Author Archives: Antonio Strumolo

The following children’s programs will be offered September 13 – December 13:

Wednesday Morning Storytimes: Wednesdays 10:30 AM
Family friendly stories, activities, and a craft. For all ages.

Open Maker Days: Wednesdays 3:00 – 5:00 PM
Visit our Makerspace to build, tinker, dream and delight in our hands-on activities.
Drop in and enjoy! For all ages.

Arts@Clark! Saturdays: Saturdays 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Explore your creative side! Enjoy our exhibits in the Community Room
and then see what’s going on each week in the Makerspace area. For all ages.

National Hispanic Heritage Month officially runs from September 15th to October 15th, but we have our displays up now! Grab a book today to help us celebrate the incredibly diverse range of cultures and histories, as well as the past and continuing contributions, of our Hispanic / Latin American / Latino friends and neighbors.

BE A LIBRARY INSIDER!
For the next few weeks we will be highlighting our fabulous LION Catalog system. Drop in for a short hands-on lesson with a staff member to learn how you can use the catalog from home to effectively search for new titles, place holds and renew existing loans, and take advantage of your library account’s many useful features!
Lessons are available between 2:00 & 4:00 PM on Saturdays.

Local artist Robin McCahill will be hosting two events on September 16th! There will be a drop-in talk from 12:30 to 1:30 in the Community Room downstairs, where Robin’s art is currently on display; Robin will discuss both her work and fiber art techniques in general. This event is open to all and does not require signups.

Then there will be a workshop from 2:00 to 4:00 in the Makerspace area of the Children’s Room, where patrons will learn how to create their own simple felted wool puppet! Workshop participants must be at least 10 years old. Space is also limited and signups are required; you can either call the Library at 203-393-2103 or stop by the main desk to sign up.

Both events are free, and supplies for the workshop are provided. And remember, you don’t have to attend the drop-in talk if you are attending the workshop, or vice-versa!

During the Library’s summer children’s program, our young patrons took part in the All Together Now! House-Building Project – starting with identical paper templates and squares of foamboard, they created over thirty unique houses and yards using craft supplies and their imaginations. At the end of the project, we put all the finished houses together into Clarkville: a model town that reflects the creativity and diversity of our full-sized Bethany community. You can take a brief tour of the completed town using the slideshow above! We will be collecting pictures of all the houses in a book that patrons will be able to flip through when they stop by the Children’s Room as well, and possibly even more exhibitions of the results of this amazing program in the future.

Thank you so much to everyone who took part in both the House-Building Project and the summer children’s program as a whole!

Clark Memorial Library will be closed Wednesday, September 6th for cleaning and repairs, and close at 2:00 PM Saturday, September 9th for a private event.

We will open at 10:00 AM on September 7th and 12th as usual.

Our Arts@Clark! exhibit for August and September will feature the works of local artist Robin McCahill. She will also be hosting a crafting workshop in mid-September, so keep an eye on our Event Calendar!

Robin is from Thomaston, Connecticut. She is a fiber and felting artist who enjoys exploring its two- and three-dimensional qualities. Her work is inspired by nature, textures, colors, creatures, myths and legends, magic, science, and mechanics. She designs and builds props and puppets for performers, as well as performing herself and creating wearable art and home décor.

Robin has been Art Director for Cheshire Youth Theater for 5 seasons, directing kids in plays like Lion King Jr., Singing in the Rain, Moana, Matilda, and coming soon, Shrek Jr. the Musical! She also hosts workshops for both children and adults at Artsplace in Cheshire, as well as libraries, schools, colleges, museums, art centers, rehab centers, and at her studio. She is a bike-fitting specialist and owner of Intuit Bike Fit LLC, and is a licensed massage therapist.

We’re celebrating the end of summer with Dog Days of Summer Reading book displays at Clark Memorial Library! We have plenty of books that put man’s best friend in a starring role, as well as stories that focus on the relationship between pet and owner. Come check out a puppy tale (or should we say tail?) today!

Arts@Clark! and Clark Memorial Library are proud to present the Fourth Annual Public Art Exhibit! The event will take place on Sunday, August 6th, from 1:00 to 5:00 PM, and is free to attend; parking will be available at the Bethany First Church of Christ (511 Amity Road) and Bethany Historical Society (512 Amity Road).

This free outdoor exhibit will feature works by local artists in painting, sculpture, drawing, quilts, pottery, site-specific installation and more on the Library grounds in scenic Bethany Connecticut. It is part of Clark Memorial Library’s summer programming and exemplifies its mission to Engage, Connect, and Grow.

This year’s theme of “All Together Now” celebrates how the arts create opportunities to connect and share the unique nature of Bethany in a lively, supportive outdoor experience. Join us as we come together for an afternoon of art exhibits, children’s activities, live music, and baked goods. We hope to see you there!

Next week’s Makerspace activities are the last of the summer program!
We will be taking a short hiatus until mid-September to plan our fall programming.
Be sure to stop in for “Glitter Fish” on Wednesday, August 9th, 12:30 – 4:30 PM,
and “Design Your Own Boomerang” on Saturday, August 12th, 12:30 – 4:30 PM.
Children will create shiny fish decorations using glitter dots on Wednesday,
and decorate custom four-armed boomerangs on Saturday.