THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH: P. T. BARNUM AT THE BETHEL PUBLIC LIBRARY

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1 THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH: P. T. BARNUM AT THE BETHEL PUBLIC LIBRARY The Bethel Public Library 189 Greenwood Avenue Bethel, Connecticut L I B R A R Y H O U R S Mon., Wed., Thurs Tues., Fri., Sat Sun. 1-5 (September mid-june) Closed Sundays in July and August; and closed July 4 in observance of Independence Day. C ome celebrate Bethel s own P.T. Barnum at the Bethel Public Library! Thanks to the generosity of Bethel residents Laurence Gibson and Cynthia NeJame, the Library received a donation of authentic Barnum memorabilia that includes letters, photographs, and other documents that are now on permanent display at the Library. The Barnum Exhibit at the Bethel Public Library debuted on June 24 with a champagne reception to unveil the collection. Then on June 25, an all-day open house was held for everyone to see the exhibit and enjoy refreshments including animal crackers a treat long associated with Barnum s circus! The Barnum Exhibit is housed in three areas. In the first, you ll see framed pieces on the wall at the base of the staircase leading to the Seelye House (look to the right as you face the elevator). Second, letters and other items are displayed in wall cases in the hallway on 1R (at the top of the aforementioned stairs) leading to the Seelye Family Local History Room. Finally, within the Local History Room, you ll enjoy another display of photos in an exhibit case. Notable pieces include photographs of Jumbo, the world s largest elephant; a rare wedding photo of General and Mrs. Tom Thumb; and several handwritten letters by P. T. Barnum himself! The exhibit is free and can be viewed during the Library s regular hours. The Local History Room is accessible during posted hours and by appointment. ~Lynn Rosato, Library Director F R I E N D S BOOK CELLAR: GET T I N G READ Y FOR T H E M I N I BIG S AL E! T he Friends of the Bethel Public Library wish everyone a safe, happy, and fun summer and remind you to stop by the Book Cellar to pick up some good reading for your travels! Also, mark your calendars for the end-ofsummer Mini BIG Book Sale, Saturday August 27, 10:30-4:00, in the Library. You ll find an excellent selection of gently used fiction, children s books, and nonfiction in subjects ranging from Ancient Civilizations to Zoos. For pure entertainment, there will be CDs, DVDs, and Vinyl to peruse. All proceeds go towards funding Library programs, projects, and museum passes. Please note that in order to prepare for this sale and reorganize afterwards, the Friends will not be accepting book donations during the months of August and September. The Book Cellar will remain open for shopping on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays when the Library is open. ~Linda Curtis, President, Friends of the Library Be curious. Be enlightened. Be inspired.

2 S U M M E R BOOKS G AL O R E FOR CHI L D R E N! The school year is over and your child has a summer reading assignment. Don t stress over how and where to find appropriate books look no further than the Michele Arnhold Children s Library! We have titles from the Bethel Public Schools summer reading lists, suggestions from the CT State Library Association, current and past Nutmeg Nominees, and other award-winning children s titles, as well as weekly displays highlighting books from this year s summer reading theme On Your Mark, Get Set READ! Every summer, the Children s Library organizes its shelves into grade-level sections. Under the Big Top you ll find new books as well as the 2017 Nutmeg Nominees for intermediate and elementary readers. Summer reading titles for children entering Grades 4 and 5 are located two aisles past the Big Top; books for Pre-K Grade 3 are in the aisles next to the play area. To lighten your summer travel load, your child can select from many audiobook and e-book titles offered through our Overdrive and Hoopla services for computers, tablets, iphones, and other devices. These services are accessible with a valid Bethel Library card from the Library s home page. So, don t fret about summer reading! Just visit the Michele Arnhold Children s Library for all your summer reading needs. ~G. Gullusci, Children s Library Assistant T HE LIBRARY PUTS VAL U AB L E IN F O R M AT I O N AT Y O U R FINGE R T I P S The Bethel Library has something for everyone this summer! From the comfort of your home, access the Library s online