Programs – Adult – Springfield City Library

Queer Book Club

A monthly club for reading queer books of various genres | Adults

Monsoon Roastery and Espresso Bar
Saturdays, once a month | 12:30-1:30 PM | Adults

Discover Queer Book Club! A monthly club for reading queer books of various genres. Read one (or all!) of the 4 book options and meet us at Monsoon’s cafe for coffee or lunch to discuss.

Next month’s selections

The theme for June is Nonfiction – History. Read any of the following:

Our Work Is Everywhere: An Illustrated Oral History of Queer and Trans Resistance by Syan Rose
Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Riotous Black Girls, Troublesome Women, and Queer Radicals by Saidiya Hartman
Glitter and Concrete: A Cultural History of Drag in New York City by Elyssa Maxx Goodman
The Stonewall Reader by The New York Public Library

Monthly Themes

Themes for 2025

January 11: A Variety of Cozy
February 8: Literary/Contemporary-Coming of Age
March 8: Travel
April 19: Poetry
May 17: Westerns
June 14: Nonfiction – History
July 12: Vampires
August 9: Time travel
September 10: Shakespeare retellings
October 18: Gothic horror
November 15: Heists
December 13: Romance – Enemies/Friends to Lovers

Themes from 2024

June 15: Contemporary Romance
July 13: Historical fiction, 1900-1950
August 8: Detective Mysteries
September 21: Science Fiction – Space Operas
October 19: Horror – Haunted House
November 16: Memoir
December 14: Fantasy- Dragons

All book choices, past and future

Questions?

Get in touch with Blaise Kyrios at bkyrios@springfieldlibrary.org

Springfield Local Author Book Fair

Come to the Local Author Fair to meet recently published authors and enjoy their works in this showcase of local talent and achievement.

The next Local Author Book Fair will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Rotunda and Rice Hall on the second floor at the Central Library.

Meet Your Neighbors, Meet Their Books!

Join us for a celebration of Springfield’s vibrant literary scene at the Local Author Book Fair! This exciting event brings together a diverse range of local authors, all eager to connect with readers and share their passion for storytelling.

Why Attend?

Support Local Authors: Discover the wealth of talent right in your own community. Buy a book directly from the author and help them continue their creative journey.

Find Your Next Great Read: Explore a variety of genres, from captivating fiction to informative non-fiction. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re a mystery buff, a history enthusiast, or a lover of poetry.

Connect with Fellow Bookworms: Chat with authors about their work, get your books personalized with a signature, and mingle with other book lovers who share your passion for reading.

Mark Your Calendars!

The next Local Author Book Fair will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Rotunda and Rice Hall on the second floor at the Central Library.

Admission is free, so come meet your neighbors and discover the hidden gems of Springfield’s literary world!

List of Authors – September 2024

Author	Book
Katherine Anderson	Murder at the Alma Mater
RA Cook	Good To Be Me – Discovering What Makes Me Special & Unique
Michael DeStefano	The Old Corsair
Donalyn Gross	What Does Death Look Like?
K. Hickson	Stars & Stripes
Mary Anne Horsman	Set the Stage for Success: De-clutter, Get Organized and Love Your Life
Travis Kuffel	Unleashed
LaTonia Monroe Naylor	Mission-Rich AND Profit-Powered: A Guide to Transforming Your Passion into a Fully-Funded Business
Anne Pinkerton	Were You Close? a sister’s quest to know the brother she lost
Meg Thacher	Sky Gazing: a Guide to the Moon, Sun, Planets, Stars, Eclipses, Constellations
Lisa Zarcone	The Book of Joann

List of Authors – April 2024

Below is a list of authors who attended the Local Author Fair – your neighbors, sharing their art! Also, titles of their most recent book – although several will have multiple books to share.

Stephen Billias – A Book of Fields
Bela Breslau and Stephen Billias – Pilgrim Maya
Justin Cascio – In Our Blood: The Mafia Families of Corleone
Tian Connaughton – Cardigans For Every Body: because every body is worthy
D. Dina Friedman – Immigrants
Adrián Gras-Velázquez – Lo que hago en mi habitación
Robert Loesch – Out on a Limb and Other Stories
Stephanie Marrero-Wilson – Healing in Him: 31 Day Journaling Devotional
Jane F. Morrissey, SSJ – Finding Jane in the Box – a Memoir
Jennifer Allis Provost – Oleander
Ruth Sanderson – A Storm of Horses: The Story of Artist Rosa Bonheur
Dulce Santana – Flowers in the City
H. Triplett – Perforated Fiber Forbidden Memories
Dennis Walter – The Misguided Mentor

Are You A Local Author?

Get on our list to be invited next time! We hold Author Fairs about twice a year, in the Spring and the Fall.

