Signs and Displays

As collections move, you’ll notice we have updated, moved, and removed some of the signage and displays.

We removed the audiobook room signs and the ground floor sign, with updates coming soon.

Thanks to the Display Committee—Carol, Judy T., Ashley, Alissa, Jocelyn, and Desiree—for their great ideas. Regular lobby displays are paused, so there are no tables under the Brightsign or Borrower Services sign by the purple wall. This creates a more open, peaceful lobby and better views. With fewer visual distractions, it’s easier to interact with patrons and build relationships.

Other displays remain: the ground-floor non-fiction display (maintained by Alissa), displays opposite the Ref Desk, and those along the windows facing the parking lot. Some ground-floor display furniture will move to the Reading Room for collection highlights, maintained by R and R.

Please Note: Collections Moving

The audiobooks will be moved up to the first floor starting September 21. They will be at the end of the DVD section.

This is to make browsing more accessible, having the entire multimedia collection on the same floor.

The audiobook room will be closed to the public after this move. Admin is working on what that room will eventually become. If patrons ask, you can let them know that it is just “under construction.”

MIIA Wellness Healthy Charcuterie 101, Walktober, Webinar Buffet, Fun Days, and More

Healthy Charcuterie 101

Learn about building a beautiful and balanced charcuterie board that’s as nutritious as it is delicious ahead of the holiday season in MIAA’s Healthy Charcuterie 101 class in the Library Community Room on Monday, October 26 from 4:15 PM to 5:15 PM. Register by Friday, October 16.

Walktober

Register now to join Walktober, a fall step challenge beginning on October 1st. Fill your Walktober tree with red (6,000), orange (8,000), and gold (10,000) leaves. Employees and spouses enrolled in an active MIIA/Blue Cross Blue Shield health plan are eligible for the chance to win one of 40 $40 gift cards of their choice by earning at least 20 leaves and completed a post-program evaluation. Help Reading be the municipality/district with the highest average number of steps at the end of the program and receive a one-time free healthy snack delivery from Berkshire Naturals for all employees to enjoy!

Webinar Buffet

See attached for monthly Webinar Buffet offerings from MIIA. These flexible and short pre-recorded 10-minute webinars can be completed  anywhere any time during the month from your Reading MIIA Member Portal.

The webinars are open to all employees and their spouses. However, if you are a MIIA / Blue Cross subscriber and complete 5 webinars by early August 2027, you will earn a $50 gift card! 

Fun Day Challenges

All employees, retirees, and spouses are eligible to win raffle prizes by participating in monthly Fun Day challenges.

Choose an activity, take a picture of yourself, and submit via MIIA’s online Fun Day form.

Celebrate Collect Rocks Day in September by displaying a creative rock or visiting a famous rock or local geology exhibit.

Ompractice

Ompractice has created a series of on-demand meditations for the school teachers in our community to support the transition into the new school year.  Although the library staff are not school teachers, many similarities exist, specifically related to the transition from summer to fall.  

There are four new videos in the Back To School Reset Collection to check out, including grieving the loss of summer freedom, meditation for a different season (life isn’t always about reinvention!), preparing for the new school year, and the unfinished list.  These are open to everyone with or without an Ompractice membership.

Other Wellness Offerings

Keep an eye out for emails from Avantika at Town Hall regarding other wellness offerings as well!  You can also view all other MIIA Wellness Programs for Reading Employees on the Reading MIIA Member Portal

Employee Flu Clinic

The Public Health Department (PHD) has scheduled a flu clinic for employees at the library on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, from 12-2 p.m.
Walk-ins are welcome, but please feel free to register using this link or the QR code on the flyer to save your spot.
Can’t make it on 9/23?  No worries. PHD is offering flu clinics for the public throughout the fall:
  • October 4,5,6,7,8 and 26 (4-7 p.m.)
  • November 9 (4-7 p.m.)
  • December 9 (4-7 p.m.)
We will post details about those clinics later in September.

New September Card

It’s finally time! The new card design is available for patrons to get starting this week for Library Card Sign Up Month!

Patrons can sign up for a new card at the Borrower Services or Children’s desks and receive the September design. Alternatively, we don’t charge replacement fees in September, so they can ask to swap out their old card for the new one if they’d like! The only thing that will change is the barcode number used for their online username.

After this month cards will still be available in Children’s! Check out the new card today!

Little Essentials Library: Hygiene Initiative

We will be starting a Little Essentials Library in the Health Nook. It will premiere to the public at the end of October. This initiative is to give under-resourced folks in the community essential hygiene products at no expense to them; it’s all about being a caring neighbor and community member.

Starting on Tuesday, September 1st, we will be soliciting the public for donations. A box will be downstairs in the lobby. The Hygiene Team will monitor the donations.

What we will accept (ALL TRAVEL SIZE):

Soap & Body Wash
Shampoo & Conditioner
Toothbrushes & Toothpaste
Dental Floss
Deodorant
Lotion & Sunscreen
Lip Balm

NEW: Mini-Food Pantry @ RPL

This week, Scout Bill Lockhart, of Reading Troop 702, is establishing a Mini-Food Pantry near the School Street steps as his final Eagle Scout project.

What is a Mini-Food Pantry?
Similar in design and size to Little Free Libraries seen around town, the Mini–Food Pantry is designed for community members to donate and will contain non-perishable, shelf-stable food items. It is a free resource for people who need food when the Reading Food Pantry is closed, and a place community members can donate non-perishable food items.

Once installed, the we (RPL) will assist in its ongoing maintenance. The Library’s Mini–Food Pantry joins a growing number of them in the area, including one located at The First Baptist Church at 45 Woburn Street.