The Cranston Public Library brings people, information, and ideas together to enrich lives and strengthen the community.

Learn About the Coming Eclipse with Francine Jackson @ William Hall

Saturday, March 23 | 2:30 PM

 Francine Jackson from Brown University's Ladd Observatory will present a talk about the solar eclipse and the amount of coverage we will see here in RI. A free pair of eclipse viewing glasses will be available for those who attend this event, one per patron while supplies last.

Free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you will receive email reminders about the event by registering. Visit events.cranstonlibrary.org or contact the library for assistance.

Spring Concert Series with Renaissance V Brass Quintet @ William Hall

Saturday, March 30 | 2:30 PM

Join us as we kick off our Spring Concert Series with the Renaissance V Brass Quintet! The Renaissance V Brass Quintet consists of two trumpets, french horn, trombone, and tuba playing a variety of music from the 15th century to the present day. The group has been in operation for over ten years and in that time has performed in more than 80 venues across Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts.

This concert series is generously funded by the DeGuilio Family.

Free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you will receive email reminders about the event by registering. Visit events.cranstonlibrary.org or contact the library for assistance.

The Civil Rights Kid with Ray Rickman @ William Hall

Wednesday, April 3 | 6:30 PM

Join Ray Rickman in a tour-de-force presentation as he takes you on his quest for civil rights, from the 1966 "March Against Fear" in Mississippi with James Meredith, where he almost lost his life at the hands of the local sheriff, to taking on the Detroit School Department, to working side-by-side with Rosa Parks. It's a story like no other, filled with courage, hope, humor, and abiding faith.

Free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you will receive email reminders about the event by registering. Visit events.cranstonlibrary.org or contact the library for assistance.

Project Linus Blanket Day @ William Hall

Saturday, April 6 | 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM

Project Linus is a 100% volunteer group that makes blankets for children in traumatic situations. Their motto is ”providing security through blankets.” Blankets are given to children in hospitals, shelters, etc.

Join us for Blanket Day 2024 to meet fellow ‘blanketeers,’ share ideas, make a blanket or work on one in progress! Check out the fabric and yarn table.

Snacks are provided. No registration required. Please stop by and learn more about the group. Let’s make this a very productive day for local children in crisis. 

For more information, please contact Martha Sholes at esholes@aol.com.

Adult Crafts: Folded Book Birdhouse @ Central

Tuesday, April 9 | 6:30 PM OR Wednesday, April 10 | 10:30 AM

(Same program offered twice)

Learn how to folded the pages of an old book into the shape of a decorative birdhouse. We'll even add on a tiny bird and its nest. All materials will be supplied. Glue guns will be used for a small portion of this project. Bring your patience and your sense of humor.

This program is for ages 18 and older. All materials are supplied. All are welcome. Registration is required. Visit the event calendar at cranstonlibrary.org to register.

A Journey from Despair to Hope: The Armenian Genocide and the Story of the Armenian Americans of Rhode Island @ Central

Wednesday, April 10 | 6:00 PM

Under the cover of World War I, Armenians of the Ottoman Empire became the victims of the first modern genocide. The Armenian Genocide, carried out by the Ottoman Turks, has been denied by the perpetrators to this day. The video, “A Journey from Despair to Hope: The Story of the Armenian Americans of Rhode Island,” traces the story of Margaret Garabedian DerManuelian, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, and her arrival in Rhode Island. The film, which will be a focal point of this 75-minute presentation, also introduces the history of the Armenian Genocide and illuminates the impact of genocide denial on future generations, as well as the impact of genocide on identity.

This event is presented in collaboration with the Rhode Island Holocast and Genocide Education Commission as part of April 2024 Holocast & Genocide Awareness Month.

Free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you will receive email reminders about the event by registering. Visit events.cranstonlibrary.org or contact the library for assistance.

Discovering Haiku @ William Hall

Wednesday, April 10 | 6:30 PM

Reading and writing haiku can help us slow down, be aware of the beauty of everyday life, and open the heart. If you ever thought there must be something more to haiku than 3 lines of 5/7/5, you were right! In honor of April Is Poetry Month, come explore modern English language haiku through reading, writing exercises, and discussion, with a special emphasis on the haiku of Jack Kerouac.  You can write haiku! Come join us.

Free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you will receive email reminders about the event by registering. Visit events.cranstonlibrary.org or contact the library for assistance.

