Activity

Enjoy a movie on the big screen in the Buel Room of Essex Library! No registration necessary, drop in! For the movie title, call the library at 860-767-1560 or check the library's events calendar at www.youressexlibrary.org

Grab your popcorn, grab your friend, and join us for an propulsive online conversation with author Liann Zhang as she chats with us about her debut thriller Julie Chan is Dead. Register HERE. Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse. Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied. Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target. Julie Chan is Dead is the brilliant, dark, and diabolical debut thriller we’ve all been waiting for. Register now for a […]

Essex Library will host Louie Listens; an opportunity for kids & teens to read with a local, licensed therapy dog! Reading to a therapy dog has been proven to improve reading skills, self-esteem, and confidence in public speaking sessions. Sign up to spend time with and read to Louie the Labrador, a local, licensed therapy dog and his handler, Rebecca Russell. Time slots will be a private 15 minutes to read to and interact with Louie. This free event is open to all kids & teens who wish to practice reading, or spend time, with a therapy dog. Click here to register for the 5:00 session. Click here to register for the 5:15 session. Click here to register for the 5:30 session. Click here to register for the 5:45 session.

Spend an hour with a teen buddy! Build social skills, fluency, and confidence with a teen buddy here at the Essex Library. Each teen volunteer (ages 13-18) is paired with a younger reader (ages 4-8) for a relaxed hour of literacy fun. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required to ensure that each reader is matched with a mentor. Parents are asked to remain in the building for the duration of the program. Register a younger reader! Register a Teen Mentor!

You’re invited to an online intimate conversation with bestselling author Rachelle Bergstein as she chats about her newest book The Genius of Judy. This book takes an expansive look at Judy Blume’s life, work, and cultural impact, focusing on her most iconic—and controversial—young adult novels, from Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret to Blubber. Register HERE. Everyone knows Judy Blume. Her books have garnered her fans of all ages for decades and sold tens of millions of copies. But why were people so drawn to them? And why are we still talking about them now in the 21st century? In The Genius of Judy, her remarkable story is revealed as never before, beginning with her as a mother of two searching for purpose outside of her home in 1960s suburban New Jersey. The books she wrote starred regular children with genuine thoughts and problems. But behind those deceptively simple tales, Blume explored the pillars of the growing women’s rights movement, in which girls and women were entitled to careers, bodily autonomy, fulfilling relationships, and even sexual pleasure. Blume wasn’t trying to be a revolutionary—she just wanted to tell honest stories—but in doing so, she created a cohesive, culture-altering vision of modern adolescence. Blume’s bravery provoked backlash, […]

Register for this virtual program HERE. Nancy Beck will present a talk on “The Art of Gaman,” during which she will present objects and arts and crafts made by Japanese Americans in U.S. internment camps during World War II. She will also show footage from the 2011 documentary, Art of Gaman, in which Delphine Hirasuna, author of the book “Art of Gaman” discusses the Japanese internment camps and gaman. Beck will show many of the objects made from scraps and found materials in the camps that internees created to help beautify their surroundings. The objects are the manifestation of what many describe as the art of gaman, a Japanese word that means to bear the seemingly unbearable with dignity and patience. This program is FREE and open to ALL. Registration is required for this virtual program. About Nancy Beck  Nancy Beck is Secretary and Treasurer of the Japan Society of Fairfield County (JSFC).  She is a third-generation Japanese American (sansei).  Her mother and many other relatives were incarcerated during World War II because of their Japanese ethnicity.  Ms. Beck is a graduate of the University of Chicago.

Program for kids ages 2-5. Creep, crawl, and flutter into adventure with our bug-themed story time, where tiny critters lead to big fun! Join us for themed stories, songs, rhymes, and crafts! We’ll learn early literacy concepts like colors, shapes, opposites, the ABCs and much more, to prepare our pre-school age children for kindergarten. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged to ensure enough crafts are prepared. Click here to register!

Families may arrive any time between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM and follow the trail at their own pace. Information and directions will be provided at check-in. In honor of National Scavenger Hunt Day, join Essex Library, Essex Land Trust, and Ivoryton Library to have some springtime fun with a self-guided family hike where you’ll search for flowers to add to your bouquet bookmark! When you finish the hike, enjoy snacks and a surprise to take home with you! Visit the Essex Land Trust website for trail maps, check Essex Land Trust’s Facebook page for weather-related updates. This program is free and open to the public. Dogs are not permitted at this event. Registration is required, click here to register!

Former CNN Moscow Bureau Chief, Jill Dougherty, will be at Essex Library to discuss her recently released book, My Russia. My Russia reveals Dougherty’s transformative journey from a Cold War–era obsession with Russia to witnessing firsthand the rise of Vladimir Putin and the unraveling of a nation she grew to love. My Russia charts Russia’s evolution through the eyes of an American with rare insight into Russia, its people, and its leaders. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing at the event. Light refreshments will be provided. This program is FREE and open to ALL at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. Registration is required. About Jill Dougherty Jill Dougherty was a CNN correspondent for over thirty years. She is now a CNN on-air contributor, reporting and analyzing events in Russia and the region. She was CNN’s Moscow bureau chief for almost a decade and served as CNN’s White House correspondent, US affairs editor, managing editor for the Asia/Pacific region, and foreign affairs correspondent covering the US State Department. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a global fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. She teaches at Georgetown University’s Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East […]

Felicia Millet, a plant diagnostician with the Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology at The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, will be onsite at Essex Library to present “Growing Mountain Laurels in Connecticut.” Mountain Laurel was named the state flower of Connecticut in 1907 and has continued to captivate residents ever since. This presentation will include a discussion of the history of these native plants, cultivar descriptions, tips on planting, as well as which pests and diseases to look out for. This program is made possible through a collaboration of Essex Library and the Essex Land Trust. This program is FREE and open to ALL at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. Registration is required. Register online at www.youressexlibrary.org or by calling the library at 860-767-1560.

Program for kids ages 2-5. Gather 'round the (pretend) campfire for a cozy camping-themed story time filled with stories, songs, and outdoor adventure fun! Join us for themed stories, songs, rhymes, and crafts! We’ll learn early literacy concepts like colors, shapes, opposites, the ABCs and much more, to prepare our pre-school age children for kindergarten. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged to ensure enough crafts are prepared. Click here to register!

Enjoy a movie on the big screen in the Buel Room of Essex Library! No registration necessary, drop in! For the movie title, call the library at 860-767-1560 or check the library's events calendar at www.youressexlibrary.org

Program for kids ages 0-3 and their caregivers, siblings welcome. Wiggle Worms is a play-based music and movement story time for children and their caregivers! Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. No registration required. www.youressexlibrary.org

Grab a friend and “rejoicify” with us during a special sing-along showing of a ‘popular’ 2024 PG movie musical. Come in costume (if you’d like), sing along (or just watch!), make friendship bracelets, and enjoy an afternoon to remember! Movie snacks will be provided. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged to ensure enough crafts are prepared. Click here to register!