Hello, Friends!
Happy March!
Stop by to visit our temporary location within the Heritage Hotel, located at 522 Heritage Road! Here, you can pick up items on hold and do some light browsing of new books and movies. Our regular hours at this temporary location are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11:00am to 5:30pm, Tuesday and Thursday 11:00am to 7:00pm, Saturdays 11:00am to 4:00pm, and Sundays 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Please note: we will be closed on Sunday, March 2 but look forward to seeing you all the other days this month.
The Southbury Public Library, the “Heart of the Community,” will reopen at our Poverty Road location as soon as possible, though we don’t know when that will be yet. If you need assistance with anything related to your library card account, please visit us at the Heritage Hotel, call 203-262-0626, or email asksbylib@biblio.org.
March brings us the Friends of the Southbury Public Library's annual scholarship! Scholarship(s) up to $2,000 will be awarded to Southbury resident high school seniors who are graduating this year and planning to continue their education in the 2025-2026 academic year.
We hope you'll join us for our virtual and off-site events this month! Some highlights include:
Children of all ages: Irish step dance into spring with us on Saturday, March 15 from 1-2pm for a demonstration and quick lesson with the Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance! We are thrilled to welcome back their professional and student dancers as they show off their moves and teach us a few steps. This program is intended for children but all are welcome.
Grades 6-12: satisfy your sweet tooth with us on Tuesday, March 4 from 4-5pm for a Chocolate Orange Pies cooking class with Food Explorers! Make your own graham cracker crust, orange flavored chocolate filling, and homemade whipped cream. The orange really brightens the flavor of the chocolate, and it makes for a delightful combination.
Adults: Join us in-person Tuesday, March 11, at Southbury Parks and Recreation Department for Katharine Hepburn: From Hartford to Hollywood! This event, presented by the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, will link her career and legacy to her roots in Connecticut to ask how she achieved her truly extraordinary legacy.
To find out more about all of our exciting events in March, see below!
Best wishes,
The Staff of the Southbury Public Library
Table of Contents
- Flood Recovery Updates
- Museum Passes
- Adult Events
- Adult Book Clubs
- Children and Teen Events
- Children and Teen Reading Challenges
- Children's Events
- Teen Events
- The Friends of the Southbury Public Library 2025 Scholarship
- Artist of the Month: Region 15 Students
- Our Favorite Online Resources
Flood Recovery Updates
The library building at 100 Poverty Road will continue to remain closed for the foreseeable future. It remains structurally sound with consistent temperature and humidity throughout the main floors, but is not in a state to reopen to the public. Currently, an engineering firm is creating plans on how to move forward, in keeping with FEMA protocols. After that, those plans will go out to bid. Once a bid is accepted, work can progress on the major systems that were damaged or destroyed during the flood.
For the most up-to-date information, please follow our website and social media accounts or the Town of Southbury’s website and social media accounts (Town Facebook & Town Instagram).
In the meantime, please come visit us at our temporary location in the Heritage Hotel at 522 Heritage Road!
Museum Passes
Museum Passes are back in circulation! A list of available museum passes can be found here. Our passes can be checked out and returned at our temporary location within the Heritage Hotel Golf, Spa & Conference Center, located at 522 Heritage Road, Southbury, CT. The passes can be checked out for 7 days.
Adult Events
Information and Registration: Reference Department at 203-262-0626
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. All virtual adult programs require registration, registrants will receive an email with the Zoom links the morning of the program.
Katharine Hepburn: From Hartford to Hollywood
Tuesday, March 11, 2-3:30pm, Offsite at Parks and Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Registration Required
With a stage and film career that spanned six decades, Katharine Hepburn is an American icon. Born and raised in Connecticut, Hepburn had a career in stage, film, and television that reflected the changing role of women in broader society. This presentation will link her career and legacy to her roots in Connecticut to ask how she achieved her truly extraordinary legacy. This event will be presented by the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History. To register, click here.
Sprout Your Success: A Beginner's Guide to Seed Starting
Thursday, March 13, 7-8:30pm, Online via Zoom, Registration Required
Get ready to take the first step towards a successful gardening journey with our Seed Starting Success class. Our expert instructor, Mark Gostkiewicz, will guide you through the basics of starting your own seeds. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to start your own seeds and bring your garden to life! To register, click here.
