C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, will present 20 presentations in five rooms, most only 30 minutes long, from 1 to 4:30 pm on Leap Day, Saturday, February 29, from 1 to 4:30 pm.

The public is invited to attend one, check out the schedule for the next series of presentations starting in 15 minutes, and learn about a totally different topic. Five programs will be offered during each time slot.

“I’m still mad at myself that the eclipse of 2017 … somehow escaped my notice until two weeks before it happened. When I saw 2020 was a leap year, I knew I had to do something at the library,” said Amy Schumann, head of reference at the library. “I had seen other libraries had done how-to events like this — most more smartly in good weather — but I figured it was the perfect event for the day.

“The first thing I did was ask Catherine Findorak and Terry Tortora, the main instructors of the chbMAKERS area, if they were in. They leapt right in, and then I knew we could do this.

“Then, of course, [staff members] Olivia Scully, Fran Ashbolt, and the inimitable Kaki Taylor agreed to help and present. And Newtown has so many active groups and individuals who use the library or attend and sponsor our programs, such as the Chamber of Commerce, the CT Woolcrafters, our amazing Chess Club … I thought I might have difficulty filling all the slots, but I underestimated the pitch-in nature of this community,” she said.

Presentations include Maria Xavier of Edward Jones on the basics of investing, Roger Ames of People’s United Bank on fraud prevention, Kim Welton of SCORE of Western CT on business plans, social media best practices for business with Helen Brickfield of the Chamber, crafting an elevator pitch with John Barry of ITech Consulting, meditation with Prabha Makayee, scoring cheap(er) theater tickets with Ms Schumann, saying the right words at the right time with Sharon Cohen and Bob Schmidt, and creating secure passwords and digital art with Olivia Scully.

In addition, Newtown Chess Club and the CT Woolcrafters will be on the third floor with special activities for the afternoon, and the chbMAKERS area will have ongoing presentations and activities.

For more information inlcuding the afternoon's schedule, visit chboothlibrary.org/leap-in-learn-day, or contact Ms Schumann at reference@chboothlibrary.org or 203-426-8552.