What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in January…

January 3, 2014January 2, 2014 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

NEWS AND EVENTS AT THE LIBRARY – JANUARY 2014

Happy New Year! January is shaping up to be a busy month at CPL – here’s what’s happening:

January Movie Matinees

Tuesdays at 1:00pm

January 7 : Lion In Winter

January 14 : Flags of Our Fathers

January 21 :Suspicion

Cheshire Cats Classics Club

Wednesday, January 15, 7:00pm.

This month we are discussing one of the great classics of the English language, Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. Set near the end of the 14th century, 29 travelers from vastly differing backgrounds set out one April for Canterbury on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas Beckett. Travel is arduous and wearing, so to maintain their spirits this band of pilgrims entertains each other with a series of tall tales that span the spectrum of literary genres. Five hundred years later people are still reading The Canterbury Tales.This month’s book is available to check out at the library. Please join us! To register, please visit our website.

Powerful Positive Thinking

Thursday January 16 7:00pm

Speaker Diane Frankel-Gramelis is director of Community Education at Milford Hospital and a Health & Wellness Educator at Yale New Haven Hospital and other institutions. She has been designing and implementing health and wellness programs for over 25 years. Diane has a dynamic and varied background in childbirth, parenting counseling, stress management and health promotion; she is an empowering wellness speaker, bringing warmth, wisdom and real-life solutions to her audience. To register, please visit our website.

Guitar and Mandolin featured in January Sunday Showcase

Sunday, January 26, 4:00pm

Husband and wife duo Judy Handler and Mark Levesque blend Brazilian, Latin American, swing, gypsy, classical and folk music influences to create their sophisticated and expressive arrangements. Audiences respond with great enthusiasm to their extraordinary sound and the uplifting spirit of their music. They have performed over 1,500 concerts together throughout the Northeast and Midwest. All ages welcome – no registration required.

Free Video Production Training and Facilities at Cox Communications – Tuesday January 28, 7:00 pm.

Cheshire Library will present David Smith, Cox Communications Cheshire Public Access, on Tuesday January 28 at 7:00pm. Mr. Smith will discuss the video production training and equipment that Cox Communications offers free of charge to residents of Cheshire, Southington and Meriden. This includes the use of field equipment, studio production and video editing. Mr. Smith will also answer any questions participants may have about Cox’s local facility. To register, please visit our web site .

Chocolate for Valentine’s Day!

Thursday, January 30, 7:00pm

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many of us wonder what kind of goodies we can easily make as gifts for family and friends. Think chocolate! Long time chef and chocolate expert Maria Brandriff will demonstrate both some decadent truffles and some healthier chocolate treats in a program entitled Chocolate for the Holidays. Recipes and ample samples will be available. Space is limited. To register, please visit our website.

Children’s Programs

Monday/Tuesday Storytime

Mondays-January 6, 13, 27, February 3, 10

Tuesdays- January 7, 14, 21, 28, February 4, 11

10:00 – 10:30 AM

Stories, songs, rhymes and a craft.Enhances children’s literacy and social skills. Children may stay with the librarian without parent or caregiver to create a sense of independence.

For ages 3-kindergarten

Mother Goose Time

Wednesdays-January 8, 15, 22, 29, February 5, 12

Session 1-9:30-9:55 AM (for children ages birth to 24 months)

Session 2-10:00-10:25 AM (for children ages 2-3)

Register for Session 2

Stories, songs and fingerplays that help develop speech and social skills. Children attend with a parent/caregiver.

Family Time

Thursdays-January 9, 16, 23, 30, February 6, 13.

10:00 – 10:55 AM

Age-appropriate toys, craft activity, games and books. Provides opportunities for socialization and development of fine and gross motor skills. For children ages 1-3 with parent/caregiver. Register.

Gizmos, Gadgets and Goo: Mad Scientists’ Club

Thursdays, 3:45-4:45 PMThis hands-on, one-hour science program offers children a chance to see just how cool science can be! For grades 3-6.
Select Track A or B (the programs will be duplicated).

The following programs do not require registration:

Builders’ Brigade

Wednesday January 8, 22, 4:00-5 PM. For all ages.

If you love to create masterpieces with LEGO® bricks or MEGA BLOKS®, then this program is perfect for you! This program is geared toward kids ages 7 and up, but younger builders are also welcome!

Bookmarks Book Club

Tuesday January 21, 4:00 PM Grades 1-3

Tween Book Club

Tuesday January 28, 4:00 PM Grades 4-6.

