Southport's Pequot Library Hosts Variety Of Programs In March

Press release from Pequot Library:

March 1, 2023

Pequot Library presents a full roster of programs during March, many of which tie in with their newly-opened exhibition, Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales: Children’s Books and the Shaping of American Identity, and almost all of which are free and open to the public, with the exception of a March 21 fundraiser held in partnership with Reading for Robin’s Robin Krall and featuring three bestselling authors. Read on for details.

The month kicks off with the first meeting of a new group, the Teen Advisory Board (TAB). Participants in grades 6-12 can play an active role in guiding services and programs at Pequot Library. TAB will meet monthly to help plan programs, give input on the Young Adult collection, and otherwise influence how the library serves their age group. Meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of every month at 4:00 p.m. If interested, contact Manager of Youth and Teen Library Services, John Kofron at kofron@pequotlibrary.org or (203) 259-0346 x117

On March 4 at 10:30 a.m., the Lenihan School of Dance will provide a tutorial on the fundamentals of Irish step dancing for ages three and above. Participants can try out their new dance moves on Saturday, March 11 at 10:30 a.m., the Lenihan Irish Dance Performance.

Scholars and activists will hold an in-person presentation and panel discussion on the Lights Out Connecticut initiative, which addresses how bird migration is significantly impacted by light pollution, on March 7 at 6:00 p.m. Listen to experts representing Yale University, Sacred Heart University, Lights Out Connecticut, the International Dark-Sky Association, and Connecticut Audubon Society to learn how you can help in your community.

On March 8 at 6 p.m., Greenwich-based author Timothy Cole joins the Library for a Meet the Author event centered on his newest book Murder This Close, the second installment in The Gold Coast Mystery series which follows retired CIA agent Dasha Petrov. Cole takes his inspiration for the Gold Coast Mystery series from his 40 year love for the state of Connecticut, and his breakout debut novel, The Sea Glass Murders, was a finalist for the 2021 Connecticut Book Awards.

On March 9 at 6:30 p.m., the Library hosts an in person conversation about Founding Father and educator Noah Webster. Apart from creating the first concise dictionary, Webster existed as a deep thinker and educational reformer who influenced the creation of a distinctly American method of learning. Joshua Kendall, author of The Forgotten Founding Father: Noah Webster’s Obsession and the Creation of an American Culture, will speak with Jennifer Matos, former Executive Director of West Hartford’s Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society. This program being held in conjunction with Pequot Library's new exhibition, Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales: Children’s Books and the Shaping of American Identity.

Also developed in conjunction with the current exhibition, popular children's author Jerry Pallotta visits the Library on April 3, and they're holding a workshop inspired by Pallotta's Who Would Win? series on March 15 at 4:30 p.m. Children (grades 2 to 4) will research two animals to match against each other and then use the information they’ve gathered for their projects.

Historian Wes Haynes will join Pequot Library on March 15 at 6:00 p.m. for a talk commemorating the 134rd anniversary of the Pequot Library’s founding and about the history of Connecticut’s public libraries. Haynes will pay special attention to the detailed and intriguing history of Pequot Library's Romanesque-Revival building, while also offering descriptions of other architectural gems in Fairfield County. Haynes is the Executive Director at the Merritt Parkway Conservancy, a member-supported non-profit organization committed to the preservation, revitalization, and stewardship of one of America’s most scenic and historic automobile roads.

Starting on March 16 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., students in grades 6 to 12 are invited to grab their dice and pencils for a spring Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Pizza will be included. This same age group is also invited to Take Over the Exhibition for April Fool's Day on March 24 at 4 p.m. Learn more about the current exhibition Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales: Children’s Books and the Shaping of American Identity and the work involved in organizing changing displays, from planning to implementation. Each participant will then write their own fictional wall label for one of the items on display. These hoax or joke labels will be placed alongside the actual ones for April Fool’s Day. General library visitors are invited to visit the library to see if they can identify the actual labels from the joke ones. Students in grades 6 to 12 are also invited to a workshop on Architectural Drawing led by Westport’s One River Art School, to be held on March 25 at 1:30 p.m. Explore Pequot Library, sketching the architectural details that catch your eye. All materials will be provided by One River.

Pequot Library is honored to collaborate with Robin Kall of Reading with Robin as she hosts three bestselling authors, Lauren Willig, Heather Webb, and Sarah Penner, for an entertaining conversation on March 21. Tickets cost $75 for a VIP reception starting at 6:00 p.m., which includes priority seating, a meet and greet with the authors, light bites and wine, book signing, and a conversation with the authors. General Admission is $20 and covers the Meet the Authors program only. Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit Operation Hope and Pequot Library. All other March programs are free and open to the public.

Scholars Kyle Roberts and Laura Wasowicz lead an online evening discussion on March 30 at 5:30 p.m. about the influence and impact of The New England Primer. The New England Primer brought secular content to the children of New England, ushering in a new era of learning. This program is developed in conjunction with the Library’s Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales: Children’s Books and the Shaping of American Identity exhibition, on view through May 6, 2023. Meet at the Library for a live screening of the online program, hosted by Charlie McMahon, Adult Programs Manager.

This press release was produced by Pequot Library. The views expressed here are the author's own.