Upcoming Events

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• Winter 2023 (January - March)
• Spring 2023 (April - June)

Upcoming Events for Adults

The Historical Society of Glastonbury presents “The Smith Sisters: Abolitionists and Suffragists” Meet & Greet with Local Artist: Sylvina Rollins Marc Berger LIVE in Concert! MOVIE THEATER THURSDAY: Where the Crawdads Sing Not Your Grandmother’s Quilts SECOND TUESDAY BOOK CLUB: The Push College Admissions Timeline VIRTUAL LUNCH & LEARN: Pediatric Nutrition Beginner Ukulele for Adults Meditation for Beginners MOVIE THEATER THURSDAY: Solo: A Star Wars Story Blues 101: A History of Blues Music in America SECOND TUESDAY BOOK CLUB: The Only Woman in the Room Friends of the WTML Spring Book Sale VIRTUAL LUNCH & LEARN: Tax-Free Retirement

The Historical Society of Glastonbury presents “The Smith Sisters: Abolitionists and Suffragists” Who: Adults When: Monday, March 27 Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Place: Friends Room

Celebrate Women's History Month with Diane Hoover of the Historical Society of Glastonbury as they teach us about Glastonbury's own Smith Sisters – Abby and Julia. These elderly spinsters stood up to the townsmen of Glastonbury in their fight to get the right to vote for women, and famously lost their cows in the process. This presentation takes you deeper into their lives, and the lives of their amazing family. Learn how Abby and Julia become unlikely heroines on the National Woman Suffrage stage and symbols of “taxation without representation.” Join us to hear their story!

Register online or by calling the library’s Reference Department at 860-652-7720. To watch from home on Zoom, registration is not required. Click here at the start of the program. Meeting ID: 859 7394 1598 | Passcode: 746158 *In the event of inclement weather, this program will be held virtually via Zoom*

Meet & Greet with Local Artist: Sylvina Rollins Who: Adults When: Wednesday, March 29 Time: 5 - 6:30 p.m. Place: Glastonbury Room

Come meet the artist currently on display in our Art Gallery! Light refreshments served. Exhibit on display through April 7th. Come visit any time during our open hours. Visit https://www.sylvinarollinsart.com/ for more information. Drop-in; no registration required.

Marc Berger LIVE in Concert! Who: Adults When: Monday, April 3 Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Place: Friends Room

Marc Berger is visiting WTML to perform his album, "Ride,” inspired by his lifelong love affair with the American West. Along the way, Marc will weave stories of his experiences as an easterner in the mountain and desert West. Marc is a nationally touring artist based out of central NY. He has performed at Austin’s South X Southwest Music Festival and the Kerrville Folk Festival, and opened shows for Bob Dylan and other national acts. His current release, RIDE (a collection of songs all having to do with the romance of the American West), has received national airplay and critical acclaim and Starbucks has licensed the album for worldwide in-store airplay. You can hear tracks, watch video, get the backstory, etc. by visiting his website: http://www.marcbergermusic.com/ Register online or by calling the library’s Reference Department at 860-652-7720. To watch from home on Zoom, registration is not required. Click here at the start of the program. Meeting ID: 898 0925 1342 | Passcode: 423281

MOVIE THEATER THURSDAY: Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) Who: Adults When: Thursday, April 6 Time: 6 - 8 p.m. Place: Friends Room

Based on the best-selling novel, this film tells the story of a woman who raised herself in the marshes of the Deep South becomes a suspect in the murder of a man with whom she was once involved. Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, and Harris Dickinson. Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some violence including a sexual assault; 2 hours 5 minutes. All attendees are entered into a raffle to win a copy of the movie on DVD! Drop-in; no registration required. For more information, call Reference at 860-652-7720.

Not Your Grandmother’s Quilts Who: Adults When: Monday, April 10 Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Place: Friends Room

Join Colleen Sheridan of the Greater Hartford Quilt Guild to learn about the history of quilting from its earliest days centuries ago to its modern-day version. Discover the many forces and events that changed the bed quilt into a work of art. The presentation includes what tools you need to quilt and how you can join others quilters in your area to begin your own exciting quilting journey. Register online or by calling the library’s Reference Department at 860-652-7720. To watch from home on Zoom, registration is not required. Click here at the start of the program. Meeting ID: 852 8562 7214 | Passcode: 801881

SECOND TUESDAY BOOK CLUB: The Push by Ashley Audrain Who: Adults When: Tuesday, April 11 Time: 2 - 3 p.m. Place: Glastonbury Room

Come talk books with other bibliophiles! This book group will meet on the second Tuesday of the month. Limited copies of the current selection will be available at the Lending Desk. Drop-in; no registration required. For more information, call Reference at 860-652-7720.

