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Hello, Friends!

Welcome to July! Our summer hours begin this month, so we'll be closed on Sundays now through Labor Day Weekend. We'll also be closed Monday, July 4, but we look forward to seeing you all the other days this month!

We are excited to announce that Tuesday Night Book Club is returning to in-person meetings this month at Southbury Public Library. Join us on Tuesday, July 26, as we discuss Olympus, Texas: A Novel by Stacey Swann. This meeting, as well as all future Tuesday Night Book Club meetings, will be held in Southbury Public Library's Brown Room from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. If you have not already registered to attend, you may do so by clicking here. Print copies of Olympus, Texas: A Novel are available for pick up at the Circulation Desk.

Children and teens can find out what the Hoopla is all about (and no, not the ebooks!) with our Bring the Hoopla programs on Saturday, July 23! Hula hoops meet fun and fitness in these high energy, positive movement programs customized for different age groups: Ages 3-5 from 10-10:30am, Ages 6-11 from 10:30am-11:30am, and Ages 12-18 from 12-1pm!

To find out more about these and all our other 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. 130 for more information.

Best wishes,
The Staff of the Southbury Public Library

Table of Contents

- Adult Events

- Wednesday and Evening Movies

- Adult Book Clubs

- Technology Help

- Children and Teen Events

- Children's Events

- Teen Events

- The Friends of the Southbury Public Library: Lobby Book Sale

- Brinker Fireplace Room Display: Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition

- Artist of the Month: Farmington River Quilt Project

Adult Events

Information and Registration: Reference Department at 203-262-0626 ext. 130

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.

Birdwatching in Connecticut
Tuesday, July 12, 1-2:30pm, Online and in the Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Summer is a great time to birdwatch in Connecticut. Learn more about local places to observe birds by exploring Connecticut’s recreational trails, city parks, state parks, wildlife refuges, and other sanctuaries. For Zoom Program register here. For Kingsley Room register here.

Black Bears in Connecticut
Thursday, July 14, 7-8pm, Online and in the Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Join us and learn more about black bears. We explore the natural history of black bears in Connecticut, as well as their habitat, diet, behavior, reproduction and current research efforts. We will also hear practical recommendations for optimum coexistence with our black bear population. For Zoom Program register here. For Kingsley Room register here.

Conservation Conversation: Benefits of Buffers
Tuesday, July 19, 7-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Join Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition to hear about the state of the watershed and water quality in the Pomperaug along with restoration and pollution prevention actions such as vegetated buffers. Buffers improve water quality by absorbing stormwater runoff and filtering nutrient and bacteria pollutants. This program will be in-person only. Please register here.

Stars and Constellations: Current Season’s Sky
Thursday, July 21, 2-3:30pm, Online and in the Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Join us in this exploration of the night sky. We will examine the moon, planets, and the constellations that are visible this time of year – where they are and how to find them in the sky. For Zoom Program register here. For Kingsley Room register here.

Coloring Club
Monday, July 25, 2-3:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Welcome back to the Adult Coloring Club! Materials will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own supplies as well. Registration is required. No walk-ins will be allowed. Register here.

The Character of the Place: Hartford
Tuesday, July 26, 2-3:30pm, Online and in the Kingsley Room, Registration Required

When Sam Clemens first visited Hartford in 1868, he deemed it “the best built and the handsomest town I have ever seen.” But Hartford was more than just a pretty place–it was the richest city in the United States at the time. Join us as we explore the social, cultural, and economic dynamics of the Gilded Age through the city where Clemens helped coin the term itself, as well as the ways the city shaped his career and personal life. For Zoom Program register here. For Kingsley Room register here.

Broadway: A Biography
Thursday, July 28, 2-3:30pm, Online and in the Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Join us as John Kenrick, author of Musical Theater: A History, offers this lively and fascinating “biography” of the world’s longest street, whose name is now synonymous with theater. For Zoom Program register here. For Kingsley Room register here.  

Wednesday at the Movies

1776 (1972) G
Wednesday, July 13, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

A musical retelling of the American Revolution's political struggle in the Continental Congress to declare independence. Register here.

Jungle Cruise (2021) PG-13
Wednesday, July 20, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Dr. Lily Houghton enlists the aid of wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff to take her down the Amazon in his ramshackle boat. Together, they search for an ancient tree that holds the power to heal -- a discovery that will change the future of medicine. Register here.

Redeeming Love (2022) PG-13
Wednesday, July 27, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Based on the Biblical story of Hosea and Gomer. Sold into prostitution as a child, Angel knows nothing but betrayal. Can her heart ever be mended? Register here.

