Russell Library - February Events!

Russell Library 123 Broad St., Middletown, CT

 

COMING EVENTS AT RUSSELL LIBRARY

Russell Library Hours for February 2017

Russell Library, 123 Broad St. in Middletown has hours: Mondays 10am – 6pm; Tuesdays 10am – 8pm; Wednesdays 1pm – 8pm; Thursdays 10am – 8pm; Fridays 10am – 6pm; Saturdays 10am - 2pm, Sundays from 1pm – 4pm. The library will be closed Sunday February 19 and Monday February 20 for the President’s Day Holiday.

All library programs are free of charge.

EXHIBITS

Sacred Circles:  Mandalas for the Soul by Rose Amodeo Petronella

Throughout February and March. Mandalas are circle designs found in spiritual traditions around the world.  They represent health and wholeness of body, mind and spirit. The mandalas in this exhibit began as a spiritual healing exercise during a difficult time of life and evolved into a form of prayer, which continues years later. 

Rose Amodeo Petronella is a spiritual director, retreat leader and retired minister in the United Church of Christ.  She recently published Honoring the Soul:  Mandalas for Inspiration and Insight.  She grew up in Rocky Hill, CT, and now lives in Middletown.

Antique Valentine’s Day Cards

Lobby Case, throughout February. Dated from the early twentieth century through the 1990’s, this Valentine’s Day Card Collection includes some of the most iconic images of this celebration day.

ONGOING PROGRAMS

The Russell Writers Online Forum.  Participate any day, any time, from the comfort of your own computer. Register and log in for this online writing group where you can post your work for critique, provide feedback for your fellow Russell Writers, exchange ideas and tips, and participate in the monthly writing prompts. Go to: http://russellwriters.freeforums.net. Beginning and experienced writers welcomed! For more information, contact Michele Rousseau at shellywriter@sbcglobal.net

PROGRAMS

Baby Rhyme Time

Wednesdays, February 1, 8, 15, 22, 1:30pm. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Looking for something to do with your infant or toddler? Come join us for Baby Rhyme Time, a program for babies one-year old and under and their caregiver.  We’ll sing songs and learn rhymes, finger plays and more in this fun, interactive program.

Birth-12 months, with caregiver.

Drop-in, no registration.

Baby Rhyme Time

Thursdays, February 2, 9, 16, 23, 10:30am. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Looking for something to do with your infant or toddler?  Come join us for Baby Rhyme Time, a program for babies one-year old and under and their caregiver.  We’ll sing songs and learn rhymes, finger plays and more in this fun, interactive program.

Birth-12 months, with caregiver.

Drop-in, no registration.

Preschool Power Story Hour

Thursdays, February 2, 9, 16, and 23, 1:30pm. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Preschool Power is a fun, energetic mix of stories, finger plays, puppets, music, dance, and crafts; we’ll also have time to just play! Come enjoy stories old and new. We’ll be using craft materials, so dress appropriately!

Ages 3 to 5.

Drop-in, no registration.

Wonderful Ones

Mondays, February 6^th, 13^thand 27^th, 10:30am. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Play and circle time for one year olds and their caregivers.

Drop-in, no registration.

Time for Twos Playgroup Winter Session

Tuesdays, February 7, 14, 21 and 28, 10:30am. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Two year olds and their caregivers are invited to join us for open play.  Wear play clothes as we will also be using craft materials.  Spend this frosty morning meeting new friends!

Drop-in, no registration.

Valentine’s Day Card Coloring Class

Thursday, February 9, 6:00pm-7:00pm. Meeting Room 3 at Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. There's no nicer card than a hand-made or hand-colored card! Most of us grew up coloring as children and coloring books have come a long way; they are even popular with adults! Each child can choose their design and colors and let their creativity flow! The cards are printed with a variety of Valentine’s Day pictures and themes. All supplies are included.
Grades 6-12.

