Adults

Meet the Author – Claude Clayton Smith  Sunday, October 18 | 2:00 – 3:30pm | Perry House* Meet the Author Claude Clayton Smith and learn about the 2nd edition of his book Red Men in Red Square: Chief Big Eagle and the Russian Indianists. Claude Clayton Smith will present a reading from his book. He will be joined by Olga Sharp, Assistant Professor of Psychology from the University of Hartford, who is working on a Russian translation of the book. Olga will speak briefly about her translation and early life in Russia. *THIS PROGRAM WILL BE HELD AT THE PERRY HOUSE   Cancelled – An afternoon with the Stratford Fire Department Saturday, October 24 | 2-3:30pm | Lovell Room This program will be rescheduled once the Library’s construction is finished.  

WORKSHOPS:

Cancelled – Workshop: AARP SAFE DRIVER COURSE Saturday, October 24 | 10am | Board Room This program is cancelled.  

CAREER & TECH HELP:

Career Coach: JOB SEARCH HELP Tuesday, October 6, 10am to 12pm & 1pm to 3pm | Career Coach 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? Stop in to the “Job Search” session and equip yourself with the knowledge, skills, and resources you need to land your dream job! The same materials are covered in both sessions today.  Register HERE for 10am-12pm session Register HERE for 1-3pm session Monday Morning Buzz Monday, October 12 | 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 Wednesday, October 14 | 11am | Lovell Room Join the adult book discussion of the novel Heritage by Miguel Bonnefoy, a special book for Hispanic Heritage Month. Through this intergenerational tale of a family in Chile, the reader is immersed in the complexity of the characters’ lives, as well as the historical and heartbreaking world events into which they are flung. A dazzling family saga, brimming with poetry and passion, that skillfully weaves together the private lives of individuals and major historical events in South America and Europe. Copies of the book are available at the Checkout Desk. Register HERE Books on Tap (BOT) Books, Brews, and Bantor Tuesday, October 13 | 7pm to settle, 7:30pm to talk Join us for a casual, and unique book discussion at Riverview Bistro, 946 Ferry Blvd, Stratford, CT 06614. We will meet at 7:00pm and then start our discussion at 7:30pm. We will be discussing Once I Was You by Maria Hinojosa The Emmy Award–winning journalist and anchor of NPR’s Latino USA tells the story of immigration in America through her family’s experiences and decades of reporting, painting an unflinching portrait of a country in crisis in this memoir that is “quite simply beautiful, written in Maria Hinojosa’s honest, passionate voice” (BookPage). Copies of the book are available at the Checkout Desk. Books Over Coffee Wednesday, October 28 | 12 noon | Lovell Room This month BOC will be discussing Buckeye by Patrick Ryan. A New York Times bestseller and a Read With Jenn book club pick. “A glorious sweep of a novel” (Ann Patchett) that weaves the intimate lives of two midwestern families across generations, from World War II to the late twentieth century. Sweeping yet intimate, resplendent with moments of deep emotion and unforgettable characters, Buckeye is a transportive story of love, loyalty, sacrifice, and forgiveness. Copies available at the Check-Out Desk and on Libby or Hoopla.

CREATE:

MEDIUM PATRICIA GRIFFIN Monday, August 10 | 6pm | 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. Her readings can help you find closure, peace, and validation. At the Library, Patty will discuss her gifts and do select readings of audience members. Register HERE TAI CHI Easy/Qigong Saturday, August 15 & 29 | 10am | Library lawn Tai chi easy/qigong practice uses gentle movement, massage, meditation, and mindfulness to support overall physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Class will focus on integrating body, breath, and mind to promote relaxation and restore balanced energy. Each session encourages individuals to engage at their own pace and according to their personal needs. August 15 – Register HERE August 29 – Register HERE LEARN TO PLAY MAHJONG Thursday, August 20 | 6pm | Lovell Room or Saturday, August 22 | 10:30am | Lovell Room Interested in learning how to play Mahjong? Here’s your chance! Esther from Mahjong Haven will be teaching us Hong Kong Style Mahjong, a great foundation for understanding the game and learning other styles. All supplies will be provided. Registration is required. This class is offered on Thursday 8/20 OR Saturday 8/22 – please only sign up for one session, not both. Adults 18+ only August 20 – Register HERE August 22 – Register HERE  

WORKSHOPS:

SECURING YOUR LEGACY Wednesday, August 12 | 6:30pm | Perry House The How and Why of Making a Will: Join a discussion with Probate Judge Max Rosenberg and Chris Green, Financial Advisor. Ask questions and figure out your personalized first step toward this important financial goal. NEW LOCATION: This program will now take place at The Perry House (1128 West Broad St, Stratford)  

 CAREER & TECH HELP:

Career Coach: LEARNING MICROSOFT WORD Tuesday,  August 4, 10am to 12pm & 1pm to 3pm | Career Coach Bus parks on Main Street near the library front entrance. Learn what you need to successfully use Microsoft Word. Discover handy shortcuts you can use to finish up your document faster! There will be time to practice what you learned at the end of the session. The same materials are covered in both sessions today.  Register HERE for 10am-12pm session Register HERE for 1-3pm session Monday Morning Buzz Monday, August 3 | 11am | Children’s Program 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 Wednesday, August 12 | 11am | Lovell Room Join the adult book discussion of The Best Dog in the World: Essays on Love edited by Alice Hoffman. Whether you are a dog fan or not, there’s a lot to love and learn through these heartfelt essays by famous writers including Emily Henry, Isabel Allende, Paul Yoon, Amy Tan and more. Copies of the book are available at the Checkout Desk. Register HERE Books on Tap (BOT) Books, Brews, and Bantor Tuesday, August 25 | 7pm to settle, 7:30pm to talk Join us for a casual, and unique book discussion at Riverview Bistro, 946 Ferry Blvd, Stratford, CT 06614. We will meet at 7:00pm and then start our discussion at 7:30pm. Please tell all your friends this is so exciting. We will be discussing The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami a riveting and utterly original novel about one woman’s fight for freedom, set in a near future where even dreams are under surveillance. Copies of the book are available at the Checkout Desk.

CREATE:

MONDAY MATINEES SEND HELP Monday, August 24 | noon | Lovell Room When two business colleagues become stranded on a deserted island as the only survivors of a plane crash, they must overcome past grievances and work together to stay alive. But they’re not in the office anymore, and an unsettling, wryly humorous battle of wills and wits begins in this original, darkly comedic psychological thriller. Starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien. 113 mins / rated R

 PLANT BINGO Thursday, July 16 | 6:30pm | Library Amphitheatre What could be better than a BINGO night? How about a Plant BINGO night! Enjoy a fun evening of BINGO with fellow plant lovers, and take home plant prizes! Did we mention there will be plants?! This is an adult program ages 18 and up. Registration is required. Register HERE

WORKSHOPS:

GARDENING WORKSHOP: Succession Gardening Saturday, July 11 | 11am | Perry House* Join Giulia Gambale, UConn Extension Master Gardener, to learn how to think smarter about when to start your seeds and how to time succession sowings of vegetables for an extended harvest well into fall. *This program will be held at the Perry House, located at 1128 W Broad St, Stratford, CT 06615. The Perry House is the Yellow House that shares the parking lot with Stratford Library and The Baldwin Center Register HERE  

THEATRE:

OTHELLO (Hudson Shakespeare Company) Saturday, July 25 | 2pm | Library Courtyard Hudson Shakespeare returns to Stratford Library with a gripping story of passion, deception, and devastating jealousy, Othello draws audiences into one of Shakespeare’s most powerful tragedies. This free performance will be held outside in the Library Courtyard (weather permitting). Bring a chair or blanket. If the weather is bad, the event will be held in the Lovell Room.  

CAREER & TECH HELP:

Career Coach: RESUMES & COVER LETTERS Wednesday, July 15, 10am to 12pm & 1pm to 3pm | Career Coach Bus parks on Main Street near the library front entrance. Make your resume shine and position yourself to stand out in the crowd of job-seekers! The same materials are covered in both sessions today. Register HERE for 10am-12pm session Register HERE for 1-3pm session Monday Morning Buzz Monday, July 6| 11am | Baldwin Center* 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! PLEASE NOTE: DISCUSSION AT BALDWIN SENIOR CENTER! SIGN IN AT BALDWIN CENTER GREETER’S DESK TO GET A ONE-DAY PASS Register HERE Don’t Know Much About (DKMA) Wednesday, July 8 | 11am | Children’s Program Room Join the adult book discussion of Hanna’s Daughters by Marianne Fredriksson. Explore Scandinavian history through this novel about three generations of Swedish women, their traumas, sacrifices, tender moments, compromises and joys. Register HERE Extra copies of the book are available at the Checkout Desk. Books on Tap (BOT) Books, Brews, and Bantor Tuesday, July 14 | 7pm to settle, 7:30pm to talk Join us for a casual, and unique book discussion at Riverview Bistro, 946 Ferry Blvd, Stratford, CT 06614. We will meet at 7:00pm and then start our discussion at 7:30pm. Please tell all your friends this is so exciting. We will be discussing A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern. From the former prime minister of New Zealand, then the world’s youngest female head of government and just the second to give birth in office, comes a deeply personal memoir chronicling her extraordinary rise and offering inspiration to a new generation of leaders. Extra copies of the book are available at the Checkout Desk.