This month's pick: The Push by Ashley Audrain Blythe Connor is determined that she will be the warm, comforting mother to her new baby Violet that she herself never had but in motherhood’s early days, Blythe becomes convinced that something is wrong with her daughter. Is it all in Blythe’s head? The more her husband, Fox, dismisses her fears, the more she begins to question her own sanity. Then, their son Sam is born–and with him, Blythe has the blissful connection she’d always imagined with her child. But when life as they know it is changed in an instant, the devastating fall-out forces Blythe to face the truth.

College Admissions Timeline Who: Adults with teens in grade 7 - 12 When: Thursday, April 13th Time: 6 - 7 p.m. Place: Friends Room

Applying to college can be a confusing process: there are a lot of decisions to make and tons of moving pieces to keep track of. Students and families are welcome to come learn how to navigate this complex process step by step. We’ll show you an ideal example of how to plan your application process so that your teen can click “submit” with confidence. Register online or by calling the library’s Reference Department at 860-652-7720.

VIRTUAL LUNCH & LEARN: Pediatric Nutrition Who: Adults When: Wednesday, April 19 Time: 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Place: Virtual Session

Grab a notebook and a PB&J for this monthly lunchtime webinar series presented on Zoom!
This month’s topic is Pediatric Nutrition! Join pediatric dietitian and family feeding expert, Sarah Ladden, MS, RDN, as she shares key insights on how to practice better food-parenting. In this 1-hour presentation, Sarah will provide practical, actionable strategies that will transform your dinner table tonight and help you learn to feed with confidence, eliminate food battles and mealtime meltdowns, and understand what to prioritize when it comes to pediatric nutrition.
Registration begins March 22nd, online or by calling the library’s Reference Department 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.

Beginner Ukulele for Adults Who: Adults When: Tuesday, April 25 Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Place: Friends Room

The ukulele is an amazing instrument that can take you as deep as you’d like to go into music, but with its small frame and only four strings, it is incredibly accessible for beginners who want to start strumming and singing along right away! In only a short time, learn the basics of playing, and how to progress on your own. Get started with Glastonbury’s own Jim Rosokoff a.k.a. Doctor Uke! No previous experience is necessary. Instruments are provided, but feel free to bring your own if you have one. Registration begins March 28th, online or by calling the library’s Reference Department at 860-652-7720. Sponsored by the Friends of the Welles-Turner Memorial Library

Meditation for Beginners Who: Adults When: Monday, May 1 Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Place: Friends Room

Join Ryan Cronin of the Odiyana Center in Glastonbury to learn practical advice about the potential of our mind for developing inner peace and positive qualities. The purpose of meditation is to make the mind peaceful and calm. If we learn to maintain a peaceful mind all the time, we will be happy all the time. With positive states of mind present, we can relate to ourselves and others in a more skillful and enjoyable manner. Learn to start tapping into the power of your own mind through the practice of meditation. No experience necessary. Registration begins April 3rd, online or by calling the library’s Reference Department at 860-652-7720. To watch from home on Zoom, registration is not required. Click here at the start of the program. Meeting ID: 812 4894 7657 | Passcode: 152705

MOVIE THEATER THURSDAY: Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) Who: Adults When: Thursday, May 4 Time: 6 - 8:15 p.m. Place: Friends Room

May the Fourth Be with You! Celebrate Star Wars Day by boarding the Millennium Falcon and journeying to a galaxy far, far away in an epic action-adventure that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga's most unlikely heroes. Starring Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, and Emilia Clarke. Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action/violence; 2 hour 15 minutes. All attendees are entered into a raffle to win a copy of the movie on DVD! Drop-in; no registration required. For more information, call Reference at 860-652-7720.

