Storytimes near SALEM PUBLIC LIBRARY

Meeting Room

Did you know? Literacy development begins at birth! Create lifelong readers with us at this special storytime designed especially for infants and crawlers. Registration required.

Meeting Room

Create lifelong readers! Join us for stories, songs, and boisterous fun as we share our love of books with your child. Open to children ages 0-5 and their families. Registration required.

Meeting Room

Come for a fun afternoon of board games, card games, and jigsaw puzzles. No registration required -- just drop in! Refreshments will be provided. For ages 18 --> Salem Library Meeting Room Open to adults 18 and over No registration required - just drop in! Light refreshments will be provided. Parking Info: If the Library Square lot is full, free parking is available at the corner of South Broad Street and Calhoun Street, next to the Salem Courthouse. Please note: The lot between the Library and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is private—unauthorized vehicles may be towed at the owner's expense.

Meeting Room

Explore new worlds, make friends (or enemies), and engage in combat! This is the third session of Salem’s summer Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Use the character made in session 0 or, if you missed it, you will be given a character to play. No previous gaming experience required. Open to grades 8-12. Registration required.

Meeting Room

The Friends of Salem Library meeting to discuss advocacy and support initiatives, book sales, and more!

Meeting Room

Join us at the library for our adoption event for the ultimate low-maintenance pet: a rock! Decorate both your new pet and its new digs, as well as receive an official certificate of adoption. Open to grades K-6. Registration required.

Meeting Room

A book club to discuss cold cases and old crimes. This month we are reading "The Carpool Detectives" by Chuck Hogan, a true crime story of 4 suburban moms who investigate a double homicide cold case in their hometown.

Register here to watch at home. Join us for a thrilling evening with acclaimed author Karin Slaughter as we chat about her North Falls series, consisting of We Are All Guilty Here, in which two teenage girls vanish in rural Georgia, and her upcoming sequel, The Secrets We Hide. In The Secrets We Hide, Slaughter welcomes readers back to North Falls. A small town with big secrets… 1601 Iris Drive looks like any other house on the quiet, residential street. But rumors are rampant about the Vickery family, and what goes on behind closed doors. When gunshots ring out, Sheriff Emmy Clifton and her sister, ex-federal agent Jude Archer, discover a devastating crime scene. Allison Vickery has been murdered in her own kitchen, and her teenage daughter is bleeding upstairs, left for dead. Everyone thinks they know what happened. But secrets are buried everywhere in this small town. And it’s up to Emmy Clifton to uncover the truth… Register now to take part in the discussion, and for an exclusive sneak peek of The Secrets We Hide, coming out August 11, 2026! About the Author: Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular storytellers. She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels, including the Edgar nominated Cop Town and standalone novels Pretty Girls and False Witness. An international bestseller, Slaughter is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. Pieces of Her, based on her novel, debuted at #1 worldwide on Netflix as an original series in 2022. Her bestselling thriller series, Will Trent, is now a television and streaming sensation in its 4th season. The Good Daughter has been adapted into a limited series starring Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy, and further projects are currently in development for film/TV. Karin Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta.

Meeting Room

Create lifelong readers! Join us for stories, songs, and boisterous fun as we share our love of books with your child. Open to children ages 0-5 and their families. Registration required.

Meeting Room

Are you a solo ager* looking for a thoughtful, supportive space to read and talk about books on aging? Join us for the launch of the Solo Aging Book Club, a reader‑guided group exploring the many dimensions of growing older. At our first meeting, participants may choose from selected titles or bring a book of their own interest related to aging. We’ll also discuss whether the group would like to follow monthly themes for future reads. Each attendee will choose a book at this first meeting, read it before the second gathering, and share reflections with the group using optional prompt questions. * A solo ager is any older adult living alone without supportive family or other help nearby. --> Salem Library Meeting Room Open to adults 18 and over Registration is encouraged so we know how many people plan to attend and so you'll receive a reminder email two days before the meeting. Parking Info: If the Library Square lot is full, free parking is available at the corner of South Broad Street and Calhoun Street, next to the Salem Courthouse. Please note: The lot between the Library and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is private—unauthorized vehicles may be towed at the owner's expense.

Children's Area

Read with a therapy dog! These mellow dogs love books and can't wait to listen to you read. Everyone who signs up gets at least 10 minutes to read with a dog. You can bring your own book or pick one out when you arrive! Open to grades 1-5; must be at least 6 years old to attend. Registration guarantees you a spot in the program, not a specific start time. Students will read one-on-one with a dog on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Meeting Room

An LGBTQ book club. This month is reader's choice of humorous fiction, essays, or memoir.

