Musher Karen Land is back with Sophia, her Alaskan husky, with a return visit to Cranbury Public Library!
Land is a writer, public speaker, and three-time participant in the 1000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race as well as many other sprint and endurance races in Alaska, Canada, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Maine. Since 2000, Land has traveled to nearly every state with her dog sled, mushing gear, Arctic clothing, and beloved dogs. Come to hear fascinating tales of the Idiatarod Trail and meet Sophia!
Join Ms. Laura for stories, songs, and fun for everyone in the Children's room!
Wings of Fire Special Event!
Tuesday, March 3rd 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Join us in celebrating the latest book release in the Wings of Fire Universe! Wings of Fire: The Hybrid Prince comes out today, and we have all the stickers, pins, tattoos, and other prizes to commemorate the occasion. Come by the library from 3:30-4:30pm to take part in the fiery festivities! Registration is *highly encouraged*.
Come by the Maker Space every Thursday at 3:30pm to create your own unique craft! This month, in honor of NJ Makers Day, we will feature a new craft each week. This week: Part One of our two-part Air Dry Clay Trinket Dish Craft! Registration is *required* to participate. Recommended for ages 8-13. Register for additional dates on our website.
We're happy to announce that we've partnered with local nonprofit, Pawns Pathways, whose mission is to instill valuable life lessons and skills by teaching chess to children. You can find more about their efforts at the following link: Pawns PathwaysAll ages and experience levels are welcome to attend. Equipment will be provided. Chess Club will take place in Meeting Rooms 1 + 2 from 3:45pm to 4:45pm on the first Friday of every month!
Let's sing, play, and move with Ms. Jenni as she takes us on musical adventures designed especially for our littlest patrons! Each first Friday of the month at 11:00am, join us as we explore with instruments, dance, and song. Recommended for ages 0-4. Caregivers must attend with their child. Registration is *highly recommended*.
Bring your favorite stories to life with McCarter Theatre Center’s exciting and immersive Storytelling Theatre Workshops! After a fun and energetic warmup, we will read a story, prompting questions about the world, characters, and themes along the way. Following this, students will be guided through an immersive and theatrical exploration of the work, inviting them to imagine themselves in the shoes of the characters and in the world of the story. These engaging workshops help develop creative problem-solving, collaboration, imagination, and self-expression! Recommended for ages 8 to 12. Registration is *highly encouraged*. This program will be held in Meeting Rooms 1 + 2.
Who brought the dogs back? We did! Boost your reading skills and gain confidence in your abilities while hanging with a furry friend! Join us for this very special program when the pups from Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs come to the Library to be your Fur-tastic Reading Buddies! Recommended for ages 4-12. Registration required. Please register each participant individually.
Thursday CRAFTernoon: Special Makers Month Edition
Thursday, March 19th 3:30 PM
Come by the Maker Space every Thursday at 3:30pm to create your own unique craft! This month, in honor of NJ Makers Day, we will feature a new craft each week. Registration is *required* to participate. Recommended for ages 8-13.
Musher Karen Land is back with Sophia, her Alaskan husky, with a return visit to Cranbury Public Library! Land is a writer, public speaker, and three-time participant in the 1000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race as well as many other sprint and endurance races in Alaska, Canada, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Maine. Since 2000, Land has traveled to nearly every state with her dog sled, mushing gear, Arctic clothing, and beloved dogs. Come to hear fascinating tales of the Idiatarod Trail and meet Sophia!
Thursday CRAFTernoon: Special Makers Month Edition: Decorate our READ sign!
Thursday, March 26th 3:30 PM
Come by the Maker Space every Thursday at 3:30pm to create your own unique craft! This month, in honor of NJ Makers Day, we will feature a new craft each week. This week: Help decorate our READ sign to hang in the Maker Space! Registration is *required* to participate. Recommended for ages 8-13.
NEW DATE! Calling all crafty toddlers! Join us in the Maker Space for a special seasonal craft perfect for busy little hands. Recommended for ages 2 to 5. Registration is *highly encouraged.* This month: Let's shake up splatter paintings in a jar!
On the second and fourth Thursday each month, tweens & teens can drop by the Teen Room at 4:00pm for the Teen Mashup Hour (or Whatever). Each month there will be a guided craft to work on - but attendees are welcome to discuss whatever and work on whatever they'd like. Attendees will also learn of volunteer opportunities available at the Library. Light snacks will be offered. The teen room computers are only to be used for programming materials during this hour.
