MPL: A Full Plate

With a side helping of fun

Rebecca Appelbaum
November 25, 2025

Hello friends and happy Thanksgiving!

We know there’s a couple days between you reading this post and the actual holiday (we hope— we do not want to stress you out during this hectic time), but we did want to wish you all the best for it.

As you may remember, we’ll be closing at 12pm tomorrow, Wednesday, November 26th and we’ll remain closed through Sunday, November 30th. We hope you get a chance to stop in before then for any last minute books, movies, or games you might need (something to let you wind down after all the hullabaloo, for instance, or something to play in the background while people eat), but if you miss us, please check out our e-library! Whether you want to grab an audiobook from Libby or Hoopla, or you’d like to put on a playlist from Freegal or binge something off of Kanopy, we’ve got you covered.

As for what’s going to be happening after we get back from the holiday break, we’ve got exciting news. Fan favorite a Capella group, the Copley Cats will be returning! Mark your calendars and get ready for some holiday cheer on Saturday, December 13th at 1pm. Doors will open at 12:45pm, so come early, snag a seat or two, and get ready to enjoy the show!

Also, after we return, comes a program to help you work off the holiday lethargy— Latin Dance! Join instructor Jaime Staraitis for a free salsa dance class at the Library! This drop in class is free to attend, and no previous experience or partner is required! The December classes will be led on Monday, December 1st and Monday, December 8th at 6pm; no registration required.

Also right after the holiday and with plenty of time to pick up your next read, will be the Clicquot Book Club! Join us for this non-traditional book club that is the only one of it’s kind we know of— a book club where you don’t have to read any of the books ahead of time! Our presenter will have gone through 9-12 books over the course of the month, and will give you spoiler free summaries, her opinion, and first dibs and any of the titles that might strike your fancy. They’ll be meeting on Thursday, December 4th at 2pm, so stop by and bring your literary appetite! No registration required.

We’ve also got the perfect opportunity for you to relax after the stress of Thanksgiving and to take a breath before the December holidays take over: Color and Chill! Join us on Friday, December 5th for a little bit of well-deserved ‘you’ time. We’ll have everything you need to get started, and if you want to bring your own projects or supplies? Go for it! The program officially starts at 6:30pm (when the snacks will come out and the music will play), but the room will be open at 4:30 if you want more time for yourself. No registration required.

We’re also surprised to see that we still have so many spaces available to Read to a Therapy Dog! If you’ve got a nervous reader or someone who wants to practice their oratory skills, sign up for a slot! While this program is recommended for children ages 5-10, all ages are welcome. Whether you’re free on Saturday, December 6th at 1:30pm, 1:45pm, 2:00pm, or 2:15pm or on Saturday, December 13th at 2:00pm or 2:15pm, we’ll look forward to seeing you— and so will the dogs!

We’ve also got something to help take your mind off the horrors of the holidays… with fictional horrors! Join us for the Horror and Thriller Book Club and it’s next meeting on Monday, December 8th at 6:30pm. We’ll be discussing “Jackal” by Erin Adams, and would love to hear your opinion in this fun, open-minded group. No registration required; copies of the book are available at the front desk of the library!

It’s watching.

Liz Rocher is coming home . . . reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn’t exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town. But her best friend is getting married, so she braces herself for a weekend of awkward and passive-aggressive reunions. Liz has grown, though; she can handle whatever awaits her. But on the day of the wedding, somewhere between dancing and dessert, the bride’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing—and the only thing left behind is a piece of white fabric covered in blood.

It’s taking.

As a frantic search begins, with the police combing the trees for Caroline, Liz is the only one who notices a pattern: a summer night. A missing girl. A party in the woods. She’s seen this before. Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl in school, walked into the woods with a mysterious man and was later found with her chest cavity ripped open and her heart missing. Liz shudders at the thought that it could have been her, and now, with Caroline missing, it can’t be a coincidence. As Liz starts to dig through the town’s history, she uncovers a horrifying secret about the place she once called home. Children have been going missing in these woods for years. All of them Black. All of them girls.

It’s your turn.

With the evil in the forest creeping closer, Liz knows what she must do: find Caroline, or be entirely consumed by the darkness.

We hope something in here sounds fun, but if it’s not your speed, check out our event calendar! Whenever we’re finished planning something, it goes there for you to find. See what’s happening, what’s coming up, and what to look forward to~

But whether or not something in here sounds like your idea of a good time, we hope you have a wonderful holiday and long weekend full of good food, friends, and the most pleasant version of your family. We’ll look forward to seeing you again either tomorrow or on Monday— rested and ready to go!

Til then, take care of yourselves,

—Your Friendly Neighborhood Librarians