Registration is required. Call 860-344-8479 or stop by Youth and Family Learning.

Letter to Italy Film Screening

Thursday, February 9, 6:00pm-7:00pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. The screening of Letter from Italy, 1944: A New American Oratorio," narrated by Meryl Streep, is an award-winning film which tells the story of the creation of the oratorio. The piece was commissioned by the Greater Middletown Chorale, created by Grammy-Award nominee Sarah Meneely-Kyder, and premiered in Middletown by the Chorale at the Performing Arts Center at MHS. Local veterans and dignitaries appear in the documentary, adding their insights into this true and powerfully poignant musical drama about Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) and its effect on generations. 

Karyl Evans, noted filmmaker and winner of 6 Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Director" for work on "Letter from Italy, 1944: A New American Oratorio," will lead the discussion following the showing. 

The snow date is February 16.

Drop-in, no registration.

Builders Club

Friday, February 10^th, 4:00pm. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Build with the bricks you know and love!

For ages five and up.

Drop in, no registration needed.

Survivors Swing Band!

Sunday, February 12, 2:00pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. The Survivors Swing Band generates energy and excitement everywhere they perform. In honor of Valentine’s Day, they will be playing classic melodies from the Swing Era for concert goers listening -- and dancing - pleasure! Bring a dance partner, or come with friends and family to enjoy some of America’s most beloved songs. Families with children are welcome.

The band features musicians from all over Connecticut, each with many years of experience. Lauren Humpage is on bass and vocals; Jeremy Alston on drums; Jules Bashkin on alto sax; Greg Butko on reeds; Bill Steinhauser on banjo and guitar; and Sandra Wittman on piano. Based in Connecticut, the group plays the classic melodies from an era gone by--hot tunes and soothing ballads of the Swing Era--plus many of the wonderful melodies from the two decades that followed.

This concert is funded by The Friends of the Russell Library.

Twos Rock!

Tuesday, February 14, 10:30am. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Two year olds and their caregivers will enjoy a special Valentine’s dance party!

Drop-in, no registration.

Russell Readers

Tuesday, February 14, 6:30-7:50 pm. Meeting Room 3 at Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. We will discuss The Cracked Looking-Glass by Katherine Anne Porter from the collection 100 Years of the Best American Short Stories. Discussions are based on the Great Books Foundation method in which readers talk in open gatherings, under a leader, about the great issues that have shaped civilization as reflected in the readings. For more information about participating in the group or acquiring the text, contact Chantal Foster at (860)573-2946 or email Chantal.foster@comcast.net. 

The discussions are sponsored by The Friends of the Russell Library.

Film screening: The Detective

Wednesday, February 14, 12:00pm – 2:00pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Join us for a screening of the classic 1954 film The Detective, starring Alec Guinness as Father Brown. Also starring Peter Finch and Joan Greenwood. Amateur detective Father Brown is on the case of the theft of the fantastic work of art The Holy Cross of Saint Augustine. The feisty priest soon realizes that he's dealing with a master criminal and master of disguise. If you like this film, come to the Classic Mystery Book Discussion where we will discuss the Father Brown mystery series on Tuesday, February 28^th at either 11:30am or at 6:30pm.

Run time: 1 hour 31 minutes. Rated G.

Drop-in; no registration. 

Poet’s Corner with Susan Allison

Friday, February 17, 1:00pm – 2:00pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Come enjoy talking poetry with Middletown's Poet Laureate, Susan Allison, in our second floor computer area, near the windows overlooking the courtyard. Bring your own favorite poems to share.

Drop-in, no registration.

Art Party!

Friday, February 17, 4:00pm-5:00pm. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Come and celebrate your artistic side by creating something beautiful.  Art Party! will be celebrated each month with a new creative project. Bring your imagination and a willingness to get messy. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting paint on!

Grades K-3.

Drop-in, no registration.

What is it about Racism?