Fab Film Saturday

“Turbo” Saturday, January 11, 2:00 PM. All ages.

Schedule subject to change
See our calendar for more information or check the KIDS’ PAGE on the library website!

Just For Teens

Please join us for the following teen programs:

Cheshire Anime Club – Friday, January 17, 3:00 pm

Anime Club Xtra – Tuesday, January 7, 6:00 pm

Teen games, drop-in – Fridays, January 3, 10, 24 at 2:30 pm

Yu-Gi-Oh: It’s Time to Duel – Friday, January 31, 2:30 pm

See the library’s teen page or the calendar for more information!

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Local Newspapers Available on Library Website

Want to check up on a news event from yesterday, last year, or even as far back as 25 years ago?

Then Cheshire Library has an online resource for you.

Cheshire residents have access to articles from the following Cheshire-area newspapers: Cheshire Herald 2007 to present; Meriden-Record Journal 12/7/1997 to present; New Haven Register 1988 to present. This Newsbank database is indexed and searchable, and provides full-text articles from electronic editions.

To access Cheshire-area newspaper archives, online:

Go to the Cheshire Library homepage: www.cheshirelibrary.org
Mouse over the Research tab
Click on Newspapers and Magazines
Select the title you wish to search
Enter your Cheshire Library card number

If you have any questions, call the library’s Reference Department at 203-272-2245, ext. 4.

Federal and Connecticut State Tax Forms Available

Federal and State tax forms and instruction booklets will be available in the Reference Department located on the Library’s lower level. Forms will be delivered to the library throughout the month of January, but please note that the library does not receive all forms and cannot guarantee when forms will be available. Please call (203-272-2245, ext 4) to determine if a particular form or booklet is in stock.Federal forms may be downloaded at http://www.irs.gov/Forms-&-Pubs.Connecticut state tax forms may be downloaded at http://www.ct.gov/drs/cwp/view.asp?a=1509&q=443200

From the Director’s Desk:

—Technology Survey on Library Website

We are writing our first Technology Plan and need your help to determine the best technology services for our library. The Impact Survey, developed by staff of the University of Washington Information School, ask how you use or would use various library technology services such as public computers, wireless networks, online resources, digital literacy training, etc. The survey will take about ten minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for your time!

Technology Survey

—Zinio Downloadable Magazines

I am completely hooked on Zinio, the library’s downloadable magazine service and want to tell everyone how terrific it is! Haven’t tried it?

Just go to Zinio on the library’s website and sign up with your Cheshire library card. Over 60 popular magazines are available. Need some help getting started? Check out the library’s “Downloadables” page.

Ramona Burkey
Director
Cheshire Public Library

Louise Reads: The Good House by Ann Leary

November 19, 2013June 30, 2014 / Louise / Leave a comment

I happily dove into into The Good House. I’ve been a fan of Ann Leary (wife of comedian/actor Denis Leary) since her 2004 memoir, An Innocent, a Broad. Her 2009 fiction debut, Outtakes From a Marriage, was equally enjoyable., and her blog, with peeks into her life with her family and menagerie of animals in rural Connecticut, is a lot of fun to read. I am happy to report The Good House did not disappoint.

Leary’s second novel is told from the point of view of Hildy Good: 60-year-old realtor extraordinaire, alcoholic-in-denial, and lifelong resident of the quaint seaside town of Wendover, MA. Having lived more than half of my life on Massachusetts’ North Shore (where fictional Wendover is located), I was pleasantly surprised by how authentic the author’s portrayal of the area felt, the town is almost another character in the story. As Wendover’s most successful businesswoman, Hildy knows how to work a room, bend the truth, and keep a secret. And there are secrets aplenty in Wendover. Soon, those secrets have Hildy drinking again (albeit alone, at home), and things spiral out of control from there.

As the novel progresses the story takes a dark turn, yet this book made me laugh out loud several times. Hildy’s voice has a dry wit that softens the sometimes difficult subject matter. Despite the fact that she gets less and less reliable as the novel progresses, Hildy can be quite a bit of fun (at first) when she’s off the wagon. When she enlists a lonely newcomer in town as a covert drinking buddy, however, it sets off a series of events with dire consequences.

The Good House is a fantastic read, especially if you are partial to character-driven novels. The character portrayals in the book are so vivid you truly feel like you know this small town and its quirky but relatable inhabitants. Hildy is a fascinating, flawed character, and an interesting choice as narrator. If you are an audiobook listener, I highly recommend the audio version read by Mary Beth Hurt – she was perfection as the voice of Hildy. On a related note, it’s been announced that The Good House is being adapted for the screen with Meryl Streep and Robert DeNiro set to star. Not too shabby!

