Programs in Numbers

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

Stop by the Southern Branch anytime between 2 and 5 pm on May 3rd and learn to make flowers from pipe cleaners, perfect as a gift for upcoming holidays and graduations or just to decorate for yourself!

Please register so we can estimate the amount of flowers each person can make with our supplies. The first 16 people to arrive to the program will also receive a mini vase to take home with their bouquet!

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!

Estate Planning Seminar facilitated by Hillsborough Wills & Trusts | Saturday, May 2nd, 2026 from 2-4pm at Main Library located at 137 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278.

Join experts from Hillsborough Wills & Trusts as they discuss the basics of estate planning and answer your questions. This event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be provided. Registration is preferred.

Topics covered will include:

wills, trusts, and essential healthcare documents

protecting assets from debt, disability, or divorce

important things to understand about probate

planning for costs of care as you age

Learn more about Hillsborough Wills & Trusts at this link.

During UNC final exam reading days, the Southern Branch will open up additional study space for students to drop-in and lock in on their prep, with goal setting worksheets and relaxing break activities provided.

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.

This winter and spring, the Main Library in Hillsborough is offering a beginning-level English class for adult speakers of other languages. Students will practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing in an interactive group environment.

Classes meet twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., starting Tuesday March 3rd. All classes are free, but registration is required. To sign up, please fill out our online registration form or call the library at 919-245-2525.

Location: Main Meeting Room (Room 116), 137 W Margaret Ln, Hillsborough NC 27278

If you have any questions, please contact Daniel Lawrence at dlawrence@orangecountync.gov.

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Desde marzo hasta finales de mayo, la biblioteca principal en Hillsborough ofrecerá una clase de inglés (nivel principiante) para hablantes de otros idiomas. Los estudiantes practicarán escuchar, hablar, leer, y escribir en un ambiente interactivo.

Las clases se reunen dos veces a la semana, martes y jueves de 9:30 a 11:00 de la mañana, empezando el 3 de marzo. Las clases son gratuitas, pero se requiere inscribirse. Para apuntarse, rellene nuestro formulario en línea o llame la biblioteca al numero 919-245-2525.

Lugar: Sala de reuniones principal (Main Meeting Room, 116), 137 W Margaret Ln, Hillsborough NC 27278

Si tiene preguntas, escríbale a Daniel Lawrence (correo: dlawrence@orangecountync.gov)

Join us at The Drakeford Library Complex for playtime!

From 10:30am-12pm join Carrboro Rec and Park's playtime with lots of provided toys! Storytime is on a break this week. We will see you back with Storytime next Thursday!

These events are free and require no registration.

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

Location: Performance Space on first floor of the Drakeford Library Complex--information desks can direct you!

Create music with the breeze! Participants will build a wind chime using simple materials and learn how sound travels and changes. Perfect for kids in grades 3–5. Registration not required.

Learn Tenango embroidery, a traditional Otomi craft from Hidalgo, Mexico in a supportive environment. Each class builds on the last one, so people must attend from the beginning.

Cubre tu Cabeza, No tu Corazón is a non-profit supporting people going through cancer treatment and cancer survivors.

Executive Function 102 builds on the foundations of Executive Function 101 and takes a deeper look at the everyday challenges many adults face with time, attention, and follow-through. This workshop explores why executive functioning skills are essential yet often hard to access, how American work culture shapes our expectations around time, and why many adults struggle to sense, estimate, and use time effectively. We’ll unpack how “time management” difficulties are often really about distraction, energy, and competing demands, and take a compassionate look at what’s underneath procrastination. Participants will learn practical, self-compassionate approaches to improve focus, reduce friction, and move tasks forward, along with key reminders they can return to when things feel sticky.

This event is presented in partnership with Kate Sage of Sage EF Coaching. Click here for more information about Sage EF Coaching. Registration for this event is encouraged but not required.

Kids in kindergarten through 5th grade,

Come explore the life cycle of butterflies and learn how local pollinators support our ecosystem. Meet live Monarch Butterfly caterpillars and take home pollinator garden seeds!

This program is in partnership with Lands and Waters South, a local non-profit dedicated to watershed protection and education.

Children under 10 must be with an adult during their visit.

The Teen Advisory Group (TAG) is a group of 8th-12th graders dedicated to making a positive impact at the library for themselves and other teens. For more information, please see our website.

Meetings for this session will be: February 25, March 25, and April 29.

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!

This winter and spring, the Main Library in Hillsborough is offering a beginning-level English class for adult speakers of other languages. Students will practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing in an interactive group environment.

Classes meet twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., starting Tuesday March 3rd. All classes are free, but registration is required. To sign up, please fill out our online registration form or call the library at 919-245-2525.

Location: Main Meeting Room (Room 116), 137 W Margaret Ln, Hillsborough NC 27278

If you have any questions, please contact Daniel Lawrence at dlawrence@orangecountync.gov.

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Desde marzo hasta finales de mayo, la biblioteca principal en Hillsborough ofrecerá una clase de inglés (nivel principiante) para hablantes de otros idiomas. Los estudiantes practicarán escuchar, hablar, leer, y escribir en un ambiente interactivo.

Las clases se reunen dos veces a la semana, martes y jueves de 9:30 a 11:00 de la mañana, empezando el 3 de marzo. Las clases son gratuitas, pero se requiere inscribirse. Para apuntarse, rellene nuestro formulario en línea o llame la biblioteca al numero 919-245-2525.

Lugar: Sala de reuniones principal (Main Meeting Room, 116), 137 W Margaret Ln, Hillsborough NC 27278

Si tiene preguntas, escríbale a Daniel Lawrence (correo: dlawrence@orangecountync.gov)

Join us for songs and stories at the Farmers' Market Pavilion in downtown Hillsborough, 140 E. Margaret Lane. 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. Registration is not required.

*Storytime will be cancelled if the temperature is projected to be 32 degrees or below or there is heavy precipitation. Please check the library’s online calendar for up-to-date cancellation information.

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.

Explore the amazing numbers that shape both animal and human lives! Kids will create a number-filled timeline of memorable moments and play lifetime bingo! The Curiosity Crew is a program where Kindergarten–2nd graders can build, create, and discover through fun projects in art, science, and beyond. Children may participate in this program independently or with their caregivers. Caregivers must remain inside the library for the duration of the program.

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 April selection is Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Book club copies will be ready for check-out the night of the March book club, until we run out. Click here or go to each date to see the other books for the year, though September and October have not been purchased yet and are subject to change.

Library After Dark is a librarian-led silent reading club which takes place on 4th Tuesdays of the month from 6:30-7:30pm at Main Library in Hillsborough located at 137 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, NC 27278. For more information about this and other book clubs, visit the library's book club page. Registration is preferred.

Wouldn't it be great to have a quiet hour to just sit and read whatever you want (and maybe have a little snack)? You can do that at Library After Dark! We'll gather in the library's Meeting Room starting at 6:30 -- be sure to get here before the library closes at 7! Bring whatever you'd like to read. We'll also have a selection of Lucky Day and New Release books to check out if you like. Coffee, tea, and some light refreshments will be available.

We'll read silently together for an hour. If you'd like to stick around after, we'll chat for a while about what we've been reading lately. If this sounds like fun, be sure to register!

NightsWithTheLibrary

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.

We have limited space in the class. If you can't make these sessions, there will be more in the very near future.

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.

The sessions are Mondays at 1pm:
April 6
April 13
April 20
April 27

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.

K-5th graders,

meet UNC Neuroscience students and learn about the brain with hands-on activities!

Children must be with an adult.