Adult Programs

We have a lot going on! Scroll down for all our adult programs. Programs that require registration contain links below the promotion.

Summer Reading Programs

Celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by reading 1776 by David McCullough.  Then join the All-Island Book Discussion led by retired constitutional scholar and author, Jack Fruchtman, Saturday, July 11th at 3:00 pm at the West Tisbury Library.  We have multiple copies to lend.  Come pick one up and get ready for the conversation!

June 1st - August 31st

Join your neighbors and friends in the library's Adult Summer Reading Challenge from June 1st to August 31st.  Come by the library and pick up the brochure or use the link below to download and print your copy.  Read three books to make a tic-tac-toe on our challenge grid.  Once three books are complete, come back to the library to choose a small prize and get entered into the grand prize drawing that includes a library tote bag stuffed with goodies for the avid reader.  

 CLICK HERE to download the brochure.

Weekly Recurring Programs

Technology Tuesdays

1:00pm - 3:00pm or by appointment

Need help with your computer, tablet or phone?  Our adult program manager, Lynne McCormack is here to help you. And when she's not available Drew Dubno, our youth services librarian and deputy director is available.   From help with library apps, Libby, Hoopla and Kanopy to almost anything else, we can assist you navigate the digital world.  Stop by anytime between 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm on Tuesdays.  Or feel free to make an appointment outside these hours by clicking on the link below.  

CLICK HERE to make an appointment.

Summer Mah Jongg, Tuesdays 

Learn to Play Mah Jongg, Beginner Sessions, 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm 

Ann DeWitt runs Learn to Play Mah Jongg, beginner sessions from June 23rd - August 18th.   If you are a new beginner or need to brush up on your skills this is the session for you. We will not be teaching during the open sessions during the the summer.  Registration is required. 

CLICK HERE to register for the Learn to Play Mah Jongg sessions.  Each class is limited to 8 people. 

Open Sessions, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Come play Mah Jongg at the library!  We have five tables completely set up with tiles and mats. These open sessions are for experienced and intermediate players. No registration required but space is limited to 20 players. Please bring your own 2026 Mah Jongg Card.  CLICK HERE to join the email list to receive updates on games and occasional tips!

Chilmark Coffee & Conversation

Wednesdays 

10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Come to the library on Wednesday mornings for, what is always, a wonderful conversation about our town.  We discuss the unique qualities and values that define Chilmark.  From oral histories of the town to current events, the lightly facilitated conversation is always lively and interesting!  Guest speakers are occasionally invited. Coffee, tea and breakfast treats from 7a are provided.

Sponsored by the Friends of Chilmark Library

No registration required.

Community Knitting Circle

Thursdays

June 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Come to the library with your work in progress to sit and stitch in the lovely Martha's Vineyard Room or during the warmer months outside on our patio.  We welcome all levels of knitters and offer assistance to those looking for tips or to learn new techniques.  We have some very experienced knitters who are happy to share their knowledge.  And if you are hoping to learn to knit, please come join us!  We are happy to start you on your way with some of the materials in our knitting stash.  And don't be shy if you are in a different category of fiber and needle arts.  Please feel free to join us too! 

No registration required. 

July Programs

Scroll down to see all our July programs in order by date.

For your convenience, the links below connect to downloadable pdfs for the Summer Speaker Series and the Chillin' in Chilmark Live Music Events.

Download the Speaker Series Brochure here.

Download the Chillin' in Chilmark Live Music flyer here.

Summer Speaker Series: Washashores Review 
Wednesday, July 1st 
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

The Summer Speaker Series kicks off with a reading with local authors published in the Washashores Review (Volume 2). This literary anthology is published by the Washashore Writers Collective in partnership with the Featherstone Center for the Arts. The 154-page collection features poetry, essays, and short stories written by 30 women-identifying authors. The pieces are all tied together by the overarching theme of "wanting" and are deeply inspired by the magic and unique culture of Martha's Vineyard. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet island writers and support their work. 

Chillin' in Chilmark
Live Music Series: The Hat Ladies
Thursday, July 2nd
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

The Chilmark Community Center (CCC) and the Chilmark Free Public Library (CFPL) are teaming up this summer to bring music and fun to the center of town all season long. So pack a picnic, bring some chairs and join us for some Chillin’ in Chilmark at the community campus! From a Grammy-considered children’s band to nationally recognized jazz performers, there will be something for everyone. The series kicks off  with The Hat Ladies — a Grammy-nominated children's band. Known for their playful tunes, signature hats, and infectious energy, the Hat Ladies bring a show that gets kids dancing and parents grinning. Check out the Hat Ladies Youtube Channel. 

Summer Speaker Series: Kerry Docherty
Wednesday, July 8th 
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Kerry Docherty, co-founder of Faherty clothing company and author of the new memoir Selfish: Unlearning, Reclaiming and Telling the Truth will be on hand to discuss her book. Docherty's memoir explores themes of selfishness in marriage, motherhood, business, and creativity and the consequences of doing what we want. This book also explores whether society conditions women to put other's needs first, and the implications of writing one's story. Docherty is a graduate of Yale University, where she was captain of the lacrosse team, and got a J.D. from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. She is also trained as a mindfulness coach and teacher. Click here to visit Kerry Docherty's website. 

Crochet a Chicken with Sarah Vail
Fridays July 10th, 17th and 24th 
10:30 am - 12 pm
 

Sarah Vail is an accomplished fiber artist and well-known island home economics teacher.  She will spend three weeks teaching adults and teens how to crochet a chicken! Whether you are already a master of crochet or just starting out this class will be a fun way to spend Friday summer mornings. All materials will be provided. Registration is required and space is limited. 

CLICK HERE to register.

