Programs in Numbers

Friendly Fiber Fridays Meet-Up | First and fourth Fridays of the month from 9am to 10:30am 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.

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

Create a beautiful bookmark using real pressed flowers and clear acrylic! Kids will design their own nature-inspired bookmark while exploring color, pattern, and plant art. Each participant will leave with a unique bookmark perfect for keeping their place in a favorite book.

Program is designed for children in grades 3–5. Registration is not required.

Based in downtown Hillsborough, Music Maker Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to sustaining American music traditions by ensuring that vulnerable artists have the necessary resources to be healthy, safe, and creatively fulfilled. In 2024, they commemorated their 30th anniversary with the release of "Song Keepers: A Music Maker Anthology", a book and four disc box-set documenting the art and artists that the foundation's work has nurtured over the years. "Song Keepers" features contributions from Grammy Award winners like folk musician Rhiannon Giddens, blues guitarist Taj Mahal, and writer and folklorist William Ferris.

Join us at the Main Library in Hillsborough as Music Maker Foundation co-founder/Executive Director Tim Duffy and "Song Keepers" author Georgann Eubanks present on the essential cultural history the Foundation seeks to protect and promote. Registration is recommended for this event.

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.

Catch some sunshine and turn it into art! In this creative program, teens will design and make their own beaded suncatchers using colorful beads and simple materials. Hang your finished piece in a window and watch it sparkle and shine as it reflects the light. Whether you go for bold and bright or soft and subtle, you’ll leave with a unique decoration that’s totally your style. Come relax, get creative, and make something that glows!

Registration for this program is encouraged but not required.

Rising 6th graders can join teen programming after September 1, 2026.

Relax with quiet reading and chill ambience in good company.

Chat about your books, if you want, in the last half hour (or just keep reading!)

Registration is not required, and you can come and go whenever between 5 and 7. If you'd like to be emailed a reminder of the date/time, feel free to register.

Sparkling water provided, while supplies last.

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!

Children from walkers to age 5 and their caregivers are invited to participate in a 25-minute interactive program that incorporates age-appropriate books, rhymes, music, and movement. A 30-minute Stay-and-Play follows Storytime. Registration is not required.

Join us in the kid's area of the Southern Branch Library

For a 15-20 minute early literacy program for babies with stories, rhymes, bounces, and songs! For newborns up to walkers with their caregivers and siblings.

Location is inside the Southern Branch Library on the first floor of the Drakeford Library Complex in Carrboro, NC.

Calling all curious kids! The Curiosity Crew is a program where Kindergarten–2nd graders can build, create, and discover through fun projects in art, science, and beyond. This week you'll flip for some silly games, pancake-themed art, and decorate your own pancake snack with fruit toppings!

Children may participate in this program independently or with their caregivers. Caregivers must remain inside the library for the duration of the program.

WonderKids is an exciting and engaging program designed to spark curiosity in older preschoolers through interactive, hands-on activities that explore the wonders of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. Each month we will read a story together and then dive into themed STEAM activities inspired by the book.

This month, we will have fun with all things balloon! Join us in making balloon crafts, experimenting with balloon inflation and lift, and playing balloon games. For children ages 4 & 5 with their caregivers. Siblings welcome.

Journey to the dino-infested jungles of an abandoned theme park and solve puzzles to uncover the sinister truth behind your mission! We've opened up a second session by popular demand after our June one.

This is a collaborative “murder mystery party” game for adults, where you’ll immerse yourself in the story with fun props and a character role to play.

You can come alone and meet new people, or sign up with your friends! Registration required. Groups must register each person one-by-one with separate emails, because everyone will get their characters assigned ahead of time and receive specific instructions for their role in the game. (These have to stay secret from the other attendees so the plot won't get spoiled!)

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!

Dance the morning away to our favorite songs and enjoy instructor-led movement activities to really get the wiggles out! For ages 2 - 5, with a caregiver. Siblings are welcome. No registration required.

Page Turners Book Club takes place on the 3rd Friday of each month from 10-11am at the Seymour Center located at 2551 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516. The book club is free, open to the public, and no registration is required. Call Maureen at 919.245.2535 or email msocha@orangecountync.gov with questions.

For reading selections and more information, visit the library's book club page.

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. 🌿

Teen Lock-In: The Library After Dark!
Get ready for the ultimate after-hours adventure at the Library! We’re taking over the whole building once the doors close to the public, and it's going to be a night of non-stop fun. Hang out with your fellow teens as we play games, tackle challenges, enjoy delicious pizza, and make memories that’ll last long after the night ends.

Registration & Parent Permission Slip required for each attendee.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, July 17, 12:00 noon. Please call to inquire about space after this time.

This is a parent-free event! Teens need to fill out a permission slip (attached) and submit it in advance or bring it signed when they check in for the program. Teens without a signed slip won’t be able to join the fun. Be sure to arrive before 6:00 pm when the library closes, and don’t forget—pick-up is from 10:00 to 10:15 pm.

Don’t miss out—come make the night unforgettable!

These programs are designed for patrons who have already completed at least 6th grade. Rising 6th graders may join teen programming after September 1, 2026.

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

Join us at Southern Branch library for storytime!

Starting at 10:30am, Southern Branch librarians will lead a 25-30 minute program with stories, songs, and movement for toddlers-preschoolers and their caregivers and siblings.

These events are free and require no registration.

Children must be supervised by their adult caretakers at all times.

Location: Library is on the first floor of the Drakeford Library Complex building--information desk inside can direct you.

Town of Carrboro's Toddler Playtime partnership will resume in the fall of 2026.

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

Do you have family stories you want to pass down? Or are you curious about your relative’s lives, but never knew how to record your questions?

In this workshop, anyone from older kids and teens to adults can learn how to do an oral history interview to record their family stories.

Recording won’t be done during the program, but try to bring the relative you want to interview/be interviewed by, so you can both learn! Registration required.

Can a flat sheet of paper become a 3D cube? Join us to explore the magic of paper engineering! Kids will fold, cut, and build their own cube creations while learning about shapes, geometry, and design. Participants can decorate their finished cubes and test how strong their structures can be.

Program is designed for children in grades 3–5. Registration is not required.

It's time to do some work in Main Library's Learning Garden on the side of the building! Library staff will be taking the opportunity to clean up, make changes, and plan for the seasons ahead. Stop by to chat. Find out what's happening and learn how to volunteer.

This program is a Green Literacy learning event that encourages people of all ages to enjoy nature, learn about the environment, and build earth-friendly habits. Click to see more Green Lit events at your library.

GreenLiteracy

Join us for special readings with the Hillsborough Police Department!

Once a month, local police officers will visit the Main Library in downtown Hillsborough to share some of their favorite children’s stories. Families can choose the 30-minute session that works best for their schedule. Sessions are offered from 3:30–4:00 or 4:00–4:30 PM, and each session includes up to six children for a small, cozy storytime experience. Please check in at the children's desk when you arrive.

After the stories, children will have a chance to ask questions and learn what it’s like to be a police officer in our community. It’s a great way to enjoy books, meet local helpers, and have a fun, interactive library experience!

Registration for this program is required. Please register each child who will attend.

Parents are welcome to join in the storytime or remain close by during the program.