Libraries

What’s Happening (virtually) at Cheshire Library in July

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Welcome to summer! Our virtual programming continues this month as we begin to expand services, and continue to maintain social distancing protocols for the health and safety of our patrons and staff. Here are some of the great programs you can “tune in” to this July:

Starting a Vegetable Garden

Thursday, July 2, 2020, 3:00 – 4:30pm

Have you wanted to start a vegetable garden but don’t know where to begin?  Join us with master gardener Sarah Bailey as she shows you the tools you will need and the techniques to use to start a vegetable garden and enjoy vegetables all summer long. No gardening experience required.  Registration is required, registered participants will receive an email with a Zoom link on the day of the program.

Virtual Teen Volunteers

Mondays, from 3:00 – 4:00pm

Let’s give the world as much kindness as we can right now. Virtual volunteering makes it possible for teens to make a difference in the world, even during the pandemic. We can meet via Zoom to socialize while we’re volunteering but it’s not required. Head to our Event Calendar to register and see some suggestions for virtual volunteering (but you can certainly come up with your own ideas as well).

Virtual Tech Help

Do you have questions about your laptop, smartphone, or iPad? Do you need help downloading an ebook or audiobook? Are you wondering how to get started with Acorn TV or other streaming services? Let our tech experts help! Bring your technology-related questions and issues to Cheshire Public Library’s Virtual Tech Help. three half-hour appointments will be available for each day.  Our librarians will be available to answer your questions and offer advice. Please register in advance, registered participants will receive a Zoom meeting link the morning of the program.

Switch it up at CPL! Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Wednesdays, 3:00 – 4:00PM

Social distancing got you down? Got a Nintendo Switch? Join us at CPL’s Smash Ultimate arena! Play against your friends and folks from all across Cheshire! For TEENS in grades 6-12. All skill levels welcome, no registration required. View the program description in our Event Calendar for details on how to join.

Introduction to Composting

Thursday, July 9, 2020, 3:00 – 4:30pm

Presenter Dawn Pettinelli, Associate Extension Educator, Department of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture at UConn will detail how to create a successful compost. Registration is required, registered participants will receive an email with a Zoom link on the day of the program.

Science Tellers: Dragons and the Return of the Ice Sorceress

Thursday, July 9, 2020, 3:00 – 3:45pm

Don’t miss this fun, fantasy adventure featuring awesome dry ice effects brought to you by Science Tellers! Best for ages 5-12. Please register in advance,  a link to the Zoom meeting will be sent 1 hour prior to the program.

Virtual Cheshire Anime Club

Fridays (except July 3rd), 3:00 – 5:00pm

Konnichiwa, minna-san! Can’t get enough Anime and Manga? Be an “Otaku” and join the Cheshire Anime Club! We’ll meet on Zoom and watch Anime movies together! For grades 7-12. The link to this Zoom Virtual Program will be posted on Cheshire Anime Club’s Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/13673851607/) OR you can register on our Event Calendar, and we will email you before start time with a link to join this Zoom Virtual program.

ABC Amigos

Tuesdays from 10:00 – 10:30am

ABC Amigos is a bilingual program to start teaching Spanish to preschoolers. This storytime will be tons of fun with songs, games, activities and stories in both English and Spanish. No prior knowledge of Spanish is necessary. Best for ages 3-5. Please note, this is a virtual program that will be held on Facebook. You can access the program by visiting https://www.facebook.com/cheshirelibrary and clicking on the “live” tab. You may register to receive an email reminder.

Mad Science

  • Wacky Water (Grades K-2): Wednesday, July 22, 2:00 – 3:00pm
  • Kitchen Chemistry (Grades 3-6): Thursday, July 30, 2:00 – 3:00pm
  • Bugs (Grades K-2): Friday, July 31, 2:00 – 3:00pm

A series of fun science themed programs for two age groups, grades K-2 and 3-6.  Please register for each session individually, through our Event Calendar. Registered participants will receive a link to join the program in Zoom.

