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May 2026
| Welcome to our monthly newsletter featuring all that's happening at your library.
Tea cup centerpieces made at the Dorchester Library. |
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This spring, we’re excited to feature The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle as part of our Tales & Trails experience!
Follow the journey of a tiny caterpillar as it hatches, eats its way through the week, and transforms into a beautiful butterfly - introducing young readers to counting, the days of the week, healthy eating, and the butterfly life cycle along the way. We’re especially proud to share that this cherished story has been translated into Anishinaabemowin by Russell Peltier of Enji-Maajtaawaad Chippewa of the Thames First Nation. This reflects ongoing efforts to celebrate and revitalize the Indigenous language of the Deshkaan Ziibing Anishinaabeg. Find a Tales and Trails location near you.
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| Programs and Services |
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Plan Your Pitch Contest
Pitch your Plan is a program proudly presented by Invest in Middlesex and designed to ignite a spark of entrepreneurial spirit in our youth! Middlesex students, grades 7-12 are invited to share their business idea, and a short pitch video. More than bragging rights are up for grabs too, MacBook Airs are available to be won. One awarded to the elementary (Grade 7 & 8) winner, and one for the top Secondary school (Grade 9-12) entry. |
| Learn More! |
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Commercial Vehicles Information Session
Join representatives from the Strathroy-Caradoc Police Service, Ministry of Transportation, and OPP to learn about Commercial Vehicles. Topics include: required documentation, pre-trip inspections, and load security and compliance with time for a Q&A session. Join in person at the Strathroy Library or virtually on Zoom. |
| Register Now! |
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World Wide Knit in Public Day
Knitters and Crocheters: let’s celebrate Worldwide Knit in Public Day via Zoom with friends. All are welcome!
When: Saturday, June 13 anytime between 9:00am and 12:00pm
Where: Virtually on Zoom, advanced registration required.
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| Register Now! |
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Service Canada Clinic
Drop in to see a Service Canada Representative and get your Canadian Dental Plan renewed before the June 1 deadline.
Where: Strathroy Library, 34 Frank Street
When: Wednesday, May 27 from 9:30am until 3:30pm
All CDCP members, including those who recently applied for this benefit year, need to renew for the next benefit year to avoid a gap in their coverage. Before renewing, you and your spouse or common-law partner (if applicable) must have filed your 2025 tax return and received your 2025 Notice of Assessment. |
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Middlesex London Health Unit Community Clinics
Two nurse-led clinics are being introduced in Dorchester, Lucan, and Strathroy: an Immunization Clinic and a Sexual Health Clinic. The Immunization Clinic operates by appointment and provides routine immunization for children 0-18 years. The Sexual Health Clinic is offered on a drop-in basis and includes testing for sexually transmitted infections, access to emergency contraception, birth control counselling, sexual health education, and free condoms.
Learn more about the clinics, including dates and times, on the Health Unit's website. |
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| PA Day Activities: Friday, May 29 | |
 | The Library is the place to be on PA Days! Join a Family Storytime at 10:30am in Glencoe, Ilderton, Lucan, Melbourne, Mt. Brydges, Parkhill or Strathroy, but don't miss out on these other fun events:
Ailsa Craig Library: Start of Summer, Drop-in from 10am-2pm
Dorchester Library: Mario Kart Tournament at 10:30am. Registration Required, ages 7+
Glencoe Library: Showing of Paddington in Peru at 1pm Ilderton Library: Stuffie and Snack Picnic, from 10:30am-1:30pm
Komoka Library: It's A-Mario Day, Drop-in from 10am-4pm Mt. Brydges Library: Paperclip Day, Drop-In from 10am-2pm Parkhill Library: Marvel Day, Drop-in from 10am-4pm
Strathroy Library: May Marvels, Drop-in 9am-4pm Thorndale Library: Suncatchers at 12:00pm. Registration Required, for ages 7+ |
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Autism Connections
We’re excited to share details about a new EarlyON program, Autism Connections, launching at the Strathroy Library.
This drop-in program is designed for children under six years of age with autism and their caregivers. It offers a welcoming, play-based environment where children can explore, connect, and build social skills. Caregivers will also have the opportunity to connect with one another, share experiences, and access support and resources from a Family and Community Consultant with TVCC’s Autism & Behavioural Services.
Program Details:
Strathroy Library
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
• Wednesday June 3
• Monday July 6
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Mindfulness Made Easy
We welcome Mike Masse, mindfulness consultant & public speaker, to Kinder Connect!
With over a decade of experience teaching mindfulness to a wide and diverse range of people, Mike offers engaging sessions that introduce mindfulness through play with children. After each session, he connects one-on-one with caregivers to share practical tools for bringing mindfulness into everyday life. Kinder Connect is a monthly evening drop-in program for children entering Kindergarten in September 2026 and those currently enrolled in Junior Kindergarten.
Dates & Locations 5:30 to 7 p.m. • Thursday May 28, Glencoe
• Tuesday June 2, Parkhill • Tuesday June 9, Dorchester • Tuesday June 16, Strathroy
• Wednesday June 17, Lucan |
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Click on the book cover to place a hold. |
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Night Light |
Michael Emberley |
A blackout! Right in the middle of the last bedtime story. The child cries. It's too dark! The parent gathers stars from the sky light up the child's room. Now someone else is crying! It's the moon! The parent returns the stars to they sky, and parent and child pack up their blankets and pillows to sleep outside.
Suggested by Victoria, Library Assistant |
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Looking for Jane |
Heather Marshall |
Follows three women who are bound together by a long-lost letter, a mother's love, and a secret network of women fighting for the right to choose--inspired by true stories. Looking for Jane is a searing, important, beautifully written novel about the choices we all make and where they lead us--as well as a wise and timely reminder of the difficult road women had to walk not so long ago.
Suggested by Lianna, Dorchester Branch Assistant |
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| Renaee Watson | When thirteen-year-old Sage's best friend dies, Sage struggles with grief and feels that she is at fault, but when she joins a grief group, she slowly learns to heal.
Suggested by Shauna, Child & Youth Librarian |
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| Cecilia Blomdahl |
Located in the Arctic Ocean near the North Pole, Svalbard is a unique archipelago that boasts stunning wintry landscapes, endangered Arctic animals, and awe-inspiring natural phenomena. Since 2015, Cecilia has called this beautiful and remote location home. Along with her partner, Christoffer, and her dog, Grim, she has adjusted to life at the top of the world--where polar bears roam free and northern lights shine bright.
Suggested by Jaime, Ilderton Branch Assistant |
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| Travis Baldree |
Grand opening! Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv, the orc barbarian, cashes out of the warrior's life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen. However, her dreams of a fresh start filling mugs instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune's shady underbelly may just upset her plans.
Suggested by Katherine, Melbourne Branch Assistant |
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The Tortoise's Tale |
Kendra Coulter | A century of American history unfolds through the eyes of a giant tortoise with a heightened awareness for live music, the location of edible flowers, and the nuances of human behavior in this spellbinding debut novel.
Suggested by Courtney, Glencoe & Melbourne Supervisor
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