Fierce Females: Women in Art (Part III)
Friday, March 14, 2-3:30pm, Online via Zoom, Registration Required
The art world has long overlooked the groundbreaking contributions of countless talented women. This program, presented by Jane Oneail, shines a spotlight on fierce female artists who defied societal norms and pushed the boundaries of creativity, yet remain underappreciated in the annals of art history. The program features a diverse array of artists and media, from the bold expressionist prints of Kathe Kollwitz to ebullient Impressionist paintings by Berthe Morisot. To register, click here.
The First Ladies: Style Icons
Thursday, March 20, 2-3:30pm, Online via Zoom, Registration Required
First Ladies have been admired for many reasons. For some, their sense of style defined their image. In this lecture, presented by accomplished historian and storyteller Valerie Gugala, learn how some first ladies influenced fashion trends and defined the style of their time. To register, click here.
The Golden Age of Hollywood
Friday, March 21, 2-3:30pm, Online via Zoom, Registration Required
From the late 1920s through the end of World War II, studios like MGM, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, Paramount, and RKO would dominate film production, not only in America but throughout the world. Presented by Brian Rose, The Golden Age of Hollywood will examine the forces that made Hollywood the giant of global film-making and the special nature of its achievements during its Golden Age, including discussions of studio politics and economics, the star system, and the nature of the movie-going experience. To register, click here.
Adult Coloring Club
Monday, March 24, 2-3:30pm, Offsite at Parks and Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Registration Requested
Welcome to the Adult Coloring Club! Join us for a relaxing hour of therapeutic coloring. Materials will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own supplies as well. Registration is requested, not required. Please sign up so we know how many people to expect and to receive event updates! To register, click here.
Eat Local Affordably
Tuesday, March 25, 7-8:30pm, Online via Zoom, Registration Required
You’ve heard that food grown locally is healthy for your family. Now, you can learn why—and how to enjoy it affordably. This one-hour discussion on Zoom is led by Laura Modlin, a local food insider, who will give you information you need to navigate choices in our area—including a Q & A to address what’s on your mind. To register, click here.
The 1964/65 New York World’s Fair
Friday, March 28, 2-3:30pm, Offsite at Parks and Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Southbury, CT 06488, Registration Required
Fondly remembered today by many who grew up in the tri-state area, the 1964/65 New York World’s Fair attracted 50 million visitors, and it wasn’t even an officially sanctioned world’s fair. This lecture by Jason Scappaticci will explore the creation, construction, and operation of the fair. The most popular attractions will also be highlighted using original photographs. To register, click here.
Adult Book Clubs
The Southbury Public Library offers three book clubs for adults: Tuesday Night Fiction Book Club, Nonfiction Book Club, and Mystery Book Club. Registration is requested, not required. Join us for a discussion about this month’s books! Please sign up so we know how many people to expect and to receive event updates!
Mystery Book Club
Monday, March 10, 3-4pm, Offsite at Parks and Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Registration Requested
This month we'll be discussing Zero Days: A Novel, by Ruth Ware. Registration is requested, not required. Please sign up so we know how many people to expect and to receive event updates! To register, click here.
Nonfiction Book Club
Wednesday, March 12, 10-11am, Offsite at Parks and Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Registration Requested
This month we'll be discussing Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine, by Olivia Campbell. Registration is requested, not required. Please sign up so we know how many people to expect and to receive event updates! To register, click here.
Tuesday Night Fiction Book Club
Tuesday, March 25, 6:30-7:30pm, Offsite at Parks and Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Registration Requested
This month we'll be discussing First Lie Wins: A Novel, by Ashley Elston. Registration is requested, not required. Please sign up so we know how many people to expect and to receive event updates! To register, click here.
Children and Teen Events
Information and Registration: Children/Teen Department at 203-262-0626
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:
March Monthly Mini Reading Challenge (All Ages)
March 1-31, Online on Beanstack
Join us on Beanstack for our next Mini Monthly Reading Challenge, themed Spring Into Reading! Read for five hours (about 1-3 books for elementary, middle, and high school readers) and get a SurPRIZE. Find out more and sign up on our Beanstack page!
