Now Accepting Books & DVDs for Book Sale

Save the Date:  TEDx Returns!

Concert Schedule

• June 26:  Center Stage Jazz Big Band
• July 24:  Sambeleza Latin Jazz
• August 28:  Annual Jazz Party

Parlons Francais! Let’s Speak French Discussion Group

Thursday, May 5, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 10, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
 
This ongoing group is open to anyone wanting to practice their French.  Colin Harrison, who learned to speak French while working at CERN in Geneva, leads these discussions. He has been a Brookfield resident since 1982, and has maintained French and German fluency through his work and friends in Europe. These events are sponsored by Alliance Française of Northwestern Connecticut, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of the French language. Please register by clicking the date and time above.
 

In Your Own Backyard series

Designing Gardens with Native Plants: Gardening with Master Gardener Donna Katsuranis

Thursday, May 12, 7:00 p.m.
Native plants are enjoying a new popularity -- and rightly so. While many people think of natives as being just part of the background, they are remarkably suited to starring roles on the botanical stage. Rugged without belligerence, delicate without wimpiness, and beautiful without being prima donnas, all while being responsible citizens of the larger landscape, Natives are the ultimate “Right-Plant-Right-Place.”

Join Master Gardener Donna Katsuranis as she explores some of the remarkable diversity that exists in our forests and fields, and that can be adapted to our own back yards. Please register for this program.
 

Attracting Summer Birds with Margaret Robbins of Wild Birds Unlimited in Brookfield
Tuesday, May 24, at 7:00 p.m. 
Learn about hummingbirds, orioles, and other seasonal migrants: how to attract them to your yard and interesting facts about behaviors and nesting. There will be a question and answer session at the end for anything bird-related.  Please register for this free program.

Color Your World: Adult Coloring

Thursday, May 12, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. 
Thursday, May 26, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
 
Come and join us for our monthly coloring get-together. We provide the coloring books, colored pencils, gel pens, music, and light refreshments. Come and enjoy some de-stress & creativity time and conversation with fellow “artists.”  Please register using the date links above. 
 

AARP Safe Driver Class for Age 50+
Saturday, June 4, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
 
Cars have changed. So have traffic rules, driving conditions and the roads you travel every day. Some drivers have never looked back since they got their first driver's license, but even the most experienced drivers can benefit from brushing up on their driving skills. By taking a driver safety course you'll learn the current rules of the road, defensive driving techniques, and how to operate your vehicle more safely in today's increasingly challenging driving environment. You'll learn how you can manage and accommodate common age-related changes in vision, hearing and reaction time, and much more.
 
This AARP driver safety class is designed especially for drivers age 50+ and is for Connecticut residents only.  Registration is required, and there is an AARP fee for this class: $15.00 for AARP members, $20.00 for nonmembers, to be paid the morning of the class, check or cash only.

Book Discussions 
Copies of all books are available at the Reference/Information Desk.

Nonfiction Book Group: (These discussions are held upstairs in the library)
The Finest Hours by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman
Tuesday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m. 
In the winter of 1952, New England was battered by the most brutal nor-easter in years. As the weather wreaked havoc on land, the freezing Atlantic became a wind-whipped zone of peril. In the early hours of Monday, February 18, while the storm raged, two oil tankers, the Pendleton and the Fort Mercer, split in two, leaving the dozens of men on board at the Atlantic's mercy. 

Coast Guard cutters raced to the aid of those on the Fort Mercer, and when it became apparent that the halves of the Pendleton were in danger of capsizing, the Guard sent out two 36-foot lifeboats as well. These wooden boats, manned by only four seamen, were dwarfed by the enormous 70-foot seas. As the tiny rescue vessels set out from the coast of Cape Cod, the men aboard were all fully aware that they were embarking on what could easily become a suicide mission. Not all of the 84 men caught at sea in the midst of that brutal storm survived, but considering the odds, it's a miracle--and a testament to their bravery--that any came home to tell their tales at all.

June Nonfiction Book:  Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher, by Timothy Egan, Tuesday, June 7 at 6:30 p.m. 

Brookfield Reads, Daytime and Evening Editions:
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
Tuesday, May 17, 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Kitchens of the Great Midwest, about a young woman with a once-in-a-generation palate who becomes the iconic chef behind the country’s most coveted dinner reservation, was one of last summer’s most hotly anticipated debuts.
 
