What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in January

December 30, 2015December 23, 2015 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

Happy New Year! We’ve got month full of entertainment, education and enrichment to start the year off right!

The Manners of Downton Abbey

Thursday Jan 7, 2016, 7:00 – 8:00 PM

Part 1 of our 3-part film series for fans of the PBS series Downton Abbey. What goes on behind-the-scenes to get the manners of 1900s Britain exactly right on Downton Abbey? Discover how the aristocratic set dined and dressed, how they married and made money, how they interacted with the servants (and the servants interacted with each other), and above all why they behaved as they did. Illustrated with memorable moments from Downton Abbey, the program is a treat for fans and anyone fascinated with the customs of early 1900s Britain. Please register on our website.

Music Together Demo

Friday Jan 8, 2016, 11:00 AM

Music Together an internationally recognized early childhood music program for infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers, kindergartners, and the adults who love them. This research-based, developmentally appropriate early childhood music curriculum strongly encourages adult involvement and emphasizes actual music experiences rather than concepts about music. For ages newborn through 5 years old. Please register on our website.

Cajun Hobos

Sunday Jan 10, 2016, 2:00 PM

Chase away those post-holiday blues with the Cajun Hobos! The Cajun Hobos feature Alan Bradbury and Michelle Kaminsky, who have been playing Cajun music together in a number of bands (including Magnolia) for 25 years, along with Mark Wholley. Having learned from Louisiana’s finest, they are passionate about sharing their love of Cajun culture, music, and dances in New England. This concert is free and open to the public, no registration required.

College Financial Aid Seminar

Tuesday Jan 12, 2016, 6:30 – 8:00 PM

Jennifer Philips, former Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Fairfield University, will explain the various student loans, grants and scholarships available, the critical financial aid forms and deadlines, the various components of a financial aid offer and how to best compare and appeal offers in extenuating circumstances. Seating for this event is limited. Please register on our website or call 203-272-2245, ext. 4.

Secrets of Highclere Castle

Thursday Jan 14, 2016, 7:00 – 8:00 PM

Part 2of our 3-part film series for fans of the PBS series Downton Abbey. Join us for a documentary on a in-depth look at the history of England’s Highclere Castle. Go behind the scenes to the real owners and the history of this majestic estate. For centuries it has been the real-life home of the aristocratic Carnarvon family, and has entertained Kings and Queens of England along with a host of nobilities and celebrities. Known as “The Real Downton Abbey”, it is where much of the location scenes are filmed. Please register on our website.

Sing Me A Fairy Tale

Friday Jan 15, 2016, 11:00 – 11:45 AM
Musical storytelling using music, singing and dancing, rhythm activities, props and rhythm instruments. Songs and movement enable children to creatively explore a variety of themes from familiar stories like Goldilocks, Jack & the Beanstalk and the Three Little Pigs, in new imaginative and exciting ways. Interactive family style program geared toward the developmental stages of children from 2 to 7 years. (Infants and older siblings are also welcome). Please register on our website.

The Secret Garden

Thursday Jan 21, 2016, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Join us for the last installment of a 3 part movie series for fans of Downton Abbey. Can you not get enough of Highclere Castle, the setting for Downton Abbey? Join us for the Secret Garden set at Highclere castle in the early 1900’s. Mary Lennox, a spoiled young British girl orphaned by an Indian epidemic, comes to live at Misselthwaite Manor. She meets intriguing people and finds a mysterious garden. Please register on our website.

Move & Groove with Mr. Gym

Sunday Jan 24, 2016, 2:00 PM

Get physically fit through music and creative movement with “Mr. Gym”, a children’s singer and songwriter from Connecticut. Ages 3-8, No registration required.

Making Sense of Food Labels

Thursday Jan 28, 2016, 6:00 PM

Are you confused about food labels? Join us for a informative talk by Nancy Boudreau, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, where she will discuss:
* The Ingredient List
* The Nutrition label on the back which lists the number of servings per package, amount of sugar, fat, sodium, etc.
* The Marketing claims on the front label. Natural, All Natural, Organic, Non-GMO, Grass Fed – what does it all mean?
* Tips for making healthy choices. Please register on our website.

