Children’s Programs

*Hands on Science: What’s The Buzz?

Science educator and Sandy Hook resident Laurie Borst will lead her next Hands-On Science Workshop for children ages 7–10 on Wednesday, October 19, at 4 pm

Make your own musical instrument and explore how sound is made during the one-hour workshop.

Additional workshops will include the following, all on Wednesdays at 4: November 2, Kaleidomania (create colorful kaleidoscopes and investigate the properties of light); and November 19, Target Practice (design a catapult to use in a competition).

Online registration is requested, and a $3 material fee is due on the day of the program.

*Hooked on Llamas: Come visit the library on Saturday, October 22, when we will be hosting llamas from Country Quilt Llama Farm.

Hear stories about llamas and meet the real life counterpart during programs at 1 and 2 pm. The programs are for ages 3–9 and their parents, and online registration is requested.

*Spook House Workshop: Artist Katie Stevenson will get you started with all of the materials you need to make a spook house just in time for Halloween.

Ages 7–10 are invited to join her on Thursday, October 27, at 4 pm. Online registration is requested for the one-hour program, and a $5 material fee will be due on the day of the program.

*Get in the spirit of Halloween and prepare to be scared. Retired teacher John Renjilian will read scary stories on Friday, October 28, at 4 pm, for the brave 8–10 year olds.

*Connecticut Loves to Read Day is a statewide initiative sponsored by the Northwest Reading Council on Saturday, October 15. Newtown dad Curtis Urbina reads silly stories for ages 3–7, from 1 to 1:30 pm; young adult skit based on the book, “The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything,” 1:30 to 1:45 pm; Brookfield High School robots team, The Disco Techs, and their robot, Disco Bot, 2 to 2:30 pm; and Pumpernickel Puppets presents Sir George and the Dragon for ages 3 and up, 3 to 3:45 pm.

YA Programs

Read-to-Feed Summer Reading Logs must be returned by October 15. Young adults who collected pledges for Heifer International over the summer should complete everything and bring the envelope and money in to Margaret Brown, YA Librarian.

*Creative Writing: Poetry for young adults will take place on five Monday evenings, October 17 to November 21, from 6 to 8.

Liz Arneth leads the group, assisted by Jan Bernard, with teen mentor Emily Ashbolt, and participants are expected to attend all five sessions. Limited to ten participants in grades 6–8, and preference is given to Newtown students and residents.

There is no fee. Online registration is requested.

*Duct Tape Crafts: Unwind your imagination with artist Katie Stevenson on Monday, October 17, from 3:30 to 5 pm. The program is limited to 15 young people in grades 5–12.

Bring a clean, empty pet food bag and turn it into a great tote bag, or make one of Katie’s other neat projects — wristbands, roses, sandals, iPod/cellphone holder or whatever! A $6 material fee is due on the day of the program.

Programs For Adults

*High Sea Adventures with Julie Stern: Personal courage and fortitude are matched against the violence of nature and the wickedness of men: questions of justice, responsibility, and leadership are framed in these stirring tales of action and adventure on the high seas.

Join us on Tuesday, October 25, in the Antiques Room of the library when Julie will lead a discussion on Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff, at 7:30 pm.

The series will continue on Tuesday evenings at 7:30: November 15, Sea Wolf by Jack London; and December 6, Secret Sharer, Typhoon, and Youth by Joseph Conrad. Copies of each book are available at the second floor circulation desk.

*Lunch and Learn: The ABCs of Advance Care Planning.

On Tuesday, October 11, at noon, Dr Daniel O’Hare and Julia MacMillan, APRN, will give a presentation on the potential benefits of having an advance directives as well as the specifics of the Connecticut State Statute.

Join us for lunch and an important topic; online reservations are requested.

*Author Talk with Martin Margulies, For Hikers and Travelers.

Martin Margulies will have an author talk and book signing in the Antiques Room of the library on Thursday, October 13, at 7 pm. Join us as Martin talks about his third book, Mohr and More: Hill Walks in Uist (Scotland), which is a collection of articles aimed at introducing visitors to the hidden beauties of those hills, footpaths and glens.

It also contains tips on how to get to there and — as importantly — how to get safely back. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the time of the talk.

*Searching for Jobs Online: Using the Google search engine, professional trainer Diane McKeever will explore online job sites and help you determine the appropriate site for different employment levels.

