145 Rockford Street
Mount Airy, NC 27030
Phone: 336-789-5108
Fax: 336-786-5838
mta@nwrl.org
Mon-Thu: 8:30 – 8:00
Fri: 8:30 – 5:00
Sat: 9:00 – 1:00
Sun: Closed
Free WiFi available 24/7
Additional parking can be found behind the building in the City Hall Parking lot or at the Post Office.
Unlock Your Past: Beginner Genealogy Workshop – August 10 at 6 p.m. – Discover your family’s history and build your tree from scratch. Join us for a hands-on session covering census records, vital statistics and basic research methods. With local historian, Esther Johnson, President of The Surry County Genealogical Society.
Thursday, August 20 at 2 p.m. – We will discuss the history of seed saving, heirloom vs. hybrid seeds, and the best techniques for harvesting, cleaning, and storing your own seeds. Participants will learn how to create seed tape and make seed bombs. All supplies will be provided. Please call (336) 789-5108 to register.
North Carolina Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity provider.
Become a citizen scientist on August 21, 2026 at the Mount Airy Public Library! – 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
We will start at the Pollinator Garden (at the corner of Cherry and S. Main) and end inside the library for the movie.
Join us for an afternoon of exciting activities focused on our precious pollinators. There will be pollinator counting, pollinator crafts, a story walk, a story time focused on bees, honey tasting, photo props, and a movie complete with refreshments. You don’t want to miss this fun afternoon!
Please call 336-789-5108 to register!
Discover Something New at Your Library!
The Mount Airy Public Library is more than just books – it’s a place to learn, create, connect and have fun! Join us for this four-day series on August 24, 25, 26 and 27, where you’ll experience four unique activities that showcase the many ways the library brings our community together. Whether you want to learn a new skill, enjoy live entertainment, get moving or simply spend time with friends, there’s something for everyone! Come discover all the amazing opportunities waiting for you at your library!
August 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. – Line Dancing with Krystal Tyndall – Join us for an evening of fun, fitness and fellowship at our Line Dancing Class at the Mount Airy Public Library. Whether you’re a beginner or have danced before, come learn easy-to-follow dances, enjoy great music and have a wonderful time with friends. No partners needed.
August 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. – Spend an evening enjoying the rich sounds of traditional bluegrass music with Livia Livengood, Ashley Hultman and The Loose Strings Band at the Mount Airy Public Library. Bring your family and friends for a relaxing hour of outstanding local musicians and toe-tapping tunes in a welcoming community atmosphere.
August 27 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – The Bloomin’ Bear Flower Bar at the Mount Airy Public Library is the perfect place to create a one-of-a-kind flower bouquet! Choose your favorite fresh flowers and design a beautiful arrangement to take home or give as a thoughtful gift. Whether you want to say, “Thank You”, “Have a Good Day”, or “I Think You’re Special”, your handmade bouquet is sure to brighten someone’s day. Space is limited, so sign up today!
Monday, August 31 at 6:00 p.m. – Trace Your Revolutionary Ancestors – A Free Hands-On Workshop at the Library. Uncover your family’s role in the birth of the nation.
Bring Your Laptops & Family Trees! Join us in the Angela Llewellyn Room to learn how to search military archives, pension files, and lineage society databases. Library staff and guest genealogists will be on hand to provide one-on-one help.
What We’ll Work On:
Presenter: Esther Johnson, President of the Surry County Genealogical Association EPDJ1@triad.rr.com
Join us for Harry Potter Night with the Dash!!! August 29 at 6:30 p.m. Come at 5:30 for pregame events.
Be one of the top summer readers at the Mount Airy Public Library to win your free ticket! Fill out your reading logs and turn them in by August 15.
Enjoy the magic, Dash fans, at Harry Potter™ Night on Saturday, August 29, at Truist Stadium! Whether you belong to Gryffindor™, Hufflepuff™, Ravenclaw™ or Slytherin™, you can enjoy a Hogwarts™ house scarf (for the first 500 fans) and a seat to the game with a special Theme Night ticket.
Welcome to the Coloring Corner! Tuesdays at 6 p.m. – Join us for a relaxing evening. Bring your own Coloring supplies or borrow ours. Listen to soft music, color, and indulge in an hour of “you time.” This group is for adults 18+.
Hooked – Wednesdays at 3 p.m. – Join our crochet and knitting club. Open for all ages and skill levels. Bring your own yarn and make the group project, or bring your own project to work on.
Mahjong Mornings – Fridays at 10 a.m. – Join us at the Mount Airy Public Library for a game of Mahjong! Participants will learn the game, connect with friends, and enjoy friendly competition with their peers. It’s a great way to build skills and kick off the day with something new!
Tai Chi Fridays – Fridays at 10 a.m. – Experience meditation in motion. All skill levels are welcome. In the Angela Llewellyn Room
#mountairypubliclibrary
Secret Ingredient Cooking Club – Second Tuesday at 2 p.m. – August’s secret ingredient is peaches. Bring one dish prepared with peaches: using canned or fresh, and share the recipe. We love to talk and eat while discussing our recipes!
It’s Yoga Y’all! Join Ms. Heather on the third Saturday of the month at 10:30 a.m.
Copies of all book club books are available at the library.
Chapters Book Club – August 20 at 11:30 a.m. – Exploring Social Satire with Emily; “Such a Fun Age” by Kiley Reid. Read the book and discuss it at the library, bring your coffee and casually discuss what you are reading. Duration is usually an hour. Follow the book club at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/knowthyshelf
Murder, Mystery and Mayhem Book Club – Last Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. –An Adult book club.