Meeting Room

Did you know? Literacy development begins at birth! Create lifelong readers with us at this special storytime designed especially for infants and crawlers. Registration required.

Meeting Room

Create lifelong readers! Join us for stories, songs, and boisterous fun as we share our love of books with your child. Open to children ages 0-5 and their families. Registration required.

Register here to watch at home. In her ambitious new memoir, Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget, beloved bestselling author Reyna Grande illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the complex journey of healing that follows survival. What is the true power of stories? Can they heal the jagged edges of a traumatic childhood? Is the cost of telling the story worth the price of the cure? With her signature blend of sophistication and raw honesty, Grande interrogates how living between two nations, two languages, and two identities has shaped the woman, mother, and writer she has become. Moving from the legacy of violence in her hometown of Iguala, Mexico, to a bittersweet family vacation in Europe spent reconciling her own impoverished past with her children’s world of abundance, she uncovers startling truths about the nature of survival. Whether being racially profiled in the Arizona borderlands or finding unexpected wisdom from the slugs in her garden, Grande unflinchingly asks: How do we bridge the gap between who we were and who we have become? How do we turn pain into power? When memory threatens to define us, how can we use story to heal while still honoring our boundaries? Register today for this virtual talk if you identify as a seeker, a dreamer, or “anyone who believes in the enduring, transformative power of finding one’s voice.” About the Author: Reyna Grande is an award-winning author, motivational speaker, and writing teacher. As a young girl, she crossed the US–Mexico border to join her family in Los Angeles, a harrowing journey chronicled in The Distance Between Us, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Her other books include the novels A Ballad of Love and Glory, Across a Hundred Mountains, and Dancing with Butterflies, the memoirs Migrant Heart, The Distance Between Us: Young Readers Edition, and A Dream Called Home, and the anthology Somewhere We Are Human: Authentic Voices on Migration, Survival, and New Beginnings. She lives in Woodland, California, with her husband and two children. Visit ReynaGrande.com for more information.

Meeting Room

Join our horror/sci-fi book club! Each month features a different theme - choose any title you'd like to read and discuss! January 22: New Year, New You: Genetic/body modifications, scientific/biological reincarnation February 26: Love Gone Wrong: Obsession, stalking, abduction March 26: Time Marches On: Multigenerational space/time travel April 23: Nature Strikes Back: Climate/biological apocalypse, evolutionary horror May 28: Space, the Final Frontier: Exploration, Terraforming, Colonization June 25: Summertime Stab-ness: Campy slasher horror July 16*: Hello, boys, I’m back!: Alien Invasions August 27: Back to School: Realistic/hard science fiction September 24: It’s Harvest Time: Folk horror October 22: The End of the World: Apocalypse/dystopian horror November 19*: Stay Alive: Survival horror (wilderness, lost in space, cannibals, etc.) December 17: Last Chance Read: Finally get around to that 2026 sci-fi/horror book from your TBR (*Dates fall on 3rd Thursday due to holidays)

Meeting Room

We invite you to donate blood and help save a life. Donors please make appointments online at www.redcrossblood.org.

Reading Area

Drop in and admire tiny art created by local artists -- or yourself! All tiny art returned to the library by July 11 will be on display. Want to participate in the Tiny Art Show? Pick up a Tiny Art kit at the desk! Kits will be available starting June 1.

Meeting Room

Join us for an exclusive showing of "Gorg the Gargoyle," an original production by Mill Mountain Theatre! This 25-minute show will be followed by a craft and activity. Space is extremely limited, so registration is required.

Meeting Room

Make mosaic wall art with us! No prior experience needed. Open to grades 6-12. Registration required.

Meeting Room

Create lifelong readers! Join us for stories, songs, and boisterous fun as we share our love of books with your child. Open to children ages 0-5 and their families. Registration required.

