Russell Library - December Events

 Russell Library 123 Broad Street, Middletown, CT

COMING EVENTS AT RUSSELL LIBRARY

Russell Library Hours for December 2017

Russell Library, 123 Broad Street in Middletown has hours: Mondays 10am – 6pm; Tuesdays 10am – 8pm; Wednesdays 1pm – 8pm; Thursdays 10am – 8pm; Fridays 10am – 6pm; Saturdays 10am – 2pm. Sundays 1pm – 4pm. The library will be closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas day on Sunday and Monday, December 24 and 25, and for New Year’s Eve on Sunday, December 31. All library programs are free of charge.

PROGRAMS  

Donate New Socks and Mittens!  

Throughout December. The Lobby, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Come celebrate the holidays by donating new socks and mittens. Russell Library staff will be collecting them throughout the month and pass them along to the local shelters.

 

Twos are Terrific

Tuesday, December  and 19, 10:30am. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. This librarian-led program is designed to increase two-year-olds’ literacy and social skills as they enjoy story time, movement, music and play time with other toddlers and their families.

For two year olds (24 - 35 months). Siblings welcome! 

Drop in; no registration required. 

Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library.

Racial Justice Book Group

The group will not meet on January 2, 2018 but will resume on February 6, 2018 with The Warmth of Other Suns: the epic story of America’s great migration by Isabel Wilkerson.

Baby Rhyme Time  

Wednesday, December 20, 4:30pm. 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 and under and their caregivers. We'll sing songs, learn rhymes, finger plays and more in this fun, interactive program.
For babies birth-12 months and their caregivers. Siblings welcome!
Drop in; no registration.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library.

Baby Rhyme Time   

Thursday, December and 21, 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 and under and their caregivers. We'll sing songs, learn rhymes, finger plays and more in this fun, interactive program.
For babies birth-12 months and their caregivers. Siblings welcome!
Drop in; no registration.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library.

Preschool Power Story Hour

Thursday, December 21, 1:30pm. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. This literacy-base, librarian led program provides the perfect opportunity for preschoolers to practice their listening skills and increase their social confidence while enjoying stories, music, movement and a craft with their caregivers.

For ages 3-5 (Pre-k through kindergarten) Siblings welcome!

Drop in; no registration.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library

We Were There: Writing Your Military Experiences

Thursdays, December 21 and 28, 6:30pm. Meeting Room 2, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Veterans are invited to share their stories and photos in their own voices. We encourage new members to visit us to see what we are all about! Old Saybrook native Elisabeth Petry leads the group. She is a writer and former journalist and lawyer. Her first book, a collection of letters that she edited, was Can Anything Beat White?: A Black Family's Letters. Her second is At Home Inside: A Daughter’s Tribute to Ann Petry. She lives in Middletown with her husband, Lawrence Riley, Commander of the American Legion Milardo-Wilcox Post 75, Middletown, CT.

The workshop facilitator is Christy Billings. She can be reached at (860) 347-2528 or cbillings@russelllibrary.org

Sponsored by The Friends of the Russell Library.

The group will not meet in January or February but will resume in March, 2018.

 

Middlesex County Historical Society: Homegrown Terror: Benedict Arnold and the Burning of New London by Eric D. Lehman         

Thursday, December 14, 7:00pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown.  In September 1781, CT native Benedict Arnold and a force of 1,600 British soldiers and loyalists took Fort Griswold and burnt New London to the ground. The brutality of the invasion galvanized the new nation.  Eric D. Lehman will chronicle the events leading up to the attack and highlight this key transformation in Arnold—the point where he went from betraying his comrades to massacring his neighbors and destroying their homes. For more information on this presentation, please call 860-346-0746 or see https://mchsct.org

Sponsored by the Middlesex County Historical Society.

Origami

Tuesday, December 19, 6:30pm. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Explore the art of Japanese paper folding.

For grades 2 - 8 (age 7 +).

Drop in; no registration.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library. 

Concert: Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem - Wintersong

Thursday, December 21, 7:00pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Looking for a little light in the darkness? Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem's WINTERSONG is a holiday program that skips over the canon and digs up the power and beauty at the roots of Christmas. From danceable, electric guitar- and banjo-driven carols and songs, to hushed settings of Tennyson and Longfellow, to fiddle-driven New Year’s songs from Cajun Louisiana, WINTERSONG is a surprising winter journey full of fierce poetry, wild joy and hope for humanity.  Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library.

Adult Coloring for Stress Reduction

Friday, December 22, 11:30am. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Come and enjoy a stress-free environment while you color beautiful pictures!

The library provides materials, or you may bring your own. 

Winter Dance Party

Tuesday, December 26, 10:30am. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Come shake your sillies out and more! 

For ages 3 - 8 (Preschool to 2nd Grade) siblings welcome!

Drop in; no registration.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library

Captain Underpants: the first epic movie

Wednesday, December 27, 2:00pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Prepare yourself for a silly movie based on Dav Pilkey books. The film is rated PG for mild rude humor.

For ages 5 – 14 (grades k – 8). Siblings welcome!

Drop in; no registration. 

Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library.

Puzzle Mania

Thursday, December 28, 11:00am. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Bring the whole family to Russell Library's Youth and Family Learning Department for a fun filled time doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles.
For all ages.
Drop in; no registration.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library

Author/Illustrator David Hyde Costello Presents

Friday, December 29, 11:00am. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Join author/illustrator David Hyde Costello for a special program that features his books, drawing, music, and puppetry! With a background in theater as well as visual arts, David has painted scenery for plays and motion pictures including Amistad, Spider-man, and The Fighter. He is also a ukulele player, ‘self-taught through the productive use of procrastination.’ 

Drop in; no registration.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library.

New Year’s Wishes

Friday, December 29, 3:00pm. The Activity Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Celebrate 2018 by drawing your New Year’s wishes. Bring your wishes; we’ll supply the paper and drawing tools.
For all ages.
Drop in; no registration.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library.

Yoga in the Hubbard Room

Saturday, December 30, 11:00am. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. No prior experience necessary, and no mats will be used. Our instructor will be Jeff Hush, founder of Food and Movement Therapy and a local instructor of Family Yoga, Tai Chi and Chair Yoga. Come experience how practicing yoga can help you feel calmer and more energetic, and learn how it can also help support a stronger immune system and better sleep patterns.  If the weather is nice, yoga will be held in the courtyard.

Drop in; no registration.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Russell Library.

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 own 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 welcome! For more information, contact Michelle Rousseau at shellywriter@sbcglobal.net

JOBS AND CAREER PROGRAMS

Job Group

Thursdays, December 21 and 28, 10:00am - 12:30pm. The Hubbard Room, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown. Each Thursday a different topic related to careers is discussed. Presenters range from local business professionals to nationally renowned authors and career counselors. A networking session follows the presentation.

Registration not required.

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 1-hour sessions are available Tuesday afternoons. Call the library at 860-347-2520 for dates, times and to register.

COMPUTER PROGRAMS

One-on-One Computer Lessons

By appointment. Information Desk, Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, 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 students’ 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 device or use our computers for an introduction to the operating system, downloading music, magazines or books, and streaming video.
Please contact the Information and Adult Learning Department at 860-347-2520 for details or to setup an appointment.