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Bellaire Public Library 111 S. Bridge St. Bellaire MI 49615 |
Fall/Winter Hours Tuesday-Friday 9 am to 5 pm Saturday 10 am to 2 pm |
Library of Things Gardening tools for removal of invasive species plants Hotspots to use reliable internet access in our area for free! Nintendo Switch (What a fun family game night idea!) Chromebooks that you are able to check out and bring home to use. Launchpads- preloaded tablets with educational STEM games and eBooks for ages 3-10. Wonderbooks- picture books, chapter books, and graphic novels with a built-in audiobook that will read aloud to the child! They still get to turn physical pages and see the beautiful illustrations. Metal detector Singer sewing machine Video Projector with screen 3-D printer that is available for you to use in the library Pickleball outdoor set STEM Kits Come in and check out all we have to offer! |
A Note from the Director: February may be the shortest month, but it’s full of big stories—Black History Month, Presidents Day, and a little extra love along the way. It’s a great reminder of what libraries are all about: stories, history, and community. Whether you’re here to grab a book, try something new, attend a program, or just enjoy a cozy spot, we’re glad you’re here. Stop in and say hello—our staff would love to see you! Blind Date with a Book February is perfect for a little mystery—discover a Blind Date with a Book! Wrapped books will be available starting February 10, and the last chance to meet your match is February 20. Inside the mix you’ll find Staff Picks plus a few random selections—no judging by covers allowed! Take a chance and meet your next great read. - Dawn DeHeer Bellaire Public Library Director |
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Blind Date with a Book is back!
Starting February 10th, we will have staff book selections wrapped up with a bow and a few hints letting you know what type or genre of book is inside. It’s a fun little game to mix things up, maybe you will pick something up that you normally wouldn’t and fall in love!
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Snow Much Fun
Take a quiet winter moment at the library and create your very own paper snowflake. This relaxing, self-guided activity is open to all ages and is a simple way to enjoy some seasonal creativity. Fold, cut, and unfold as your snowflake design appears- no two will be the same! We will display your snowflake(s) in the library as a reminder that every person and every snowflake is unique. All supplies are provided , available during library hours |
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HYGGE WINTER SATURDAYSFebruary 7th & 14th At the Bellaire Public Library HYGGE: is a word in Danish and Norwegian that describes a cozy, contented mood evoked by comfort and conviviality. Join us on Saturdays for cozy, calm, and relaxing community gathering. We'll supply the ambiance, warm beverages, puzzles, board games, and of course endless books to kick the winter blues. Sometimes this time of year you just need to get out of the house and a change of scenery. No need to register, just come in during our open hours and enjoy the coziness.
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Bellaire Historical Society Workshop
February 19th, 12:00-2:00pm
Bellaire Public Library
Do you have a family story to tell, but don’t know how to write it? The Bellaire Area Historical Society invites you to their monthly writing workshop at the library to begin sharing your piece of Bellaire’s past. All experience levels are welcome. They will happen the third Thursday of each month. Call us if you have any questions: 231-533-8814
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TERESA SCOLLON WITH ANTRIM WRITERS SERIES: Author Reading
February 18th, 7:00-8:30 pm
