Programs in Numbers

Drop in anytime to work together on puzzles for all skill levels. At the end of the day, feel free to take any puzzles home!

If you are bringing children, an adult caregiver must stay with them in the room.

Hotwheels Handspinners is an active group of fiber artists whose craft begins (mostly) at the spinning wheel, where we make yarn to knit, weave, crochet, felt, macrame, and more! We meet monthly at the Orange County Public Library's Main Branch in Hillsborough, and welcome spinners of all levels of expertise who have fiber to spin and something to spin it with. While the meeting room offers ample space for spinning wheels, we ask that you register in advance to help us properly prepare for each meeting.

Be on the lookout for occasional “Learn To Spin” gatherings for both adults and children, as well as an annual fiber swap. For inspiration, feel free to browse the library's collection of books on handspinning.

Registration in advance for this event is strongly recommended

Do you have a young reader at home who might want practice reading aloud, but is reluctant to do it with other people? Tales & Tails gives young readers the opportunity to read to a trained therapy dog at the library, building confidence and improving reading skills in a calm, non-judgmental environment.

To maintain a safe and comfortable space for both the reader and the therapy dog, each registered reader will be assigned a 15-minute time slot within the event window. During that time, they'll be able to read one-on-one with one of our therapy dog.

More about our therapy dogs:

Magnolia: I was named after a tree near the spot where my mom and dad found me and my two sisters when we were little puppies. I'm still pretty small, but I have long legs and can run fast! I passed my Therapy Dog test a few months ago when I turned one, which is very young, so I'm still learning. I love riding in the car, all kinds of doggie cookies, toys, and especially kids! I hope a lot of children will come to the library to read to me, and maybe I will learn some new words!

Izzy: I am a 6 year old female Bernese Mountain Dog. My mom and dad adopted me at just 7 weeks old! My breed started over 100 years ago in the cold, snowy mountains of Bern, Switzerland, as a constant, loving companion to farming families, as well as driving cattle and pulling wagons from the farm to the dairy. Now my job is to comfort people and make them happy. I am big and strong, but also calm, gentle, cuddly, friendly, and sweet. I love large and small humans, and belly rubs! I am excited to meet children who want to read to me at the library!

Friendly Fiber Fridays Meet-Up | First and third Fridays of the month from 9am to 10:30am and Second Fridays from 1-3pm at Main Library located at 137 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278.

Do you knit, crochet, or do other fiber work? Bring your project and join us at Main Library in Hillsborough for a Friendly Fiber Fridays. This is a fun meet up for fibercrafty folks with space for you to spread out, work, and chat with other crafters. The library has yarn available for anyone to take if they like, and patterns are available in the fibercraft section of adult nonfiction (in the 746s). Feel free to bring your morning coffee and snacks along.

This is an Artember program celebrating and displaying community-made art all September long at Main Library in Hillsborough. Click here to view all Artember events and register.

Looking for helpful tips on building a budget? Join Fifth Third Bank at the Orange County Public Library in Hillsborough at 10:00am on Thursday, August 6th, 2026 for an information session on creating straightforward, easy-to-use plans that help you and your household manage money wisely. In this workshop, participants will:

1. Explore the importance of creating and maintaining a budget.
2. Examine the differences between wants and needs.
3. Set goals for spending, saving, and debt repayment.

Registration is recommended but not required for this event.

Learn computer basics and earn a computer!

Thanks to grant funding from NCDIT, we’ll be able to give away a laptop computer to each patron who attend all four sessions. Classes will include basic computer and internet lessons.

Some of what we will discuss:

Computer basics

Digital Identity

Digital Well-being (including internet safety and scam awareness)

Using Email

Digital Relationships

Digital Safety

Using the internet to access important real life information (banking, medical records, etc)

Social Media

Computers are provided for the class! You do not need to bring your own.

If you need transportation to participate in this program, call Orange County Public Transportation at (919) 245-2008 at least 48 hours before to book a Demand Response ride. There is no fee associated with this service.

You must attend all four sessions to receive a computer. If you are going to have a conflict with one of these sessions, please contact Andrew, the instructor (contact info is in the sidebar).

This class can accommodate 10 students. The instructor will alert people on the waitlist when the class is offered again in the future. Please do not sign up for this class if you have already taken it.

The sessions are Thursdays at 1pm:
August 6
August 13
August 20
August 27

Meeting of members/rehearsal

Join the Orange County Public Library for Get Carded: Trivia Nights, a fun and engaging evening of trivia held at The Rookery in downtown Hillsborough. Show off your knowledge, compete for bragging rights, and connect with fellow trivia lovers—all while enjoying a lively atmosphere and local brews.

