Pequot Library Under the Arches | Spring 2023

PEQUOT LIBRARY

UNDER THE ARCHES

LIBRARY HOURS

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10am – 6pm

Thursday 10am – 8pm

Saturday 10am – 4pm

Sunday Closed

PEQUOT LIBRARY

HOLIDAY CLOSINGS

Good Friday Friday, April 7

Easter Sunday, April 9

Memorial Day Monday, May 29

FRONT COVER

John Corry, Biographical Memoirs of the Illustrious General George Washington: Late President of the United States of America, and Commander in Chief of their Armies, during the Revolutionary War (New Haven: Sidney’s Press, for I. Cooke & Co., book-sellers, 1809); Pequot Library Special Collections.

DESIGN: Victoria Konopka

CONTENT: Grace Calderon, Christine Catallo, Stephanie J. Coakley, Cecily Dyer, John Kofron, Owen Lockwood, Jane Manners, Jessica McEntee, Charlie McMahon, Jennifer Prat

Photographic reproduction by Jennifer Prat.

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to welcome you to Pequot Library’s spring 2023 Under the Arches brochure. In this issue you will surely notice the expansive lineup of programs for all ages. Pequot Library has a long history of offering a variety of excellent learning opportunities for all ages, no doubt. What is particularly distinctive about this season is the feeling of renewal around the Library. I hope you agree and visit often to reconnect with friends, meet new families who have recently moved to the area, or simply recharge and regroup in the peace and solitude of our quiet reading rooms.

This season’s programming includes opportunities to hear from some of the most accomplished authors today, chances to enjoy music and theatrical performances from the area’s most talented creative minds, and many ways to introduce children and families to the unique library services only found here at Pequot Library. Be sure to visit the current Special Collections exhibition, Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales: Children’s Books and the Shaping of American Identity, which is on view through May 6, 2023. Thanks to support from CT Humanities, we are able to present this exhibition highlighting items from our collection of 18th- and 19th-century children’s books and a number of thought-provoking programs with peer organizations.

Thanks to funders and supporters like you, the Library is thriving once again — and there’s another season of considerable learning and fun for all happening under our beautiful, historic red-tiled roof. Thank you so much for considering being a part of our success by making a much-needed contribution, whether it’s through an unrestricted donation made online or by purchasing tickets to our signature spring fundraisers: Derby Day and the Southport Garden Stroll.

Please know that we all remain appreciative of your unwavering support, year after year. Thank you.

Stephanie J. Coakley Executive Director

P.S. This Under the Arches issue is dedicated to the hard work and dedication of the entire Pequot Library staff and volunteers.

MEET THE AUTHOR

TIMOTHY COLE

Wednesday, March 8

6:00 p.m. | In person

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Join us for a discussion with local author Timothy Cole about his newest book Murder This Close, the second installment in the Gold Coast Mystery series that follows retired CIA agent Dasha Petrov as she solves murders on the Gold Coast. Cole’s inspiration for the Gold Coast Mystery series comes from his 40-year love for the state of Connecticut, a vibrant crossroads where people of all stripes and persuasions can be found plying their talents.

WILLIAM MARTIN

Thursday, April 27 6:30 p.m. | In person

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Pequot Library is thrilled to welcome New York Times bestselling author William Martin for an in-person discussion about his acclaimed historical fiction titles, including Cape Cod, Back Bay, and Harvard Yard , along with his newest novel, December ‘41. In December ‘41, Martin takes us on the ultimate manhunt, a desperate chase from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., in the first weeks of the Second World War.

J. LAWRENCE MATTHEWS

Thursday, May 11 6:00 p.m. | In person

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Author J. Lawrence Matthews joins us for a discussion of his novel One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes, a story that imagines a young man’s journey from the streets of London to the White House of Abraham Lincoln — and his breathtaking pursuit of John Wilkes Booth in the company of a freed slave named for the slain president. It is the very first case of the man who would become known to the world as Sherlock Holmes, and, as readers will discover, it will haunt him until his very last.

LIBRARY SPEAKERS CONSORTIUM | AUTHOR TALKS

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 authors like Hernan Diaz, Geraldine Brooks, Namina Forna, and Lana Harper, supplemented with in-person author events and in-person book clubs. These online author talks are available by visiting pequotlibrary.org/calendar.

MARCH

DAVID EPSTEIN

Range

Monday, March 13 1:00 p.m.

