What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in December

November 30, 2016November 14, 2016 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

Thanksgiving is but a memory as we move full steam ahead into the December holiday season. We hope you can take some time out of your busy schedules to spend some time with us this month! Here are a few of the programs scheduled for December at CPL:

The Nutcracker by the Brass City Ballet

Saturday Dec 3, 2016, 11:00 – 11:55 AM

This FREE program will be a shortened version of the beautiful classic and will take place right here at The Cheshire Public Library. Children and adults alike are sure to enjoy the up-close and personal performance by the dancers. For all ages, no registration required.

‘Remembering Katharine Hepburn’ with Ann Nyberg

Saturday Dec 3, 2016, 1:00 – 2:00 PM

Please join journalist, author, and news achor Ann Nyberg as she shares her latest book Remembering Katharine Hepburn: Stories of Wit and Wisdom About America’s Leading Lady. Nyberg interviews and shares stories and photos from the people who knew Katherine Hepburn and cared for her––her friends, her fans, her family, and her neighbors. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Registration required.

Sunday Concert: Connecticut Yankee Chorus

Sunday Dec 4, 2016, 2:00 PM

The CT Yankee Chorus is an all-male singing ensemble based in the Meriden-Wallingford area and has been a part of the Barbershop Harmony Society for over 60 years. Join us for a concert of cappella four-part harmony chorus and quartet singing featuring traditional favorites and holiday music. Free and open to the public, no registration required.

Facebook For Everyone

Monday Dec 5, 2016, 6:00 – 7:30 PM

The Holiday Season is just around the corner. Come to the Cheshire Public Library and learn how to create a Facebook account, connect with friends, family, share photos and videos, send messages, get updates and more. Registration required.

Retro Holiday Movie Nights

Thursday Dec 8, 15, and 22, 2016, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Ugly holiday sweaters strongly encouraged but not required. Light refreshments will be served for this adult program.

Dec 8 – Scrooged
Dec 15 – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Dec 22 – Home Alone

Kids Create: Homemade Gifts

Saturday Dec 10, 2016, 2:00 – 3:30 PM

Kids are invited to craft and create from 2 to 3:30 pm. Library staff and teen volunteers will be on hand to help little elves create and wrap their gifts. Caregivers are encouraged to help their children craft. If children wish to work with the volunteers instead, parents must remain in the library during the program. For ages 5-11, registration required.

Jewelry Jam

Tuesday Dec 13, 2016, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Come for a free, fun evening of jewelry making. Seating is very limited and registration is required. Please register online or call 203-272-2245, ext. 4. This adult only program is sponsored by the Friends of the Cheshire Public Library.

Emerging Technologies – presented by Verizon

Wednesday Dec 14, 2016, 6:00 – 7:30 PM

Do you ever wonder how to stay on top with the latest technologies? If yes, come to the library and find out what the newest technology trends are and how to select the right device for you or for your family members. You will learn about: Computers, Cell Phones, Tablets, WiFi and much more. Registration required.

Fab Film: The Polar Express

Saturday Dec 17, 2016, 2:00 – 3:45 PM

Come enjoy some great box office kids’ movies with Fab Films at The Cheshire Public Library! Watch The Polar Express and enjoy hot chocolate! Rated G | Runtime: 100 minutes. All Ages. No registration required.

Holly Jolly Christmas Family Storytime

Tuesday Dec 20, 2016, 10:00 – 11:00 AM

A Christmas-themed storytime for children of all ages and their families. We’ll read stories, sing some classic Christmas songs about snow and Santa, and create a craft together. All ages. No registration required.

Family Yoga

Tuesday Dec 27, 2016, 10:00 – 10:45 AM

Connect with your whole family with an all ages yoga class that is presented by Lani Rosen-Gallagher from Full of Joy Yoga. These classes are fun for the whole family! We will do lots of partner poses, group poses and of course relaxation. All ages, families are welcome. Registration required.

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The Joy of Following Your Own Rules

November 14, 2016November 7, 2016 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

There is significant pressure in the world for us all to be perfect. The perfect employee, parent, student, child, and so on. There is a seemingly endless supply of information available claiming that it can help us get closer to that goal of perfection. The pressure of this constant pushing can be hard to handle, and some make different choices (good and bad) than they might without the social pressures.