This program will be offered Friday, October 14, at 11 am, on the third floor of the library. It will be repeated on Friday, December 2.

*Searching For Jobs: Your New Resume: On Friday, October 28, professional trainer Diane McKeever will teach up to ten students how to create a resume, save it to a flash drive, upload, cut and paste, and it attach to an e-mail. Students will create or costumers resumes using templates and can learn how to save them on flash drives — either bring your own, or borrow one to use during the workshop, which will run from 9 to 11 am.

*Get Clued In: A lecture series for mystery writers of all ages and with any level of experience. Most sessions are Tuesday evenings, each beginning at 7.

Michael Dooling will explain how he researched the disappearances of 60+ year-old-cases of three women who were hiking alone in New England when last seen.

October 18: Working on Mysteries without any Clues. Historical writer Michael Dooling will explain how he researched the disappearances of three women — cold cases each more than 60 years old — who were each hiking alone in New England when last seen. Presentation, Q&A, and a book signing of his most recent release, Clueless in New England: The Unsolved Disappearances of Paula Welden, Connie Smith and Katherine Hull, will follow.

October 25: Arming the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: What writers need to know. An officer from the Newtown Department of Police Services will explain the various firearms that your criminals and protagonists might use. Presentation to be followed by Q&A.

On Friday, October 28, Dr Elaine Pagliaro will present Forensic Science in the Pursuit of Justice: Famous Cases. Dr Pagliaro, a forensic scientist at The Henry Lee Institute of Forensic Science, will discuss cases where forensic science played a major role in a conviction or exoneration. Presentation will be followed by Q&A.

November 1: Poisons To Die For. Dr Kathleen Moody, a board certified veterinarian and lifelong murder mystery aficionado, will discuss clinical signs and evidence of different poisons to aid your detective in determining the potential poisonous causes of murder. Presentation will be followed by Q&A.

Online registration is requested for each workshop, and can be done through the library’s online calendar.

*Getting to Know Your PC Laptop for Seniors: Mike Ingber will visit the library on Friday, October 21, from 9 to 11 am, for a free, informative presentation to get you better acquainted with your laptop.

Learn the parts of your computer, prevent viruses, choices for internet access, how to enjoy music and movies, and much more!

Bring your laptop, and of questions! Registration is requested, and those who sign up should note that they will need to use the side/handicapped entrance from the rear parking lot since the library is not usually open at this time of day.

*Getting Oriented: A Novel Travelogue Through Japan.

On Wednesday, October 26, at 7 pm, local author Wally Wood will take us on a tour from Kyoto to Hakone to Nikko and conclude in Tokyo. He will be following the route of the fictional tour group from his new novel, Getting Oriented (see this week’s Enjoy section for a feature story by Nancy Crevier about Wally and this new book).

Participants will “visit” shrines and temples, famous sights and modern Japan. He’ll talk about some popular tourist activities such as buying amulets and posting a prayer plaque.

Copies of the book are $10 and will be available for purchase at the time of the talk.

*Indian Cooking Made Simple: Parul Patel will teach a two-part cooking class on Indian cooking on Thursday, November 3, and Wednesday, November 9, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm.

*Basic Computer Skills for Seniors: Sign up to learn basic computer skills: the mouse, clicking, how to type a letter, what the Internet is and how to access it. Classes are Friday, November 4 and repeated Friday, November 18, 9 to 11 am on the third floor of the library.

Notes From Our Curator

*The second exhibition in our series of Newtown’s young collectors with special interests is now on display in the hall by the children’s department.

Evan Craybas, a student at Head O’ Meadow School, has assembled a wide array of his Thomas the Tank Engine wooden trains that will delight young and old alike.

*Darlene Spencer’s collection of Newtown’s symbol, the rooster, is on display. Her collection spans the early 20th Century to the present, from decorative objects to useful ones, such as dinnerware and salt and pepper shakers.

The earlier pieces have been handed down through Marie Walker, Darlene’s mother, and her grandmothers Pearl Walker and Helen Ferris.

*Curator Mary Thomas would like to create a display of some of the work of 20th Century artists Harrie Wood and Rhys Caparn. If anyone possesses any art works by these Newtown residents, and would share them for a brief time with the community, your call to the library would be most welcome.

 C.H. Booth Library is at 25 Main Street. Call 203-426-4533 or visit CHBoothLibrary.org for full details on or to register for the above programs as well as others that are being offered.