A great summer night in Cheshire

August 5, 2014August 4, 2014 / Eileen / 2 Comments

My husband and I recently attended one of Cheshire’s free Friday night concerts in Bartlem Park. The show was performed by the group “Eaglemania” – a talented cover-band of the Eagles. It was such a wonderful evening, sitting outside on a blanket enjoying the old songs from one of my favorite bands. Fellow residents were just as excited to be there. I thought about what a great event it was and how happy I felt to be living in a town that supports the arts and leisure activities. concert

The first thing I did when I returned to work at the Cheshire Public Library was to access our catalog and see what Eagles cds we have in the the collection…and there are a lot! Later, I reminded myself that I could’ve accessed the catalog from home via the library’s website right after the show and reserved the cds directly. Again, I thought Cheshire really is a great town because it also has a wonderful library – a library supported by the town, its residents, and the Friends of the Cheshire Public Library.

Here’s a glimpse at some of the Eagles cds the library owns. Oh, and the next free concert is Friday, August 8th featuring Beau Bolero. You can find additional information on the town’s website …. just scroll down to the bottom of the page.

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in August

July 31, 2014August 18, 2014 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

Lots more summer fun to be had before the kids head back to school (and adults, we’ve squeezed in a few programs for you, too!). Here are some of the events on our schedule for August:

Butterfly Program with Jerry Schneider

Friday August 1, 10:30 AM

Participants will learn about wing symmetry, defense mechanisms, and interesting butterfly behavior (did you know that butterflies taste their feet?), and then make a butterfly t-shirt! Please bring a white or light colored t-shirt to this program, (participants need to have registered previously for this program).

Movie Matinees

Tuesdays at 1:00 PM, no registration required.

August 5 – Hopscotch (1980)
August 12 – Murder by Death (1976)
August 19 – A Shot in the Dark (1964)

The Gulf of Tonkin – 50 Years Later

Tuesday Aug 5, 7:00 PM

Join local author and historian John White as he discusses his book The Gulf of Tonkin – 50 Years Later. White “blew the whistle” on the alleged attack upon two U.S. naval ships on August 4, 1967. President Johnson used this as an excuse to rush Congress into passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which provided him with the legal authority to wage war on Vietnam. Copies of his book will be available for purchase. Registration Online.

Builder’s Brigade

Wednesdays, Aug 6 and Aug 20, 4:00 PM

Kids have the opportunity to use their best creativity to design buildings, creatures, and more using Lego and Mega blocks. They can work alone, or in a team with peers. A different theme is picked for each session and kids can build on that theme or build a creation of their own. At the end of each session, kids can put their creations on display at the library for all to see until the next club is scheduled! (NOTE: Children ages 7 and under must be accompanied by an adult.) No registration required.

Teen Games Drop-In

Fridays, Aug 8, 22, and 29, 2:30-4:30 PM

Nintendo Wii available for group play with ROCK BAND 2, DDR, MARIO KART, BRAWL, and lots more! We’ve got board games too, so come play games and nibble snacks, no registration required.

Cartoon Workshop with Rick Stromonski

Monday Aug 11, 7:00 PM

Rick Stromonski, a nationally recognized cartoonist and author of Soup to Nutz, will lead children ages 6 and up in a cartoon workshop. Participants need to bring a pencil and pad of paper. Registration Online starting August 1st.

Fab Film Summer Movies: DIVERGENT (rated PG-13)

Wednesday Aug 13, 6:00 PM

Come enjoy some great box office family movies with Fab Film Saturdays at Cheshire Public Library! NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

Divergent is set in a world where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues. Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy by a faction leader (Kate Winslet) to destroy all Divergents, Tris must learn to trust in the mysterious Four (Theo James) and together they must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it’s too late. Based on the best-selling book series by Veronica Roth.

Is There Water on Zork?

Thursday Aug 14, 10:30 AM

Become inhabitants of the alien planet zork and help Earthlings find water. After listening to the story — June 29, 1999 — you will conduct simple experiments to test the characteriestics of mystery liquids to discover if Zork has water. Participants will work in groups and use common household objects to test liquids for pH, adhesion, evaporation and other properties to make their conclusions.
For ages 7-12. Registration Online starting on August 1st.