While it might sound easy, it is actually difficult to let go and ignore the people who should really have no say in our lives. Sometimes we need to put the blinders on and focus on doing the best we can with what we feel is important, rather than doing the best we can to fit the expectations of others. It is a challenge, especially now when new is so immediate and our lives feel so interconnected via social media.

I have found that there is a movement out there to help us all focus on what is truly important (the health and happiness of ourselves and those we love) rather than fitting the labels or expectations others might want to impose on us. Here are a variety of book that encourage us to let go of those restrictions to take care of ourselves and our loved ones in our own way. Fair warning though, there is some censored profanity in some of the titles, and the tone of the book often matches the title.

Big Girl: How I Gave up Dieting and Got a Life by Kelsey Miller

The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don’t Have with People You Don’t Like Doing Things You Don’t Want to Do by Sarah Knight

Instant Mom by Nia Vardalos

Better Than Normal: How What Makes You Different Can Make You Exceptional by Dale Archer

F*ck Feelings: One Shrink’s Practical Advice for Managing All Life’s Impossible Problems by Michael I. Bennett, MD, and Sarah Bennet

The Tao of Martha: My Year of LIVING, or Why I’m Never Getting All That Glitter Off of The Dog by Jen Lancaster

Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone by Beth Lisick

Fat Girl Walking: Sex, Food, Love, and Being Comfortable in Your Skin– Every Inch of It by Brittany Gibbons

Do you have a favorite read that helps remind you to just be you and ignore the critics of society? Please share it with us in the comments!

Helping Young Children Deal With Grief

November 4, 2016September 28, 2016 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

When a family faces grief due to the loss of a pet, home, or family member it is often hard to help our youngest family members deal with the changes. Sometimes we are so busy trying to deal with our own grief and the practical matters that need to be handled that we don’t have the energy and creative thinking necessary to handle the questions children have. Here are a variety of books that might help you and your kids deal with the emotions and changes.

In Our Parenting Section:
Tear Soup: a Recipe for Healing After Loss by Pat Schwiebert and Chuck DeKlyen; illustrated by Taylor Bills

Lifetimes: a Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children by Bryan Mellonie and Robert Ingp

When Dinosaurs Die: a Guide to Understanding Death by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown

Guiding Your Child Through Grief by Mary Ann Emswiler and James P. Emswiler

When Children Grieve: For Adults to Help Children Deal with Death, Divorce, Pet Loss, Moving, and Other Losses by John W. James and Russell Friedman with Leslie Landon

With Our Picture Books and Children’s Non Fiction:
Always and Forever by Alan Durant; illustrated by Debi Gliori

Badger’s Parting Gifts by Susan Varley

When Aunt Mattie Got Her Wings by Petra Math

The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: a Story of Life for All Ages by Leo Buscaglia

I’ll Always Love You by Hans Wilhelm

Boats for Papa by Jessixa Bagley

Harry & Hopper by Margaret Wild

When People Die by Pete Sanders and Steve Myers

Death by Patricia J. Murphy

When a Pet Dies by Fred Rogers

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in November

October 26, 2016October 24, 2016 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

Whether your interests are cooking, art, science, history, or music (or all of the above), we’ve got the programs for you at CPL this month! Here’s a sampling:

Painting Large with Artist Tony Falcone

Wednesday Nov 2, 2016, 6:30 – 8:15 PM

Educational program presented by the Cheshire Art League. Artist Tony Falcone presents a program about his murals, portraits, and more. Free and open to the public, no registration required.

Carrie Welton

Thursday Nov 3, 2016, 6:30 PM

Anyone who grew up in Waterbury, CT is familiar with Carrie Welton’s name, mainly because of the presence of a large drinking fountain located at the east end of the city green. Join author Charles Monagan as he shares his new novel about this local, historic figure. This program is funded by the Friends of the Cheshire Public Library. Registration is required. Please register online or call 203-272-2245, ext. 4

Tellabration (Ages 2+)

Saturday Nov 5, 2016, 11:00 AM

Join us as we celebrate the art of storytelling with the Connecticut Storytelling Center. All Ages welcomed! No registration required.