When: Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
Where: The Rookery, 115 W Margaret Ln, Hillsborough, NC 27278 (right beside the Main Library in Hillsborough!)
Audience: Adults only

No registration required. Come early to grab a seat and a drink!

Invitamos a las personas que están aprendiendo inglés o español a que vengan y practiquen conversando entre ellas en este evento. Los bibliotecarios ofrecerán formas divertidas de iniciar conversaciones en ambos idiomas para que nadie tenga que ponerse nervioso por elegir un tema de conversación. Es necesario registrarse. Si necesita ayuda para registrarse, envíe un correo electrónico a swaugh@orangecountync.gov.

We invite people who are learning Spanish or English to come practice speaking with each other at this program. Librarians will provide fun conversation starters in both languages, so no one feels awkward trying to choose what to talk about. Registration required.

First Monday Classics is a Community Member-Led book club which meets on first Mondays of the month at 6:30pm at Main Library located at 137 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278. The club discusses classic books in a light atmosphere. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged but not required. For reading selections and more information, visit the library's book club page.

America 250 | First Monday Classics has been running over a decade, reading and discussing a mix of American and international novelists. In celebration of the Nation's 250th birthday, First Monday Classics has assembled a journey through American literature with its 2026 reading selections, from some of the earliest classics to classics from 50 years ago. Join us in this celebration of literature, culture, and authorship from these United States.

A250

Puzzlers across town, are you down for a fun way to test your skills? Let’s get crossword competitive and see who can complete a Sunday puzzle first! Prizes at stake include Crosswordese: A Guide to the Weird and Wonderful Language of Crossword Puzzles by David Bukszpan and this "Crossword Expert" gel pen set from Block Party Puzzles.

This is just for fun and goes by the honor system. Staff may choose the crossword from an August 2nd newspaper, so please don't do it ahead of time.

Join us for a fun and engaging playgroup for children under five years old. While this group is specially geared toward Dads, Grandpas, Uncles, and male caregivers, all caregivers are welcome to join in the fun and connect with others. Feel free to bring toys to share and enjoy quality time with your little one!

Lovers of journaling, stationery, and creative organization, come work together and socialize every two weeks on Friday evenings! Note that the library will be closed on June 19th and July 3rd for holidays, so there will not be meetings on those dates.

More about Carolina Cozy Journaling Club:

This is a cozy community for all journal enthusiasts living in North Carolina. Whether you’re into daily journaling, collage spreads, or love talking pens and planners, you’ve found your people. Bring your notebooks, stickers, or just yourself; everyone’s welcome!

Who can join: Anyone living in NC with a love for journaling, planning, or creativity.

Join us, get inspired, and connect with other journalers who understand the joy of the journal. 🌿

Join our Graphic Novel Book Club for kids in grades 3–5! Readers get to choose their own graphic novel to explore, then come together to share what they read, talk about favorite characters and moments, and discover new books from friends, all while eating yummy snacks. It’s a fun, low-pressure way to build reading confidence and connect with other book lovers!

Learn computer basics and earn a computer!

Thanks to grant funding from NCDIT, we’ll be able to give away a laptop computer to each patron who attend all four sessions. Classes will include basic computer and internet lessons.

Some of what we will discuss:

Computer basics

Digital Identity

Digital Well-being (including internet safety and scam awareness)

Using Email

Digital Relationships

Digital Safety

Using the internet to access important real life information (banking, medical records, etc)

Social Media

Computers are provided for the class! You do not need to bring your own.

If you need transportation to participate in this program, call Orange County Public Transportation at (919) 245-2008 at least 48 hours before to book a Demand Response ride. There is no fee associated with this service.

You must attend all four sessions to receive a computer. If you are going to have a conflict with one of these sessions, please contact Andrew, the instructor (contact info is in the sidebar).

This class can accommodate 10 students. The instructor will alert people on the waitlist when the class is offered again in the future. Please do not sign up for this class if you have already taken it.

The sessions are Thursdays at 1pm:
July 9
July 16
July 23
July 30

This ESL conversation group will meet at the Main Library in Hillsborough on Wednesdays in July, 12-1 PM, starting July 8th. While the group is primarily intended as a space for intermediate and advanced-level speakers of English to practice their skills, all ability levels are welcome to attend! Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be served.

