Fossil Factory! At The Essex Library

Wednesday, April 17  from 3:30 – 5: 00 p.m.
Kids in grades 3 – 6 are welcome to join us in order to unearth a small fossil that they will get to take home.  As presented by the Children’s Museum of West Hartford, they will learn how fossils form and will get to examine some of the bony specimens on leave from the museum. Kids will get to look closely for clues about where each fossil comes from and will try to guess at what type of animal it might be.

A Grave Affair: Historic Graveyard Walk At River View Cemetery

Saturday, October 20th at 4 p.m.

What mysteries lurk in the old graveyard? What messages are hidden in its ancient tombstones? Join us for a walking tour of River View Cemetery with members of the Essex Historical Society . The walk will begin at the Essex Library, and families with children older than four are welcome to leave them for the duration of the walk at the Library, where we’ll show the holiday favorite It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! Spooky good fun for adults, and a not-so-spooky good time at the Library for the little ones. Registration is requested for this program, please.

DO NOT Miss The Next Mad Science Event!

Our next hands on science and engineering experiments for students aged 7-12 will take place on Wednesday, August 11th at 3 p.m.

Yesterday, our Mad Scientists constructed a variety of chutes all over the Program Room to see what effect gravity has on marbles. Anybody played a giant game of Mousetrap lately? Mad fun for all!

Irish Music At The Essex ‘Go Bragh’ Library

Tuesday, March 15th at 7 p.m.

It’s an early St. Patrick’s Day treat when Irish troubadour Tom O’Carroll returns to the Essex Library for an evening of music and folklore.

National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week

Passing by a vote of 369-0 last July, the designation of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week beginning September 13th, 2010 was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives with Resolution 1472.

“Resolved, That the House of Representatives

(1) supports the designation of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, including raising public awareness about the importance of adult education and family literacy;

(2) encourages people across the United States to support programs to assist those in need of adult education and family literacy programs; and

(3) requests that the President issue a proclamation recognizing the importance of adult education and family literacy programs, calling upon the Federal Government, States, localities, schools, libraries, nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, consumer advocates, institutions of higher education, labor unions, and businesses to support increased access to adult education and family literacy programs to ensure a literate society.”

In the Whereas’ text of the Resolution, no fewer than 18 reasons are given for why “the literacy of its citizens is essential for the economic well-being of the United States, our society, and the individuals who can benefit from full participation therein”.

The vote was unanimous; adult education and family literacy are essential says Congress. One step parents can take in promoting early reading skills for their children is to participate in Library story times. Registration for autumn story times at the Essex Library will take place on Monday, September 27th at 10 a.m. For more information, click here.

If your kids are too old for story hours, they’re never too old for a trip to the Library to select  books or audiobooks that can open new worlds of learning and enjoyment for them. The Library is open 6 days-a -week. Make the time to come in and take advantage of all the free access to books and materials and programs we have…Congress says it’s essential.

Huzzah! Celebrate Patriot Week With The Essex Library April 12-17th

Join us for a week’s worth of spring break events, classes, and more, for kids, families, and adults. We’ll feature:

Felicity: An American Girl Adventure, this film, about two girls whose parents are on opposite sides of the conflict, will be shown on Monday, April 12th at 2 p.m.

Colonial Crafts with the Essex Historical Society’s Carol Young on Tuesday, April 13th at 10 a.m. For children in grades K-3.

Colonial Games and Toys with the CT River Museum’s Jennifer White-Dobbs, Wednesday, April 14th at 3:30 p.m. For children in grades K-5.

Fife and Drumming Workshop Thursday, April 15th at 3:30 p.m. with the Deep River Junior Ancients for ages 7-15.

Johnny Tremain, this film about an adolescent in Boston describes how he is drawn into the Revolutionary War and becomes a patriot figh will be shown Friday, April 16th at 10 a.m. For everyone grade 5 and older.

