Library Programs: September/October 2021

Register now on the library's events calendar for September/October programs at East Hartford Public Library! 

 

Please note: if outdoor programs are postponed or canceled for inclement weather, we will update our online events calendar and e-mail registered participants. Bring a mask! Masks may be required outdoors.

 

Congratulations to this year’s kindergarten students, who will be part of the graduating class of 2034! In celebration, we have author Derrick Barnes’ book, “The King of Kindergarten,” at our outdoor StoryWalk ®. Walk along the library sidewalk and read the story, one page at a time, then stop inside and take a selfie in our Children’s Department. The StoryWalk ® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpeltier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk ® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson. This project is made possible in part by support from Connecticut Humanities.

 

Tuesdays, September 7, 14, 21, & 28 and October 5 & 12, 6:00 - 6:30 PM

Bring the kids to stretch, sing, dance, and explore music together! Meet outside on the lawn, weather permitting, for musical fun. Bring your own shakers or borrow one of ours. Best suited for children ages 2 - 6 and their grownups (young at heart). Siblings are welcome.

 

Fridays, September 3, 10, & 17, and October 1, 15, 22, & 29, 10:00 - 11:00 AM

Stop by the Farmers Market for your fruits and veggies, and then join us under the tree for stories, songs, and crafts. All ages are welcome, but the program is best suited for children ages 3 - 8 accompanied by caregivers. If you like, bring a blanket to sit on.

 

September 3: Disney Day

September 10: Animals, Animals, Animals

September 17: Apples & Popcorn

October 1: Feelings

October 15: Unicorn Day

October 22: Fall & Apples

October 29: Monsters and Creepy Crawlies

 

Wednesday, September 15, 6:15-7pm

Fill your stomach and then feed your mind! Join us outside to make quick and delicious recipes for breakfasts on busy school mornings. Bring a mask and your appetite to learn from Lindsey from ShopRite grocery store. She'll show you how to add ingredients to tempt your tastebuds and keep your grocery list simple. Ingredients and equipment will be supplied. Limit 10 tweens and teens.

 

Saturday, September 18, 12:00 - 1:00 PM

Bring a picnic for a lunchtime show on the library lawn! Based in East Hartford, the Hartford Steel Symphony has been providing musical enjoyment to audiences since 1989, featuring soca, calypso, reggae, pop, classical, gospel and jazz tunes: all with an island rhythm. For all ages. Register for a reminder, and plan to bring chairs or a picnic blanket. The Hartford Steel Symphony performance is made possible by funding support from the Town of East Hartford Commission on Culture and Fine Arts.

 

Thursday, September 23, 6:30 - 7:30 PM

Feeling stressed? Join us on the front lawn of the library as Brian and Marcey Hickey lead us on a relaxing journey with musical bowls. Bring a lawn chair, yoga mat, or beach blanket. Registration required. Rain date is September 27. Best suited for older teens and adults.

 

Saturday, October 2, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Join us on the patio to decorate string backpacks to hold your stuff! Design your own iron-on heat transfers, keychains, and pins to add flair to your bag. For ages 10 and up.

 

Saturday, October 16, noon - 1:00 PM

Saturday, October 16, 4:00 - 5:00 PM

Saturday, October 16, 5:30 - 6:30 PM

Did you know that Center Cemetery in East Hartford is one of the oldest in Connecticut? Or that the last colonial governor of Connecticut is buried there? Join us for a tour led by local historian Ruth Shapleigh-Brown as she takes us through the cemetery and tells us of its history. Park at the library and meet on the library front lawn, where Ruth will meet us to begin our tour. Please note that there is a fair amount of walking with steep inclines and uneven pavement. Stop by between 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM for library services: the library will be closed to the public during this outdoor program. Participants are encouraged to wear sensible footwear. Suitable for all ages. Identical tours will take place at 4:00 PM and 5:30 PM. Rain date is Sunday, October 17.

 

Thursday, November 11, 1:30 - 2:30 PM

Join us on Veteran’s Day as we lay a wreath at the feet of “Ready,” the memorial to the soldiers from East Hartford killed in the First World War. There will be a short program followed by the reading of the names on the monument, the laying of the wreath, and the tolling of the bells at First Congregational Church. Register for a reminder. Meet on the front lawn on the library. The library will be closed to the public during this outdoor program. For all ages. Rain date is Friday, November 12.

 

Please note: masks are required for all library visitors, regardless of vaccination status. 

 

Friday, September 17, 9 AM - 5 PM

Saturday, September 18, 10 AM - 2 PM

Monday, September 20, 9 AM - 5 PM

Arrrr Matey! Me needs some help finding treasure! Have a look ‘round the Children’s Department for clues. No shovels are needed! Just ask the Captains at the desk for yer map to get ye started. Find ‘em all and earn some gold!

 

Tuesdays: October 19 & 26, 6:30 - 7:30 PM

(this program series will continue through November/December)

Want to change the world? Join our club and learn computer science skills from your peers and library staff. When you join, you’ll learn to code from fun and simple online coding tutorials from Girls Who Code, build community through interactive activities, and learn about inspiring role models. No coding experience necessary, all are welcome. This program will be offered in person, but a remote option is also available. For teens in grades 6 - 12.

