Fridays, March 1, 8, 15 & 22 Family Playgroup, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Parents and caregivers with young children are invited to visit the library for an opportunity to spend some time in our story room to socialize and play. Meet new friends and neighbors and let your children play with some early learning toys. No registration required.
Saturday, March 2 Stories & Songs, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Families with children ages 2 and up can join us for a musical interactive family storytime. Participants will hear stories, sing songs, learn rhymes, do movement activities, and use scarves or instruments, while building literacy and social skills. Fun for the whole family! No registration required.
Sunday, March 3 Hot & Cool Jazz: Judy Carmichael - Swinging Standards, Sultry Vocals & Sassy Humor, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Please join us for a Sunday afternoon of jazz as pianist/vocalist Judy Carmichael and guitarist Chris Flory swing through favorites of the American songbook, from Gershwin and Cole Porter to Frank Loesser and Harold Arlen. Nicknamed “Stride” by the great Count Basie, the Grammy-nominated pianist, vocalist, and songwriter enchants audiences with her command of the idiom at the piano, as well as her charming effervescence away from it. Newsday said she's like “Peggy Lee meets Fats Waller meets Paula Poundstone.” Judy Carmichael is a Grammy-nominated pianist/vocalist and songwriter. Her radio show/podcast Jazz Inspired, is in its 24th year on NPR stations. She appears frequently on radio and television throughout the world and maintains a busy international touring schedule. Chris Flory toured with Benny Goodman’s last quartet early in Chris’ career and has recorded and/or appeared with Hank Jones, Scott Hamilton, Rosemary Clooney, Illinois Jacquet, Jo Jones, Ruby Braff and many other jazz greats. There will be a reception following the concert with CDs available for sale and signing. Hot & Cool Jazz is brought to you by the generosity of the Estate of James (Tom) and Alice Brown. Event is full.
Monday, March 4 Lego Build Challenge - Grades 3-6, 4 to 5 p.m. For grades 3-6 only. Are you ready, Master Builders? Compete in lightning speed rounds to crown the best of the best. Bring your imagination and be ready for anything! Registration required. Drop-ins admitted if space allows. Caregivers must remain on library premises.
Tuesdays, March 5, 12, 19 & 26 Mother Goose on the Loose, 10:15 to 11 a.m. Children ages 6 months to 2 years old will enjoy this fun storytime with music, puppets, picture books, and nursery rhymes. Feel free to stay after to socialize. No registration required.
Tuesday, March 5 Poetry Discussion with Janet Krauss: The Poetry of Ruth Stone (Zoom), 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Please join us online when Janet Krauss will lead a discussion of a selection of poems by Ruth Stone. Links to the poems and discussion questions will be emailed in advance of the program. Ruth Stone’s husband, poet Walter Stone, committed suicide and left her with their three young children. "Shock and grief of her loss infused her poetry the rest of her life." Ruth lived in a rural farmhouse in Vermont for much of her life. Her granddaughter Bianca established Ruth's simple, farmhouse home as a poet's residence after Ruth's death. During her later years, Ruth received wide recognition with the publication of her book of poems Ordinary Words (1999). There were several more acclaimed books to follow. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She secured a professorship of English in 1990 at SUNY in Binghamton and received numerous prestigious awards. Writing poems was a saving grace for Ruth Stone. When inspired, she expressed that she "felt a poem coming like a horse galloping towards her and had to catch it - if not...." We will explore the ideas above in the beginning of an introduction to Ruth Stone. Janet Krauss, who has two books of poetry published, Borrowed Scenery, Yuganta Press, and Through the Trees of Autumn, Spartina Press, has recently retired from teaching English at Fairfield University. No charge for this program. Advance registration is required.
Wednesdays, March 6, 13, 20 & 27 Wonderful Ones and Twos, 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. Active 1 and 2 year-olds and their caregivers are invited to join us for a storytime especially geared for them! The program includes books, songs, rhymes, movement activities, and instruments or scarves, all geared towards building literacy skills. No registration required.
Wednesdays, March 6, 13, 20 & 27 Bouncing Babies, 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. Join us for this interactive program especially for babies up to 12 months. We will share stories, songs, and rhymes. Scarves and movement activities will be included and we will close out with a calming lullaby. Feel free to stay after to socialize. No registration required.