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten (Birth to Entering Kindergarten)
Ongoing, Online on Beanstack
Read a book (any book!) to your newborn, infant, or toddler and keep track 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! 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!
Children's Storytimes:
Drop-In Storytime (All Ages)
Monday, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 10:30-11am, Mat Room, Southbury Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, No Registration Required
Join Jen for an all-ages storytime! We'll share books, rhymes, and songs, and a small craft will be available to take home. Find out more on our website here.
Special Events for Children:
Tunes & Tales (Recommended for Ages 5 & Under)
Thursday, March 6, 13, 20, 27, 10:30-11am, Mat Room, Southbury Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, No Registration Required
Join Jen for a morning filled with music and stories! Children will sing, dance, and experiment with simple musical instruments. Find out more on our website here.
ARTuesday (Ages 3-12)
Tuesday, March 11, 4:30-5:30pm, Kitchen/Arts & Crafts Room, Southbury Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Registration Required - Space Limited
Do you love art? Join us 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. Find out more and register on our website here.
Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance (All Ages)
Saturday, March 15, 1-2pm, Multi-Purpose Room, Southbury Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Registration Required - Space Limited
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with us! The Southbury Public Library is thrilled to welcome back the Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance! Watch the talented professionals demonstrate their moves and learn a few steps. This program is intended for children but all are welcome. Find out more and register on our website here.
Tiny Food Explorers (Ages 2-5)
Wednesday, March 19, 11am-12pm, Kitchen/Arts & Crafts Room, Southbury Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, 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 enjoy. Find out more and register on our website here.
LEGO Club (Grades K-5)
Thursday, March 20, 4:30-5:30pm, Kitchen/Arts & Crafts Room, Southbury Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join us 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, March 21, 6:30-8pm, Multi-Purpose Room, Southbury Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, 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.
Quiet Book Club (Grades 2-5)
Thursday, March 27, 4:30-5:30pm, Parlor, United Church of Christ, 283 Main Street North, Registration Required - Space Limited
Quiet Book Club is a great time to read, hang out with fellow book enthusiasts, and share book recommendations! You bring a book (or several) that you are currently reading, make yourself comfortable, and... READ! For the first and last 10 minutes of the club, you will have a chance to chat and share what you are reading, then for the remaining 40 minutes you can read uninterrupted in a quiet space! The room has comfortable chairs and sofas, but feel free to bring a pillow or cozy blanket. Find out more and register on our website here.
Food Explorers: Chocolate Pizza (Ages 6-12)
Monday, March 31, 4:30-5:30pm, Kitchen/Arts & Crafts Room, Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join Food Explorers to make delicious Chocolate Pizza! Find out more and register on our website here.
Special Events for Teens:
Food Explorers: Chocolate Orange Pies (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, March 4, 4-5pm, Kitchen/Arts & Crafts Room, Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join Food Explorers to make Chocolate Orange Pies with your own homemade graham cracker crust, an orange scented chocolate filling, and from-scratch whipped cream on top. Find out more and register on our website here.
Teen Crochet Club (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, March 11, 6:30-7:30pm, Kitchen/Arts & Crafts Room, Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join us for our crochet (and knitting) club, open to both new and experienced crafters alike. If you’re already working on a project, bring it with you. If you’re new to knitting and crocheting, get started with us! We will have basic knitting and crocheting supplies available. Find out more and register on our website here.
Power of Words: Craft and Discussion (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, March 13, 6-7pm, Mat Room, Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join us for this combination craft and discussion with SMART Inc (Southbury & Middlebury Acting Responsible Together). We’ll make positive word bracelets and keychains while talking about the ways in which words can impact our spirit, mental health, and how we connect with others. Find out more and register on our website here.
Cute Animals Hangout (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, March 18, 6-7pm, Multi-Purpose Room, Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, 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.
Family Trivia Night (All Ages)
Friday, March 21, 6:30-8pm, Multipurpose Room, Parks & Recreation, 561 Main Street South, 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.
Teen Advisory Board (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, March 25, 6-7pm, Library Location at the Heritage Hotel, 522 Heritage Road, Application Required
Want to make a difference in the Teen Department? Consider joining the Teen Advisory Board! We meet once a month to discuss ideas for the Teen Department and work on special projects. A membership application is required, but we are seeking new members! You can find out more and apply on our website here.
