Memorial Day Weekend Saturday, May 24 –Monday, May 26
FRONT COVER
Attributed to Charlotte Alvord Lacey (1867–1951), Bird Calendar, Southport, 1915, watercolor on paper; Pequot Library Special Collections.
DESIGN: Victoria Konopka
CONTENT: Grace Calderon, Christine Catallo, Stephanie J. Coakley, Cecily Dyer, John Kofron, Owen Lockwood, Jane Manners, Natalie Martino, Jessica McEntee, Meghann McKale
‘Under the Arches’ is printed on recycled paper.
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dear Pequot Library friends,
Lately Pequot Library staff members have been talking a great deal about a timely topic: the significance of the arts, culture, and humanities in our lives. On a pragmatic level, studying the humanities hones one’s ability to evaluate information and allows us to approach differences from multiple lenses. This is part of why we are proud to welcome over 1,000 local students to view our Special Collections exhibitions for deep dives into studying from primary sources and why we continue to organize high-caliber educational opportunities for all ages across arts disciplines.
For those of you who, like me, exalt in illuminating the past via research approaches which dive into archival collections, be sure to mark your calendars for our April 10 (6:00 p.m.) Meet the Author talk with Russell Shorto, who will discuss his book, Taking Manhattan: The Extraordinary Events That Created New York and Shaped America.
We’re also ecstatic to welcome National Book Award Winner Sigrid Nunez for a Meet the Author conversation with our own Marketing Associate and poet Jessie McEntee on April 26 at 2:00 p.m. The film version of Nunez’s lauded novel The Friend stars Naomi Watts and Bill Murray and hits theaters on March 21.
Be sure to visit our current exhibition, The Tinderbox of the Civil War: 1830s Abolitionism in Connecticut, on view through May 10. I look forward to delivering a related talk on the final day of the exhibition at 11:00 a.m. about my distant maternal ancestors Owen and Elijah Lovejoy. I’ll highlight items from our Special Collections which outline their contributions to the American abolitionist movement.
All of us at Pequot Library look forward to seeing you this spring!
As part of the library’s ongoing art and architecture lecture series, join New York Times bestselling author Witold Rybczynski for an illuminating and rare conversation on his life’s passion, architecture and design. He is widely considered the most respected and popular architectural writer of the last 50 years. Rybczynski will discuss his most recent book, The Driving Machine: A Design History of the Car , along with his lengthy career in the world of design and architectural criticism.
Join Russell Shorto, the historian, writer, and thinker who wrote the bestselling book The Island at the Center of the World, detailing the evolution of Dutch Manhattan. The Wall Street Journal called it “a masterpiece of storytelling and first-rate intellectual history.”
Shorto will discuss his latest book, Taking Manhattan: The Extraordinary Events That Created New York and Shaped America. Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff described the groundbreaking work, writing “New Amsterdam— pluralistic, capitalistic, pulsing with energy—has survived. Best of all, Shorto himself feels everywhere present in these spirited, revelatory pages.”
Sigrid Nunez is a New York Times bestselling author as well as the recipient of the 2018 National Book Award for The Friend The New York Times also featured The Friend as one of the 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. The Friend was recently adapted for film by directors David Siegel and Scott McGehee.
Nunez will be in conversation with author, former Westport Poet Laureate, and Pequot Library Marketing Associate Jessica (Jessie) McEntee.
As a member of the Library Speakers Consortium, Pequot Library is proud to present an expanded roster of author events. Thanks to our partnership with libraries across the country, we offer online events each month with renowned authors. Explore a selection of upcoming online author talks below; scan the QR code to view the full calendar of upcoming talks.
MARCH
DAN HEATH Reset
Wednesday, March 12 2:00 p.m.
CLARA BINGHAM
The Movement
Thursday, March 20 2:00 p.m.
JENNIFER WEINER
The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits Wednesday, March 26 7:00 p.m.
APRIL
By Any Other Name Wednesday, April 2 7:00 p.m.
MATTHEW FLEMING
The Tree Book Tuesday, April 8 2:00 p.m.
Nemesis Thursday, April 24 7:00 p.m.
MAY
DAVID ROSMARIN Thriving with Anxiety Wednesday, May 7 2:00 p.m.
LIANN ZHANG
Julie Chan Is Dead Wednesday, May 14 7:00 p.m.
GREGG HURWITZ
JODI PICOULT
DR.
