Welcome to the Stratford Library Adult Department.
October Adult Programs
FEATURED PROGRAMS
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH FILM FESTIVAL:
Selena
Friday, October 4 | 12pm | Lovell Room
Jennifer Lopez and Edward James Olmos star in this celebration of Selena Quintanilla Perez, a girl from South Texas with global talent, incredible will and magnetic charm. Young. Beautiful. Enormously gifted. At 23, Selena shone as a fresh star in a vibrantly new musical field. But just as she was poised to be the next pop-music sensation, her life was tragically cut short.
Rated PG, 127 minutes
Coco
Friday October 11 | 12pm | Lovell Room
This animated feature fro Disney follows 12-year-old Miguel who is accidentally transported to the Land of the Dead, where he seeks the help of his deceased musician great-great-grandfather to return him to his family and to reverse his family’s ban on music.
Rated PG, 105 minutesTALKS/WORKSHOPS/CONCERTS:
Sunday Afternoon Talks: HAMISH LUTRIS
Sunday, October 6 | 2pm | Lovell Room
Hamish Lutris will discuss his new novel, “Earth Ascendant: Awakening”, the first of four volumes of a fast-paced, character-driven fantasy/science-fiction series. Hamish Lutris is an Associate Professor of History, Political Science, and Geography for Connecticut’s Community Colleges and is a well-known speaker and educator throughout Connecticut and the region.
Talk is free and open to the public.Workshop: Guided Chair Yoga & Meditation
Thursday, October 10 | 12:30pm | Lovell Room
Thursday, October 24 | 12:30pm | Lovell Room
Instructor Laurie Trupp leads this unique one hour class that combines gentle chair yoga poses with relaxing guided meditation at the beginning and end of class. The yoga poses will be done seated, as well as standing with the chair used as a prop for balance. Registration is required.
Register HERE for October 10
Register HERE for October 24
Concert: Marc Berger
Sunday, October 13 | 2pm | Lovell Room
Marc’s life has been about pursuing twin passions: creating and recording his American roots songs and exploring remote areas of the desert and mountain West. He has performed at Austin’s South by Southwest Music Festival and The Kerrville and Falcon Ridge Folk Festivals and has opened shows for Bob Dylan and other national acts. You don’t want to miss this unique and soulful performance.
Talk: RAILS TO INDUSTRY
Tuesday, October 15 | 7pm | Lovell Room
Author and local historian Sue DelBianco will discuss the railroad line that ran from Bridgeport to Pittsfield, Mass, which was called The Housatonic Railroad.
Registration is required.Talk: ELECTION COUNTDOW!
Saturday, October 19 | 2pm | Lovell Room
Join us at the Stratford Library for an inside look at administering the 2024 presidential election in Stratford. Registrars Of Voters Jim Simon and Louis DeCilio will discuss election safeguards and what procedures have changed for the 2024 presidential election.
Learn more @ VOTE 2024Meet the Psychic: PATTY GRIFFIN
Sunday, October 20 | 2pm | Lovell Room
Patty Griffin is a gifted Psychic medium, intuitive, clairvoyant, empath, Reiki Master, certified Angel Card Reader, and Angel Links Facilitator. She has had this gift her entire life, at first afraid and unsure of what to do with it. Now she’s embraced it to help you connect with your loved ones, in spirit. At the Library, Patty will discuss her gifts and do select readings of audience members.
Registration is required.CAREER & TECH HELP:
CAREER COACH: Excel Workshop
Thursday, October 3 | 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!
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 Training – INTERNET BASICS
Tuesday, October 15 or Thursday, October 24 | 2pm | Board Room
A beginner’s computer class to help you learn how to effectively and safely navigate the Internet to find relevant and reliable information.