Lunchtime Sing-along

Start your afternoon on a good note with a family-friendly lunchtime sing-along! Listen in and sing along to storytime favorites with Miss Andrea, Miss Lauren, and Miss Ali!There are two options to view: either join us on Zoom (link in the program description on our Event Calendar or watch us on Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/cheshirelibrary/

Food Explorers

Join Registered Dietitian, Katie, from Food Explorers will show young chefs how to make some homemade pasta, and make and bake homemade bagels with a twist!!   Please register through our Event Calendar to see what ingredients you will need for each program. Registered participants will receive a Zoom meeting link one hour prior to the start of the program.

Sing Your Story

Friday, July 17, 2020, 11:00am – 12:00pm

Sing Your Story is an education music experience where kids become songwriters! Creator, Michele Urban, is an Early Childhood Music specialist, songwriter and vocal performer. She combines music and language instruction to help kids tell their story through song lyrics. Best for children in grades K-6. Please register for this virtual program to receive a link to the Zoom meeting 1 hour prior to the program start time.

Family Jamboree with Liz McNicholl

Wednesday, July 22, 2020, 10:00 – 11:00am

During this fun interactive concert for ages, Liz McNicholl from Musical Folk leads the audience in drumming while she plays on a wide range of musical instruments including guitar, ukulele, banjo, and a traditional Irish drum. There are two options to view: either join us on Zoom (link on our Event Calendar) or watch us on Facebook Live.

Virtual Books Over Coffee

Wednesday, July 29, 2020, 12:00 – 1:30pm

Want to engage in great discussions about books? Meet new people? Join us for an adult monthly book club program called Books Over Coffee. We will meet over Zoom for our July meeting. This month’s book is The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. Registration is required. Multiple copies of the e-book or eaudio will be made available to download on Overdrive/Libby for 1 Day ONLY on Monday July 6 from 8:00am-9:00pm.  If you register after July 6 you will be able to participate in the discussion but multiple copies of the book will no longer be available to download from Cheshire Library.

Author Talk with Deborah Vadas Levison

Thursday, July 30, 2020, 3:00 – 4:30pm

Join award-winning author Deborah Levison for the true story of her family’s discovery of a gruesome crime and of surviving the Holocaust. Her presentation is based on her debut book The Crate, an account of her parents’ ordeals, both in one of the darkest times in world history and in their present-day lives. Registration is required, registered participants will receive an email with a Zoom link on the day of the program.

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library (virtually) in June

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“Virtual” library programs are going to be the new normal for a while, but Cheshire Library is up to the challenge! We’ve been working on online programming steadily since March, and are coming up with new ways discover, create, and connect with our patrons all the time. Check out our June programs and participate from home with us!

Sofa Sing-Along (for all ages)

A virtual sing-along for all ages! Listen in  and sing along with our different musical themes, accompanied live by acoustic guitar. There are two options to view: either join us on Zoom (check on our Event Calendar for the link) or watch  on Facebook Live (https://www.facebook.com/cheshirelibrary/).

Jackbox Games with Zoom

Mondays, 4:00 – 5:00pm

Looking for ways to connect with friends? Tired of only talking to your pet all day? Let’s play a Jackbox Party Pack! Fibbage, Drawful and more! lease register through our Event Calendar, and we will email you before start time with a link to join this Zoom Virtual program. THEN go to https://jackbox.tv/ on your mobile device, enter the 4-letter Room Code, your name, and click PLAY! For grades 6-12.

Virtual Storytime

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 10:00 -10:30am

The library might be closed, but storytime is still on! Join us virtually for interactive songs, stories, and other fun activities for little ones with Miss Ali (Tues), Miss Andrea (Wed) and Miss Lauren (Thurs). No registration required, click the link in our Event Calendar to join the fun!