CHEF JERNARD WELLS

Southern Inspired

Tuesday, March 21 4:00 p.m.

APRIL

KATE BEATON Ducks

Tuesday, April 4 7:00 p.m.

WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER

Fox Creek

Thursday, April 27 8:00 p.m.

MAY

BRITT HAWTHORNE

Raising Antiracist Children

Wednesday, May 3 1:00 p.m.

JENA FRIEDMAN Not Funny

Wednesday, May 10 8:00 p.m.

PAM JENOFF

Code Name Sapphire

Tuesday, March 28 7:00 p.m.

COURTNEY SUMMERS

I’m the Girl

Saturday, May 20 2:00 p.m.

PRINCESS ZURI MCCANN

We are delighted to welcome Princess Zuri McCann as the new Special Collections Assistant.

Princess has almost 10 years of experience working in libraries, first in her college library and then at the New Haven Free Public Library, Southern Connecticut State University’s Buley Library, and the Woodbridge Town Library. At Buley Library, she continues to work part-time in Special Collections and Archives, having previously worked in the Access Services department.

Princess holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Southern Connecticut State University and is currently working toward her master’s degree in Library and Information Science, with graduation anticipated later this year.

FAIRFIELD’S

ONE BOOK ONE TOWN

This year’s One Book One Town selection was written by a resident of Fairfield: Ivan Maisel. I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye is an honest and emotionally deep memoir in which Maisel reflects on the loss of his dear son Max to suicide, the impact of grief on family and community, and the painful journey that brings Maisel to a place of seeing grief as an expression of love.

From the book’s publisher: I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye is the story of Maisel’s love for a son who was so different from him, but who he loved so deeply, and how he came to learn that grief for Max was nothing more than a last, ultimate expression of love.

The signature One Book One Town event, an author talk by Maisel, will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28 at The Quick Center at Fairfield University. Please visit fairfieldpubliclibrary.org/OBOT/events/ for details on this event and other related programming.

By humanizing Max and humanizing his grief, Maisel evokes understanding instead of sorrow, appreciation instead of anxiety—and love instead of fear.

ADULT PROGRAMS

LITERARY PROGRAMS

Image detail from: William Shakespeare, Mr William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. published according to the true Originall Copies (London: Printed by Tho. Cotes, for Robert Allot, and are to be sold at the signe of the Blacke Beare in Pauls Church-Yard, 1632); Pequot Library Special Collections. Photographic reproduction by Jennifer Prat.

UNCOVERING SHAKESPEARE BOOK GROUP: FROM FOLIO TO FICTION

Wednesdays: March 8; April 12; May 10

11:00 a.m. | In person

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Join a book club inspired by our remarkable Shakespeare collection. Explore Shakespeare’s plays by viewing their earliest publication within the folios and reading and comparing his original works and their modern interpretations.

March 8: Richard III by William Shakespeare

April 12: The King’s Grave by Philippa Langley & Michael Jones

May 10: The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

READING WITH ROBIN PRESENTS: HEATHER WEBB, LAUREN WILLIG, AND SARAH PENNER

Tuesday, March 21

1:00 p.m. | In person

TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE: $25 EACH; $75 VIP INCL. RECEPTION

Celebrate Women’s History Month in March with Robin Kall of Reading with Robin along with bestselling authors Heather Webb, Lauren Willig, and Sarah Penner. Books available for purchase at the event; only copies purchased at the event will be signed. Proceeds will be split between Pequot Library and Operation Hope.

SILENT

BOOK CLUB

Third Thursday of every month

6:00 p.m. | In person

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Join like-minded readers to read, relax, and discuss your favorite reads in our historic 1898 building with cozy reading rooms and fireplaces. Enjoy an opportunity to connect with your community.

ADULT PROGRAMS

MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS

PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD

Wednesdays: March 22; April 19

12:00 – 1:30 p.m. | In person

TICKETS: $60 AT JIBPRODUCTIONS.ORG (INCLUDES BOXED LUNCH)

Enjoy Fairfield County’s most popular lunchtime playreading series! Join us once a month for outstanding one-act plays followed by a talkback with the director and the professional cast of actors, plus a delicious boxed lunch catered by popular local restaurants “to stay or go” — all within the lunch hour (and a half)!

