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What's New at Boca Raton Public Library |
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Love Your Library this February!
Celebrate Black History Month with some amazing programs such as Story Central: A Visit with Oney Judge (A Chautauqua Event), Hip Hop History with FAU’s Dr. Marquese McFerguson sponsored by the Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library, Book Talks: Black Artists in America, Monday Movies documentary Summer of Soul and feature film Daughters of the Dust, and more.
The 5th Presidential Inaugural Poet and National Humanities Medal awardee Richard Blanco will present his one-hour workshop Craft Talk on Thursday, March 7, sponsored by the Festival of the Arts Boca.
For chess lovers and those who wish to learn the game and practice with other players, we have fun programs and tournaments for all ages to participate in this spring. Chess players are invited to register for the second Florida State Girls and Women’s Chess Championship, on February 3 and 4.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
~Lisa Testa, Program Services Librarian III |
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What's New in the Collection
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Borrow a Sewing Machine!
We've added sewing machines to our Library of Things! Place a hold or pick one up from either location after signing a waiver. Two-week loan period. Don't know how to use a sewing machine? Take our new Basic Sewing class in March. Registration required.
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Sunday, February 4, 3:00-4:00pm
Downtown Library
Sponsored by Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library. Open seating; registration not required.
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Thursday, February 8, 6:00-7:30pm Downtown Library
Join Professor Kristin Shockley for a deep dive into the relationship between our pop culture and American politics. Sponsored by Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library.
Register to receive a reminder but all drop-ins are welcome. |
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Monday, February 12, 5:30-8:00pm
Downtown Library
A powerful and transporting documentary, part music film, part historical record, created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture, and fashion.
Open seating; registration not required. |
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Thursday, February 15, 6:00-7:30pm Downtown Library
Join Alex Bruner, the author’s nephew, a child of Holocaust survivors from Yugoslavia who remained in Europe after World War II, as he discusses his uncle's life, the book’s journey from obscurity, its literary merit, historical significance, and relevance to our own time. Sponsored by Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library.
Register to receive a reminder but all drop-ins are welcome. |
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Saturday, February 17, 4:00-5:30pm Downtown Library
Celebrating Presidents’ Day and Black History Month, this special event invites the audience to "meet" Oney Judge, the personal slave of First Lady Martha Washington. We hear Oney as a
free woman, talking about her experience at the White House, her upbringing, her run for freedom, and more.
Open seating; registration not required. |
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Sunday, February 18, 4:00-5:30pm Downtown Library
Join us for the delightful cafè atmosphere, coffee and tea, and 5-7-minute personal stories (not read or memorized) from the audience. First prize: $50.
Open seating. Click on link for storyteller registration info.
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Thursday, February 22, 6:00-7:15pm Downtown Library
Join Dr. Maquese McFerguson from Florida Atlantic University for an enlightening talk on the history and impacts of hip hop in history and culture. Sponsored by Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library.
Register to recieve a reminder, but all drop-ins are welcome. |
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Monday, February 26, 5:30-8:00pm
Downtown Library
This is the story of a large African-American family preparing to move north from the Sea Islands off the coast of Georgia at the dawn of the 20th century.
Open seating; registration not required.
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Thursday, March 7, 2:00-3:00pm Spanish River Library
Awarded the National Humanities Medal and selected as the 5th Presidential Inaugural Poet in the U.S., Richard Blanco will present the one-hour workshop “Craft Talk” with an exercise on the “golden rule” of poetry writing: Show, don’t tell. This program is sponsored by the Festival of the Arts Boca.
Open seating; registration not required.
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Socrates Cafè
Mondays, 1:00-3:00pm, Spanish River LibraryTuesdays, 1:30-3:00pm, Downtown Library
At Socrates Cafe, people from different backgrounds get together and exchange thoughtful ideas and experiences. Gatherings are free and open to any member of the public who wishes to freely discuss a question, which is chosen by vote.
Registration not required; drop-ins welcome. |
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| Instructional Classes for Adults |
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Our Instructional Services team is offering many classes for adults in February! Click on the links below or visit the Library Calendar to register. Registration is required for all programs.
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Tuesday, February 6, 2:00-3:00pm Downtown Library
This witty satire features a professor of mathematics who claims to be an expert at nothing partners with an aspiring villain who wants to break into Fort Knox to steal a shoebox containing nothing, with the help of a brainwashed astrophysicist.
Registration not required.
Click here to reserve a copy of the book. |
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Tuesday, February 13, 6:00-7:00pm Downtown Library
A haunting, remarkable debut about secrets, revenge, and redemption that follows three generations of Russian women, from the 1917 revolution to the last days of the Soviet Union, and the enduring love story at the center.
Registration not required.
Click here to reserve a copy of the book. |
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Tuesday, February 20, 2:00-3:00pm Downtown Library
Explore the ways in which African American abstract expressionist artist responded to the political, social, and economic changes in the United States through their paintings, sculptures, and works on paper
Registration not required.
Click here to reserve a copy of the book. |
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Thursday, February 22, 6:30-7:30pm Virtual Program
A fast-paced and gripping true account of the extraordinary construction and spectacular demise of the Key West Railroad, one of the greatest engineering feats ever undertaken, destroyed in one fell swoop by the strongest storm ever to hit U.S. shores.
Open to all. No pre-registration required. Email for Zoom link info: dtlbookclub@bocalibraryfriends.org. Log on as early as 6:00pm for troubleshooting.
Presented by Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library.
