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Hello, Friends!
Happy July! Our summer hours begin this month, so we'll be closed on Sundays now through Labor Day Weekend. We will also be closed Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day, but look forward to seeing you all the other days this month!
Pollinators are integral to our ecosystems. We can thank pollinators for the fruits and veggies that we eat. Join us Tuesday, July 9, in the Kingsley Room for "Birds, Bees, Butterflies, and Bats" to learn about their role in plant reproduction, why they need to be protected, the threats they face, and how people can help them. To register, click here.
Grades 6-12: get crafty with us on Wednesday, July 10 from 4-5pm for Upcycled T-Shirt Tote Bags (no sewing required!) or try your hand at Block Printing Totes & Bandanas from 4-5pm on Thursday, July 11 from 4-5pm!
Ages 7-10: join us on Wednesday, July 10 from 11:30am-12:30pm for "The Lorax" and "Bird Count" Storytime and Activities with Audubon Center. Make seed paper, enjoy a bird themed library scavenger hunt, and listen to The Lorax and Bird Count as staff from the Bent of the River Audubon Center visit us a the library!
To find out more about all our exciting events in July, see below!
If you know of friends or relatives who have trouble receiving this newsletter even though they signed up for it, information is available on our website here about how to make sure it goes through. Anyone with questions is also always welcome to contact us at 203-262-0626 ext. 2 for more information.
Best wishes,
The Staff of the Southbury Public Library
Table of Contents
- Adult Reading Challenges
- Adult Events
- Wednesday and Evening at the Movies
- Adult Book Clubs
- Technology Help
- Children and Teen Events
- Children and Teen Reading Challenges
- Children's Events
- Teen Events
- The Friends of the Southbury Public Library
- Brinker Fireplace Room Display: Southbury Pollinator Pathway
- Artist of the Month: Sarah Jane Thornington
Adult Reading Challenges
2024 Adult Summer Reading Challenge: Read, Renew, Repeat (Ages 18 & Up)
June 8 – August 16, On Paper and Online on Beanstack
From June 8 to August 16, we invite everyone (Adults: Age 18 & Up), regardless of town of residency, to participate in Southbury Public Library's Adult Summer Reading Challenge! This summer's theme, Read, Renew, Repeat, focuses on protecting species from extinction, maintaining and restoring habitats, enhancing ecosystem services, and protecting biological diversity.
For each book you read this summer, earn a raffle ticket towards one of several $25 gift cards! All submitted tickets are eligible for this summer's grand prize, a $150 Visa Gift Card! Complete a raffle form for each book you read this summer and submit your tickets to a prize box at the Reference Department, or log your books virtually in Beanstack and submit your tickets there. A drawing will occur at the end of August to decide the winners of this year's prizes. Paper raffle ticket forms are available at the library's Reference Department. All raffle tickets must be received by Friday, August 16, 2024. For more information about this summer's prizes, click here.
Adult Reading Challenge (Ages 18 & Up)
Ongoing, On Paper and Online on Beanstack
The reading challenge for July 2024 is to read a book set in a state or country you’ve visited! A drawing will occur at the end of the month to decide the winner of a $25.00 gift card to Scoopin' Ice Cream Shop!
To be eligible for this month's prize, after reading, complete a short paper or digital form to tell us about the book you chose for this challenge. Reading recommendations and paper forms are available at the library’s Reading Challenge display. Visit Beanstack to get started online. Completed forms must be received by Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
Submit a form for each of the 12 monthly challenges throughout 2024 and you will be eligible for the Reading Challenge's grand prize at the end of the year, a $200 Visa Gift Card! Previous months' challenges can be completed after they have occurred to obtain eligibility for the grand prize at the end of the year.
We invite everyone (Adults: Age 18 & Up), regardless of town of residency, to participate in Southbury Public Library's inaugural Adult Reading Challenge event!
Adult EventsInformation and Registration: Reference Department at 203-262-0626 ext. 2
All programs require registration unless otherwise noted. The majority of programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Library programs are not funded by the town fiscal budget. For all virtual adult programs requiring registration, registrants will receive an email with the Zoom links the morning of the program.
