MPL: Millis Reads

Connect with our Community Read

Rebecca Appelbaum
March 11, 2025

Hello all! If you haven’t heard Millis Reads has begun! What are we talking about?

Millis Reads is an effort to strengthen ties throughout the Millis community by encouraging everyone in town to read and discuss the same book. The mission of Millis Reads is to promote literacy, to foster community dialog, to increase engagement, and to broaden understanding and tolerance of differing points of view.

Participants are encouraged to read or listen to the book selection and attended a variety programs that tie in to the themes of the books!

Millis Reads is sponsored in part by the Millis Cultural Council. Funding is also generously provided by the Friends of the Millis Public Library.

Some of you have already gotten the book selected for this year: “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” by Jonathan Haidt. If you’re looking to reserve it for yourself, place your hold through our catalog or as an eBook on Libby! There’s also an eAudiobook option if you prefer~

If you want to see the supplementary reads we have available, we have a display at the library, or you can check out the list here.

However, no instance of Millis Reads can happen without us having some amazing programs to go with it! We’re pleased to share the first wave of events we have coming up with you~

First up, we welcome you to join us for a Panel Discussion of “The Anxious Generation” on Thursday, March 13th at 6:30pm.

“The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt explores the rise of anxiety, depression, and social disconnection among young people, linking these trends to the pervasive influence of smartphones and social media. Haidt argues for a return to real-world childhood experiences, emphasizing the need for stronger community bonds, free play, and delayed exposure to digital devices. Our discussion will feature local professionals sharing their take on the book.

Our panelists include Riley Dunn, High School Counselor, Pat Nash, High School Principal and Dawn Skop, licensed psychotherapist. The discussion will be lead by librarian Rachel Silverman. No registration required.

Do you have questions about the internet? Do you feel it’s something you need to worry about? We’re hosting Online Health and Safety 101 on Tuesday, March 18th at 7pm to help you figure it out! Join us for a fun, interactive, low-stress presentation on how to maintain your mental, physical, and financial wellness in a fast moving digital landscape. Key topics include account and password security, device upkeep (& why it's important), and how to reduce the impact of screen time on our physical health. Leave with daily tips on how to stay happy online.

No registration required.

Turn on your computers and join us for Behind Their Screens: What Teens Are Facing (And Adults Are Missing)—an online event with Dr. Emily Weinstein and Dr. Carrie James, co-founders of the Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard Graduate School of Education and authors of the impactful book of the same name. Emily and Carrie will join us via Zoom on Tuesday, March 25th at 6:30pm to share surprising insights from their latest research about teens and technology (particularly social media and GenAI), as well as practical strategies for parents, educators, and other caring adults.

Their research has long emphasized young people's voices and diverse experiences, and they consider themselves critical optimists who are actively working toward a future where young people can thrive as they live with ever-changing technologies. This talk is perfect for parents and families of tweens and teens, other caregivers, educators, and anyone else working with youth from 12-18.

This program sponsored by the Morrill Memorial Library and is in collaboration with a multitude of MA libraries. Register here in order to receive the Zoom information and join.

Not all Artificial Intelligence is bad! Come for Intro to AI for Adults and get familiar with popular, free artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Grammerly, and Smartly. Learn to distinguish between different types of artificial intelligence apps, who owns them, what they do, and determine which ones might work for you!

We’ll be hosting this program on Tuesday, April 15th at 7pm. No registration required.

We’ve also got two book discussions coming up! The first will be the “Click'd” Book Discussion with Mr. Carter from the Millis Middle High School and our very own Rachel on Tuesday, April 22 at 3:00pm! It’ll be for students in 5th-8th grade who want to come have snacks and discuss the book!

After that, also on Tuesday, April 22nd but at 4pm, we’d like to invite our 8th-12th graders to discuss the book “Accountable” by Dashka Slater. Mr. Carter and Rachel will be heading the discussion, so come share your thoughts! Snacks will be served, and no registration is required for either discussion!

Middle schoolers— join us for a screen-free lock-in at the library after it closes with a No-Tech Lock-in for Middle School! We'll play games (think Hide and Seek in the empty library), do arts and crafts, eat snacks and have fun.

To keep the focus on Digital Wellness, we’ll be asking that all participants leave their phones at the front desk during this library program for some valuable bonding time free of the distraction of screens. Phones will be available for emergencies and returned to students when they are coordinating pick up.

We’ll be hosting the lock in on Saturday, April 26th from 3-6pm. Register to claim your spot here!

Many of you have asked about the “field trip” we usually have for Millis Reads, and while we aren’t ready for sign-ups quite yet, we have a “Save the Date” for you. Look forward to May 17th, 2025 where we’ll be having a day trip to the Massachusetts Trustees of the Reservation site, The deCordova Sculpture Park!
We’ll have transportation to and from the deCordova Sculpture Park by Silver Fox Coach and admittance to the grounds. To view the grounds or learn more about the park, please visit their website.

DeCordova is internationally recognized as a major venue for the exhibition and interpretation of modern and contemporary outdoor sculpture. The Sculpture Park occupies the entire campus: 30 acres of beautifully landscaped lawns, forests, fields, gardens, and terraces on a rolling site along the shore of Flint's Pond in Lincoln, Massachusetts. At any given time, approximately 60 sculptures are on display in the Park.

As always, we’ve got so much more going on, and focusing on Millis Reads this time doesn’t change that! If you want to see everything coming up at the library, please check out our event calendar— whatever we plan, it goes there first.

Until next time, take care of yourselves and happy reading,

Your Friendly Neighborhood Librarians