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10/28/2020 07:00 AMElaine Alexander, the children’s librarian at the Deep River Public Library, says the past months have been a roller coaster for everyone, librarians and their patrons alike. Some of the events offered have been wildly popular. Others fail to attract anyone at all.
But, she, like her colleagues at other libraries in the area, remains undaunted by the challenges posed by the pandemic.
“I am trying to reinvent the library offerings in these difficult COVID times,” she says. “It’s a good thing librarians are out-of-the-box thinkers.”
As we give thought as to how to make the best of the late fall and winter months this year, one option we have that we didn’t before is the ability to actually stop by many of our local libraries.
While most closed to the public earlier this year, more and more are now opening at least on a limited basis for browsing, on the bookshelves, and online, with their computers.
And it’s also true that the onset of the pandemic earlier this year prompted a rethinking of how libraries offer events that enlighten and entertain and connect people one to the other.
Most libraries this fall and winter will continue to provide these events online, which means that it will be easier than ever for someone who lives in East Haven to visit an Essex library event, and vice versa.
Even with the move to mostly online offerings, libraries across the Connecticut shoreline and in the Connecticut River valley say they remain passionately committed to providing ways for people to meet and connect on common ground.
The offerings this fall and winter are wildly diverse. There are cooking classes for adults, snack attack sessions for children, and an opportunity to help provide for our neighbors in need through a food drive. There are story times, book clubs, and even one group dedicated solely to reading and discussing articles published in The Atlantic magazine. Those who want to learn more about STEM and programming are in luck, as is anyone interested in sign language. There are crafts, and comic book clubs, a National Endowment for the Arts Big Read, a murder mystery performance, and even a session on the relationship between underwear and the 19th Amendment.
And, as always, for those involved in the serious business of looking for a job or managing their finances in this complicated COVID economy, libraries offer resources for that as well.
Here are some highlights of events and resources offered by local libraries, all of them free and open to all. Check the individual libraries’ web pages to make sure dates and times remain unchanged, and to register, if needed.
Oh, No! Agatha is Missing!
Ace Detective Miss Clarissa Marbles interrogates the audience as she tries to get to the bottom of the real-life disappearance of Agatha Christie in 1926. Gunshots ring out and screams are heard in this fun-filled interactive murder mystery. The Hagaman Memorial Library in East Haven is offering an interview with renowned actress Prudence Wright Holmes, along with a video of the murder-mystery performance Agatha is Missing on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. on Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/hagamanlibrary.
Cynthia Gwiazda, the community services librarian at the Hagaman library, says this was voted one of the top 10 shows in the Secret Theatre Solo Festival, 2015, and had a sold out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018. After the event on Nov. 12, the performance will be posted on the library’s website by Monday, Nov. 16 and will be there for anyone to enjoy for one month. Questions about the performance should be emailed to Gwiazda at cgwiazda@hagamanlibrary.org.
Another event coming up is Suffragettes in Corselettes: The Evolution of Underwear and Our 19th Amendment-An Online Zoom Program at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Velya Jancz Urban and Ehris Urban of Grounded Goodwife will talk about how, for centuries, women “have allowed themselves to be squeezed, twisted, and squished to conform to desired shapes. The history of underwear reveals a lot about women’s changing roles in society—how we perceive ourselves, and how we’re viewed by others. The 1910s saw an end to the hourglass figure with a tiny waist. Women were finally able to breathe and move more freely. Did the demise of tightlacing help women gain the right to vote in 1920? Underwear matters.” To attend, email Gwiazda at cgwiazda@hagamanlibrary.org.
Snack Attacks in Deep River
Alexander, the children’s librarian in Deep River, says the pandemic has reinforced her resolve to connect people in the community and serve them in the best way possible, and one way she is trying to help parents with kids at home more than ever is the Snack Attack after-school program, which allows little kids to make simple recipes. On Thursday, Nov. 19, the Snack Attack will feature a treat that features Oreo cookies, which can be purchased or picked up from the library.
She is also offering virtual story times, book clubs, and STEM programming suitable for youngsters. They also have a Food Explorers program for older cooks and adults. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, the Food Explorers will make adult pop tarts. On Wednesday, Dec. 30, the group will make cinnamon rolls.
“These Zoom programs work by having patrons gather the ingredients and joining in to get step-by-step instructions,” Alexander says.
She says the Food Explorers program has been fun for her and the kids who are participating.
“Some of the kids had participated in other Food Explorers online programs with various levels of cooking success and knew each other from the prior program. There was a lot of fun banter as we prepped the food, including discussing kitchen debacles and how to come back from them,” she says. “It’s a testament to how important these programs are when we can engage kids into doing activities and being conscious of self-improvement.”
The ingredients list for the cooking programs are on the library’s online calendar.
Information for all of the programs is available on the library’s website deepriverlibrary.accountsupport.com and on its Facebook page and Instagram account. Alexander also maintains an email list for parents, to which anyone can subscribe by emailing drplchildrensdept@gmail.com.
Coffee and Conversation, Games to Play
What did you get into trouble for the most when you were young?
What historical sporting event would you like to witness?
Which is more important, intelligence or common sense?
If you could do something dangerous, just once, with no risk, what would you do?
Those kinds of conversation starters from Table Topics cards have been a hit with participants of Acton Library’s Coffee and Conversation group.
“I would say the Coffee and Conversation has been great for some lonely seniors,” says Cindy Baklik, the library assistant in charge of adult programming at the Acton Library in Old Saybrook.
Game Day likewise has been popular, bringing in participants not only from Connecticut, but also from Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Kansas.