This program is intended for ages 11-17.
The Teen Mashup Hour will meet on the second and fourth Thursday each month at 4:00pm in the Teen Room (unless otherwise stated).
Stephanie Cuddahy is a certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer who has taught classes is several local gyms, including most recently RWJ Fitness and Wellness Hamilton and the Hamilton Area YMCA. Her cardio chair dance class came from her love of low impact aerobic exercise and the need to make the class appropriate for all bodies and fitness levels. AND it needs to be fun!
Tuesdays, March 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Thursdays, March 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
A Matter Of Balance is open to 60 and older and people with disabilities 18 years and older Participants are required to attend at least 5 sessions. Many older adults experience concerns about falling and restrict their activities. A MATTER OF BALANCE is an award-winning program designed to manage falls and increase activity levels. This program emphasizes practical strategies to manage falls. YOU WILL LEARN TO: view falls as controllable Set goals for increasing activity Make changes to reduce fall risks at home Exercise to increase strength and balance WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Anyone concerned about falls Anyone interested in improving balance, flexibility and strength Anyone who has fallen in the past Anyone who has restricted activities because of falling concerns. Registration "highly recommended"
Join us for an hour of gentle stretching, breath work, and meditation. This class is perfect for beginners or experienced practitioners. Please bring your own mat. Walk-ins-welcome.
Beth Glasberg has been practicing yoga for over 20 years. After studying the mind-body connection as part of her work as a behavior analyst, she decided she needed a deeper education in yoga. The more she learned, the more she fell in love. She became certified as a yoga instructor through the Yoga Renew program and joined the Yoga Alliance. Since then, Beth has been teaching both foundational and vinyasa flow classes regularly. She is also in the process of becoming certified to work with individuals who have suffered a trauma. She is passionate about using movement and breath to build strength, flexibility, balance, and peace, and committed to making the practice available to individuals of all fitness levels and backgrounds. When not on the mat, you can find Beth enjoying time with her family, visiting new places, or relaxing at the beach. in Motion Fitness is a boutique fitness studio located in Princeton, NJ. Walk-ins welcome, no registration required.
Self Defense for Women Personal Empowerment Safety
Thursdays, March 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Empower yourself through this 12-hour basic RAD Women self-defense course designed for every women, regardless of physical fitness and age. Learn how to protect yourself from potential danger with awareness strategies and defense techniques. Dress in comfortable clothing.
Meeting Rooms 1 + 2
Registration is currently full. Please check back later.
Wills, Trusts & Power of Attorney
Saturday, March 7th 2:00 PM
Planning for the unexpected is important, whether you have young children or are reaching a certain glorious age. This educational workshop on estate planning is for adults of all ages.
Calling all citizen archivists! This invaluable training is geared toward both history lovers and anyone who may need to preserve records for an organization. A special focus of the training will be on how to conduct web archiving to preserve history. Valencia Johnson, lead archivist of the Mudd Library, will be the presenter of this workshop. __
Who decides what history remembers - and what gets left out?
This introductory workshop invites community members to explore the role of the citizen archivist and how everyday people can help preserve, organize, and share stories that matter. Together, we'll examine what an archive is, why archives are not neutral, and how history is shaped by choices, access, time, and resources.
Participants will learn what archivists do - preserve, curate, exhibit, and communicate history - and how community members can take part in this work through thoughtful documentation and care of personal and collective records.
The session also introduces practical tools for organizing materials, including basic records management, file naming, storage options, and strategies for managing digital content such as photos, videos, audio, websites, and social media.
Participants will also learn how to:
• Preserve personal and digital documents important to you, your family, or community.
• Preserve online information for posterity
This interactive training is presented by Ubuntu Cultural Pavilion's Lead Archivist, for our Citizen Archivist project, Valencia Johnson. This training affirms the internet as a powerful space for research, accountability, and preserving counter-narratives — ensuring community history is not lost or erased.
Because history lives with the people who carry it.
___
This workshop is sponsored by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities with an incubation grant to develop a pilot archival research training project to train “citizen archivists.”