Saturday, February 18, 10:30am – 12:30pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. This presentation and discussion-style workshop takes on dismantling the strongholds of racism by using an open-minded approach to engage all people. People will be invited to unpack some of the more difficult elements of racism.   

Everyone is welcomed to join in this conversation and find out what more can be done on a personal and professional level to address racism where it lives.

Drop-in, no registration.

Produced and funded by Speak FIRE Communication.

Origami

Tuesday, February 21 at 6:30 pm. The Activity Room, Russell Library 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Explore the Japanese art of paper folding.

Ages 7 & up.

Drop-in, no registration.

Bending Gravity! Circus Fun!

Tuesday, February 21 at 11:00 am. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Eric Girardi presents a mesmerizing performance of circus skills choreographed to music. He has been performing professionally for over fifteen years as a world-ranked yo-yo player, juggler, top spinner, diabolo'ist, contact juggler and stilt-walker. He is an artist of over fifteen 'circus' skills. 

All ages.

Drop-in, no registration.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library.

Cultural Connections Women’s Group

Wednesday, February 22, 5:30pm – 6:30pm. Meeting Room 3 at Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Women of all nationalities are invited to come and meet other immigrant women in order to help one another adapt to American culture. Get help with local resources and network. Share stories, tips and make new friends.
Children are welcome. Fluency in English is not necessary.
Drop-in, no registration.

Living Large in 18^th Century Middletown

Wednesday, February 22, 7:00pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown.

Perched high above Washington Street is Middletown’s finest example of Georgian Colonial architecture, the Judge Seth Wetmore House. The painted parlor was of such high quality that it was dismantled and is now on display at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford. But the house began on a less elevated and sobering note: the foundation was dug by Judge Wetmore’s three enslaved workers, Milt, Cuff, and Will.

In the fourth installment of the 'Vanished Port” speakers’ series presented by the Middlesex County Historical Society, Bill Hosley will discuss 18^th - century Middletown architecture with an emphasis on the Wetmore House. Famous visitors to the house included Aaron Burr, the Marquis de Lafayette, and noted theologians Jonathan Edwards and Timothy Dwight. They would have enjoyed lively conversations in the parlor with its “corner shell cupboard with sun-burst decoration; marbleized fluted pilasters at either side of the fireplace opening, and its fine over-mantel painting,” as described by the Greater Middletown Preservation Trust.

Abacus Club

Friday, February 24, 2017 at 3:30pm to 4:30pm. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad St. Middletown. Join the fun and multiply your math knowledge with engaging math based activities and crafts. The Abacus Club meets on the last Friday of the month. You + program = enlightenment.

Ages 7 and up.

Drop-in, no registration.

Yoga In The Hubbard Room!

Saturday, February 25th, 11:00am to 12:00pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. No prior experience necessary, and no mats will be used. Our instructor for the class will be Jeff Hush, founder of Food and Movement Therapy and a local instructor of Family Yoga, Tai Chi and Chair Yoga. Come experience what Yoga flow can do to assist you in feeling calmer and also more energetic. Learn how it helps in having a stronger immune system and better sleep patterns.

Families with children ages 6 and up are welcome.

The series is funded by The Friends of the Russell Library.

Selma – film screening

Saturday, February 25th, 12:30pm to 2:00pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown.
Selma is a 2014 film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Paul Webb. It is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by James Bevel, Hosea Williams, Martin Luther King, Jr. and John Lewis. The film stars actors David Oyelowo as King, Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon B. Johnson, Tim Roth as George Wallace, Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King and Common as Bevel.
Selma premiered at the American Film Institute Festival on November 11, 2014.
Selma had four Golden Globe Award nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director and Best Actor and won for Best Original Song. It was also nominated for Best Picture and won Best Original Song at the 87th Academy Awards.