ADULT PROGRAMS
FROM ITALY WITH LOVE: ITALIAN REPERTOIRE TRIO CONCERT
Thursday, April 24 6:00 p.m. | In person
ONLINE RSVP RECOMMENDED; SPACE IS LIMITED
Enjoy beloved melodies in timeless masterpieces by Verdi, Puccini, Pergolesi, and Bellini (La traviata, La bohème , Rigoletto , and Norma), performed by the opera Diva from Sicily, Silvia Di Falco, as well as enchanting pieces for flute and piano.
A special introduction by Michael Bulychev-Okser, acclaimed concert pianist and artistic director of George Gershwin International Music Competition, sets the stage for this magnificent journey through Italian musical heritage.
RECURRING PROGRAMS
Virtual Write-In with Gabi Coatsworth Weekly on Mondays 10:00 a.m. | In person
Get into the writing habit with this weekly write-in hosted by Pequot Library and local author Gabi Coatsworth over Zoom. To register and receive the Zoom link, email libraryservices@pequotlibrary.org
The Knitingales Weekly on Thursdays 11:00 a.m. | In person
Love knitting or other fabric arts? Join this weekly gathering of knitting enthusiasts in Pequot Library’s Rennell Room. Drop-ins welcome!
Genealogy Roundtable
Saturdays: March 8, April 12, May 10 10:00 a.m. | In person
Tracking your family history? Whether you are a beginner or an advanced researcher, local genealogists can help point you in the right direction with Pequot Library’s genealogy collection.
ONE BOOK ONE TOWN
BEAUTYLAND
by Marie-Helene Bertino
Scan the QR code to check out a copy of Beautyland.
FROM THE PUBLISHER…
At the moment when Voyager 1 is launched into space carrying its famous golden record, a baby of unusual perception is born to a single mother in Philadelphia. Adina Giorno is tiny and jaundiced, but she reaches for warmth and light. As a child, she recognizes that she is different: She possesses knowledge of a faraway planet. The arrival of a fax machine enables her to contact her extraterrestrial relatives, beings who have sent her to report on the oddities of Earthlings.
For years, as she moves through the world and makes a life for herself among humans, she dispatches transmissions on the terrors and surprising joys of their existence. Then, at a precarious moment, a beloved friend urges Adina to share her messages with the world. Is there a chance she is not alone?
Marie-Helene Bertino’s Beautyland is a novel of startling originality about the fragility and resilience of life on our Earth and in our universe. It is a remarkable evocation of the feeling of being in exile at home, and it introduces a gentle, unforgettable alien for our times.
ONE BOOK ONE TOWN: AUTHOR TALK
Wednesday, March 5
7:00 p.m. | In person
Sacred Heart University Community Theater 1420 Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824
Don’t miss the One Book One Town signature event with the author of Beautyland, Marie-Helene Bertino!
Registration is required at fairfieldpubliclibrary.org/OBOT/.
FUNDRAISERS
LIBRARY GIVING DAY
Tuesday, April 1
All day | Donate to Pequot Library
10:30 a.m. | Drop-in Storytime
2:00 p.m. | Reception with library staff
Library Giving Day is a one-day fundraising event with the goal of encouraging people who depend on and enjoy public libraries to donate to their individual library systems. Join Pequot Library staff at 2:00 p.m. for cookies and lemonade to celebrate Pequot Library and learn more about this special place.
Every year, Pequot Library circulates nearly 25,000 books and eBooks to thousands of patrons from Fairfield and beyond. On average, books cost $2025 each and eBooks cost $60 each. Every dollar you donate on Library Giving Day will directly help the library purchase more books and eBooks for readers of all ages.
Visit www.pequotlibrary.org for more information about Pequot Library and www.librarygivingday.org for more information about Library Giving Day.
SPRING BLOWOUT BOOK SALE
Saturday, April 12
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | In person
Join us for this special sale with many treasures and bargains to be found in the library’s historic auditorium. ONE DAY ONLY!
Our most popular categories will be available, including: Gardening Cookbooks
Children’s
Fiction
Mystery
CDs & DVDs
Pricing: Every book will be just $2!