Register HERE for October 15
Register HERE for October 24
BOOK DISCUSSIONS:
Monday Morning Buzz
Monday, October 7 | 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! Meets the first Monday of the month.Books On Tap
Books, Brews, and Bantor
Tuesday, October 8 | 7pm to settle, 7:30pm to talk
Join us at the Whiskey Barrel located at 251 E. Main St, Stratford.
We will be discussing AFTERLIFE by Julie Alvarez, the internationally best-selling author of In the Time of the Butterflies and How the García Girls Lost Their Accent.
Afterlife is a compact, nimble, and sharply droll novel. Set in this political moment of tribalism and distrust, it asks: What do we owe those in crisis in our families, including – maybe especially – members of our human family? How do we live in a broken world without losing faith in one another or ourselves? And how do we stay true to those glorious souls we have lost?
Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.
Don’t Know Much About Book Discussion
Wednesday, October 9 | 11am | Lovell Room
HOW NOT TO DROWN IN A GLASS OF WATER by Angie Cruz
From GMA BOOK CLUB PICK and WOMEN’S PRIZE FINALIST Angie Cruz, an electrifying novel about a woman who has lost everything but the chance to finally tell her story. Learn to know the vibrant and voluble Cara Romero through her own words, as she narrates the story of her life through her twelve sessions with a job counselor. With perseverance, humor and warmth, Cara navigates hardships, mistakes and heartache, all while caring for family, friends & neighbors.
Copies of the book are available at the Checkout Desk. An audio download is available through Hoopla.
Books Over Coffee
Wednesday, October 30 | noon | Lovell Room
EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE by Benjamin Stevenson
A darkly comedic murder mystery where every member of a dysfunctional family has blood on their hands. “A jaunty and clever mystery with unexpected twists. Absolutely not to be missed.” — Karin Slaughter
Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.CREATE:
DIY: Scented oil reed diffuser
Thursday, October 3 | 6pm | Lovell Room
Come and make your very own custom scent reed diffuser with essential oils. We will also create a label for it using the cricut sticker maker. All materials will be supplied. This craft is is adults only 18 and up.
Registration is required.Coloring & Coffee
Monday, October 7 | 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, October 2, 16 & 30 | 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.
DIY: Witch Hat – Adult Craft
Saturday, October 19 | 11am | Lovell Room
Get into the Halloween spirit by decorating you very own witch hat. Whether you use it for decoration in the home or to wear around town, its sure to be a fun afternoon!
Registration is required.
MOVIES:
Monday Matinees:
Monday, October 14 | 12pm | Lovell Room
LONGLEGS
Starring Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, and Blair Underwood. FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes an unexpected turn, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.
Rated R. 101 minutes.
Continue reading →September Adult Programs
FEATURED PROGRAMS
VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE:Tuesdays, September 3, 10, 17, 24 | 3pm – 6pm | Lobby
Are you registered to vote? Visit the voter registration table in the Library’s lobby, on Tuesdays in September between 3pm-6pm. Use https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org to check your registration status, register if you haven’t already, request your mail-in ballot, and more!Learn more @ VOTE 2024
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH FILM FESTIVAL:
Like Water For Chocolate
Friday, September 13 | 12pm | Lovell Room
Director Alfonso Arau’s enchanting film, based on a novel by wife Laura Esquivel, is set in Mexico in the early part of the 20th century. The put-upon youngest daughter of a stern mother uses her magical abilities to change people’s emotions through the food she cooks. Romantic, erotic tale stars Lumi Cavazos, Marco Leonardi, Regina Torne.
Rated R, 105 minutesIn the Heights
Friday, September 20 | 12pm | Lovell Room
The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tightknit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life. “In the Heights” fuses Lin‐Manuel Miranda’s kinetic music and lyrics with director Jon M. Chu’s lively and authentic eye for storytelling to capture a world very much of its place, but universal in its experience.