Silent Book Club

Wish you had more time to read? Looking for some book lovers to hang out with? Join us for Silent Book Club! | Central Library | Adults and Teens 16+

Central Library
Second Monday of the Month
6:00 – 7:30 pm | Adults and Teens 16+

Wish you had more time to read? Looking for some book lovers to hang out with? Join us for Silent Book Club! One night a month, we get cozy at the library for an hour of solo reading and time at the end to chat. Come to meet new people and leave with new book recommendations! For Adults and Teens 16+.

Registration optional, but if you register, you’ll get reminders.

Register on our online calendar.

Seed Library at Mason Square

Free seed library with organic non-GMO seeds for the Springfield community. Request some today from our Mason Square Branch!

The Mason Square Branch Seed Library features a great variety of FREE 100% organic, non-GMO seeds for vegetables, greens, herbs, and flowers, made possible through a grant from Vermont-based seed company, High Mowing Organic Seeds. With multiple varieties, there’s something for everyone!

Because there is a limited supply of seeds, we ask that patrons request no more than 5 seed envelopes per library visit. Please visit the Mason Square Branch Library to choose your seeds!

We also have a variety of gardening books, covering urban gardening, vegetable gardens, container gardens, flower gardens, and more – ask library staff to help you find the perfect book!

2025 Seeds Available

Category	Name of Plant
Beans & Peas	Antigua Bush Bean
	Celine Bush Bean
	Provider Bush Bean
	Cascadia Snap Pea
Broccoli, Cauliflower & Sprouts	Belstar Broccoli
Root Vegetables	Red Ace Beet
	Touchstone Gold Beet
	Dolciva Carrot
	Naval Carrot
	Negovia Carrot
	Yellowstone Carrot
	Starburst Carrot Blend
	Valentine’s Day Blend Radish
	Watermelon Radish
Flowers	Pacific Beauty Calendula
	Resina Calendula (
	Sensation Blend Cosmos
	Deep Red Scabiosa
	Evening Colors Sunflower
Herbs	Genovese Basil
	Rutgers Obsession DMR Basil
	Santo Cilantro
	reensleeves Dill
	Sweet Marjoram
	Green Oregano
Lettuces, Greens & Celery	Astro Arugula
	Esmee Arugula
	Fordhook Giant Chard
	Rainbow Blend Chard
	Tat Soi Asian Green
	Lacinato Dinosaur Kale
	Ironman Kale Mix
	Freckles Lettuce
	Gourmet Blend Lettuce
	Green Star Lettuce
	Lolla Rossa Lettuce
	Mild Mustard Blend
	Blend Mesclun
	Kaleidoscope Salad Mix
	Yukina Savoy
	Renegade Spinach
Cucumbers, Melons & Squash	Green Finger Cucumber
	Mini-Me Cucumber
	National Pickling Cucumber
	Howden Pumpkin
	Brulee Butternut Winter Squash
	Burgess Buttercup Winter Squash
	Blacktail Mountain Watermelon
	Dark Green Zucchini
Tomatoes	Brandywine Tomato
	Green Ze bra Tomato
	Matt’s Wild Cherry Tomato
	Moskvich Tomato
	Peacevine Cherry Tomato
	Pruden’s Purple Tomato
Peppers	Early Jalapeno Hot Pepper
	HMS Red Picnic Pepper
	Shishito Pepper (mild)

Knot Just Knitters

Grab some needles and yarn, then come join us! Newcomers always welcome. | Adults

Whether you knit, crochet, cross-stitch, or crewel, these groups are the place for you. New members are welcome, and although we don’t provide formal lessons, current members are often willing to teach their skills.

Some yarn and needles are provided, but donations of such items are always welcome!

East Springfield Branch
Fridays, 10-11:30 am

East Forest Park Branch
Tuesdays, 1:30-3 pm

Mason Square Branch
Fridays, 1-2:30 pm

Sixteen Acres Branch
Wednesdays, 1-2:30 pm

Genealogy Help

Get help with family history, for beginners and experts alike. | Central Library

By Appointment

Central Library ｜Online via Zoom or In-Person

Get help with genealogy questions! We can show you how to access the library’s and other genealogy resources, get started with your family history, or tackle a stumbling block on your existing project.

Call to make a phone appointment – 413-263-6828 x395, ask for Gary, or email gpysznik@springfieldlibrary.org.

Participants will need access to the internet with a computer, tablet, or smartphone to participate on Zoom.

Free Computer Classes for Beginners

Hands-on workshops to build basic computer skills | Central Library | Adults

Computer Classes for Beginners

Do computers intimidate you? The library’s computer classes are great for beginners. We teach hands-on, relaxed courses that will help you get comfortable with computers, even if you’ve never used one before.