Bee Well Meadery- 116 N. Bridge St. Bellaire, MI Join us at Bee Well on Wednesday night, the 18th, for a chance to meet poet, Teresa Scollon, and listen to her read from her latest book, Trouble Staying Awake. These events are always beautiful community gatherings, a time to appreciate art, ask a professional writer questions, and enjoy each other’s company. The first 25 people to sign up for this event or the writing workshop (below) will receive a free copy of her book, Trouble Staying Awake. You can register online at bellairelibrary.org in our calendar of events, or call us at 231-533-8814. We are lucky enough to have local poet, Ellen Lord, joining us that night to read from her latest work, Vigil, as well. Teresa will also be in Elk Rapids earlier in the day. From 1:00-2:30 there will be a reading and interview at the Chalenfonte Theater, 205 River Street. |
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Antrim Writer’s Series writing workshop with Teresa Scollon at Grass River Natural Area
February 19th, 1:00-3:00pm
Grass River Natural Area- 6500 Alden Hwy, Bellaire, MI We would love for you to join us in the gorgeous setting of Grass River to learn about writing poetry with writer and educator, Teresa Scollon. There is a $10 fee for this two hour instruction. You can register online at bellairelibrary.org in our calendar of events, or call us at 231-533-8814. Teresa Scollon is a poet, essayist, and educator. Her fourth collection, No Trouble Staying Awake, was published by Cornerstone Press in 2025. She is also author of Trees and Other Creatures, from Alice Greene & Co; To Embroider the Ground with Prayer, from Wayne State University Press; and a chapbook from Michigan Writers Cooperative Press. Scollon is a National Endowment for the Arts fellow, alumna and former writer-in-residence at Interlochen Arts Academy, and the 2018 Moveen Prize winner. She teaches the North Ed Writers Studio at Career Tech in Traverse City, Michigan, and co-edits the literary journal Dunes Review. |
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Fishing for Beginners
Saturday February 21st, 11:00 am
Bellaire Public Library
Shake the winter blues by looking forward to spring and summer fishing adventures. Join us at the library for a special program all about fishing with Master Angler, Don Reynolds. Whether you're just starting out or already a seasoned angler, you'll walk away with insider tips, tricks and local know-how to help you reel in the big one.
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HOMESCHOOL DISCOVERIES
Friday, February 13th, 10:00am
Bellaire Public Library
Join us for a monthly learning program aimed at ages 8-12 as we discover a new and exciting topic each month with a digital presentation, a book, and a hands on project and/or craft. This month's topic is Shipwrecks!
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Antrim Conservation District Story Walk
4820 Stover Rd. Bellaire, MI COMING SOON- a new book: When Winter Comes by Aimee' M. Bissonette Just a reminder that we have partnered with Antrim Conservation District to create a magical book experience. Walk through their beautiful trails while finding the pages of a beloved picture book. We change the story seasonally so it's not a onetime adventure! |
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Storytime with Miss Diane!
Every Tuesday, at 10:00am to 11:00am
Bellaire Public Library
The famous Miss Diane reads a story, and the kids have a snack and craft activity after. |
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Tech Tuesdays with Gabe
Every Tuesday, 11:00am- 3:00pm
Bellaire Public Library
Every Tuesday Gabe is here to help you with any tech questions you have. He is a wealth of knowledge. Feel free to bring laptops or other devices you would like more guidance using. Additionally, computer skill classes can be arranged upon request. |
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Medicare Seminar
February 3rd, 1:30pm-2:30pm
Bellaire Public Library
We are still here for your Medicare Information needs, the first Tuesday of every month. Learn more about all aspects of Medicare from Jennifer Marie McDonnell, "The Insurance Guru". She has 20 years of experience as a Medicare expert.
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Spanish Speaking Cohort
Every Wednesday, 4:00pm
Bellaire Public Library
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Kids Coding Club!NOTICE!! CODING CLUB IS CURRENTLY ON HIATUS UNTIL EARLY SPRING! Keep an eye out for updates coming soon. Every third Saturday of the month Bellaire Public Library |
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2025 SEED LIBRARY UPDATE!
