Library Exhibits

*The Scrapbag Quilters are once again presenting a show of their beautiful quilts at the library. “Journal Pages” is on view during regular library hours through April 16.

Quilted wall hangings by eight members of the Newtown-based group were created in response to the group’s interest in a national project called The Journal Quilt Project. Each 8½ by 11-inch panel on view, hand created by a Scrapbag Quilter, represents one month of a quilt artist’s life during 2003. The panels are humorous, poignant, sentimental, insightful and beautiful. Come see for yourself.

Children’s Events

*Story Hour Registration: Registration for story hour begins March 23 and continues through March 31.

Programs for 2-year olds and their caregivers are offered Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 10 am.

Classes for 3-5-year-olds are offered Tuesday and Wednesday at 11 am and Wednesday or Thursday at 1 pm. Children must be 2 or 3 years of age on or before April 5 and a resident of Newtown to be eligible for this session.

All registrations must be done in person at the children’s department. No phone registrations will be accepted.

*Pinocchio Puppet Play: Junior Girl Scout Troop 809 will perform Pinocchio, a puppet show for children ages 4 to 10, on three consecutive Saturdays in April, as part of the first annual C.H. Booth Library Cultural Program.

The three performances will be on April 3, 10 and 17 at 1:30 pm in the main conference room in the children’s section of the library. Each show will be followed by fun sing-along songs and a hands-on activity, such as a craft or a simple Italian snack.

Each full program will run from 1:30 to 2 pm and is limited to 75 children. Tickets will be available at the door. Registration is required for the craft activities, as space is limited. Sign up in the children’s department.

*Spring Craft Workshop: Marie Walker will conduct a spring craft workshop for children ages 6 and older on Saturday, April 3, from 1 to 2 pm. A $3 material fee is due upon registration. Sign up in the Children’s Department.

Young Adults

*Get On Board & Read: Win a meeting with skateboarder Tony Hawk in the 2004 Get on Board and Read! contest.

Students ages 12 to 18 can enter this national contest with an essay, poem, painting or video about how a favorite book is meaningful to you.

Entry forms are available in the Young Adult area and must be postmarked by April 23. Stop in the library for more information.

Adult Programs

*Tax Help: Free tax help is available at the library from each Saturday until April 10 between 10 am and 2 pm.

No appointment is necessary. Just bring any related papers and drop in.

*Computer Classes: An intermediate computer class will be offered on Saturday, March 27, from 9 am until noon. Cost for this class is $10 and registration is required; call the library.

*Local Author Visiting: Author Phil Steele, son of the broadcasting legend and humorist Bob Steele, will talk about his father’s career on radio as well as his book, The Word of the Day: Sixty-five Years of Wit, Wisdom, and Mispronunciation on Tuesday, March 30, at 7 pm.

*Free Blood Pressure Screening: Ashlar of Newtown will sponsor its next free blood pressure screening on Wednesday, March 31, between 10 am and noon. No need to register, just drop by.

*Celebrating Italy: C.H. Booth library will be celebrating all things Italian during April with programs devoted to the food, art, films and literature of Italy.

On Friday, April 2, at 7 pm, we’ll kick off the celebration program with an Italian vegetarian cooking demonstration and wine tasting. This program is free but limited to 50 adults. Sign up now, and come see what’s going on at the library.

On Sunday, April 4, join Newtown photographers Rita Frost and Francis Caro for the opening reception of “A Taste of Italy.” The couple will be presenting a collection of their photographs taken in Italy during the month, and will celebrate with catered refreshments on Palm Sunday beginning at 4 pm. The exhibition will then remain on view until April 22.

*Why Is She Smiling? On Tuesday, April 6, at 7:30 pm, art historian Joy Pepe will give a lecture and slide show on Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.” The program is free but seating is limited so call the library to reserve a place.

*Book Groups: There are lots of ongoing book clubs that meet at the library each month. Classics, mysteries, history, plays, popular fiction, great literature… what do you like to read? Newcomers are always welcome.

The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by H.W. Brands will be discussed on Tuesday, April 6, at 1 pm; Reeds in the Wind by Grazia Deledda will be discussed on Monday, April 12, at 7:30 pm; Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev will be discussed on Thursday, April 15, at 7:30 pm; and As Like It by William Shakespeare will be discussed on Thursday, April 22, at 7:30 pm.

*Can Great Literature Be Funny? Gordon Williams and Liz Arneth will conclude their book discussion series “Can Great Literature Be Funny” on April 22. The final play is Shakespeare’s As You Like It.

The discussions will be in the Special Collections room on the library’s third floor, and begins at 7:30 pm.

C.H. Booth Library, at 25 Main Street, can be reached at 426-4533. Winter hours are 10 am to 8 pm Monday through Thursday, noon to 5 pm on Friday, 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday, and 1 to 5 pm on Sunday.