Hutchinson Public Library

Preschool Storytime
2026-03-25 10:30 - 11:00, 2026-03-11 10:30 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | KS
Recommended age: 3-5 with a caregiver
A storytime at HPL (for babies, toddlers, or preschoolers) includes books, songs, rhymes, music, and more– chosen for the appropriate age!
You and your child will create a strong bond, build lasting memories, and learn through play with their peers!

Machine Embroidery Workshop
2026-03-24 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-03-16 16:30 - 18:00, 2026-03-14 10:30 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Hutchinson Public Library – Makerspace, 901 N Main St, Hutchinson, KS, 67501, United States
Visit the Makerspace for a demonstration of our machine-embroidery equipment! This is a two-part workshop where the scheduled event is a presentation-only walkthrough of an embroidery job, then you can return at your convenience for hands-on experience.
We will be showing an overview of how to digitize a design on the computer, hoop your fabric and thread the embroidery machine, customize the embroidery job on the machine, and stitch-out your custom design.

There is no cost to attend. No previous experience is required.
Basic computer and reading skills are required.
Seats are limited, but this workshop will be offered regularly. If you can’t attend a scheduled workshop, please contact us to discuss alternatives.
The Makerspace will be closed to other activities during this workshop.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ:

You will need to return later to complete the hands-on portion of the training.
Young children must be able to understand written and verbal instructions unaided, as well as use a desktop computer.
Each individual attending will need a current Hutchinson Public Library Card. Student library cards are not valid for Makerspace workshops.

America’s Failed Response to the Opioid Crisis with Author Shoshana Walter
2026-03-24 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | Hutchinson Public Library- Virtual
America’s Failed Response to the Opioid Crisis with Author Shoshana Walter
With Special Guest Host Barbara Kingsolver
Register and Submit Questions
Join us for a special conversation between award-winning journalist Shoshana Walter and bestselling and award-winning author Barbara Kingsolver as they chat about Walter’s book Rehab: An American Scandal. In this work, Walter, a Pulitzer finalist, exposes the country’s failed response to the opioid crisis, and the malfeasance, corruption, and snake oil which blight the drug rehabilitation industry.
Today, more people have access to treatment than ever before. So why isn’t it working? The answer is that in America—where anyone can get addicted—only certain people get a real chance to recover. Despite record numbers of overdose deaths, our default response is still to punish, while rehabs across the United States fail to incorporate scientifically proven strategies and exploit patients.
In this book, you’ll find the stories of four people who represent the failures of the rehab-industrial complex, and the ways our treatment system often prevents recovery. April is a black mom in Philadelphia, who witnessed firsthand how the government’s punitive response to the crack epidemic impeded her mother’s recovery—and then her own. Chris, a young middle-class white man from Louisiana, received more opportunities in his addiction than April, including the chance to go to treatment instead of prison. Yet the only program the judge permitted was one that forced him to perform unpaid back-breaking labor at for-profit companies. Wendy is a mother from a wealthy suburb of Los Angeles, whose son died in a sober living home. She began investigating for-profit treatment programs—yet law enforcement and regulators routinely ignored her warnings, allowing rehab patients to die, again and again. Larry is a surgeon who himself struggled with addiction, and would eventually become one of the first Suboxone prescribers in the nation, drawing the scrutiny of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Be sure to register now to participate in this urgent conversation and learn insight on how we might fix the system to save lives.
About the Author:
Shoshana Walter is a reporter for the Marshall Project covering the criminal justice system. Her reporting has been honored as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and Selden Ring, and she has won the Knight Award for Public Service, the Edward R. Murrow Award, and the Livingston Award for Young Journalists. She started her work on the treatment system at The Center for Investigative Reporting, where her work appeared in The New York Times Magazine, in newspapers, and on NPR stations across the country. She is based in Oakland, California.
About the Guest Host:
Barbara Ellen Kingsolver is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, essayist, and poet. Her widely known works include The Poisonwood Bible, the tale of a missionary family in the Congo, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, a nonfiction account of her family’s attempts to eat locally. In 2023, she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for the novel Demon Copperhead. Her work often focuses on topics such as social justice, biodiversity, and the interaction between humans and their communities and environments.

Baby Time
2026-03-24 11:00 - 11:30, 2026-03-23 11:00 - 11:30, 2026-03-10 11:00 - 11:30, 2026-03-09 11:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago) | Hutchinson Public Library, 901 N Main St, Hutchinson, KS, 67501, United States
Recommended age: Birth – 18 months
A storytime at HPL (for babies, toddlers, or preschoolers) includes books, songs, rhymes, music, and more– chosen for the appropriate age!
You and your child will create a strong bond, build lasting memories, and learn through play with their peers!

Toddler Time
2026-03-24 10:30 - 11:00, 2026-03-23 10:30 - 11:00, 2026-03-10 10:30 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | KS
Recommended age: 18 months – 2 years
A storytime at HPL (for babies, toddlers, or preschoolers) includes books, songs, rhymes, music, and more– chosen for the appropriate age!
You and your child will create a strong bond, build lasting memories, and learn through play with their peers!