By the end of one of our courses, you will be ready to explore on your own. Registration is required to participate, but you do not have to attend all of the classes – feel free to try the first before thinking about the rest.

If you have any questions, you can call your local library to talk to a reference librarian. We can help you register for one of our classes or figure out where to start!

click here to search for classes on our calendar

Free Computer Resources

Mouse Practice

learn computers

Aprenda a Usar la computadora

getting started on a computer

comenzar en la computadora

more computer tools & tutorials
(in English and en espanol)

Free Citizenship Classes

The Read/Write/Now Center is accepting reservations for free citizenship classes.

Library Express at Pine Point

A new round of Free Citizenship Classes will be starting soon. The Read/Write/Now Center will provide the study materials and instructional support. Please call for more information at 413-263-6839.

These classes are brought to you with federal funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

Romance Book Club – Online

Get your Happily Ever After fix from the Romance Book Club! | Online | Adults

Our Romance Book Club meets online! Registration is optional to get reminders and book choices, click for link.

ONLINE via Zoom
Saturdays once a month | 10:00-11:00 AM ET | Adults

Upcoming dates:
Jul 12, Aug 9, Sep 6, Oct 4, Nov 1, Dec 13

CLICK FOR ZOOM LINK for meeting each month.

Join us for the Romance Book Club! We read as many romance genres as we can, sharing our thoughts and expanding our romance reading experience. As long as it has a Happily Ever After, it’s fair game.

Typically each month we choose the book for the following month.

July Book Choice

We will be reading A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet.

Cat Fisa isn’t who she pretends to be. She’s perfectly content living disguised as a soothsayer in a traveling circus, avoiding the destiny the Gods—and her dangerous family—have saddled her with. As far as she’s concerned, the magic humming within her blood can live and die with her. She won’t be a pawn in anyone’s game.

But then she locks eyes with an ambitious warlord from the magic-deprived south and her illusion of safety is shattered forever.

Griffin knows Cat is the Kingmaker—the woman who divines truth through lies—and he wants her to be a powerful weapon for his newly conquered realm. Kidnapping her off the street is simple enough, but keeping the fierce beauty by his side is infuriatingly tough. Cat fights him at every turn, showing a ferocity of spirit that burns hot…and leaves him desperate for more. But can he ever hope to prove to his once-captive that he wants her there by his side as his equal, his companion…and maybe someday, his Queen?

See previous group book choices below the group guidelines – scroll down.

Register if you’d like to be added to our email list, but no registration is required – just join us at the Zoom link, above. For adults 18+.

Please email Elizabeth McKinstry at emckinstry@springfieldlibrary.org or Anna Mickelsen at amickelsen@springfieldlibrary.org if you have any questions, or call either one of us at 413-263-6828 x213.

Group Guidelines

The book group will meet monthly via zoom to discuss books in the romance genre. Our definition of romance includes both HEA (Happily Ever After) and HFN (Happy For Now) endings. We will discuss what we read on our own, talk about forthcoming titles, and also pick books to read as a group, either voting on titles prepared by group leaders or taking turns selecting titles.

This book group will strive to be a safe and inclusive space. Racist and homophobic remarks will not be tolerated, and the group may set other content lines to be drawn in discussion or in reading material (e.g., mentions of self-harm, gore, sexual assault) in order to make the experience as fun for all participants as possible. As this is a romance book group, it should be assumed that books read and discussed will often include sex, sometimes explicit in nature.

Book group leaders will:

Read the entire book
Gather information to help enhance the discussion
Be prepared to offer counter opinions – even if they differ from our own
Be prepared to begin new lines of discussion when necessary
Not let one person monopolize the discussion
Be willing and prepared to take control of the group, firmly but respectfully

Book group participants will:

Make their best effort to complete the book
Come ready to both share and listen
Be ready to back up opinions with the “why”
Have a great time — if you stop enjoying it, let the leader know

Previous books read:

July 2024 – A Promise of Fire, Amanda Boucher (F/M Fantasy Romance)
June 2025 – At First Spite, Olivia Dade (F/M Contemporary)
May 2025 – The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows, Olivia Waite (F/F Historical)
April 2025 – You Had Me At Hola, Alexis Daria
March 2025 – After Hours, Lynda Aicher (F/M, Erotic Romance Contemporary)
February 2025 – We Could Be So Good, Cat Sebastian (M/M, Historical)
January 2025 – Queen Move, Kennedy Ryan (F/M, Contemporary)
December 2024 – A Merry Little Meet Cute, Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (Contemporary Holiday, F/M)
November 2024 – Full Contact, Sarah Castille (Contemporary “Alpha”, F/M)
October 2024 – Dragon Actually, G.A. Aiken (Fantasy, F/Dragon)
September 2024 – Xeni, Rebekah Weatherspoon (Contemporary, F/M)
August 2024 – A Carribbean Heiress in Paris, Adriana Herrera (Historical, F/M)
July 2024 – Sweet Little Lies, Jill Shalvis (Contemporary, F/M)
June 2024 – Mistakes Were Made, Meryl Wilsner (Contemporary, F/F)
May 2024 – Custom Built, Chantal Fernando (Thriller, F/M)
April 2024 – The Heiress Hunt, Joanna Shupe (Historical, F/M)
March 2024 – How To Catch A Queen, Alyssa Cole (Contemporary African Royal, F/M)
February 2024 – Toxic Desire, Robin Lovett (Alien Mate Sci-Fi, F/Alien)
January 2024 – The Holiday Trap, Roan Parrish (Contemporary Holiday, F/F & M/M)
December 2023 – Priest, Sierra Simone (Contemporary, M/F)
November 2023 – Hell on Wheels, Julie Ann Walker (Thriller, F/M)
October 2023 – And They Lived Happily Ever After, Therese Beharrie (Magical)
September 2023 – Something Wilder, Christina Lauren (Adventure, F/M)
August 2023 – The Baller, Vi Keeland (Sports, M/F)
July 2023 – I’m in Love with Mothman, Paige Lavoie (Paranormal, F/Mothman)
June 2023 – Scandalous Passions, Nicola Davidson (Historical Menage, F/F/M)
May 2023 – D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding, Chencia C. Higgins (Contemporary F/F)
April 2023 – Mafia Casanova, M Robinson and Rachel Van Dyken (Mafia)
March 2023 – Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors, Sonali Dev (Contemporary)
February 2023 – Hard Sell, Hudson Lin (Contemporary, M/M)
January 2023 – The Duke Who Didn’t, Courtney Milan (Historical)
December 2022 – Reader’s Choice Holiday Romance
November 2022 – The Ex Hex, Erin Sterling (Witchy)
October 2022 – Natural Born Charmer, Susan Elizabeth Phillips (Sports-ish)
September 2022 – Neon Gods, Katee Robert (Fantasy Hades/Persephone)
August 2022 – Fatal Affair, Marie Force (Romantic Suspense)
July 2022 – Never Been Kissed, Timothy Janovsky (Contemporary New Adult M/M)
June 2022 – Polaris Rising, Jessie Mihalik (Science Fiction)
May 2022 – Luckiest Lady in London, Sherry Thomas (Historical)
April 2022 – Writing Her In, Holley Trent (Polyamorous)
March 2022 – A Cowboy to Remember, Rebekah Wetherspoon (Contemporary Black Cowboy)
February 2022 – Battle Royal, Lucy Parker (Contemporary British)
January 2022 – Every New Year, Katrina Jackson (Holiday Second-Chance Contemporary)
November and December 2021 – The Matzah Ball, Jean Meltzer (Holiday Contemporary)
October 2021- How To Bang A Billionaire, Alexis Hall (Billionaire M/M)
September 2021 – Deal With The Devil, Kit Rocha (Science Fiction)
August 2021 – Gray Hair, Don’t Care, Karen Booth (Second Chance)
July 2021 – Angel’s Blood, Nalini Singh (Paranormal Romance)
June 2021 – Entangled, Melissa Brayden (Contemporary F/F)
May 2021 – The Obsession, Nora Roberts (Contemporary Romantic Suspense)
April 2021 – Destiny’s Embrace, Beverly Jenkins (Historical)
March 2021 – Loathe At First Sight, Suzanne Park (Contemporary)
February 2021 – Reader’s Choice

Books & Brew Book Clubs

Cure your mid-week blues with a lively book discussion. | Adults

at Nathan Bills Bar and Restaurant
First Wednesday of the month | 6:00-7:00 PM | Adults

Join a lively discussion with other book lovers, and bring your favorite brew too!

Copies of the book will be available at the Forest Park or East Forest Park Branch Libraries, and often are available via Libby or Hoopla with a Springfield City Library card too.

Please note that attendees are responsible for their own food and drink purchases.

at White Lion Brewing
Quarterly on the 2nd Tuesday | 5:00-6:30 PM | Adults

For young professionals, community organization workers, and anyone else interested in financial empowerment, Books & Brew at White Lion is a book club about financial wellness and getting comfortable with money management. The selected books will explore the transformational impact of how we think about work, wealth, and leadership, providing invaluable insights and practical knowledge.

Please email Rachel Gravel at rgravel@springfieldlibrary.org if you have any questions.

Check the calendar for upcoming meetings