August Adult Programs

ADULT SUMMER READING 2025
June 1st – August 10th

Summer reading isn’t just for kids!
There’s still time to join our Adult Reading challenge and
enter to win our prize drawing for gift cards.

FEATURED PROGRAMS:

Author Talk: ROBIN MCCARTHY AREHART
Friday, August 8 | 3pm | Lovell Room
Curious about writing for kids or teens, improving your craft, or self-publishing? Interested in a teen book about activism, the environment, and climate anxiety? Join Stratford native Robin McCarthy Arehart to hear about her self-published young adult novel Ecofreak.
Robin Arehart writes poems, stories, and articles, and gives talks about life and teaching. She developed her craft through her participation in the Connecticut Writing Project, UCLA Extension Writers Program classes, and Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) workshops.

Concert: SAINT In-Person
Saturday, August 9 | 2pm | Lovell Room
Stratford’s own singer/musician returns to the Library! The Stratford Library will present Stratford singer Saint (Thierry Coriolan-Beauregard) in a special concert tour, “A Cry for Peace & A Shout for Love.” Through his music, Saint’s dream is to positively impact all people groups by sharing songs that bring hope and love around the world. His songs and melodies are like peaceful waves of compassion and love that uplift his audiences.

COOKBOOK SWAP
Saturday, August 16 | 11am | Lovell Room
Are your classic recipes starting to feel a little bit stale? Do you have any cookbooks that you don’t use anymore? Are you looking for new recipes? Bring your cookbooks (gently used, stain free, and no missing pages, please), leave with new-to-you cookbooks!
This is a drop-in event and registration is not required. Light refreshments will be provided.
New recipes, new meals, new acquaintances – opportunities to cook up something great!

SPICE UP YOUR SUMMER
Monday,  August 18 | Reference Department
Stop by the Reference Desk and pick up a “Spice Up Your Summer: Urfa Biber Grab & Go kit”. Urfa biber, also known as isot pepper, is a Turkish chili pepper known for its deep, smoky flavor with notes of chocolate. It adds a unique dimension to a variety of dishes. Each kit contains a sample of the spice plus information and recipes to try.
Beginning Monday, August 18, 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.

PROPAGATION STATION – Houseplant Swap
Thursday, August 28 | 6pm | Lobby
Join our houseplant cutting swap! Bring cuttings from your houseplant to our Propagation Station and trade plant babies. It’s a great chance to share your love for plants, connect with fellow enthusiasts, exchange tips, and grow your indoor garden. All plant lovers from beginners to experts are welcome!

WORKSHOP:

Workshop: KICKSTART YOUR HEALTH: The Power of Food for Healthy Weight Management, Lower Cholesterol, and Increased Metabolism
Thursdays | 2pm | Lovell Room
August 7 – Chef Linda discusses today’s topic: Healthy Blood Pressure.
Registration is required.

CAREER & TECH HELP:

Career Coach: COMPUTER BASICS
Monday, August 11, 10am to 12pm & 1pm to 3pm | Career Coach 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

Monday Morning Buzz
Monday, August 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!

Book Club: WORDY UNDER 30
Thursday, August 14 | 6pm | Lovell Room
Wordy Under 30 is an exciting new book club for young adults coming to Stratford Library! Anybody from 21 to 30 is warmly invited to join. We’ll meet once a month, and we’ll read whatever members are interested in reading! Meetings will be fun and relaxed – no rigid structures or pre-written guides, just conversation (and free food). With this group, we hope to cultivate community and practice making time in our busy lives for activities like reading that bring us wonder and peace.
For questions, email Gawain at: gmosher@stratfordlibrary.org.or call: 203.395.4161
We look forward to seeing you at our interest meeting on August 14!

Books on Tap (BOT) 
Books, Brews, and Bantor
Tuesday, August 19 | 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 Sing Sing Files: One Journalist, Six Innocent Men, and a Twenty-Year Fight for Justice by Dan Slepian, an NBC Dateline producer’s cinematic account of his two-decade journey navigating the broken criminal justice system to help free six innocent men. Slepian’s extraordinary book, at once painful and full of hope, shines a light on an injustice whose impact the nation has only begun to confront.
Copies available at the Checkout Desk. 

CREATE:

MONDAY MATINEES

• Deadpool & Wolverine
  Monday, August 4 | 12pm | Lovell Room
  In this multiverse story Deadpool is approached by a man named Paradox who intends on vaporizing his entire universe because apparently it’s not supposed to go on living without the now deceased hero Wolverine. Deadpool kidnaps another version of Wolverine to replace but this only results in Paradox banishing both Deadpool and Wolverine.
  Rated R, 128 minutes

• Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice
  Monday, August 18 | 12pm | Lovell Room
  After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.
  Rated PG-13, 105 minutes