Category Archives: Programs

Updates about ongoing programs.

Summer Reading Flowers

This program is for children under 10, and will run alongside our Read & Bead program – so your reading times count towards both! When you sign up, you’ll receive a flower head that you can add a colorful petal to for every 20 minutes you read over the summer – and once your flower has fully “bloomed”, it will be added to our Summer Reading Garden in the Children’s Room! You’ll also earn a ladybug or bee to add to the Garden for every 200 minutes you read, and a butterfly for every 500 minutes. By the end of summer, we hope that the Summer Reading Garden will be bustling with life.

The Library’s 2026 Summer Reading Kickoff is Saturday, June 13! Early sign-ups start Tuesday, June 9, but we encourage you to stop by during the Kickoff even if you’ve signed up already. Take part in fun crafts and activities – and while you’re here, check out our displays for the state-wide America 250 Celebration as well!

Read & Bead

This Summer Reading Program is for children under 10. Create a custom necklace over the course of the summer – you’ll earn a bead for every 20 minutes you read, and a charm for every 100 minutes. Participants receive a book log to track their reading time in when they sign up, as well as a necklace chain and a red, white, or blue starter bead in honor of the America 250 Celebration!

Summer Reading Challenge

This NEW Summer Reading Program is for children ages 10 and up! You’ll start off by receiving a Positive Pickle for inspiration – then hang a flower decoration on our “branch bouquet” for every 30 minutes you read during the summer, and pick another Pickle for every 90 minutes! You’ll be entered into the Participation Raffle if you return your reading log with at least 30 min of reading marked – but those who complete all 12 of the Reading Challenges in the reading log will also be entered into the Reading Challenge Raffle!

Participation Raffle Prizes:
– Copper Water Bottle
– Giant Tub of Popcorn
– Rechargeable Earbuds
– Pack of 200 Stickers

Reading Challenge Raffle Prizes:
– Copper Water Bottle
– Pack of 200 Stickers
– Guinness Book of World Records 2026
– The Ultimate Book of Random Fun Facts
– Leather Journal and Pen
– $100 Gift Certificate to The Clay Date

Adult Summer Reading Raffle

Who says Summer Reading is just for kids? Our adult patrons can take part by filling out a Raffle Entry Form online (or in person at the Library) for each book read over the course of the summer. One winner will be selected at the end of the summer to receive a special “Connecticut Adventure Basket” – a mix of passes, gift certificates, and guidebooks to all Connecticut has to offer – courtesy of the Friends of the Library. Delve into the rich resources that surround us here in the Nutmeg State. Every book is a chance for adventure!

Congratulations to Clark Memorial Library’s Passport to Connecticut Libraries Top Travelers – the patrons in the program’s two age categories that collected the most stamps over the course of April! The winners of the state-wide raffle will be drawn next week, but we are also sending each of our local winners a small prize (sponsored by the Friends of the Library). Thank you to our Top Travelers, and to everyone who participated – we hope to see you all again during the Passport Program’s next run!

Parents and caretakers, if you are waiting for your children during a Library program or tutoring session, we have special places for you to pass the time! Comfy chairs are tucked away in our Periodical and Biography area (across from the Teens & Tweens area) and just inside the Adult Literature area (near the public computers). Look for signs featuring Pete Oswald and Jory John’s character “The Good Egg”!

The Library’s 2026 Summer Reading Program Kickoff is Saturday, June 13! Early sign-ups for our Summer Reading Programs start Tuesday, June 9, but we encourage you to stop by during the Kickoff even if you’ve signed up already, to take part in fun crafts and activities – and while you’re here, check out the displays we’re setting up as part of the state-wide America 250 Celebration as well!

There will be a special Rock Painting activity starting at 2:00 PM; visitors will be able to paint a custom rock to add to Rocky the Rock Snake, who is returning for the summer!