databases and discover some excellent resources. Here are four for your consideration. On staycation but wish you were globe-trotting? With a few mouse clicks, explore from Bali to Belgium, Latvia to Laos, Greenland to Ghana, the Arctic to Angola! National Geographic presents cultural and natural information from all over the world, with stunning award-winning photography. Shopping around for a new refrigerator, car, or TV streaming player? Check Consumer Reports to compare features on all kinds of consumer products! Plus, read articles about health, public safety, marketplace economics, and more. Knowledge is power be an informed consumer. Prepping for trivia night? Increase your knowledge of random factoids on Britannica Online! This user-friendly encyclopedia is completely searchable, with clickable cross-references, along with English and Spanish definitions. Ready to work on your own car? Whether you have a 1954 VW Beetle or a 2015 Subaru Forester, Automobile Repair Reference Center provides information on repairs, recalls, maintenance, and more for a variety of cars. It s all at your fingertips with a valid Bethel Library card. Just go online at bethellibrary.org, click on RESEARCH, then ALL DATABASES. Please contact the Reference Department for assistance. ~Olivia Von Kohorn, Senior Library Assistant T E E N S: I T S TIM E TO G ET IN T H E G AM E! Reading is relaxing (after all, you are sitting down) and a great way to exercise your mind. Plus, summer reading is required for all students. As always, we ll have books from BMS, BHS, and other local schools summer reading lists. We ve also purchased e-books, so stop by and we ll show you how to access them with your valid Bethel Library card. But wait, there s more! In addition to your school summer reading, join the Library s online summer reading program Exercise Your Mind: READ! It s a fun way to meet some of those summer reading requirements. It s easy to get started. Go to our website click on TEEN, then TEEN SUMMER READ- ING. The portal takes you to an adventure game where you create an avatar and complete challenges to earn gear, clothing, and more. Thanks to the Friends of the Library, you ll win a prize for each of the five books you read. The Teen Library s summer reading program ends August 13. Finally, for pure relaxation, our popular Summertime Craft Table will be set for you! We ll change the items weekly, so there will be something for everyone. Come in for a little me time, or bring a friend or two. We ll have supplies for fun crafts, as well as STEM activities. ~Amy Schumann, Teen Librarian 2 Be curious. Be enlightened. Be inspired.

3 T E L L US WH AT DO Y OU LI K E TO READ? Have you ever wished that the Library had more of the sorts of books you want to read? Given the fact that tens of thousands of books are published each year, and that the Library budget only allows us to buy a fraction of what is available, we are always happy to know patron preferences. So please let us know what you would like to read. Approximately 10 percent of the adult books we purchase are specifically requested by patrons, while specific requests for teen and children s books make up only a fraction of a percentage of the books we buy for those collections. We know that if one person has put in a request, it is likely that other patrons also will be interested in reading that book. We really do appreciate such input from our patrons. Most requests fit the criteria we use for purchasing books, including budget, so we ll be able to buy the book. Then we ll notify you when it s ready to be checked out. If you would like to request that the Library purchase a book or audio/visual item, there are several ways to do so. If you re in the Library, fill out a paper hold slip or Suggestion for Purchase form. If you are outside the Library, the same forms are available on our website, As always, we invite you to contact the Library for help with any of our services. For questions about making a suggestion for purchase, call x4 during Library hours. ~Priscilla Massmann, Circulation Manager R E AD E R TO R E AD E R Please reviews to newsletter@bethellibrary.org or bring to the Reference Desk. Ten Prayers that Changed the World: Extraordinary Stories of Faith that Shaped the Course of History by Jean-Pierre Isbouts If you read nonfiction regularly welcome to the club! you ve probably learned that the Dewey Decimal System can serve as a map to help you find your next book. Recently, while exploring the 200 s in the New Books section, this intriguing title caught