Now On View

*Serenity: Newtown native Susan Warner will exhibit her portraits in oil, watercolor, pencil, and acrylics in the Olga Knoepke Memorial Room this month.

*Far From Finished: Newtown resident Shannon Hicks spent a week in Biloxi, Miss., a few months ago and took hundreds of pictures while she helped a crew begin building a home for a woman who had lost hers most than a year earlier to Hurricane Katrina. Dozens of Shannon’s photographs, along with mementos, journal entries and other found items from that week, are being displayed in “Katrina Relief: Far From Finished.” The exhibition will be on view until February 28 in the three display cases near the library’s main circulation desk.

 

Programs For Young Adults

*YA Book Talk: Let’s talk about The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Our next young adult book discussion will be on Wednesday, February 14, from 4 to 5 pm.

After learning that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea, Percy Jackson is transferred from boarding school to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods, and becomes involved in a quest to prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

Readers in grades 5 and up, please join us. Sign up at the Main Floor Circulation Desk, call the library, or just drop in.

*Scrabble Tournament: If you are at least 12 years old, sign up for the library’s Scrabble Tournament, part of the Diamond Jubilee celebration.

Young adult competitors will be paired with other students in a Round Robin of six games with great prizes. Sign-up deadline is February 9, and the tournament will be Saturday, February 17 (snow date February 24), from 9 am to 3:45 pm. The $20 entry fee includes lunch.

Adult Programs

*Computer Classes: Dan Tannenbaum is returning to the library for more computer classes. A free class for beginners will be offered on Saturday, February 10, from 9 am until noon. A class for intermediates will be offered in April. Details coming.

*Conflict in Darfur: Global Voice will make a special presentation on Tuesday, February 13, from 7 to 9 pm.

The NHS global advocacy group will screen The Promise, an award-winning documentary produced by students from Danbury High School. Since 2003, it is estimated that more than 300,000 people have been killed in Sudan, with millions more displaced from their homes and at risk of starvation. Spurred to action, these students produced the eight-minute documentary, in an effort to educate and motivate the public about the ongoing genocide.

Students from both schools will shed light on the current conflict. Snow date will be March 8.

Call Kim Weber or Margaret Brown at the library for more information.

*Scrabble Tournament: The Scrabble tournament mentioned in the Young Adult section above will have a division for adult players. Come in, sign up, and compete on February 17.

*NewtownREADS Is Returning: Do you remember 2003 when everyone in Newtown read April Morning by Howard Fast? Everyone received a free copy of the book, there were book discussions, film screenings, a program with Mrs Fast, and even dancing and dining with Revolutionary War re-enactors.

Well, we’re planning another NewtownREADS, this time in celebration of C.H. Booth Library’s 75th birthday.

Join us when we announce the title book at the Celebration of Book Groups on Thursday, March 1, at 7:30 pm. Come hear what our local book groups have to say about some of their favorite books and favorite times together.  Learn about some new and creative ways to discuss books, and be the first to get the book we’ll all be reading and discussing.

On Friday, March 2, we will begin passing out copies of the book around town and we’re looking for volunteers to help us. Please ask at the circulation desk for more details, to sign up for the Celebration of Book Groups and/or to volunteer to pass out books. NewtownREADS is being sponsored by the Friends of CHB.

*Book Nook News: A great collection of books on love, including romance novels and poetry, will be available at The Book Nook for the month of February.

C.H. Booth Library, at 25 Main Street, can be reached by calling 426-4533.