1
Check out an instrument from the Library of Things.
2
Snag a copy of a popular new release from our Speed Read collection.
3
Read a book in a genre you’ve never read before.
4
Read a new issue of a popular magazine.
5
Request a book outside the Minuteman Network through Commonwealth Catalog or Interlibrary Loan.
6
Read a banned book.
7
Look for items with a Local Author sticker to find books by Newton writers.
8
Find books in languages other than English.
9
Check out a new movie or find a beloved classic.
10
Borrow video games for PS5, Switch, Xbox, and more.
11
Download Libby and explore e-books, audiobooks, and magazines.
12
Use one of our catalog computers for access to the millions of materials available through the Minuteman Library Network.
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Borrow one of the thousands of movies you can stream from Kanopy.
14
Read digital copies of graphic novels and manga on Hoopla.
15
Add Minuteman Partner Libraries to your Libby account to gain access to even more e-books and e-audiobooks across Massachusetts.
16
Read a book in a format you haven’t tried before, like an e-book or audiobook.
17
Borrow a laptop to use in the building.
18
Explore our books on a topic that you have always wanted to learn more about.
19
Check out a birdwatching kit from our Library of Things collection and find birds in your neighborhood.
20
Consult Consumer Reports online at home and in the library to make informed decisions on your next big purchase.
21
Check out one of our 30+ museum and recreation passes to explore a new museum or park.
22
Borrow a mobility device, braille game, or other accessibility aid from our collection of assistive equipment.
23
Borrow a telescope from the Library of Things and explore the night sky.
24
Check out a lawn game for your next outdoor party.
25
Check out a book because you love the cover.
26
Try out a new household or gardening tool, like an induction cooktop or gardening bench.
27
Learn about Newton in our Local History Room.
28
Try out a large print book.
29
Fill out a Suggest a Purchase Form to recommend a new item for our collection.
30
Learn a language using materials in our physical collection, or get online access to Mango through our digital collections.
31
Ask a librarian for a book recommendation.
32
Fill out our readers advisory form for personalized book recommendations from our librarians.
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Fill out our film recommendations form for personalized recommendations from our librarians.
34
Ask a librarian what they’re reading.
35
Browse a book display and discover a new favorite author.
36
Browse our Staff Recommends displays in the Atrium.
37
Tell a librarian about a book you borrowed and loved.
39
Attend an English conversation class in the ELL Program.
40
Study English with a tutor in the ELL Program.
41
Volunteer as an English tutor in the ELL Program.
42
Bring your kids to play in the Children’s Room play area.
43
Play computer games in the Children’s Room.
44
Listen to a VOX audio picture book.
45
Sign your child up for a writing program where they can write their own stories.
46
Spark your child’s love of STEAM at a science or maker program.
47
Pick up a Take and Make kit for your child to enjoy.
48
Check out a month-long Children’s Room event like Dinovember.
49
Say hello to the owl and bird statues in the Children’s Room.
50
Find books on your favorite topic by asking the librarians at the Children’s Desk.
51
Have fun learning using our launchpads in the library or at home.
52
Attend a storytime in the Children’s Room.
53
Enjoy all the book characters behind the desk in the Children’s Room.
54
Call our Dial-A-Story line at (617) 796-1415 to hear a children’s librarian read a different picture book each week.
55
Participate in a scavenger hunt in the Children’s Room.
56
Watch your child learn their ABCs.
57
Check out a STEAM Kit for kids.
58
Visit the Winnie-the Pooh, Eeyore, and Piglet statues by Nancy Schön on the Walnut Street side patio.
59
Play with the Nintendo Switch in the Teen Room.
60
Sign your pet up to be Pet of the Month in the Teen Room.
61
Use the whiteboard in the Teen Room.
62
Look through the book lists in the Teen Room.
63
Use the Quiet Study Area on the second floor.
64
Find a cozy spot to read & relax in a comfy chair.
65
Safely charge your phone in our charging tower in the Public Computer Area on the first floor.
66
Wander around and stroll through the stacks.
67
Use a computer for work or fun.
68
Use the Library’s printer – the first $1.25 of printing is free
69
Reserve a study room for yourself or for a group.
70
Fill up your water bottle at one of our hydration stations on the first and third floors.