Wesleyan Professor and author/historian Richard Buel will screen the film Mary Silliman’s War, Friday, April 16th at 3 p.m. Based on his and the late Joy Day Buel’s book “The Way of Duty: A Woman and Her Family in Revolutionary America”, followed by a discussion on women’s lives in the Revolutionary period. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

The 5th Connecticut Regiment, historical re-enactors, will set up a military camp Saturday, April 17th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the meadows behind Pratt House, complete with military exercises and demonstrations of cooking, spinning, metal smithing, medicine, music, and more. It’s a mini-Williamsburg – and it’s FREE! for people of all ages. Adults can get a preview of the 5th on Friday night, April 16th starting at 8 p.m. at the Griswold Inn’s taproom, when the 5th’s musicians and singers will provide spirited period entertainment.

Book Clubs For Children and Teens In October

The Essex Library is proud to offer a variety of book clubs for children and teens. Books are available at the Library. Please stop in to register or call: 767-1560. Here’s the meeting schedule for October:

Magic Tree House Club
Join the Essex Library’s Magic Tree House Club and travel through time and around the world with Jack and Annie.  This club will run for 6 Wednesdays in a row from 3:30-4:30 beginning on Wednesday, October 7th. Children will read the assigned book at home each week and then come to the library for some tree house fun and activities.  The library will have extra copies of each of the books needed for each week. The first book to be discussed will be Dinosaurs Before Dark.

Hunger Games Book Night
What is it about the Hunger Games that’s got everyone’s attention? Why did Valley Regional students love doing their homework this summer? Join us as we discuss the first book in Suzanne Collin’s two part series and a potential release date for a Hunger Games film. If you are a fan at any age you ARE invited to join! PIZZA will be served and prizes will be given out. Tuesday, October 6th, 6-7 p.m.

Twilight Book Club
Meeting #2 of this club will take place on Tuesday, October 20th at 6 p.m. We’ll be discussing the novel New Moon and its upcoming film counterpart scheduled to be released on 11/20/09. We’ve got access to new trailers and will have contests with great prizes to win. If you are a fan at any age you ARE invited to join! Snacks will be served!

Family Movies At The Library

Get out of the rain already and come watch a movie at the Library. On Wednesdays in July and August–at 3 p.m., we’ll be showing films appropriate for the whole family.

July 8  Hotel For Dogs (rated PG)

July 15  Tinkerbell (rated G)

July 22  Bedtime Stories (rated PG)

July 29  The Tale Of Despereaux (rated G)

August 5  Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (rated PG)

August 12  NO MOVIE–End Of Summer Reading Talent Show! 7 p.m. at the Centerbrook Meeting House. All are welcome to attend or perform.

August 19  An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong (rated G)

August 26  Bolt (rated PG)

Middlesex County Community Foundation Grants Awarded To Essex Library

Thanks to two generous grants from the Middlesex County Community Foundation, the Essex Library will be able to offer two very special programs for young people in 2009.

Days of Knights, offered during the February school break, Feb. 17th thru the 21st, is a daily series of events themed around chivalry, knighthood, and the Middle Ages, with crafts like shield-making, heraldry, stories, films, and more, that ends with an all-day Medieval Fair and a program by the curators of the Higgins Armory Museum, in which kids will see actual armor and weapons displayed and demonstrated. Huzzah!

The second program, offered in the spring, is called GirlZone, and is aimed at helping teen girls gain essential life skills in a supportive and encouraging environment. Girls will learn about grooming, self-image, job interview techniques, manners, and more during the six once-weekly meetings.

The Middlesex County Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Middlesex County. Its two-fold mission: to work with charitably-minded individuals and organizations to build permanent endowments and other charitable funds; and to support local nonprofit organizations through effective grantmaking to address community needs. Since its founding in 1997, the Community Foundation has provided more than $1.1 million in grants to more than 150 organizations for the arts, cultural and heritage programs, educational activities, environmental improvements, and for health and human services.

Jenny Tripp Book Launch Postponed

Due to a snafu at the publisher, there are no books available yet for Jenny Tripp’s much-anticipated launch of Pete’s Disappearing Act, scheduled for Friday, December 12th. We will reschedule as soon as we can obtain copies of the book so please watch the Library website, Librar-E-Lations and the Short List for the new date.