CREATE:

The library may be under construction, with limited services for adults, but we still have an array of book discussion groups, crafting, and job search programs available to join!

FEATURED EVENTS

ADULT SUMMER READING 2026 June 1st – August 10th Summer reading isn’t just for kids. Join our Adult Reading challenge & enter to win our prize drawing for gift cards.

GARDENING WORKSHOP: Core Growing-Season Vegetable Maintenance Saturday, June 20 | 11am | PERRY HOUSE* Join Giulia Gambale, UConn Extension Master Gardener, for a fast, practical 2-hour Core Growing-Season Vegetable Maintenance Workshop designed to help home gardeners keep their gardens thriving all summer long. You’ll leave with a custom 1-page checklist and an easy “harvest day” workflow you can use right away—so your plants stay healthier, more productive, and more manageable. *The Perry House 1128 W Broad St, Stratford, CT 06615. Perry House is the Yellow House that share the parking lot with Stratford Library and The Baldwin Center. Register HERE SPRING 2026 – Seed Giveaway May | Children’s Department All ages. Take home some seeds to plant inside or out! Register to be reminded for pick ups – drops in are welcome. Seeds will be available starting on the date listed. Pick up in the Children’s Department on the 2nd floor. Seeds are non-GMO from True Leaf Market. 6/1 Basil- Ornamental Mixture – Register HERE 6/8 – Pinto Bush – Register HERE 6/15 Nasturtiums – Register HERE PROPAGATION STATION – Houseplant Swap and Community Seed Share Thursday, June 18 | 6pm | Lobby Exciting news this month! In addition to our Propagation Station Houseplant Cutting Swap, we are thrilled to introduce the Community Seed Share with our partner Divinity Adivina®️! For the Community Seed Share  – Whether sowing your first seed indoors or outdoors, tending a flourishing garden, or nurturing a small farm or homestead, all are welcome. Community members at every stage of their gardening journey are invited to learn, receive, donate and exchange seeds.

CAREER & TECH HELP:

Career Coach: Job Search Help Tuesday, June 9 | 10am to 12pm & 1pm to 3pm | Career Coach 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? Stop in to the “Job Search” session and equip yourself with the knowledge, skills, and resources you need to land your dream job! Our experienced job search coach will guide you throughout the workshop, providing one-on-one assistance tailored to your unique needs and goals. The same material is covered in both classes: Register HERE for 10am-12pm session Register HERE for 1-3pm session

BOOK DISCUSSIONS:

Monday Morning Buzz Monday, June 1 | 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 (BOT) – Books, Brews, and Bantor Tuesday, June 2 | 7pm to settle, 7:30pm to talk Join us at Riverview Bistro, 946 Ferry Blvd, Stratford, CT 06614 . We will meet at 7:00pm and then start our discussion at 7:30pm. We will be discussing Tilt by Emma Pattee. Set over the course of a single day, an electrifying debut novel from “a powerful new literary voice” (Vogue) following one woman’s journey across a transformed city, carrying the weight of her past and a fervent hope for the future. Copies available at the Checkout Desk. Little Gems Book Discussion Wednesday, June 10 | 11am | Lovell Room Join our next “Little Gems” book discussion of Red Dog Farm by Nathaniel Ian Miller. Orri is a young man living on his family’s small farm in Iceland, trying to figure out his way in the world, his family and other relationships. This novel excels at revealing small day-to-day moments, as well as bigger shifts that alter a life. Copies available at the Checkout Desk. Register HERE Books Over Coffee Wednesday, June 24 | 12 noon | Lovell Room This month BOC will be discussing Culpability by Bruce Holsinger, an Oprah’s Book Club Pick and a New Yorker Best Book of 2025. Set at a summer rental on the Chesapeake Bay, a riveting family drama about moral responsibility in the age of artificial intelligence. Culpability explores a world newly shaped by chatbots, autonomous cars, drones, and other nonhuman forces in ways that are thrilling, challenging, and unimaginably provocative. Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.