This year, the Bellaire Public Library seed library received generous donations from five seed companies-- Fedco Seeds, Seed Savers Exchange, Adaptive Seeds, High Mowing Organic Seeds, and Hudson Valley Seed Company-- as well as from a handful of thoughtful community members. We are overflowing with seeds! At least 50 community members utilized the seed library, with over 250 seed packets distributed. We will be reopening in early 2026! - Jessi Reed, our seed library organizer. |
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The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Sometimes the best way to get through these grey, winter days is to (re)visit a classic. I never thought Tolkien was for me, if I’m being honest. I don’t usually gravitate towards fantasy. However, I am a mother of preteen/teen boys and there’s nothing more classic than The Hobbit. I was hooked by the end of the first chapter. A little creature that lives in a community of round-doored abodes? He loves cozy fires, tea, wine, cakes, naps, and storytelling. It turns out I am indeed a Hobbit. We aren’t completely done with this book, but I feel confident in recommending it to you, and this time of year has been just the right setting to read it in. Today after reading a chapter to the boys I asked them, “now that we’re further into the story how has Bilbo Baggins evolved?” The heroes journey is one of the most prolific story arcs for a reason. Showing how an ordinary character can overcome challenges and learn to get along with different folks to reach a common goal is a pretty universal experience, and Bilbo Baggins is the perfect example of that. There’s a level of “fake it till you make” it in this lovable character. I love how in the midst of his outrageous predicaments (like fighting giant spiders) he thinks to himself how much he’d rather be home, safe and sound. It’s motivating and inspiring, because I too would like to hide out in my home, drinking tea and eating cake, but sometimes you have to get out there and fight some dragons. |
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The Sea Captain's Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love, and Adventure at the Bottom of the World
by Tilar J. Mazzeo
Summer, 1856. Nineteen-year-old Mary Ann Patten and her husband Joshua were young and ambitious. Both from New England seafaring families, they had already completed their first clipper-ship voyage around the world with Joshua as captain. If they could win a race to San Francisco that year, their dream of building a farm and a family might be within reach. It would mean freedom. And the price of that freedom was one last dangerous transit--into the most treacherous waters in the world. As their ship, Neptune's Car, left New York Harbor and sailed down the jagged coast of South America, Joshua fell deathly ill and was confined to his bunk, delirious. ... With no obvious option for a new captain and heartbroken about her husband, Mary Ann stepped into the breach and convinced the crew to support her, just as they slammed into a gale that would last 18 days. ... Set against the backdrop of the California Gold Rush and taking us to the brink of Antarctica, this book finally gives Mary Ann Patten--the first woman to command a merchant vessel as captain-her due.
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Mona's Eyes
by Thomas Schlesser
New York Times Bestseller - Barnes & Noble 2025 Book of the Year: Ten-year-old Mona and her beloved grandfather have only fifty-two Wednesdays to visit fifty-two works of art and commit to memory all that is beautiful in the world before Mona loses her sight forever.While the doctors can find no explanation for Mona's brief episode of blindness, they agree that the threat of permanent vision loss cannot be ruled out. The girl's grandfather, Henry, may not be able to stop his granddaughter from losing her sight, but he can fill the encroaching darkness with beauty. Every Wednesday for a year, the pair abscond together and visit a single masterpiece in one of Paris's renowned museums. From Botticelli to Basquiat, Mona learns how each artist's work shaped the world around them. In turn, the young girl's world is changed forever by the power of their art. Under the kind and careful tutelage of her grandfather, Mona learns the true meaning of generosity, melancholy, love, loss, and revolution. Her perspective will never be the same--nor will the reader's.Mona's Eyes is a heartfelt, enlightening journey across five centuries of Western art history. With the emotional impact of The Elegance of the Hedgehog and the readability of The Little Paris Bookshop, Thomas Schlesser's sensational debut novel is at once a moving book about the beauty of life and a deeply touching story about the special bond between a girl and her grandfather.Vibrant debut ... Schlesser seamlessly interweaves the art lessons with Mona's story.