DERBY DAY CELEBRATION
Saturday, May 3
4:00 p.m. | In person
SCAN QR CODE TO PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE
A Fundraiser for Pequot Library
Experience the excitement of the Kentucky Derby at Pequot Library! Take a stroll around the Great Lawn to view the festive hats, attire, and decorated tailgates. Bid on Silent Auction items and get your Derby Dollars so that you can enter to win raffle items, take home a bottle of bourbon from the Bourbon Wall, and choose your winning horse and take home the top prize in the 50/50 raffle. Trophies will be awarded for Best Hat, Best Dressed, and Best Tailgates. Watch the “Run for the Roses” on the big screen in the auditorium, and celebrate with Kentucky fare and an open bar in the Main Tent. Keep the party going with DJ Rob and delicious snacks during the after-party.
Tickets
Individual Tickets: $150 each Tailgates (includes 2 Individual Tickets): $500 each
Schedule of Events
3:00 p.m. Pre-Party: Tailgate Ticket Holders Only
4:00 p.m. Derby Day Celebration on the Great Lawn
6:50 p.m. Watch the Run for the Roses!
7:00 p.m. After-Party
AROUND THE LIBRARY
RESERVE SPACE FOR YOUR BOOK CLUB
Available on Thursday evenings
Looking to host your next book club meeting in a cozy venue? Pequot Library is offering space in our reading rooms for book clubs to meet on Thursday evenings. Email libraryservices@pequotlibrary.org for more information or to make a reservation. Library staff will email to confirm.
SUMMER BOOK SALE: T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST
April 15 – May 15 | For kids ages 18 and under
Help us design our 2025 Pequot Library Summer Book Sale T-shirt! The contest begins on Tuesday, April 15, and all entries must be submitted by Thursday, May 15. Winning entry becomes the official Summer Book Sale T-shirt for 2025. The winner will be announced on May 29.
You can draw anything you like, or it can be inspired by our summer theme, treasures and Special Collections. Entries can include words and should be in one color. Pictures should be submitted on 8.5” x 11” paper or digitally as a PDF. Paper copies can be submitted to Children’s Library staff. Digital entries can be emailed to manners@pequotlibrary.org.
FAIRFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS TOWNWIDE ART SHOW
May 16-30: Advanced Placement Exhibition
May 23-30: Middle and Elementary School Exhibition During library hours | In person
Wednesday, May 28: Reception 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. | In person
Pequot Library is pleased to host Fairfi eld Public Schools Town-wide Art Show once again this year.
The Advanced Placement (AP) exhibition will feature selections from Fairfield Ludlowe and Fairfield Warde high schools in the Perkin Gallery. Art from Fairfield’s three middle schools and 11 elementary schools will be featured in the auditorium and the Reading Room.
SAVE THE DATES
Meet the Author: Veena Dinavahi
Tuesday, June 3 at 6:00 p.m.
Join us for an author talk with Veena Dinavahi, author of The True Happiness Company: How a Girl Like Me Falls for a Cult Like That.
SPONSORED IN PART BY WESTPORT WRITERS’ WORKSHOP
Southport Garden Stroll: A Fundraiser for Pequot Library
Friday, June 6 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Support Pequot Library, and explore beautiful gardens in the Village of Southport.
Meet the Author: David Browne
Thursday, June 12 at 6:00 p.m.
Join Rolling Stone magazine’s David Browne for a sweeping conversation on his career as a rock journalist.
Treasured Tomes: Rare Books and Their Collectors
On view June 12 – September 20
Explore Pequot Library’s Special Collections exhibition all summer long.
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CURRENT EXHIBITION | ON VIEW THROUGH MAY 10, 2025
THE TINDERBOX OF THE CIVIL WAR: 1830S ABOLITIONISM IN CONNECTICUT
The 1830s witnessed the emergence of abolitionism: the interracial political and social movement that demanded an immediate end to slavery in the United States. Remarkably ahead of its time, the movement also sought legal rights and integration for free Blacks and the formerly enslaved, putting it at odds with many Americans and with the colonization movement, which sought the emigration of Blacks to Africa. Through anti-slavery societies, publications, lectures, and legal channels, abolitionists forced the controversial topics of slavery and integration into the open, provoking derision and mob violence, but also launching the movement that would ultimately lead to emancipation. Drawing from a robust anti-slavery collection recently cataloged in Pequot Library’s Special Collections, The Tinderbox of the Civil War features publications from Connecticut that illustrate both sides of the debate, including the Charter Oak anti-slavery newspaper; Catherine Beecher’s letter to abolitionist Angelina Grimké; and reports from the trials of educator Prudence Crandall and the Amistad captives. This exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the legacy of these brave men and women and to consider how their activism can continue to inspire.