Monday, March 9th 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Join instructor Shipra Mitra for a hands-on workshop featuring helpful, budget-friendly, and health-focused recipes that you can watch, learn, and taste! Beyond her professional and philanthropic pursuits, Shipra embodies the essence of holistic well-being nurturing both mental and physical health through art, travel, and an active lifestyle. She believes that true wealth lies not in material gains but in living each day with purpose, balance, and fulfillment. Space is limited. Please register to secure your spot.
There are different types of caregivers and ALL are welcomed. This is a judgment free safe place to share, to learn and/or to just listen. It’s a place of love, empathy and respect. It is a place to share the triumphs, the challenges, the disappointments, the accomplishments or simply a place to vent and reset ourselves so we can carry on one day at a time. Stress - free, safe environment respectful of everybody's level of comfort and pace of engagement.
Kat welcomes you with open arms! Kat Verdi is a Certified Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Trainer. She serves as a sound referral resource for anyone caring for a loved one. Her mission are the “3E’s” - to Educate, Empower and Encourage caregivers.
This support group will take place in Meeting Room 3. Meets the 2nd month of every month.
Welcome to Senior Arts & Crafts with Caregiver Coach, Kat Typically, each month there will be a craft for Seniors to enjoy. Occasionally there may be a bingo session, but that will be announced a few weeks before. Meet new people, share stores, and have a great time! Please note, that for craft months, there is a limit of 12 participants. For Bingo, there is not limit on the number of participants. Located in Meeting Rooms 1 + 2.
Want to gussy up that backpack? Or give your jacket the flair it deserves? Come by the Maker Space every Monday from 3:30-4:30pm with your pre-printed designs, or draw an original piece, and we'll make a button out of it!
Pilates for Wellness
Mondays, March 9th, 16th and 23rd4:30 PM Candice Wisaksono is a certified Pilates instructor dedicated to guiding others toward deep relaxation, healing, and inner balance. With a passion for holistic wellness, she combines the restorative power of Pilates to help her students find peace, clarity, and renewal. Her classes offer a nurturing space to release stress, reconnect within, and restore harmony to the body, mind, and spirit. Please bring your own mat. Walk - ins are welcome.
Join local New Jersey artist, Jenny Santa Maria, to learn about the ancient Ukrainian folk tradition of Pysanky. These elaborately decorated eggs began as an early Ukrainian folk tradition to celebrate spring. Pysanky are traditionally created using a wax-resist process. When the wax is melted away, the artist's intricate designs and patterns are revealed. Participants will create their own pysanky, which can serve as a beautiful spring decoration and a celebration of Ukrainian culture. ___
Open to Cranbury Public Library Cardholders. Registration Required. Space is limited. Meeting Rooms 1&2. Ages 18+.
Cranbury Public Library Cards can be obtained by visiting the Cranbury Public Library and presenting ID with proof of Cranbury residency. Non resident library cards are also available for a fee.
Meets the Second Tuesday of the month in Meeting Room 1. Video and discussion to follow. Copies of the Great Decisions Briefing Book are available for checkout at the Cranbury Public Library.
Discussion Topics Include:
America and the World: Trump 2.0 Foreign Policy Trump Tariffs and the Future of the World Economy U.S.-China Relations Ruptured Alliances and the Risk of Nuclear Proliferation Ukraine and the Future of European Security Multilateral Institutions in a Changing World Order U.S. Engagement of Africa The Future of Human Rights and International Law
Author Talk with Jeff Chu, Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand
Saturday, March 14th 11:00 AM
Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand, was a 2025 NATIONAL BESTSELLER. "It's a profound meditation on nature, heritage, and belonging, from an accomplished journalist who left New York City for life on a working farm."
*** In his late thirties, Jeff Chu left his job as a magazine writer and found himself at Princeton Theological Seminary’s “Farminary”—a twenty-one-acre working farm where students learn to cultivate the earth while examining life’s biggest questions. In this book, Chu unpacks what he learned about creating “good soil,” both literally and figuratively, drawing lessons from the rhythms of growth, decay, and regeneration that define life on the land. In gorgeous, transporting reflections, Chu introduces us to the cast of characters, human and not, who became his teachers. While observing the egrets that visit the pond, the worms that turn waste into fertile soil, and the Chinese long beans that get passed over in the farm’s CSA, Chu considers our desire to belong, the story behind the food on our plate, and the significance of his own roots. What is the earth trying to tell us, if we’ll only stop and listen? Good Soil helps readers connect to the land and to one another at a time when we seem drawn most to the phones in our hands. For nature lovers, foodies, and anyone who has daydreamed about a more fulfilling life, this book is a tribute to friendship, to the sacredness of our bond with the natural world, and to how love can grow from the unlikeliest of places. https://www.amazon.com/Good-Soil-Education-Accidental-Farmhand/dp/0593727363
Movie-lovers of all kinds are welcome! Whether you're a casual viewer or well-versed in auteur theory and the works of André Bazin, we invite all who wish to share in the cinematic experience and spirited (but civil) discussions. Screenings will vary in rating, so we advise using discretion on deciding whether to attend a screening.
