Adults

Welcome to the Stratford Library Adult Department.

 

 

  • March Adult Programs

    FEATURED PROGRAMS

    COMMUNITY BOOK DISCUSSION, a Zoom Series
    Co-sponsored by Stratford Library, First Congregational Church & CARE (Citizens Addressing Racial Equity)

    Author talk: March 18 @ 6:30pm – Join us on Zoom as co-author Donald Burnes discusses his book When We Walk By: Forgotten Humanity, Broken Systems, and the Role We Can Each Play in Ending Homelessness in America.

    This is the first session of our Community Book Discussion. The Zoom series begins on Monday, March 18 and will continue on weekly Monday evenings through April 29.

    When We Walk By provides a deeply humanizing look that radically changes ones understanding of neighbors, poverty, and homelessness. Believing we can make inroads in resolving homelessness and poverty in our community, the multipart discussion series welcomes all to attend, even if they have not yet read the book. Free copies of When We Walk By are currently available at the Stratford Library while supplies last.

    After the March 18 talk, the next four sessions (all on Zoom) and led by Burnes are at 6:30pm on Mondays March 25, April 15, April 22 and April 29 and will delve into relevant topics from the book.

    All discussion will take place on Zoom. Email socialjusticeatfcc@gmail.com to receive the Zoom link.

    Concert: CELTIC MUSIC!
    Tuesday, March 19 | 7pm | Lovell Room
    Musician and raconteur Jeff Snow combines the music, stories and a wee bit of history from Scotland, Ireland and England into a concert event that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

    Early Voting in Connecticut – Starts this month!
    Sunday, Mar 24 | 2 pm | Lovell Room
    Stratford Registrars Lou DeCilio and Jim Simon will host a talkback forum on the new early voting system that is set to begin on March 26 for the Presidential Primary. Learn how it will work and ask questions.

    Explore Plant Based Eating
    Wednesday, March 27 | 10:15am | Lovell Room
    It’s National Nutrition Month! Join ShopRite Dietitian Siddhi Sheth, MS, RDN, CDN, for a presentation to learn about a plant-based eating routine, and a demonstration of a delicious plant-based recipe.

    Special for “Women’s History Month”!

    Sunday Afternoon Talks: FIVE YEARS UNDER NAZIS OCCUPATION
    Sunday, March 3 | 2pm | Lovell Room
    Stratford author Elizabeth Breslav will discuss her memoir, the story of a Dutch girl’s will to survive WWII. She was 12 years old when Hitler’s troops marched into the Netherlands and 17 when the country was finally liberated. Elizabeth is one of a fast-dwindling group of teens who survived the 1940-1945 Nazi occupation of Holland. Born in Amsterdam, she has been an immigrant American for over 50 years and lives in Connecticut.

    “Meet-the-Author” Event: HOW TO SAY THE THINGS YOU’VE NEVER SAID SO YOU CAN HAVE THE THINGS YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED!
    Sunday, March 10 | 2pm | Lovell Room
    Westport author Hilary Arnow Burns will discuss her humorous new advice book, Real Talk: How to Say the Things You’ve Never Said So You can Have the things You’ve Always Wanted. Using her signature “Getting Real Process”, Burns teaches women and men how to finally get what they’ve always wanted by harnessing the power of Real Talk.

    Stratford: THE STORIES WE TELL – WOMEN OF DISTINCTION
    Monday, March 25 | 6:30pm | Lovell Room
    Town Historian David Wright holds this monthly lecture series, a detailed examination of the Stratford’s history.
    In Sue Monk Kidd’s book, The Secret Lives of Bees, she writes, “Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can’t remember who we are or why we’re here.” In David’s presentations, Stratford: The Stories We Tell, he reveals the “hidden” and forgotten stories of Stratford that help us remember who we are and why we’re here.