PROGRAMS
MANISHA SINHA IN CONVERSATION WITH KATHERINE HERMES
Saturday, March 15
2:00 p.m. | In person
Join us for a discussion with University of Connecticut history professor Manisha Sinha, Ph.D., author of The Slave’s Cause: A History of Abolitionism—a groundbreaking history of the largely forgotten role of African Americans in emancipation. Sinha is the James L. and Shirley A. Draper Chair in American History at the University of Connecticut and President of the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic. Sinha will be in conversation with publisher of CT Explored, Katherine Hermes, Ph.D., who also serves as a project team member with the Hartford Ancient Burying Ground Association.
JON SCHROEDER: JOHN SWANSON JACOBS AND A NEWLY UNEARTHED SLAVE NARRATIVE
Thursday, March 20
5:30 p.m. | In person
Join historian and scholar Jonathan Schroeder for an engaging and thought-provoking discussion on slave narratives and the newly published The United States Governed by Six Hundred Thousand Despots: A True Story of Slavery; A Rediscovered Narrative, with a Full Biography. Learn more about John Swanson Jacobs, his life, and his thoughts on the state of American life, as well as the journey Schroeder went on to bring these pages to light.
PINS WITH A PURPOSE
Tuesday–Thursday, April 15-17
1:00 p.m. | In person | For ages 7+
ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED
Let the world know just how you feel by making a pin and wearing it proudly! Children can create a design related to any cause about which they feel deeply.
EXHIBITION CLOSING LECTURE AND RECEPTION: OWEN AND ELIJAH LOVEJOY WITH STEPHANIE J. COAKLEY
Saturday, May 10
11:00 a.m. | In person
In honor of the last day of the exhibition, join the library’s Executive Director for a brief tour of the Tinderbox exhibition, followed by a slide lecture and reception. A descendant of the Lovejoy brothers, Coakley will provide an overview of their contributions to the abolitionist movement as highlighted in the exhibition and in Pequot Library’s Special Collections.
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
COLLECTIONS
CECILY DYER
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
LIBRARIAN
Image, right: American Anti-Slavery Society, The American Anti-Slavery Almanac (New York: Published for the American Anti-Slavery Society, S. W. Benedict, 1839), Pequot Library Special Collections
Image, above: American Anti-Slavery Society, The American Anti-Slavery Almanac (New York: Published for the American Anti-Slavery Society, S. W. Benedict, 1839), Pequot Library Special Collections
When Pequot Library Association was founded in 1889, the nation was roughly as removed in time from the Civil War as we are today from 9/11. Still profoundly affected by that war and by the legacy of slavery, Virginia Marquand Monroe gifted the library a remarkable collection of antislavery materials dating from the late 18th century through Reconstruction. These aren’t luxurious publications like Audubon’s Birds of America or Shakespeare’s folios, but well-worn items whose rarity and importance come from
the fact that they were never meant to be preserved. Pequot Library had the humble pamphlets bound in goldstamped red leather, thereby preserving fragile primary sources that today can help us better understand the long struggle to end slavery in America.
Thanks to generous support from the Dillon Fund, Pequot Library’s Special Collections recently made an important acquisition that builds upon Monroe’s donation: The American Anti-Slavery Almanac, for 1839. This almanac was published by the American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS), which declared at its 1833 founding that it would circulate anti-slavery tracts and periodicals “unsparingly and extensively” in order to convert more Americans to
its radical cause of immediate emancipation and integration of more than 2 million enslaved Americans. Among the periodicals AASS produced were The American Anti-Slavery Almanac, The Anti-Slavery Record, and a periodical for children, The Slave’s Friend
Spreading its message with the help of these publications, the AASS hoped that auxiliary anti-slavery organizations would form in every town in the land. It was a tall task: abolitionists like those in the AASS were extremely unpopular. Many people in the North, even those who opposed slavery, feared that the tactics of the AASS would upset the South, incite slave rebellions, or lead to a civil war. Despite public opposition and mob violence directed at anti-slavery meetings, by 1838 the AASS had grown to include 1,350 local chapters and around 250,000 members.