When Lars Thorvald’s wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine—and a dashing sommelier—he’s left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He’s determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter, starting with puréed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva’s journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that’s a testament to her spirit and resilience.
 

Book ‘Em Mystery Discussion: 
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
Monday, May 23, 12:30 p.m.
This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe, who is drawn to her profession to “help people with problems in their lives.” Immediately upon setting up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, Botswana, she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that tugs at her heart, and lands her in danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been snatched by witchdoctors.
 

Computer Classes

Movie Matinees: Free showings, popcorn & soda.  
No registration is required.

Joy: Saturday, May 7, at 2:00 p.m. 
Directed by David O. Russell and starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, and Bradley Cooper. A wild story of a family across four generations centered on the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business dynasty and becomes a matriarch in her own right. Betrayal, treachery, the loss of innocence, and the scars of love pave the road in this intense emotional and human comedy about becoming a true boss of family and enterprise facing a world of unforgiving commerce. Jennifer Lawrence won a Golden Globe for Best Actress--Comedy or Musical and received an Oscar Nomination for Best Actress for her performance. Rated PG-13, 124 minutes.

The Finest Hours: Saturday, May 28, at 2:00 p.m. 
Based on the book by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman, directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Chris Pine, Casey Afflectk, Ben Foster, and Eric Bana. In February of 1952, one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast struck New England, damaging an oil tanker off the coast of Cape Cod and literally ripping ripping it in half. On a small lifeboat faced with frigid temperatures and 70-foot high waves, four members of the Coast Guard set out to rescue the more than 30 stranded sailors trapped aboard the rapidly-sinking vessel. Rated PG-13, 117 minutes.  
 

  Teen Programs for Grades 6 - 12  

Random Fandom – Star Wars
Wednesday, May 4, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Registration required
In honor of May the Fourth, we’re celebrating Star Wars! We’ll have Star Wars themed crafts and activities. Cosplay is always welcome.

Snack Food Taste Test
Thursday, May 12, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Registration Required
Are you a snack food expert? Can you tell the difference between name brands and the store versions? Test your snack knowledge with us!

Color Your World – Teens
Monday, May 16, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Registration Required
Enjoy a relaxing afternoon of coloring at the library. We’ll provide all the coloring pages, colored pencils and gen pens needed to create a fun work of art.

Teen Writers Group
Thursday, May 26, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Registration Required
Calling all teen writers! Come and work on a project, do writing exercises, and hear from other teen writers.

 

Reluctant Readers Can Read to Baci the Therapy Dog - Grades 1 and up

Tuesdays, May 3, and May 17, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Registration Required
What do you get when you bring children, dogs and books together? You get happy, confident children who love to read! Each child will be able to read with Baci the Therapy dog for 15 minutes.

Write On! Journaling Session for Grades 2-5

Thursday, May 5, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Registration Required
Journal keeping is a remarkably valuable activity for kids that hones language skills and allows opportunities for non-verbal expression. And it’s fun! Returning children are asked to bring the journals they received at our last session with them. Our “newbies” will be given a journal to take and make their own.
 

Brookfield Builders for Grades K-5

Saturday, May 7, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Registration Required
Show off your incredible imagination and building skills by tackling our monthly theme with the library’s Lego bricks. Registration is required and limited to the first 24 registrants.
 

Science Explorers for Age 4 - Grade 2

Tuesday, May 10, 5:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Registration Required
Our book this month is Give Me Half! by Stuart J. Murphy. We’ll learn about fractions and experiment making fractions with play dough.

Hot Air Balloon Science for Grades 3-5
Thursday, May 19, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Registration Required
Ever wonder how hot air balloons work? Come find out! We’ll chat about the science then design baskets for balloons to carry.
 

Bedtime Stories
Thursday, May 19, 7:00 – 7:30 p.m.
No registration required
Be the first to see and hear books new to our picture book collection. For children ages 3 and up, accompanied by a parent, grandparent or caregiver.
 

Kid’s Improv Club for Grades 2-5

Monday, May 23, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Registration Required
Improvisation is the art of acting without a script. We will do a variety of theater games and exercise to get kids thinking on their feet and using their imaginations. Improv is often used for comedy, so come ready to be silly!

Fairy Tale Theater for Grades K-2
Tuesday, May 24, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Registration Required
We’ll read and act out a classic fairy tale, then work as a group to create an all-new story!

Spyology for Grades K-5
Tuesday, May 31, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Registration Required
Make a disguise, crack a code, go on a secret mission, and create a high tech gadget!