    CAREER & TECH HELP:

    CAREER COACH: Excel Workshop
    Monday, March 11| 10am to 12pm or 1 to 3pm | Bus parks on Main Street near the library front entrance.
    Think Excel is tough? No longer! Come to our workshop and participate in a fun, two-hour, hands-on session!
    This Excel Workshop is offered in the morning from 10am-12pm and will be repeated in the afternoon from 1-3pm.The same material will be presented in each 2-hour workshop, participants only need to attend one of the sessions.
    Register HERE for 10am-12pm session
    Register HERE for 1-3pm session

    COMPUTER CLASSES AT YOUR OWN PACE
    Tuesday, March 19 or Thursday, March 21 | 2pm | Board Room
    Take one of our training sessions to learn how to use Northstar Online Learning to build your basic computer skills. Once you create an account you can pick what you learn at your own pace.
    Register HERE for March 19
    Register HERE for March 21

    CREATE:

    Coloring & Coffee
    Monday, March 4 | 6pm | Lovell Room
    Don’t let stress get you down! Try coloring for adults! Coloring has many benefits including helping you to focus and de-stress. Stop in and give it a try. The Library will supply coloring pages, colored pencils and markers, plus coffee and tea. You are welcome to bring your own supplies too.

    UCreate Craft for Adults: Herb Planters
    Thursday, Mar 7 | 6 pm | Lovell Room
    Design a planter and get your herb garden started! Planters, soils and seeds provided.
    Adults 18+
    Register HERE

    Knit Wits
    Wednesday, March 6 & 20 | 6pm | Lovell Room
    Join the library’s drop-in knitting program! Also crochet! Make new friends, get tips and share ideas while working on your own projects.
    Held every other Wednesday evening 6:00-7:30pm.

    BOOK DISCUSSIONS:

    Monday Morning Buzz
    Monday, March 4 | 11am | Lovell Room
    Stop in to hear what’s new, what’s hot, and what books are creating a buzz! Staff will lead an informal discussion of books, movies and more. Share what you’re reading and watching and hear from others!

    Little Gems Book Discussion
    Wednesday, March 13 | 11am | Lovell Room
    THE HEN WHO DREAMED SHE COULD FLY by Sun-Mi Hwang
    An anthem for freedom, individuality, and motherhood featuring a plucky, spirited heroine who rebels against the tradition-bound world of the barnyard, this is a novel of universal resonance that also opens a window on Korea, where it has captivated millions of readers.
    Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.

    Books Over Coffee
    Wednesday, March 27 | noon | Lovell Room
    HELLO BEAUTIFUL by Ann Napolitano
    A story of family—the ones we’re born to, the ones we marry into, and the ones we make—and how despite pain and fractured relationships, hope can be found. An exquisite homage to Louisa May Alcott’s timeless classic, Little Women, Hello Beautiful is a profoundly moving portrait of what is possible when we choose to love someone not in spite of who they are, but because of it.
    Special for “Women’s History Month”!
    Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.

    MOVIES:

    Monday Matinees: NYAD
    Monday, March 11 | 12pm | Lovell Room
    A remarkable true story of tenacity, friendship and the triumph of the human spirit, NYAD recounts a riveting chapter in the life of world-class athlete Diana Nyad.
    Special for “Women’s History Month”!
    Rated PG-13, 121 minutes

    Continue reading →
  • February Adult Programs

    FEATURED PROGRAMS

    BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENTS

    Art Exhibit: Main Lobby
    Two exhibits are featured this month as Stratford’s Ruby & Calvin Fletcher African-American History Museum is highlighted with various artifacts on loan, and a mini art exhibit features “Connecticut History” by Milford artist Robert Sforza. The Amistad story is prominently featured in graphite and ink.

    Meet the Author: Gail Howard
    Sunday, February 11 | 2 pm | Lovell Room
    Redding author Gail Howard will discuss her memoir, White Wife/Blue Baby, which details her experiences marrying across the color line in the super-heated 1960s. Howard will read excerpts, take questions and autograph copies of her book for purchase following the talk.

    Connecticut’s African American Heroines
    Thursday, February 22 | 1pm | Lovell Room
    Join us for an interactive multi-media program by the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame and learn about some of Connecticut’s most remarkable African American heroines.