SCHUBERT CLUB: PIANO ENSEMBLE

Saturday, April 1

2:00 p.m. | In person

The Piano Ensemble group is one of the many musical arms of the Schubert Club of Fairfield County. It is made up of ensemble teams: duet, duo, sometimes even eight hands at two pianos. Its members meet for rehearsal during the year at various homes with two pianos, culminating in a varied program of piano ensemble music. After a long pandemic hiatus, the group is happy to be active again!

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

LIGHTS OUT CONNECTICUT: PRESENTATION AND PANEL DISCUSSION

Tuesday, March 7

6:00 p.m. | In person

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Explore the Lights Out Connecticut initiative with scholars and activists from Yale University, Sacred Heart University, Lights Out Connecticut, the International Dark Skies Association, and CT Audubon Society. Learn how you can reduce the impact of light pollution on bird migration.

BUILDING & HISTORY TOUR

Saturday, March 18

10:00 a.m. | In person

$10/PERSON; ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Enjoy a docent-led tour of the Library, an architectural gem listed on the National Register of Historic Places and a recipient of the 2018 Connecticut Treasures Award. Learn about the history of the Library, founded in 1889, while exploring the building’s iconic Tiffany & Company stained glass windows, original steel stacks, glass floor, reading rooms, and original fireplaces.

WES HAYNES: EXPLORING PEQUOT LIBRARY

Wednesday, March 15

6:00 p.m. | In person

Join historian and Merritt Parkway Conservancy

Executive Director Wes Haynes for an enlightening discussion on the history of the Pequot Library building and its founders, as well as other prominent Fairfield County libraries and institutions. As March 15 marks the 134th anniversary of our library association’s founding, this talk will also serve as a celebration of what makes this dynamic organization so special.

OUT OF THE VAULT: VIRGINIA MARQUAND MONROE

Thursday, April 27

2:00 p.m. | In person

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Join Special Collections Librarian Cecily Dyer in a conversation marking the 186th birthday of Pequot Library’s founder, Virginia Marquand Monroe. The history of the Marquand family will be explored, as well as the early history of the Library building’s architecture.

Scan the QR code for information on private tours.

CAN YOU READ A DIFFERENT BOOK FOR EACH LETTER OF THE APLHABET IN 2023?

Our team of librarians are challenging all of Pequot Library’s patrons, both young and old, to expand their reading in 2023 by reading a different book for each letter of the alphabet. The rules are simple: use ANY of the first letters of the main words in the title of a book (except words like “a,” “the,” “or,” and “of”).

Examples:

F – The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse

U – One of Us is Lying

N – Normal People

Pick up a reading challenge checklist at the Library and get started today!

LIBRARY NEWS

COLLECTIONS CARE

The Special Collections Department welcomed Bexx Caswell-Olson, Director of Book Conservation at the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC), on January 13 for a half-day site visit to Pequot Library. This was a follow up to her visit in November 2021, which culminated in a Collection-Level Preservation Assessment Report outlining the current state of Special Collections as well as recommendations for how best to continue to care for our collections.

Since last year we have been hard at work implementing the recommendations, and at her follow-up visit, Caswell-Olson got to see our progress. She also shared updates about conservation work underway at NEDCC on Pequot Library’s First Folio and Third Folio of William Shakespeare. These folios are being cleaned and receiving minor repairs by NEDCC’s skilled conservators in preparation for going on view this fall, when we will mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio in 1623.

STUDENTS VISIT PEQUOT LIBRARY

Students from the Cardinal Shehan Center in Bridgeport visited Pequot Library on December 28 for a tour of the Library and Special Collections exhibition, and participated in a writing project about what they would do for their community if they inherited a fortune like our founder, Virginia Marquand Monroe.

Pequot Library recently hosted Bridgeport Public Schools Debate League competitions in our auditorium in November and January. High school and middle school teams debated whether Native American sports team mascots are offensive, whether civil disobedience is morally justified in a democracy, and argued opposite sides of recent Supreme Court cases. Members of the public are encouraged to attend these spirited debates, which we look forward to hosting again soon.

LIBRARY GIVING DAY

Tuesday, April 4

SCAN QR CODE TO DONATE ONLINE

Support Pequot Library on Library Giving Day: Tuesday, April 4! #LibraryGivingDay is a one-day, national fundraising event with the goal of encouraging people who depend on and enjoy public libraries to donate to their individual library systems.