Support Through Meditation

Tuesdays 2:00 – 3:00pm

This introductory meditation class presented by Tia Mandrozos is geared towards helping you through these anxious and challenging times. You will learn various meditation techniques that you will practice in session and guidance to perform meditation on your own. Please register via our Event Calendar. Registered participants will receive an email link to the Zoom meeting on the day of the program.

Switch it up with CPL!

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons, (check Event Calendar for dates and times)

Teens: add us on  Nintendo Switch and let’s play! Our Friend Code is: SW-2591-8360-3045 under CheshirePL. We’re playing Animal Crossing on Tuesdays, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Wednesdays, and Thursday games are TBA. No registration required! Info on how to join in is on our Event Calendar. For grades 6-12. (A Nintendo Online Account required to connect with others and play online.)

Cope During COVID Virtual Discussion Group

Wednesdays, 7:00 – 8:00pm

This virtual program will be an hour-long discussion to talk about fears and concerns along with ways to cope and deal with the stress of this unprecedented situation.  Cheshire Human Services Director, Michelle Piccerillo, MS, LMFT; Chesprocott Health District Public Health Specialist, Kathryn Glendon, MPH, CHES, CPS; and Cheshire Library Director, Beth Crowley will facilitate the discussions. Registration for each evening is required, registered participants will receive a link to the Zoom meeting one hour prior to the program.

Sing Me a Fairytale

Fridays, 10:00 – 10:45am

Your family will love this hilarious retelling of these classic tales, presented by Michele Urban from My Music Room. Michele shows you how to make instruments using everyday household items in this video. Please register via our Event Calendar, and we will email you before start time with a link to join this program.

Virtual Cheshire Anime Club

Fridays, 3:00 – 5:00pm

Konnichiwa, minna-san! Can’t get enough Anime and Manga? Be an “Otaku” and join the Cheshire Anime Club! We’ll meet on Zoom and watch Anime movies together! The link to this Zoom Virtual Program will be posted on Cheshire Anime Club’s facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/13673851607/) OR you can register via our Event Calendar, and we will email you before start time with a link to join this program. For grades 7-12.

Color Yourself Calm

Fridays, 3:30 – 4:30pm

De-Stress from this stressful time and color. Coloring sheets will be available to print out from home.  Please feel free to join us with any craft you wish to work on.  Relaxing  video and conversation will be provided.    Registration required for this adult program, please register once per computer. Registered participants will receive an email before start time with a link to join the program.

Lunchtime Sing-Along (for kids and their grownups)

Mondays,  June 8 and 22, 2020, 12:00 – 12:30pm

Start your week on a good note with a family-friendly lunchtime sing-along! Listen in and sing along to storytime favorites with Miss Andrea or Miss Ali! There are two options to view: either join us on Zoom (link in our Event Calendar)or watch us on Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/cheshirelibrary/.

Nature as Mentor

Wednesday, June 10, 2020, 2:00 – 4:00pm

Learn the magnificent language of nature in this powerful workshop with Marlow Shami, M.S. Discover your unique niche as part of our planet’s restoration plan. This 90-minute program includes an informative talk enhanced by beautiful illustrations, a compelling activity, and a deep relaxing guided meditation. No meditation experience required. Registration required, please register once per computer. Registered participants will receive an email before start time with a link to join the program.

Mad Science

With experts from Mad Science, younger kids will  examine fossil casts and explore the differences in the teeth of herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs on June 10, while older kids will build ecosystem models and and use field journals for everyday explorations on June 17.  Registration via our Event Calendar is required, registered participants will receive a link to the Zoom meeting one hour prior to the program.

Baking with Old Bishop Farms

Wednesday, June 17, 2020, 3:00 – 4:30pm

Carolyn Torello from Old Bishop Farm will be showing us how to bake banana muffins. As anyone who has had any of Carolyn’s yummy treats will know she is an excellent baker! A question and answer segment will follow. Registration via our Event Calendar is required, registered participants will receive a link to the Zoom meeting one hour prior to the program.

