Community support is critical to our continued growth and vitality as a public resource. You can make a difference and help ensure a bright future for generations to come by making a gift to the library. Learn More.¡Hola amigos! Bilingual Summer Camp
¡Hola Amigos! Bilingual Summer Camp
For English or Spanish Speakers entering K – 3rd Grade/Para hablantes de ingles y español que ingregan a kindergarten hasta tercero grado
*** REGISTRATION CLOSES MARCH 31ST***
Come immerse yourself in a Spanish language adventure! We will learn about the Spanish language and culture in this immersive day camp program through both academic and recreational activities. We’ll craft, play games, explore our environment, sing and dance, read books, and more, all while learning about language. This camp is open to children who are entering Kindergarten through 3rd grade, according to the age eligibility requirements of the Cape Henlopen School District.
***LAS INSCRIPCIONES CIERRAN EL 31 DE MARZO***
¡Ven a sumergirte en una aventura en español! Aprenderemos sobre el idioma y la cultura española en este programa de campamento diurno inmersivo a través de actividades académicas y recreativas. Haremos manualidades, jugaremos, exploraremos neustro entorno, cantaremos y bailaremos, leeremos libros y más, todo mientras aprendes sobre el lenguaje. Este campamento está abierto a niños que van a cursar desde preescolar hasta tercer grado, según los requisitos de edad establecidos por el Distrito Escolar de Cape Henlopen.
Dates:
July 13 – 16, 2026/13 – 16 de Julio, 2026
Monday – Thursday/Lunes – Jueves
9:00AM – 12:00PM/9:00AM – 12 Meridiano
July 20 – 23, 2026/20 – 23 de Julio, 2026
Monday – Thursday/Lunes – Jueves
9:00AM – 12:00PM/9:00AM – 12 Meridiano
Click here to APPLY./Haga clic aquí para APPLICAR.
This program was made possible through a generous donation from the Happy Difference Foundation.
Transportation generously supported by
Stitch
Join our teen knitting and crochet group for a self-led crafting session designed for those with some experience. Bring your own project or start something new while enjoying tea, treats, and a creative atmosphere. Other craft supplies will be available, but this is not an instructional class—participants should be comfortable working independently. Connect with fellow teen crafters, share ideas, and unwind with yarn.
Stitch meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
This program is teen-led and reserved for teens with some experience between the ages of 13 to 19.
College Prep
Lewes Public Library offers resources to help teens navigate college test prep, college applications, and the financial aid process. Click the boxes below for more information and to register for these programs!
These College and SAT Prep programs are generously supported in part by
Robert and Mary Jo Moyer
REGISTER HERE: January 15, 5:30 – 7:30PM
Paying for College Presentation (5:30 – 6:30 PM)
This presentation provides an overview of the many options available to families to pay for college. The goal is to inform students and parents about government grants, scholarships, loans, FAFSA application procedures, and additional services and programs provided by Stand by Me NexGen.
FAFSA Completion Workshop (6:30 – 7:30PM)
This is a “hands-on” in-school group workshop, providing students and families with actual, real-time assistance in completing the 26-27 FAFSA. The average FAFSA can take 30-45 minutes to complete.
Stand By Me Next Gen, a non-profit partnership between the United Way of Delaware and the State of Delaware, offers free assistance in helping Delaware families understand and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Completion of the FAFSA is required for students to receive federal and state aid, as well as an increasing proportion of scholarship aid; with such a vital and sometimes daunting task facing students and families, SBM NexGen aims to ease the burden by providing expert guidance and one-on-one assistance in completing the FAFSA.
REGISTER HERE: February 16 from 9:00AM – 1:00PM
This SAT Practice testing hosted by Sylvan Learning Center of Lewes. Tests take approximately 3.5 hours to complete. Participants are allowed to use a calculator for both of the math sections. Participants will receive scoring and feedback the week following the practice test.
*The library is closed to the public for the federal holiday, but open for SAT practice testing.
Registration is required.
