Programs in Numbers

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 the Curiosity Crew will build and create with LEGO bricks. Come design something amazing and see what you can dream up!

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

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

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.

Join us for Grow Fresh Storytime!

Bring the kids for a fun, interactive read-along and a fresh local food tasting! We’ll explore the joy of seasonal eating together with activities for the kids and helpful resources for parents about food and exposing kids to nature.

Drop in anytime to work together on summer reading themed puzzles for all ages. 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.

Seed Share takes place from mid-February to May at Main Library located at 137 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, North Carolina, 27278. Seed Share 2026 has been made possible with the support of Hillsborough Garden Club.

Main Library Seed Share | Share health, hope, and joy in our communities by planting native and naturalized, pollinator-friendly wildflowers. Pick up a different seed packet including plant information and sowing instructions each month from mid-February through May at Main Library in Hillsborough while supplies last. Finish the Seed Share season with the Plant Swap & Garden Party on Saturday, May 23rd.

Garden Like It's 1776! | This year in celebration of the Nation's 250th birthday (America 250 at OCPL), Seed Share will feature seeds of plants native and naturalized to colonial era North Carolina. Learn more about colonial era gardens and plants, including Claire’s Fraiser's garden from the Outlander series. It's just the thing to start getting you ready for the Outlandish Hillsborough Festival which will take place in September at Ayr Mount.

Main Library Seed Share & Plant Swap 2026 Schedule

February - Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)

March - Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

April - Purple False Foxglove (Agalinis purpurea)

May - Yellow Giant Hyssop (Agastache nepetoides)

Sat., May 9th - Plant Swap Event & Garden Party

Sun., May 10th - Sun., May 24th - Plant Swap Upstairs

*June | Bonus Seeds - Wild Flower of the Year seeds provided by NC Botanical Garden & Hillsborough Garden Club

This is one of our programs throughout 2026 that commemorate America 250, the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding. Click to see more A250 events at your library.

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

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.

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 Mondays at 1pm:
June 8
June 15
June 22
June 29

Unearth New Adventures this summer! Meet animal ambassadors from Wild Tails NC.

Meet different animals and learn about efforts to save them in this interactive program.

Registration Required. Waiver required for each family.

Recommended for children in PreK - 5th Grade (Ages 4-12).

Adults are welcome to attend this program with their children. If adults choose not to go into the program, they must remain inside the Library.

Waiver

Please arrive early to submit the attached liability waiver, due to live animals being present. You can print the waiver ahead of time (recommended) or fill out a form at the Library. This waiver must be signed by the parent or legal guardian of the child participant.

The program begins at 3:00. Please arrive early to fill out waivers and be seated. Doors open at 2:45pm.

Please only register for 1 session, 3:00-3:30 or 4:15-4:45.

Unearth New Adventures this summer and meet animal ambassadors from Wild Tails NC.

Meet different animals and learn about efforts to save them in this interactive program.

Registration Required. Waiver required for each family.

Recommended for children in PreK - 5th Grade (Ages 4-12).

Adults are welcome to attend this program with their children. If adults choose not to go into the program, they must remain inside the Library.

Waiver

Please arrive early to submit the attached liability waiver, due to live animals being present. You can print the waiver ahead of time (recommended) or fill out a form at the Library. This waiver must be signed by the parent or legal guardian of the child participant.

The program begins at 4:15. Please arrive early to fill out waivers and be seated. Doors open at 4:00pm.

Please only register for 1 session, 3:00-3:30 or 4:15-4:45.

Join us for an afternoon of sewing. Bring your sewing machine and your current project. Or use our space to spread out for cutting patterns or to enjoy the company of other sewists while you catch up on some hand-stitching. While it's not a class, this is an opportunity for folks to work on projects together and learn from each other.

Journey to the dino-infested jungles of an abandoned theme park and solve puzzles to uncover the sinister truth behind your mission!

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!)

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!

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.

Main Library in Hillsborough welcomes the Friends and Family Gathering for Something To Say: Art and Poetry from the Men at Orange Correctional Center. Join us on Saturday, June 27th, 2026, from 1:30 to 4pm for a celebration of creativity and community with those who have lived experience of incarceration.

Art from this project will be on display at Margaret Lane Gallery (121 West Margaret Lane in Hillsborough, next door to the Main Library). Visit Margaret Lane Gallery's website here.

Something To Say is sponsored by Alamance Orange Prison Ministry, which operates in Orange County, North Carolina and works primarily out of the Orange Correctional Center. Visit Alamance Orange Prison Ministry's website here.

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.

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!

Parents must stay in the library.

Registration is preferred, but not required.

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.

Make a colorful macramé rainbow while learning simple knotting techniques. A fun, hands-on fiber art project to take home.

This program is designed for children in grades 3 to 5 and registration is not required.

Join us at the Main Branch in Hillsborough for a screening of "Dinosaur 13", a 2014 documentary about "Sue", the most complete Tyrannosaurus skeleton ever recovered. The film covers Sue's discovery in the badlands of South Dakota and the ensuing legal battle over custody of the fossil, yielding a thought-provoking story about the intersection of science, law, and human exploration. "Dinosaur 13" won an Emmy for Outstanding Science and Technology Programming in 2015, and gives grown-ups an outlet to experience this year's paleontology-themed Summer Reading Program.

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.