Special Collections Programs during the month of May
Captivity & Redemption: Mary Rowlandson's Story 350 Years Later
Friday May 1 at 2:00 PM
What was it about Mary Rowlandson’s story that was so interesting? Why did seventeenth-century readers enjoy a captivity narrative so much? Join our Special Collections and Archives Librarian to learn more about what made captivity narratives popular and what made Mary Rowlandson’s special.
Small Towns, Big Ideas: New England and the Origins of American Democracy
Wednesday May 6 at 6:30 PM
What can small New England towns teach us about the meaning of independence—250 years after the American Revolution? Tim Castner, local historian and Nashoba Regional High School teacher explores how town meetings became a training ground for democracy in the years leading up to the American Revolution.
The Battle of Bunker Hill
Wednesday May 13 at 6:30 PM &
Friday May 15 at 2:00 PM
The Battle of Bunker Hill was the second major battle to take place at the beginning of the American Revolution, just a few short months after Lexington and Concord. Join American Legion member Mark Knop to find out how Lancaster is connected to this important moment in American History.
Lancaster in 1776
Wednesday May 20 at 6:30 PM &
Friday May 22 at 2:00 PM
As the Revolutionary War continues into 1776, what are Lancastrians doing to support the war effort? Do the same people who responded to the Lexington Alarm in April of 1775 continue to fight? Join local historian and member of the Lancaster Historical Commission Amy Brown to explore these questions.
Slavery in Massachusetts
Wednesday May 27 at 6:30 PM &
Friday May 29 at 2:00 PM
Join our Special Collections and Archives Librarian for this program exploring the history of slavery within the Commonwealth, from the abduction of Indigenous Peoples in the early 17th century to the state’s connection to the Transatlantic Slave Trade, and how Lancaster is connected to this history.
Read History with Tori: The Minutemen and Their World
Friday May 29 at 3:30 PM
Meeting the last Friday of the month, this group will meet to discuss books that examine our nation’s early history and beyond.
May’s Book: The Minutemen and Their World by Robert A. Gross, available to pick up at our Circulation Desk.
Reading the Revolution
Want to learn more about the American Revolution? This multipart list reading includes recommendations for readers of all ages, and honors the complex history of the American Revolution and our nation’s unfolding evolution toward becoming a society where is everyone is truly “free and equal.” The reading lists feature recommendations for books available from libraries across the Commonwealth, including many that can be found here in Lancaster.
Visit the Massachusetts Center for the Book’s website for more information and to view the reading lists
Historic Figures Scavenger Hunt
Famous people from American History – including several Lancastrians – have gone missing!
During the month of May, search around the Library to find four different famous historical figures each week. Receive a prize for each completed scavenger hunt sheet turned in!
Scavenger hunt sheets will be available at the Circulation Desk starting May 1st.