Click here to reserve a copy of the book. |
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Tuesday, February 27, 2:00-3:00pm Downtown Library
Join us to discuss the extraordinary life of Queen Lili'uokalani, last monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Her autobiography, Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen, is the only text of its kind by a Hawaiian ruler and a vital historical account not only of her life and reign, but also of the final days of her kingdom.
Registration not required.
Click here to reserve a copy of the book. |
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What's New in the Digital Library
| ![](https://www.libraryaware.com/1570/Files/AnonymousDisplay/5917bf3e-bdbb-47cd-82b6-1877e1fff7c2) | What's New for Children, Tweens and Teens |
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February, March, April, Serenoa Glade Preserve at George Snow Park
StoryWalk is a fun, educational activity that places a children’s storybook along a popular walking route in the community. Different books are displayed throughout the year to keep the StoryWalk experience fresh and promote future learning. Sponsored by Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library. |
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Monday, February 19, 6:00-7:30pm Downtown Library
Enjoy a cozy night in with family at the library. Children 8 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Enrollment not required. |
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Tuesday, February 13, 3:30-4:30pm Downtown Library
Join us on an adventure to create the most intense and tricky mini golf course. Become a master as you also try to get a hole in one!
Enrollment not required. |
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Tuesday, February 27, 3:30-4:15pm Downtown Library
Bad Kitty really needs a bath, and she is forced to take one in this hysterical new illustrated how-to for young readers.
Book discussion for early readers with themed activities. Child attends independently. Pick up a free copy of the book at the Library's Youth Services desk once registered (while supplies last). Books donated by the Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library.
Enrollment required. |
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Tuesday, February 6, 6:00-7:00pm Downtown Library
When Tunde sprouts wings and learns he’s all that stands between Earth and total destruction, suddenly school is the least of his problems.
Pick up a free copy of the book at the Boca Raton Public Library Youth Services Desk at the time of registration (while supplies last). Sponsored by Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library.
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Tuesday, February 20, 6:00-7:00pm Downtown Library
Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It's the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire. But as a member of the subjugated Ornu people, it's not how she imagined it.
Pick up a free copy of the book at the Boca Raton Public Library Youth Services Desk at the time of registration (while supplies last). Sponsered by Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library.
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Saturday, February 24, 10:00am-3:20pm Spanish River Library
The final season of Stranger Things is coming soon, take some time to revisit the fictional Hawkins, Indiana and see if you and your friends (group up to 6 people) can escape our library version of the upside down before Vecna comes for you.
Reserve a time slot through the link above. |
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2024 Florida State Girls and Women's Chess Championship
Saturday, February 3, 9:30am-6:00pm
Sunday, February 4, 9:30am-6:00pm Spanish River Library
The Girls Tournament on Feb 3 is for girls in grades K-8. The Women’s Tournament on Feb 3-4 is for high school players, adults, and girls in K-8 who already have a high chess rating. In partnership with the Boca Raton Public Library, the tournament is made possible in collaboration with the Boca Raton Chess Club, the Florida Chess Association, and Palm Beach Chess.
Click on the above links for registration information. |
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Tuesday, February 6,13, 20, 27, 5:00-7:00pm Spanish River Library
Bring your friends and family for fun drop-in open play chess games. Novice or expert; players of all skill levels are welcome. Children 8 years old and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Registration not required; drop-ins welcome. |
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January 8 - February 16, during regular library hours Spanish River Library
These colored pencil drawings by artist Angela Belmonte feature an ancient art form called X-Ray Art, which depicts the skeletal frame and internal organs of animals. X-Ray Art is a symbolic representation meant to honor the soul and spirit of the animal. Her artistic style and interest in bones is inspired by the rock wall paintings of the Aboriginal people of Australia. |
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January 15 - February 23, during regular library hours Downtown Library
Jerry Ginsberg is a multi-award winning and widely published photographer whose landscape, Nature and travel images have graced the covers and pages of hundreds of books, magazines and travel catalogs. He is the only person to have photographed each and every one of America's 63 National Parks with medium format cameras. |
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Library Team Member Spotlight
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Ellen Randolph
Library Manager |
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What I Do: I have been the Manager of Library Services since 2018. I coordinate daily operations, hiring and budget, collections and program development, technology and facility improvements, and community engagement with the Library Leadership and Management Team. I work directly with the Friends of the Library, the Library Board, Recreation Services, and other City departments to ensure that the Boca Raton community continues to enjoy outstanding and innovative libraries.
Why I Love My Job: It’s a noble endeavor. Libraries not only provide access to books and music, reliable technology, storytimes and book clubs, lifelong learning classes, cultural programs, and civic engagement through public information meetings and elections, they also offer opportunities to meet others with similar interests, enjoy family events together, and work/study in a safe and welcoming environment. To me, libraries represent opportunity and connection. Our library team includes many experienced, creative, and dedicated people who love what they do and it’s a pleasure to work with them every day. Residents and library users are happy to be here and love the Library, too. This is certainly the best job I have ever had: Meaningful work, wonderful coworkers, and building community.
What I’m Reading Now:
Walking with Sam: A Father, A Son and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain by Andrew McCarthy
Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge
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Library Building Hours
Monday - Thursday: 9:00am-8:00pm Friday - Sunday: 9:00am-5:00pm
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Friends' Bookstore Hours at Downtown Library
Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00am-4:00pm Sunday - Monday: Closed *Book donations accepted Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00am-3:30pm
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