Meeting Room

Planning ahead for financial decision‑making is one of the most important — and most overlooked — parts of aging well. This one‑hour workshop, based on the Thinking Ahead Roadmap created by AARP and the University of Minnesota, guides you through the essential steps to prepare for the possibility that you may need help managing your money in the future. We’ll cover the six key points of the Roadmap: Choosing a trusted financial advocate Organizing your financial information Starting conversations early Explaining your needs and expectations Officially appointing your advocate if needed Gradually shifting responsibilities when the time is right Special Offer: The first 10 participants or couples to attend will receive a free copy of the Thinking Ahead Roadmap. This session is designed to be approachable, practical, and empowering. This one-hour workshop will be presented by library staff, Theresa and David. Please note: Library staff are not financial professionals and cannot provide personalized financial, legal, or investment advice. Salem Library Meeting Room Open to adults 18 and over Registration is required. Light refreshments will be provided. Parking Info: If the Library Square lot is full, free parking is available at the corner of South Broad Street and Calhoun Street, next to the Salem Courthouse. Please note: The lot between the Library and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is private—unauthorized vehicles may be towed at the owner's expense.

Children's Area

Read with a therapy dog! These mellow dogs love books and can't wait to listen to you read. Everyone who signs up gets at least 10 minutes to read with a dog. You can bring your own book or pick one out when you arrive! Open to grades 1-5; must be at least 6 years old to attend. Registration guarantees you a spot in the program, not a specific start time. Students will read one-on-one with a dog on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Meeting Room

Did you know? Literacy development begins at birth! Create lifelong readers with us at this special storytime designed especially for infants and crawlers. Registration required.

Meeting Room

Create lifelong readers! Join us for stories, songs, and boisterous fun as we share our love of books with your child. Open to children ages 0-5 and their families. Registration required.

Meeting Room

In this workshop, children will explore their creativity by designing and sculpting their own imaginary friend or creative creature from clay. Inspired by fun, imaginative picture books, participants will learn basic sculpting techniques and bring their unique characters to life. This program encourages storytelling, creativity, and artistic expression in a fun, supportive environment. Open to ages 4 Registration required.

Meeting Room

Explore new worlds, make friends (or enemies), and engage in combat! This is the fourth session of Salem’s summer Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Use the character made in session 0 or, if you missed it, you will be given a character to play. No previous gaming experience required. Open to grades 8-12. Registration required.

Meeting Room

Cap off our 'Unearth a Story' summer reading program theme and make your own time capsule! Commemorate what's important to you now, your special memories, and your hopes for the future. While you're here you can write a letter to your future self, complete your favorites list, and list the memories you want to remember and revisit in the future! Bring special items from home to customize your capsule. Examples include: Dated photos Family Tree Floor Plan of Home Memorabilia, (ticket stubs, report cards, receipts, letters from family members, menus from your favorite restaurant, small trinkets, etc) We will provide the container and a few prompts to get you started. You'll leave with your completed Time Capsule and a spade to bury it with! This family-friendly event is open to all ages! Registration required.

Meeting Room

This month's selection is Reader's Choice: "Survival Stories".

Register here to watch at home. Join us in virtual conversation with bestselling author Dr. Marisa Franco, one of the world’s leading experts in human connection. Her book, Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make–And Keep–Friends, explores the science of different attachment styles and how they impact our relationships–often in ways we don’t realize! How do we make and keep friends in an era of distraction, burnout, and chaos, especially in a society that often prizes romantic love at the expense of other relationships? In Platonic, Dr. Marisa G. Franco unpacks the latest, often counterintuitive findings about the bonds between us—for example, why your friends aren’t texting you back (it’s not because they hate you!), and the myth of “friendships happening organically” (making friends, like cultivating any relationship, requires effort!). As Dr. Franco explains, to make and keep friends you must understand your attachment style—secure, anxious, or avoidant: it is the key to unlocking what’s working (and what’s failing) in your friendships. Making new friends, and deepening longstanding relationships, is possible at any age—in fact, it’s essential. The good news: there are specific, research-based ways to improve the number and quality of your connections using the insights of attachment theory and the latest scientific research on friendship. Platonic provides a clear and actionable blueprint for forging strong, lasting connections with others—and for becoming our happiest, most fulfilled selves in the process. Register today to learn more about how to harness the science of human connection to create cultures of belonging. About the Author: An enlightening psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and TED speaker, Dr. Marisa G. Franco is known for digesting and communicating science in ways that resonate deeply enough with people to change their lives. Dr. Franco works as a professor at The University of Maryland and authored Platonic: How The Science of Attachment Can Help You Make – and Keep – Friends. She writes about friendship for Psychology Today and has been a featured connection expert for major publications like The New York Times, The Telegraph, and Vice. Dr. Franco speaks on belonging at corporations, government agencies, non-profits, and universities across the country, including Harper Collins Publishers, Cisco, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and The Department of State.