3D Design with Blender
2026-03-20 15:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Hutchinson Public Library – Makerspace, 901 N Main St, Hutchinson, KS, 67501, United States
Do you want to make your own designs for 3D printing? Animate a short movie? Model objects for games? Blender is an advanced, free 3D creation suite that will help you with all this and more. Attend this event to learn Blender and visit with other designers. Learning this software is a journey, so feel welcome to come back to future events for more knowledge!

There is no cost to attend.
Registration saves you a spot on one of our design-computers, but is not required. You can bring your own laptop to use.
Basic computer and reading skills are required.
No previous experience is required.
Seats are limited, but this workshop will be offered regularly. If you can’t attend a scheduled workshop, please contact us to discuss alternatives.
The Makerspace will be closed to other activities during this workshop.

3D Printing Certification
2026-03-19 10:30 - 12:00, 2026-03-10 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | Hutchinson Public Library – Makerspace, 901 N Main St, Hutchinson, KS, 67501, United States
We will soon require training to use our 3D printing services. This introductory workshop covers basic information to perform 3D printing projects. Completing it gives you access to use our 3D printing equipment, and you will make a small 3D print at no cost.

There is no cost to attend.
Basic computer and reading skills are required.
No previous experience is required.
Seats are limited, but this workshop will be offered regularly. If you can’t attend a scheduled workshop, please contact us to discuss alternatives.
The Makerspace will be closed to other activities during this workshop.
You may need to return later to pick up your completed 3D print

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ:

Young children must be able to understand written and verbal instructions unaided, as well as use a desktop computer.
Each individual attending will need a current Hutchinson Public Library Card. Student library cards are not valid for Makerspace workshops.

Salt City Readers
2026-03-18 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | Hutchinson Public Library, 901 N Main St, Hutchinson, KS, 67501, United States
Let’s talk about books! We explore a variety of fiction genres each month!
Salt City Readers meets every third Wednesday each month.
Check out the books at the Public Service Desk or on Cloud Library!

Craft-Cutter Workshop
2026-03-17 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-03-09 16:30 - 18:00 (America/Chicago) | Hutchinson Public Library – Makerspace, 901 N Main St, Hutchinson, KS, 67501, United States
This workshop covers basic instruction for our craft-cutter, the Cricut Maker 3. You will design and create a vinyl decal, and learn how to make stickers, fabric-transfers, and more.

You will need an email address to register for your Cricut ID.
There is no cost to attend.
Basic computer and reading skills are required.
No previous experience is required.
Seats are limited, but this workshop will be offered regularly. If you can’t attend a scheduled workshop, please contact us to discuss alternatives.
The Makerspace will be closed to other activities during this workshop.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ:

Young children must be able to understand written and verbal instructions unaided, as well as use a desktop computer.
Each individual attending will need a current Hutchinson Public Library Card. Student library cards are not valid for Makerspace workshops.

Talk Together Tuesday
2026-03-17 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | KS
A multi-lingual social event where you can practice any language you are learning in a real-world conversational environment.
This is a friendly place to meet neighbors, share stories, and celebrate languages from around the world. Enjoy light refreshments and group activities. it’s a lively mix if language, laughter, and learning!
Have questions? Reach out to Adult Education and Literacy Services by calling us at 620-663-5441 or emailing adulteducation@hutchpl.org

Book Bedazzling
2026-03-17 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | KS
What’s better than a good book? A good book with a little sparkle! We’ll use the fun diamond art technique to create a sparkling book cover using rhinestones and glue. There will be a variety of books to choose from, or you can bring your own from home to bedazzle. For timing, we’ll focus on enhancing select elements rather than the entire cover. Snacks will be provided, please let us know of allergies and/or food restrictions in the sign up!
Registration: https://forms.gle/wSb3SPQX1FLW6SFNA
Date: Tuesday, March 17
Time: 2:00-4:00pm
Place: Hutchinson Public Library, Youth Services Activity Room Participants: 3rd-6th graders
For questions, please contact Darcie Canfield-Riggs at 620-663-5441 x 136 or darcie.cr@hutchpl.org

Children’s Chess Club
2026-03-14 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Hutchinson Public Library, 901 N Main St, Hutchinson, KS, 67501, United States
Come to the Youth Services area and play and learn strategy from a chess instructor.

Stories from the Phog with Chelan David
2026-03-13 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Hutchinson Public Library, 901 N Main St, Hutchinson, KS, 67501, United States
Get ready for March Madness and get hyped about KU basketball on Friday, March 13 with Stories from the Phog.
Author Chelan David will be at our library to share 40 years of KU Basketball with us, just ahead of the NCAA and NJCAA tournaments.
In Stories from the Phog, lifelong KU hoops fan and Lawrence native Chelan David invites readers on a journey through forty years of Kansas basketball. It begins with a trip to an arcade with David Magley, Indiana’s Mr. Basketball in 1978, includes the 2022 National Championship game, and culminates with the changing landscape of college basketball that we are witness to today. In between are encounters with Larry Brown, Danny Manning, Roy Williams, Bill Self, Gradey Dick, and other legends of the Kansas program, and memories from KU fans. Also included are anecdotes from descendants of James Naismith and Phog Allen.