Wednesdays, March 6, 13, 20 & 27 Crafternoons, 4:30 to 5 p.m. Children aged 4 through 8 are invited to join us for an afternoon of crafting fun. Discover a different hands-on learning experience every time! Registration required. Drop-ins welcome if space allows. Caregivers must remain on library premises.
Wednesday, March 6 Author Talk: Patrick Bringley on his Memoir: All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me, 7 to 8 p.m. Please join us for a special Author Talk with Patrick Bringley, when he shares with us his debut memoir, All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me, an intimate look at The Met and its profound effect on his life while he was grieving the death of his older brother. Caught up in his fledgling career at the New Yorker, in his mid-twenties, Bringley’s life suddenly changed with his adored older brother’s terminal cancer diagnosis. He quit his job and looked for solace and quiet in the most beautiful place he knew; he became a museum guard at The Met where he spent the next decade. Over the years as his bonds with his colleagues and the art grew, he came to understand how fortunate he was to be walled off in this little world, and how much it resembled the best aspects of the larger world to which he gradually, gratefully returned. All the Beauty in the World has been named a Best Book of the Year by the New York Public Library, NPR, the Financial Times, Audible, and the Sunday Times (London), which selected it as the Outstanding Art Book of 2023. It is being published in translated editions around the world. Patrick leads public and private tours of The Met and lectures at museums and other venues around the country. Patrick lives with his wife and children in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. All the Beauty in the World is his first book. Elm Street Books will be selling copies and Patrick will be signing books after the talk. A portion of the proceeds goes to Wilton Library. The media sponsor of our author talk is GOOD Morning Wilton. Registration required.
Thursdays, March 7, 14, 21 & 28 Terrific Tales for Twos and Threes, 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. 2 and 3 year-olds and their caregivers are invited to join us for a storytime geared especially for them! Participants will hear stories, sing songs, learn rhymes, do movement activities, and have the opportunity to use scarves and instruments, while building literacy and social skills. Feel free to stay after to socialize. No registration required.
Thursdays, March 7, 14, 21 & 28 Needlework Crafts Group (Drop-In), 1 to 2:30 p.m. Weekly drop-in for Needlework Crafters. All welcome whether you knit, crochet, needlepoint, embroider or do any other needlework by hand. Make new friends, get tips and share ideas while working on your own projects, or a group project for donation to a charitable cause. Bring your own materials. No registration required. For more information, contact Caryn: cfquinn@wiltonlibrary.org.
Thursday, March 7 Team STEAM Presents Engineering Fun, 4:15 to 5 p.m. Kids in grades 1-5 can join Wilton High School students' Team STEAM as they teach young engineers the basics of the engineering design process in a fun, creative, and hands-on manner. Each session will tackle a different engineering-related problem and discuss
what it takes to be an engineer. Registration required for each individual session. Drop-ins admitted if space allows. Caregivers must remain in library building. 3DuxDesign kits provided by the Amadeo Family.
Thursday, March 7 St. Patrick's Day Diamond Painting for Teens, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. You don’t need the luck of the Irish to diamond paint a St. Patrick’s Day themed keychain! New to diamond painting? You’ll use a special tool to place “diamonds” on a color-coded image. The results are dazzling! Registration is required as space is limited. This program is for Grades 6-12.
Thursdays, March 7 & 21 Spring Semester with Mark Schenker: Tennyson's "Idylls of the King" (Zoom), 7 to 8 p.m. Please join us online via Zoom as Mark Schenker takes us through Tennyson’s “Idylls of the King” a Victorian take on the medieval Arthurian legends. In the early 19th century, the rise of Romanticism in Europe generally, and in England in particular, led to a renewed interest in medievalism. Consequences of this resurgence persisted into the Victorian Period and included the revival of the Gothic in architecture and of Roman Catholic and Anglo-Catholic thinking in philosophy and religion. A nationalistic figure from the Middle Age, King Arthur—who may or may not have been historical—was the subject of treatments by 19th-century writers as diverse as Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Mark Twain. In the 15th century, Thomas Malory wrote “Le Morte D’Arthur” in Middle English prose while drawing mainly on French sources. Its publication in 1485 made it one of the first books ever to be printed in England. It was this work that Tennyson used when he published his “Idylls of the King,” 12 tales of Arthur and his knights, written in verse and published from 1859 to 1885. Mark Schenker will present a program in six sessions on Tennyson’s “Idylls” with reference also to the source tales found in Malory’s text. Participants will read all 12 of Tennyson’s narrative poems and will be directed to read, if they care to, the corresponding stories in Malory, available online. Mark will emphasize connections and contrasts, and will place Tennyson’s work in its Victorian context. Advance registration required. Register online or call 203-762-6334. You will automatically be registered for all six sessions. Mark J. Schenker, having served in various decanal roles in Yale College since 1990, retired last year. A former lecturer in the English Department, he received his Ph.D. from Columbia University with a concentration in 19th-century and early 20th-century English Literature.