The powerful woodcut illustrations that made The American Anti-Slavery Almanac an effective marketing tool also add to its value in Pequot Library’s Special Collections. In the current exhibition, illustrations from the American AntiSlavery Almanac and the Anti-Slavery Record stand out among a sea of text and help us understand the effects they had on hearts and minds in the 1830s. The almanac of 1839 is especially compelling because it makes visible the roadblocks to Black education in Connecticut, including the 1833 law that prohibited Black students from entering Connecticut for the purpose of education, as well as the violence that students and teachers encountered at Prudence Crandall’s school for Black students in Canterbury, Connecticut. After the conclusion of the exhibition, this almanac will continue to be made available to independent researchers as well as K-12 school and higher education students studying both history and visual literacy. The American Anti-Slavery Almanac, for 1839 is about the size of one’s hand and weighs little, but it has much to offer Pequot Library’s students and researchers in exhibition, research, and educational value.
The Tinderbox of the Civil War: 1830s Abolitionism in Connecticut (see page 12) is on view through May 10.
...thereby preserving fragile primary sources that today can help us better understand the long struggle to end slavery in America.
“ “
COMMUNITY EVENTS
LENIHAN DANCERS LESSON
Saturday, March 8
10:30 a.m. | In person | For ages 3+
ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Kick up your heels and tap your toes with the Lenihan School of Irish Dance as they teach the fundamentals of Irish step dancing. Try out your new dance moves on Saturday, March 15 (see below) at the Lenihan Irish Dance performance.
LENIHAN DANCERS PERFORMANCE
Saturday, March 15
10:30 a.m. | In person | For all ages
ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
The Lenihan School of Irish Dance troupe returns to Pequot Library for a St. Patrick’s Day tradition. Enjoy a spirited, costumed performance, and then learn basic kicks and steps and dance along. Fun for all ages.
EASTER EGG ROLL
Saturday, April 19
10:00 a.m. | In person | For all ages
Join us for some traditional holiday fun at the annual Easter Egg Roll on Pequot Library’s Great Lawn. Dance the bunny hop, make crafts, play games, and meet the Easter Bunny himself! Bring your own hard-boiled eggs for coloring and decorating, and then choose your favorite egg to enter in the age-category races. Please bring a long-handled wooden spoon for the roll.
YOUTH & TEEN PROGRAMS
ACTIVITIES
PI DAY PIZZA MAKING
Friday, March 14
4:00 p.m. | In person | For grades 6-12
ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Celebrate Pi Day by making your own pizza from scratch! Matt Yanarella will teach you everything you need to know—from dough to sauce to toppings—in just two hours. All supplies will be provided, and participants will go home with recipes, dough, and however much of their pizzas they don’t eat at the library.
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
Thursdays: March 27; April 3, 10, 17, 24; May 1
4:00 p.m. | In person | For grades 6-12
ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Calling all adventurers! Whether you have played before or have always wanted to try, grab your dice and pencils and join Pequot Library’s latest Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Sign up once for all six sessions.
FRIDAY NIGHT YOUNG ARTISTS CAFÉ
Fridays: March 28, April 25
5:00 p.m. | In person
ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED
Join Music for Youth for fun-filled nights featuring students ages 4 to 18. Hear singers, percussionists, pianists, string and woodwind players, guitarists, poets, and story-tellers looking to exercise their performance muscle and share their work. All students are welcome to register, and the public is encouraged to attend.
TEEN ADVISORY BOARD
Wednesdays: March 12, April 2, May 7
4:00 p.m. | In person | For grades 6-12
ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Teen Advisory Board (TAB) is a group for teens in grades 6-12 who are interested in volunteering and taking an active role in teen services and programs at Pequot Library. TAB will meet monthly to help plan programs, give input on the Young Adult collection, and otherwise influence how the library serves teens. We’ll also call on TAB members to assist with Pequot Library events and help with other library tasks as needed. You can earn community service hours for attending meetings, staffing events, and helping out around the library. Snacks will be provided.
CHILDREN & FAMILY PROGRAMS
ACTIVITIES
CHESS CLUB
Weekly on Fridays
4:30 p.m. | In person | For grades 2-6 ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
A weekly meetup for kids who already know how to play chess and are looking for opponents. Players will compete for the top position on the club’s chess ladder—a leaderboard that will carry over from session to session. Come back every week, or whenever you can!
LEGO CHALLENGES
Mondays: March 3, April 7, May 5, 12, 19
4:30 p.m. | In person | For ages 5-8 ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Join us for a series of fun LEGO challenges! Kids in this program will take on a different building task each session, ranging from towers to vehicles to animals. Each challenge is about having fun while using our imaginations to problem solve and think creatively.