Join the Orange County Public Library for Get Carded: Trivia Nights, a fun and engaging evening of trivia held at The Rookery in downtown Hillsborough. Show off your knowledge, compete for bragging rights, and connect with fellow trivia lovers—all while enjoying a lively atmosphere and local brews.

When: Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
Where: The Rookery, 115 W Margaret Ln, Hillsborough, NC 27278 (right beside the Main Library in Hillsborough!)
Audience: Adults only

No registration required. Come early to grab a seat and a drink!

Join us in-person on the 4th Tuesday of the month at the Southern Branch Library in Carrboro for an engaging discussion on a great selection of books. We welcome everybody to come talk with us, even if you didn't finish the whole thing! Register for book club below or in person at either of our Orange County Public Library branch locations.

Our July selection is When We Sold God's Eye: Diamonds, Murder, and a Clash of Worlds in the Amazon by Alex Cuadros, in keeping with the Summer Reading 2026 theme of "Unearth a Story." Summer Reading ends on July 26, just before this book club meeting, so be sure to sign up ahead of time if you want to complete your bingo card for the chance to win a raffle! Reading a book on theme checks off a square, so it can help you complete your bingo card if you start reading earlier in the month, although you'll have to turn in your card before this meeting.

Book club copies will be ready for check-out on the night of the June book club, until we run out. Click here or go to each meeting date to see the other books for the year, though September and October have not been purchased yet and are subject to change.

Cook the Book! July Edition | Monday, July 27th at 6:30p, at Main Library in Hillsborough | Join the library's cookbook club to share, discuss, and enjoy some delicious food! For this potluck-style event, we'll sign up for recipes from our July cookbook selections: Zaytinya, by José Andrés. and Six Seasons a New Way With Vegetables, by Joshua McFadden. Both books will be available to browse at the front desk of the Main Library and access digitally on hoopla. On the night of, bring your dish and take part in a delicious feast!

Registration is required for this event. We'll follow up to confirm your recipe (and check for duplicates) after registration. If you have any questions ahead of the meeting, please call the library (919-245-2525; ask for Daniel) or email dlawrence@orangecountync.gov. While the event will start at 6:30 p.m., you are welcome to come set up any time after 6.

Join Andrea Fowler, Certified Postpartum & Infant Care Doula & Certified Lactation Counselor, to start your infant feeding journey off with calm and confidence!

During this FREE course, you will learn small, but impactful adjustments to help ensure your comfort and baby’s ability to remove milk effectively during direct breast/bodyfeeding. We will practice paced bottle feeding, discuss different bottle/nipple shapes and explain how to introduce a bottle, so that you can feed your baby human milk in the way that works best for your family.

Registration is preferred. Each pregnant or lactating parent may bring along one support partner. Babies in arms (under 1 year) are welcome. The course is 9:30am - 11:30am including time to address your specific questions and concerns. Light refreshments and socializing will follow!

Acompáñanos en Cuentacuentos con Sra. Clemente, un espacio de cuentos en español pensado para apoyar a los niños bilingües. Niños y sus cuidadores están invitados a disfrutar de cuentos en español con música, rimas y un tiempo de juego al final del evento.

Join us in Cuentacuentos (Spanish Storytime) with Sra. Clemente, a space for stories in Spanish designed to support bilingual children. Children and their caregivers are invited to enjoy stories in Spanish with music, rhymes, and time for open play at the end of the event.

Summer Reading Celebration: Frozen Treat Drop-In!

All Summer Reading participants are invited to drop by the Main Branch of the Orange County Public Library between 12–2 PM for a frozen treat!

Stop by the Main Meeting Room to enjoy a cool treat as a thank you for participating in this year’s Summer Reading program. This event is open to readers of all ages—we appreciate you!

Thank you for participating in our summer adventure!

The Summer Reading Program is generously funded by the Friends of the Library, whose support helps make our programs possible.

Saturday Serenity Guided Meditation occurring on the last Saturday of the month from 3:00-4:00pm at the Main Library in Hillsborough, located at 137 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, NC 27278. Registration is preferred.

Unwind with breathing exercises and guided meditation to rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul. This holistic session, brought to you by The North American Institute of Vihangam Yoga, is designed to guide you through:

Breathing Exercises to calm the mind, reduce stress, and boost energy;
Chanting to cultivate focus and harmony; and
Meditation to connect with your inner self and awaken your spiritual potential.

Join us as we begin a new cycle of seasons by embarking on a journey of self-discovery, peace, and enlightenment.