Summer is a busy time at CPL, and we’ve packed July with amazing programs every day we’re open. Here are some of the highlights, check out our Events Calendar to see the full roster!
Tuesday Jul 3, 2018, 4:00 – 5:00PM
This movement-focused 60-minute performance by Turtle Dance Music is designed to get kids moving using awesome music, original stories, incredible visuals, exciting games, and interactive music technology to promote fitness, healthy eating, going to your library, and celebrating music! Appropriate for ages 2 and up. Registration is required.
Mondays, July 9, July 23, Aug 6, 2018, 4:00 – 4:45PM
A casual book club for kids entering grades 3 to 6 with no parents and no required reading! Come every other week and talk about what you’re currently reading, get recommendations from other kids, do fun activities, and play games. No parents or caregivers allowed! Registration required starting June 18 for Cheshire residents and July 1 for nonresidents. Unbound Book Club meets three times: July 9, July 23, and August 6.
Tuesday, July 10, 2018, 3:00 – 4:00PM
Nature Nick is back! Get ready to meet some of the most exotic animals in the world! All ages are welcome. No registration required.
Tuesday, July 10, 6:00 – 8:00PM
Connecticut author Eric D. Lehman will discuss Connecticut Vanguards: Historic Trailblazers & Their Legacies, his chronicle of two dozen state residents whose inventive spirits and talents influenced the state and the world. Lehman has published a dozen books of history, travel and fiction, many of which have won awards. Registration is required.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018, 6:00 – 8:00PM
Join music instructor Dan Fontana as he reviews what you will need to know about learning to play the guitar as an adult. He will provide an overview of what it takes to start and the benefits of learning how to play music. Fontana will provide in-class and online materials that attendees can access at home. All the students have to bring to this workshop is their guitar and some paper to take notes.
Registration required starting June 20 for Cheshire residents and July 4 for all others.
Thursday, July 12, 2018, 6:00 – 8:00PM
Help us promote random acts of kindness around Cheshire by participating in our Kindness Rocks event! Adults are invited to help us paint rocks with inspirational pictures and words. After, the class will leave the rocks around town. Patrons are encouraged to take pictures of the rocks you find #CPLKindnessRocks and post them on social media, and tag us @cheshirelibrary. Space is limited for this adult program. Registration is required.
Library After Hours: Acrobat Li Liu
Friday Jul 13, 2018, 5:00 – 7:00PM
Join us for an acrobatic performance, children’s activities, and more! Li Liu will perform plate spinning, trick cycling, Chinese water bowl manipulation, and other acrobatic feats at 6:00 pm. Pizza, snacks and drinks will be available for sale from the Friends of the Library. Please register in advance so we know how many goodies to have on hand! There is no admission fee, but there is a suggested donation of $5 per family to help offset costs. Please note that the Lower Level of the Library will not be open to the public.
Family Movie Matinees
Tuesdays at 3:30PM, no registration required.
The Farmington Canal
Tuesday, July 17, 2018, 7:00 – 8:00PM
Thought you knew everything about the Farmington Canal? Think again! Cheshirepedia Inc. is sponsoring a talk by Carl Walter, the country’s leading authority on the Farmington Canal. Registration is required.
Thursday, July 19, 2018, 3:00 – 5:00PM
A casual drop-in program to demonstrate backpacking gear used for multi-day trips into the wilderness, hosted by staff member and Long Trail thru-hiker Lauren Gledhill. Come in any time between 3:00pm and 5:00 pm to ask questions and see photos of life on the trail. Children are especially encouraged to attend! For children and adults of all ages, no registration required.
Monday, July 23, 2018, 6:30 – 8:00PM
A vinyasa style class suited for all levels. Students will be introduced to dynamic sequences and a variety of pranayama or yogic breathing techniques. Focus is on linking movement and asana to the breath and building internal heat. The instructor will offer options and modifications for all levels of practice. Bring your own mat and water bottle and props such as yoga blocks or yoga blanket if you would like. Registration is required.
Thursday, July 26, 2018, 3:00 – 4:00PM
Explore kinetic energy, gravity, and other physics concepts by making your own 3D marble roller coasters! Can you keep your marble on the track? For ages 7-12. Class size is limited, registration is required.
Monday, July 30, 2018, 6:30 – 7:00PM and 7:00 – 7:30PM
Meditation is a practice in mindfulness and an exploration of the inner self. Through guided imagery, focusing on the breath, and sitting in stillness students will begin to facilitate a feeling of inner peace and tranquility that can be carried out into their everyday lives. his class is open to all, with or without experience to come and explore and hold space together. Please dress comfortably and bring a blanket or cushion if you would like. Registration is required.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018, 6:30 – 7:30PM
Join writer Patrick Scalisi for this workshop, where he’ll discuss:
- What do you like to write? (Some broad genres, finding examples of the work you like, reading to become a better writer)
- Barriers to creativity
- Coming up with ideas
- Developing ideas (i.e. character, setting, dialogue)
Attendees will be presented with writing prompts to attempt in the session. Registration required starting July 10 for Cheshire residents and July 24 for all others.
by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie. This carefully researched tale imagines the experiences of Thomas Jefferson’s daughter Patsy, who while accompanying her father to Paris struggles with his past affair with a slave and falls in love with his protégé against a backdrop of a growing revolution.
by Mary Higgins Clark. In researching George Washington’s life, Mary Higgins Clark was surprised to find the engaging man behind the pious legend. Her novel tells the story of a rare marriage between Washington and Martha Dandridge Custisand, and brings to life the human side of the man who became known as the father of our country.
by Sally Cabot. This work of literary historical fiction that brings to life a little-known chapter of the American Revolution — the story of Benjamin Franklin and his bastard son, William (a steadfast loyalist), and the women who loved them both.
by Barbara Hambly. The triumphs and turmoil of early America are revealed through fictional portraits of four women–Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Sally Hemings, and Dolley Madison–who played key roles during four presidential administrations.
by Elizabeth Cobbs. A tale inspired by the true romance between Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler traces Hamilton’s rise to one of America’s most unlikely heroes and Schuyler’s establishment of New York’s first orphanage.
Born to Read Music, Bubble, and Comedy Show
Unbound Book Club (Gr 3-6)
Nature Nick’s Animal Adventures
Intro to Guitar for Adults
Kindness Rocks
Backpacking Gear Show and Tell
DIY: Marble Roller Coasters (Ages 7-12)
Meditation
Writing Fiction: The Creative Process
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