Thursday, March 7 HOW WILTON WORKS: Early Voting is Coming to Our Town, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Please join us for this community program at which Wilton’s League of Women Voters will present the mechanics of how Early Voting will be implemented in Wilton this spring for the primary and again for the general election in November. Following a statewide referendum and legislation passed last year, the State of Connecticut will offer Early Voting for the first time during the 2024 Presidential Primary. Find out how it will work in Wilton. No charge. Co-sponsored by Wilton Library and the Wilton League of Women Voters. Registration recommended.
Saturday, March 9 Second Saturday Storytime, 10:30 to 11 a.m. Children ages 2 and up and their caregivers are invited to join us for this family storytime! Participants will hear stories, sing songs, learn rhymes, do movement activities, and use scarves and instruments, while building literacy and social skills. Fun for the whole family! Feel free to stay after to socialize.
Saturday, March 9 Fairfield County Writers Group Write-In: How to Create Compelling Characters, 1 to 4 p.m. This month's topic is "How to Create Compelling Characters" presented by Roman Godzich. The Fairfield County Writers Group, founded in 2011, has been supporting and helping writers in the county with regular write-ins and accelerated events during the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) season. The group is a non-profit and has no membership fees or dues. The community is made up of a variety of writers at different stages of their writing adventure. The Group has monthly write-ins and will have group meetings at the Wilton Library on the second Saturday of each month. These sessions are designed to help motivate you to write more and be able to discuss writing issues with other writers. No registration is required. FCWG has a Facebook Group as well for discussion, celebration, and commiseration.
Sunday, March 10 WLA/WHS Scholarly Series: Innovation, Disruption, Revolution: The Impact of Technological Advancement – John Kao, 4 to 5:30 p.m. The Future of Innovation – John Kao, Turing Fellow at Yale’s Digital Media Center. In the 17th year of the collaboration between Wilton Library and the Wilton Historical Society, the scholarly lecture series will focus on the theme of “Innovation, Disruption, Revolution: The Impact of Technological Advancement.” In this lecture, John Kao, Turing Fellow at Yale’s Digital Media Center, will present a contemporary view of what innovation is, where it is going, and how advanced technology is reshaping its foundations. Our current way of thinking about and doing innovation does not, for the most part, fit our new business and societal realities. Innovation remains essential, especially in these turbulent times. But, to remain relevant, it needs to evolve. Its very definition needs clarification; its core methods need to be reimagined. The future of innovation is now intimately entwined with the rapid advance of technology. Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT, innovation marketplaces, and augmented reality are only some of the powerful influences that will shape future innovation practices. And, they raise the central question of how humans and machines will renegotiate the trade space for creativity, entrepreneurship…and innovation. For the past 25 years, John Kao has worked in an area loosely bounded by the terms innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Dubbed “Mr. Creativity” by The Economist, his work has been partly academic: 14 years at Harvard Business School; visiting appointments at the MIT Media Lab; and the US Naval Postgraduate School among others. He’s also worked in Hollywood, Broadway, the music industry, the worlds of politics and national security as well as Silicon Valley. John is currently the Turing Fellow at Yale’s Digital Media Center, a Visiting Fellow at Yale’s engineering school and a Yale entrepreneur-in-residence. He co-founded and is Chairman Emeritus of ThayerMahan, Inc., a leader in maritime intelligence. The moderator for this lecture is Max Gabrielson. Reception following the talk. No charge to attend; donations welcome.
