Walingford and Meriden Library News August 2008

MERIDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNOUNCES NEW HOURS

The Meriden Public Library announces their new hours. Summer hours (July 7 through August 30) will be Monday through Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Thursday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Saturday and Sunday.

Beginning in September, the Library will be open Monday through Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Sunday.

The Library will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 1. If you have any questions about our hours, please call the Community Services Department at (203) 630-6349.

___________________________________________________________________________________


MERIDEN BOOKMOBILE SCHEDULE

The Bookmobile, or Library on Wheels, will be visiting the following facilities in August:
Friday, August 1 – Stork Club 9:30 – 10:30 AM; Miller Memorial 10:45 – 11:30 AM;
Tuesday, August 5 – Catholic Charities 9:00 – 10:00 AM; Kinder Garden Learning Center 10:15 – 11:15 AM;
Wednesday, August 6 – Easter Seals (Broad St.) 9:00 – 10:15 AM; Bradley Home 10:15 – 11:00 AM;
Thursday, August 7 – Connecticut Baptist Home (box) – 3:00 – 3:30 PM;
Monday, August 11 – Center Congregational Nursery School 9:30 – 10:00 AM; Women and Families Center 10:15 – 11:30 AM; Village at Kensington Place 1:30 – 2:00 PM;
Thursday, August 14 – Kindercare 9:30 – 10:15 AM; The Right Place 10:30 – 11:00 AM;
Friday, August 15 – Stork Club 9:30 – 10:30 AM; Miller Memorial 10:45 – 11:30 AM; Home deliveries 2:30 -3:00 PM;
Thursday, August 28 – Kindercare 9:30 – 10:15 AM; The Right Place 10:30 – 11:00 AM.



___________________________________________________________________________________

“OVERDRIVE” DOWNLOADABLE BOOKS AT MERIDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY

Are you looking for something to bring along on your Monday morning commute or day at the beach but can’t get to the library? Don’t despair – “Overdrive” has arrived! “Overdrive” allows a patron with a Meriden Library card access to books that can be downloaded to their home computer and then transferred to an MP3 player or burned to a compact disc 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Just log onto the Meriden Public Library’s site at www.meridenlibrary.org and follow the instructions to browse and download books. The loan period is two weeks, after which the downloaded book file will disappear from the patron’s computer. Give it a try and you’ll never be without access to a good book. For more information, contact the Meriden Public Library at (203) 238-2346.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Polymer Dragons with Michele Raffaele

On Thursday, July 31st at 7:00p.m. join us for a fun evening with Michele Raffaele who will teach us how to make polymer dragons. Kids, ages 8 to 12, will construct a dragon from polymer clay while learning basic sculpture making skills.

Wallingford residents may sign-up for this program starting Thursday, July 17th. If spaces remain, non-residents may sign-up starting Wednesday, July 30th.
To register, stop by or call the Library at 284-6436.
______________________________________________________________________________

PLAY SCRABBLE AT MERIDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY

The Meriden Public Library will be hosting sessions in August for people to come and play Scrabble. Come alone or with a friend to learn or practice the game. The Scrabble sessions will be held on Mondays at 2:00 pm in the Friends Room on the following dates: August 4 and August 18. If you would like to play Scrabble in the fall, contact the Community Services Department at 630-6349.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Wallingford Public Library Twilight Saga Trivia

Popular teen author, Stephenie Meyer and the books in her Twilight Series will be the focus of the Twilight Trivia Contest at the Wallingford Public Library on August 5th at 6:00 p.m. The trivia contest was developed and is presented in celebration of Stephenie Meyer's fourth book in the Twilight Series, "Breaking Dawn", due to be released on August 2nd. The other books in the series, "Twilight," "New Moon," and "Eclipse," all feature the saga of a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire. The trivia contest will feature five different categories. Categories include the books "Twilight", "Eclipse", and "New Moon" as well as "The Twilight Movie" and "About the Author." Prizes will be awarded to the winners.