For August we are reading, “American Black Widow: The Shocking True Story of a Preacher’s Wife Turned Killer” by Gregg Olsen.
Colorado, 1976. When Reverend Mike Fuller and his beautiful wife Sharon arrive in the sleepy town of Rocky Ford, local residents think something’s off about the new couple. The God-fearing minister is gruff and cold, while charismatic Sharon has her husband wrapped around her finger.
The Community Book Club meets the last Wednesday of the month at 1 p.m.
For August, we are reading, “The Tobacco Wives” by Adele Myers.
“North Carolina, 1946. One woman. A discovery that could rewrite history in this compelling piece of women’s fiction.
Maddie Sykes is a burgeoning seamstress who’s just arrived in Bright Leaf, North Carolina—the tobacco capital of the South—where her aunt has a thriving sewing business. After years of war rations and shortages, Bright Leaf is a prosperous wonderland in full technicolor bloom, and Maddie is dazzled by the bustle of the crisply uniformed female factory workers, the palatial homes, and, most of all, her aunt’s glossiest clientele: the wives of the powerful tobacco executives.”
Saturday, August 22 at 11 a.m. – We will explore Dystopian Fiction with The Last Murder at the End of the World” by Stuart Turton.
“Solve the murder to save what’s left of the world.
Outside the island there is nothing: the world was destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched.
On the island: it is idyllic. One hundred and twenty-two villagers and three scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they’re told by the scientists.
Until…”
Email questions to cmaynard@nwrl.org
The Blue Bear Café program empowers young adults through real-world entrepreneurship. At the original Mount Airy High School café, OCS (Occupational Course of Study) students learn hands-on job skills in customer service, food preparation, and business operations — developing creativity, teamwork, and entrepreneurial confidence within a supportive school environment.
The newly opened Blue Bear Café at the Mount Airy Public Library takes that mission beyond the classroom—serving the community while offering postsecondary job training through the Barista & Hospitality Pathway Program in partnership with Surry Community College. Here, graduates gain real-world experience and industry credentials as they prepare for meaningful careers in the local workforce.
Guided by the motto “Serving Kindness One Cup at a Time,” both cafés work hand in hand to create opportunities for students to grow, connect, and succeed—one sip, one skill, and one smile at a time.
Chess Club – Every Tuesday from 6 – 8 p.m. – Come join our group and hone your skills. Call the library for more information.
Storytimes: Books, Crafts, Rhymes and Movement
Toddler Time (Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.)
Book Babies (Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.)
Preschoolers (Thursdays at 11 a.m.)
August 5 & 6 – Keeping Fit – It’s National Exercise With Your Child Week!
August 12 & 13 – Elephants in the Room – It’s World Elephant Day!
August 19 & 20 – Taking Flight – National Aviation Day!
August 26 & 27 – All In the Family – It’s Family Fun Month!
STEAM’ed Up Tuesdays at 4 p.m.
STEAM Explorers, Thursdays at 2 p.m.
Interactive fun and learning for 1st – 8th grades
Make Your Own Ice Cream (August 4 & 6) – Making ice cream in a bag is a fun, quick science experiment! You just need to shake a small sealed bag of cream, sugar, and vanilla inside a larger bag of ice and salt for 5–10 minutes. The salt lowers the freezing point of the ice, allowing it to freeze the cream mixture into soft-serve ice cream.
Colored Sand Art (August 11 & 13) – Colored sand art is a highly versatile craft where vibrant, dyed sand is layered inside glass containers or applied to sticky surfaces to create intricate patterns, landscapes, and geometric designs.
Blackout Poetry (August 18 & 20 ) – Blackout poetry is a form of found poetry where you take an existing page of text—like from a newspaper, book, or magazine—and redact or “black out” the majority of words. The remaining unredacted words form a completely new poem, often accompanied by artistic designs that highlight the hidden message.
Scratch Art (August 25 & 27) – heavily color a sheet of cardstock with wax crayons. Mix equal parts black acrylic paint and dish soap, paint it over the crayons, and let it dry. Use a wooden skewer or toothpick to scratch designs, revealing the vibrant, hidden colors beneath.
We are proud to offer a brand new program for kids 3rd through 8th grades! If you are interested in learning about aeronautics and astronautics, come to our first meeting of Sky & Space Explorers on Monday, August 3, then August 17 and August 31 at 5:00 p.m. If you have been coming to our Summer Reading Program, you will be familiar with Lizzie Greer and she will be teaching this program. We will meet every other Monday. We are looking forward to a great turnout!
Monday, August 3, 6:00 pm – Come out and join others as we play games in our teen area. Whether it be traditional board games or video games, we’ve got you covered. In the teen area.
Monday, August 17, 6:00 pm – Let the games begin! Rummy, Phase 10, Uno, etc. Or bring your own games! In the teen area.
Thursday, August 27 at 4 p.m. – August Selection, Book & Show – Netflix has a reboot of the classic show, “Little House on the Prairie!” Read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s first novel about her family’s life in Wisconsin then watch the first two episodes of the 1970s hit show based on her novel! Popcorn & Water Provided.
Rana Southern, MLIS – Branch Manager
Cara Maynard – Assistant Branch Manager
Emily Lyon – Library Programs Assistant, Adult Programming
Lori C. Johnson – Library Programs Assistant, Youth Programming
Susan Miller – Library Assistant
Cindy Nichols – Library Assistant
Steven Scott, Chair
Emily Loftis, Co-Chair
Kelly Merritt*, Secretary
Cathy Akers
Hattie Brintle
Becky Keesler
Ron Niland
Jane Tesh
Marie Wood
*Regional Library Board Representative
1st Tuesday of March, June, September, and December at 1 p.m.