    Sunday Afternoon Talks: “How Did the US Constitution, When First Enacted, Address The Issue of Slavery”
    Sunday, February 25 | 2pm | Lovell Room
    Superior Court Judge Barry Stevens will discuss how the issue of slavery was raised and debated by the Founding Fathers at the Constitutional Convention, and the many questions it raised.
    Free & Open to the Public
    Host: Charlie Lautier

    Stratford: THE STORIES WE TELL – AMAZING BLACK CITIZENS 
    Monday, February 26 | 6:30pm | Lovell Room
    Join us for this new series! Town Historian David Wright holds monthly lecture series featuring a detailed examination of Stratford’s history.

    BOOK BLIZZARD 

    January 16th – February 20th, 2024

    Our adult winter reading program is back for another year! Adults,
    please join our winter reading program and be entered into our prize drawing!

    Joining is easy (and free!): Fill out a ticket for each book you read between now and February 20th and drop it off at the Library. Can’t make it to the Library each week? Send us a direct message on social media and include your name, telephone/email, and book(s) you read for the week so that we can enter you into the drawing.
    You can also email us at: slaask@stratfordlibrary.org or call 203-385-4164. It’s THAT simple!

    So… find a cozy spot, snuggle up, and get reading!
    #StratfordLibrary #stratfordct #Winterreading #BookBlizzard

    FEBRUARY FUN

    Retro Movie Party: Spaceballs
    Thursday, February 8 | 6pm | Board Room
    Come and enjoy this classic comedy in an interactive way. We will have props to use along with the movie and quoting your favorite movie line is a must! Snacks will be provided. This event is for ages 16 and up.
    Registration is required.

    Paper Romance: Romance Novel Cover Art
    Saturday, February 17 | 10am | Lovell Room
    It’s February and romance is in the air! Reference librarian Marge Jones and family share original artwork of G.H. Jones, illustrator of over 300 romance novels from 1974-1992, including by such authors as Elizabeth Lowell, Nora Roberts and Janet Dailey.
    Stop in and view this gorgeous cover art!

    TALKS:

    Sunday Afternoon Talks: “Personal Safety and Dealing with Scams”
    Sunday February 4 | 2pm | Lovell Room
    Free public service talk and expert advice in this presentation by representatives from Stratford’s Public Safety Director/PD/FD/and Dispatch:
    Larry Ciccarelli-Director of Public Safety
    Jim Buck-Deputy Fire Chief
    Bob Burroughs-Captain PD
    JP Sredzinski -Superintendent Dispatch

    Digital Safety for Everyone
    Tuesday, February 6 | 6:30pm | Lovell Room
    Members of the CyberPatriot Club at Albertus Magnus College will cover a range of digital safety topics: current internet threats, scams, and fraud, social media safety, password management, and how to secure your data. There will be time for Q&A at the end of the talk.
    Free and open to the public

    CAREER & TECH HELP:

    CAREER COACH: Job Search Help
    Thursday, February 15 | 10am to 12pm or 1 to 3pm | Bus parks on Main Street near the library front entrance.
    Are you ready to take the next step in your career but feel lost in the world of job searching? Join our “Job Search” workshop and equip yourself with the knowledge, skills, and resources you need to land your dream job!
    Register HERE for 10am-12pm session
    Register HERE for 1-3pm session

    COMPUTER CLASSES AT YOUR OWN PACE
    Tuesday, February 20 or Thursday, February 22 | 2pm | Board Room
    Take one of our training sessions to learn how to use Northstar to build your basic computer skills. Once you create an account you can pick what you learn at your own pace.
    Register HERE for Feb 20
    Register HERE for Feb 22

    CREATE:

    Coloring & Coffee
    Monday, February 5 | 6pm | Lovell Room
    Don’t let stress get you down! Try coloring for adults! Coloring has many benefits including helping you to focus and de-stress. Stop in and give it a try. The Library will supply coloring pages, colored pencils and markers, plus coffee and tea. You are welcome to bring your own supplies too.

    Knit Wits
    Wednesday, February 7 & 21| 6pm | Lovell Room
    Join the library’s drop-in knitting program! Also crochet! Make new friends, get tips and share ideas while working on your own projects. Held every other Wednesday evening 6:00-7:30pm.

    BOOKS DISCUSSIONS:

    Monday Morning Buzz
    Monday, February 5 | 11am | Lovell Room
    Stop in to hear what’s new, what’s hot, and what books are creating a buzz! Staff will lead an informal discussion of books, movies and more. Share what you’re reading and watching and hear from others!