The movie, Twilight, has a December 12th release date. The library will show a trailer from the movie and interviews with the author during the competition intermission.
All teens are welcome to attend and are requested to bring a plain t-shirt for a "Make a Twilight Saga Shirt" craft. Please call the library at 203-265-6754 for more information and to register for this program.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Summertime at the Wallingford Public Library

By Beth Devlin, Director

Back in Illinois, where I spent my childhood, summers seemed to stretch on forever. We would get out of school the first week of June and wonder if the 4th of July would ever come. We couldn't wait to run around with sparklers on the front lawn, then plug our ears and watch our Dad set off his cannon behind the house. Labor Day was too far off to even think about and those long days of summer would melt into a never ending haze of heat and humidity. To cool off, we had two options: the garden hose or the air-conditioned local library. Since my older siblings inevitably hogged the hose, I would choose to get on my bike and ride the four blocks to "cool and quiet." Usually I would just sit there and read a Nancy Drew mystery. One time I found Madeleine L'Engel's "A Wrinkle in Time" and thought it was the most remarkable story ever written. There weren't any library programs for kids my age. There weren't any programs for anyone who was beyond the age of preschool. There were just books and magazines. No DVDs, no CDs, not even an audio cassette or videotape. And computers were something that only big, giant corporations like IBM, had whirring around in special dust proof rooms.

But the library was the only air-conditioned place in our neighborhood that kids were allowed to come and go as they pleased. But not many did. I rarely saw any of my friends there. Only my pesky little sister would tag along with me on occasion and that wasn't any fun whatsoever.

Summers have gotten much shorter since I've been living in Connecticut. The school year seems to be just about year 'round and sometimes the 4th of July becomes the first weekend of summer vacation. Labor Day definitely comes too quickly but the weather is still hot and the library is still air conditioned. But air conditioning isn't the only thing that welcomes people from the steamy sidewalks of summer; the library has programs! Programs for all ages, from Itty Bitty Babies to Adults. So if you are looking for something to do and a cool place to do it, check out the Wallingford Public Library where books, music, movies, and a whole lot more are readily available to help you chill out!

For the Kids:

Summer Storytimes

Now that our new Children's Room is open we are happy to tell you that our Storytimes have begun! This summer all of our Storytime Programs will be drop-in, except for the Wednesday afternoon Mother Goose Program, which is a registered program. In our Drop-In Programs, we will be able to accommodate as many as the rooms allow.
PLEASE NOTE: Wallingford residents are given priority for all programs. Please stop by the information desk and show your library card to get a name tag before the program begins. Due to fire laws, space is limited to the rooms capacity. Thank You.

Itty Bitty Babies- up to 12 months (Drop-In)
Thursdays: 1:30 p.m.June 5, 19, 26th, July 10, 17, 31st & August 7th Program Room
Itty Bitty Babies is a drop-in program for parents/caregivers and their babies up to 12 months. It is a fun interactive program that introduces babies and their grown-ups to the library and features songs, rhymes, bouncing, a story or two and an opportunity to meet others.
Mother Goose - one and two year-olds (Drop-In)
Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m.July 2, 9, 23, 30th & August 6th Large Meeting Room
Mother Goose - one and two year olds (Registered) Wallingford residents may register beginning June 18th. If spaces are available non-residents may register beginning Tuesday, July 1st.
Wednesdays: 1:30 p.m.July 2 ,9, 23, 30th & August 6th Large Meeting Room
Mother Goose is a program for children ages 12 months to 36 months (one and two year-olds) and their parents/caregivers. This energetic program features songs, stories, rhymes and a whole lot more.
Preschool Storytimes - three to five year-olds (Drop-In)
Tuesday: 10:00 a.m and 7:00 p.m. July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29th & August5th Program Room
Thursdays: 10:00 a.m. (Drop-In) July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31st & August 7th Program Room
Preschool storytime is a drop-in program for children ages 3-5 and their parents/caregivers. Younger siblings are also welcome. This program features stories for 3 to 5 year-olds, songs, rhymes, flannelboard stories and lots of fun!
Bilingual Storytimes
July 7,14,21,28th &August 4thProgram Room Join us for our drop-in bilingual storytime. Stories, songs, rhymes and more will be shared in English and Spanish.