Giggles & Glue
2026-03-13 10:30 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | Hutchinson Public Library, 901 N Main St, Hutchinson, KS, 67501, United States
Explore your child’s creativity with some pre-k craft projects!
Recommended age: 3-5 Years Old

Art Talk - Music in Art
2026-03-12 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | KS
For centuries, music and visual art have danced together inspiring creativity across every medium. From masters like Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, who found rhythm in color and form, to the rise of album artwork as a musician’s visual signature, the connection between sight and sound has always been electric.
This creative relationship truly rocked in the 1960s and ’70s, when album covers became works of art in their own right. That magic is still alive today!
Join us for an Art Talk with Kim Ivancovich from Hutchinson Community College, where we’ll explore how music inspires art and vice versa. Talk about your favorite album covers of music themed artwork with us.
Then, get hands-on as we create our own music-inspired art together — a chance to connect, create, and celebrate our shared love of artistic expression.
RSVP today and let us know you’ll be joining the fun! Thank you for supporting your library and Hutchinson Community College through your participation — we can’t wait to make art with you!

Read to Rover
2026-03-12 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | Hutchinson Public Library, 901 N Main St, Hutchinson, KS, 67501, United States
Studies show that children gain confidence when reading to dogs. Whether your child is a pre-reader, just learning to read, or is a proficient reader, they will enjoy this fun program. When readers get three punches on their punch card, they get a free book! This program is in partnership with Hutchinson Kennel Club Therapy Dogs.
No registration required.

The Astral Library with Kate Quinn - Virtual Author Talk
2026-03-12 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Hutchinson Public Library- Virtual
Register and Ask Questions of the Author
You’re invited to join us for a virtual conversation with acclaimed author Kate Quinn about her latest fantastical work, The Astral Library, which poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures.
Alexandria “Alix” Watson has learned one lesson from her barren childhood in the foster-care system: unlike people, books will never let you down. Working three dead-end jobs to make ends meet and knowing college is a pipe dream, Alix takes nightly refuge in the high-vaulted reading room at the Boston Public Library, escaping into her favorite fantasy novels and dreaming of far-off lands. Until the day she stumbles through a hidden door and meets the Librarian: the ageless, acerbic guardian of a hidden library where the desperate and the lost escape to new lives…inside their favorite books.
The Librarian takes a dazzled Alix under her wing, but before she can escape into the pages of her new life, a shadowy enemy emerges to threaten everyone the Astral Library has ever helped protect. Aided by a dashing costume-shop owner, Alix and the Librarian flee through the Regency drawing rooms of Jane Austen to the back alleys of Sherlock Holmes and the champagne-soaked parties of The Great Gatsby as danger draws inexorably closer. But who does their enemy really wish to destroy—Alix, the Librarian, or the Library itself?
Register now to hear more about The Astral Library, crafted for all bookworms and lovers of literature.
About the Author: Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of Southern California, she attended Boston University, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in classical voice. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga and two books set in the Italian Renaissance before turning to the 20th century with The Alice Network, The Huntress, The Rose Code, The Diamond Eye, and The Briar Club. The Astral Library is her first foray into magic realism. She and her husband now live in Maryland with their rescue dogs.

Little Language Learners
2026-03-12 10:30 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | KS
Enjoy stories, songs and rhymes in Spanish and English!
Recommended age: 3-5 Years Old

For the Record - Books + Music Club
2026-03-10 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | KS
For the Record is a place for music lovers to gather and share their love of both reading about and listening to music. Join us for a monthly meetup on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00PM. We dive into the stories behind iconic musicians and albums, while sharing our favorite tracks and newest record finds. We read the 33 1/3 series. These are short books, each about a different musician and album. We explore a new one each month with a discussion about the book, album and the music that moves us. Whether you are a vinyl enthusiast or just passionate about discovering new sounds, For the Record offers a fun and welcoming space to connect.

We meet every month except for September.
Visit our Adults page to see what we are reading this month. Books are available for check out at the Public Service desk.

Is the Book Always Better? Book + Movie Discussion
2026-03-09 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | KS
Whether you love or hate film adaptations of your favorite stories, this book club is the place to have an exciting conversation about books, casting choices, plot changes, cinematography, and more! We meet every other month with a new title each time. Joining is easy! Check out the book for the “Is the Book Always Better?” book club at the public service desk.
Where the Crawdads Sing
“Painfully beautiful.”—The New York Times Book Review
For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life—until the unthinkable happens.
Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

March 9th we’ll meet to talk about our experience reading the novel and watching the 2022 film adaptation. Join us at 6:00 PM in the library sun room whether you’ve read the book, watched the movie or both!
