midnight Library by Matt Haig

March 10, 2025 – The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

April 14, 2025 – The Book of Rain by Thomas Wharton

May 12, 2025 – Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

June 9, 2025 – Lost Book of Bonn by Brianna Labuskes

Cookbook Book Club

️ Cook Book Book Club: A Tasty Twist on Book Clubs!

Calling all food lovers and culinary explorers—CPPL’s Cook Book Book Club is dishing up something special, and we want YOU to join the feast!

This isn’t your typical book club. Each month, we pick a theme, try out recipes, and bring our delicious creations to share at our meeting. It’s like a potluck party for foodies! Plus, at the end of the year, we create a cookbook featuring our favorite recipes.

When? The FIRST WEDNESDAY of every month at 6:30 PM.
‍ Where? Your library, where food and fun come together!

New members are always welcome, so come hungry and ready to cook up something amazing!

No sign-up necessary!

2024/2025 Themes:

September: Food decade: the 1920s

October: Smoked!

November: Crockpot Classics

December: Do More with Less

January: No Meat Month

February: Dumplings of the World (Cancelled)

March: Foods from the Movies

April: Deceptively Delicious

May: Brunch!

June: Redemption Run

Sweet Vinegars with Claudia Radmore

Join us for a very special event on Thursday, April 10th from 6-7:30pm with local poet Claudia Coutu Radmore as she unveils her latest work called “Sweet Vinegars: Wildflower Poems” just in time for spring! This lovely collection will inspire and delight anyone who loves poetry and flowers and yearns for that spring feeling. Local photographer John Rayner’s amazing nature photographs will also be featured during this event–sure to help us all connect to Radmore’s evocative selections visually.

No registration is required for this event but be sure to arrive early to get a good seat. Radmore’s events at the library are always a popular session filled with tactile props, interesting stories behind her work and lots of time for questions afterward.

With generous thanks to the Canada Council through the Writers’ Union of Canada for their financial assistance for this event.

Alzheimer’s Society Caregiver Support

The Carleton Place Public Library is proud to partner with the Alzheimer’s Society of Lanark, Leeds and Grenville to offer a Caregiver Support group.  These monthly meetings for caregivers are offered to any person caring for a loved one living with dementia.  Join a representative from the Alzheimer’s Society of Lanark Leeds and Grenville for opportunities to develop a social network, coping strategies and to meet others in similar situations.

Drop-ins are welcome, but connecting with the Alzheimer’s Society beforehand is appreciated. Interested participants can contact the Alzheimer’s Society of Lanark Leeds Grenville at 1-866-576-8556 or e-mail Geralynne Smith at Gsmith@alzllg.ca.

Meetings held in the library’s Barbara Walsh Room on the second and last Monday of each month, from 1:30pm to 3:30pm.

English Conversation Circle

Are you an adult looking to enhance your English-speaking skills? Join our English Conversation Circle at the Carleton Place Public Library!  In Partnership with the Canadian Career Academy, this program provides a supportive and friendly environment where you can practice speaking English, engage in meaningful conversations, and build confidence in your language abilities.

Program Highlights:

Interactive Conversations: Participate in engaging discussions on various topics.

Supportive Environment: Practice speaking in a relaxed and encouraging setting with fellow learners.

Skill Improvement: Enhance your vocabulary, pronunciation, and overall communication skills.

Participation Requirements: Some basic English proficiency is necessary to benefit from this program. A short English assessment will be conducted to ensure that participants have the required level of understanding to fully engage in the conversations.

Details:

When: Thursdays from 6-7:30pm

Where: Carleton Place Public Library

Assessment: Conducted on-site before the first session.

We welcome learners of all levels who meet the basic English proficiency requirement. Come and join us to improve your English, make new friends, and enjoy lively discussions!

For more information and to sign up, please contact the library at 613-257-2702.

Adult Craft Night

It’s back for one month only—Adult Craft Night!  Join us on Wednesday, April 9th at 6:30pm to make some fun spring wreaths! Spaces are limited so that we have enough supplies for everyone so please follow the link below to register starting April 1st!

https://forms.gle/YXhVEv3rfpXfQzUy7