my eye: Ten Prayers that Changed the World. Isbouts, a history professor, proposes that the prayers of Abraham, Joan of Arc, Gandhi, and seven others were historical game-changers. In rollicking stories, he vividly describes the critical situations they faced. The reader gets an engaging history lesson as well as an opportunity to think more deeply about the events. This book is a reminder that dates and places do not make history people do. In Ten Prayers, we consider the flashes of inspiration that can move individuals to action. Reviewer: Susan Anderson Be Curious. Be Enlightened. Be Inspired. CHECK OUT THE NEW BOOK SECTION NEAR THE CIRCULATION DESK! Bridge of Spies, starring Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Amy Ryan, & Alan Alda (PG-13) ADULT SUMMER READING PROGRAM! V I E W E R TO VIEWER Inspired by true events, Academy Award-nominated Bridge of Spies is an historical drama about the Cold War between the U.S. and Russia in the 1950 s and how a Brooklyn insurance lawyer negotiated an intense spy swap. Russian spies are in America, Russia is in Germany building a wall, and the U.S. is flying high-altitude U-2 spying missions over Russia. The lawyer, James Donovan (Tom Hanks), finds himself in the middle of it when he is chosen to defend a captured Russian spy. He saves the spy from the death penalty and is selected to negotiate the spy swap, his client for the American U-2 pilot, Frances Gary Powers. This is a moving, well written, and well acted story directed by Steven Spielberg. Whether you are old enough to remember the events or not, it s a fascinating movie. Check out the extras to see how James Donovan went on to negotiate thousands of other prisoner releases. Reviewer: RFM DVD collections are near Circulation and in the Children s & Teen Libraries. Celebrate Christmas in July with wrapped Library books available for checkout with your Library card. Write a review to be eligible for a prize...plus we may publish your review in our Newsletter s Reader to Reader column. Details are on our website now! Be curious. Be enlightened. Be inspired. 3

4 B E T H E L P U B L I C L I B R A R Y w w w. b e t h e l l i b r a r y. o r g MUSEUM PASSES! The Bethel Public Library has passes for discounted or free admission to 18 Connecticut museums and cultural sites: from The Mystic Seaport Museum of America and the Sea to The Danbury Railway Museum! Available for loan with a valid Bethel Public Library card at the Circulation Desk CONTACT US Director x6 Children s Services x5 Adult Services x4 Teen Services x0 Circulation Services x3 I NSIDE THIS ISSUE Summer Reading Programs for All Ages NEW! Barnum Exhibit Valuable Online Databases Friends August Book Sale Book & Movie Reviews This Newsletter is co -sponsored by R.E. Lawlor Graphics & Printing, LLC and by the Friends of the Library. BETHEL PUBLIC LIBRARY 189 GREENWOOD AVE. BETHEL, CT S A V E T H E S E D A T E S! The Library s ever-popular Annual Wine Tasting will be held on September 20! Celebrate Founder s Day with Flower Arranging Workshops for all Ages on September 26! FRIENDS BOOK CELLAR Sunday: 1 pm 5 pm M & W: 10:30 am 7:30 pm Saturday: 10 am 4 pm

5 Bethel Public Library Programs for Children Lunch Bunch Storytimes Wednesdays July 6, 13, 20, 27, & August 3 11:30 am-12:00 pm For children 3-8 years old able to sit without parent/caregiver. Children will enjoy stories and more and should bring a snack or lunch. Parents/caregivers will not be in the program room, but must remain in the Library. No registration required Summer Craft Days Thursdays July 7, 14, 21, 28, & August 4 10:30-4:00 pm For kids of all ages; children under 7 must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver. A new craft will be featured each week. No registration required Read to Provolone! July 12; 10:30-12:00 noon July 25; 1:30-3:00 pm For kids Grades 1-5. Independent readers enjoy a 10-minute one-on-one reading session with the Library s loveable service dog, Provolone (aka Provy). Registration required Kids Movie Day August 2 1:30-3:00 pm For kids 4-10 years old; children under 7 must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver. Title to be announced. Registration required, beginning July 13, The Bethel Historical Society is throwing a birthday bash for P. T. Barnum on July 5, 6-8 pm! Everyone is invited to join the celebration on the Barnum Terrace Lawn located on the Greenwood Avenue side of the Library. Summer Reading Program: On Your Mark, Get Set READ! Now August 6, 2016 For kids entering preschool Grade 5 Register at the Children