Summer Reading Finale with Jester Jim

Monday Aug 18, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

With nothing more than a trunk full of props, Jester Jim will have you glued to his every sound as he performs his amazing beat-boxing, juggling, and balancing.
For kids of any age who have completed the Cheshire Public Library summer reading challenge. Pre-concert snacks and beverages from 6:30-7:00 pm, performance by Jester Jim at 7:00 PM.

Registration Online starting on August 1st.

At the Library: Online Language Courses

July 22, 2014October 7, 2014 / Mary / Leave a comment

Hola, amigos! Comment allez-vous? Rydw i’n iawn diolch.

Wait a minute! Rydw i’n iawn diolch? Yes. That’s Welsh for “I am fine.”

Welcome to Transparent Language Online, a language-learning service with over 80 language options including English for speakers of other languages.

Accessed via the Cheshire Public Library website, library (“la bibliothèque” in French) cardholders can learn everything from Afrikaans to Zulu. Transparent Language Online features listening, reading, speaking, and writing exercises, as well as pronunciation analysis, vocabulary exercises, conversational language courses, and video grammar lessons. C’est vrai!

It has great features like Quick Start. Here, you’ll find a series of 10 simple lessons that will teach you 100 of the most useful words and phrases that form the foundation of your chosen language. The program will automatically track your progress, so you can start and stop any time without losing your place. This section is really useful. Kan du hjälpa mig? (“Can you help me?” in Swedish.) Molim te. (“Please” in Croatian.) An bheori. (“Beer” in Irish.)

And then there’s Vocabulary. The list in the sidebar shows the many subjects you have to choose from such as Asking for Directions, At the Hotel, and the all-important Bathroom. One of my favorite vocab lists? Dessert! Ah, what I wouldn’t give for some il cioccolato right now!

Reference. This is an assortment of useful tools to help you learn more about your language of choice: Grammar Tips, a Quick-Help Grammar Reference list, and History, which has interesting tidbits about the language. If you are studying Latin, you will discover that much of English vocabulary comes from ancient Rome, and our everyday communications are peppered with Latin phrases like et cetera and per capita.

Learned Items. Here, you can keep track of the vocabulary terms you’ve mastered and refresh your memory of learned items that you have not recently practiced. Each learned item is classified as “fresh” (meaning that you have practiced it recently or mastered it through repeated practice) or “stale” (meaning that it may be at risk of being forgotten). And let me tell you, being fluent in a language beats carrying around a kamusi (“dictionary” in Swahili).

Ciao.

10 Books We’re Looking Forward to in July

July 10, 2014June 30, 2014 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

How’s your summer reading going – need some fresh ideas? Well you’re in luck!

Every month, librarians from around the country pick the top ten new books they’d most like to share with readers. The results are published on LibraryReads.org. One of the goals of LibraryReads is to highlight the important role public libraries play in building buzz for new books and new authors. Click through to read more about what new and upcoming books librarians consider buzzworthy this month. The top ten titles for July are:

Landline by Rainbow Rowell
One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
The Black Hour by Lori Rader-Day
The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian
World of Trouble: The Last Policeman Book III by Ben H. Winters
California by Edan Lepucki
Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeal
The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee by Marja Mills
Dry Bones in the Valley by Tom Bouman

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in July

July 1, 2014July 1, 2014 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

It’s summer, and you know what that means – Summer Reading is in full swing! There are lots of terrific programs on tap for July, here’s a preview:Fizz and Boom with Four O’Clocks

Tuesday Jul 1, 2014. 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Science and art promise to come together with Artsplace instructor Rebecca Rice’s help in this fun class. Students will use pastels and other materials to explore projects to explain the magic and beauty of Four O’Clock Flowers.
For ages 6 and up. Register on our website.

Magic Show with Ed Popielarcyk

Wednesday Jul 2, 2014. 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Come join Ed Popielarcyk with his amazing interactive magic show followed by balloon sculpting!
Register on our website.