Summer Speaker Series: Who Was Lucy Vincent?
A Women of Chilmark Lecture with Linsey Lee & Jane Slater
Wednesday, July 15th 
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

After spending a beautiful day at Lucy Vincent Beach, have you ever wondered  "Who was Lucy Vincent?"  Join us to explore the life of Lucy Vincent, from her donation of the beloved beach to her accomplishment as the longest serving library director of the Chilmark Free Public Library.  Oral historian Linsey Lee will conduct an in-person interview with former library trustee and Lucy Vincent’s niece, Chilmark resident, Jane Slater, who will share her personal memories of Lucy Vincent. Don’t miss this special, very Chilmark, program.

The Women of Chilmark lecture series is generously supported by Barbara Fish Lee and the Friends of Chilmark Library.  This mini-series will highlight some of the intrepid women that have lived and worked in Chilmark over the past 150 years. We celebrate their contributions to the island and the world beyond our shores, and learn new stories about their lived experiences.

Author Talk & July Book Club: Feed Us With Trees, with Elspeth Hay
Thursday, July 16th

12:00 pm

The Chilmark Free Public Library and Vineyard Haven Public Library are pleased to welcome Cape Cod author and journalist Elspeth Hay for a discussion about her book, Feed Us with
Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food.  In Feed Us with Trees, Hay explores food sources from perennial nut trees and the people who grow them and discovers that in tending staple trees, we once played a vital environmental role as one of Earth’s keystone species. The book is Hay’s hopeful manifesto about a brighter, more abundant future. It will appeal to environmentalists, regenerative farmers, permaculture enthusiasts, agroforesters, locavores, and anyone hungry for a more holistic, nutrient-dense diet rooted in wild foods and ancient knowledge. Elspeth Hay is a writer, public radio host, and creator of the Local Food Report, a weekly feature that has aired on WCAI, the Cape & Islands NPR Station, since 2008. Elspeth lives with her family on Cape Cod, MA. Click here to visit Elspeth's website. This book is also our Book Club's pick and the event serves as the July meeting.

CLICK HERE to sign up for Book Club.

Chillin' in Chilmark
Live Music Series: Missis Biskis 
Thursday, July 16th
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Chilmark’s beloved Missis Biskis will get folks up on their feet with Americana standards and folk music.  Led by singer-guitarist Ellen Biskis and her husband, bassist Taurus Biskis, the group frequently performs at local island staples as they cruise the "Americana Highway," performing everything from Hank Williams to Jimi Hendrix, and Loretta Lynn to Lucinda Williams. If you want to experience true Chilmark joy, don’t miss this family friendly opportunity to dance the night away. For more on Missis Biskis, click here. 

Summer Speaker Series: The Blackwell Sisters in Chilmark
A Women of Chilmark Lecture with Janice P. Nimura
Wednesday, July 22nd
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

The Women of Chilmark lecture series continues with “The Blackwell Sisters in Chilmark” with Pulitzer Prize finalist Janice P. Nimura, author of the New York Times bestseller The Doctors Blackwell. The Blackwell family was considered among the island’s “first summer people,” but sisters Emily and Elizabeth Blackwell were also the first formally educated female physicians in the United States. Together they founded the first hospital staffed entirely by women in New York City. Ms. Nimura will discuss the lives of the sisters and her process of researching the Blackwell Family and their presence in Chilmark. Nimura is currently working on a biography of Rachel Carson. For more information about Janice P. Nimura and her work, click here.

The Women of Chilmark lecture series is generously supported by Barbara Fish Lee and the Friends of Chilmark Library.  This mini-series will highlight some of the intrepid women that have lived and worked in Chilmark over the past 150 years. We celebrate their contributions to the island and the world beyond our shores, and learn new stories about their lived experiences.

Chillin' in Chilmark
Live Music Series: Joel Harrison & Stan Strickland Duo
Thursday, July 23rd
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Jazz lovers are in for a treat when Joel Harrison and Stan Strickland take the stage as a duo. Mr. Harrison is a Guggenheim Fellow hailed by the New York Times as "protean" and "brilliant," and is a longtime Vineyard favorite whose genre-defying sound weaves together jazz, classical, rock, country, and American roots music into something truly his own. Singer, saxophonist, flutist, Mr. Strickland has performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Scandinavia, New Zealand and the former Soviet Union. In addition to numerous radio and television appearances, Stan has performed in many clubs and concert halls, including Jordan and Symphony Halls in Boston, Carnegie Recital Hall and Town Hall in New York, and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Joel and Stan bring world-class musicianship to our up-island stage for a night you won't want to miss. For more info about the artists click here for Joel Harrison and here for Stan Strickland. 

Summer Speaker Series: Katie West: Becoming a Signing Islander
A Women of Chilmark Lecture with Jody Cripps
Wednesday, July 29th 
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Join us for the final event in the Women of Chilmark lecture series, “The Life and Legacy of Katie West” with Professor Jody Cripps of Clemson University. The history of the deaf community in Chilmark is well-known, but what was the life of deaf residents actually like? In this lecture, Professor Jody Cripps of Clemson University, who has visited the Island many times to conduct research on the deaf community, will focus on the life of Katie West, the last known signer of Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language (MVSL) as well as introduce the audience to some of the unique signs of MVSL. Katie West’s house is now part of the Chilmark Free Public Library. This program will be presented in American Sign Language with an interpreter. For more information about Professor Jody Cripps click here.  

The Women of Chilmark lecture series is generously supported by Barbara Fish Lee and the Friends of Chilmark Library.  This mini-series will highlight some of the intrepid women that have lived and worked in Chilmark over the past 150 years. We celebrate their contributions to the island and the world beyond our shores, and learn new stories about their lived experiences.