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Woman Down
by Colleen Hoover
Her words used to set the page on fire. But a viral backlash over her latest film adaptation forced Petra Rose to take a hiatus, resulting in missed deadlines and an overdue mortgage. Branded a fraud and fame-hungry opportunist, she learned the hard way what happens when the Internet turns on you. And she's been uninspired to write ever since. Now, with her next suspense novel outlined and savings nearly gone, she retreats to a secluded lakeside cabin, hoping to find inspiration. It's Petra's last-ditch attempt to save her career--and herself. Then he shows up. Detective Nathaniel Saint arrives with disturbing news, his presence igniting a creativity in her she thought long since burned out. Petra's words return in a rush, and her fictional cop character begins to mirror the very real cop who's becoming her muse--
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The Right to Remain: A Jack Swyteck Novel
by James Grippando
Miami criminal defense lawyer Jack Swyteck must contend with a unique problem. His client, Elliott Stafford, indicted for murder, has gone silent. Not just silent in asserting his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination--Elliott refuses to speak. He won't talk to the judge, his girlfriend, or even the attorney fighting for his life. There seems to be no medical or psychological reason for his silence. He has, as Jack puts it, 'chosen to become his own worst enemy.' To some, it's an act of protest against a broken criminal justice system. Jack doesn't buy it. Undeterred by the hoopla and calls to walk away, he keeps his client and tries his best to save Elliott from himself. As he digs for facts, Jack discovers a much more disturbing reason for Elliott's silence. Virtually everything Elliott told Jack before the indictment is proving false, including Elliot's criminal history, family turmoil, and secret past. As Jack plunges deeper, he comes to believe that Elliott isn't trying to hide his own guilt. He may be protecting someone else--and the stakes could not be higher.
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The Friend of the Family
by Dean Koontz
The human 'oddities' in the Museum of the Strange are less wondrous than the gawking rubes had been promised. But Alida is something else. The real thing. Traveling Depression-era America from carnival midways to speakeasies, Alida is resigned to an exploited and lonely life on the road as the museum's golden ticket--until she's rescued by two compassionate strangers. Franklin and Loretta Fairchild see in Alida a gifted and uncannily well-read girl in need of a loving touch and a family. With the openhearted couple and their three precociously imaginative children, Alida finds it. Yet despite everyone's overwhelming generosity and acceptance, Alida knows she is still a very different kind of girl. Her dreams bear that out. They're vivid, unsettling, and threatening. Alida fears that they're also warnings--and that it's the Fairchilds who may need rescue from a bad, bad world.
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Bigfoot's Big Heart
by Sarah Glenn Marsh
When Bigfoot loses the valentines he meant to send to his fellow monsters in hiding, scouts from all over the world come together to deliver the letters.--Provided by publisher.
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More New Titles
Adult Fiction - The Wild Card by Carolyn Brown - The Christmas Stranger by Richard Paul Evans - The Shop on the Hidden Lane by Jane Ann Krentz - The Seven Rings by Danielle Steel - The Devil's Daughter by Danielle Steel - The Lies they Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman - Everybody want to Rule the World by Ace Atkins - The is not a Game by Kelly Mullen - The Invisible Woman by James Patterson - The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe: A True crime Thriller by James Patterson |
Adult Nonfiction - Cat Tales: A History: How we Learned to live with Them and they Learned to Live with us by Jerry Moore - Frostlines: A Journey through Entangled Lives and Landscapes in a warming Arctic by Neil Shea - Chair Yoga for Strength and Balance: Gentle Exercises to Improve Mobility and Relieve Pain by ML Maitreyi - Dogs are a Woman's Best Friend by Frances Evans Large Print - Fox and Furious by Rita Mae Brown - The Gun Man Jackson Swagger by Stephan Hunter Young Adult: - The Same Backward as Forward by Jennifer Lynn Barnes |
Children's/ Teen Books - 501 Screen-free Activities for Kids by Di Hodges - The Easter Chick by Geraldine Elschner - The Princess and the Pit Stop by by Tom Angleberger - I Love Trains! by Philemon Sturges - Cupig: The Valentine's Day Pig by Claire Tattersfield - Gingerbread Mouse by Katy Bratun - My Cat Does Ballet by Robert Heidbreder - I Love you Just Like This! by Lillian Jaine - The Cat who Couldn't be Bothered by Jack Kurland - I have Three Cats by Michelle Sumovich |
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