What's Happening

 

"Read Around Town" Adult Summer Reading

June 17-August 14, 2020

This summer, we’re excited to “Read Around Town” with all of our Glastonbury friends! While this year’s program looks a little different than the past, it is just as easy and rewarding. Read and/or listen to at least four books between June 17 and August 14, and log them on the summer reading website by clicking here. While we are unable to give out shirts to participants like we have in the past, you will be entered into an End-of-Summer Reading Raffle and have the chance to win a great prize.

Additionally, if you take a picture of yourself or your reading material as you “Read Around Town” and post it on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtags #WTMLibrary and #ReadAroundTown, you will be entered into a separate raffle to win an Amazon gift card. We can’t wait to see what’s on your to-read list this summer! Call Reference at 860-652-7720 for more information. "Thank you!" to the Friends of the Welles-Turner Memorial Library for sponsoring the program prizes. Image (right) © Yakobchuk Olena/AdobeStock.com

Upcoming Events

Cookbook Club ~ Virtual Gathering

Who: Adults age 21+ When: Wednesday, August 19, 2020 Time: 6:30-7:30pm Place: Virtual session With the library temporarily closed, we've decided on a new place for the Cookbook Club ... your place!  :) Adults age 21+ are welcome to meet virtually for a non-traditional Cookbook Club discussion on Zoom. BYOB ... or wine!

We will start by sharing what we've chosen to cook, and any tips or challenges we had to overcome. This month's pick is to make a dish that includes farmer’s market picks in honor of the end of summer! If you normally make a weekly trip to a farmer’s market of your choice for your vegetable bundles and such, or even if you just happen to pick up some local vegetables from your everyday grocery store, we would love to hear the story behind your dish of choice!

As we do not want anyone to make special grocery store trips at this time, whatever you have in the house or planned in with your regular grocery shopping trip is fine! Also, wear your sunglasses and keep em’ on for our August meeting. Let’s have some end of summer fun August's Cookbook Club: Farmer’s Market Picks! Online registration is required in order to receive login information on the day of the Zoom meeting. Click here to register. Click here for a tutorial on setting up a Zoom account. Image (above) © WavebreakMediaMicro/AbobeStock.com

Books on Tap ~ Virtual Gathering

	Who: Adults age 21+ When: Thursday, August 27, 2020 Time: 6-7pm Place: Virtual session Adults 21+ are welcome to meet virtually for a non-traditional book discussion over a beer on Zoom! We will start by sharing what we've chosen to drink. Please support local businesses and buy from nearby independent breweries if you can! It is especially encouraged to buy from our usual host, Hops on the Hill in Glastonbury.* They are open limited hours for to-go sales.
After virtual cheers, we will dive into the books we read from a specific genre. We will explore a new genre each month until we can meet in person again. With a valid library card, you can explore our online offerings to find a title that fits the genre. For personalized recommendations, click here. Or, search through your own collection! August's pick: Anti-Racism Non-Fiction Registration is required in order to receive login information on the day of the Zoom meeting. Click here to register.

Click here for a tutorial on setting up a Zoom account. *Hops on the Hill is located at 275 Dug Rd, South Glastonbury, CT.  Click here to visit their website.  Click here for map and directions. Image ("We Are All Human") © Lia/AbobeStock.com

The Homegrown String Band ~ Virtual Concert Who: Adults When: Saturday, August 22, 2020 Time: 2-3:30pm Place: Virtual session

A family of musicians collaborating in organic fashion with a unique repertoire of original and traditional music, The Homegrown String Band brings an American folk tradition into the twenty-first century. Comprised of husband and wife plus daughter, this dynamic trio utilizes an eclectic palette of instruments to add their own musical DNA to an American tradition. Come listen to songs by the likes of The Carter Family, The Delmore Brothers and Jimmy Rodgers, along with a tasty sprinkling of original material inspired by the rural American string band and folk tradition of the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Image appears with permission

The Homegrown String Band will take you on a musical journey from ancient ballads of the British Isles to blues and bluegrass of the twentieth century. Register online or by calling Reference at 860-652-7720. Registration with a valid email address is required in order to receive login information on the day of the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on setting up a Zoom account.

Debt Management and Credit Repair ~ Virtual Session Who: Adults When: Wednesday, September 2, 2020 Time: 6-7pm Place: Virtual session

Image appears with permission

Are you concerned about your credit? Do you need help managing your budget? Are you telling yourself, “I’ll worry about the bills later.” If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” then it’s time to reassess your financial health. If you are facing debt, it doesn’t have to go from bad to worse. Join Kathleen Titsworth from the Connecticut Department of Banking to discuss ways to manage your debt and repair your credit the right way and avoid common mistakes.​ Registration with a valid email address is required in order to receive login information on the day of the Zoom meeting and begins August 5, 2020. Click here to register.

Click here for a tutorial on setting up a Zoom account.

Interview Skills ~ Virtual Workshop

Who: Adults When: Wednesday, September 9, 2020 Time: 2-3pm Place: Virtual session

Do you have an upcoming job interview? This virtual workshop via Zoom prepares you for what to expect and beyond. Patrick Jones of Goodwill Career Center in Hartford will teach you how to: • prepare yourself before the interview • what to expect during the interview process • how to answer difficult questions you may be asked and • how to follow up after the interview is over. Click here to register online. For assistance, please call Reference at 860-652-7720.

Image © Gajus/Fotolia.com

Paint Night at Home ~ Virtual Program

Who: Adults When: Thursday, September 17, 2020 Time: 6-7:30pm Place: Virtual session

Learn how to paint a real work of art at home! Follow instructor Pamela Halligan of Pam’s Picassos on Zoom as she walks you through the steps of creating your own masterpiece. You will create a beautiful completed painting. Paint kits will be available to pick up at the library beginning Monday, September 14. You must be registered for the program in order to pick up a paint kit. Registration with a valid email address is required in order to receive login information on the day of the Zoom meeting and begins August 20. Click here to register. Click here for a tutorial on setting up a Zoom account. Image (left) appears with permission

 

For all library events, see the CALENDAR.

 

The Latest

Library to Reopen

The Welles-Turner Memorial Library plans to reopen to the public on Monday, August 3, 2020 with limited hours and services. All users must adhere to current CDC guidelines that include: (1) wearing a face mask that covers the nose and mouth; (2) maintaining a social distance of at least six feet. Services limited to borrowing and picking up holds. Access to Children’s Department by appointment only by calling 860-652-7718. Limited number of public computers available for maximum of one hour per day per user, also by appointment only, by calling Reference at 860-652-7720. Due to social distance requirements, staff will be unavailable for one-on-one assistance; bring a computer-savvy friend or relative if needed. Copy, fax, print and scan service will be available; exact change required. Services that will not be available include access to magazine and newspaper collections, study rooms and meeting rooms. Seating throughout the library will be limited. Return materials in book drop only. Library materials quarantine for three days prior to coming off patron's record. Library hours:   Mondays & Fridays Tuesdays & Thursdays Wednesdays 9am-1pm 1pm-5pm 3pm-7pm The library plans to expand operating hours and services as it becomes safe to do so.

 

Temporary Library Card

Glastonbury residents who do not have a valid library card can request a temporary card. This account gives you access to online resources and will be deleted after 30 days. To sign up, please click here. Note: Recently expired WTML cards have been extended through August 31, 2020. If you reside in a CT town other than Glastonbury, please contact your hometown public library for assistance.

 

Curbside Pickup @ WTML

Welles-Turner Memorial Library is happy to announce the start of our Curbside Pickup Program. You can place holds on WTML items (inter-library loan is not operating at this time) through the library's website or by calling the Reference desk at 860-652-7720. We will gather your requests and call you to schedule a time to come and pick them up. At your scheduled time, items will be waiting for you in a bag by the parking lot entrance - you simply grab the bag and go! Please note, same-day pick up is unavailable at this time; allow at least 24 hours for us to process your requests. And please try to keep your requests to 5 items at a time so we can accommodate everyone. If you have any questions, please give us a call at 860-652-7720. We look forward to getting new reading materials into your patiently waiting hands!

Lastly, we are now accepting returns of library items through our book return slots on the north side of the library building. All items that are returned are placed in quarantine before they are checked in so, if you still see them on your library account after a few days, do not be concerned. Please wait at least a week before calling to inquire about them.

 

Complete the 2020 Census by August 14

The 2020 Census is underway, and the deadline for response has been extended to August 14, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Glastonbury residents are strongly encouraged to complete the census for their household, which can be done online, by phone, or by mail (see instructions below).

Collected every 10 years, census data helps provide a snapshot of the nation and is used to help influence a number of critical decisions, such as how federal funding is allocated to Glastonbury and other communities countrywide. The following provides a selection of programs and initiatives influenced by census data:

• Public Schools – lunch programs, faculty, special education
• Public Health and Safety – hospitals, fire departments, Medicaid, SNAP
• Economic Development – population trends, growth projections, business expansion
• Environmental Initiatives
• Natural Disaster Response
• Transportation – public transit, highway planning, construction
• Political Decisions – number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives, adjusting or redrawing electoral and congressional districts
• Download this report to see a full list of other programs impacted by census data.

As of April 15, 2020, the self-response rates have been reported as:

• Connecticut: 51.2%
• Glastonbury :63.9%

Your household census can be completed online or by phone or email as follows:

• Online – visit https://my2020census.gov/. You will need your street address or the 12-digit code found in the materials mailed to you/left at your door.

• Phone – call 1-844-330-2020.

• Mail – head of household received a paper copy in the mail.

Resident participation is encouraged to achieve a 100% response rate for Glastonbury households. For more information, please visit https://2020census.gov/en/census-data.html. You can also track the real-time response rate for Glastonbury or any town at https://2020census.gov/en/response-rates.html. (Select Connecticut and then Glastonbury under the “Town” drop-down menu.) Please share this with your friends, family and colleagues in the Glastonbury community, and visit https://my2020census.gov/ for answers to frequently asked questions.

Temporary Online Access to BookPage

Because the publisher has paused shipment of their upcoming April printed issues, they are offering patrons free access to the online edition for the time being:

• Link to current online issue of BookPage
• Sign up to receive ongoing BookPage e-newsletters

 

WTML Building Project Update

Image: 2020 © storm/AdobeStock.com

April 2020: While the world appears to be standing still right now, work continues on the library renovation/expansion project. The project continues through the town permitting process. Once that process is complete, the project will be bid and, finally, construction will begin. To view the floor plans, visit the library expansion page of the town website. Right-click on the desired image, and open it in a new tab to view details. Image (above) furnished by TSKP Studio

February 2020: The library renovation/expansion project includes a two-story addition to the southwest side of the current building, as well as reconfiguration of existing space to provide: More space for children's activities Expanded teen area Dedicated maker space Space for focused and collaborative work for all ages Comfortable furniture Space to house current collection with room for growth Construction is likely to start in the summer. Stay tuned for more information as plans progress.

January 2020: The building project is in final design. The plans are under review by the required town commissions, culminating with a final review by the Town Planning and Zoning Commission. We expect to bid the project this spring, with construction to start this summer. It will be a phased construction to allow the library to remain open for the duration.

We will post information as it becomes available in library newsletter, on the library website at www.wtmlib.info and on the library Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Welles-Turner-Memorial-Library. Or, sign up for automatic eNotification at www.glastonbury-ct.gov/enotify and choose "Library Renovation" category under the "News" heading. Click here for complete library renovation/expansion news, located on the Town of Glastonbury's website.

 

Text Notification of Available Holds

Would you like to receive an immediate text when your hold has arrived @ the library? Here’s how to sign up:

Log into your library account from the online catalog. If you haven't already established a PIN, you will need to create one. Click on Edit Account, just below your name. When the “Modify Patron Information” popup window opens, enter your cell number in the “Mobile Phone No.” field, click on the “Opt In” check box and click on Submit at the bottom of the page. You will receive a text within a few minutes to confirm your signup; text back “YES.” You will receive a message within a few minutes to confirm your signup. Please note: One library account per cell number. You will continue to receive email notices. The service is free; message and data rates may apply.

 

A Word About Holds for Local Book Clubs

Due to Connecticut State Library delivery limitations, the library must suspend local book club support until further notice. In the meantime, the Reference Department is available to assist members of community book clubs in locating available copies of items to be picked up at the owning libraries. We regret this inconvenience and will let you know as soon as we have more information.

 

Burbio

Burbio.com is a free community-building service that streams all library, school and non-profit events together in one place through a web site, iOS app and Amazon Alexa. Currently, the Welles-Turner Memorial Library calendar, as well as those from the local schools, are available. Expect other non-profits to be added in the school year.

© Tierney/Fotolia.com

If you are a member of a non-profit organization and would like your group's events added, please contact Library Director, Barbara Bailey at barbara.bailey@glastonbury-ct.gov.

 

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Images on this page subject to copyright; used with permission.