Evening at the Movies

Joe Bell (2020) R
Tuesday, July 12, 6-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

The true story of a small-town, working-class father who embarks on a walk across the U.S. to crusade against bullying after his son is tormented in high school for being gay. Meanwhile, he realizes he is instead missing out on his son's life back at home. Register here.

Licorice Pizza (2021) R
Tuesday, July 26, 6-8:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

The story of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine growing up, running around and going through the treacherous navigation of first love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973. Register here.

Adult Book Clubs

Mystery Book Club
Monday, July 11, 3-4pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

This month we'll be discussing Hardball by Sara Paretsky. Print copies are available for pick up at the Circulation Desk. Register here.

Nonfiction Book Club
Wednesday, July 13, 10-11am, Brown Room, Registration Required

This month we'll be discussing First Principles: What America's Founders Learned from the Greeks and Romans and How That Shaped Our Country by Thomas E. Ricks. Print copies are available for pick up at the Circulation Desk. Register here.

Tuesday Night Book Club
Tuesday, July 26, 6:30-7:30pm, Brown Room, Registration Required

This month we'll be discussing Olympus, Texas: A Novel by Stacey Swann. Print copies are available at the Circulation Desk. Register 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. 130 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 12:00-1:00pm. 

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's Storytimes:

Babies & Books Storytime (6-24 Months)
Tuesday, July 5, 12, 19, & 26, 10:30-11am, Storytime Room, Registration Required – Space Limited

Babies and Books is an interactive lapsit program for babies ages 6-24 months and their parents and caregivers. Find more and register on our website here.

Toddler Time Storytime (Ages 2 & 3)
Wednesday, July 6, 13, 20, & 27, 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 more and register on our website here.

Stories & More Storytime (Ages 4 & 5)
Thursday, July 7, 14, 21, & 28, 10:30-11am, Storytime Room, Registration Required – Space Limited

Children ages 4 and 5 able to sit and pay attention independently are invited to listen to longer stories and complete a craft or activity. Find more and register on our website here.

Drop-In Storytime (All Ages)
Monday, July 11, 18, & 25, 10:30-11am, Storytime Room, No Registration Required

Join Miss Heather for stories, rhymes, and a small craft every Monday (except July 4). All ages are welcome. Find more on our website here.

PJ Storytime (All Ages)
Thursday, July 14 & 28, 6-6:30pm, Storytime Room, No Registration Required

Grab your jammies and join Miss Katie for stories, songs, and a small craft. All ages are welcome. Find more on our website here.

Special Events for Children:

Open House Make or Take Craft (All Ages)
Saturday, July 2, 9, 16, 23, & 30, All Day, Upstairs, No Registration Required

Stop by the Youth Services Department every Saturday to make a thematic craft (while supplies last)! Make it here or bring one home. Crayons and glue sticks are available in the library. Find out more on our website here.

ARTuesday (Ages 7 & Up)
Tuesday, July 5 & 19, 5-6pm, Storytime Room, No Registration Required

Do you love art? Join Miss Renee and Miss Kim for a playful, messy, and expressive art experience where there is no right or wrong. Come to either or both sessions to 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.

White Memorial Conservation Center: Creature Feature (All Ages)
Wednesday, July 6, 1-2pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

What makes a mammal a mammal? Or a reptile a reptile? How about an amphibian an amphibian? Scientists have grouped animals based on similar features. Using natural props, animal mounts, and LIVE animals, we will will break down the characteristics of several major animal groups. Find out more and register on our website here.

Food Explorers Baking: Cheesecake Egg Rolls and Cannoli Cones (Grades 2-5)
Thursday, July 7, 11:30am-1:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Join Food Explorers for a special two hour baking workshop! You’ll create two delicious recipes: Cheesecake Egg Rolls and Cannoli Cones! Each recipe is nut free but will contain dairy and/or eggs. Children will work on most elements individually. Find out more and register on our website here.

Chevron Style Friendship Bracelets (Grades 3-8)
Friday, July 8, 3-4pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required

Join Kira & Katie to make chevron style friendship bracelets using embroidery floss. Make a super cute gift for your BFF - or keep it for yourself! Find out more and register on our website here.

Food Explorers: Three Cheese Pizza Bites (Ages 7 & up)
Friday, July 8, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Join Food Explorers to make Three Cheese Pizza Bites! You'll wrap biscuit dough around a delicious blend of three cheeses and Italian herbs, and bake them in a cake pop machine until golden brown. This recipe is nut free but contains dairy. Find out more and register on our website here.

Tiny Food Explorers (Ages 2-5 & Caregivers)
Monday, July 11, 11:30am-12:15pm, 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 here.

CT Humane Society: Kind Kids (Ages 5-12)
Thursday, July 14, 1-2pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

This program is fun, interactive, and designed for ages 5-12. The program focuses on being kind and compassionate towards people and pets to build upon children’s social and emotional learning. Find out more and register on our website here.