Classic Mystery Book Discussion

Tuesday, February 28, 11:30am – 1:15pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Join us for a discussion of the Father Brown mysteries by G.K. Chesterton, starting with the short story The Blue Cross from the collection The Innocence of Father Brown. Written as the deliberate antithesis of Sherlock, Father Brown uses his intuition and knowledge of human nature to solve crimes and redeem criminals. I caught him, with an unseen hook and an invisible line which is long enough to let him wander to the ends of the world, and still to bring him back with a twitch upon the thread, - Father Brown. 

Participants are encouraged to bring their own lunches. We will also be screening film versions of the movies on a Wednesday evening before the discussion. Discussions will be casual and fun, and those who have not read the books or seen the movies are encouraged to attend.
Copies of each month's book will be available at the Russell Circulation Desk 30 days prior. Please contact the Information Access & Adult Learning Department at Russell Library; infodept@russelllibrary.org; 860-347-2520 for more details or to suggest a book.
Drop-in, no registration.

Classic Mystery Book Discussion

Tuesday, February 28, 6:30pm – 7:45pm. Meeting Room 3, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. The above program repeats at this alternative time.

COMPUTER CLASSES

One-on-one computer lessons

By appointment. Information desk, Russell Library, 123 Broad St., Middletown. The topics for these personalized one-hour classes will be diverse and patron-driven including:

·         Overviews and special topics for Microsoft Office, Publisher and other applications

·         Database help for student’s homework, grant-seeking, genealogy, self-improvement, investment and small business development

·         Social Media, Email and ways to control your inbox 

·         Introduction to Digital Photography and/or photo editing

·         Patrons may bring laptops and other portable devices or use our computers for an introduction to the operating system, downloading music, magazines or books and streaming video. 

Please contact the Information Department for details or to set up an appointment, 860-347-2520.

Intro to Social Media

Tuesday, February 14, 10:30am-noon. Meeting Room 3, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Want to get active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or SnapChat? Are you interested in making new friends, or do you just want to know how to take, send, or receive photos, videos or texts from friends and family? Join us for a class on how to use social media. Bring along your smart phone, tablet, or digital camera, too! Space is limited to 8 people.

Registration suggested, please call (860) 347-2520; drop-ins accepted if there's room.

JOB & CAREER PROGRAMS

“The Times, They are a-Changing! – Where to Find Jobs in 2017” – with Dr. Marcia LaReau”

Tuesday, February 14, 2017, 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Dr. Marcia LaReau, President of Forward Motion, LLC., will discuss how to follow the changing economy and the impact of change on the jobs world. She will discuss:

-          Where to look for jobs in 2017

-          How to apply your skill sets

-          Fid and keep the right job for you

-          Plan for the future.

-          Always have an income stream

Adult, Registration is requested but not required. (860) 347-2520

Sponsored by The Russell Library Job and Career Group and the Family of Thomas J. Regan.

Job Group

Thursdays February 2, 9, 16, and 23 at 10:00am – noon. The Hubbard Room at Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Each Thursday a different topic related to careers is discussed. Presenters range from local business people to nationally renowned authors and career counselors. A one-hour networking session follows the presentation.

Practice Job Interviews

Improve your interviewing skills and get the job you want. Bob Carlson will assist you by conducting and evaluating your practice interview. Videotaping the session is optional and confidential. One hour sessions are available. Register by calling 860-347-2520.

Resume Review

Russell Library offers confidential resume review and critiquing two Saturdays each month from 10:00am – 1:30pm with Tracy Nixon Moore, business professional and consultant. Wednesday evenings from 4:00pm – 6:00pm, Jeff Thierfeld, business consultant, will be available for resume reviews. One hour appointments are available. Remember to bring your resume. Register by calling 860-347-2520.

Career Coaching

James Kubat, associate director of the Wesleyan Career Center, gives private, confidential career coaching through 1-hour appointments Wednesday evenings from 6:00pm – 8:00pm. Remember to bring your resume. Register by calling 860-347-2520.