CREATE:

Knit Wits Wednesday,  June 3 & 17 | 6pm | Children’s Dept. Café Area 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. Crocheting Wednesday, June 3 & 24 | 6pm | Children’s Program Room Ages 9+ (adults and teens welcome). Learn basic crochet stitches like single and double chain or bring questions about your current project. This class is perfect for both beginners and others looking to advance their skills. Materials provided. Registration required

The library may be under construction, with limited services for adults, but we still have an array of book discussion groups, crafting, and job search programs available to join!

FEATURED EVENTS

SPRING 2026 – Seed Giveaway May | Children’s Department All ages. Take home some seeds to plant inside or out! Register to be reminded for pick ups – drops in are welcome. Seeds will be available starting on the date listed. Pick up in the Children’s Department on the 2nd floor. Seeds are non-GMO from True Leaf Market. 5/4 Mustard – Southern Giant Curled – Register HERE 5/11 Ornamental Flowering Cabbage – Register HERE 5/18 Oregano – Common Italian – Register HERE 5/26 Dill – Bouquet – Register HERE PROPAGATION STATION – Houseplant Swap and Community Seed Share Thursday, May 28 | 6pm | Lobby Exciting news this month! In addition to our Propagation Station Houseplant Cutting Swap, we are thrilled to introduce the Community Seed Share with our partner Divinity Adivina®️! For the Community Seed Share  – Whether sowing your first seed indoors or outdoors, tending a flourishing garden, or nurturing a small farm or homestead, all are welcome. Community members at every stage of their gardening journey are invited to learn, receive, donate and exchange seeds.

CAREER & TECH HELP:

Career Coach: Resumes & Cover Letters Tuesday, May 12 | 10am to 12pm & 1pm to 3pm | Career Coach Bus parks on Main Street near the library front entrance. Make your resume shine and position yourself to stand out in the crowd of job-seekers!

• Why should you attend the Resume & Cover Letter Workshop?
• Find out about the best free resources to help with formatting a resume
• Update the language on your resume with action verbs; say goodbye to over-used phrases and fluffy verbiage that takes up valuable space without a payoff
• Understand the importance of cover letters
• Learn about the Applicant Tracking System. What is it? How do companies use it to sift through piles of resumes and screen candidates? How can you beat it using keywords and formatting?

Don’t forget to bring a copy of your current resume so you can get tips to create a powerful, up-to-date document to land your dream job interview! The same material is covered in both classes: Register HERE for 10am-12pm session Register HERE for 1-3pm session  

BOOK DISCUSSIONS:

Monday Morning Buzz Monday, May 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! Don’t Know Much About Book Discussion Wednesday, May 13 | 11am | Lovell Room Join our next “Don’t Know Much About” book discussion of The Women with the Cure by Lynn Cullen, a novel based on the true story of Dorothy Horstmann, a key player in the development of the polio vaccine. Despite humble beginnings, challenges to obtaining her education, underfunding for her research, and great personal sacrifice, Horstmann dedicated her life to the discovery that (contrary to the science of the time) polio travels through the blood to the nervous system. Horstmann was the first woman appointed as a professor at Yale School of Medicine. Copies available at the Checkout Desk. Registration required Books Over Coffee Wednesday, May 27 | 12 noon | Lovell Room This month BOC will be discussing Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. This stunning debut short story collection was an international best seller and winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Navigating between the Indian traditions they’ve inherited and the baffling new world, the characters in Jhumpa Lahiri’s elegant, touching stories seek love beyond the barriers of culture and generations. Copies available at the Check-Out Desk.

CREATE:

Knit Wits Wednesday,  May 6 & 20 | 6pm | Children’s Dept. Café Area 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. Crocheting Wednesday, May 13 | 6pm | Children’s Program Room Ages 9+ (adults and teens welcome). Learn basic crochet stitches like single and double chain or bring questions about your current project. This class is perfect for both beginners and others looking to advance their skills. Materials provided. Registration required