The Friends of the Southbury Public Library
The 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. Find out more about the Friends here!
2025 Friends Scholarship
Applications due Friday, March 28, 2025 by 5:30pm to the Circulation Desk at the library's location in Heritage Hotel, 522 Heritage Road
Applications for the Friends of the Southbury Public Library Inc. 2025 Scholarship are now available! Scholarship(s) up to $2000 will be awarded. This scholarship takes academics, extra curriculars, and a written essay into account. To be eligible, applicants must be Southbury residents, a 2025 Graduating High School Senior, and planning to continue their education in the 2025-2026 academic year.
A hard copy of your application (including all three pages of the application and your essay) is due Friday, March 28, 2025 by 5:30pm to the Circulation Desk at the Southbury Library's temporary location in the Heritage Hotel. Unfortunately, we do not have public printing available at the Heritage Hotel so you will need to print your application elsewhere.
Donations
Friends’ Donation Center, located in the Southbury Plaza between Catalyst Gym and The Paper Store
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-11:30am, and Wednesdays from 5-7pm
The Friends of the Southbury Public Library are accepting donations for future book sales to raise funds for library programs and services to benefit the community. The Friends’ Donation Center is located at their new space, generously donated by Gatto Development Corporation, in the Southbury Plaza between Catalyst Gym and The Paper Store. The Center is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., and Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m.
Items accepted include gently-used hardcover, softcover, and paperback books in all genres, both fiction and nonfiction, for adults, teens, and children. The Friends also accept DVDs, music CDs, vinyl records, audiobooks on CD, jigsaw puzzles, and games. Donation receipts for tax purposes are available.
The floods of August 18-19, 2024, completely destroyed the entire Friends’ inventory of material collected in the past year from generous donors. The Friends are extremely grateful to all those in the community, the surrounding towns, and even out of state, who have so generously donated books and other materials. The success of past sales allows us to continue to fund almost all programs offered by the library.
For more information about the Friends of the Southbury Public Library, click here.
Artist of the Month: Region 15 Students
Region 15 Schools are observing Youth Art Month at the Southbury Public Library again this year! But this year in an extended virtual show!
Each year, Youth Art Month is celebrated in March and highlights the creativity and talent of young artists in our community, giving them a platform to showcase their work. While the unexpected circumstances at the library required the event to be moved online, it still ensures the artwork remains accessible to the public. An online platform also offers the opportunity to extend the time the show is available to the community through March and April.
This year’s collection includes pieces from students from all of Region 15 Schools and includes a selection of two-dimensional mixed media, paintings, photography, and drawings. Region 15 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade will be part of the virtual display, including work from students in Advanced Placement Fine Art and Photography classes.
“We appreciate the opportunity to celebrate and recognize our student artists. A virtual show ensures that the artwork remains accessible to the public and provides a stage to share student work with an even broader audience,” said Jeromy Nelson, Director of Fine, Applied and Technical Arts in Region 15. “We are extremely grateful for our community’s continued support of the Arts programs in Region 15 and encourage community members locally and beyond to visit and support the young artists who have put their passion and creativity into their pieces,” he continued.
The displays coincide with Youth Art Month; a program administered nationally by the Council for Art Education (CFAE) and is celebrated by the Southbury Public Library and the Region 15 community. The event emphasizes the value of art education for all students, encourages support for quality school art programs and provides a medium for recognizing skills developed through visual arts experiences.
For more information, click here. To view this virtual exhibit, click here.
Our Favorite Online Resources
Kanopy, Consumer Reports Online, & Libby
Check out some of our favorite online resources that you can access for free from home (or anywhere with an internet connection) with your Southbury Public Library card! We have more details on our website here about Kanopy, Consumer Reports Online, and Libby. Kanopy offers streaming of movies and television shows, including many popular BBC shows, The Great Courses, and Sesame Street. You can access all that Consumer Reports Online has to offer through the link on our website and using your Southbury library card number. Last but not least, is Libby: our app for ebooks, audiobooks, and many popular magazines. For all of these online resources, you need the number on the back of your library card that starts with "24019" and enter it in with no spaces. While Kanopy and Consumer Reports online are for Southbury library card holders only, many area libraries have access to Libby, which is our favorite for ebooks, audiobooks, and many popular magazines.