Mood Boosting Foods

Thursday, June 18, 2020, :3:30 – 4:30pm

Feeling a little stressed, anxious or depressed lately? Aren’t we all! But did you know that some foods can actually help boost your mood and make you feel less stressed, anxious and depressed?! Join Marisa, your Shoprite of Southington and Wallingford registered dietitian in a zoom presentation to find out which foods actually give your mood a boost! Registration via our Event Calendar is required, registered participants will receive a link to the Zoom meeting one hour prior to the program.

CactusHead Puppets: Magnificent Monster Circus

Friday, June 26, 2020, 10:00 – 10:40am

CactusHead Puppets presents a circus like no other! Encounter magnificent creatures from the wilds of your imagination as their quirky human caretaker tries to teach them new tricks. This colorful, silly, multi-sensory show full of friendly monsters is a perfect match for young audiences. Advance registration required. Registered participants will receive a link to the Zoom meeting one hour prior to the program.

Think eBooks are just for adults? Think again!

/ Louise / Leave a comment

As we venture through weeks of social isolation, more people are turning to ebooks to get new reading material. With libraries and bookstores closed, physical books are a bit harder to come by these days.  Kids are feeling the pinch, too, but many parents are now realizing that their libraries offer more digital items for kids than they originally thought.

Here at Cheshire Library, we’ve been redirecting some of our physical book budget to buy more ebooks and downloadable audiobooks, for all age groups. This isn’t as simple as it sounds, since downloadable books cost up 4x the price of physical books, and come with many other restrictions (read more about that here), but we are proud of the wide selection of digital titles we can offer our cardholders.  Are you a Cheshire resident without a library card? You can register for a temporary card online to start using our digital platforms.

Our OverDrive/Libby platform has over 2000 juvenile titles, from simple picture books to more challenging chapter books. The OverDrive Kids Page is a good place to start exploring this collection.

 

There are hundreds more children’s ebook titles on RBdigital:

 

Not to mention audiobooks:

 

Tumblebooks has also provided free access to their streaming collection of children’s books through August 31. You’ll find tons of picture books, easy readers, and chapter books for all ages and interests:

  • Tumblebooks: Username: tumble735  Password: books (expires 8/31/20)
  • Tumblemath: Username: tumble2020  Password: A3b5c6 (expires 8/31/20)
  • Teen Book Cloud: Username: tumble2020  Password: A3b5c6 (expires 8/31/20)

If your kids are running out of new things to read, please take a look at our digital collections for kids to tide you over until the library is up and running again!

 

 

 

 

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library (virtually) in May

/ cheshirelib / Leave a comment

Greetings from isolation! We hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. The library building may be closed, but our staff has been working remotely on some pretty great “virtual” programs for the month of May. You’ll find events for kids, teens, and adults on our Event Calendar – we hope to see some familiar faces and some new friends joining us!

Jackbox Games with Zoom

Mondays, 4:00 – 5:00pm

Looking for ways to connect with friends? Tired of only talking to your pet all day? Let’s play a Jackbox Party Pack! Fibbage, Drawful and more!Please register through our Event Calendar, and we will email you before start time with a link to join this Zoom Virtual program. THEN go to https://jackbox.tv/ on your mobile device, enter the 4-letter Room Code, your name, and click PLAY! For grades 6-12.

Virtual Cheshire Anime Club

Fridays, 3:00 – 5:00pm

Konnichiwa, minna-san! Can’t get enough Anime and Manga? Be an “Otaku” and join the Cheshire Anime Club! We’ll meet on Zoom and watch Anime movies together! The link to this Zoom Virtual Program will be posted on Cheshire Anime Club’s facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/13673851607/) OR you can register through our Event Calendar, and we will email you before start time with a link to join this Zoom Virtual program. For grades 7-12.

Virtual Storytime

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 10:00 -10:30am

The library might be closed, but storytime is still on! Join us virtually for interactive songs, stories, and other fun activities for little ones with Miss Ali (Tues), Miss Andrea (Wed) and Miss Lauren (Thurs). No registration required, click the link in our Event Calendar to join the fun!