Paul Bisaccia in concert

Sunday Nov 6, 2016, 2:00 PM

A unique piano concert based on Paul’s CD featuring waltzes by Scott Joplin, (we’ll bet you’ve never heard a Joplin Waltz before!) the Carousel Waltz by Richard Rodgers plus Sousa’s Washington Post March. Music by Stephen Sondheim, Irving Berlin and Gershwin standards will also be performed. Free to the public, no registration required.

Crafternoon

Monday Nov 7, 2016, 4:30 PM

School-aged children are invited to an afternoon of crafting! Will we paint? Collage? Whatever it is, get ready to BE CREATIVE! Ages 5 and up. Registration required.

Forensics

Monday Nov 7, 2016, 6:30 PM

Are you curious about forensic science? crime scene investigations? blood pattern analysis? Join Peter Massey, Training Coordinator for the National Crime Scene Training and Technology Center at the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science at UNH for an evening of forensic science. Please bring a donation of non-perishable food for the Cheshire Food Pantry. Let’s support our neighbors this Thanksgiving! Registration is required. Please register online or call 203-272-2245, ext. 4.

Cookbook Club: Desserts and Holiday Baking

Wednesday Nov 9, 2016, 6:30 – 8:00 PM

Check out a cookbook related to our theme: “Desserts and Holiday Baking”.
Try one or more recipes at home.
Come to Cookbook Club. Wednesday, November 9 at 6:30pm. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Ages 18 and up only.
Share your thoughts (and dishes). Bring your cookbook(s), copies of your recipe, and a prepared dessert to share with the group.

***Hands-on pie crust and pastry workshop with library staff! Be prepared to get messy.***

S.T.E.A.M. Punks

Thursday Nov 10, 2016, 3:00 – 4:30 PM

Investigate the many elements of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Math. We’ll explore robotics, electronics, arts & crafts, food science and much, much more. We’ll put things together, take things apart, play games, and have a ton of fun! For grades 7—12. No registration required.

Friends of the Library Book Sale

Preview Night
Wednesday, November 16th. Friends Members only.
6:30pm – 8:00pm
(You may purchase a membership at the door that evening.)

Sale Dates
Thursday, November 17th, 9:00 – 8:00
Friday, November 18th, 9:00 – 4:30
Saturday, November 19th, 9:00 – 4:30

Bag of Books Sale
Sunday, November 20th, Noon – 3

Digital Download Help-a-thon

Monday Nov 28, 2016, 2:00 – 4:00 PM

Did you know Cheshire residents can download ebooks, audiobooks, movies and more for FREE? Learn how to use your Library’s Digital Collection! Bring your device for a hands-on tutorial. Smartphones, laptops, tablets, and e-readers all apply, but make sure your device is fully charged! Please register online.

Tis the Season

Monday Nov 28, 2016, 6:30 – 8:00 PM

“Tis the Season” to invite friends, neighbors and family to share the warmth of your home during the holidays. Noted floral designer and Cheshire resident Sylvia Nichols will demonstrate easy techniques to create personalized arrangements to decorate your home such as a wreath for the front door, a swag for the lamppost, a beautiful arrangement for your dinner table and much more. Join us for a lively demonstration full of surprises and fun! Please register online. This program is generously sponsored by Cheshire Nursery.

The Cover Was Blue.

October 19, 2016October 13, 2016 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

How many times has someone recommend a book, or you saw a book on the shelf and did not have time to read it, and you thought you would remember the author or title when it came time to find it and read it yourself? It happens to us too. We know exactly who wrote that book or series, at least until someone asks us. When that happens, we use our skills and look it up, even though we feel like we should already know the answer.

Sometimes no one can remember enough of the author or title to do the necessary searching to figure out the answer. Often times at this point all any of us can remember is the color or image on the cover. For some reason, the cover in these cases is almost always blue. So, here are some of the most popular books that might fit the bill if you are looking for a popular read and all you can remember is that the cover was blue. I have noted any books shelves in or children’s room with a J, and any books shelved in our young adult or teen area with a YA.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (YA)
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
The Selection by Kiera Cass (YA)
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black (YA)
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (YA)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (J)
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (J)

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The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Eragon by Christopher Paolini (YA)
Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (YA)
The Wind is Not a River by Brian Payton
The Whole Enchilada by Diane Mott Davidson
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

This is only a small portion of possibilities, as blue seems to be a very popular color for book covers. Are you still searching or need a different cover color? Comment with the information you do have and I will do my best to find the book for which you are searching!