For the Teens:

Let's Rock & Roll Teen Summer Reading Program
Rock on this summer and participate in the Wallingford Public Library's Teen Summer Reading Program! Read what you like and earn a chance to win prizes for every 100 pages you read. The program kicks off on June 30th.

This summer's prizes include autographed pictures of Drew Barrymore, Michael Jordan, Angelina Jolie, and the UNC Men's Basketball Team! If celebrities aren't your thing, gift certificates from Amore Apizza, Holiday Cinemas, Prime Climb, Praline's Ice Cream, and much more will also be awarded. The more you read the more chances you have to win! There is no official registration required to participate in the Rock & Roll Reading Program and Reader's Entry Forms are available from the Information Desk beginning June 30. All students entering grades 6 through 12 are welcome to participate.

Rock and Roll themed events will take place at the library throughout the summer including a special live performance by Detroit Rock & Roll Band, "The High Strung" on August 21 at 6:00 p.m. in the Community Room. Sign up is encouraged! Please call the library for more information: 203-265-6754.

Twilight Saga Trivia Tournament!

To celebrate the release of Stephenie Meyer's fourth book in the Twilight Series "Breaking Dawn" we will be having a trivia tournament on Tuesday, August 5, 6:00-8:00 pm in the Collins Room!
Categories will include the books "Twilight", "Eclipse", and "New Moon" as well as "The Twilight Movie" and "About the Author". Are you up for the challenge?? There will be prizes for the winners.Bring a plain shirt and we will make Twilight Saga shirts! We will watch the trailer for the movie as well as interviews with Stephenie.

A Rock & Roll Concert at the Library
We are thrilled to announce that we will be a participating library in the 2008 Rock & Roll Library Tour! On Thursday, August 21st at 6 pm Detroit rock sensation The High Strung will transform the Community Room into a concert hall and rock out. The show will last 90 minutes and include an interactive session where the audience and the band create a song together! Don't miss this amazing culmination to the Summer Reading Program. Visit www.thehighstrung.com to check out the band's web site. This is a free event open to all ages. Please call 265-6754 to register.

Bowling: Teens to challenge seniors
The Wallingford Teens will be travelling to the Wallingford Senior Center on Wednesday, August 13th to challenge the Seniors in a Nintendo Wii Bowling Tournament!!

The Nintendo Wii is a handheld interactive video system which has become very popular among all age groups. In the Wii Bowling game participants mimic the movement of real bowling without the strain of a heavy ball.

Tryouts for the Teen Bowling Team will be on Wednesday, July 30th in the Wallingford Library Community Room from 6-8pm. Any Teens in grades 6-12 are welcome. Sign up is encouraged. Top scorers of the night advance to the Senior Tournament.

Any Seniors interested in participating in the Tournament can contact the Wallingford Senior Center at (203)265-7753.

Please call the Information Desk at (203)265-6754 for details or you may e-mail Teen Librarian Jennifer Nash at jnash@lioninc.org.

Teen Club
A group of teens in middle and high school working together all year to gather celebrity prizes and author-autographed books for the Teen Summer Reading program. This program attracts over 200 teens each summer. The Teen Club also does other projects, hosts programs for teens, socializes, and generally has a lot of fun. The group meets twice a month on Wednesday evenings at 7 pm with two teen librarian club advisers.

Young Astronauts
Co-sponsored with the Department of Youth and Social Services, this group, under the direction of teacher, Chris Stone, meets once a month and is involved with space related projects and includes field trips, guest speakers, Space Day celebration in May, and many hands-on projects.

Mother/Daughter Book Groups
A group composed of teen girls and their mothers or other adult woman friend who meet monthly to discuss young adult books. The group selects a title each month which everyone reads and discusses. Books are obtained through the Library. Refreshments are served.

These are all programs we run for young adults at the library, but what else do you want? Let us know, and you might even get it.

