Currently On View

*Opening this weekend will be “The Life & Talent of Arthur A. Anderson,” an exhibition of photographs by the late Newtown resident that is being coordinated by friends and fellow members of Candlewood Photography Club.

The exhibition will be on view until October 31, and the public is invited to join Candlewood club members for the opening reception on Sunday, October 4, from 2 to 4 pm.

*Also on view, upstairs, until October 23, is the annual exhibition of recent works by The Scrapbag Art Quilters.

“Gray Plus On” is the result of a challenge to the quilters to use only one color in addition to grays their works.

Young Adult Activities

*HALLOWEEN DRAMA: The Mask & Wig Players will present “Freaky Phil’s Costume Shop,” an original play by NHS student AnnaMaria Marini, and dramatic readings of thrills and chills, on Sunday, October 18, at 3 pm.

The show is for kids age 10 and up and their families. No tickets or registration needed.

Come join us and enjoy Halloween snacks after the show, too!

*Chess Club meets Saturday afternoons on the third floor with Glenn Budzinski.

It’s for all ages and player levels, and boards and pieces are provided. Drop in and play chess from any Saturday between 1 and 5 pm.

*Creative Writing: Signups for Creative Writing – Poetry are also open online.

Liz Arneth will lead the five-week programs on Mondays, October 19 to November 16, from 6 to 8 pm each week.

The course is open to ten students in grades 6-8, with preference given to Newtown students and residents. Students are expected to attend all five sessions.

*Chess Lessons: Signups are open online for students ages 9-12 who would like to learn how to play chess from a master.

US Chess Federation Candidate Master Glenn Budzinski will offer free lessons. Sessions will meet on Thursdays from 6 to 7 pm, and will begin October 22. The lessons will run for five weeks, and are free.

Students must know the basic rules of the game and how to move the pieces, however.

Adult Programs

*Book Discussions: The Nonfiction Book Group will meet on Tuesday, October 6, at 1 pm, to discuss A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horwitz; The Evening Book Group will meet on Thursday, October 15, at 7:30 pm, to discuss Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum; and The Daytime Book Group will meet on Monday, October 19, at 1 pm, to discuss either a title by Carl Hiaasen or a title by Janet Evanovich.

Newcomers are always welcome, and the library usually has many copies of each title to be discussed.

*Job Search: Freshen up your job search skills with Cheryl Schwartz’s free resume writing workshop on Thursday, October 15, from 3 to 4:30 pm.

Learn format, content, accomplishment statements, and the resume style that accentuates your positives.

Cheryl has been a Newtown career consultant to individuals and organizations for 20 years.

Registration is requested; call the library or visit its website.

*Behind the Crimes, a mystery discussion with CHB’s favorite professor, Julie Stern, will continue on with a discussion of Peter Hoeg’s Smila’s Sense of Snow on October 21 and then James Lee Burke’s Dixie City Jam on November 4. Discussions begin at 7:30 pm, and online registration is requested.

*The History of Jury Duty: The Vikings, Medieval kings, and the New England Puritans all held trials with jurors. “The History of Jury Duty” is a laugh out loud funny program that comes highly recommended from local libraries that have had the program. 

Join us on Wednesday, October 28, at 7 pm, and learn about how juries have changed throughout the ages. Come with your own humorous tales of jury duty experiences, too.

Please register online or by calling the library. Refreshments will be served.

*Stowe and Twain: Effecting Social Change.

On Thursday, October 29, at 7 pm, members of The Mark Twain House & Museum and The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center will visit the library to discuss two great Connecticut neighbors who had a great impact on American culture in the late 19th Century. Their works continue to have relevance in today’s discussions on race in America.

Registration is requested and can be done online or over the phone.

C.H. Booth Library is at 25 Main Street in Newtown. Call 426-4533 or visit CHBoothLibrary.org to register for any of the above listings, and for information on additional programs and offerings.