Monday, March 11 through Sunday, March 17 Locate Liam the Library Leprechaun, during library operating hours. Locate Liam the Library Leprechaun! Every year during the week before St. Patrick's Day, Liam, a mischievous Leprechaun, finds himself hiding spaces around the Wilton Library. When you find him, take a selfie, and come to the Children's Desk for a sticker!
Monday, March 11 Donut Plushies for Grades 4-7, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Needle little sewing practice? 4th-7th graders can become low-stress seamstresses as we assemble sweet sidekicks from felt. Registration required. Caregivers must remain on library premises
Tuesday, March 12 Teen Library Council, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The Wilton Teen Library Council (TLC) is a monthly group for youth in grades 6-12 who are interested in becoming more involved with the library. All Wilton teens are welcome. Benefits include: helping librarians choose teen materials, brainstorming ideas for teen programs, gaining experience working in a leadership role, and helping the community through service projects. Each meeting will consist of a small group activity and discussion of upcoming events. We will meet the second Tuesday of each month and ask that you attend all meetings. Registration is optional, but we recommend submitting a TLC application before your first meeting.
Tuesday, March 12 Women in STEM: Pathways to Technology Careers, 7 to 8:30 p.m. In celebration of Women’s History Month, please join us for a panel discussion with five women from ASML Wilton, who will share their pathways in STEM that span early inspiration to current work positions at the cutting edge of semiconductor manufacturing technology. If you’re a high schooler who loves STEM and beginning the college application process, a college student looking for a STEM internship or preparing to dip your toes into the job market, or a woman working in STEM trying to advance in your field, this program is for you. Come prepared with your questions. We hope you will leave with answers and the inspiration to forge your own pathway in STEM! Women remain underrepresented in STEM in the U.S., especially in physical sciences, computers, mathematical sciences, and engineering. Our panelists bring different experiences, including STEM disciplines, intersecting identities, and strategies for persistence and success to facilitate a conversation. ASML is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of chip-making equipment. They design and manufacture the lithography machines that are an essential component in chip manufacturing. They are headquartered in Veldhoven, Netherlands. ASML Wilton employs over 3000 people and is an important competency center, specializing in critical technologies that advance the performance of their lithography and metrology systems. It is also their only in-house optical fabrication site. Registration is requested.
Wednesday, March 13 Wilton Library Readers: Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy (Zoom), 12 to 1:30 p.m. Professional book discussion leader Susan Boyar discusses Woman on the Edge of Time, by Marge Piercy this month. Hailed as a classic of speculative fiction, Marge Piercy’s landmark novel is a transformative vision of two futures - and what it takes to will one or the other into reality. Harrowing and prescient, Woman on the Edge of Time speaks to a new generation on whom these choices weigh more heavily than ever before. Special note: Susan suggests reading Herland, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (available free online) as a companion piece. Wilton Library Readers meets the second Wednesday of each month through June. Feel free to eat your lunch while we discuss the book. For a listing of meetings and titles, visit our Wilton Library Readers page at www.wiltonlibrary.org/wilton-library-readers/. Registration required. Must have a Zoom account. An email link will be provided to all registrants the day before the meeting. Please note that the Zoom link will be sent to you from kzeibak@wiltonlibrary.org.
Thursday, March 14 The Career and Films of Mel Brooks, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Please join us for a presentation of the Career and Films of Mel Brooks. As a writer, director, producer and performer, few entertainers have had a career as influential as Mel Brooks. From his early days as a Borscht Belt comic and performer to his TV writing on "Your Show Of Shows" and others, to his well known directing canon with comic classics like Blazing Saddles (1974), Young Frankenstein (1974), and The Producers (1967), his body of work is impressive. What’s even more impressive is that he is still working after all these years. A Long Island based filmmaker, film historian, and lecturer, Greg Blank has over 15 years of experience as a producer, director, cinematographer, and editor. Registration suggested.
Saturday, March 16 Bring Your Stuffie to Storytime, 10:30 to 11 a.m. Children ages 2 and up and their stuffed animals are invited to family storytime! Children and their caregivers are invited to introduce participating stuffies to the library through songs, stories, and a short parade! No registration required.