Rated PG-13, 143 minutes
Roma
Friday, September 27 | 12pm | Lovell Room
Cleo is one of two domestic workers who help Antonio and Sofía take care of their four children in 1970s Mexico City. Complications soon arise when Antonio suddenly runs away with his mistress and Cleo finds out that she’s pregnant. When Sofía decides to take the kids on vacation, she invites Cleo for a much-needed getaway to clear her mind and bond with the family.
Rated R, 135 minutesSelena
Friday, October 4 | 12pm | Lovell Room
Jennifer Lopez and Edward James Olmos star in this celebration of Selena Quintanilla Perez, a girl from South Texas with global talent, incredible will and magnetic charm. Young. Beautiful. Enormously gifted. At 23, Selena shone as a fresh star in a vibrantly new musical field. But just as she was poised to be the next pop-music sensation, her life was tragically cut short.
Rated PG, 127 minutesTALKS/WORKSHOPS:
Stratford: The Stories We Tell – LEGIONS OF LEGENDS PART II
Wednesday, September 11 | 6:30pm | Lovell Room
Theodore Judson served 41 years as Stratford’s longest serving lighthouse keeper and raconteur. Join Town Historian David Wright as he reprises “Thene” Judson’s storytelling in “Legions of Legends Part II”.
Talk: RED SOX-YANKEES: THE GREATEST RIVALRY IN SPORTS
Tuesday, September 17 | 7pm | Lovell Room
Welcome to the most intense rivalry in American sports – maybe the world. This fun program hosted by award-winning sportswriter, baseball beat writer and book author Marty Gitlin features videos of the biggest moments of the rivalry from well over a century, as well as trivia questions for the patrons to ponder. Marty will have his Ultimate New York Yankees Time Machine Book and Ultimate Boston Red Sox Time Machine Book for sale after the event. A Q&A will follow. This one is a blast so join in!
QPR Suicide Prevention Workshop
Tuesday, September 24 | 2pm | Lovell Room
Town of Stratford Community Services and Library present this free workshop limited to 30 people.
Reservations are required.Talk: Navigating Medicare in 2025: Essential Updates and Coverage Options
Tuesday, September 24 | 6:30pm | Lovell Room
Mention the word Medicare and you’re likely to get a confused look in return. The Father/Daughter Team of Lou and Jessica Pelletier will sort through the Parts (A – Hospital; B – Physician and Outpatient Coverage; D – Drug Coverage), including the significant changes to Medicare drug plans in 2025 introduced by the government. Join us if you are a senior, a child of a senior, or just want to know more.
CAREER & TECH HELP:
CAREER COACH: Job Search Help
Monday, September 9| 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!
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 sessionComputer Training – INTERNET BASICS
Thursday, September 19 or Tuesday, September 24| 2pm | Board Room
A beginner’s computer class to help you learn how to effectively and safely navigate the Internet to find relevant and reliable information.
Register HERE for Sept 19
Register HERE for Sept 24
BOOK DISCUSSIONS:Monday Morning Buzz
Monday, September 9 | 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! Meets the first Monday of the month.
Little Gems Book Discussion
Wednesday, September 11 | 11am | Lovell Room
MARGARET THE FIRST by Danielle Dutton
Join us to discuss this little gem of a novel that dramatizes the life of Margaret Cavendish, the shy, gifted, and wildly unconventional 17th–century Duchess. Very much a contemporary novel set in the past, written with lucid precision and sharp cuts through narrative time, it is a gorgeous and wholly new approach to imagining the life of a historical woman.
Copies of the book are available at the Checkout Desk.
Books Over Coffee
Wednesday, September 25 | noon | Lovell Room
THIS IS HAPPINESS by Niall Williams
Set in a small Irish village, This is Happiness is a tender portrait of a community – its idiosyncrasies and traditions, its paradoxes and kindnesses, its failures and triumphs – and a coming-of-age tale like no other. Luminous and lyrical, yet anchored by roots running deep into the earthy and everyday, it is about the power of stories: their invisible currents that run through all we do, writing and rewriting us, and the transforming light that they throw onto our world
Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.CREATE:
Coloring & Coffee
Monday, September 9 | 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, September 4 & 18 | 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.