For the Adults:

Frank Lloyd Wright: Fact and Fiction

America's preeminent architect, Frank Lloyd Wright was a master builder, a rebel and a worshipper of nature. During his lifetime, despite his genius (or perhaps because of it), Wright's lifestyle, personality, and even his work were often the subjects of great controversy.

Throughout the month of July, the library will celebrate the life and creative genius of Frank Lloyd Wright through factual documentary and historical fiction. We hope you will take an interest and join the discussions generated by exploring this American icon of architecture.

Book Discussion: Loving Frank by Nancy HoranTuesday, July 22nd 7:00 p.m.Collins Meeting Room

Join us for the final installment of our Frank Lloyd Wright program as we discuss Nancy Horan's novel, "Loving Frank." This novel is a blend of fact and fiction and tells the story of Frank Lloyd Wright's affair with Mamah Borthwick Cheney.

Copies of the book are available through our catalog in both print and digital formats. Additional copies of the book are available from the library's Information Desk through the cooperation of the Connecticut Humanities Council.

Read 'em and Eat Adult Summer Reading Program

Participate in the Library's Adult Summer Reading Program and get rewarded for reading your favorite books!

Beginning June 26th adults are able to earn chances to win a gift certificate to a local restaurant by participating in our Adult Summer Reading Program, "Read "Em and Eat." To enter, read any book(s), and fill out a form for each book (available at the Information Desk.) Each week beginning on July 3, forms will be entered into a random drawing and a gift certificate will be awarded to the winner. Subsequent drawings will be held July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 and August 7, 14, 21. A grand prize drawing will be held on August 28 when the forms from all the past weeks will be entered into a drawing for a $50.00 gift certificate to one of the participating restaurants. Look for our "dining display" at the Library! The more you read, the better your chance to win!

This year's participating restaurants are: Archie Moore's, Gaetano's Tavern on Main, Half Moon Coffee Café and Grill, Laskara Restaurant, Michael's Trattoria, 95 Gathering Place, Tata's Restaurant, and Westbrook Lobster Company. Participants must be a minimum of 18 years old.

Computer Classes

The Library offers basic computer instruction classes on an ongoing basis. Classes are free, topic specific, and limited to 6 people. Please stop by the Reference Desk or call (203)265-6754 to inquire about the next session.

A Night at the Movies

Cinema Club, Tuesday August 5th at 6:30 p.m.

A real classic for Cinema Club: Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in To Have and Have Not. You can virtually see Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall falling for each other in this Howard Hawks variation on Casablanca but adapted from--as legend has it--Ernest Hemingway's self-declared "worst novel." (The story goes that Hawks told Hemingway he could make a movie of the author's least work, and Hemingway gave him the rights to this story.) The script by William Faulkner and Jules Furthman finally resulted in one of Hawks's and Bogart's greatest films. Bogart plays a boat captain who reluctantly agrees to help the French Resistance while wooing chanteuse Bacall. Hoagy Carmichael, wry at the piano, adds a delicious accent to an already wonderful mood.

Family Movie Night, Thursday August 14th at 6:30 p.m.

Nicholas Cage and Diane Kruger star in the "rip-roaring scavenger hunt" that is National Treasure. Like a Hardy Boys mystery on steroids, National Treasure offers popcorn thrills and enough boyish charm to get the audience cheering. The movie serves up an enjoyable dose of PG-rated entertainment, full of musty clues, skeletons, deep tunnels, and harmless adventure in the old-school tradition MPAA Rating PG - for some violence and action.

Keep an eye on the Library website for any other movie events we may put together over the summer.
Hope to see you at 200 N. Main Street or at our Yalesville Branch real soon. Please call for hours and more information: 203-265-6754.

Diane Postoian

Join us as we welcome Diane Postoian, storyteller extraordinaire from Cranston, RI. Diane will present a fun-filled evening of family storytelling for all ages on Thursday, August 7 at 7:00p.m. Be prepared to join in the fun as Diane may ask for audience participation.

Wallingford residents may pick up tickets beginning Monday, July 7. Non-residents may pick-up tickets the day before the program if they are available.