Coffee and Conversation is hosted on Mondays at 3 p.m. by Baklik. Participants are invited to provide their own coffee, and the conversation is conducted via Zoom. Game Day takes place on Wednesdays at 4 p.m., and games might include Scattergories, Boggle, Blank Slate, and others.
Other popular programs include a writing group on Thursdays at 2 p.m. The no-pressure group is designed to offer motivation and support for those writing fiction, non-fiction, and essays. Writing prompts are provided, and workshopping is offered.
Science, Architecture, Financial Help
At the Essex Library, architecture, science, and financial and legal help are on the menu.
The ongoing Centerbrook Architects Lecture Series will feature architects with talks that focus on the firm’s west coast residential work as part of a home and garden theme this year, a theme intended to tie in with the desire of homeowners to improve their spaces as they spend more time at home. That series will continue into 2021 with a new speaker each month.
On Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. the Essex Library will host an ongoing series of science talks. The first is “Hidden Expansion: From the Infinite to the Infinitesimal.”
“What can’t we see with our naked eye? And does it matter? From dark matter in the universe to biological cells that make up each of us to the tiniest viruses, we will discuss worlds unseen and how they grow. Along the way, we will get a glimpse of where we came from, what we’re made of, and how to harness these hidden worlds to develop new medical treatments and advance technology,” according to the library.
Ann Thompson, the head of adult services with the Essex Library Association, says the library is adding to its resources when it comes to free financial and legal help. As part of that initiative, the UConn Financial Education program is kicking off a series of free financial literacy workshops that will continue into 2021, with an event on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 2 p.m., which will be recorded and made available for later viewing as well.
“Lastly, we have a unique event to interest folks in genealogy, which will be presented by professional genealogist Bryna O’Sullivan entitled ‘Trace Your Connecticut Revolutionary Roots,’ described as: Did your Connecticut ancestor support the American cause during the Revolution? This virtual program will introduce you to the major sources that trace their activities during the War, from pension files to town meeting records and more. These sources will help you gain insight into their day to day activities and how they impacted the American cause,” Thompson says.
All programs are on Zoom and are free and open to the public.
The library also offers “free access from home to JobNow employment assistance, Reference Solutions which offers business and employment information and help,” Thompson says.
Celebrating a Season of Giving
The Scranton Memorial Library in Madison is celebrating a two-month-long food drive, working with the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries, beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 4 and ending on Thursday, Dec. 17, to benefit those in need . Patrons are welcome to bring donations of non-perishable food to the library, along with non-food items including cleaning and hygiene supplies. Make sure all non-food donations are new, and food donations should be well before their expiration date. Winter hats, gloves, scarves are welcome as well. Donations are welcome anytime during the libraries business hours.
Scranton library also is participating with the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read, which will feature the book Into the Beautiful North, by Luis Alberto Urrea, about a young woman defending her Mexican hometown against a group of bad guys who want to take over. The meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. to discuss the novel. Registrants will receive a free e-book of the novel, along with the option of a physical copy.
“The book is wonderful and I hope many patrons will be interested in joining,” says Rachel Taylor, the adult service librarian.
She’s also excited to offer several other ongoing programs.
“One is our International Cooking Club. We meet the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. on Zoom to pick a recipe from another country and then try it out at home. We them re-convene the following month to discuss the recipe, our personal experience with the dish, and the culture from which it came,” she says. “We then pick out another recipe for the following month. Everyone gets a turn to choose a recipe and everyone is welcome to join.”
A recently launched a Craft of the Week program for adults every week, provides craft supplies for a new project. Patrons pick them up at the library on Thursdays and then on Fridays at 2:30 p.m., the group comes together on Zoom to make the craft and discuss tips and tricks.
“For those who cannot make it at that time, we are happy to provide a recorded version of the program. It’s a lot of fun and it’s open to all adults,” Taylor says.
Registration for all of these programs is required; just visit scrantonlibrary.org and sign up through our events calendar page.
“All of these programs and events are open to all adults, regardless of residency, and we’re always thrilled to have new participants and new connections,” Taylor says.
‘Into the Unknown’ with Frozen II
The James Blackstone Memorial Library in Branford will be live-streaming Frozen II on Monday, Nov. 2 from 4 to 6 p.m., all ages are welcome and costumes are encouraged. The chat box will be open so movie viewers can talk about favorite characters and scenes.
Other activities being offered include a creative writing club for teens on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. with writing games and fast fiction. “Creativity and a pencil is the only thing you need to bring.” For adults, a weekly poetry discussion group on Saturdays at 11 a.m. will help participants read, understand, evaluate, and appreciate poetry. And the Books and (BYO) Brews on the last Wednesday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. features eclectic, edgy and not-your-everday titles.
Science That Changes, Saves Lives
Virtual TED talks monthly on the third Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. online through the Henry Carter Hull Library in Clinton focus on a wide variety of subjects, and November’s topic will be “What is CRISPR?”; the public is invited to find out how breakthroughs in DNA sequencing might change our lives.
Registration is required at arah@hchlibrary.org. To view the talks in advance, visit hchlibrary.org/event/ted.
A virtual discussion group focused around The Atlantic Magazine meets monthly on the fourth Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
“Since its founding in 1857, The Atlantic Magazine has had a goal of challenging assumptions and pursuing truth through journalism with a focus on literature, art, and politics,” the library’s talk description notes. Monthly issues are made available to group members in digital, audio, or print (while supplies last) formats .
To participate, email sarah@hchlibrary.org.