From October to December, the Library will be hosting Homeschool Hangouts on the third Thursday of each month. These are opportunities for home schooled children and their families to meet and enjoy all that the Library has to offer, together!
Stop by between 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM on October 16, November 20, and December 18 to take part!
Next time you stop by the Children’s Room, pick up an Autumn Scavenger Hunt & Exploration Kit! They include an Autumn Scavenger Hunt featuring signs of the changing seasons and local wildlife to keep an eye out for, as well as a journal ready to be filled with notes and sketches, and assorted supplies for exploring and celebrating the great outdoors. The kits will only be available while supplies last, so don’t miss your chance to get one of these fun goodie bags as we officially move into autumn!
Clark Memorial Library is partnering with the Library Speakers Consortium to give our community access to a growing catalog of virtual talks featuring bestselling authors, innovators and influencers, and experts in a variety of fields. Multiple new webinars will be added each month. Patrons can visit the Library’s LCS microsite (libraryc.org/bethanylibrary) to register for upcoming live events – all of which will be recorded and remain available to watch on-demand as well! The archive already includes talks with authors like Kate Quinn (The Diamond Eye), Bonnie Garmus (Lessons in Chemistry), Geraldine Brooks (People of the Book), & Frieda McFadden (The Housemaid).
We hope this service will empower the members of our community to continue their journeys of lifelong learning and personal growth! The following LSC webinars will be taking place during October:
“Nuestra América: Stories of 30 Inspiring Latinas/Latinos Who Have Shaped the United States” with Smithsonian educators – Thursday, October 2 at 2:00 PM EDT,
“10 Years of Daring Heists and Lovable Outcasts in YA Fantasy” with Six of Crows author Leigh Bardugo – Thursday, October 9 at 7:00 PM EDT,
“Finding My Way” with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai – Wednesday, October 22 at 7:00 PM EDT,
& “Courtly Intrigue and Whispers as Weapons” with historical fiction author Philippa Gregory – Wednesday, October 29 at 2:00 PM EDT.
Wednesday Morning Storytimes will be taking a short hiatus during September. There will be no meetings on September 17 & September 24 – the next meeting will instead be on October 1. Toys, activities, and makerspace crafts will still be available in the Children’s Room during this period, so there will still be plenty to entertain our young patrons in the meantime!
Curious about quilting?
Join us for a special four-part workshop with Susan Taddei, one of our recent Arts@Clark! exhibitors. The Library Quilt Bee will be held in the Community Room from 2:00 – 4:00 PM on Saturdays every other week, starting Saturday, September 20th. Check the Library’s Calendar of Events for more information.
No prior experience is necessary – Susan will be teaching about preparing fabric and ironing, rotary cutting, strip piecing, easy triangles, tying layers, and binding edges. The result will be a 9″ x 9″ square sampler. We supply all materials – come free your inner quilter in a relaxed afternoon atmosphere!
Space is limited; call the Library at 203-393-2103 to register! Participants must take part in all four sessions – each will cover different skills and steps in the quilting process.
Come get spellbound with Fractured Fairy Tales!
Join us on Thursdays, July 10 – August 14, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, for fun twists on classic fairy tales, along with themed crafts and/or STEM activities. The program is intended for kids ages 2 to 10; each session will feature separate crafts/activities for younger and older participants. Caregivers must remain in the Library while the program is in progress.
Amigurumi Workshops
July 1st, July 8th, & July 22nd 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Create your own tiny crocheted creature at one of our Amigurumi Workshops this July – no prior experience needed! The workshops are drop-in activities intended for ages 10 and up, but adults are welcome to participate as well! Yarn and other materials, such as stuffing and toy eyes – as well as guidance for those who have not crocheted before – will be provided.
Amigurumi is a type of needlecraft that originated in Japan. It focuses on creating 3D knit or crocheted stuffed toys, which are usually cute and small in size. The word itself is simply a combination of the Japanese words for “knit/crocheted” and “stuffed doll”.
This summer Clark Memorial Library is hosting a special raffle just for adult readers, sponsored by the Friends of the Library. For each book you read (or listen to) this summer, fill out a raffle slip with the title of the book, your name, and a phone number or email address for a chance to win one of two “Enchanted iPad Packages” – each includes an iPad, a case, wireless earphones, and two hours of instruction (at your convenience) from a Library staff member to get you started setting up the device and learning how to download ebooks and audiobooks using the Library’s apps.
We encourage reading and entering multiple times! Names will be drawn in late August.
Raffle slips are available in the Friends of the Library nook at the bottom of the main staircase, and can be filled out and submitted digitally here. The raffle slip link will also be available on the homepage of our website, or you can simply email the necessary information directly to the Library at ClarkMain@BethanyLibrary.org.
Join us for LEGO Club this summer!
The Club will meet in the Children’s Room on Thursdays, 3:00 – 5:00 PM, starting June 26th. It is a drop-in program open to all ages, but a parent or guardian must be present for participants 12 and under. Both LEGO and DUPLO blocks are available for free-building!
Our Children’s Room has been transformed for our Summer Reading Program – Spellbound: The Enchantment of Reading! Watch the video below to catch a glimpse of all the “spellbinding” decorations our staff have put together.
The Summer Reading Kickoff will take place June 14th. Stop by to pick up a Summer Reading chart, a Read & Bead necklace chain, and a goodie bag, and keep an eye on the Event Calendar for upcoming activities and programs!