REGISTER HERE: February 25 @ 6:30PM
Did you know you can take SAT and AP practice tests for free with your Delaware Library Card? Come learn about the free study resources available from Delaware and Sussex County Libraries for the SAT and other college/career preparatory tests. We’ll do a walk-through of the online resources available to patrons through Learning Express and Universal Class, and review circulating materials like SAT study guides, college essay primers, and scholarship compendiums.
REGISTER HERE for: March 2, 2026, 5:00 – 8:00PM
REGISTER HERE for: March 9, 2026, 5:00 – 8:00PM
High-Impact SAT practice where students build confidence and boost scores through focused instruction in Math, Reading, and Writing. We’ll focus on proven test-taking strategies including timed practice. Led by experienced instructors, this fast-paced program targets key concepts, strengthens weak areas, and helps students on test day become prepared and confident!
Show Me the Money Month
All month long the library will be offering free courses to help young people learn where and how to make money, and how to save it. Click the boxes below for more information and to register for these programs!
REGISTER HERE: March 9, 16 & 23, 6:00 – 7:30PM ***For Kids Ages 10 – 16 with an 18+ adult also attending as their “home mentor.”*** You must be able to attend all three workshops in the series to register.
March 9. THE BUSINESS PLAN: What’s Your Big Idea? Find a great business idea and start working on your plan. We’ll walk through all the steps of creating a business plan, and send you home with templates to put together a plan that will lead you to success.
March 16. THE MARKETING PLAN: Get The Word Out! Who will be your customers and how will they find out about you? We’ll walk through what you need to do to advertise your business and send you home with ideas to put together your marketing materials.
March 23. PITCH YOUR BUSINESS: Presentation Week! Develop your elevator speech to help sell your business. Each participant will have the opportunity to present their business and receive targeted feedback to help hone their ideas. We’ll also talk about managing your money once those big bucks start rolling in.
Tuesday, March 10 & Thursday, March 12 from 4:30 – 8:00PM
*Participants must attend both classes for their certificate of completion
Safe Sitter® Essentials with CPR
This is a 1-day class designed to prepare students in grades 6-8 to be safe when they’re home alone, watching younger siblings, or babysitting. The Instructor-led class is filled with fun games and role-playing exercises. Students will use mannequins to practice rescue skills like choking rescue and CPR. This course adds basic CPR practice but does NOT lead to certification.
Space is limited. Only 8 spots are available, so register today.
Make sure you’re prepared to land a job at the annual Teen Job Fair. Here you will learn about DE employment laws, interview techniques, professional etiquette, what to wear, what to bring, who to ask for, and more. We will also discuss how to properly fill out job applications, tax forms, work permits, and other necessary paperwork. This is a workshop you won’t want to miss!
March 28, 2026, from 11 AM – 1 PM
Participating businesses include Funland, Jungle Jim’s, Dairy Queen, Rehoboth Toy & Kite, Chick-fil-A, and MORE!
No registration is required. This job fair is strictly reserved for teens ages 14 – 19.
Teen Job Fair 2026
Join us at our 10th annual Teen Job Fair!
March 28, 2026
11:00am to 1:00pm
Teen Job Fair is reserved for teens ages 14 – 19 only. No registration is required for the job fair.
Preparation Workshop
Thursday, March 26, 2026
6:00pm
Businesses will be here and ready to hire so be sure and take advantage of the preparation workshop
Participation in preparation workshop is not required to attend the job fair but is strongly encouraged.
Safe Sitter
Safe Sitter® is designed to prepare students in grades 6 – 8 to be safe when they’re home alone, watching younger siblings, or babysitting. The instructor-led class is filled with fun games and role-playing exercises.
Students learn:
- Safety Skills: Learn how to prevent unsafe situations and what to do when faced with dangers such as power failures or weather emergencies.
- Child Care Skills: Learn tips to manage behavior that will help them stay in control of themselves and the children in their care. Students also learn the ages and stages of child development, as well as practice diapering.