URI Master Gardeners: Container Gardening @ Central

Saturday, April 13 | 2:30 PM

URI Master Gardener Candace Breen presents tips and creative ideas for successful container gardening. Container gardening is an adventure all to itself. Let your creative juices flow and come ready to learn. This presentation is packed with information and tricks of the trade for beginner and advanced gardeners. A Powerpoint with plenty of pictures will start the talk followed by a demonstration of the skill.

Free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you will receive email reminders about the event by registering. Visit events.cranstonlibrary.org or contact the library for assistance.

Living Literature Presents "Solito:" A Reading Across Rhode Island Readers' Theatre Performance @ William Hall

Saturday, April 20 | 2:30 PM

 Join Living Literature for a live performance of a readers’ theatre-style presentation of the 2024 Reading Across Rhode Island title, Solito, by Javier Zamora.

In addition to the above performance, students of the Manton Avenue Project will present mini plays in response to the Solito text and Living Literature’s performance.

This event has been created in association with The RI Center for the Book in support of the 2024 RARI one-state, one-book reading program.

Free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you will receive email reminders about the event by registering. Visit events.cranstonlibrary.org or contact the library for assistance.

Living with the Dead in Rhode Island: From Cemetery Destruction to Cemetery Preservation @ Central

Wednesday, April 24 | 6:30 PM

 State Archaeologist Charlotte Taylor presents a talk on Rhode Island cemetery law. Before 1990, it wasn't safe to be dead in Rhode Island. Although the destruction of graves has been a felony in Rhode Island since 1896, this did not stop property developers and road builders from destroying cemeteries that got in the way of their plans, including the burial places of Native Americans some thousands of years old. It did not stop antiquarians and curious property owners from digging up bodies.

Explore this dark history and today's era of stronger laws and more engaged advocacy for Rhode Islanders who can no longer speak for themselves. Charlotte will present both atrocities and stories of successful, respectful preservation, drawing on her experiences as one of the first people who is called when (old) skeletal remains are found.

Free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you will receive email reminders about the event by registering. Visit events.cranstonlibrary.org or contact the library for assistance.

Chef Walter - Italians in RI @ Central

Saturday, April 27 | 2:00 PM

 Join us on this memorable occasion as Chef Potenza takes us on a captivating journey through time, tracing the footsteps of the early Italian settlers who left their homeland to pursue the American Dream.

Through engaging storytelling and vivid historical anecdotes, he will shed light on the challenges they faced, the bonds they forged, and the enduring impact they made on the culinary and cultural landscape of Rhode Island. This unique opportunity to learn from Chef Historian Walter Potenza is to be noticed.

Free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you will receive email reminders about the event by registering. Visit events.cranstonlibrary.org or contact the library for assistance.

Spring Concert Series with Classical Guitarist Mychal Gendron @ William Hall

Saturday, April 27 | 2:30 PM

 Join us for the second program in our Spring Concert Series as musician Mychal Gendron presents New Expressions for Guitar - 20th Century music from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The guitar, the most universal of musical instruments, finds its ultimate expression in the works of composers from countries around the modern world. This program presents contemporary guitar music from Brazil, Cuba, Japan, Spain, France, and the U.S. in a 50-minute format accompanied by background stories and personal observations about the music, the cultures, and the creators. Printed programs will be provided.

This concert series is generously funded by the DeGuilio Family.

Free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you will receive email reminders about the event by registering. Visit events.cranstonlibrary.org or contact the library for assistance.

"The Street Project" Documentary Screening and Discussion @ Central

Tuesday, April 30 | 5:30 PM

 Join the Cranston Public Library and OneCranston Health Equity Zone Our Built Environment Initiative for a screening and discussion of the documentary The Street Project. Created by the multiple Emmy-winning team at Boyd Productions, The Street Project takes viewers across the globe in an uplifting narrative, from cycling-friendly meccas in Europe, to New York City and Phoenix, Arizona – one of the most dangerous cities in America for pedestrians – for a deep dive into how America views our streets and how they can be made safer.

Free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but you will receive email reminders about the event by registering. Visit events.cranstonlibrary.org or contact the library for assistance.

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Central Library

140 Sockanosset Cross Rd

Cranston, Rhode Island 02920

401-943-9080

Auburn Branch

396 Pontiac Ave

Cranston, Rhode Island 02910

401-781-6116

Edward Costa Memorial Arlington Branch

1064 Cranston St

Cranston, Rhode Island 02920

401-944-1662

Knightsville Branch

1847 Cranston St

Cranston, Rhode Island 02920

401-942-2504

Oak Lawn Branch

230 Wilbur Ave

Cranston, Rhode Island 02921

401-942-1787

William Hall Library

1825 Broad St

Cranston, Rhode Island 02905

401-781-2450