Friends of the Conant Public Library

09/09/2025

New location for Friends of Library craft fair

The annual Friends of the Conant Public Library Arts & Crafts Show will be held at a new location this year that offers plenty of convenient parking and space for more than 50 vendors! Shoppers are invited to the Houghton and Chocksett Schools, 32 Boutelle Road, Sterling, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, November 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. High-quality holiday and gift items, handmade by talented local artisans, will fill the cafeterias in both schools.

This popular event was held for many years at the First Church in Sterling. Most of the vendors from previous fairs will be returning, along with some new craftspeople. The bake sale, cheese sale, raffle, and lunch café will continue in the new location.

All One Credit Union is a co-sponsor of this year’s fair.

The vendor spaces are full, but you can send an email to Beth Cyr at [email protected] to be placed on the waiting list.

Send a message to learn more

02/21/2025

Vendors wanted for November craft fair
New location in Sterling!
The annual Friends of the Conant Public Library Arts & Crafts Show will be held in a new location this year! Chocksett Middle School and Houghton Elementary School, 32 to 40 Boutelle Road in Sterling, will host the same high quality craft fair, with plenty of parking.
This popular fair will be held the Saturday before Thanksgiving, November 22, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Sterling. The fair will be advertised online and in local newspapers, and with posters and roadside signs.
Applications are now being accepted. The deadline is April 15, 2025. All items must be handmade. Vendors will be selected by a rolling jury process. About 50 booths will be available, and they fill up quickly.
For an application, click on this link,https://sterlinglibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2025-Craft-Fair-Registration-Form-School.pdf, or visit the Friends of the Library’s page on the library’s website, SterlingLibrary.org.
Printed applications are available at the front desk of the library, 4 Meetinghouse Hill Road, in Sterling center.
For more information, send an email to Beth Cyr at [email protected].

Send a message to learn more

01/30/2025

Become a Friend of the Conant Public Library in Sterling today!
It’s an investment in literacy, culture, and our community.
The 2025 membership drive is underway, and renewal forms were mailed to previous members in December.
If you’d like to support literacy and culture in Sterling by becoming a new member, or would like more information, visit the Friends of the Library's page on the library's website: https://sterlinglibrary.org/Pages/Index/204452/friends-of-the-library
You will have the option of downloading a membership form, or using PayPal to join.
In the past year, membership funds from the Friends of the Library have supported:
• New tables for the public computers on the main floor of the library
• Programs for adults, such as Beehive Felting, Book Bingo, and a Seed Library
• Books and prizes for participants in the Children’s Summer Reading Program
• Mike the Bubble Man for the Children’s Summer Reading Program kickoff
• New e-books and e-audiobooks
• Passes for reduced admission to museums and other attractions
• Ancestry.com, BookPage, and Wowbrary for use by library patrons

11/30/2024

Thank you to craft fair volunteers
It was wonderful to see the holiday spirit at the Friends of the Conant Public Library Arts & Crafts Show, held on November 23 at the First Church in Sterling. More than 500 shoppers found a wide variety of high-quality art and craft items made by local artisans.
The Friends would like to thank the many volunteers who helped make the fair a success, including those who donated goodies for the bake sale, assisted in the kitchen, donated items for the lunch menu, delivered lunches to vendors, sold raffle tickets, accepted donations at the door, designed and distributed posters and signs, helped to set up and break down the fair, and helped vendors carry their wares into the building (including members of Y.A.H.O.O. and Boy Scouts). Thanks also go to Village Green Preschool for allowing their space to be used for storage, so there could be room for additional vendors.
Proceeds will fund materials and programs for the Conant Public Library, including the Summer Reading Program for children.
Beth Cyr
Craft Fair Chairperson
Friends of the Conant Public Library in Sterling

Pictured are Beth Cyr and Dick Maki at the cheese and bake sale table at the 2024 craft fair.

01/30/2024

Vendors wanted for November craft fair!

Applications are now being accepted for the annual Friends of the Conant Public Library Arts & Crafts Show, which features high-quality crafts and art. All items must be handmade.

This popular fair will be held the Saturday before Thanksgiving, November 23, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the First Church in Sterling, 6 Meetinghouse Hill Road, in the center of town. Thirty-five booths are available in three rooms.

The application deadline is May 1, 2024. Vendor spaces fill up quickly. The fair will be advertised online and in local newspapers.

For an application, click on this link, https://sterlinglibrary.org/Pages/Index/204452/friends-of-the-library, or visit SterlingLibrary.org, click on “About,” then “Friends of the Library.”

Printed applications are available at the front desk of the library, 4 Meetinghouse Hill Road, in Sterling center.

For more information, send an email to Beth Cyr at [email protected].