SPONSORED IN PART BY
THE WILD ROBOT
Saturday, March 1
2:00 p.m. | In person | Rated PG
ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
CARTOONING: DOG MAN WORKSHOP
Tuesday, March 4
4:30 p.m. | In person | For grades 1-5 ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Students will learn step-by-step techniques to draw Dog Man and other quirky characters in Dav Pilkey’s signature style. Through fun, hands-on activities, young artists will explore cartooning basics like expressive faces, dynamic poses, and bold outlines; develop their own creative characters and comicstyle scenes; and learn storytelling tips that bring their illustrations to life! Led by One River School.
Join us for a screening of The Wild Robot, the animated adaptation of Peter Brown’s beloved book. Presented in partnership with the Sasquanaug Association. Popcorn and cider will be served.
ACTIVITIES
MAGIC TREE HOUSE BOOK CLUB
Wednesdays: March 5, April 2, May 7
4:15 p.m. | In person | For grades 1-3
ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Explore history and fantasy with Jack and Annie Smith as they travel back in time from their magical tree house. For both homeschooled children and students in grades 13. Refreshments served.
March 5: Dinosaurs Before Dark April 2: The Knight at Dawn May 7: Mummies in the Morning
THE PEQUOT PLAYERS: A CHILDREN’S THEATER COLLECTIVE
Mondays: March 10, 17, 24, 31
4:30 p.m. | In person | For grades 2-5 ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR SERIES
Children in this program will work together to create a short play, inspired by a picture book, that they will perform on Pequot Library’s historic stage. Participants will explore teamwork, creativity, and storytelling in this 4-week program that will culminate in the performance.
FAUX STAINED GLASS WORKSHOP
Tuesday, March 18
4:30 p.m. | In person | For grades 1-5 ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED
Students will design their own one-of-a-kind faux stained glass art pieces! Using Sharpie markers on clear plastic sheets, participants will explore the beauty of stained glass techniques while discovering inspiration from the stunning windows at Pequot Library. In this workshop, students will: learn about the history and styles of stained glass artwork; create colorful, translucent designs using simple and fun techniques; and bring home their unique faux stained glass masterpiece! Led by One River School.
CHILDREN & FAMILY PROGRAMS
STORYTIMES
DROP-IN STORYTIME
Tuesdays: March 4, 11, 25; April 1, 8, 15, 22; May 13, 20, 27
10:30 a.m. | In person | For ages 3+
NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Join us in the Children’s Library for a story or two, and then pick out books to take home.
MANDARIN STORYTIME
Mondays: March 10, 17, 24, 31; April 7, 21, 28; May 5, 12, 19
3:30 p.m. | In person | For ages 3-5
ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Join us and learn Mandarin through songs and stories.
MUSIC AND MOVEMENT FOR WIGGLERS
Wednesdays: March 12*, 19, 26: April 2, 9*, 16, 23; May 14*, 21
10:30 a.m. | In person | For ages 0-5
*Second session at 1:00 p.m.
ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Can’t sit still? This is the program for you! Jump, hop, dance, and wiggle to the music.
SENSORY STORYTIME
Tuesdays: March 18, April 29
9:30 a.m. | In person | For ages 2+
ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Join us for Sensory Storytime scheduled before the library opens. Engage preschoolers by using sight, sound, and touch, along with traditional storytime elements, for a fun and memorable experience.
BABES ON A BLANKET
Thursdays: March 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24; May 15, 22, 29 11:15 a.m. | In person | For ages 0-12 months
ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Engage your little one with 20 minutes of stories, rhymes, and songs and 25 minutes of free play and socializing. Infants and their caregivers are welcome.
CRAFTY KIDS
Fridays: May 16, 23, 30 10:30 a.m. | In person | For ages 3+
ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Enjoy theme-based stories with a related craft.
LIBRARY BOOK BUDDIES
For all ages
Children of any age can practice reading in person or on Zoom with our Children’s Librarian. Email childrens@pequotlibrary.org to schedule your appointment.
BABY BOOK KITS
For ages 0-3
Sign up for Baby Book Kits to check out two board books and two picture books based on a theme such as zoo animals, colors, shapes, or dinosaurs, plus one book to keep. Scan the QR code to fill out our online form.
YA BOOK BUNDLES
For grades 7-12
Sign up for YA Book Bundles to receive a special box with snacks, goodies, and two library books curated especially for you! Scan the QR code to fill out our online request form.
ADULT BOOK BUNDLES
If you love reading but you’re not sure what to read next, sign up to receive a book bundle from our team of librarians. Bundles include two surprise library books, cozy beverages, and snacks. Scan the QR code or visit the Library Services Desk to fill out a form with your literary likes and interests. Your book bundle will be ready in two business days. Happy reading!
FEATURED BOOKS: STAFF PICKS!
FOR ADULTS FOR ADULTS FOR YOUNG ADULTS FOR CHILDREN
Intermezzo
Sally Rooney
Published 2024
Irish literary superstar Sally Rooney returns with a heart-rending novel about two brothers’ struggles in the wake of their father’s death. Ivan, a chess virtuoso, enters a relationship with an older woman, while Peter, a lawyer, finds himself torn between two lovers. Rooney’s stream of consciousness-style prose illuminates the inner journey of each brother as they wrestle with moving on.
Asymmetry
Lisa Halliday
Published 2018
Halliday’s debut novel has a chameleon-like quality. It’s a love story. It’s a commentary on the vagaries of fate. It’s both whimsical and tragic. In terms of how it relates to our current abolition exhibition (see page 12), it illuminates our society’s pernicious hangover from colonialism and centuries of discriminatory policies, quietly arguing for reforms to social justice.
The Stolen Heir
Holly Black Published 2023
This coming-of-age fantasy novel transports the reader to a vivid world full of adventure, magic, and quests. Oak and Suren, characters you get a glimpse of in the acclaimed The Folk of the Air trilogy, take center stage in this duology. They navigate young love, finding themselves and independence— all told with lush prose. Get right into book two, The Prisoner’s Throne , afterward! A must-read.
Recommended for ages 14+
Doreen Cronin & Brian Cronin
Published 2024
In this gentle and heartwarming story, a mama sloth helps her baby learn how to selfsoothe while she makes her way back to him. The beautiful illustrations and comforting tale will delight parents and children alike–and all readers will learn something surprising about sloths.
Recommended for ages 3-5
Meghann Library Services
Jessie Marketing Associate Natalie Library Services & Social Media
Christine Director of Library Services & Operations
Mama in the Moon
PEQUOT LIBRARY SPOTLIGHT
VOLUNTEER
APPRECIATION LUNCH
AROUND THE LIBRARY
ANNUAL MEETING
CALENDAR
AT A GLANCE
MARCH
The Wild Robot
2:00 p.m. | In person (p. 20)
LEGO Challenges
4:30 p.m. | In person (p. 20)
Cartooning: Dog Man Workshop 4:30 p.m. | In person (p. 20)
Magic Tree House Book Club 4:15 p.m. | In person (p. 21)
One Book One Town: Author Talk 7:00 p.m. | In person (p. 7) at SHU Community Theater
Lenihan Dancers Lesson 10:30 a.m. | In person (p. 18)
Author Talk: Dan Heath 2:00 p.m. | Online (p. 5)
Teen Advisory Board 4:00 p.m. | In person (p. 19)
Pi Day Pizza Making 4:00 p.m. | In person (p. 19)
Lenihan Dancers Performance 10:30 a.m. | In person (p. 18)
Manisha Sinha in Conversation with Katherine Hermes 2:00 p.m. | In person (p. 13) 1 3 4 5
Sensory Storytime 9:30 a.m. | In person (p. 22)
Friday Night Young Artists Café 5:00 p.m. | In person (p. 19) 18 18 20 20 26 27 28
Faux Stained Glass Workshop 4:30 p.m. | In person (p. 21)
Author Talk: Clara Bingham 2:00 p.m. | Online (p. 5)
Jon Schroeder: John Swanson Jacobs... 5:30 p.m. | In person (p. 13)
Author Talk: Jennifer Weiner 7:00 p.m. | Online (p. 5)
Meet the Author: Witold Rybczynski 6:00 p.m. | In person (p. 4)
APRIL
Teen Advisory Board 4:00 p.m. | In person (p. 19) 1 2
Library Giving Day All day | Donate online 10:30 a.m. Drop-in Storytime 2:00 p.m. | In person (p. 8)
Magic Tree House Book Club 4:15 p.m. | In person (p. 21)
Friday Night Young Artists Café 5:00 p.m. | In person (p. 19) 2 2 7 8 10 12 15-17 18 19 24 24 25
