Category Archives: Featured

Monarch Butterfly Storytime:

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Esmeralda’s Magical Journey: Storytime & Butterfly Art Project

Thursday, May 15, 2025 from 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Join us for a special Storytime with Local Author Kathleen Harrington as she presents her heartfelt children’s book, Esmeralda’s Magical Journey!

This is perfect for Preschool & Elementary-aged children and families who love nature, storytelling, and creativity.

Light snacks will be served, and participants will have the option to purchase a book to keep.

Reserve your spot here!

Book Donations Needed!

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Drop off your donations from APRIL 5–30, 2025

We will NOT accept books that:
~ Have mold, water damage, or damaged covers ~
~ Are marked up by previous owners ~
~ Have torn or missing pages ~
~ Are older than 2005 (not including rare or first edition classics) ~

We would love

  • Paperbacks and hardcovers in good condition
  • Fiction in all genres
  • Children’s books
  • Nonfiction (biographies, memoirs, history, etc.)
  • Cookbooks
  • Gardening books
  • Hobbyist books
  • Coffee table books
  • Jigsaw puzzles
  • Please, no magazines!

Drop-off is at the library during operating hours.

If you’re interested in volunteering, email Kristan Higgins at
kristanhigginsbooks@gmail.com.
Thank you so much!

New Kids Database: Educate Station

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Full Curriculum For Grades K-5 .

Explore this resource here:

Educate Station

Weekly / Monthly Learning Plans & Worksheets in;
• ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
• MATH
• SCIENCE
• SOCIAL STUDIES
• SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL)

Great for homeschooling families, extra practice for kids and parents , and substitute teacher lesson plans.

Free access to lesson plans and printable worksheets inside the library ( no card or account needed) and with your Durham library card from home.

Spanish Conversation Group

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Expand your speaking skills by practicing the language in a welcoming atmosphere. This event, hosted by fluent Spanish speaker Marilyn Horn, meets twice each month on Zoom. New participants always welcome – please email Lauren Redfield at lredfield@durhamlibrary.org for information.

Looking for more language learning resources? Check out Transparent Language, our online language learning tool.

Why Wait? Download an Ebook or Audiobook Right Now

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The Library offers a wide variety of free e-books, digital magazines and audiobooks, and streaming music and video, all available with your Durham Public Library card and many available instantly.

OverDrive/Libby
Best-selling and award-winning fiction and nonfiction books, audiobooks, and magazines. You may borrow up to 10 items at a time. Over 3,000 popular magazines are available, with no wait lists and no item limits. Use the “Available Now” filter to find currently available items.

hoopla
Always available movies, TV shows, music, books, comics, and audiobooks. You may borrow up to 4 items per calendar month.

The Palace Project
Thousands of free eBooks and audiobooks from the Connecticut State Library and Durham’s digital collections in the Palace Project app. 

Looking for a Job?

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Free Online Career Assistance

JobNow™ provides library patrons with a host of services to help in every step of the job search process.  Job coaches are available to help patrons with any and all job search-related questions.  In addition to helping beginning job seekers pinpoint their desired career field, coaches can also provide constructive suggestions on resumes, help write a professional cover letter, and give live interview practice and feedback.

The link is available 24/7/365 in the library or from your home — click here or on the JobNow! icon on the left-hand side of the Library website home page.

Looking for a job? Use the Career Resources to begin your job search. Create your resume and get expert feedback. Prepare for your interview.

Not sure how to start your job search? Use eParachute to help you discover the career of your dreams.

Writing your resume? Begin by using one of the templates or the document builder in OptimalResume. Then use our Resume Lab to send it to a job coach and receive feedback and revisions to help strengthen your resume. FREE Online Career Assistance

Prepare for your interview. Read through our tips and connect with a live job coach to get ready for your interview.

Going back to school? Want to brush up on academic skills? Select “Adult Learners” from the menu to access GED prep, US Citizenship Test prep, resume assistance, Microsoft Office support, and Career Resources. Maestros en español disponible

Homebound Delivery Service

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The Durham Public Library provides books and other materials for residents of Durham who are physically unable to visit the library because of a temporary or permanent disability.

How to apply: Applicants should complete the Durham Public Library Homebound Delivery Application and a reading interest form. Click here to complete the form online or call us at (860) 349-9544, ext. 5 to request a physical form.

How is delivery arranged?  Materials will be delivered by a library representative on a schedule convenient for the library, but no more than once per month. When we receive your enrollment form, we will contact you to discuss delivery.

What are the borrowing guidelines? Any circulating item may be borrowed by our homebound patrons, with a limit of 25 items per delivery. There is no fee for the delivery service and overdue fees will not be charged. The Library’s standard fee schedule shall apply for damaged or lost items.

For more information: Please contact Christine Michaud at (860) 349-9544, ext. 5 or cmichaud@durhamlibrary.org if you have questions about this service.

Book A Study Room

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Looking for a place to meet? The Library has two study rooms for 1-4 people for the purpose of quiet study and discussion.

Please note that the rooms are not soundproof — please keep conversation to a low volume. Noise-reducing headphones may be borrowed at the circulation desk.

  1. Patrons must be 12 years old or older to reserve a study room.
  2. Groups or individuals may reserve a study room for a maximum of 2 hours per day.
  3. Reservations are limited to one per day, per group and may be reserved up to one week in advance.
  4. If it has not been reserved, patrons may remain in a room beyond their scheduled time, but must vacate it when a new patron signs in.
  5. Please check in at the circulation desk.
  6. The library is not responsible for equipment, supplies, materials or any other items owned by an individual or group used in the study rooms. Personal items may not be stored in the study rooms.
Reserve a Study Room

Submitting a reservation indicates acceptance of the Library’s Room Reservation Policies.

In addition to the study rooms, the Study Zone also includes a “laptop bar” and comfortable seating with device charging and flip up tablet desks. Just plug your device in and get to work. This area is past the circulation desk, where DVDs were previously.

New Resource – AtoZ World Travel

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Planning a trip? The Durham Public Library is pleased to announce that it has recently added AtoZ World Travel to its online reference offerings. This new library resource includes 202 world city travel guides covering 67 topics each. The travel guides cover a multitude of topics that are of interest to those planning their international travel. Topics include pre-trip planning, points of interest, excursions, neighborhoods, restaurants, nightlife, as well as health and safety.

Anyone can access AtoZ World Travel using the library’s computers, and Durham patrons can access it from anywhere in the world from the library’s portal at www.durhamlibrary.org or directly at AtoZ World Travel with their library card.

AtoZ World Travel was designed for world travelers, schools and universities, global businesses, and anyone who wants to prepare for their trip abroad.