Yearly Archives: 2024

Pop some popcorn and set up a movie night with Kanopy’s Most Watched Films of 2024, a new watchlist showcasing the breathtaking landscapes, enchanting creatures, and beloved characters that have captivated audiences the most this year!

For a quick walkthrough of how to set up and use a Kanopy account, visit their Getting Started webpage; if you already have an account, just sign in and enjoy!

The Library will be closed Tuesday, December 24th & Wednesday, December 25th for Christmas, so make sure to pick up your holiday reads ahead of time. We will open at 10:30 AM as usual on Thursday, December 26th. Happy Holidays!

It’s that time of year again… Our displays are filled with holiday- and winter-themed books – and this time there are even more to choose from, with three whole shelves in the Children’s Room featuring end-of-year reads. Stop by and grab a book to get you through the longest, chilliest nights of the season!

A Community Asset Since 1937

For 87 years, Clark Memorial Library has grown to meet the needs of the Bethany community. From the commitment of our original founders (like-minded citizens who felt it was important to have a library) to our current all-volunteer board and our dedicated staff, the Library has provided a welcoming environment for reading, socializing and cultural activities. The ongoing support of our patrons and benefactors allows us to continue to grow; as an Association Library, we are a non-profit that depends on the generosity of our community. Your donations are put to work immediately to support ongoing library services, from updating our physical collection and providing access to a range of digital resources to running our Makerspace, seasonal programming, and art displays!

Each year starting in fall, the Bethany Library Association raises funds to support ongoing library services in the Annual Drive. Download an Annual Drive Pledge Card to make a donation via check, or contribute via PayPal, debit, or credit card on our website. Names provided on Pledge Cards will appear in the Library’s gratitude report unless otherwise noted.

Clark Memorial Library is recognized as a non-profit 501(C)(3) and donors may deduct gifts and bequests to the Bethany Library Association as directed by the tax code.

Arts@Clark! & The Bethany Land Trust are joining forces to bring you a fascinating historical display this winter! The boundary stone once used to mark the site where Bethany, Naugatuck, and Prospect meet will be on display in the Library’s first floor exhibit case during December and January. This ancient stone is engraved with dates and initials and was originally located at the top of a steep ravine marking where the three towns’ borders converge in the Bethany Land Trust’s Three Sisters Preserve.

A Historical Walk Through Bethany: 2nd Photo Scanning Day
December 10, 5:00 – 6:30 PM

The Library is hosting Photo Scanning Days in collaboration with the Bethany Historical Society to collect images for the upcoming “A Historical Walk Through Bethany” exhibit! Bethany residents are invited bring in photos that show everyday life in Bethany through the past decades. Members of the Historical Society in the downstairs Community Room will scan the photos to create digital copies for the exhibit and return the originals.

Photos can also be dropped off at the Library during our hours of operation, at the Town Clerk’s office, or at a Bethany Historical Society event; please bring them in an enclosed envelope labeled with your name and contact information so that they can be returned to you once they have been scanned.

For more information, contact Linda Wooster
at ljwooster@gmail.com or 203-393-1832.

Help us welcome winter by making snowflakes and winter decorations! The Children’s Room will have a crafting area open in the makerspace every day during Library hours from Tuesday, December 3rd through Tuesday, December 31st. Make one decoration for the Library, and one to take home! For all ages.

The Library will close at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, November 27th, and be closed on Thursday, November 28th and Friday, November 29th for Thanksgiving. We will be open for our usual hours on Saturday, November 30th.

Be sure to grab your Thanksgiving reading material ahead of time!

After a brief test run, we are officially switching our drop-off location from the two outdoor bins we have been using (which will be removed soon) to the book depository slot built into the wall to the right of the Library’s side entrance. There are signs to guide you if you are unsure whether you’re putting your books in the right place!

From Tuesday, November 19th through Saturday, November 30th, we will be offering a special Thanksgiving craft in the makerspace. Create a colorful custom tail for your turkey using paper pattern-block shapes! You can try out our set of wooden pattern-blocks while you’re here, too; we have picture cards to help you create countless fun shapes and images, or you can free-build your own!