Saturday, March 16 CT Poetry Society Workshop, 2 to 4 p.m. Please join us for the next CT Poetry Society workshop at the library. All that is required is the willingness to share some poetry that you have written by reading it aloud to the group. Poets should email a copy of their poems to Ed Ahern at salmonier@aol.com He will distribute the poems to the group shortly before the session. To facilitate discussion, space is strictly limited to just 15 attendees. Registration required.
Saturday, March 16 NOT Just for Kids: Shakespeare at the Symphony!, 3 to 4 p.m. Children ages 4 and up and their families are invited to this collaboration of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and Shakespeare on the Sound. The actors will bring Romeo and Juliet to life in this special "R+J4ever" (Not) Just for Kids presentation. Mr. Shakespeare may also join us! Registration recommended. Please register all attendees.
Sunday, March 17 Wilton Candlelight Music at the Wilton Congregational Church: David Finckel, Cello, and Wu Han, Piano, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wilton Candlelight Music presents a concert on Sunday, March 17, 2024, featuring David Finckel, Cello, and Wu Han, Piano. "Mr. Finckel and Wu Han gave eloquent and deeply committed performances. He played with a deep and burnished tone and she with a sparkling virtuosity. Best of all was how keenly they listened to each other." (The New York Times) These esteemed and influential musicians return to Wilton with a program of works by Mendelssohn, Shostakovich, and Grieg. The March 17 concert will take place at 4pm at the Wilton Congregational Church, just north of Wilton Center on Route 33. Tickets may be purchased on the website https://wiltoncandlelightmusic.org/ or at the door: adults $30, students free. Wilton Candlelight Music benefits the Wilton Library Association and happily accepts individual and corporate tax-deductible contributions.
Monday, March 18 One Night Ultimate Werewolf, 4 to 5 p.m. For grades 4-7 only. Can you uncover the werewolf lurking among you? In this fast-paced tabletop game, each player is dealt a secret role with special abilities. Deduction and deception are the keys to victory! Registration required. Drop-ins welcome if space allows.
Monday, March 18 Midlife Mavericks: Conquer Self-Doubt and Live Your Dreams in Midlife, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Please join us in the Brubeck Room for an inspiring talk from Alison Jacobson. Are you ready to start living your life with joy and purpose on your terms but aren’t even sure how to begin? Sharing her inspirational story of overcoming struggles and tragedies, Alison Jacobson empowers women to boldly break free of the self-imposed blocks that are preventing them from living their magnificent lives. At 57, she released her first book and completed the NYC Marathon, having never run in her life. Her training journey from one mile to twenty-six miles in one year is the basis for her success formula for radically transforming and achieving everything you want in the second chapter of life. Alison Jacobson is a motivational speaker, author, and coach for women in midlife who want to reclaim their dreams before they took on the roles of mom, partner, and caregiver, get past their self-doubt, achieve their goals, and live a kick-ass life. She is the host of the podcast Midlife Mavericks and founder of the group Midlife Mavericks– Fabulous, Fierce, Females! Every day she inspires and motivates women to Shut the Fear Up to become the confident, happy, and successful Goddesses they’re meant to be. The culmination of her experiences has led her to become a sought-after coach and speaker. And now, her book, Daily Inspirations for Midlife Women – A Guide to Peace, Joy, Confidence and Abundance is a daily dose of her motivation. Registration required.
Tuesday, March 19 Be Well, Stay Well: Don't Get Sidelined with Back Pain (Zoom), 6:30 to 8 p.m. Please join us on Zoom to learn more about conditions associated with back pain and treatment options available. There are many things that can cause back pain and it's one of the most common conditions that people suffer from. According to the National Institute of Health, back pain affects 8 out of 10 people at some point in their life. If you suffer from mild or debilitating back pain, you're not alone. Robert Merrill, MD, is a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon who specializes in all aspects of non-surgical and surgical care of the adult and pediatric spine. Dr. Merrill treats conditions of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine including traumatic spinal injuries, spinal deformity, tumors, infection, and degenerative spine conditions. Colleen Bisaccio (DPT) earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Stony Brook University and Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Elon University. During her time at Elon University, she founded and established an exercise program at a local long term care facility to enhance functional independence in the residents. Registration required to receive the Zoom link.