Every year, Pequot Library circulates nearly 25,000 books and eBooks to thousands of patrons from our Fairfield and Southport community. When you donate to Pequot Library on Library Giving Day, you are directly supporting our circulating book collection! On average, adult books and eBooks cost $30 each, and children’s books and eBooks cost $17 each. Every dollar you donate will help the Library purchase more books and eBooks for readers of all ages.

Scan the QR code to make a donation on April 4. Thank you!

PEQUOT LIBRARY’S SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

PRUDENCE CRANDALL RACE AND REFORM IN CONNECTICUT

BY CHARLIE MCMAHON, ADULT PROGRAMS MANAGER

Image detail from: John C Kimball, Connecticut’s Canterbury Tale, its Heroine Prudence Crandall, and its Moral for To-Day (Hartford: Plimpton Print, 1885); Pequot Library Special Collections.

Photographic reproduction by Jennifer Prat.

rior to the Civil War, the political and social opinions of Connecticut varied greatly. While many believe that Connecticut played host to a dominant circle of reformers and abolitionists, when compared to neighboring Massachusetts, it paled in comparison. Men and women such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, Samuel Joseph May, and Leonard Bacon fought within the state to advocate emancipation, but for every abolitionist, there were many more who pushed for segregation. In all facets of Connecticut society, Black residents were continuously ignored and relegated to inferior services. Educator and reformer Prudence Crandall fought against the statewide

suppression of Black Americans, and in doing so, serves as an inspiration to learners of all different backgrounds to this very day. In examining Crandall’s legacy, greater truths regarding the unjust state of early 19th century educational principles emerge. Learn more about the evolution of youth literature and education during this period in Pequot Library’s current exhibition: Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales: Children’s Books and the Shaping of American Identity.

Born in 1803 to a Quaker family, Crandall learned early on that everyone, regardless of race or creed, deserves a strong education. After spending her adolescence in Rhode Island, she and her family moved to Canterbury, Connecticut in the state’s sleepy northeastern corner. Canterbury was, and continues to be, a small town featuring quaint colonial houses and a central town green. Unlike major cities such as Boston and New York, Canterbury was never a natural center for abolitionist activity. However, in 1831, that changed.

Crandall and her sister, wanting to enrich the lives of the area’s young women, opened a boarding school that initially enjoyed immense community support. The Canterbury elite helped to fund the effort and praised Crandall’s efforts enthusiastically. However, when a young Black woman by the name of Sarah Harris enrolled, that support was immediately withdrawn. Crandall habitually read the great abolitionist newspaper The Liberator and decided that Harris deserved a strong education just as much as any other girl. After consulting her Bible, Crandall opened the doors of her academy to students of all races. Upon recalling this moment, Crandall wrote, “Her repeated solicitations were more than my feelings could resist and I told her if I was injured on her account I would bear it–she might enter as one of my pupils.”1 From that moment on, the Canterbury Female Boarding School became the first integrated school in the United States.

The men and women who once served as Crandall’s primary benefactors suddenly evolved into her greatest adversaries. The parents of her White students objected strongly to any Black presence on campus, and many began

“Crandall, as well as brave students like Sarah Harris, serve as shining examples of individuals who, despite overwhelming challenges and struggles, fought for what was truly right.”

vandalizing the school property. With all of the White students gradually leaving the academy, Crandall decided that instead of closing the school and stranding her new students without an education, she would instead solely serve Black pupils. After meeting with The Liberator’s founder, William Lloyd Garrison, Crandall started cementing regional support for her efforts. African American students from throughout the Northeast began flocking to the quiet hamlet of Canterbury.

Despite auspicious beginnings for Crandall’s efforts, the townspeople of Canterbury continued in their fervor. A number of factors led to opposition, including a rising Black population, a potential increase in rights, and fear of miscegenation, leading to Crandall’s one-time benefactor Andrew T. Judson taking the debate into the Connecticut courts. In the Connecticut General Assembly’s bill it was decreed that no person of color from out of the state could legally receive an education in Connecticut. Unsurprisingly, the bill quickly became enacted into law, known as the “Black Law.” Despite this continued adversity, Crandall refused to quit. As a result, she was thrown in jail to await trial.

Garrison and Isaac Knapp published a report of the subsequent trial, Report of the Arguments of Counsel, in the Case of Prudence Crandall, and it is included in this spring’s exhibition, Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales: Children’s Books and the Shaping of American Identity. After being found guilty, Crandall’s subsequent appeal caused the ruling to be overturned on a technicality. However, this vindication in the court system did nothing to assuage the anger of the Canterbury townspeople. One night, under the cover of darkness, someone attempted to set the school ablaze. Later, in September 1834, an enraged mob stormed the academy, smashing most of the window panes and terrorizing the students. Fearing for the safety of her pupils, Crandall subsequently closed the academy.

