After-School Activities Program (A.S.A.P.)
Chaylyn Harrington is stepping down from her role as After School Program Coordinator at the end of April. We are sad to lose her, but happy that she is moving forward in her chosen career, and we are very thankful that she was able to create a foundation from which future A.S.A.P. programming can be created!
Please stay tuned as we hire another person to fill this role. If you are interested in learning more about the position, please reach out to Melissa at mcarll@sals.edu, or stop by the library.
Tai Chi with Lila Brown at Bancroft
| Date | Wednesdays and Thursdays |
| Time | 8:45 am – 10:00 am (Wed.) 3:15 pm – 4:30 pm (Thurs.) |
| Description | Instructor Lila Brown offers Tai Chi to the Salem community at the library, free of charge. We start with gentle, healing Qi Gong warm-ups and dip in to the beginning of the Yang Style Short Form. Improve your flexibility, balance, breathing, strength, and posture while developing focus, patience and awareness; mental, spiritual, and physical. Enjoy the flow of movement and mindfulness. Perfect for all ages and conditions. No previous experience necessary. Space generally limited to 8 participants. Drop-ins are welcome when space allows. |
| Location | Proudfit Hall |
| Registration | To register for your spot, and for more information, contact Lila at LilaRBrown@gmail.com. |
| Contact | 518-854-7463 or slm-director@sals.edu for questions |
Seed Library is Now Open!
| Date | Spring- Summer 2026 |
| Time | during library hours |
| Description | Bancroft Public Library’s seed library is now available. Stop by the library to pick out your seeds for this season. Cornell Cooperative Extension has offered great resources on gardening, and Bentley Seeds from Cambridge has provided the packets. (Thank you to Beth DellaRocco for coordinating this opportunity) |
| Location | Library |
| Registration | stop by anytime |
| Contact | 518-854-7463 or mcarll@sals.edu |
Homeschool Supply Swap
| Date | Tuesday, June 16, 2026 |
| Time | 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm |
| Description | This June, Bancroft Library will host another Homeschool Supply Swap. Bring in your curriculum, workbooks, educational items, and anything else homeschool-related that you no longer use and are ready to pass on to another family! Meet other homeschooling parents, share ideas and curriculum recommendations, and take home items new to you. Please feel free to bring materials in ahead of time, or the day of the event. Event is free, and there will be activities for children while home school parents peruse the materials available. |
| Location | Proudfit Hall |
| Registration | FREE – no registration needed |
| Contact | 518-854-7463 or mcarll@sals.edu for questions |
Caffe Lena on the Road: Kate McDonnell at Bancroft Library (After Regular Monthly Potluck)
| Date | Wednesday, May 27, 2026 |
| Time | 12 noon (Monthly Potluck – Pizza Provided) 1:00 pm (Caffe Lena Show) |
| Description | The Historic Salem Courthouse Community Center is sponsoring Caffe Lena on the Road music series. While most of the programs will be held at the Courthouse, one session will be at Bancroft Library. On May 27, after the library’s monthly potluck, Kate McDonnell, singer-songwriter, will play her guiter (upside down and backward!) and sing with her whole being! Come for the potluck (pizza will be provided, or just come for the show! McDonnell has performed at the Newport Folk Festival, on the Mountain Stage Radion Show, on WXPN’s World Cafe, and at the Kennedy Center. |
| Location | Proudfit Hall |
| Registration | No registration needed – FREE Program |
| Contact | mcarll@sals.edu or 518-854-7463 |
I Bird NY Challenge – Take out the Birding Backpack
| Date | Now – November 2026 |
| Time | Anytime! |
| Description | The annual I BIRD NY Challenge is back! Use your observation skills and take the Challenge by identifying any 10 bird species of your choosing in New York State. Participants who successfully complete this fun challenge will be awarded a commemorative patch, completion certificate, and be entered into a drawing for great birding prizes!* The challenge is open from March 1 through November 1, open to participants of all ages and abilities. Participants may also earn a bonus entry into the prize giveaway by submitting a photo documenting their experience completing the I BIRD NY Challenge. Please, check out the library’s birding backpack (at the circulation desk) to help you on your quest! The backpack was provided by Southern Adirondack Audubon Society. To participate in the I BIRD NY Challenge, complete a Challenge Log online or download the I BIRD NY Challenge form (PDF) See DEC website for more info: https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/birding/i-bird-ny |
| Location | Proudfit Hall |
| Registration | No registration needed – FREE Program |
| Contact | mcarll@sals.edu or 518-854-7463 |
Fort Ticonderoga History Talk
| Date | Wednesday, July 22, 2026 |
| Time | 12:30 pm |
| Description | Come and learn about the events that occurred in 1775 and 1776 at Ticonderoga and how they led up to the Revolutionary War. This program is a virtual history talk that is scheduled for after the noon potluck. Feel free to come to both events! This talk is rescheduled from a postponed fall 2025 event. Please email mcarll@sals.edu if you would like the Zoom link for the program. |
| Location | Proudfit Hall or from the comfort of your home via virtual link |
| Registration | Registration Required |
| Contact | 518-854-7463 or mcarll@sals.edu |
Poetry Board – Magnetic Poetry at Bancroft
| Date | Through April |
| Time | Library Hours |
| Description | Our magnetic board is ready for you to have some fun! Create a poem, a funny sentence, or haiku. It’s all up to you! |
| Location | Bancroft Library |
| Registration | no registration |
| Contact | 518-854-7463 or slm-director@sals.edu for questions |