Wednesday, March 20 1959 in Jazz History with Gil Harel: Davis' Kind of Blue, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Please join us for the first program of our new four-part series with Dr. Gil Harel on the seminal jazz albums of 1959. The series will run as follows:
3/20/24{ Miles Davis' Kind of Blue
4/10/24: Dave Brubeck's Time Out
5/22/24: John Coltrane's Giant Steps
6/19/24: Post-1959 Impact and Aftermath
The year 1959 might be described as no less than a seismic year for jazz. Indeed, this relatively short stretch bore witness to the release of many iconic, innovative, and forward-looking albums, written and performed by celebrated figures including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, and more. During this introductory lecture, Dr. Gil Harel will consider one of the albums recorded in the spring of that year: Kind of Blue. Featuring songs such as "So What" and "Blue in Green," this record would be remembered both for the novel writing as well as the individual contributions of musicians including Davis, Coltrane, Bill Evans, and others. Gil Harel (PhD, Brandeis University) is a musicologist and music theorist whose interests include styles ranging from the western classical repertoire to jazz. Currently, he is Full Professor of Music at CT State Naugatuck Valley, where he has been presented with the AFT "Merit Award for Exemplary Service to the College" for 6 consecutive years. At NVCC, Dr. Harel conducts the college chorale, a cappella ensemble, teaches music history and theory, and serves as musical director of theater productions. Registration strongly recommended. Thursday, March 21 Snap Circuits for Grades 3-5, 4 to 5 p.m. Kids in grades 3-5 can join us to put together creations that will whistle, flash and fly. Learning principles of electronics and engineering is a snap! Beginners welcome. Caregivers must remain on library premises. Registration required. Drop-ins welcome if space allows.
Thursday, March 21 Drop-In Innovation Station Hour, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Are you curious about our Innovation Station? Have questions for experts in science and technology? On Thursday from 5:30-7 p.m., our friends at ASML will be available to take you through our Innovation Station equipment with expertise. This program is for high school and adult patrons.
Saturday, March 23 AARP Safe Driving Course, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please join us for this in-person session of the AARP Driver Safety Program, which is the nation's first and largest classroom driver safety course designed especially for drivers age 50 and older, although all ages are welcome. This single session course covers the normal changes in vision, hearing and reaction time associated with aging and provides practical techniques on how to adjust to these changes along with learning to operate vehicles more safely in today's increasingly challenging driving environment. There are no written or driving tests. In-person classroom only. NY residents: please contact your insurance carrier to confirm they will accept a Connecticut State class certificate. Program cost: $20 for AARP members; $25 for non-members. Bring check (preferred) or cash only to the session. Also bring lunch if desired; there will be a 30 minute break. Registration required. Limited to 20 participants.
Saturday, March 23 Tales to Tails, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Children who can read independently are invited to read to a ROAR (Ridgefield Operation Animal Rescue) Therapy Dog. The use of trained therapy dogs in reading programs can result in children who feel comfortable reading out loud, read more often, attempt more difficult books, and actually look forward to reading. As they improve their literacy skills, they're not just learning how to read, they're learning to love to read! Registration required. Drop-ins admitted if space allows.
Sunday, March 24 This is What Democracy Looked Like: A Visual History of the Printed Ballot with Alicia Cheng, 3 to 4:30 p.m. Please join the Wilton League of Women Voters, Wilton Library and the Wilton Historical Society for a community program featuring Alicia Cheng, who will speak about her recent book: This is What Democracy Looked Like: A Visual History of the Printed Ballot. Cheng's book, the first illustrated history of printed ballot design, illuminates the noble but often flawed process at the heart of our democracy. An exploration and celebration of US ballots from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, this visual history reveals unregulated, outlandish, and, at times, absurd designs that reflect the explosive growth and changing face of the voting public. The ballots offer insight into a pivotal time in American history—a period of tectonic shifts in the electoral system—fraught with electoral fraud, disenfranchisement, scams, and skullduggery, as parties printed their own tickets and voters risked their lives going to the polls. Cheng currently serves as the Head of Design at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She also serves as an external critic for the MFA program at the Rhode Island School of Design and has taught at Yale University, Maryland Institute College of Art, Barnard College, and the Cooper Union School of Art. She will present and discuss some of the remarkably varied and colorful formats of electoral ballots in American democracy’s early days featured in her recent book. Stephanie Thomas, the Secretary of State of Connecticut, plans to join the event as our special guest. Elm Street Books will be selling copies and Ms. Cheng will sign books after the talk. A portion of the proceeds goes to Wilton Library. Registration requested. Please register online
Monday, March 25 Zentangle Art Workshop: Zooming with Amy (Zoom), 3:30 to 5 p.m. Join Amy, Wilton Library's certified Zentangle instructor, as she guides us through a fun and relaxing Zentangle art session on Zoom. This meditative art form uses simple steps to teach practitioners how to create beautiful patterns. Suitable for anyone who doesn't believe they can draw, as well as experienced artists. For adults and teens, ages 13+. See the library’s registration link for suggestions for supplies needed and short video tutorials. Registration is required and space is limited. Zoom link will be sent no later than the morning of the program.