71
View an art exhibit or display.
72
See the Newton Commemorative Quilt on the second floor.
73
Look at historical photographs on the walls by the periodicals section.
74
Use one of our study carrels to write your next great novel.
75
Come in and dry off on a rainy or snowy day.
76
Restore and digitize an old family photograph on our scanners using VividPix Photo Restoration.
77
Work on our rotating community puzzle on the second floor.
78
Park for free.
79
Peacefully observe the animals in our swale.
80
Borrow a Bluebike for the day, located on the front Homer Street plaza.
81
Eat lunch at an outdoor table when the weather is nice.
82
Charge your electric vehicle in the parking lot.
83
Spot the gnome statue in the swale.
84
Tune up your bike at the bicycle repair station on the front plaza.
85
Join a book club for any age or interest.
86
Attend a craft program and learn something new.
87
Talk to a SCORE counselor about taking your small business to the next level.
88
Reserve a one-on-one Tech Time to answer your technology questions.
89
Sign up for a genealogy one-on-one for research help.
90
Learn to play chess with other adults.
91
Sign up to get free help with your taxes.
92
Attend a free movie showing at the library with recent releases, classics, and kids’ movies.
93
Enjoy a free concert.
94
Attend a poetry reading – and share your poem in the open mic.
95
Get support in your job search.
96
Learn how to repair your household items at a Fix-It Clinic.
97
Attend a swap to exchange an old plant or puzzle for a new one.
98
Learn something new about history or culture at a lecture.
99
Discover something new about the natural world at a nature presentation.
100
Get moving at a dance or exercise program.
101
Learn how to play a new board game.
102
De-stress at a mindfulness and meditation program.
103
Spend time with your community at our LGBTQIA+ Social Hour.
104
Borrow an assistive listening device to use during one of our events.
105
Join the summer reading program for kids, teens, tweens, and adults.
106
Watch items get checked in and travel on our automated sorting machine.
107
Use our self checkout machines.
108
Choose one of four library card designs when you open a library account.
109
Renew your library account for five years.
110
Return your items in our outside book drop while the library is closed.
111
Check out a hold that’s listed as “Ready for Pickup”.
112
Sign up for curbside holds pickup.
113
Check out a book group’s next selection at the front desk.
114
Place a hold on a book – before it’s even come out.
115
Use a smart locker to pick up your holds while the Library is closed, coming soon in Spring 2025.
116
Convert your eCard to a library card to access everything we offer.
117
Apply for home delivery if you’re unable to come to the Library in person.
118
Use the microfilm machine to look at old Newton newspapers.
119
Browse the Friends Book Sale.
120
Buy a Friends Tote Bag for yourself or as a gift at the front Circulation Desk.
121
Donate books to the Friends of the Library.
122
Bring home a bookmark.
123
Choose a pronoun pin in the Teen Room.
124
Bring our brochures to a friend to learn more about what we offer.
125
Pick up a voter registration form.
126
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Keep up with Library news by signing up for our newsletters.
128
Come visit us seasonally at Newton’s farmers markets.
129
Bring a neighbor or friend with you to visit the library.
130
Fill out a comment card near the front desk.
131
Find Rumpus and Wumpus in the Teen Room.
132
Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (X).
133
Scan or fax at the library.
134
Don’t have a turntable? Borrow ours.
135
Browse our immense physical music CD collection: pop/rock, jazz, classical, blues, opera, and more.
136
Learn a new craft with Creativebug, an online e-resource for crafting.
137
Stop by the first floor Ask Desk and pick up a free photocopy of the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle.
138
Join the Friends of the Newton Free Library.
140
Use our library’s wireless printing to print from home, in the library, or via email.
141
Borrow a Nintendo Switch or Playstation VR headset.
142
Borrow a mobile hotspot to connect to wifi at home or on the go.
143
Borrow a thermal leak detector or a thermal imaging inspection camera from our Library of Things collection.
144
Get online home access to the New York Times or Wall Street Journal.
146
Join us each year for our Library Mini Golf event.
147
Browse our collection of music scores.
148
Read the latest newspapers.
149
Say hello to a friend or neighbor, and share a book recommendation.
150
Use our space to study, on your own or with a group.