Blues 101: A History of Blues Music in America Who: Adults When: Monday, May 8 Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Place: Friends Room

"Ramblin" Dan Stevens will guide attendees through the history of blues music in America. His educational and entertaining multimedia presentation will include classic blues pieces played on authentic vintage instruments. The music is traced chronologically through its development in different regions of the south and follows the great African American migration to important centers like Memphis, Chicago, and beyond. The roots of rock and roll, jazz, and even hip hop can be traced to this important form. Of special interest are pieces performed on Dan's homemade, three stringed "Cigar Box Guitar" and one stringed "Diddley Bow", both primitive instruments used by early bluesmen and played with a "bottleneck" slide. Registration begins April 10, online or by calling the library’s Reference Department at 860-652-7720. To watch from home on Zoom, registration is not required. Click here at the start of the program. Meeting ID: 822 8279 9979 | Passcode: 701081

SECOND TUESDAY BOOK CLUB: The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict Who: Adults When: Tuesday, May 9 Time: 2 - 3 p.m. Place: Glastonbury Room

Come talk books with other bibliophiles! This book group will meet on the second Tuesday of the month. Limited copies of the current selection will be available at the Lending Desk. Drop-in; no registration required. For more information, call Reference at 860-652-7720.

This month's pick: The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict Hedy Kiesler is lucky. Her beauty leads to a starring role in a controversial film and marriage to a powerful Austrian arms dealer, allowing her to evade Nazi persecution despite her Jewish heritage. But Hedy is also intelligent. At lavish Vienna dinner parties, she overhears the Third Reich's plans. One night in 1937, desperate to escape her controlling husband and the rise of the Nazis, she disguises herself and flees her husband's castle. She lands in Hollywood, where she becomes Hedy Lamarr, screen star. But Hedy is keeping a secret even more shocking than her Jewish heritage: she is a scientist. She has an idea that might help the country and that might ease her guilt for escaping alone -- if anyone will listen to her.

Who: All ages! When: Saturday, May 13 Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Place: Library Front Lawn

There's something for everyone at the Friends of the Welles-Turner Memorial Library Spring Book Sale! Unless marked otherwise: children's hardcovers are $1; adult hardcovers, $2; trade paperbacks, $1; regular size and all children's paperbacks, 50¢. Books on CD, $2 per disc. There is a specially priced section at $5+. In the event of rain, the sale will be held in the lower parking deck of TD Bank, next door to the library. Come early for the best selection. No sales before 9 a.m. For more information or to volunteer, please email the Friends at booksale@friendswtmlib.org or call 860-652-7728.

VIRTUAL LUNCH & LEARN: Tax-Free Retirement Who: Adults When: Wednesday, May 17 Time: 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Place: Virtual Session

Grab a notebook and a PB&J for this monthly lunchtime webinar series presented on Zoom! This month’s topic is Tax-Free Retirement! Many Americans assume that their taxes in retirement will stay the same or go down. Unfortunately, for most this may not be the case. Current taxes laws have changed dramatically in the past few years and these changes not only involve you but your beneficiaries in the future.

In this seminar presented by USA Financial & Tax Services, you will learn the answers to questions such as: - If taxes increase in the future, will my retirement plan be in jeopardy? - What are the new tax codes that affect my heirs on my tax-deferred accounts? - Should I take required minimum distributions early or when I am required to? - Are there ways to reduce taxes now and in retirement? - How will retirement accounts impact my heirs with the new tax laws? Registration begins April 19th, online or by calling the library’s Reference Department 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.

Easiest Houseplants Ever (+ Plant Swap!) Who: Adults When: Monday, May 22 Time: 6:30 - 8 p.m. Place: Friends Room

Looking for the perfect green match for your home? Author Tovah Martin will start the evening with her lecture full of easily hosted ideas. No matter what your home environment offers, we’ve got you covered with recommendations for plants that will become copacetic roommates. If your home features sunny windows or shady sills; if your home is Sahara dry or comfortably spa-like—this lecture will leave you filled with hope, and an adoption list. Plus, the suggested plants do so much more than just sit around being green. The goal is to find botanical companions that will make your life ultra-beautiful. Dense with design ideas for wannabee indoor gardeners of all tastes, crammed with firsthand wisdom for care and cultivation of all the suggested companions, this lecture covers all the bases. Want to adopt a houseplant? Here’s how to fit your lifestyle with flair. After the conclusion of Tovah’s presentation, WTML will be hosting a Plant Swap for attendees. If you wish to participate, bring 1 or 2 healthy, pest-free, small plants or cuttings of any kind to swap. Plants in soil or rooted cuttings in water are welcome and should be labeled with at least the type of plant to help guide its new owner in its care. Don’t have a plant to swap? No problem, we’ll have a couple of extras to take home. Please only bring pots you are willing to part with. Registration begins April 24th, online or by calling the library’s Reference Department at 860-652-7720. To watch the lecture portion from home on Zoom, registration is not required. Click here at the start of the program. Meeting ID: 841 3048 7950 | Passcode: 460244