- First Aid & Rescue Skills: Learning skills such as choking rescue and CPR. Students also learn a system to help them assess and respond to injuries and illnesses. (CPR included in Safe Sitter® Essentials with CPR and Safe Sitter® Expanded.)
- Life & Business Skills: The ability to screen jobs, discuss fees, and greet employers will set students up for success now and in the future. Students practice these skills through various role plays.
Important class information:
This course will be broken up over two nights:
- Tuesday March 10, 4:30 – 8:00PM
- Thursday, March 12, 4:30 – 8:00PM
***Students must attend class on both dates to earn their certificate. There will be no make-up days scheduled.
There are only 8 spots available. Registration is required. You must be in grades 6th-8th to participate.
Sublime and Dramatic | The Romantic Movement in the Arts
From the late 18th to the mid-19th century, European artists, composers, authors, poets, and philosophers responded strongly to the rational thought of the Enlightenment by exploring and celebrating the sublime and dramatic in nature, metaphysics, and human emotion. The Spoken Word Society presents a four-week series of programs exploring this movement through performances, lectures and discussions.
All events are free and start at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. The in-person portion will be in the large meeting room of the Lewes Public Library (111 Adams Avenue, Lewes).
Registration is required and each individual attending must register.
Join our exploration of the influence of nature on the arts during the romantic period with Kristen Matulewicz, Curator of Rockwood Park and Museum in Wilmington. Focusing on William Louis Sontag Jr.’s The Misty Rocky Mountains, among others, she will trace the evolution and influence of the Romantic Movement in art as it mutates into the uniquely American style of Hudson River School Painting. And Matulewicz will finish by case-studying Rockwood as a rare example of how the concept and aesthetics of Romanticism was cultivated in daily life.
Kristen Matulewicz, familiar to Spoken Word Society audiences for her work with the library the past several years, has a fun and entertaining style of presenting research with significant depth. She holds a BFA in fine arts specializing in practicing Performance and Installation Arts, a BA in Art History with a focus on Pre-Raphaelitism, and an MA in Art History and Visual Studies, with a specialty in Victorian escapism and immersive environments. Before joining Rockwood as a Curator, she had a 12-year career in Museum Education working across a range of museum sizes and types including history, science, historic houses, and art museums. Kristen’s strong background working with local communities, under-served populations, and practicing artists to create opportunities for accessible learning saw her awarded the Delaware Art Educators Association’s Educator of the Year in the field of Museums.
Join us as we explore the beginnings of Romantic Music from Handel in the 18th century to Elgar in the 20th. When we think of Romantic music we usually think of the 19th century greats, such as Beethoven, Schumann, Wagner, or Tchaikovsky. As with all the arts, one period grows out of, and blends with, contemporaneous forms. The beginning cannot be pinned down nor the end detected. In fact it is still very much with us. We’ll explore how Beethoven exploded out of the Classical period and how Elgar summed up the Romantic era in the aftermath of The Great War.
Lani Spahr, professional oboist and world renowned audio restoration engineer and producer, is well known to Lewes audiences from his popular program Performance Insights presented through Coastal Concerts. Formerly a leading performer on period oboes in the US, he was a member of Boston Baroque and the Handel & Haydn Society Orchestra of Boston and appeared with many of North America’s leading period instrument orchestras, including Tafelmusik, Philharmonia Baroque, Tempesta di Mare, and many others. As a modern oboist, he was the principal oboist of the Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Opera Festival, the American Chamber Winds, the Maine Chamber Ensemble and made his European solo debut in 1999 playing John McCabe’s Oboe Concerto with the Hitchin Symphony Orchestra in England. Spahr served on the faculties of Colorado College, Phillips Exeter Academy, and the University of New Hampshire Chamber Music Institute. He toured throughout North America, Europe, and the Far East on period and modern oboes and recorded for Telarc, Linn, Koch, Naxos, Vox, Music Masters, L’Oiseau Lyre and Musica Omnia. Accomplished on the bagpipes as well, Lani is the Official Piper of Fort Miles.