In time, public opinion regarding Crandall evolved. Another publication in Pequot Library’s spring exhibition, circa 1885, is titled Connecticut’s Canterbury Tale, its Heroine

Prudence Crandall, and its Moral for To-Day. This text highlights the prominent role Crandall continues to play in discussions of Connecticut’s history. Crandall, as well as brave students like Harris, serve as shining examples of individuals who, despite overwhelming challenges and struggles, fought for what was truly right. Following the adversity she faced in Canterbury, Harris became a prominent abolitionist and a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Throughout the remainder of their lives, Harris and Crandall maintained an affectionate correspondence. Today, Prudence Crandall is recognized as Connecticut’s state heroine, and a statue depicting both Crandall and a student can be visited in the Connecticut State Capitol.

1 Prudence Crandall, “Letter to the Windham County Advertiser (May 7, 1833),” published in Fruits of Colonization, 1833.

Gabriel Koren, Prudence Crandall with Student, 2009, bronze; Connecticut State Capitol. Photo credit: Gabriel Koren.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

CURRENT EXHIBITION | ON VIEW THROUGH MAY 6, 2023

ALPHABETS, BEDTIME STORIES, AND CAUTIONARY TALES: CHILDREN’S BOOKS AND THE SHAPING OF AMERICAN IDENTITY

The 18th and 19th centuries witnessed the emergence in England and America of new attitudes toward children and education at the same time that America was casting off its royal authority. The result was a booming market of print materials that, for the first time, contained text and illustrations geared toward a young audience.

Image detail from: The American Primer: or Young Child’s Instructor, Newfield [Bridgeport]: Beach and Jones, 1795; Pequot Library Special Collections.

Photographic reproduction by Jennifer Prat.

This exhibition draws upon such works found in the Children’s Historical Collection in Pequot Library’s Special Collections to explore the ways that 18th- and early 19th-century children’s books reflect the changing political, economic, and social climate of America in the years following independence.

Support for this exhibition and related programming is provided by CT Humanities and the Constance C. Baker Rare Book Fund.

Background image detail from: The Famous History of Whitington and his Cat (Newfield, Conn: Ira Jones, 1792); Pequot Library Special Collections.

Inset image (left) detail from: The Ill-Natured Little Boy (New Haven: Sidney’s Press, 1826); Pequot Library Special Collections.

Inset image (center) detail from: The New-England Primer, Or, an easy and pleasant Guide to the Art of Reading (Boston: Printed and sold by J. White, near Charles-River Bridge, 1789); Pequot Library Special Collections.

Inset image (right) detail from: Passion and Punishment. A Tale for Little Girls (New Haven: S. Babcock, 1840); Pequot Library Special Collections.

Photographic reproductions by Jennifer Prat.

RELATED EXHIBITION PROGRAMS | FOR ADULTS

THE WORDS AND IDEAS OF NOAH WEBSTER: A PANEL DISCUSSION

Thursday, March 9

5:00 p.m. | In person

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Apart from creating the first concise dictionary, Noah Webster existed as a deep thinker and educational reformer who influenced the creation of a new American method of learning. Join Joshua Kendall, author of The Forgotten Founding Father, and Jennifer DiCola Matos, former executive director of West Hartford’s Noah Webster House for an evening of discussion.

THE NEW-ENGLAND PRIMER

Thursday, March 30

5:30 p.m. | In person

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Scholars Kyle Roberts and Laura Wasowicz discuss the influence and impact of The New-England Primer, an influential text in the development of a distinct American colonial educational system that brought secular content to the children of New England, ushering in a new era of learning.

DEBATE AND CONTROVERSY: YOUTH LITERATURE IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Thursday, April 13

6:00 p.m. | In person

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Join Fairfield University professors Betsy Bowen and Bryan Crandall for a panel discussion on the evolution of youth literature since the time of the Puritans and the pressing issues facing children’s books today, as well as the debates they invite in contemporary popular culture.

RELATED EXHIBITION PROGRAMS | FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

THE ABCs OF YOUR WORLD 2023

March 1 – May 6

Ongoing | In person | For grades 3 and up

Each week children will illustrate letters of the alphabet in ways that reflect the time in which we live. Letters can be picked up in the library and then returned by the end of the week. One entry per letter will be added to the alphabet book in the Children’s Library. All participants whose letters are chosen will receive a copy of the final version The ABCs of Your World 2023.

RELATED EXHIBITION PROGRAMS | FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

TAKE HEED! WRITING CONTEST

March 15 through April 15

Ongoing | In person | For ages 7 and up

Aspiring writers are invited to craft their own cautionary tale. Submit entries (1,000 words or less) to childrens@pequotlibrary.org by April 15. Winners announced on April 30 will receive a writing journal and a $10 voucher to our Summer Book Sale.

PEQUOT LIBRARY & ONE RIVER SCHOOL: SHEL SILVERSTEIN

Monday, March 20

4:00 p.m. | In person | For grades K-5

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Children will enjoy an engaging workshop on how to draw in the style of poet and illustrator Shel Silverstein. Educators from Westport’s One River School will provide an educational context as well as artistic materials.

TEENS TAKE OVER THE EXHIBITION FOR APRIL FOOL’S DAY

Friday, March 24

4:00 p.m. | In person | For grades 6-12

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Teens will learn more about the current exhibition and the work involved in organizing changing displays, from planning to implementation. Participants will write a fictional wall label for an item on display to be placed alongside the actual ones for April Fool’s Day.

TEENS APRIL FOOL’S DAY EXHIBITION

April 1-8

Ongoing | In person | For all ages

Come see the teen-written, fictional content labels in our Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales exhibition and see if you can tell fact from fiction!

MAKE YOUR OWN CHUTES AND LADDERS GAME

Wednesday, May 17

4:30 p.m. | In person | For ages 7 and up

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

In conjunction with our Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales exhibition, we ask you to join us for a round or two of the classic morality game of Chutes and Ladders. After playing, participants will make their own versions of Chutes and Ladder, with their own ideas of actions and their consequences.

SPECIAL EVENTS

DERBY DAY

A Fundraiser for Pequot Library

Saturday, May 6 4:00 p.m. | In person

PURCHASE TICKETS & TAILGATES ONLINE

Experience the excitement of the Kentucky Derby on Pequot Library’s Great Lawn with festive 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, sponsored by The Loya Family. Keep the party going with DJ Rob at the after-party, sponsored by Katie O’Grady & Team at Compass. This year, $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to the Retired Racehorse Project.

SOUTHPORT GARDEN STROLL SAVE THE DATE

SPONSORED BY

Join us for the fourth Southport Garden Stroll! Featuring several of Southport’s finest private gardens, this self-guided walking tour starts in the heart of the Village at Pequot Library. Browse local vendors on the Great Lawn, then wind your way through a floral adventure in an idyllic seaside New England neighborhood.

June 1 | 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Champagne and Canapé Kickoff

June 2 | 8:30 a.m.

Coffee and Conversation

June 2 | 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Southport Garden Stroll

Photo credit: Kerry Long

MEET THE AUTHOR, JR.

COMMUNITY EVENTS FOR ALL AGES

ONE RIVER SCHOOL EXHIBITION

March 1-21

On display in the auditorium

For all ages

Transforming Art Education is an exhibition from the students and staff at One River School highlighting their unique approach to teaching art through the lens of contemporary artists.

LENIHAN SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE

Saturday, March 11

10:30 a.m. | In person

JERRY PALLOTTA

Monday, April 3

5:00 p.m. | In person

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Jerry Pallotta has written over 90 books, including the popular Who Would Win? book series, and almost 30 alphabet books. Pallotta will talk about alphabet books as part of Pequot Library’s Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales exhibition (see pages 16-17), as well as the Who Would Win? series, and will stay afterward to sign books and meet his fans. Pallotta’s books will be available for purchase at the event.

For all ages

ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED

A St. Patrick’s Day tradition! Enjoy the Lenihan School of Irish Dance troupe’s spirited, costumed performance, then learn basic kicks and steps to dance along.

Get a sneak peek and learn the fundmentals of Irish step dancing with a lesson from the Lenihan School of Irish Dance on Saturday, March 4 at 10:30 a.m. For ages 3+.

EASTER EGG ROLL

Saturday, April 8

10:00 a.m. | In person

For all ages

SPONSORED BY

Join us on Pequot Library’s Great Lawn to dance the bunny hop, make crafts, play games, and meet the Easter Bunny! Bring your own hardboiled eggs and a long-handled wooden spoon.

TEEN PROGRAMS

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: DICE AND A SLICE

Thursdays: March 16, 23, 30; April 6, 20, 27; May 11, 18, 25

5:30 p.m. | In person

For grades 6-12

ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Calling adventurers of all experience levels! Join us for a spring Dungeons & Dragons campaign — pizza included!

TEEN RÉSUMÉ WRITING

Wednesday, April 19

4:30 p.m. | In person

For grades 10-12

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Are you looking for a summer job but have never written a résumé? Learn strategies for writing an effective résumé.

MYSTERY NIGHT: A HEIST IN PEQUOT LIBRARY!

Friday, May 12

6:00 p.m. | In person

For teens

ONE RIVER SCHOOL: ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING WORKSHOP

Saturday, March 25

1:30 p.m. | In person

For grades 6-12

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Learn how to turn your favorite building into a work of art in a workshop led by the educators and artists from One River School.

TEEN COVER LETTER WRITING

Wednesday, April 26

4:30 p.m. | In person

For grades 10-12

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Need a cover letter for your new resume? Learn about the specialized genre of the cover letter.

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

A rare and valuable item from Pequot Library’s Special Collections has been stolen from one of the exhibition display cases. Can your team follow the clues to discover the culprit and solve the mystery?

CHILDREN & FAMILY PROGRAMS

BOOK CLUBS

STORYTIMES

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT FOR WIGGLERS

Wednesdays: March 8, 15, 29; April 5, 12; May 3, 10, 17

10:30-11:00 a.m. | In person

For ages 0-5

ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Can’t sit still? This is the program for you! Jump, hop, dance, and wiggle to the music.

DROP–IN STORYTIME

Tuesdays: March 14, 21, 28; April 4; May 2, 9, 16, 23

10:30 a.m. | In person

For ages 3+

NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Join us in the Children’s Library for a story or two, then pick out books to take home.

MAGIC TREE HOUSE BOOK CLUB

Wednesdays: March 8, April 5, May 3

1:00 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 1-3. Refreshments served.

March 8: Dinosaurs Before Dark April 5: The Knight at Dawn May 3: Mummies in the Morning

BABES ON A BLANKET

Thursdays: March 16, 23, 30; April 6; May 4, 11, 18, 25

11:15 a.m. | In person

For ages 0-12 months

ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Infants and their caregivers are welcome. Engage your little one in 20 minutes of stories, rhymes, and songs and 25 minutes of free play and socializing. Space is limited.

CRAFTY KIDS: SPRING BREAK!

Monday-Friday: April 10-14

1:00–4:00 p.m. | In person

For ages 3-6

NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED

In conjunction with our 2023 A to Z Reading Challenge, children ages 3-6 can drop in for self-guided alphabet crafts.

WORKSHOPS & ACTIVITIES

CHESS FOR BEGINNERS

Weekly on Mondays

4:30 p.m. | In person

For grades 2-5

ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Children will learn how the pieces move and practice basic chess strategies by playing chess variant mini-games and full games of chess.

MAKE YOUR OWN WHO WOULD WIN? BOOK

Wednesday, March 15

4:30 p.m. | In person

For grades 2-4

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Get ready to meet Jerry Pallotta, author of the Who Would Win? series, on April 3 (see page 20) by researching animals to match up and making your own version of his famous books!

GCTYO CONCERT

Sunday, April 30

1:00 p.m. | In person

For families with young children

ONLINE REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Enjoy an afternoon of chamber music performed by string musicians from Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras, in partnership with Orchestra Lumos.

PLANT COCO’S GARDEN

Saturday, May 20 11:00 a.m. | In person

For ages 6+

ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Come with a plant, decorate a marker, and prepare the eating garden for Coco, our resident Reading Ambassador Rabbit. Enjoy cupcakes to celebrate!

BABY BOOK KITS

Ongoing | 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 for you. Scan the QR code to fill out our online form.

LIBRARY BOOK BUDDIES

Ongoing | 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.

YA BOOK BUNDLES

Ongoing | 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.

BOOKS IN REVIEW

NEW BOOKS FOR ADULTS

NEW BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS

FEATURED BOOK

The Getaway

Lamar Giles

Originally published: September 2022

I didn’t think I was going to like The Getaway at first because the setting seemed so preposterous — it opens in the employee neighborhood of a large amusement park called Karloff Country, where the teenage protagonists and their families live and work — but as the story unfolds and the power gap between Karloff Country’s wealthy clientele and the characters who serve them widens, the walled amusement park becomes an

exciting vehicle for Giles’ social commentary. As events unfold both outside and within the walls of the park, Jay and his friends move from laughing off Karloff conspiracy theories to being forced to accept them as truth, and I found myself repeatedly surprised by Giles’ frequent plot twists. The Getaway is a thrill ride that is violent at times, disturbing in its social relevance, and I couldn’t put it down. Recommended for readers aged 13 and up.

– John Kofron, Youth and Teen Library Services Manager

PEQUOT LIBRARY SPOTLIGHT

AROUND PEQUOT LIBRARY

4 7 8 8 8 9 11 13 15

CALENDAR APR

Lenihan Irish Dance Lessons p. 20

Lights Out Connecticut p. 9

Uncovering Shakespeare Book Group p. 7

Magic Tree House Book Club p. 22

Meet the Author: Timothy Cole p. 4

The Words and Ideas of Noah Webster p. 17

Lenihan Irish Dance Performance p. 20

Author talk: David Epstein p. 5

Make Your Own Who Would Win? Book p. 23

AT A GLANCE

15 18 20 21 21 22 24 25 28 28 30

Wes Haynes: Exploring Pequot Library p. 9

Building & History Tour p. 9

Shel Silverstein Workshop p. 18

Reading with Robin p. 7

Author talk: Chef Jernard Wells p. 5

Play With Your Food p. 8

Teens Take Over... p. 18

Architectural Drawing Workshop p. 21

One Book One Town Author Talk: Ivan Maisel p. 6

Author talk: Pam Jenoff p. 5

The New-England Primer p. 17

1

3

Schubert Club Piano Ensemble p. 8

Meet the Author, Jr: Jerry Pallotta p. 20

4

4

5 8 12 13 19 19

Library Giving Day p. 11

Author talk: Kate Beaton p. 5

Magic Tree House Book Club p. 22

Easter Egg Roll p. 20

Uncovering Shakespeare Book Group p. 7

Debate and Controversy: Youth Literature ... p. 17

Play With Your Food p. 8

Teen Résumé Writing p. 21

27 27 27 30

Teen Cover Letter Writing p. 21

Out of the Vault: Virginia Marquand Monroe p. 9

Meet the Author: William Martin p. 4

Author Talk: William Kent Krueger p. 5

GCTYO Concert p. 23

12 17 20 20

Mystery Night: A Heist in Pequot Library!

p. 21

Make Your Own Chutes and Ladders Game

p. 18

Plant Coco’s Garden p. 23

Author talk: Courtney Summers p. 5

SERIES & ONGOING PROGRAMS

The ABCs of Your World March 1 – May 6 p. 17

3 3 6 10 10 11

Magic Tree House Book Club p. 22

Author talk: Britt Hawthorne p. 5

Derby Day Fundraiser p. 19

Uncovering Shakespeare Book Group p. 7

Author talk: Jena Friedman p. 5

Meet the Author: J. Lawrence Matthews p. 4

Babes on a Blanket

Thursdays: March 16 –May 25 (no sessions April 13-27) p. 22

Chess for Beginners

Weekly on Mondays p. 23

Crafty Kids: Spring Break!

Monday-Friday: April 10-14 p. 22

Drop-in Storytime

Tuesdays: March 14 – May 23 (no sessions April 11-25) p. 22

Dungeons & Dragons: Dice and a Slice

Thursdays: March 16 – May 25 (no sessions April 13 and May 4 ) p. 21

Music and Movement for Wigglers

Wednesdays: March 8 – May 17 (no sessions March 22; April 19, 26)

p. 22

Silent Book Club

Third Thursday of every month

p. 7

Take Heed Writing Contest

March 15 – April 15

p. 18

EXHIBITIONS

Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales: Children’s Books and the Shaping of American Identity on view through May 6 p. 16

One River School Exhibition on View March 1-21 p. 20

Teens April Fool’s Day Exhibition on view April 1-8 p. 18

SAVE THE DATE

Southport Garden Stroll Fundraiser

Thursday, June 1 & Friday, June 2 p. 19

Visit pequotlibrary.org for more information and the full calendar of programs and events. All programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise specified. Due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, please check our website for changes in programming and safety guidelines.

PEQUOT LIBRARY

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