Video Production Seminar
Tuesday, July 2, 6:30-7:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required
Come learn about the resources available to you through Western CT Community Television, the public access channel for Southbury & 20 other CT towns. Public Access Coordinator Mark Ingram will describe and demonstrate the different free video production training classes and equipment loans available to you. This will include a demonstration of the Cannon XA 40 and tripod for those who are interested. Learn how you can create your own special or series to be cablecast on channel 192! To register, click here.
Birds, Bees, Butterflies, and Bats
Tuesday, July 9, 2-3:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required
We can thank pollinators for the fruits and veggies that we eat. Pollinators are integral to our ecosystems. Join us as we learn about their role in plant reproduction, why they need to be protected, the threats they face, and how people can help them. To register, click here.
How to Use Your iPhone
Thursday, July 11, 11am-12pm, Brown Room, Registration Required
Join us and learn more about your iPhone. Topics will include using the camera, texting, sending messages, using facetime and more. To register, click here.
Adult Graphic Novel Club
Friday, July 12, 12:30-1:30pm, Online and in the Brown Room, Registration Required
Join us for the Adult Graphic Novel Club! This is an adult focused group to discuss graphic novels and manga. Come with your ideas, experiences, opinions, and an open mind as we explore this amazing world of visual realism and fantasy! This month we'll be discussing Bakuman., Vol. 1 by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. To register, click here.
Discovering the Rochambeau Route, From Breakneck to Newtown, 1781-1782
Saturday, July 13, 1-2:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required
What roads did the French Army take to get through Southbury during the Revolutionary War? It’s a question frequently asked by local residents. It’s a question not easily answered though. Only by a systematic analysis of period journals, maps, surveys, correspondence, and a dive into the local land records can one come up with a satisfactory answer. Join us to learn if the French Expeditionary Force passed through your neighborhood. To register, click here.
Roswell & Beyond
Thursday, July 18, 2-3:30pm, Online and in the Kingsley Room, Registration Required
Since the beginning of recorded history, humans have been fascinated by the skies above them, especially when "visitors" seemed to descend from the stars. This presentation explores the possibilities of life beyond Earth and the possibility that we've been having alien visitations for thousands if not millions of years. The truth is out there! For Zoom Program, register here. For Kingsley Room, register here.
Health Talks with the Housatonic Valley Health District: Substance Abuse
Monday, July 22, 2-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Recommended
Join us for this health talk with the Housatonic Valley Health District as we discuss substance abuse and the effects it has on the older adult population. To register, click here.
Adult Coloring Club
Monday, July 22, 2-3:30pm, Brown Room, Registration Requested
Welcome to the Adult Coloring Club! Join us for a relaxing hour of therapeutic coloring in the Brown Room. Materials will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own supplies as well. Registration is requested. To register, click here.
Family Movie Night: Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire
Friday, July 26, 7-9pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required
Two ancient titans, Godzilla and Kong, clash in an epic battle as humans unravel their intertwined origins and connection to Skull Island's mysteries. Join us for a special showing of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire! Rated PG-13. 1 hour and 55 minutes. CC. To register, click here.
The Energy of Falling Water: Connecticut’s Early Mills
Saturday, July 27, 1-2:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required
Join us for a fascinating exploration of Connecticut's historic water-powered mills and get ready to be amazed by the ingenuity and innovation that helped make Connecticut great! Water-powered mills revolutionized Connecticut in 1650, bringing civilization to the state. Villages sprung up around sawmills and gristmills, and soon factories producing cloth, hats, buttons, clocks, cider, plaster, and paper emerged. By the mid-1800s, Connecticut's water-powered mills were serving a global market. To register, click here.
When is it Time to Have My Child Receive Therapy? Informational Session with Therapy Kinections
Tuesday, July 30, 6-7pm, Brown Room, Registration Required
Presented by the staff of Therapy Kinections, this informational session will cover the red flags (things to look out for) in the areas of OT, PT, and Speech. Parents and caregivers are invited to come with questions they may have. At the end of the presentation the presenter will open the session up to questions. To register, click here.
Raise The Coop: The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Chicken Keeping
Tuesday, July 30, 6-7:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required
Dive into the world of backyard chickens with our expert, Mark Gostkiewicz! In this workshop, you'll learn all about backyard chicken keeping and discover the joys of having your own feathered friends. With the right knowledge, raising chickens can be a fun and rewarding experience for the whole family. So come join us, and learn how to start your own feathery, clucking, egg-laying community today. To register, click here.