Snakes and Amphibians with Eric Nelson

Two sessions Thursday Jul 3, 2014, at 2:00 PM and 3:15 PM Join Eric Nelson in a fun exploration of snakes and amphibians!Register on our website.

Kellogg Environmental Center presents: INTO THE WOODS

Thursday Jul 3, 2014, 2:00 – 3:00 Expand your naturalist skills by solving mysteries of natural finds like footprints, feathers, twig chewings and objects seen around the state. Children will listen to Into the Woods: Who’s Been There and explore mysterious finds from nature. Each child will make and take a nature journal of their own to help continue their exploration of outdoor signs and mysteries. Register on our website.

Lego Robots with the CHS MECHA RAMS

Thursday Jul 10, 2014, 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM
The robots have returned!
The summer G3 programs will offer a special 3-part event. Guest instructors and teen members of the Cheshire High School MECHA RAMS Robotics team will provide robotics demonstrations to our G3 kids. Kids will also get hands on experience with simple robotics using Lego robot kits and will receive instruction from their teen mentors, wrapping up with a friendly team competition on July 24th! Register on our website.

Fab Film Summer Movies: THE LEGO MOVIE

Wednesday Jul 16, 2014, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM The Lego Movie (2014). An ordinary Lego construction worker, thought to be the prophesied ‘Special’, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil tyrant from gluing the Lego universe into eternal stasis. Running Time 1 hour, 40 minutes. Rated PG.
NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Feel free to bring your own snacks!

Zoology for Kids with Animal Embassy

Thursday Jul 17, 2014, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. Animal Embassy will uncover some of the mysteries of animal biology as we learn about classifications and habitats in the animal kingdom, as well as discover the life of an animal scientist. We will meet Animal Ambassadors such as giant White’s tree frogs, an Eclectus parrot or Spectacled owl, a Green tree python or Emerald Tree boa, Chinchillas, a Pink-toed tarantula, an Argentine Black & White Tegu and/or a Solomon Islands monkey-tailed skink! Register on our website.

BENDING GRAVITY with Eric Girardi

Monday Jul 21, 2014, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Bending Gravity is an amazing show by performance artist Eric Girardi and includes a breathtaking mastery of object manipulation, juggling, yoyos, and more! For ages 4 and up. Registration begins on July 1st.

Sciencetellers present DRAGONS AND DREAMS

Monday Jul 28, 2014, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Join us as we learn about the science of fire and ice through the tale of “Dragons & Dreams.” Wouldn’t dragon’s breath be an amazing sight to see?! Well, get ready to see it…feel it…smell it…maybe even taste it! This story features interactive science experiments with dry ice, flash paper, exploding bottles, and much more.
Enjoy this spectacular adventure and be swept away to a world where dragons are real and dreams come true — and where only the most daring of people will survive to tell the tale!
For ages 4 and up. Registration begins on July 1st.

Gregory McAdams with Team Magic

Wednesday Jul 30, 2014, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM The Greg & Axel show is a totally unique entertainment experience that provides magic, comedy, audience participation and one hilarious dog. Your audience will fall in love with Axel as he helps Greg the Magician amaze the audience…he might even cause a little bit of trouble!
Greg & Axel donate a percentage of every show to help rescue animals!
For all ages. Registration begins on July 1st.

Time Capsule to Mars!
Thursday Jul 31, 2014, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Join Dr. Daniel Burkey, Associate Dean of the UConn School of Engineering, at the Cheshire Public Library on Thursday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m. to learn about the Time Capsule to Mars™ (TC2M) Project. Participants will compose and record a group message at the library, to be uploaded to the Time Capsule and sent the 35 million miles from Earth to Mars. This program is for all ages, but is especially geared towards students entering grades K-12. Register on our website.

Summer Saturday Hours : 9:30am – 1:00pm
The Cheshire Library is now open Saturdays in the summer!
From July 12th – August 23rd, the library will be open from 9:30am – 1:00pm. Stop by to beat the heat and catch up on some great summer reads.