    Books on Tap
    Books, Brews, and Bantor

    Tuesday, February 27| 7pm to settle, 7:30pm to talk
    Join us at the Oar and Oak Restaurant located at 2385 Main St, Stratford.
    We will be discussing SMALL MERCIES by Dennis Lehane
    Set against the hot, tumultuous months of 1974 when the Boston’s desegregation of its public schools exploded in violence, Small Mercies is a superb thriller, a brutal depiction of criminality and power, and an unflinching portrait of the dark heart of American racism. It is a mesmerizing and wrenching work that only Dennis Lehane could write.
    Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.

    “Don’t Know Much About” Book Discussion
    Tuesday, February 13| 6:30pm | Lovell Room AND
    Wednesday, February 14| 11am | Lovell Room
    MASTER AND COMANDER by Patrick O’Brian
    Don’t know much about Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin? Let’s explore Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian, the first novel in a noteworthy 20-book naval saga. Two different dates! Attend the one you want!
    Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.

    Books Over Coffee
    Wednesday, February 28 | noon | Lovell Room
    THE THREE OF US by Ore Agbaje-Williams
    Long-standing tensions between a husband, his wife, and her best friend finally come to a breaking point in this sharp domestic comedy of manners, told brilliantly over the course of one day.
    Special for “Black History Month”!
    Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.

    MOVIES:

    Monday Matinees: RUSTIN
    Monday, February 12 | 12pm | Lovell Room
    Directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe and starring Emmy Award winner Colman Domingo, Rustin shines a long overdue spotlight on the extraordinary man who, alongside giants like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, dared to imagine a different world, and inspired a movement in a march toward freedom.
    Special for “Black History Month”!
    Rated PG-13; 108 minutes

    Continue reading →
  • January Adult Programs

    *Note: Tax filing season begins January 29th, click here for more information.

    FEATURED PROGRAMS

    BOOK BLIZZARD 

    January 16th – February 20th, 2024
    Our adult winter reading program is back for another year! Adults, please join our winter reading program and be entered into our prize drawing!

    Joining is easy (and free!): Fill out a ticket for each book you read between now and February 20th and drop it off at the Library. Can’t make it to the Library each week? Send us a direct message on social media and include your name, telephone/email, and book(s) you read for the week so that we can enter you into the drawing.
    You can also email us at: slaask@stratfordlibrary.org or call 203-385-4164. It’s THAT simple!

    So… find a cozy spot, snuggle up, and get reading!
    #StratfordLibrary #stratfordct #Winterreading #BookBlizzard

    TALKS:

    Sunday Afternoon Talks: EQUITY IS JUSTICE: PUBLIC HEALTH, POLICY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
    Sunday January 21 | 2pm | Lovell Room
    Guest speaker Kelly Vaughan will give a brief introduction of Global Girls Worldwide Women (GGWW), who they are, and what they do. And then talk about the issues that the group specifically address: child marriage, safety and opportunity for girls in school, the experience of women in war, and legal reform.

    Pet Boredom Busters
    Tuesday, January 23 | 6:30pm | Lovell Room
    Bad weather, injuries, short, cold winter days; Keeping pets entertained is important for their physical and mental health. the Connecticut Humane Society will share different tips and tricks to keep all types of pets active. From snuffle mats to pet piñatas, and potted cat grass to braided rope toys, there’s something for everyone!
    Registration is required

    Stratford: The Stories We Tell
    Monday, January 29 | 6:30pm | Lovell Room
    Join us for the first talk in this new series! Town Historian David Wright holds monthly lecture series featuring a detailed examination of Stratford’s history.

     

    RESERVE YOUR SPOT:

    CHAIR YOGA & GUIDED MEDITATION
    Thursday, January 11 | 11 am | Lovell Room
    Laurie Trupp will combine gentle chair yoga poses with relaxing guided meditation at the beginning and end of class. This class is repeated 2/18, 3/7 & 4/11.
    Registration is required for each class.