Wednesday at the Movies
Roman Holiday (1953) G
Wednesday, July 10, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
A bored and sheltered princess escapes her guardians and falls in love with an American newsman in Rome. Register here.
Bob Marley: One Love (2024) PG-13
Wednesday, July 17, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
The story of how reggae icon Bob Marley overcame adversity, and the journey behind his revolutionary music. Register here.
Arthur the King (2024) PG-13
Wednesday, July 24, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
Based on a true story, an adventure racer adopts a stray dog named Arthur to join him in an epic endurance race. Register here.
The Long Game (2023) PG
Wednesday, July 31, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
In 1955, five young Mexican-American caddies, out of the love for the game, were determined to learn how to play, so they created their own golf course in the middle of the South Texas desert. Register here.
Evening at the Movies
Anatomy of a Fall (2023) R
Thursday, July 11, 6-8:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
A woman is suspected of murder after her husband's death; their half-blind son faces a moral dilemma as the main witness. Register here.
American Fiction (2023) R
Thursday, July 25, 6-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
A novelist who's fed up with the establishment profiting from Black entertainment uses a pen name to write a book that propels him into the heart of the hypocrisy and madness he claims to disdain. Register here.
Adult Book Clubs
The Southbury Public Library offers three book clubs: Tuesday Night Fiction Book Club, Nonfiction Book Club and Mystery Book Club. Join us for a discussion about this month’s books. Print copies are available at the Circulation Desk, there's no registration required and new members are always welcome!
Mystery Book Club
Monday, July 8, 3-4pm, Kingsley Room, No Registration Required
This month we'll be discussing An Anonymous Girl: A Novel, by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen.
Looking to earn some easy cash, Jessica Farris agrees to be a test subject in a psychological study about ethics and morality. But as the study moves from the exam room to the real world, the line between what is real and what is one of Dr. Shields’s experiments blurs. Dr. Shields seems to know what Jess is thinking … and what she’s hiding. Jessica’s behavior will not only be monitored, but manipulated. Caught in a web of attraction, deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly. For more information, click here.
Nonfiction Book Club
Wednesday, July 10, 10-11am, Brown Room, No Registration Required
This month we'll be discussing An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us, by Ed Yong.
An Immense World is a “thrilling” (The New York Times), “dazzling” (The Wall Street Journal) tour of the radically different ways that animals perceive the world that will fill you with wonder and forever alter your perspective, by Pulitzer Prize–winning science journalist Ed Yong. The Earth teems with sights and textures, sounds and vibrations, smells and tastes, electric and magnetic fields. But every kind of animal, including humans, is enclosed within its own unique sensory bubble, perceiving but a tiny sliver of our immense world. For more information, click here.
Tuesday Night Fiction Book Club
Tuesday, July 23, 6:30-7:30pm, Brown Room, No Registration Required
This month we'll be discussing Happy Place: A Novel, by Emily Henry.
A couple who broke up months ago pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry. Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college. Except, now - for reasons they’re still not discussing - they don’t. They broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends. Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week … in front of those who know you best? For more information, click here.
Technology Help
Technology Help with James Chapin
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12-1pm, Reference Area, No Registration Required
Do you have technology questions or are you having issues with a device? Come by for help with local tech expert James Chapin. Feel free to ask your questions to our Reference Staff as well. For more information, click here.
Reference Technology Assistance
Did you know that the Reference Department offers assistance with mobile devices, downloading our e-resources, and more? If you have a simple question, stop by the Reference Desk more than an hour before we close and we can assist you. Like other Reference Questions, you may have to wait for a Reference Librarian to be available. If your question is more in-depth or you're not sure how long it will take, call the Reference Department at 203-262-0626 ext. 2 to inquire about making an appointment. Most of our assistance is related to answering questions about how to use a device, app, or website. We cannot touch your device directly, but instead we teach you how to do what you are looking for help with. If you have a hardware question or very technical question, we recommend visiting James Chapin during his Technology Help on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12-1pm.
Children and Teen Events
Information and Registration: Children/Teen Department at 203-262-0626 ext. 3
See below for information about our upcoming Children's and Teen Programming! All of our Children's and Teen Programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Library programs are not funded by the town fiscal budget.
Children and Teen Reading Challenges:
Summer Reading Program: Read, Renew, Repeat (PreK to Grade 12 & Class of 2024 Graduates)
June 8 - August 16, On Paper and Online on Beanstack
Log your reading time and enter to win different raffle prizes, join us for fun events, and more! You can keep track of your time read on a paper log, or online on Beanstack!
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten (0-PreK)
Ongoing, On Paper and Online on Beanstack
Read a book (any book!) to your newborn, infant, or toddler and keep track with a paper log or on Beanstack. Repeats count! If you read 1 Book a Day for 3 years, that’s 1,095 books! 10 books a week for 2 years is 1,040 books, and 3 books a day in one year is 1,095 books. Every book you read you get one sticker, and if you finish you can get a certificate, small prize, and your picture on our wall of fame if you’d like! Pick up a paper log from the children’s department or visit Beanstack to get started online.
100 Books Before Graduation (Grades 9-12)
Ongoing, Online on Beanstack
Read 100 books before High School Graduation! 100 books may seem like a lot (and it is), but it works out to about 1 book every 2 weeks. When you sign up, get a special tracking bookmark to fill out as you read. Make it to half way and get a $5 Gift Card to Dunkin' or The Bakery. Read 100 books and get a special throw blanket! Every 10 books you read, pick out something from the prize box (pins, stickers, animal sticky notes, and more!). Visit Beanstack to find out more and get started!
Who Was? Reading Challenge (All Ages, Best for Elementary School)
Ongoing, Paper Only
How many Who Was? Where Was? or What Was? books can you read? Get a checklist from our Children’s Department and keep track. Read 10 books and get your choice of special bookmark. You can repeat this challenge again if you read another 10. Click here to access the books in our catalog.
Children's Storytimes:
Drop-In Storytime (All Ages)
Monday, July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 10-10:30am and 11-11:30am, Storytime Room, No Registration Required
Join us every Monday morning in the Storytime Room for drop-in storytimes at 10am and 11am. We'll share books, rhymes, and songs and end with a simple paper craft. Craft materials are available to be picked up in the library while supplies last. All ages are welcome. No registration is required. Find out more on our website here.
Babies & Books Storytime (6-24 Months)
Tuesday, July 2, 9, 16, 23, 10:30-11am, Storytime Room, Registration Required – Space Limited
Babies & Books is a lapsit program for children 6 to 24 months and their parents/caregivers. Listen to short stories and songs, and enjoy a small craft or sensory play. Find out more and register on our website here.
Toddler Time Storytime (Ages 2 & 3)
Wednesday, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 10:30-11am, Storytime Room, Registration Required – Space Limited
Parents and caregivers are invited to join their toddlers ages 2 and 3 for theme based stories, songs, and a craft. Find out more and register on our website here.
Special Events for Children:
Open House Make or Take Craft (All Ages)
Saturday, July 6, 13, 20, 27, All Day, Upstairs, No Registration Required
Stop by the Youth Services department Saturdays to make a thematic craft. Make it here or bring it home. Crayons and glue sticks are available in the library. Available while supplies last. Find out more on our website here.
Kids Who Code (Grades 3-5)
Monday, July 8, 15, 22, 29, 3:30-4:30pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Kids Who Code is a computer science program series, where participants can build confidence and have fun! We will grow our project management and problem-solving skills while learning to code and create games through the online program Scratch. Find out more and register on our website here.
Summer Rock Painting with Miss Laleh (Ages 7-12)
Tuesday, July 9, 2-3pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join talented art teacher Miss Laleh for a fun afternoon creating summer paintings on stones. Laleh Golafshani is a local artist, illustrator, and art teacher. Find out more and register on our website here.
ARTuesday (All Ages)
Tuesday, July 9, 5-6pm, Storytime Room, No Registration Required
Stop by for a playful, messy, and expressive art experience where there is no right or wrong. Come play and experiment with a variety of art mediums and themes. Smocks recommended. Please wear something you don't mind getting messy. Find out more on our website here.