s Services Desk. Read 6 books or more to participate and be eligible to play the program games and enter the raffle. Terrific raffle prizes include Quassy Park certificates, and tickets for the Yard Goats and Westerners baseball games! The flier available at the Children s Services Desk outlines all details. Summer Reading Finale August 10, 11:00 am-12:00 pm Kids who complete the summer reading program by 8/6/16 are invited to the Children s Library to receive certificates and play the On Your Mark, Get Set TOSS! game one more time. Prizes will be awarded to everyone who plays. Kids in Grades 3-5 will be eligible for the chance to create an object on the Library s 3D printer. And a special guest will show us some fun exercises! For more information and to register for Children s programs, please call x5. Children under 12 years of age may not be left unattended in the Library at any time. T H E A L L - N E W P. T. B A R N U M E X H I B I T! FREE FOR ALL TO ENJOY... A collection of authentic Barnum memorabilia, including rare photographs, letters, & more! Three separate display areas for viewing during Library hours! Your Club or Nonprofit Benefits When It Becomes a Bethel Library Partner! Get recognized for sponsoring an educational, entertaining, inspiring program Promote your organization on the Library s new big-screen Digital Signage Board Increase awareness of your group s activities with an informational display Contact: administration@bethellibrary.org

6 Bethel Public Library Programs for Adults and Teens Book Discussions July 25, 6:30-7:45 pm & July 27, 10:15-11:30 am Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer August 29, 6:30-7:45 pm & August 31, 10:15-11:30 am The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar Registration not required Big Screen Movies TBA Note: Due to technical difficulties, movies are suspended until further notice please check our website for updates Intro to 3D Printing July 11, 6:00-7:30 pm July 30, 10:15-11:45 am Sessions focus on the features of LulzBot Mini 3D printer, selection of objects, formatting them, using proper software and file format, and working with controls of the printer. Individual appointments for making 3D objects can be made at the end of each session. Registration required and limited to 9 FOR ADULTS ipad Special Topics for Adults July 11, 6:00-7:30 pm Keeping Up with Friends, Family, and the World August 1, 6:00-7:30 pm Downloadable Digital Media We strongly encourage participants to bring their own ipad, as we will emphasize a hands-on approach. iphone users are also invited to participate. The class will focus on ios version 9, but other versions are welcome. Bring your fully charged device, Apple ID and password. Prerequisite: Participants should have a basic understanding and some practice using ipad/iphone. Registration required and limited to 9 FOR ADULTS Teen Summer Reading Program Exercise Your Mind: READ! Now-August 13, 2016 For teens entering Grades 6-12 Read and be eligible for prizes. Play the online game accessible through the Library s website. Registration required Complete details about the Teen Summer Reading Program are available at the Teen Services Desk and online at Summertime Craft Table July and August, during regular Library hours of operation There will be a table set in the Teen Library with craft supplies. Items will change weekly! Registration not required FOR TEENS Sharpie Tie-Dye T s July 16, 10:15-11:30 am Try your hand at this quick version of tie dye. Supplies are provided, but bring your own all-cotton items if you want! FOR TEENS Wednesday Crafternoons July 13, 2:00-3:00 pm Cube Puzzle Decorate a 3D combination puzzle! July 20, 2:00-3:00 pm Painted Pendant Use paint, cord, beads, and plain pendant to create a one-of-a-kind necklace! July 27, 2:00-3:00 pm Ping Pong Cannon Make a ping pong ball launcher! August 3, 2:00-3:00 pm Painted Rocks Get serious and use inspirational words, or go silly and use googly eyes! August 10, 2:00-3:00 pm Paracord Projects Use paracord a material strong enough to help you survive in the wilderness! to make sturdy bracelets and zipper pulls! FRIENDS MEETING & SPECIAL PROGRAM July pm Cuba Birds, Bath, and Beyond Enjoy photos and stories from Tia Murphy s travels, and experience the wonders of Cuba today. Plus, the Friends will have some Cuban cuisine for you to sample, as well as a variety of books on Cuba available for purchase. OPEN TO ALL! Registration required & limited to 50 For more information, please call x4 (Adult) or x0 (Teen), or check the online