Children’s Department:

REGISTER FOR STORY TIMES: OCTOBER 14–21.

Parents can register for our 3–5-year-old story times beginning October 14 in the children’s department. Children must be a resident of Newtown and at least 3 years old on or before October 26. Classes begin the week of October 26 and end the week of December 7.

 

Young Adult:

HALLOWEEN DRAMA: The Mask & Wig Players present Freaky Phil’s Costume Shop, an original play by NHS student AnnaMaria Marini, and dramatic readings of thrills and chills on Sunday afternoon, October 18, at 3. The show is for kids age 10 and up and their families. No tickets or pre-registration needed. Come join us and enjoy creepy Halloween snacks after the show, too!

 

CREATIVE WRITING POETRY signups are open online at www.chboothlibrary.org. Liz Arneth will lead the five-week program on Monday evenings from 6 to 8, from October 19 to November 16. Students are expected to attend all five sessions. It is limited to ten students in grade 6–8, with preference given to Newtown students and residents.

 

CHESS LESSONS signups are open online at www.chboothlibrary.org for students ages 9–12. They will begin on October 22 from 6 to 7 pm, in the Young Adult area. They will meet for five Thursdays and are taught by US Chess Federation Candidate Master Glenn Budzinski. There is no fee. Students must know how to move the pieces and the basic rules of chess.

 

CHESS CLUB meets Saturday afternoons, from 1 to 5 pm, on the third floor, with Glenn Budzinski. It is for all ages and player levels; boards and pieces are provided.

 

Adult Programs:

Book Discussions:

The Evening Book Group will meet on Thursday, October 15, at 7:30, to discuss Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum

The Nonfiction Book Group will meet on Tuesday, November 3, at 1 pm, to discuss Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

The Daytime Book Group will meet on Monday, November 9, at 1 pm, to discuss The Color of the Water by James McBride

 

Job Search:

Freshen up your job search skills with Cheryl Schwartz’s free resume writing on Thursday, October 15, from 3 to 4:30 pm. Come learn format, content, accomplishment statements, and the resume style that accentuates your positives. Cheryl Schwartz has been a Newtown career consultant to individuals and organizations for 20 years. Please register for this program online at www.chboothlibrary.org or by calling the library at 426-4533.

 

Come Knit with Us!

Join us for a four-week course taught by Robin Taylor beginning Tuesday, October 20. This is a group to help get beginners on their way, enhance the skills of intermediate knitters, and bring lapsed knitters back to the fold. Once you’ve signed up, Robin will email you supply information, including suggested yarn and needle size. Please sign up on line at www.chboothlibrary.org. Space is limited.

 

Film Documentary —

Pray the Devil Back to Hell

On Monday, October 26, there will be a screening of Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which chronicles the remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country. Thousands of women — ordinary mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and daughters, both Christian and Muslim — came together to pray for peace and then staged a silent protest outside of the Presidential Palace. A story of sacrifice, unity and transcendence, Pray the Devil Back to Hell honors the strength and perseverance of the women of Liberia. Inspiring, uplifting and most of all motivating, it is a compelling testimony of how grassroots activism can alter the history of nations. Please sign up online at www.chboothlibrary.org. 6 pm: Social Hour; 7 pm: Film Screening.

 

Behind the Crimes: a four part mystery discussion with CHB’s favorite professor, Julie Stern

We’ll be reading four mysteries in which the authors recreate social conflicts and cultural issues that shape the characters and define a particular time and place. From the carefully negotiated relationship between Afrikaner police lieutenant Tromp Kramer and his Zulu sergeant Micky Zondi during the era of South African Apartheid in James McClure’s The Steam Pig, to efforts of Navajo tribal policeman Jim Chee’s desire to reconcile his modern education with Native American tradition in Tony Hillerman’s Skinwalkers, to the violent mix of mobsters, underpaid police officers, Cajuns, poor blacks, and neo-Nazis who populate New Orleans in James Lee Burke’s Dixie City Jam, to the emotional disconnect that alienates Smila Jaspersen, born out of a temporary liaison between a wealthy Copenhagen surgeon and a primitive Intuit woman in Peter Hoeg’s Smilla’s Sense of Snow, these great reads are highly satisfying crime novels. More than that, they provide vivid pictures of a world different from our own, affording plenty of substance for a lively discussion. Please sign up online at www.chboothlibrary.org. October 21 at 7:30 pm, Smilla’s Sense of Snow, November 4 at 7:30 pm, Dixie City Jam.

 

The History of Jury Duty:

This is laugh-out-loud funny and comes highly recommended from local libraries that have had the program. On Wednesday, October 28, at 7 pm, come to library and learn about how juries have changed throughout the ages. The Vikings, medieval kings, and the New England Puritans all held trials with jurors. Please come with your own humorous tales of jury duty experiences. Register online at www.chboothlibrary.org or by calling 203-426-4533. Refreshments will be served.

 

Stowe and Twain:

Effecting Social Change

On Thursday, October 29, at 7 pm, 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. Please register online at www.chboothlibrary.org or by calling the library at 426-4533.

 

Photography Exhibit:

The Candlewood Photography Club is hosting an exhibit of Art Anderson’s photographs through the month of October.

 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.