Summer Reading Programs:

Read & Bead: For children under 10. Create a custom necklace – earn a bead for every 20 minutes you read, and a charm for every 100 minutes. All participants will receive a necklace chain when they sign up, as well as a red, white, or blue starter bead.
Summer Reading Flowers: For children under 10. Help us grow our reading vine! Add a petal to your flower for every 20 min. you read, a ladybug or bee for every 200 min, and a butterfly for every 500 min!
Summer Reading Challenge: For children 10 and up. Start off with a Positive Pickle for inspiration – then hang a flower on our branch bouquet for every 30 min. you read, and pick another Pickle for every 90 min!Participants are automatically entered into a raffle – and everyone who completes the special Reading Challenge will be entered into an additional raffle sponsored by the Friends of the Library!
Summer Reading Raffle: For adults. We are once again encouraging adults to take part in Summer Reading by offering a raffle entry (online or in person at the Library) for every book read over the summer. One winner will be selected at the end of the summer to receive a special prize from the Friends of the Library!

America 250 Celebration Displays:

Revolutionary Reading book display (upstairs) and Celebrating 250 Years of American History book displays (upstairs and downstairs)
The Three Sisters Boundary Stone (upstairs)
Bethany 250th Quilt & Bethany Bicentennial Quilt (in the stairwell)
Arts@Clark!: Quilting with Friends exhibit (in the Community Room)
Children’s Guide to the Founding Fathers Storywalk (on the front lawn)

This April, Clark Memorial Library and more than 100 other public libraries in Connecticut will once again be taking part in the Connecticut Library Association‘s Passport to CT Libraries Program! We hope that participants will take the opportunity to visit as many participating libraries as possible to experience and appreciate their unique architecture, vibes, and collections. Remember, you can use your library card at any Connecticut library!

The Passport program is open to both children (under 18) and adults (18 and up). Visit Clark Memorial Library any time between April 1 & April 30 to pick up a Passport and have it stamped to get you started. Then take your Passport along as you visit other participating libraries (listed here), and be sure to get it stamped at each location!

If you visit at least five participating libraries, you can return your Passport to a participating library by Monday, May 11 to enter a state-wide raffle with a chance to win a $200 Visa gift card. Six winners will be announced in mid-June: one child and one adult who collected five or more stamps, one child and one adult who collected twenty-five or more stamps, and one child and one adult who collected the most stamps overall. Clark Memorial Library will also be offering a small prize to the Bethany patron who collects the most stamps, sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Have fun exploring, and good luck!

A New D&D Program at the Library!

Based on the runaway success of our ongoing Library D&D Program, Clark Memorial Library will be offering a new Intro to D&D program on alternating Thursdays, 3:30 – 5:30 PM! Participants will take part in shorter, “one-shot” modules using premade characters in order to learn the basics of the game system. We will also be grouping players by age – those ages 10 and under will play an officially published, simplified version of D&D, whereas those over 10 will play the full version. Program dates will be marked on the Library’s Calendar of Events.

Sign ups are required for both age groups, and children under 12 must have a guardian present in the Library during the program’s runtime, in accordance with CT General Statutes. Call the Library at (203) 393-2103 or email Antonio at astrumolo@bethanylibrary.org to register or for more information. Number of players is limited to 5 per session, but additional sign-ups can be added to a wait list if a given session is already at capacity.

Our workshop series with local artist Susan Taddei is back!

The second run of the Library Quilt Bee will take place over 5 sessions on January 24, 2:00 – 4:00 PM; February 5, 4:30 – 6:30 PM; and February 21, March 7, & March 21, 2:00 – 4:00 PM. No prior experience is necessary! Susan will be teaching participants fabric preparation and ironing, rotary cutting, strip piecing, easy triangles, layer tying, and edge binding. The result will be a 9″ x 9″ square sampler.

You must attend all 5 sessions to complete the sampler. We supply all materials – come free your inner quilter in a relaxed afternoon atmosphere! Space is limited; call the Library to register at 203-393-2103.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.