12/30/2023

The 2024 membership drive for the Friends of the Conant Public Library is underway! Renewal forms have been mailed to previous members.
If you’d like to support literacy and culture in Sterling by becoming a new member, or would like more information, visit the Friends of the Library's page on the library's website: https://sterlinglibrary.org/Pages/Index/204452/friends-of-the-library
You will have the option of downloading a membership form, or using PayPal to join.
In the past year, funds from the Friends of the Library have supported:
• Programs for adults, such as sourdough breadmaking, a genealogy program, needle felting, soap making, Korean lanterns, and gingerbread house decorating
• Books and prizes for participants in the Children’s Summer Reading Program
• Magic with Scott Martell for the Children’s Summer Reading Program kickoff
• New e-books and e-audiobooks
• The Butterfly Place, Zoo New England, and Battleship Cove added to the selection of passes for reduced or free admission to museums and other attractions
• Ancestry.com, BookPage, and Wowbrary for use by library patrons

12/09/2023

Thank you to craft fair volunteers
It was wonderful to see the holiday spirit at the Friends of the Conant Public Library Arts & Crafts Show, held on November 18 at the First Church in Sterling. Shoppers found a wide variety of high-quality art and craft items made by local artisans.
The Friends would like to thank the many volunteers who helped make the fair a success, including those who donated goodies for the bake sale, assisted in the kitchen, donated items for the lunch menu, delivered lunches to vendors, sold raffle tickets, accepted donations at the door, designed and distributed posters and signs, helped to set up and break down the fair, and helped vendors carry their wares into the building (including members of Y.A.H.O.O. and Boy Scouts). Thanks also go to Leominster Credit Union for supporting the fair as a co-sponsor for the second year, and Village Green Preschool for allowing their space to be used for storage, so there could be room for additional vendors.
Proceeds will fund materials and programs for the Conant Public Library, including the Summer Reading Program for children.
Barbara Bayley
Nancy Billings
Craft Fair Co-Chairs
Friends of the Conant Public Library in Sterling

10/02/2023

Save the date for holiday craft fair
The annual Friends of the Conant Public Library Arts & Crafts Show will be held the Saturday before Thanksgiving, November 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the First Church, 6 Meetinghouse Hill Road, in Sterling center. Holiday and gift items, all handmade by local craftspeople and artists, will fill the main hall of the First Church. Look for signs in the main hall for directions to two additional rooms.
Leominster Credit Union is supporting the fair as a co-sponsor for the second year in a row.
The $2 admission supports programs at the Conant Public Library. For more information, search Facebook for Friends of the Conant Public Library Arts & Crafts Show, send an email to [email protected], or visit sterlinglibrary.org, click on About, then Friends of the Library.

The gnomes are by Patricia Ward, who will be a vendor again this year.

06/21/2023

Friends of Library memberships fund museum passes
Are you looking for things to do this summer? The Friends of the Conant Public Library provides funding for passes to local museums and other attractions. The passes provide reduced or free admission to the American Heritage Museum, Animal Adventures, the Battleship Cove & Maritime Museum, Davis Farmland, Davis Mega Maze, the Children’s Discovery Museum, the Ecotarium, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, and the Worcester Art Museum. A MassParks (parking) Pass is also available. For more information about the passes and how to reserve them, click on the Resources tab at SterlingLibrary.org, or visit the library in Sterling center.
Dues from the Friends’ 200 members supports the passes, as well as many other library resources and programs, including the children’s summer reading program. Membership starts at the Friend level of $15 per year, Sponsor starts at $26, and Patron starts at $100. Membership does not require any of your time, though volunteers are welcome.
For information about becoming a member, visit SterlingLibrary.org, click on About, then Friends of the Library, and scroll down to Join the Friends. Membership forms are also available at the library, or you can email [email protected].

12/16/2022

The 2023 membership drive for the Friends of the Conant Public Library is underway! Renewal forms have been mailed to previous members.
If you’d like to support literacy and culture in Sterling by becoming a new member, or would like more information, visit the Friends of the Library's page on the library's website: https://sterlinglibrary.org/Pages/Index/204452/friends-of-the-library
You’ll have the option of downloading a membership form, or using PayPal to join.
In the past year, funds from the Friends of the Library have supported:
• Programs for adults, such as yoga, theater, composting, and Secrets of the Quabbin Watershed
• Books and prizes for participants in the Children’s Summer Reading Program and the 100 Books of Summer challenge
• Dinoman program for the Children’s Summer Reading Program kickoff
• New e-books and e-audiobooks
• Passes to museums and other cultural attractions
• Ancestry.com, BookPage, and Wowbrary for use by library patrons

11/18/2022

Come to the fair for the art and crafts, but you won't want to miss the tea breads, cookies, and bars at the bake sale! There will also be a lunch cafe, and wrapped cheese for sale.
Hope to see you there, Saturday, November 19 from 9am to 2pm at the First Church in Sterling center.