Astronomy for Families

Look!  Up In the Sky!
Join us this spring for a three-part program series, all about enjoying the wonders of astronomy as a family and in a larger community setting.  Short details below or download a handy flyer to save.

Stargazing for Families : Tuesday, April 24, 6:30 p.m.
Learn tips, techniques, and about inexpensive or easy-to-use equipment that make backyard stargazing a fun and educational family activity.  For adults or for children ages 8 and up. Click here to register.

Planet Hunters : Monday, April 30, 6:30 p.m.
Explore Planet Hunters, one of several citizen-science programs to which you can make real contributions to science with brief training.  We'll learn about the Kepler Telescope and execute hands-on exercises showing how to search for signs of extra-solar planets.  For adults or students in middle school and up. Click here to register.

Star Party! Saturday, May 12 @ Dusk (Cloud Date, May 19)
Families are invited to enjoy the glory of the night sky in a community setting.  Details to follow as the event draws near.

Our Program Leader : Dean Kavalcovich
Our program leader is a local resident and engineer at jet engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney.  He is a NASA Solar System Ambassador and in 2010, was named Astronomer of the Year by the Astronomical Society of Greater Hartford.

Sears Parks Stickers : Early Birds 2012

Think July
Just imagine. It's 90 degrees in the shade.  The kids are cranky... but you planned ahead.  You bought your Sears Park sticker early!  Off to the park you go.

Now on Sale
It's never too early to adorn your windshield.  Sears Park stickers for vehicles and watercraft are now available for purchase. Town residents may purchase stickers at a number of locations, including the library. Stickers may be purchased during regular library hours: Monday-Wednesday from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Thursday-Saturday from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

What You Need to Purchase a Sticker
Proof of residency and vehicle and/or watercraft registrations showing same must be presented in order to purchase a sticker. Please be sure to bring these documents with you.

Applicable Fees
$10.00 Vehicle
$5.00 Senior Citizen's or Veteran's vehicle
$50.00 Watercraft/Boat
Day passes will be available @ the Park when park season officially opens in May.

Sears Park Hours of Operation
April: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
May through August: 7:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
September and off season: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Book and Film Discussion Series : Spring 2012

Spring 2012 : The Season of the Spy

Join us for discussions about the lives, times, and exploits of spies and the role of espionage in fiction and film.  Throughout the series, we'll be dissecting labyrinthine plots and exploring the historical periods that made our selected titles so popular.  We'll also be asking you to share observations about why spy-centered books and movies continue to star on must-read or must-see lists in our contemporary but no less complicated times.

Click here to download a handy flyer including discussion titles, plot summaries, program dates/times, and other details.  A quick title summary follows:

Film Discussion Titles : Tuesdays @ your library
Funeral in Berlin (April 10)
The Parallax View (May 15)
The Manchurian Candidate (1962 version, June 12)

Book Discussion Titles : Wednesdays @ your library

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (April 25)

The Eiger Sanction (May 23)

From Russia With Love (June 20)



What's New in Video Games?

Still Popular...
We started purchasing video games in mid-2010 and across the board, our growing collection continues to gain traction with local users.  The collection today contains a modest number of titles (40+); the range of titles is spread across the three main platforms : Wii, PlayStation 3, and XBOX360.

"E" rated family games predominate but we haven't left out those with a preference for "Teen" titles.  No matter the rating, all games must be checked out an adult card so you decide what you think is appropriate for your <18 year-old kiddo.

For a quick list of game titles, click here.

Hearth and Home

Honey Do Books

Now that it's spring, we've no doubt you all have a to-do list for yourself or for your significant other.  Here's a short list of how-to books (plus one just for fun) to help with inspiration and ideas.

Sew up a Home Makeover : 50 Simple Sewing Projects to Transform Your Space by Lexie Barnes

Affordable Remodel : How to Get Custom Results on Any Budget by Fernando Pages Ruiz

Aged to Perfection : Adding Rustic Charm to Your Modern Home Inside and Out by Leslie Linsley

Backyard Cottages and Gazebos by Josh Garskof

Blue : 350 Inspiring Ways to Decorate with Blue by Lisa Cregan

Help, It's Broken! A Fix-it Bible for the Repair Impaired by Arianne Cohen

Deck Ideas that Work by Peter Jeswald

Grow Fruit Naturally : a Hands-on Guide to Luscious, Home-grown Fruit by Lee Lee Reich

Building a Shed : Planning, Foundations, Framing, Custom Details by Joseph Truini

and... Crap at My Parents House by Joel Dovev : fun for anyone who enjoys a good clutter joke... 

Teddy Roosevelt : Mind, Body and Spirit!

Ted Zalewski as TR

An Afternoon with the President
Over four years ago, actor and author Ted Zalewski visited our library and brought to life one of America's greatest presidents, Theodore Roosevelt.  Combining history, drama, and fun, Zalewski's one-man show dazzled a standing-room-only audience.

Encore! Encore!

Mr. Zalewski returns to our library on Saturday, April 7, for an encore performance.  His show gives voice to many of Roosevelt’s own words, writings, and beliefs and shows why Roosevelt's life as a cowboy, soldier, naturalist, historian, father, statesman, and winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace continues to inspire us still.

TR @ your library : January 2008

One Man, One Show, One Unforgettable Hour...
Get ready for a “bully” time with Teddy Roosevelt: Mind, Body and Spirit. A video of Zalewski's performance has been permanently placed in the National Archives, Washington, D.C. He has appeared at a number of Presidential Libraries, including the Reagan, Ford, and Hoover libraries. He has appeared at the White House, the Smithsonian Institution, and The National Theater.

Registration Now Open
For seating purposes, registration is essential and will not be honored beyond the library Community Room's seating capacity. Click here to register online.  The performance begins at 2 p.m.

Program Sponsorship

The program is sponsored by the Durkin Family in honor and celebration of the life of the late Maria B. Durkin. 

St. Paddy's Day Fun

Isn't Everyone Part Irish?

We'll start celebrating St. Patrick's Day tomorrow, Wednesday, March 7, with an evening concert featuring the Kerry Boys, Connecticut's favorite Irish music balladeers.  Enjoy classics and originals performed by "The Boys" : Pierce Campbell, Tony Pasqualoni on bass, and Paul Neri on banjo.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. in the library Community Room; for seating purposes, click here to register.

Books and Reading : Non-Fiction for Adults
Learn a little something :
The Irish Americans : a History by Jay P. Dolan
The Irish Famine by Colm Toibin
The Truth About the Irish by Terry Eagleton
Tracing Your Irish Family History by Anthony Adolph
How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill

Fiction Books for Adults
Great books you may have missed along the way :
Ulysses by James Joyce (Go ahead; we dare ya...)
Fools of Fortune by William Trevor
Trinity by Leon Uris (Skip the sequel)
A Star Called Henry & Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle
Down by the River by Edna O'Brien
Mammy by Brendan O'Carroll
A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry
Everything In This Country Must by Colum McCann

Books for Kids

Check out our Holiday Book collection for go-green selections, both fiction and folklore.  Here's a few fun titles sure to tickle your kiddo's fancy:

It's St. Patrick's Day! by Rebecca Gomez

The Irish Cinderlad by Shirley Climo

St. Patrick's Day Countdown by Salina Yoon

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover by Lucille Colandro

St. Patrick's Day (a textured book for the littlest leprechaun in the family)

St. Patrick's Day in the Morning by Eve Bunting