Music Together® at the Library with Soulshine Arts (Ages 0-5)
Saturday, July 16, 11-11:45am, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Leslie Pratt of Soulshine Arts in Woodbury invites children ages birth to 5 years old and the grownups who love them to join in a morning of family music! Join us as we sing, dance, and play while bonding with your children through music. Soulshine Arts provides the internationally loved and research based Music Together curriculum, which provides children a lifetime of joy through music by getting them started at a young age. Caregiver participation provides engagement, bonding, and essential modeling for our little ones! Come wiggle, sing, dance and jam with us! Find out more and register on our website here.

Imagine Nation Water Exploration: Bubbles (Ages 5-11)
Tuesday, July 19, 4:30-5:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Science AND bubbles? Imagine Nation’s Museum Educators are back to explore the science of water with this fun and interesting bubble event! Find out more and register on our website here.

Hot Air Balloon Painted Lanterns Craft (Grades 2-5)
Thursday, July 21 & 28, 3:30-4:30pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required

Fly away with Miss Katie to make Hot Air Balloon Painted Lanterns! Please plan to attend both sessions in order to complete your project. Find out more and register on our website here.

White Memorial Conservation Center: Outdoor Discovery (All Ages)
Friday, July 22, 1-2pm, Outside on the Library Grounds, Registration Required - Space Limited

No matter what “green space” we’re in, you can find nature! We’ll lead participants in several fun physical activities, including a seek-and-find mission to spy natural items, from cones to acorns to feathers to live critters! Participants will truly get to be immersed in their outdoor environment while learning some fun facts and ID tips about the natural items all around them. Find out more and register on our website here.

Bring the Hoopla (Ages 3-5)
Saturday, July 23, 10-10:30am, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Bring the Hoopla brings the fun back into fitness with their high energy, unique program where we use our Hoopla hoops as the main tool! Build self-confidence and focus on teamwork and creativity through the journey of positive movement in this event tailored for ages 3-5. Find out more and register on our website here.

Bring the Hoopla (Ages 6-11)
Saturday, July 23, 10:30am-11:30am, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Bring the Hoopla brings the fun back into fitness with their high energy, unique program where we use our Hoopla hoops as the main tool! Build self-confidence and focus on teamwork and creativity through the journey of positive movement in this event customized for ages 6-11. Find out more and register on our website here.

ImagArena (Ages 6-12)
Friday, July 29, 12-1pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

What happens when you combine the spirit of an art program, the materials of a building workshop, and the framework of a videogame? ImagArena! This awesome, hands on building workshop features more than a dozen building materials to awaken your imaginative abilities. Find out more and register on our website here.

Special Events for Teens:

Food Explorers Baking: Summer Fruit Tarts & Dinner Rolls (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, July 7, 2:30-4:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required – Space Limited

Join Food Explorers for a special two hour baking workshop! You’ll create two delicious recipes: Summer Fruit Tarts and Dinner Rolls! Each recipe is nut free but will contain dairy and/or eggs. Teens will work on most elements individually. Find out more and register on our website here.

Chevron Style Friendship Bracelets (Grades 3-8)
Friday, July 8, 3-4pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required

Join Kira & Katie to make chevron style friendship bracelets using embroidery floss. Make a super cute gift for your BFF - or keep it for yourself! Find out more and register on our website here.

Food Explorers: Lemon Berry Trifle Cups (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, July 12, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required – Space Limited

Join Food Explorers for a delicious hour of baking! You’ll make homemade vanilla cake as the base of your Lemon Berry Trifle Cups, with delicious layers of whipped cream, lemon curd and fresh berries. This recipe is nut free but will contain dairy and eggs. Teens will work on most elements individually. Find out more and register on our website here.

10 Minutes to Save the Planet (Grades 6-12)
Wednesday, July 13, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required – Space Limited

Take a hands on look at the challenge of climate change—what would you plan as your actions to meet the goal of 2.0°C temperature rise by 2050? Use a climate action simulator to see how changing different factors influences climate change. This program is with the CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. Click here to learn more and register.

Minute to Win It (Grades 6-12)
Monday, July 18, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Fast paced and fun, you've got one minute to succeed in these quick challenges! With snacks involved in some challenges and all of them being hilarious to watch, everyone wins. Find out more and register on our website here.

Third Thursday Game Night: Apples to Apples (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, July 21, 6-7pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join us to play Apples to Apples, a game of hilarious comparisons! Easy to learn and fun to play, there are just two types of cards: Things and Descriptions. Each player takes turns being the judge and pulling the next Description card. The other players try to pick, from the cards in their hands, the Things they feel best match that Description—in the eyes of the judge. Find out more and register on our website here.