 

Tuesdays: October 19 & 26, 5:30 - 6:15 PM

(this program series will continue through November/December)

Want to change the world? Join our club to learn foundational computer coding skills and computer science concepts from your peers and library staff. When you join, you’ll learn by practicing new skills, completing fun and simple online coding tutorials from Girls Who Code, and build community through interactive activities with other club members. No coding experience necessary, all are welcome. This program will be offered in person, but a remote option is also available. For children in grades 3 - 5.

 

October 22 - November 18, 2021

Opening day: Saturday, October 23, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Following on the Connecticut Women Artists’ successful exhibit of “Where are the Women?” at the University of St. Joseph during the summer of 2021, the East Hartford Public Library is pleased to host an invitational exhibit of works by members of the CWA during the months of October and November. Come see works by CWA members at the library during this time! On Saturday, October 23, the library will host an “opening day” for the exhibit from 10 am – 2 pm. Artists exhibiting their work at the show will be present during the day with whom the public may interact and ask questions. The exhibit may be viewed during the library’s normal hours: Monday and Friday, 9 am to 5 pm; Tuesday-Thursday, 9 am to 8 pm; and Saturday, 10 am t0 2 pm. There is no charge. Suitable for all ages.

 

Tuesdays, September 7 and October 5, 7:15 - 7:45 PM

Join the library’s Teen Advisory Board! We’re looking for new members to speak up and share ideas on what they want in their library. For East Hartford teens entering grades 8 - 12. Register for the Zoom link.

 

Wednesday, September 8, 3:30 - 4:30 PM

September is Library Card Sign-Up month! Always have your library card barcode handy with a personalized keychain. For tweens, teens, and adults.

 

Thursdays, September 9 and October 7, 4:00 - 4:45 PM

Join us on Zoom each month to create a cross-stitch greeting card. September’s design: apple. October’s design: pumpkin. Register in advance for a supply kit. No experience necessary. For teens and adults.

 

Thursday, September 16, 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Join us for a demonstration of OBS Studio (where you can create your own movies or stream games on the internet) and learn about other green screen software. Pick up your own “green screen” so you can be part of the fun! For all ages.

 

Tuesday, September 21, 3:30—4:30 PM

Learn the basics of Canva, an online platform which allows you to create images for your website, social media, and flyers. No experience is necessary to create professional-looking promotional materials for your community organization or small business.

 

Tuesday, September 28, 12:00 - 1:00 PM

Tuesday, October 26, 12:00 - 1:00 PM

Are you ready to take the next step and open your own small business? Are you newly in business but need some support? These workshops will provide information for anyone interested in starting their own business, or who has started a small business and wants to learn more about what it takes to be successful. The Small Business 101 program series is hosted in partnership with East Hartford CONNects and the Town of East Hartford Development Department. Series presenters include the Small Business Administration, the Connecticut Small Business Development Center, Goodwin University, the University of Hartford Women’s Business Center, and the CT River Valley Chamber of Commerce. Register for one or both webinars, which will also be streamed on Facebook Live via the East Hartford Public Library page.

 

Wednesday, September 29, 6:30 PM

Want to make your own personalized book? Register in advance for a supply kit, and we’ll e-mail you when they’re ready to be picked up! Then join us online and learn how to make a simple mini folded book. You can bring it to life with old book illustrations to tell your own story, use it for drawings, memories, pictures, poetry, or anything else! For tweens, teens, and adults.

 

Wednesday, September 29, 6:30 - 8 PM

Thursday, September 30, 2:00 - 3:30 PM

Friday, October 1, 10:00 - 11:30 AM

Saturday, October 2, 10:00 - 11:30 AM

Monday, October 4, 6:30 - 8 PM

Tuesday, October 5, 6:30 - 8 PM

What do you expect from yourself as a member of this community? What conversation do you wish your community was having right now? Join us at the library for a Living Room Conversation on Civic Engagement to discuss these questions and more. We’ll run daily small-group virtual conversations from Wednesday, September 29 - Tuesday, October 5, with sessions added based on demand. Register for the session that best fits your schedule. Living Room Conversations (LRC) provide a guided method for diverse members of a community to engage in intentional conversation about specific and impactful issues. LRC offer a safe format to listen to and learn about the opinions within the group to discover shared interests, intentions, and goals. There is a shared agreement to leave behind assumptions, judgements, debating, and the temptation to persuade. Add your voice to the conversation and get to know your neighbors! This program series is made possible through funding from Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

 

Thursday, October 7, 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Using the Silhouette Cameo, we will be designing and cutting Halloween themed decorations for your house. Hanging bats, sticky vinyl ghosts for your walls, and more! Join us for this spooky virtual workshop, and we will cut your designs for you to pick up afterwards. For tweens, teens, and adults.

 

Wednesday, October 13, 6:30—7:30 PM

Use recycled pages from an old book to create a festive and bookish pumpkin fall decoration! For tweens, teens, and adults.

 

Wednesday, October 20, 3:30—4:30 PM

Design a festive fall votive candle holder for a cozy glow in your home! For tweens, teens, and adults.

 

Thursday, October 21, 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Join us to design custom Minecraft characters using Tinkercad. We will 3D print your designs for you to pick up afterwards. For tweens, teens, and adults.