Support Through Meditation

Tuesdays 2:00 – 3:00pm

This introductory meditation class presented by Tia Mandrozos is geared towards helping you through these anxious and challenging times. You will learn various meditation techniques that you will practice in session and guidance to perform meditation on your own. Please register via our Event Calendar. Registered participants will receive an email link to attend the day of the program.

Switch it up with CPL!

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons, (check Event Calendar for dates and times)

Teens: add us on  Nintendo Switch and let’s play! Our Friend Code is: SW-2591-8360-3045 under CheshirePL. We’re playing Animal Crossing on Tuesdays, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Wednesdays, and Thursday games are TBA. No registration required! Info on how to join in is on our Event Calendar. For grades 6-12. (A Nintendo Online Account required to connect with others and play online.)

Organizing Your Photos

Thursday, May 7, 2020, 3:00 – 4:30pm

Are your printed photos hiding in boxes, drawers, and closets all around your house?  You aren’t alone!  Cathi Nelson, author of Photo Organizing Made Easy: Going from Overwhelmed to Overjoyed will share her top tips on ways to bring your photos and their stories back into your life. Please register via our Event Calendar. Registered participants will receive an email link to attend the day of the program.

Creating Musical Readers: Listen to My Trumpet!

Monday, May 11, 2020, 10:00 – 10:30am

Musicians from the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra will read Listen to My Trumpet! by Mo Willems and use a trumpet to bring the story to life! Children will be shown the different parts of a trumpet and learn how it works. Best for ages 3 & up. Advance registration required. You will receive a link via email for the Zoom meeting prior to the event. If you would like to ask the performer questions, you can send questions to cplkids@cheshirelibrary.org. Please include your name and age.

Food Explorers

Join Katie, Registered Dietitian from Food Explorers for a fun virtual baking program for ages 7-12. Parental help may be needed for some steps, ingredients listed on the registration page. Registration through our Event Calendar is required  (1 registration per device), registered participants will receive a link to the Zoom meeting before the program.

Virtual Author Talk: A Fatal Finale

Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 6:30 – 8:00pm

Local author Kathleen Marple Kalb will explain how her career in radio news inspired her to write A FATAL FINALE, the first in a Gilded Age mystery series featuring a swashbuckling mezzo-soprano who sings male roles. She’ll also share some fun facts from the period, and shed a little light on some unexpected corners of Old New York. Please register via our Event Calendar. Registered participants will receive an email link to attend the day of the program.

Organizing & Decluttering Your Life

Thursday, May 14, 2020, 3:00 – 4:30pm

Jan Blatrush, professional organizer and creator of FindYourStuffCT.com will teach you the tools to get organized.  Jan will help you tame the paper piles and organize your closets, kitchens, garages and home offices. Please register via our Event Calendar. Registered participants will receive an email link to attend the day of the program.

Creating Musical Readers: Trombone Shorty

Friday, May 22, 2020, 10:00 – 10:30am

Join us virtually as musicians from the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra read Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews and use a trombone to bring the story to life! Children will be shown the different parts of a trombone and learn how it works. Best for ages 3 & up. Advance registration required. You will receive a link via email for the Zoom meeting prior to the event. If you would like to ask the performer questions, you can send questions to cplkids@cheshirelibrary.org. Please include your name and age.

Virtual Trivia

Thursday, May 28, 2020, 3:00 – 4:30pm

Test your knowledge from general categories, including pop culture, current events, history, music, and of course literature! It’s all For Pride, Not Prize. Please register starting May 14 via our Event Calendar. Registered participants will receive an email link to attend the day of the program.

What’s up all you cool cats and kittens? Books for those craving more Tiger King!

/ emclaughlinz / Leave a comment

You, like many others across the world, just finished watching Tiger King. The Netflix docuseries just launched on March 20th, and it’s already taken the world by storm. The series received acclaim from critics, and according to Nielsen ratings, was watched by 34.3 million people over its first ten days of release, ranking as one of Netflix’s most successful releases to date.

The series follows the larger than life character Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, also known as Joe Exotic, and his sprawling zoo, the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park. Joe has quite the history, with the law and with other big-cat owners. He twice unsuccessfully ran for public office, first for President of the United States in 2016 as an independent, and then for Governor of Oklahoma in 2018 as a Libertarian. In 2019, Maldonado-Passage was convicted on 17 federal charges of animal abuse (eight violations of the Lacey Act and nine of the Endangered Species Act) and two counts of murder for hire, for a plot to kill Big Cat Rescue CEO, Carole Baskin. He is currently serving a 22-year sentence in federal prison.

It doesn’t seem like reality until you’re watching it unfold in front of your eyes, and like some terrible fire, you can’t pull your eyes away from the madness. There are no “characters” you can root for, except for the cats. As a true crime lover, I felt myself wanting more after the credits rolled! Instead of digging deeper into the depths of Netflix, I decided to do some digging through the libraries’ digital collections to satisfy my craving for tiger true crime mania.

Due to the fact that the library is closed at this time, we’re recommending books and audiobooks that are accessible through the libraries’ digital services, including RBdigital, Libby, and Overdrive. If you need help accessing these services, help is available on our website, and librarians are available by phone remotely. Call 203-272-2245 and leave a message. Someone will get back to you shortly! 

First up is The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the World’s Greatest Reptile Smugglers by Bryan Christy. The book is described as “The Sopranos of Snakes”, focused on the fascinating account of a father and son family business suspected of smuggling reptiles, and the federal agent who tried to take them down. If you’re looking for more animal justice and federal takedowns, then The Lizard King is the perfect fit. The audiobook and ebook are available online through RBdigital.

Next is a little bit more fanciful, but showcases a star tiger, Richard Parker. Life of Pi is a classic, and mixes fantasy and dangerous reality into a beautiful story, in which you can’t quite tell reality from fiction (much like tiger king, is this guy real life?) The story’s back cover states: ” Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo animals bound for new homes. The ship sinks. Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger. ” The story is an escape from reality all of us could use right now. The audiobook and ebook are available online through RBdigital. 

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt is a true crime classic, covering art dealings, murder and mystery, all in the deep south. It includes the same courtroom drama that was brought to life in Tiger King. The book is described as: ” Shots rang out in Savannah’s grandest mansion in the misty,early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. John Berendt’s sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative reads like a thoroughly engrossing novel, and yet it is a work of nonfiction.” Another classic worth checking out from our digital collections, available online as an audiobook through RBdigital, and ebook through Overdrive.

If you spent the whole documentary wishing they’d focus more on the tigers less on the mullets, then The Human, the Orchid, and the Octopus could be your fit. Written by Jacques Cousteau, an author and researcher who studied the sea and all forms of life in water, the book “weaves gripping stories of his adventures throughout, he and coauthor Susan Schiefelbein address the risks we take with human health, the overfishing and sacking of the world’s oceans, the hazards of nuclear proliferation, and the environmental responsibility of scientists, politicians, and people of faith”. It’s a heartfelt tale which inspires us to do better, and be better for our planet, and the animals we share it with. It’s available online as an audiobook through RBdigital.

“A man is killed for his prized pet fish” Whaaaaaat? That first line hooked me right away on The Dragon Behind the Glass: A True Story Of Power, Obsession, And The World’s Most Coveted Fish.  “A tycoon buys a single specimen for $150,000. Meanwhile, a pet detective chases smugglers through the streets of New York. Delving into an outlandish realm of obsession, paranoia, and criminality, The Dragon Behind the Glass tells the story of a fish like none other” This book follows tiger kings footsteps in chasing animal smugglers throughout the globe, all for the very expensive, very lucrative, animal black market. Download the audiobook through RBdigital.

Looking for more? Here are a few more titles available through RBDigital, Overdrive and Libby for your phone, tablet, or computer!