Self-Defense for Women

Saturday Jan 30, 2016, 2:00 – 3:30 PM

A class for women ages 14 and older taught by Family Martial Arts and Fitness of Cheshire. No experience necessary! What you will learn:
– Real world defense for the average person
– How to use the strength of your body to defeat even the strongest of attackers
– Learn the psychology of the attacker and how to use it against them
– Gain confidence in yourself and your abilities
This will be a hands-on class so wear comfortable clothing. Please register on our website.

Hidden Treasures in the Library Lobby

December 18, 2015December 19, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

When you walk into the Cheshire Public Library you enter the main floor lobby. This large area is home to CD’s, DVD’s, Audiobooks, adult fiction, and new books. There are also a variety of displays, the public catalogs, the circulation desk, and the Friends book sale and donation area. Most regular visitors to the library are aware of their favorite areas, and browse those areas comfortably. However, like in the children’s room there are some hidden treasures that often get over looked and deserve some attention.

Science Fiction
I have always been a big fan of science fiction and fantasy, and love helping people discover new authors and series to explore. Unfortunately, most people miss our Science Fiction shelving area entirely. As with our mystery books, they are shelved separately from the rest of the fiction. You can see which area any adult (or children’s) book is shelved in by reading the call number. Adult fiction call numbers will all start with where they are shelved; Fiction, Mystery, or Science Fiction. The mysteries are easy to find, since they are shelved right after the regular fiction. However, the Science Fiction materials are shelved on the wall near the fiction between the audiobooks and classic movies.

Graphic Novels
Graphic novels are not just for children and teens. Take for example the popularity of The Walking Dead. Our selection of graphic novels in the lobby is not huge, but it is high quality and well worth taking a look at. Since it is a fairly small collection it might be easy to over look, but it is not hard to find or to browse if you are interested. The collection is housed on the endcap of the New Biography and Nonfiction shelf, facing the windows and DVD’s. If you like what you see, but are looking for even more graphic novels, do not be afraid to explore the large selection in the Teen’s Room!

Categorized DVD’s
Most regular visitors know where to find the DVD’s they enjoy most, and where our Quick Flick, New, regular, and Blu-Ray movies are each shelved. However, there are a few groups of films that are shelved separately. We have labeled these disks and changed their call numbers to match these special areas, but infrequent movie borrowers might not know about these little nooks and crannies. Classic movies are labeled with a red Classics label and are shelved on a slat-wall display on the wall by the fiction books. Comedy movies have an orange Comedy label and shelved in the next slat- wall display. On the same wall, in the build in bookcase between those two slat-wall displays, you can find the television show box sets which have a bright pink TV label on them. If you keep following that wall to the corner you will find the Family Films (with a green label), and in the next bookcase after a window you can find the non-fiction films (classed by number) and the Foreign Films which have a yellow Foreign sticker on them.

Lost And Found
While not a part of our library collection, it is an often asked for and searched for item. Small or valuable items (wallets, phones, jewelry, etc) that have been turned into library staff stay at that service desk for a time and then are tucked away in a safe until claimed. However, items like coats, mittens, notebooks, umbrellas, and so on are kept at the service desk of the area they were found in for a few hours and are then placed in our Lost and Found bin. This is located between the Friend’s donation area and the Audiobook collection.

Do not forget about the variety of ever changing displays. Any of our items that are on these displays can be checked out. If you are still unsure where to find what you are looking for swing by the Circulation desk and we would be glad to help you!

College Applications and Financial Aid Help

December 11, 2015December 17, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Have you decided to go back to college? Maybe you have a family member that is going back to school, or just starting to think about life after high school? Well, it is never too early, or too late, to start researching options and resources that might be available to you. The library has plenty of books, guides, and other resources that can make the decision and application process a little bit easier. Here are some great places to start the search and decision making process, but keep in mind that there are many more resources and help you available at the library and online.

After checking out the paper resources you might also want to check out an upcoming program on the subject. On January 12 2016 Jennifer Philips will be presenting a seminar on College Financial Aid at 6:30pm. Registration is required. For more information or to register take a look at all the details here.

Choosing the Right School:
The Other College Guide: a Roadmap to the Right School for You by Jane Sweetland, Paul Glastris and the staff of Washington Monthly
Profiles of American Colleges 2016 compiled and edited by the College Division of Barron’s Educational Series
The Hidden Ivies: Fifty Top Colleges from Amherst to Williams that Rival the Ivy League by Howard R. Greene and Matthew W. Greene
Bound-for-College Guidebook: a Step-by-Step Guide to Finding and Applying to Colleges by Frank Burtnett

Applying to School:
In! College Admissions and Beyond: the Experts’ Proven Strategy for Success by Lillian Luterman and Jennifer Bloom
The New Rules of College Admissions: Ten Former Admissions Officers Reveal What it Takes to Get into College Today by Stephen Kramer, Michael London
The Simple Guide to College Admission & Financial Aid: How to Select the Right College, Applying for Admission, Writing the College Essay, [and] the Financial Aid Process Made Easy by Anne M. St. Pierre & Danielle M. Printz
B+ Grades, A+ College Application: How to Present your Strongest Self, Write a Stand-Out Admissions Essay, and Get into the Perfect School For You–Even with Less-than-Perfect Grades by Joie Jager-Hyman, EdD

Paying for School:
Paying for College Without Going Broke by Kalman A. Chany with Geoff Martz
Getting Financial Aid 2016 from College Board
Peterson’s How to Get Money for College 2016
Scholarship Handbook 2016
Paying for College: the Greene’s Guide to Financing Higher Education by Howard R. Greene and Matthew W. Greene

This is just a starting point, and everyone’s path through higher education is different. If you need further help using online resources or finding materials you need please stop by the Reference desk, we will be more that happy to help. And do not forget about our eLearning resources on the library website, which can help with the research and preparation as well. We are also holding a College Financial Aid Seminar at the library on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 6:30pm.

Our Most Popular Non Fiction Series for Children

December 2, 2015October 21, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / 1 Comment

When biography and nonfiction book reports are assigned in school, there is one series that most middle grade readers go to first. Most will head straight for the Who Was biographies and the What Was and Where Is nonfiction series. These books cut straight to the important facts about the subject matter, while making the reading both fun and interesting. In fact, these books are so popular that it is hard to keep them on the shelf even when there are no school projects looming. To see just how few of these popular books actually are in the library right now, check out the small wooden stand outside the Teens Room.

This series is published by Penguin, and covers an extensive list of people, places, and events that are important historically or are currently relevant in pop culture. The books are easily recognizable by the caricature style drawing of biography subjects and bold cartoon work of all their covers. There are also illustrations throughout the books and extra bits of information that make the reading more fun. For big fans of the series Penguin has a website where readers can keep track of which books they have read and test their knowledge.

There is a book club here at the library that meets once a month and focuses on the Who Was series. About a month before each meeting, a librarian will select a book from the series for everyone to read. At the meeting, readers chat about what they discovered in the book and do one or more fun activities inspired by that person’s life. For more info on when the group is meeting check out our events calendar.

Here is a small sampling of the wide variety of people, places, and events this series explores; Who is Jane Goodall? by Roberta Edwards, What is the World Series? by Gail Herman, What was the Battle of Gettysburg? by Jim O’Connor, Who was Dr. Seuss? by Janet Pascal, What was Hurricane Katrina? by Robin Koontz, Who was Betsy Ross? by James Buckley, Where is Mount Rushmore? by True Kelley, Who was Frederick Douglass? by April Jones, What is the Panama Canal? by Janet B. Pascal, Who is Stan Lee? by Geoff Edgers, What was the March on Washington? by Kathleen Krull, and Where is the Great Wall? by Patricia Brennan Demuth.

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in December

November 30, 2015December 2, 2015 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

December means heading warp speed into the holiday season. Take a break from the craziness with some of the free programs at Cheshire Library. Here’s a few of the things our calendar for December:

Jewelry Jam

Wednesday Dec 2, 2015, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Join us for an evening of fun, free jewelry making! The holidays are just around the corner…make a necklace for yourself and earrings as a gift..or keep them all! Seating is very limited and registration is required. Register online or call 203-272-2245 ext. 4.

Color Yourself Calm

Thursday Dec 3, 2015, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Our last program was such a success, we decided to do it every month! De-stress your busy life with a relaxing night of coloring. We’ll provide coloring pages and supplies, but feel free to bring your own pages, art supplies. Meets the first Thursday of every month, no registration required.

Yu-Gi-Oh: It’s Time to Duel!

Friday Dec 4, 2015, 2:30 – 4:30 PM

A Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game tournament here at CPL! Just bring your cards, and join in the fun! No registration required, Grades 7-12.

Read, Play & Learn Storytime

Sunday Dec 6, 2015, 2:00 – 4:00 PM

Join us for stories, songs, activities and play that promote the five best practices of Every Child Ready to Read — talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing — for developing language and pre-reading skills. This program will start with a storytime with books, songs, and rhymes followed by activities such as a writing or art station. The last hour of the program will be play based, with children given puppets, dress-up clothes, blocks and other toys to foster imaginative play! Best for ages 3-6, no registration required.

Marrow Donor Registry Drive

Monday Dec 7, 2015, 1:00 – 7:00 PM

As the holidays near, the library invites you to consider giving the greatest gift of all—life– by participating in the “Be the Match” bone marrow registration drive. A representative from “Be the Match” will be here to answer any questions and explain what the commitment involves. The age for potential donors is 18-44 years old. If you decide to participate, registration will take about 15 minutes, swabbing the inside of your cheeks with a Q-tip, and providing contact information. No blood or pain involved!
For thousands with blood cancers like leukemia or other diseases like sickle cell anemia, a marrow transplant is their only hope for life. If you have diverse ancestry, patients especially need you because they are most likely to match someone who shares their heritage.

Movie Matinees

Tuesdays at 1:00, no registration required.

Dec 8: Hitched for the Holidays

Dec 15: White Christmas

Dec 22: Miracle on 34th Street

Holiday Read-Aloud with the FEA

Thursday Dec 10, 2015, 3:30 PM

Come read with the Future Educators of America from Dodd Middle School for a special Holiday Storytime. We will be reading books, creating crafts, and snacks will be provided. Ages 3-6. Register online or call 203-272-2245 ext. 3.

Entywned Early Music presents a Renaissance Christmas

Sunday Dec 13, 2015, 2:00 PM

The Entwyned Early Music trio performs Renaissance settings of some of our most beloved Christmas carols, and a few charming surprises too. This historically informed performance with lutes, voice, Renaissance flutes, and viola da gamba, celebrates the season with sounds you won’t hear anywhere else. This concert is free and open to the public.

Cheshire Cats Classics Club

Monday Dec 14, 2015, 6:30 – 7:30 PM

The Cheshire Cats Classics Club meets once per month on a Monday evening, to discuss those classics you’ve always been meaning to read. This month we are discussing The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. Copies are available at the Checkout Desk.
There is limited seating for this event. For more information regarding this program, contact Jennifer Bartlett at jbartlett@cheshirelibrary.org.

Inside Out Blowout

Sunday Dec 20, 2015, 2:00 – 4:00 PM

Join us for a viewing of the newest Pixar film and fun activities. Children of all ages and their families welcome. No registration required!

‘Who Was’ Book Club: Who Was Walt Disney?

Wednesday Dec 30, 2015, 2:00 – 3:00 PM

If you love reading books from the ‘Who Was’ series, then this is the book club for you! This month we’ll be talking about the book Who Was Walt Disney? . Extra copies of the book are available in the Children’s Room. At the meeting, we’ll chat about what we discovered in the book and do some fun activities inspired by Walt Disney’s life. No registration required – all fans of the series are welcome!

Kids’ New Year’s Eve Party

Thursday Dec 31, 2015, 11:00 AM

Join us for dancing, singing, crafts and more as we count down to noon! Enjoy juice and cookies as we toast the New Year. All Ages, No registration required.