Join local scholar Dr. Michael Redmond for “Storm, Stress, and the Soul: The Romantic Rebellion,” an exploration of how the Romantics figures like Hamann, Wordsworth, and Coleridge rose up against the cool confidence of the Enlightenment’s faith in reason, science, and mastery of nature. Together we’ll trace how nature shifted from whirlwind and mystery, to clockwork machine, to something alive, numinous, and a source of wisdom and wonder—and how this transformation still shapes our views of authenticity, spirituality, and the environment today. Along the way, we’ll meet some fascinating characters, hear vivid literary and philosophical passages, and end by asking a personal question: in your own life, are you more a child of the Enlightenment or of Romanticism—and what might it mean to live well between the two?
Dr. Michael D. Redmond is a distinguished higher education leader and former president of Bergen Community College, bringing four decades of experience in academic leadership, governance, and institutional innovation. He holds a Ph.D. in Theological and Religious Studies from Drew University, and an M.A. in Philosophy from Rutgers, complemented by graduate work in computer science and mathematics. A dedicated teacher and scholar, Dr. Redmond served as Professor of Philosophy and Religion for nearly 40 years and helped build one of the largest and most successful philosophy and religion programs in the nation at a community college. He has published and presented widely, from academic journals to national conferences, on topics both in the philosophy of Religion and political philosophy as well as on technology, and his excellence in teaching and leadership has been honored with the NISOD Excellence Award and two National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar appointments.
Join us for an evening of the Sublime and the Dramatic as the Spoken Word Society’s Reader’s Theatre Troupe performs poetry and prose from authors and poets working in the Romantic movement. Featuring works by Keats, Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Charlotte Smith, Felicia Hemans, Emily Bronte, and Poe, we will journey through emotional peaks and valleys in a compelling evening of spoken word artistry.
The Spoken Word Society’s Reader’s Theatre Troupe features Jane Okma, Roxanne Farrar, Sally Boswell, Peter Stoehr, Christopher Marks, Michael Redmond, and Rich Harris. This performance is directed by Jane Okma and features musical underscoring and effects by David White.
The Lewes Spoken Word Society (LSWS) celebrates the tradition and artistry of oral storytelling through lectures, performances, discussions, demonstrations, and other publicly-shared experiences.
Free Tax Preparation Assistance
The Lewes Public Library will host IRS-certified volunteers to prepare 2025 Federal and Delaware income tax returns free of charge from February 2 through April 13, 2026.
To make this service accessible to more community members, trained volunteers will offer tax preparation through both of the IRS’ free, volunteer-supported programs: VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and AARP Tax-Aide. Both programs are open to taxpayers of all ages. Appointments are required for both services.
The VITA program has an income limit of $69,000.
AARP Tax-Aide does not require an AARP membership.
Volunteers may only prepare returns that fall within the IRS guidelines for scope. Taxpayers must have received all relevant tax documents prior to their appointments, as no amended returns will be prepared.
Tax preparation through VITA (income limit $69,000) will take place on Mondays from 9:00AM to 1:00PM February 2 through April 13. No services are offered on February 16 (Presidents’ Day).
Tax preparation through Tax-Aide will take place on Thursdays and Fridays from 8:30AM to 1:00PM February 5 through April 10. No services are offered on April 3 (Good Friday).
NOTE: All Thursday and Friday appointments have been filled.
Appointments are required. Online appointment scheduling is available.
To make a Monday appointment with VITA (income $69,000 and under only):
Call 302-319-3377. Please leave a text or voicemail message and the best number to receive a call back within 24-48 hours.
OR
Schedule an appointment online:
All Thursday and Friday appointments with AARP Tax-Aide (all income levels) have been filled.
- If your income is $69,000 or less, please make a Monday appointment (see above).
- If your income is above $69,000 or more, please see below for a list of alternative tax preparer options.