Monday, March 25 Pop Stars! Balloon Olympics for Grades 3-6, 4 to 5 p.m. Balloons will be poppin' and the Craft Room will be hoppin' for competitors in grades 3-6. You won't believe how many ways there are to have fun with balloons! Registration required. Drop-ins welcome if space allows. Caregivers must remain on library premises.
Tuesday, March 26 Senior Center Book Discussion: Last Stories, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Please join us as Janet Krauss leads a discussion of William Trevor's Last Stories.
This set of ten exquisite stories, posthumously published after the author’s death in 2016, solidified Trevor’s reputation as one of the greatest writers of short stories in the English language. Elegance and understatement mark his prose style and he often leaves his readers to ponder his characters’ situations long after his sometimes ambiguous or enigmatic endings. He is a master at illuminating the human condition with his insightful characterizations. Publisher’s Weekly wrote: “The stories are sharp and concise, containing whole lives in the span of just a few pages . . . Readers familiar with Trevor, who died in 2016, will find satisfying closure, and those new to his work will find reason to go back and explore his previous books.” This group meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month from September through May, excluding December. Call the Senior Center for details and to register at 203-834-6240. Comstock Community Center, 180 School Road, Wilton.
Tuesday, March 26 Paint it Up!, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Come join us for a fun and relaxing evening. We'll supply the canvas, paints, brushes and a collection of masterpieces to copy and inspire you. No art experience required. Just a desire to pick up a brush, have fun and let your inner self out! For adults, ages 18+. Space limited. Registration required.
Tuesday, March 26 ArtScapades - Bookscapes: From Cover to Canvas, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Join us in the Brubeck Room for a look at a wide range of artists who found innovative and provocative ways to put books, people reading books, and scenes from books into their works. For centuries, books and reading have served as visual motifs in every artistic genre, from portraits of courtly elites to still lifes, illustrating the incredible power of putting books into art. Included are artworks by Michelangelo, François Boucher, Winslow Homer, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Norman Rockwell, Pablo Picasso, Jacob Lawrence, Edward Hopper, and many more! Robin Hoffman and Jodi Stiffelman, of ArtScapades, began teaching art appreciation in 1998. They have presented at libraries, art centers, and museums in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Florida. Registration suggested. For more information, contact asato@wiltonlibrary.org.
Wednesday, March 27 Finding Scholarships for College (Zoom), 6 to 7:30 p.m. Paying for college is a common concern amongst families. It seems that the price tag just keeps getting higher and higher each year, and most families want to limit, if not completely avoid, student debt. So, join Priyanka Shingala, owner of Let's Talk College, as we address:
The sources of financial aid & scholarships: The Federal Gov't vs. University vs. Private
Finding private scholarships: The search databases + application timeline
Quirky scholarships Q & A
Registration is required in order to receive the Zoom link.
Thursday, March 28 Snap Circuits for Grades K-2, 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Kids in grades K-2 can join us to put together creations that will whistle, flash and fly. Learning principles of electronics and engineering is a snap! Beginners welcome. Caregivers must remain on library premises. Registration required. Drop-ins welcome if space allows.
Thursday, March 28 Story-Sharing Circle, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Calling all storytellers and story-listeners! Join us for an informal evening celebrating the oral storytelling tradition. Bring a prepared story to tell or just come to listen. All are welcome, experienced storytellers and newbies alike. Registration suggested.
To register and to learn more about the events listed above, visit https://www.wiltonlibrary.org/ or call 203-762-6334. Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton