Author: cheshirelib

Lit Kits Are Back!

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From our Head of Children’s Services, Ali:

Have you ever wanted to do your own library-style Storytime at home? Well now you can! We’ve revamped our Lit Kits and they are better than ever! These Lit Kits are a great way to take storytime and learning home with you, and help support success in school by providing families with hands-on strategies for building pre-reading and literacy skills while having fun and bonding with your child. They can also help children hit important developmental milestones. Our Lit-Kits are designed for children 3-5 years old, but they can be adapted or modified for use with almost any age group!

Stop by the Children’s Room to see the new and improved backpacks that are available for checkout. Each kit contains 3-4 books on a theme, toys or manipulatives, and a caregiver guide with suggested songs and activities. The following kits are available: Alphabet, All About Me, Numbers, Ocean, Zoo, Dogs, Things That Go, and Dinosaurs. There will be more Lit Kit topics coming soon, and be sure to be on the lookout for upcoming STEM Kits (ages 5 & up), and Early Literacy Kits (ages 0-3)!

 

 

 

Libraries are Avenues to Art

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Today’s post is brought to us by Bill, Head of Adult Services.

Why is art so important to individuals and society?

  • We use art to create and express ourselves.
  • Art is a part of our culture and reflects the society in which it was created.
  • We become more mindful when we create and view art – it allows us to slow down in a fast-paced world, increasing our self-awareness.
  • Art encourages critical thinking as we interpret what we see and then communicate our thoughts to others.
  • Art has no language barriers – it is a universal form of communication regardless of one’s culture.
  • Art can inspire, please  and motivate us, and influence our daily lives. It makes us think and feel in new ways.

Public Libraries are a great place to experience art and artists for free. From art books, concerts, exhibits, and programs, your public library brings many different forms of art to the community.

Art speaks to individuals in many different ways. To that end, we are hosting a community art discussion with the Mattatuck Museum of Waterbury on Monday, December 16, 2:00 p.m.   The museum is looking to engage area residents in discussions based upon some of its exhibitions. Valerie Rodgers, Lead Museum Educator, will present this discussion using images of paintings, artworks, archival photographs and more!

Have you ever visited the Mattatuck Museum lately? Cheshire residents can check out a museum pass which gives two adults and accompanying children free admission. The museum exhibits American art and cultural history – with a focus on the history of the Naugatuck Valley and the artists of Connecticut, using its history collections to tell the community’s stories and to collaborate with neighborhood associations, ethnic organizations and manufacturing groups.

Art is everywhere, and your library can bring it to you!

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in December

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It may be cold outside, but we’ve got some hot programming this month at CPL. Check it out:

New Movie Thursday ~ Where’d You Go, Bernadette (2019)

Did you miss the screening of a film you wanted to see in theatres?  Join us for the first Thursday of the month for a screening of a recently released film.  This month’s film is Where’d You Go, Bernadette, rated PG-13 and starring Cate Blanchett. Registration appreciated for this adult program.

The Nutcracker performed by Brass City Ballet

Saturday, December 7, 2019, 1:00pm and 3:00pm

Brass City Ballet celebrates the magic of Christmas in a live, narrated performance of The Nutcracker. Children and adults will delight in the story of Clara and her journey through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of the Sweets where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairy and all her delicious treats. Please register for either the 1:00 show, or the 3:00 show.

Holiday Concert with Boogie Chillun’

Sunday, December 8, 2019, 2:00 – 3:00pm

Celebrate the season with Boogie Chillun’!    This special concert will engage and captivate adults and kids alike with interactive sing-a-long seasonal holiday songs from multiple traditions. No registration required.

DIY Ornament Making (All Ages)

Thursday, December 12, 2019, 5:30 – 7:30pm

Join us for a evening of DIY ornament making!  All materials will be provided by the library and each participant will leave with one completed ornament. Stop in anytime between 5:30 and 7:30pm. Light refreshments will be served.  Registration is required.

Play & Learn

Saturday, December 14, 2019, 10:00 – 11:00am

Our drop-in play group for children and their caregivers! Children and their caregivers explore interactive and sensory activities together, encouraging the development of early literacy skills.  We will have lots of movement, songs, and a short storytime during the last 20 minutes of the program. Best for ages 2 to 5 years old, no registration required.

Mattatuck Museum Community Art Discussion

Monday, December 16, 2019, 2:00 – 3:30pm

The Mattatuck Museum is looking to engage area residents in a community art discussion based upon some of our exhibitions. Valerie Rodgers, Lead Museum Educator, will present this discussion using images of paintings, artworks, archival photographs and more! Registration is required.

Homeschool Meetup

Wednesday, December 18, 2019, 11:00am – 12:00pm

Meet other local families who are educating their children and teens at home while sharing tips, ideas, and educational materials. Please register each child or teen separately.

Terrific Tweens: Let’s Make Wishing Bracelets!

Wednesday, December 18, 2019, 4:00 – 4:45pm

Kids in grades 5-8 are invited for fun with art, science, technology, and games. Today we’ll decorate paper beads on one side with crayons, markers or pencils, and then write a wish on the other. Then we’ll roll them up, string them together and wish for good things! No registration required.

Books Over Coffee: Snow Child

Wednesday, December 18, 2019, 12:00 – 1:30pm

Want to engage in great discussions about books? Meet new people? Eat lunch with friends? Join us for an adult monthly book club. We’ll meet from 12-1:30 in The Loft to discuss the selected title. Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey is our December selection. You bring your lunch, we’ll provide the coffee and tea. Registration is required.

Trivia Night

Wednesday, December 18, 2019, 6:30 – 8:00pm

Come by yourself of bring friends. Test your knowledge of categories including pop culture, current events, history, music, and of course, literature. It’s all for pride, not for prize. Registration is required for this adult program. When registering please register entire group from one person to a max five people.

Holiday Wrapping Event

Thursday, December 19, 2019, 6:00 – 8:00pm

Do you have many presents to wrap this holiday season?  Need a place to spread out?  Need to get away from prying eyes?  Join us for a holiday wrapping event.  Each participant will have a table, 1 roll of paper, scissors and tape.  Feel free to bring your own supplies but please note you must complete your wrapping by 8PM. Space is limited for this fun event, Registration will take place two weeks before and tea/coco will be offered.

DIY Holiday Cards and Gift Bags (All Ages)

Monday, December 23, 2019, 5:00 – 6:30pm

Need a last minute gift bag? Forgot to grab holiday cards? We got you covered! The library will provide all sorts of materials and tools to create one-of-a-kind holiday cards and giftbags. Light refreshments will be provided. Registration is required.

Movies @ the Library: Elf (2003)

Thursday, December 26, 2019, 2:00 – 3:45pm

Don’t be a cotton-headed ninny-muggins! Make sure you bring the whole family for a screening of the movie, Elf (2003)!  Popcorn will be served. All ages are welcome. Runtime: 97 minutes, rated PG. No registration required.

 

 

 

Sci-Fi at the Movies

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Harold our sci-fi-guy is going to the movies in today’s blog post!

Science fiction is an extremely popular film and video genre and the Library has a sizeable collection of sci-fi movies, videos, and television programs.

If the Force is with you, you can check out a film from the most successful film series of all times: George Lucas’ Star Wars. The library has every Star Wars movie on DVD.  My favorite is: Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back.  The library also has a collection of Star Wars novels that have spun off from the films.

You can share in the voyages of the Starship Enterprise with Star Trek.  The library has many of the Star Trek movies and television shows in their catalog including one of the most acclaimed Star Trek films: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.  I enjoy all of them, but one of my favorites is Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. The library also has the complete first season of the new Star Trek Discovery Series along with a great collection of Star Trek books that span all the Star Trek television series and movies.

If more contemporary science fiction movies are more your style, there are some great ones on the shelves at the Cheshire Public Library. Some favorites:

Arrival debuted in 2016. It stars Amy Adams as a linguistic professor recruited by the U.S. Army to figure out how to communicate with intelligent aliens who have landed on earth. It is based on the 1998 short story “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang that is available from the Library as a downloadable audio book. His book of short stories, Exhalation, is also well worth reading.

Ex Machina is a 2014 British science fiction film. IMDB.com says that it is about “A young programmer [who] is selected to participate in a ground-breaking experiment in synthetic intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a highly advanced humanoid A.I.”

Gravity – This 2013 critically acclaimed film stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as American astronauts who are stranded in space because of a Shuttle accident and their attempt to return to Earth. It received 10 Oscar nominations and the Golden Globe Award for Best Director along with the 2013 Ray Bradbury Award.

The Martian – This 2015 film one of my favorites. Directed by Ridley Scott, it is a modern-day Robinson Crusoe story about an astronaut, played by Matt Damon, who is stranded on Mars and his efforts to survive. It is based on the book by Andy Weir that is also and available in print and as an audiobook at the library.

Here are some other great science fiction movies that are available at the CPL:

If you have some favorites that I have missed that are in the library’s collection, let me know and I will add them to a future blog.

 

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in November

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There’s so much going on at CPL this month: two concerts, special programs honoring our veterans, a new Homeschool meetup, the big Fall Book Sale, and so much more!  Check out our Event Calendar for the full roster, here are some highlights:

Play & Learn

Saturday, November 2, 2019, 10:00-11:00am

Our new drop-in play group for children and their caregivers! Explore interactive and sensory activities, encouraging the development of early literacy skills.  We will have lots of movement, songs, and a short storytime during the last 20 minutes of the program. Recommended for ages 2 to 5 years old.  Younger and older siblings are also welcome to attend. No registration required.

College Financial Aid Seminar

Saturday, November 2, 2019, 2:00 – 3:30pm

Jennifer Philips’ seminar, “Simplifying the Financial Aid Process, “ will provide parents and students with tips on securing the best possible financial aid package from the college of their choice. Jennifer will describe the best student loans, grants and scholarships available, explain the critical financial aid forms and deadlines and the various components of a financial aid offer. Registration is required.

United States Coast Guard Dixieland Jazz Band

Sunday, November 3, 2019, 2:00 – 4:00pm

Performing classic jazz, blues, and rags with a “New Orleans” flavor. The Dixieland Jazz Band has entertained audiences across America and around the world.  Please join us for a very special concert! No registration required.

Author Talk – Formation: A Woman’s Memoir of Stepping Out of Line

Monday, November 4, 2019, 6:30 – 8:00pm

Ryan Dostie never imagined herself on the front lines of a war halfway around the world. But then a conversation with an Army recruiter in her high-school cafeteria changes the course of her life. Hired as a linguist, she quickly has to find a space for herself in the testosterone-filled world of the Army barracks, and has been holding her own until the unthinkable happens: she is attacked by a fellow soldier. Join us as the author discusses her powerful book. Registration is required.

Veterans’ Writing Group

Tuesday, November 5, 2019, 6:30 – 8:00pm

Join us for a short film and a panel discussion with members of the Veterans’ Writing Group. The Russell Library Veterans’ Writing Group has been meeting and writing stories of their incredible experiences for several years, which will be published by En Route Publishing this year. Come get a sneak peak of this fascinating book, and listen to true stories from veterans from all branches of service. Registration is required.

Veterans Day Concert with the Cheshire Community Band

Sunday, November 10, 2019, 2:00 – 4:00pm

The Cheshire Community Band will perform a variety of selections including historical and patriotic numbers in celebration of Veterans Day. No registration required.

Veterans Day Movie: They Shall Not Grow Old 

Tuesday, November 12, 2019, 6:00 – 8:00pm

On the centenary of the end of the First World War, experience the Great War as never before. Using state-of-the-art technology and materials from the BBC and Imperial War Museum, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson allows the story of World War I to be told by the men who were there. Life on the front is explored through the voices of the soldiers, who discuss their feelings about the conflict, the food they ate, the friends they made and their dreams of the future. Registration is required.

Homeschool Meetup (all ages)

Wednesday, November 3, 2019, 11:00am – 12:00pm

Meet other local families who are educating their children and teens at home while sharing tips, ideas, and educational materials. Toys and sensory play will be available for young children and crafts will be provided for older children and teens. Please register each child or teen separately.

Medicare Supplement and Advantage: Q & A

Thursday, November 14, 2019, 1:00 – 3:00pm

Staff from the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging will present this seminar and provide vital information about Medicare, Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage.  Their mission is to provide the information and assistance necessary for consumers to understand their rights, receive benefits to which they are entitled and make informed choices about health insurance concerns. Registration is required.

A Night with Georgia O’Keeffe ~ Craft night

Thursday, November 14, 2019, 6:30 – 8:00pm

Join us for a short film on the life of Georgia O’Keeffe and then create your own work of art in her style. All materials will be provided. Registration is required for this adult (18+)  program.

“Are You In Your Right Mind?” – A Joyce Saltman Workshop

Monday, November 18, 2019, 1:00 – 2:30pm

Interactive and fun, this lecture will explore individual differences through left-brain/right brain research, in an effort to understand and appreciate these differences in ourselves and others. Joyce Saltman is a professor Emeritus of Special Education at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven and a former Cheshire resident. Her experience in the areas of education, therapy, and comedy has provided an outstanding background for her research on The Therapeutic Value of Laughter. Registration is required.

Fall Book Sale!

Thursday, November 21  – Sunday, November 24, 2019

Bargains galore at the big Fall Book Sale! Browse more than 15,000 books of every possible genre. Stock up on audiobooks and DVDs. You never know what treasures you’ll find. Book sale hours:

  • Wednesday, November 20, 6:30-8:00pm (Preview Night for Friends’ Members only)
  • Thursday, November 21, 9:00am – 8:00pm
  • Friday, November 22, 9:00am – 4:30pm
  • Saturday, November 23, 9:00am – 4:30pm
  • Sunday, November 24, 12:00 – 3:00pm

Mysteries of St. Peter’s Basilica

Tuesday, November 26, 2019, 6:30 – 8:00pm

Did you know that St. Peter’s church at the Vatican has hidden geometry pinpointing certain locations? Robert Kerson will discuss this fascinating mystery. Learn details of the current basilica few people are aware of. Registration is required.

Books Over Coffee

Wednesday, November 27, 2019, 12:00 – 1:30pm

On the last Wednesday of every month from 12-1:30p we’ll meet in the Loft to discuss the selected title. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is our November selection. Books are available in print,  audio, & ebook format. You bring your lunch, we’ll provide the coffee and tea. Registration is required.