Birder on Berry Lane (Virtual) Who: Adults When: Tuesday, May 30 Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Place: Virtual on Zoom

Birder, Naturalist, and Connecticut Author of Birder on Berry Lane, Robert Tougias, is joining us virtually to discuss the wonders of bird migration, the sensitive interaction of birds with their habitat, and the hidden meaning of their call notes and songs. Tougias has been a birder since he was a small boy. After earning a degree in natural resources, he worked for the Massachusetts Audubon Society and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Now he's a nature writer in southeastern Connecticut, where he's president of his local wildlife club. Registration begins May 2nd, online or by calling the library’s Reference Department at 860-652-7720. Registration with a valid email address is required to receive login information on the day of the Zoom meeting.

MOVIE THEATER THURSDAY: Ticket to Paradise (2022) Who: Adults When: Thursday, June 1 Time: 6 - 7:45 p.m. Place: Friends Room

A divorced couple teams up and travels to Bali to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they think they made 25 years ago. Starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Sean Lynch. Rated PG-13 for some strong language and brief suggestive material; 1 hour 44 minutes. All attendees are entered into a raffle to win a copy of the movie on DVD! Drop-in; no registration required. For more information, call Reference at 860-652-7720.

A Celebration of Animation: The 100 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time Who: Adults When: Monday, June 5 Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Place: Friends Room

Author and Pop Culture Historian Marty Gitlin will bring his book to life at WTML. He is the only author that has actually ranked the funniest, coolest, and most influential cartoon characters ever. This lecture features wonderful snippets of the antics of Bugs Bunny, Popeye, Snoopy, SpongeBob, and more! Marty will impart interesting facts about these characters and quiz attendees with trivia questions! Purchase is by no means necessary for attendance, but the author will have autographed and personalized copies of his book available for purchase following the program. Registration begins May 8th, online or by calling the library’s Reference Department at 860-652-7720. To watch from home on Zoom, registration is not required. Click here at the start of the program. Meeting ID: 898 8362 8722 | Passcode: 690426

SECOND TUESDAY BOOK CLUB: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han Who: Adults When: Tuesday, June 13 Time: 2 - 3 p.m. Place: Glastonbury Room

Come talk books with other bibliophiles! This book group will meet on the second Tuesday of the month. Limited copies of the current selection will be available at the Lending Desk. Drop-in; no registration required. For more information, call Reference at 860-652-7720.

This month's pick: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

VIRTUAL LUNCH & LEARN: Estate Planning Who: Adults When: Wednesday, June 21 Time: 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Place: Virtual Session

Grab a notebook and a PB&J for this monthly lunchtime webinar series presented on Zoom! This month’s topic is Estate Planning!
Everyone, both young and old, needs an estate plan. Your life circumstances can change in an instant! If they do, are you prepared? Do you want to be on life support? Who will pay your bills if you can’t? And if you pass away, how will your estate be divided amongst your heirs? If you don’t have a plan in place, the State of Connecticut will make some of these decisions for you! Would you want that to happen?
In this program presented by attorney Lara Bomzer of Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri, you’ll learn about important estate planning documents like Powers of Attorney and Healthcare Directives that you can create to make sure your wishes are met and your family knows how to care for you when you can’t care for yourself. Registration begins May 24th, online or by calling the library’s Reference Department at 860-652-7720. Registration with a valid email address is required to receive login information on the day of the Zoom meeting.

Introduction to Personal Storytelling Who: Adults When: Monday, June 26 Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Place: Friends Room

Ira Glass of This American Life says, “Great stories happen to people who know how to tell them.” Effective personal storytelling is an essential skill for success and it’s one that anyone can learn. Storyteller Terry Wolfisch Cole will teach you how to turn unique experiences into interesting stories that will captivate listeners in any setting. You’ll learn effective personal storytelling tips and tricks that are equally applicable on stage, in a meeting, when making a presentation or speech, as part of your elevator pitch, or at a more personal lunch or dinner. You will have opportunities to discover your stories (yes, interesting things have happened to you!), to select one to craft during the session, and to practice telling it. Registration begins May 29th, online or by calling the library’s Reference Department at 860-652-7720.