The Lorax and Bird Count Storytime and Activities with the Audubon Center (Ages 7-10)
Wednesday, July 10, 11:30am-12:30pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join the Bent of the River Audubon Center for a special storytime featuring the books The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss, and Bird Count, by Susan Richmond. After listening to the stories, participants are invited to create seed paper to take home and plant, and enjoy a special bird-themed library scavenger hunt! Find out more and register on our website here.
Settler’s Park Pop-Up Family Storytime with Region 15 (All Ages)
Wednesday, July 10, 2-2:30pm, No Registration Required
Friday, July 19, 11-11:30am, No Registration Required
Join Jen and our amazing school librarians from Region 15 for summer pop-up storytimes for the whole family! These events are outside, so please come prepared with blankets, chairs, and anything else you need to be comfortable outside. Find out more on our website here. If it is raining, we will cancel the event. Check back here to be updated on weather cancellations.
Tunes & Tales (All Ages Welcome, Recommended For Ages 0-5)
Thursday, July 11, 18, 25, 10:30-11am and 11:15-11:45am, Storytime Room, No Registration Required
Join Jen for a morning filled with music and stories! Children will sing, dance, and experiment with simple musical instruments. This program is recommended for ages 5 and under. This is the same program offered twice. Find out more on our website here.
Storytime at the Farmers’ Market (All Ages)
Thursday, July 11, 25, 3:30-4:30pm, No Registration Required
Stop by the Southbury Farmers' Market and visit the librarians from the Southbury Public Library. Find out more on our website here.
Family Giant Games Night (All Ages)
Thursday, July 11, 18, 25, 6-7:30pm, Youth Services Department, No Registration Required
Join us for an evening of Giant Games! Families, drop in between 6 and 7:30pm to enjoy a variety of traditional, larger-than-life, board games. This event is perfect for families or a group of friends; if a team is not made of middle schoolers and above, an adult must be present. No registration required. Find out more on our website here.
First Chapter Friday (Ages 7 & Up)
Friday, July 12, 26, 2:30-3:15pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Looking for something new to read? Join Jen for a sneak-peek, first chapter read-aloud of some of her favorite chapter books! If you love what you hear, you can borrow the book and find out what happens next. Find out more and register on our website here.
Writing Workshop (Grades 2-5)
Monday-Friday, July 15-9, 2-3pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join Kitan Arole, a senior at Pomperaug High School, for a creative writing workshop for children in grades 2-5! She is an accomplished student and award-winning writer, and she is excited to share her love of writing with children. At the end of the week, participants will have a written story to share with family and friends, and will build their confidence and public speaking skills. Find out more and register on our website here.
Recycled UFOs (Grades 1-5)
Monday, July 15, 3:30-4:30pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join Katie to read Minnie and Moo Go to the Moon, by Denys Cazet, and create a UFO craft using recycled materials and dollhouse miniatures. Find out more and register on our website here.
LEGO Club (Ages 5-10)
Thursday, July 18, 3-4pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join Michelle for an afternoon of LEGO fun! We’ll provide the LEGO bricks, and you bring the creativity! You can free build, or work off of instructions. Find out more and register on our website here.
Family Trivia Night (All Ages)
Friday, July 19, 6:30-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join us for another Family Trivia Night! Work together as a family team to answer our trivia questions! We'll have a variety of topics, including kid-centric knowledge, general information, and questions aimed at parents, too. The family who answers the most questions correctly will win a $100 gift card to Riverview Cinemas! Find out more and register on our website here.
Bring the Hoopla
Saturday, July 20, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Ages 3-5, 10-10:30am
Ages 6-12, 10:30-11:30am
Bring the Hoopla’s Library Program creates a welcoming environment and allows each participant to find success within their hoop! Using our signature Hoopla Hoops everyone engages in basic hoop instruction, age & theme-appropriate games, and positive activities. This program encourages self-expression and creativity! Our skilled teachers come equipped with a sound system and help all participants learn a new spin on hula hooping. Find out more and register on our website here.
Tiny Food Explorers (Ages 2-5 & Caregivers)
Tuesday, July 23, 11am-12pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join Tiny Food Explorers for some fun with food! Come and explore new flavors and textures while playing games all about food and MyPlate! You’ll make a hands-on healthy snack that even the pickiest of eaters will be keen to try. All snack ingredients will be nut free but may contain dairy. Find out more and register on our website here.