A recent review by The Examiner said of The Good House, “…humor meets harsh reality in this irreverent look at a non-recovering alcoholic navigating the murky waters of small-town Massachusetts. The Good House is a paragon of New England Fiction.” I would have to agree, it was wicked good – it gets 4 ½ out of 5 stars from me.

10 Great Movies That Take Place in Autumn

November 17, 2013November 14, 2013 / Susan O. / Leave a comment

Summer may be a time for huge blockbuster action flicks, but as the kids settle back into school, autumn is a time for more peaceful reflection. Grab a cup of hot chocolate, some fresh-baked cookies, your favorite warm blanket, and curl up with one of these films that take place in the fall. You’ll be glad you did!

Dead Poet’s Society – Robin Williams as an inspiring teacher in a prep school. One of his best roles.

Rudy – Sean Astin in a true story about a boy who wanted to play football for Notre Dame.

On Golden Pond – Henry Fonda’s Oscar-winning role as a family tries to come back together before it’s too late.

The Four Seasons – an all-star cast leads this sweet Alan Alda film about a group of friends vacationing through a year. Gorgeous autumn scenery set to a soundtrack of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

Hannah and her Sisters – Woody Allen directs this film about a family, beginning and ending with Thanksgiving.

The Big Chill – A group of old friends gather together for the funeral of one of their own, accompanied by a fabulous soundtrack.

Sweet November – a sweet little love story starring Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron.

The Trouble with Harry – Alfred Hitchcock’s frightful comedy about a body that won’t stay buried.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles – a John Hughes comedy starring Steve Martin as a man trying to make it home for Thanksgiving, when the world seems out to get him.

Far From Heaven – Connecticut in the fall of 1957, and the prejudices that existed.

Back to the Drawing Board? Charlie Hunnam Drops out of “Fifty Shades” Movie

October 13, 2013October 13, 2013 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

Actor Charlie Hunnam is no longer on board to play Christian Grey in the highly anticipated movie adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey. Mere weeks after announcing Hunnam’s casting in the role, the studios behind the film, Universal Pictures and Focus Features, have released this statement:

“The filmmakers of “Fifty Shades of Grey” and Charlie Hunnam have agreed to find another male lead given Hunnam’s immersive TV schedule, which is not allowing him time to adequately prepare for the role of Christian Grey.” Hunnam is best know for his role on the FX drama “Sons of Anarchy“. No word yet on whether this will affect the casting of Dakota Johnson as the female lead, Anastasia Steele.

On Our (virtual) Shelves: New E-Books

September 29, 2013September 12, 2013 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

There are lots of new titles to choose from in our E-Book collection. If you’re a Cheshire Library cardholder, check out our Connect Downloadable Catalog for more ebooks and audiobooks. Here’s a sample of what’s new…

New Fiction

The Hero by Robin Carr. In a moment of desperation, Devon McAllister takes her daughter and flees a place where they should have been safe and secure. She thought she wanted to hide from the world, but in Thunder Point, you find bravery where you least expect it…and sometimes, you find a hero.

Big Brother by Lionel Shriver. From the acclaimed author of the National Book Award finalist So Much for That and the international bestseller We Need to Talk About Kevin comes a striking new novel about siblings, marriage, and obesity.

New Non-Fiction

The Library Book by various authors. From Alan Bennett’s Baffled at a Bookcase, to Lucy Mangan’s Library Rules, famous writers tell us all about how libraries are used and why they’re important.

Between Man and Beast by Monte Reel. The adventure of an unlikely young explorer who emerged from the jungles of Africa with evidence of a mysterious, still mythical beast–the gorilla–only to stumble straight into the center of the biggest debate of the day: Darwin’s theory of evolution.

New for Teens

Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. James Patterson returns to the genre that made him famous with a thrilling teen detective series about the mysterious and magnificently wealthy Angel family . . . and the dark secrets they’re keeping…

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she’s going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He’s out there somewhere–spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night. and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for…

New for Kids

Oddkins by Dean Koontz. Blockbuster author Dean Koontz’s first novel for young readers, a beautifully illustrated and visually stunning story about a magical band of living toys who learn to overcome the fears we all face in the dark.

My Name is Mina by David Almond. Award-winning author David Almond reintroduces readers to the perceptive, sensitive Mina before the events of Skellig in this lyrical and fantastical work.