Now On View

*Main Floor Exhibit: Faith Gulick and John Renjilian from Newtown Historical Society have created two displays near the circulation desk with memorabilia that document Newtown’s growth during the 20th Century.

Items relate to the founding of the Newtown chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and also include Volume One of The Bugle from 1919, and pictures from the Boy’s Social and Athletic Club from the Fifties, and of the former golf course at Eden Hill in the Hattertown district.

*First Floor Display Cases: Newtown resident and artist Paula Brinkman has mounted a beautiful collection called “The Pool Books of Paula Brinkman” in the lower level display case. The sketchbooks contain watercolor images painted in Paula’s diary of her experiences in New York exercising in a pool every day.

Also shown are her favorite art supplies. Reflections in her books include this quote: “Water holds all of the mystery and all of the answers for me.”

*Also On View: A costume from the antique garment collection is displayed on the second floor. It is a ball gown worn in 1882 by Mrs. E.A. Hawley, aunt of Mary Hawley. It was a gift from Mirable Crabtree, and considering its age, is in very good condition.

Family Program

*Great Volunteer Opportunity: 8 to 8 for Haiti, a readathon, will take place on Sunday, August 8, between 8 am and 8 pm. By reading a book you can help raise money for the Haitian relief effort.

How does it work? Sign up for a two- or four-hour time slot by calling the library at 203-426-4533. Come to the library to pick up your volunteer packet. Ask friends and family to sponsor your reading.

On August 8 come to the library with your favorite book and read. We’ll have snacks and some other fun activities planned throughout the day, and all money earned will go to Haitian Health Foundation. We are trying to raise $600 which will purchase a house in Haiti.

Children’s Programs

*Summer Reading continues until August 14, so there is still time to participate.

Children ages 4 through grade 5 can take part in this program, where they will receive incentives for every five books read during summer break. We have lots of great incentives this year including free passes to Westerners Baseball games, The Sports Center in Shelton, and Golf Quest in Brookfield, pizza from My Place Restaurant, or a donut from Dunkin’ Donuts.

Children read books they choose and stop by the library at their convenience to discuss the books with a young adult volunteer and collect their prizes.

*Stories With Curtis: Curtis Urbina brings his own brand of humor to a drop-in story time for children ages 4-6 on Mondays, through August 2, at 10 am.

Registration is not needed.

*Monday Crafts: Marie Walker is conducting 45-minute Monday craft programs for children ages 6-9. Programs continue for another two weeks, on August 2 and 9.

Registration needs to be done in person at the children’s circulation desk. A $3 material fee is due upon registration. Programs begin at 3:30.

*Water Wizards: Educator Bonnie Shugrue is conducting a series of hands on science workshops for children ages 7-10 that focus on one of our most precious natural resources: water.

All classes will meet in the children’s story hour room on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 to 4:30 pm.

Sign up online for each of the following workshops: August 3, “Filtering H20,” where you will make an effective water filter; and August 10, “Who Needs Wetlands?,” building a model of a wetland.

*PJ Story Time: This popular summer pajama story time takes places on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm in the library meeting room.

Children ages 3-7 will engage in silly songs, rhymes, stories and a puppet show. No registration required.

Programs will continue on August 3 and 10.  PJs are optional, but highly recommended.

*Read to Trixie: Children can sign up to read aloud to a certified therapy dog on Saturdays, August 7, 14 and 21.

Trixie, a rescue Australian shepherd mix, will be in the children’s story hour room from 11 am until noon each weekend.  Sign up for a 15-minute time slot at the children’s circulation desk.

*Drawing Exotic Birds: Former Disney artist Kristine Humber will conduct a workshop on how to draw birds for ages 8-12 on Thursday, August 12, at 3:30 pm in the story hour room.

Registration can be done online, and there is a $5 material fee payable on the day of the program.

*Bach 2 Rock:  New Date and Time!

Classically trained violinist Caryn Lin will transform her single instrument into a virtual orchestra through the magic of looping on Tuesday, August 24, at 3:30 pm, in the library meeting room.

This is a new date and time for the program, which was originally scheduled for late July. We hope you will join is. Caryn’s enthusiasm for music will inspire and entertain.

Online registration is requested for this family program designed for ages 6 to adult.

 Young Adult Update

*The Teen Summer Reading Challenge for rising grades 6-12 is in full swing.

Every time you finish a book, fill out the form at the display in the YA area. Turn it in for raffle tickets at the main desk, then deposit your tickets in the raffle prize boxes of your choice.

The final drawing of the summer will take place on August 9.

There will also be a grand prize drawing at the end for a Laser Tag Party for eight at the Sports Center of Shelton. Everyone’s name will be entered in the grand prize drawing.

Programs For Adults

 *A Terrible Glory: A book discussion series with Julie Stern will finish on Wednesday, August 4, at 7:30 pm, with a discussion of Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horowitz.

Multiple copies of the books are available at the circulation desk.

*Try Something New!

Sign up for Adult Summer Reading online at CHBoothLibrary.org and you’ll be eligible to win fun prizes and gift certificates from local merchants.

Sal e Pepe, Newtown Youth Academy, Ricci’s Salon, Dunkin Donuts, and the Friends of the CH Booth Library have all donated great gifts. We’ll have a drawing at the end of the month and then another in August.

*Haiti Through His Eyes: Haitian Photojournalist Marc-Yves Regis will visit on Wednesday, August 11, at 7 pm, to discuss the situation in Haiti and his recent experiences there.

Mr Regis is the author of three books: Haiti Through My Eyes, a selection of poetry about Haiti; Deadly Road to Democracy, a first person account of Haiti’s violent struggle for democracy; and Two Good Feet, a photographic documentary of physically challenged Haitian children.

Mr Regis recently finished his latest book, When Freedom Comes, a photographic documentation about the lives of Haitian braceros, or field hands, in the highly restrictive sugarcane plantations in the Dominican Republic.

The program is free and refreshments will be served.

 

C.H. Booth Library is at 25 Main Street in Newtown. Call 203-426-4533 or visit CHBoothLibrary.org to register for any of the above listings, and for information on additional programs and offerings.