Soulshine Arts - Music Together (Ages 0-5 & Caregivers)
Wednesday, July 24, 10:30-11:30am, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Leslie Pratt of Soulshine Arts in Woodbury invites children ages birth to 5 years old and their caregivers to join in a morning of family music! Join us as we sing, dance and play while bonding with your children through music. Find out more and register on our website here.
Gaming with Mr. Matt (Ages 7-12)
Thursday, July 25, 10am-12pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join Mr. Matt for two hours of amazing gaming with Nintendo Switch systems on projector screens! You will also be able to work on some video-game themed crafts. Find out more and register on our website here.
The Poop Museum (Ages 5-12)
Friday, July 26, 11am-12pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
The Poop Museum covers the serious science of poop and pooping, and is delivered with the silliness that you might imagine accompanying a program about poop. It's the perfect combination of fun, and fabulous, fascinating facts, so that kids (and parents) never forget what they learned. Find out more and register on our website here.
Makerspace Morning (Ages 5-12)
Saturday, July 27, 11am-12:30pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join Jen to explore, think, and create in our mobile makerspace! Choose from a wide range of materials to create something new and unique, or complete a craft project using provided instructions. Find out more and register on our website here.
Special Events for Teens:
Glass Bits: Suncatchers & Mosaics (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, July 9, 6-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Learn about how glass is made, how glass is used and recycled, and how we can create art with the bits left over! Make either a suncatcher or mosaic with real glass, special glass glue, and more to create a one-of-a-kind art piece that will last years to come. The glass we’ll be using would normally be thrown away by a stained glass artist, but is perfect for what we are making. Find out more and register on our website here.
Upcycled T-Shirt Tote Bags (Grades 6-12)
Wednesday, July 10, 4-5pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join us to upcycle old t-shirts into reusable tote bags! Feel free to bring your own clean, used t-shirts you don’t mind cutting into. We will also have t-shirts available. Find out more and register on our website here.
Food Explorers: 2 Hours of Baking (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, July 11, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join Food Explorers for two hours of baking! We’ll be making a Crumbl-style cookie and another sweet treat. No nuts, but dairy, gluten, and eggs will be present in this program. Find out more and register on our website here.
Block Printing Totes & Bandanas (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, July 11, 4-5pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join us to learn about printmaking, carve your own block out of foam, and make a tote bag or bandana. All supplies provided. Find out more and register on our website here.
DIY Smartphone Miniscope (Grades 6-12)
Monday, July 15, 2-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Open your eyes to the amazing world of the ultra-tiny when we convert your cell phone into a portable, picture-taking Miniscope using simple supplies. Although less high powered than a microscope, we’ll still be able to see very cool close ups of plants, grains of salt, and more. Find out more and register on our website here.
Cute Animals Hangout (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, July 16, 6-7:15pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Come hang out with a variety of cute animals, both furry and scaly! Meet, interact with, feed snacks to, and pet a variety of animal friends including bunnies, ferrets, sugar gliders, snakes, a bearded dragon, and more! Find out more and register on our website here.
Macramé (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, July 18, 6-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Learn about the history of macramé, how macramé is used throughout the world, and how we can create art with cord. You’ll create your own plant hangers or wall art. If you have ideas for what you’d like to make, please bring them! Find out more and register on our website here.
Family Trivia Night (All Ages)
Friday, July 19, 6:30-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join us for another Family Trivia Night! Work together as a family team to answer our trivia questions! We'll have a variety of topics, including kid-centric knowledge, general information, and questions aimed at parents, too. The family who answers the most questions correctly will win a $100 gift card to Riverview Cinemas! Find out more and register on our website here.
Pom-Pom Cacti (Grades 6-12)
Monday, July 22, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Make pom-pom cacti! We'll turn yarn into very easy to care for cacti, no green thumb required! Find out more and register on our website here.
Fun with Brush Lettering Calligraphy (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, July 23, 6-7:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Let’s create playful letters with brush pens! Taught by calligrapher, Debby Reelitz. Lettering with a brush is fun and challenging all at the same time. We will go through a series of activities that make brush lettering easier to learn–and make a card in the process of practicing! No knowledge of cursive handwriting required. Find out more and register on our website here.