The IRS requires taxpayers utilizing the free tax preparations programs complete IRS Form 13614-C, Intake/Interview before their appointments. The form can be downloaded from IRS.gov or picked up at the circulation desk at the library during regular library hours.
Taxpayers need to bring the following to their appointment:
- previous year’s return
- social security cards for everyone listed on the return
- picture identification
- all forms reporting income
- documents in support of itemized deductions
- voided check for direct deposits
- IRS security PIN#, if provided
- IRS Form 1095-A for Marketplace health care insurance
Complete list of required items.
If no appointments are available, here are four alternatives you can pursue:
1) call the AARP Tax-Aide National Site Locator at 888-227-7669
2) visit the AARP Tax-Aide Site Locator website
4) check the Nehemiah Gateway Community Development Corporation locations or
3) visit File Your Federal Taxes Online for Free on the IRS website
Teen Art Series
The Teen Art Series will introduce a variety of art forms including drawing, painting, and mixed media projects.
Teens (grades 6th – 12th) are welcome to join. All materials will be supplied. Space and supplies are limited so register today! Registration is required for participation.
Lewes Public Library Annual Appeal
The Lewes Public Library is an “independent library” within the Delaware Division of Libraries consortium. As such, the Library must raise half of its annual operating funds each year. The Library has two sources of governmental funding: Sussex County and the State of Delaware. The remaining funds needed each year must be raised through our own efforts of soliciting grants and donations, collecting fines and fees, and holding fundraising events, as well as through the efforts of the Friends of Lewes Public Library.
Library Funding
Fiscal Year 2025: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
Last year, over 185,000 people walked through our doors. Many more accessed our services online. We are the busiest library in Sussex County, and in the past three years we have seen a nearly 20% increase in both library attendance and program participation.
Along with this exciting growth come growing expenses as demand for our services increases. Since we are an independent public library, we must raise half of our operating funds each year through fundraisers, special events, and sponsorships.
We hope you will help us continue to be a welcoming center for the exchange of ideas and a space for education, growth, and social interaction in our community. Your support of the Lewes Public Library is critical to ensure our growing community has continued access to free programs, workshops, and resources. This ensures financial barriers never get in the way of your family, friends, neighbors, and fellow community members accessing everything the library has to offer.
Library Usage & Community Engagement
Fiscal Year 2025: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
To contribute to the Annual Appeal, you can:
- Give online.
- Download and complete an Annual Appeal form, then mail or drop it off at the Library with a check payable to the Lewes Public Library or cash.
- Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) – direct transfers of funds from your IRA custodian payable to a qualified charity. QCDs can be counted toward satisfying your required minimum distributions (RMDs) for the year. In addition to helping the library, the amount donated, up to $100,000 per tax year, is excluded from your taxable income.
- Gifts of Property – be more philanthropic than you thought possible while receiving significant tax savings.
- These may include securities, real estate and tangible property, such as artwork, books or equipment.
- Irrevocable gifts of real estate can allow you to enjoy your assets in your lifetime and gain a tax benefit today.
- Gifts of appreciated stock provide you with a double benefit – a charitable tax deduction for the full current market value and you won’t be subject to capital gains tax on the appreciation in value. Plus, you gain the satisfaction of helping the library.
Information on how to complete a donation of stock may be found here.
For beneficiary designations, please use the legal name Lewes Public Library and the library’s federal tax ID #: 51-0350650. Our mailing address is 111 Adams Avenue, Lewes, DE 19958.
Individual donors may dictate the specific purpose/use for donations – which must be acceptable to the library. View and download the Gift and Donation Policy.
Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. To assure philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the not-for-profit organization they are asked to support, all donors have rights, as outlined in the Donor Bill of Rights developed by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Donations of $25,000+ and/or bequests will be named in the Library’s Legacy Society.
Do you have questions or need more information?
Please contact Rebecca Lowe, Library Development Director, at (302) 645-2733, ext. 4117 or by email.
The history of libraries in Lewes is long and rich. For the full story, read about Three Hundred Years of Generosity in Lewes.