MOVIES:
Monday Matinees: “KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
Monday, September 16 | 12pm | Lovell Room
Generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, apes are living harmoniously as the dominant species — and humans are living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
Rated PG-13. 145 minutes.
Continue reading →August Adult Programs
FEATURED PROGRAMS
Talk: BUILDING SUSTAINABLE HABITS
Tuesday, August 13 | 11am | Lovell Room
Join ShopRite Dietitian Siddhi Sheth, MS, RDN, CDN, for a presentation to learn ways you can use kitchen scraps and reduce food waste in the home! Siddhi will discuss tips for making the most out of a food item, and class will end with a fun waste reducing activity.
Registration requested
SPICE UP YOUR SUMMER: Sazon with Saffron
Monday, August 19 | Reference Department
Stop by the Reference Desk and pick up a “Spice Up Your Summer: Sazon with Saffron Grab & Go kit”. Each kit contains a sample of the spice plus information and recipes to try.
Beginning Monday, August 19, you can stop at the Reference Desk to pick up a kit. There is no registration. Kits are first come, first served. Supplies are limited. One kit per household.
Talk: IN LAFAYETTE’S FOOTSTEPS
Monday, August 19 | 6:30pm | Lovell Room
Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Marquis de Lafayette’s farewell tour. Learn about the man, his impact on our new nation, and his visits to Stratford.
This program is presented by Town Historian, David Wright.
Film: SILENCE ON THE STREETS
Wednesday, August 28 | 2pm | Lovell Room
The Health Department and Community Services partner with the Stratford Library to showcase the film “Silence on the Streets” leading up to International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31st. “Silence on the Streets” is a ground-breaking documentary that explores the journey of addiction through the perspective of inner-city minorities and Native Americans.
CAREER & TECH HELP:CAREER COACH: Computer Basics on the Career Coach
Monday, August 12 | 10am & 1pm | Career Coach on Main St, near Library 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.
Sign up to reserve a space:
10am-12pm session
1-3pm session
COMPUTER CLASSES AT YOUR OWN PACE
Tuesday, August 13 or Thursday, August 22 | 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 August 13
Register HERE for August 22
BOOK DISCUSSIONS:MONDAY MORNING BUZZ
Monday, August 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! Meets the first Monday of the month.
BOOKS ON TAP
Books, Brews, and Bantor
Tuesday, August 20 | 7pm to settle, 7:30pm to talk
Join us at the Whiskey Barrel located at 251 E. Main St, Stratford.
We will be discussing THE TEACHERS: A year inside America’s most vulnerable, important profession by Alexandra Robbins
A riveting, must-read, year-in-the-life account of three teachers, combined with reporting that reveals what’s really going on behind school doors, by New York Times bestselling author and education expert Alexandra Robbins.
Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.CREATE:
Coloring & Coffee
Monday, August 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, August 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.
Adult Craft Night: Paint & Sip
Thursday, August 15 | 6:30pm | Lovell Room
Do you love to paint? Come and create a mini masterpiece while you sip on cold drinks and enjoy sweet treats! No painting experience necessary. We will have all the supplies you need and can help with ideas.
Registration opens at 10:00am Thursday, August 1, 2024MOVIES:
GODZILLA X KING: THE NEW EMPIRE
Monday, August 12 | 12pm | Lovell Room
The epic battle continues! The cinematic Monsterverse follows up the explosive showdown of “Godzilla vs. Kong” with an all‐new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own.
Rated PG-13. 175 minutes.- MEAN GIRLS
Monday, August 26| 12pm | Lovell Room
From the comedic mind of Tina Fey comes a new twist on the modern classic, MEAN GIRLS. New student Cady Heron is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called “The Plastics,” ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George. However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels, she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs.
Rated PG-13. 172 minutes.