Learn to Play the Ukulele! (Grades 6-12)
Friday, July 22, 11am-12pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Want to try an instrument that is fun and easy to play? Join Julie Stepanek as she shows the fundamentals of ukulele playing! You'll learn how to tune, strum and read chords. After a short lesson, you'll be able to play songs. No experience necessary. Bring your own ukulele or borrow one of hers. Find out more and register on our website here.

Bring the Hoopla (Ages 12-18)
Saturday, July 23, 12-1pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required – Space Limited

Bring the Hoopla brings the fun back into fitness with their high energy, unique program where we use our Hoopla hoops as the main tool! Have fun and focus on teamwork and creativity through the journey of positive movement in this event customized for ages 12-18. Click here to learn more and register.

Teen Advisory Board (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, July 26, 6-7pm, Tutor Corner, Application Required - Space Limited

This month's Teen Advisory Board meeting for current members is on Tuesday, July 26. Currently, applications for Teen Advisory Board are closed.

Testing the Waters (Grades 6-12)
Wednesday, July 27, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required – Space Limited

We are all drawn to water, but sometimes we harm what we love. In this program, you'll make simulated systems and conduct qualitative water tests to evaluate the health of a water environment. Working to reduce our impacts has resulted in many new materials and design applications; we'll also learn about these and how to apply them to reduce impacts in our community. This program is with the CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. Click here to learn more and register.

Food Explorers: Ricotta Gnocchi and Marinara Sauce (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, July 28, 6-7pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required – Space Limited

Join Food Explorers to make your very own ricotta gnocchi and marinara sauce from scratch! This recipe will be nut free and each teen will make their own portion, with minimal sharing of ingredients or equipment. Find out more and register on our website here.

The Friends of the Southbury Public Library: Lobby Book Sale

The Friends of the Southbury Public Library are having a Lobby Book Sale during the month of July. Located in the lobby of the Southbury Public Library, this sale features books in many different categories, including Children’s, Cookbooks, Gardening, Fiction and more, and is available during library open hours.

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. For more information about the Friends, click here.

Brinker Fireplace Room Display: Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition

This month’s Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition display showcases the rivers, ponds, and aquifer that make up the Pomperaug Watershed, and highlights the important role you have in protecting the rivers you love, the water you drink, and the water you use every day.

Each time you drink a glass of water, wash your hands, prepare a meal, walk past a tree, or watch the rain fall, recognize that that clean water is an essential ingredient for life. Whether it is supporting human consumption or ecological functions, Southbury is fortunate to have ready access to clean water. Only 2.5% of the world’s water is freshwater and only 0.007% of that is deemed clean enough and available to drink. This is why it is critically important to protect this vital resource.

The main stem of the Pomperaug River flows approximately 13 miles from the center of Woodbury through the town of Southbury, and ultimately discharges into the Housatonic River at Lake Zoar. The Pomperaug River is fed by a network of tributaries that flow downhill from Roxbury, Washington, Bethlehem, Morris, and Watertown. One of the most important geological features of the Pomperaug Watershed is the underlying stratified-drift aquifer, which is the predominant source of potable water in these towns as well as Middlebury and Oxford.

To learn more about the Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition, visit our display in the Brinker Fireplace Room anytime during library open hours. This display is ongoing through Friday, July 29, 2022.

Artist of the Month: Farmington River Quilt Project

The Gloria Cachion Gallery at the Southbury Public Library is exhibiting the Farmington River Coordinating Committee’s Farmington River Quilt Project through Thursday, July 28, 2022.

The upper 15 miles of the Farmington River from Hartland to Canton were designated as a Wild & Scenic River in 1994. Since that time, the Farmington River Coordinating Committee has worked with municipalities, organizations and government entities to preserve and protect this resource. One of the many achievements has been the creation of a 25 piece, 50 foot long art quilt depicting scenes in the protected segment. The quilt has been exhibited at many shows and venues with great acclaim for the project, and the talent of the twenty-four artists who contributed.

The Farmington River Coordinating Committee is integral to the implementation of the Upper Farmington River Management Plan. The Committee is comprised of appointed representatives from the five riverfront towns of Barkhamsted, Canton, Colebrook, Hartland, New Hartford, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Metropolitan District Commission, National Park Service, Farmington River Watershed Association, and Farmington River Anglers Association.

The goal of the exhibit is to raise awareness about the importance of Connecticut’s waterways and natural resources. The local Pomperaug River flows from the center of Woodbury through the town of Southbury, and ultimately discharges into the Housatonic River at Lake Zoar. The Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition’s (PRWC) mission is to ensure plentiful high quality water in the Pomperaug Watershed communities through the use of science and education.

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 too as a virtual gallery here. Please visit our website to learn more.