This program is suggested for teens and older. Refreshments will be provided, but you may also bring your own snacks and nonalcoholic drinks. Most importantly: bring your love for movies! This program will meet in Meeting Rooms 1 + 2 on the third Monday of every month.
Each month's selection is inspired by a specific theme and is voted on by club members. Be sure to submit your email address on the questionnaire below to be included in the voting for each month's film!
Below is a short questionnaire to assess what types of films participants would like to screen. Please feel free to share your thoughts by submitting a form and be sure to leave your email to stay up to date with Cinemates happenings!
Come join us as Alicia Vincelette from Inked Edge Paper Art instructs us on how to create a one- of- a kind Pop-Out Spring-themed card. No experience is necessary and all materials and tools will be supplied.
Open to Cranbury Public Library Cardholders. Registration Required. Space is limited. Meeting Rooms 1&2. Adult Program.
Cranbury Public Library Cards can be obtained by visiting the Cranbury Public Library and presenting ID with proof of Cranbury residency. Non resident library cards are also available for a fee.
What Happened to Lucy's Son?: A Historical Mystery and an Introduction to Genealogical and Archival Research
Sunday, March 22nd 2:00 PM
On January 22, 1824, a young black woman named Lucy had a baby she gave the name Abraham Tromp. Nine months earlier, soon after Lucy had gained her freedom from slavery in Hillsborough, she had agreed to be the "covenant servant" of a 77-year old man. In 1830 she signed a contract for her 6-year old son to be the apprentice and servant of the old man's son, Peter Dumont Vroom Jr., governor of New Jersey. The only condition was that he would learn to read the Bible and receive a suit and a Bible when he finished his service at 21.
_________________________________________________________________________________ What happened to Abraham?
In this presentation archivist, Helene van Rossum, takes you on a tour as a history detective. She will show attendees how to do archival research using genealogical databases, and how to avoid mistakes when using Chat GTP. The journey takes you to the Vroom family papers at Rutgers Special Collections, the Peter Dumont Vroom papers at the NJ Historical Society, the State Archives in Trenton, the National Archives in Washington, and the archives of the First Presbyterian Church and the Witherspoon Street Church in Princeton, where Paul Robeson's father preached from 1880 to 1901. Is it possible that Abraham Tromp heard him preach? We will find out.
Learn all about how to use your iPhone or iPad! In this workshop, we will have an open forum for any troubles you might encounter with the iPhone or other Apple devices. In previous sessions, we discussed the camera, security measures, and data storage. Beginner to intermediate experience with an iPhone or Apple device is suggested. Meeting Room 1.
Discuss your recent reads with fellow bibliophiles. This discussion group promises thought-provoking and engaging discourse. Meets the 4th Monday of the month in Meeting Room 3.
Special Announcements
Museum Passes to the Museum of Natural History, Guggenheim, and Frick Collection now available with your Cranbury Public Library Card.
Sponsored by the Cranbury Public Library Foundation.
Get free access to thousands of movies with your library card!
Simply add your Cranbury Public Library card number and PIN.
Notary services are now available by appointment
The Cranbury Public Library offers, free of charge, notary public services for the benefit of the residents of Cranbury and for Cranbury Public Library cardholders. In lieu of fees, a donation may be made to the Cranbury Public Library Foundation. Persons seeking notary public services who are not Cranbury residents or Cranbury cardholders shall be charged a $2.50 fee per signature.
*Please note our Notary isnot an attorney licensed to practice law and may not give legal advice about immigration or any other legal matter or accept fees for legal advice.*
Now offering free digital access to the NY Times and WSJ for CPL cardholders!
Links to the NY Times and WSJ can be accessed from our homepage, and from the Digital Services page on our website.