Food Explorers: Coffee Latte Trifles (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, July 25, 2-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join Food Explorers to make Coffee Latte Trifles! You’ll be making coffee flavored cake pops to crumble up as your cake layer, chocolate pudding and homemade whipped cream with a hint of coffee. This recipe is nut free but will contain dairy, eggs, and gluten. Find out more and register on our website here.
Paint a Drawstring Backpack (Grades 6-12)
Monday, July 29, 2-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join us to paint a canvas drawstring backpack! We’ll have a variety of fabric paints, and options for stenciling and free-handing designs. Find out more and register on our website here.
The Friends of the Southbury Public LibraryThe Friends of the Southbury Public Library sponsor almost all of our fun virtual and in-person programs found on the calendar page of our website. For more information about the Friends, click here.
Book Donations
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10-11:30am, Library's Below Ground Rear Entrance
Donate gently-used or new books (hardcover & paperback) for adults, teens and kids, DVDs, music CDs, audiobooks on CD, puzzles, vinyl records, and collectibles! Please bring donations to the library's below ground rear entrance, as indicated in red in the picture above, every Tuesday and Thursday from 10-11:30am.
Lobby Book Sale
Year-Round, Open During Library Hours, Lobby
The Friends of the Southbury Public Library's Lobby Book Sale continues year-round! Located in the lobby of the Southbury Public Library, this sale features a wide selection of books for all ages, including Children’s, Cooking, Boutique, History, Biography, Fiction, Nonfiction, Special Interest and so much more. Open during library hours and refreshed regularly with new books, there's something for everyone at the Lobby Book Sale!
Library Coffee Station
Year-Round, Open During Library Hours, Lobby
The Friends of the Southbury Public Library's Coffee Station is up and running! Located in the lobby of the Southbury Public Library, just $1.00 gets you a steaming hot cup of coffee or tea! All proceeds go to the Friends of the Southbury Public Library.
Brinker Fireplace Room Display: Southbury Pollinator Pathway
This month's Brinker Fireplace Room Display, created by the Southbury Land Trust, focuses on the Southbury Pollinator Pathway, a corridor of native plants that provide nutrition and habitat for pollinating insects and birds. Pollinators are integral to our ecosystems. We can thank pollinators for the fruits and veggies that we eat. Join us Tuesday, July 9, in the Kingsley Room for "Birds, Bees, Butterflies, and Bats" to learn about their role in plant reproduction, why they need to be protected, the threats they face, and how people can help them. To register, click here.
Artist of the Month: Sarah Jane Thornington
The Gloria Cachion Gallery at the Southbury Public Library will showcase the art of Sarah Jane Thornington from Tuesday, July 2, 2024 through Thursday, August 29, 2024.
Cape Cod artivist, Sarah Jane Thornington is passionate about this beautiful planet of ours. Picking up trash and doing beach cleanups have been a constant in her life. Over five years ago, Sarah started thinking about the sheer quantity of marine debris she was collecting, and then either recycling or discarding, and realized she needed to start documenting her finds. She decided to do a beach or litter pick up every day for a year and pick up at least 3 pieces of plastic each day; aiming for 1,095 pieces of plastic for the year. After 9 days she’d surpassed that goal and realized how crucial awareness of the marine litter issue was. By the end of the year, she found about 21,000 pieces of plastic. She counted every piece of plastic she picked up, most was cleaned and sorted and along the way became a marine-debris, or conservation artist because she had to do something with all of the stuff she found. She still photographs and creates with that original year’s stash (and with the new art supplies added regularly with every cleanup).
Ebb the {plastic} Tide art includes a variety of explorations using marine-debris found including photographs, assemblages, rust printing, fibre art, and cyanotypes, among others.
Sarah uses her art to highlight various challenges facing our beautiful planet; from climate change to plastic pollution to endangered species to rising oceans. She’s taking some enormous problems and allowing them to be viewed in an often light-hearted and humorous way.
A recipient of the national volunteer award, a Daily Point of Light for her clean-ups and artwork. She has also been named Steward of the Year by CARE for the Cape & Islands. Her work has been shown in exhibitions across the country and is in collections around the world.
The exhibit will be open during regular library hours which are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30am to 5:30pm, Tuesday and Thursday 9:30am to 9:00pm, and Saturdays 9:30am to 4:00pm. The exhibit will also be online as a virtual gallery here. Please visit our website to learn more.