Category: Science

Honeybee Swarms: What to Know and What to Do

Posted on by Kristin Nelson

Wednesday, May 6
6:30 PM
Hermann Foundation Meeting Room

Late spring on Cape Cod marks the beginning of honeybee swarming season. In this informative talk, beekeeper Miguel Zamora will explain why honeybees swarm and what residents should know if they encounter one. Participants will learn how to distinguish bees from wasps, gain an introduction to honeybee biology, and understand the purpose of swarming in the life of a hive. The program will also cover what to do—and what not to do—if you spot a swarm, how to report it, and why safely recovering swarms is important for both bees and beekeepers.
 
This program is designed for anyone curious about bees or interested in learning how to respond if they see a swarm in their neighborhood.
 
Please register here: https://falmouthpubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/…

Caring for Cape Cod: A Community Environmental Fair

Posted on by Kristin Nelson

Saturday, May 2nd

12:00 PM to 4:00 PM 

Visit the Hermann Room – registration is not required!

 
From ponds and coastlines to gardens and green spaces, connect with local organizations working to care for Falmouth and the Upper Cape. Stop by this drop-in Community Environmental Fair to learn, ask questions, and find ways to get involved close to home.
 
All visitors will be entered to win a door prizes, including a composting starter kit!
 
Confirmed organizations and departments as of 3/30/26:
 
The 300 Committee
https://300committee.org/
 
Association to Preserve Cape Cod
https://apcc.org/
 
The Coonamesset River Trust 
 
Falmouth CAN 
 
 
Falmouth Pond Coalition
https://www.falmouthpondcoalition.org/
 
Falmouth Solid Waste Advisory Committee
 
Falmouth Water Stewards 
 
Litter Free Falmouth
https://www.facebook.com/groups/813244462937301/
 
Oyster Pond Environmental Trust 
https://opet.org/
 
 
 
 
 
 

Falmouth Reads Together – Native Pollinators

Posted on by Kristin Nelson

Tuesday, April 282:00—3:00 PM

Hermann Foundation Meeting Room

Gardening for a Better Cape: Promoting Pollination and Native Species
 
Brought to You by: Friends of the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge
 
Learn how your gardening choices can support Cape Cod’s ecosystem by creating pollinator-friendly spaces and incorporating native plants that benefit local wildlife and overall environmental health.
Register here: https://falmouthpubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/…

BINGO! Falmouth Reads Together Style

Posted on by Kristin Nelson

This week marks the first 2026 Falmouth Reads Together event—and an opportunity to engage more deeply with Braiding Sweetgrass. Read, reflect, take a nature walk, attend an event, or try a small act of care for the living world, then track your participation using our Falmouth Reads Together BINGO card. Complete any five squares for a chance to win a signed copy of the book, a membership to Highfield Hall, and other gardening goodies. Click the BINGO card to get started!

 

 

Falmouth Reads Together 2026

Posted on by Kristin Nelson

2026 Falmouth Reads Together

We are excited to announce that this years town wide read is Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer.  
 
Stop by the library to pick up a copy beginning Friday, January 16th, read or listen to it online, and join one of our community programs! 
 
 

NASA’s Cosmic Dawn Documentary Screening

Posted on by Jessica O'Connor

Cosmic Dawn is the incredible true story of the James Webb Space Telescope – humanity’s largest and most powerful space telescope – on a mission to unveil the early universe, against all odds.

On Tuesday, September 23rd at 6:30pm in the library’s Hermann Room, come join us as we watch this NASA+ documentary that brings viewers on an unprecedented journey through Webb’s delicate assembly, rigorous testing, and triumphant launch, showcasing the sheer complexity and breathtaking risks involved in creating a telescope capable of peering billions of years into the past. Follow the telescope from an idea developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center all the way to the launchpad in French Guiana, with never-before-seen footage captured by the Webb film crew offering intimate access to the challenges and triumphs along the way. 

This documentary screening is free to the public and all are welcome!

Cosmic Dawn is Not Rated and has a running time of 1 hour and 36 minutes.  To register to attend, CLICK HERE or visit/call the Adult Service Desk at 508-457-2555 x7.

Project ITCH (Is Tick Control Helping?) Public Presentation

Posted on by Kristin Nelson

As tick-borne illnesses continue to pose a significant public health risk across the Cape and Islands, researchers are stepping up public education and outreach efforts to help residents stay informed and protected.

On Monday, July 28 from 4:00–5:00 PM, the Falmouth Public Library will host a public update on Project ITCH (Is Tick Control Helping?), a CDC-funded research initiative that aims to assess the effectiveness of common tick control methods in real-world settings.

The event will take place in the Hermann Foundation Meeting Room at the Main Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth.

The presentation will be led by Dr. Stephen M. Rich, a professor of microbiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Executive Director of the New England Center of Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases. Dr. Rich has been at the forefront of tick-borne disease research in southeastern Massachusetts, working in close collaboration with Barnstable County Extension and the Department of Health and Environment.

Now in its third year, Project ITCH is being conducted across all six New England states. The Cape Cod portion of the project includes field visits to residential properties, tick sampling, and resident surveys. The data help researchers evaluate the effectiveness of various tick prevention strategies and inform future public health efforts.

Dr. Rich will share preliminary findings from the current field season, highlight trends observed across the region, and offer guidance on effective tick control methods for homeowners and communities.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is recommended. 

For more information, contact the Falmouth Public Library at (508) 457-2555 or visit www.falmouthpubliclibrary.org.

 

Author Talk with Lawrence Millman

Posted on by Kristin Nelson

Outsider: My Boyhood with Thoreau with Lawrence Millman

 

Join us at the Falmouth Public Library on Tuesday, October 1st at 6:30 PM in the Hermann Meeting Room for an author talk and book signing with mycologist and author Lawrence Millman!  He will be discussing his latest memoir Outside: My Boyhood with Thoreau.  Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event from Eight Cousins Books.

Early on, Millman found in Thoreau a kindred spirit, far outside of the mainstream social, sporting, and educational interests he was expected to be cultivating. And like Thoreau, he would rather be out-of-doors — where he could socialize with mushrooms, insects, or earthworms — than stuck in any indoor locale.

“Lawrence Millman is my kind of guy–kind of like a cross between Henry David Thoreau and a badger (the Eurasian badger, as the American badger is sometimes considered ill-tempered). Like Larry, I am always happiest among the salamanders and caterpillars, but reading Larry’s vivid, honest, often hilarious accounts of how nature shaped his quirky, abundant life makes for excellent company. Everyone who loves animals and nature will love this.”

— Sy Montgomery, author of Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell

Writer, ethnographer, mycologist Lawrence Millman has made over forty trips and expeditions to the Arctic and Subarctic. His twenty-seven books include such titles as Last Places, Northern Latitudes, A Kayak Full of Ghosts, Our Like Will Not Be There Again, Hiking to Siberia, Lost in the Arctic, At the End of the World, The Book of Origins, Fungipedia, The Last Speaker of Bear, Foraging with Jeeves, and the Coyote Arts title Goodbye, Ice. He has written for Smithsonian, National Geographic, Outside, Atlantic Monthly, and The Sunday Times (London). He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

For more information about Lawrence Millman: https://lawrencemillman.com/This event is free to the public and registration is required as seating is limited. Register HERE or visit/call the adult services desk at 508-457-2555 x7.

Sharks Don’t Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist with Jasmin Graham

Posted on by Jessica O'Connor

Join us at the Falmouth Public Library on Wednesday, August 14th at 4pm in the Hermann meeting room for an author talk and book signing with Jasmin Graham!  She will be discussing her new book Sharks Don’t Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist.  Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event from Eight Cousins.

“Sharks Don’t Sink is a riveting, moving, and ultimately triumphant memoir at the intersection of science and social justice: a guidebook to how we can all learn to respect and protect some of nature’s most misunderstood and vulnerable creatures–and grant the same grace to ourselves.”

“Jasmin’s journey, along with her love of sharks, is both fascinating and inspiring, sitting at the cross section of science and social justice. This book is a triumph.” —Emily Giffin, TODAY

“Jasmin Graham is a marine biologist in the field of elasmobranch ecology and evolution, currently specializing in smalltooth sawfish and hammerhead sharks. She is the co-founder of Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), an organization providing support for women of color in the field of shark biology and ecology, in order to foster greater diversity in marine science. She is a recipient of the WWF Conservation Leadership Award, the Safina Launchpad Center Fellowship, and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.”

This event is free to the public. CLICK HERE to register online event calendar or visit/call the adult service desk at 508-457-2555 x7.

February School Break Events for Kids

Posted on by Library User

Tuesday February 20, 11:00 AM: Falmouth Osprey Project. Join us in the Hermann Room as the founders of the Falmouth Osprey Project tell us about their work helping ospreys nest safely! All ages are welcome and children should be accompanied by an adult. Please register.

 

Tuesday February 20, 1:30-3:00 PM: Family Game Play. Join us in the Children’s Room for drop-in game play for families including children of all ages.

Wednesday February 21, 11:00 AM: Amazing Animal Ambassadors. Meet, observe, and learn about four exotic animals under the guidance of certified handler Bethany Jakubson. In the Hermann Room. Aimed at children; small children should be accompanied by an adult. Please register. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Wednesday February 21, 1:30-2:30 PM: CAP Therapy Dogs: Tales to Tails Program. Come read to a certified therapy dog in the Children’s Room! Tales to Tails is a drop-in program so no registration required.  All ages are welcome.  

Thursday February 22, 2:00 PM: Family Friendly Film: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Join us in the Hermann Room for a screening of this PG-rated film with a run time of 2 hours and 20 minutes. All ages are welcome and small children should be accompanied by an adult. Please register.

Friday February 23, 1:00 PM: Pitter Patter Puppet Show. Join us in the Hermann Room for silly songs and interactive puppetry, great for ages 2 and up and charming for their adults! Please register. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.