Programs in Numbers

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.

Want to make reading practice a treat? Sign-up to read to Berna-doodle D'Oreo!

Tales & Tails gives K-5th readers the opportunity to read to a trained therapy dog at the library, building confidence and incentivizing reading practice in a calm, non-judgmental environment.

Select a 15-minute time slot from the listed options. During their 15 minutes, they'll read one-on-one to therapy dog D'Oreo, who might even show off some tricks! Please bring a book that the reader is comfortable with or working on.

Due to limited availability siblings are encouraged to share a session, just write in both children's names in one entry line. This program is only for children currently in Kindergarten through 8th grade.

Please note: to create a productive experience of the child's one-on-one connection with the animal, adult caretakers are invited to sit in seating provided on the side of the room to give the child independent space, or in the seating right outside the room.

Registration Required

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

During this workshop 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 in the way that works best for your family.

Registration is encouraged but not required. This program is intended for pregnant or lactating parents and their support partners. Babies in arms (under 1 year) are welcome. The workshop will be 9:30am-11:30pm including time to address your specific questions and concerns. Snacks and socializing will follow.

Topics we will discuss include:

Parent positioning

Baby positioning

What an ideal latch looks like

Signs of a shallow latch

Adjustments to improve latch

Postpartum support resources

Feeding goals

Introducing bottles

Bottle type selection

Paced bottle feeding

Pacifier use

Flange fit for pumping

Find more FREE resources and support for postpartum/lactating parents at https://giftoflovepostpartumcare.weebly.com/resources.html

Instructors with UNC’s Community Workshop Series will teach topics needed in many workplaces, but that can be helpful to anyone, not just job-seekers. Meets on the 2nd floor, in Classroom 217 (the computer lab of the Skills Development Center/NC Works).

You are welcome to register for whichever topics interest you (no requirement to attend them all).

Class Topics:

October 3: Microsoft Word

October 10: Microsoft Excel

October 24: Troubleshooting (get more help on what you've practiced since previous classes, or bring other questions).

October 31: Internet Basics

November 7: Email Basics

November 14: Troubleshooting (get more help on what you've practiced since previous classes, or bring other questions).

What: Calm and cozy meet-ups, perfect for getting lost in your journal. Drop by for deep focus journaling, reflective writing, and low-key creative time. Some supplies provided, but bring your own journal.

When: Saturday afternoons, every two weeks, from 3 to 5 pm.

Where: Southern Branch Room 114

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

Celebrate the joy of sharing stories across generations! Join us for a storytime featuring books, songs, rhymes, and movement activities designed to bring children and the special grown-ups in their lives together. Grandparents, families, and caregivers of all kinds are welcome.

This fall from September to November, 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, September 1st. 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 septiembre hasta finales de noviembre, 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 1 de septiembre. 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 storytime and playtime!

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

From 11am-12pm, continue the fun with Carrboro Rec and Park's playtime with lots of provided toys!

These events are free and require no registration.

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

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

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:
October 8
October15
October 22
October 29

Writers: maybe you know your characters as well as your family, but how do you create a world that is believable for them to move through?

In this workshop, local author Melora Fern will break down the intricacies that make up a story world and dive into how to create one that aligns with your characters. By deconstructing the components of themes, designing principles, setting techniques, and symbolism she will help you build a world where your characters thrive.

You will leave this writing workshop with a deeper understanding of the fabric that can be woven around your characters and how it is more than just a backdrop to your story.

The workshop includes a practice exercise so please bring your personal writing tools (laptop, iPad, paper, pen, pencil, etc.).

Writers of all experience levels welcome!

Melora Fern moved from Texas to North Carolina to become herself. Growing up as the perpetual “new kid” she persevered by making up stories and recently has learned how to hone that skill into writing fiction. As a recovering CPA, she now counts seashells, colorful stones, or words discovered on her walks. She is the author of Whistling Women and Crowing Hens, a novel inspired by her grandmother's history as a touring whistler in the 1920s.

Can a bowling ball float? How much space do different objects really take up? Explore floating, sinking, size, and volume through fun hands-on experiments with big and small objects!

This program is designed for kids in grades 3-5. Registration not required.

Kids and their families, drop-in for crafting time!

Each week will have a new seasonal craft for families to enjoy together to add more fun to your library visits.

Program is designed for children to participate with the assistance of their adult family members on a drop-in basis, with instructions provided for self-led activities. Children must be supervised during library visits.

Join us for Yoga Storytime to foster a healthy mind, body, and heart! We will explore yoga through stories, songs, and play. Come move and groove from silly to calm. This program is designed for children ages 4-5, with a caregiver. Siblings are encouraged to join in the fun, too!

Get crafty and celebrate the fall season by making your own adorable yarn pumpkin! Using yarn, balloons, and a few simple techniques, you’ll create a unique decorative pumpkin that you can take home and display. Choose your favorite colors and get creative with your design!

Registration for this program is encouraged but not required

Relax with quiet reading and chill ambience, on the third Wednesday each month. No assigned books, just a space to read in good company.

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

Registration is not required, and no worries if you can't make it right at 5. If you'd like to be emailed a reminder of the date/time, feel free to register.

Herbal tea provided while supplies last. You may bring your own mug with a lid, but we will also have disposable ones.

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 fall from September to November, 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, September 1st. 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 septiembre hasta finales de noviembre, 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 1 de septiembre. 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 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 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.

We invite people who are learning Spanish to come practice speaking with each other at this program.

These sessions on the 3rd Tuesday of the month are meant to supplement the librarian-led 1st Tuesday Hora De Hablar meetings.

We encourage you to attend both so that you can practice with themed conversation starters and vocab lists alongside librarians first, then later in the month, you can practice chatting about whatever you want, with only your fellow Spanish learners! Registration required.

Main Library's Local History Help Drop-In Hours are most Mondays from 10am-1pm. Help by appointment at other times and on other days of the week can be requested. Help hours take place in the Local History Area on the second floor of Main Library located at 137 West Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278

Need help navigating the resources in our local history collection? The local history liaison can assist! Stop by on Mondays between 10am and 1pm or make an appointment using this form. Whether you're just browsing the section or you're wading through our materials for specific information, the local history liaison can help lead you to resources you need to further your research.

North Carolina is a top ten state in the country for production of apples, despite the fact that people don't typically think of the South when they think of America's most beloved fruit. Join Orange County Public Library's own Tom Melton for an engaging discussion of how the Old North State has produced some of the South's most iconic growers, historians, and varieties of apple. We will also learn what North Carolinians in the present day are doing to document and preserve these historic fruit varieties, and what you can do to help! Samples of heirloom apples will be available, subject to availability.

Celebrate These United States at Orange County Public Library with this and other America 250 events. Click here to view all A250 events and register.

Want to learn more about how climate change may affect your current or planned pollinator gardens? Join us as NC State Associate Professor and author Dr. Danesha Seth Carley shares her expertise and experience on how to effectively navigate climate change effects on pollinators and their habitats.

This event is part of Dig Deeper, a speaker series presented by the Orange County Master Gardeners in collaboration with Orange County Public Library. Occurring on select Sundays of the month from 2pm-3:30pm, this series is free and open to gardeners at all levels of experience. Registration is preferred.

Visit theorangegardener.org to learn more about the Orange County Master Gardeners.