    CAREER COACH: Computer Basics
    Monday, January 22 | 10am to 12pm or 1 to 3pm | Bus parks on Main Street near the library front entrance.
    Learn what you need to know to feel comfortable using a computer. Our experienced job search coach will guide you throughout the workshop, providing one-on-one assistance tailored to your unique needs and goals.
    Register HERE for 10am-12pm session
    Register HERE for 1-3pm session


    YARN SWAP at the Library!

    Saturday, January 27 | 11am – 2pm | Lovell Room
    Do you have a yarn stash that is languishing, unused and unappreciated? Then bring your unwanted yarn to our Yarn Swap! Rejuvenate your yarn collection, meet fellow crafters, and get inspired!
    Registration is required

    CREATE:

    Coloring & Coffee
    Monday, January 8 | 6pm | Lovell Room
    Friday, January 12 | 11am | Lovell Room
    Don’t let stress get you down! Try coloring for adults! Coloring has many benefits including helping you to focus and de-stress. Stop in and give it a try. The Library will supply coloring pages, colored pencils and markers, plus coffee and tea. You are welcome to bring your own supplies too.

    Knit Wits
    Wednesday, January 10 & 24 | 6pm | Lovell Room
    Join the library’s drop-in knitting program! Also crochet! Make new friends, get tips and share ideas while working on your own projects. Held every other Wednesday evening 6:00-7:30pm.

    Adult Cricut Craft Night
    Thursday, January 25 | 5pm or 6pm | Lovell Room
    What’s better than sipping a delicious hot beverage during the winter weather? Sipping from your very own mug that you designed! This craft will be offered in two sessions, please sign up for only one.
    Register HERE for 5pm session
    Register HERE for 6pm session

    UCREATE – All Ages Programs

    uCreate: 3D Printing for Beginners
    Thursday, January 18 | 6:30pm | Board Room
    In this hands-on introduction, you’ll learn how to operate the uCreate Space’s Crealtiy Ender 3 Pro 3D printer, how to search for downloadable 3D models using Thingiverse, and how to modify 3D models using Cura. Open to grade 6 – adult.
    Registration is required


    uCreate: Virtual Reality Drop-In Day 
    Saturday, January 27 | 11am-12:30pm or 2:30pm – 4pm | uCreate Space
    Pop by the uCreate Space to try one of uCreate’s Meta Quest 2 VR headsets! Immerse yourself in the virtual world or try popular VR games like Beat Saber. For ages 10 & up; anyone 12 & under must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. *The headsets are available on a first come, first served basis. Made possible by Stratford Rotary.

    BOOKS DISCUSSIONS:

    Monday Morning Buzz
    Monday, January 8 | 11am | Board Room
    Stop in to hear what’s new, what’s hot, and what books are creating a buzz! Staff will lead an informal discussion of books, movies and more. Share what you’re reading and watching and hear from others!

    Books on Tap
    Books, Brews, and Bantor

    Tuesday, January 9 | 7pm to settle, 7:30pm to talk
    Join us at the Oar and Oak Restaurant located at 2385 Main St, Stratford.
    We will be discussing THE ART THIEF by Michael Finkel
    A spellbinding portrait of the world’s most prolific art thief, Stéphane Breitwieser, a story of art, crime, love, and an insatiable hunger to possess beauty at any cost.
    Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.

    “Little Gems” Book Discussion
    Wednesday, Jan 10 | 11am | Lovell Room
    A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY by J.L. Carr
    In this little gem, Tom Birkin, a young veteran of WWI, is suffering from the war and from a broken marriage. Birkin is hired to restore a recently discovered medieval mural in a small village church. During his summer in the village, he finds hope and healing. A winner of the Guardian Fiction Prize and shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
    Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.

    Books Over Coffee
    Wednesday, January 31 | noon | Lovell Room
    YELLOWFACE by R.F. Kuang
    This novel grapples with questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation, as well as the terrifying alienation of social media. R.F. Kuang’s novel is timely, razor-sharp, and eminently readable.
    Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.

    MOVIES:

    Monday Matinees: BARBIE
    Monday, January 8 | 12pm | Lovell Room
    To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. 2023’s biggest blockbuster stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
    Rated PG-13; 114 minutes

    Continue reading →

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Hours: Monday - Thursday: 10am - 8pm
Friday & Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm