Category Archives: Collection

Updates about new books, new shelf displays, and non-book items in the collection (puzzles, games, etc).

Looking for something scary to watch this Halloween? The Kanopy Crypt Collection has arrived! Featuring a handpicked lineup of horror films and TV series – from iconic slashers and atmospheric ghost stories to prestige horror and cult classics, there’s something for every kind of scare.

All you need to access this collection – as well as hundreds of other classic and indie films, TV shows, and documentaries – is your library card. 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. New media and watchlists are added on a regular basis!

It’s that time of year again! Halloween is on the horizon, and we’ve filled our displays with sinister and spooky stories to celebrate. Stop by and pick up a spine-chilling late-autumn read, and be sure to check out the Kanopy Crypt Collection on our streaming service for a selection of scary movies as well!

Join the Bethany Sustainability Committee, our local branch of Sustainable CT, on Thursday, October 8 for a presentation and Q&A about balcony solar panels. The presentation starts at 6:30 PM and will take place in the Library’s Community Room.

As of October 1, Connecticut allows homeowners and renters to set up personal solar panels to reduce monthly electricity bills. This empowers individuals to use solar power without the complexities and costs associated with traditional rooftop installments. Attend the presentation to learn more about the ins and outs of this technology, and see whether it’s right for you – and check out our Sustainable Bethany display outside the Teens & Tweens area upstairs while you’re here!

Ahoy! Did ye know that this Saturday be Talk Like a Pirate Day?
This celebration of scalawags and buccaneers takes place every year on September 19! Add some swagger to your everyday conversation with pirate lingo, and stop by the Library any time this week to check out our piratical pop-up book display in the Children’s Room.

Are you planning an end-of-summer day trip? Don’t forget that the Library has eight Museum Passes that provide free or reduced admission to a variety of museums and attractions in Connecticut, including Beardsley Zoo, Wadsworth Atheneum, and Dinosaur State Park’s Exhibit Center! Museum Passes can be checked out just like books, but they can’t be renewed or put on hold. For a full list and additional information about each pass, visit the Museum Passes page on the Library’s website: bethanylibrary.org/museum-passes

Have you seen our Nutmeg Book Displays?

Right now, Clark Memorial Library’s Children’s Room and Teens & Tweens Area both have Nutmeg Book Award displays featuring the 2027 Nutmeg Nominees, as well as the 2026 Nutmeg Winners! Whether you’re just looking for a good summer reading book or plan to vote on which of the Nominees will become next year’s winner(s) in April, you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy. Every Nominee has been selected from hundreds of submissions from children’s and school librarians – not to mention kids themselves! – from across the state, so you know they’re the best of the best!

If you don’t see a physical copy of the book you’re looking for, remember that many Nutmeg books are also available in ebook or audiobook format via the Library’s apps – Libby, Palace, and Hoopla. Palace even has a curated Nutmeg booklist featured on its homepage!

The Library’s America 250 Celebration may be over, but we will be keeping our Revolutionary Reading and Celebrating 250 Years of American History book displays up until Independence Day! Check out both fiction and non-fiction books covering a variety of touchstone periods in the history of the United States, including the Colonial Period, the Revolutionary, Civil, and World Wars, Westward Expansion, and the Civil Rights Movement. It’s a great chance to learn more about the history of our country!

America 250 at the Library!

On Saturday, June 13, the Library will be taking part in a town-wide celebration of America 250, the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Stop by any time during Library hours to see our Revolutionary Reading book display and the Three Sisters Boundary Stone upstairs, the 2026 Bethany Celebrates America 250th Quilt and 1976 Bethany Bicentennial Quilt in the stairwell, a special Arts@Clark! exhibit by the Bethany Quilt & Friendship Group in the Community Room, and a Children’s Guide to the Founding Fathers Storywalk along the edge of the front lawn!

Our Summer Reading Kickoff will be happening at the same time, so be sure to sign up for the Read & Bead and Summer Reading Flowers programs (ages 10 and under), the Teens & Tweens Summer Reading Challenge (ages 10 and up), or the Adult Summer Reading Raffle while you’re here. There will also be crafts and activities, including a special Rock Painting activity starting at 2:00 PM.

The Nutmeg Book Award allows students to choose their favorite books from lists of ten nominated titles at four reading levels (Elementary, Intermediate, Middle School, & High School) and vote for them in April. The Library will be adding copies of many of the 2027 nominees to its physical collection soon, but we already have a curated booklist on the Palace app that includes ebook and audiobook editions of both the 2027 nominees (with sublists divided by reading level) and the 2026 winners!

Whether you’re planning to vote or just looking for a good summer reading book, sign in to Palace and take a look. If you don’t find what you’re looking for there, you can check out our other digital media apps, Libby and Hoopla. All three can be used for free – all you need to create an account is a library card and an email address! More information is available on the Library website.

Did you know that May is National Pet Month? This annual celebration of the mutual benefits of animal companionship also promotes responsible pet care and animal welfare in general, to ensure pets can live healthy, comfortable, and fulfilling lives. We’ve filled our book displays with pet books to celebrate: from the everyday, to the exotic, to the fantastical! You may find a book about a boy and his dog right next to one about caring for mythical creatures or dinosaurs. Whether its a pet you already love or a pet you wish you had, we’re sure to have something for you!