Essex Library

New York Times and Emmy Award-winning author Chris Whipple will be at Essex Library to discuss his book, “Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History.” In “Uncharted,” Whipple draws on his exclusive access to sources on both sides of the aisle and takes readers behind the scenes of headline-making news to reveal insights on Joe Biden’s presidential debate performance as well as the campaigns of both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. This program is FREE and open to ALL at Essex Library, 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT 06426. Registration is required. Register by calling the library at 860-767-1560. ABOUT CHRIS WHIPPLE Chris Whipple is a New York Times bestselling author and widely acclaimed documentary filmmaker, speaker, and a Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist. He appears throughout the media and contributes to the New York Times and Washington Post, and has written for Vanity Fair, Politico, and the Daily Beast, among others. He lives in New York City with his wife Cary. ABOUT “UNCHARTED” A disastrous debate, a would-be assassin’s bullet, an electrifying eleventh hour candidate swap, dramatic and surprising VP selections, betrayals behind closed doors, charges of a stolen election, game-changing blunders—the history-making 2024 presidential election is a political saga of […]

REGISTER HERE. Probate is a process that people often wish they could avoid. But is that possible? Well, yes…and no. There are some techniques available that can be used to avoid the probate process such as a living trust, but that does not mean you avoid the probate fee! In this session, learn from Madison-based estate and elder law Attorney Erin Duques about the probate process and how trusts (and other probate avoidance options like using joint accounts) can be utilized to avoid probate, as well as the pros and cons of each.  Additionally, Attorney Duques will discuss the most common circumstances in which avoiding probate would be advisable and why, as well as provide an overview of both how probate and a trust work as part of an estate plan.

Program for kids of all ages. Kids 5 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Is your child curious about percussion? Join local musician Gary “Coach” Ribchinsky for this interactive program to explore the percussion family of instruments. Kids will learn how percussion instruments create rhythm and sound, watch demonstrations of different instruments, and even get hands-on experience playing them. No prior musical experience is needed. Gary Ribchinsky, drummer and vocalist continues to perform with the band, Long Island Sound that he founded in 1975. Gary has also performed with stars such as Sammy Davis Jr., Engelbert Humperdink, Nel Carter, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. He has performed at the Goodspeed Opera House, the national Broadway tour of Ain't Misbehavin', and as percussionist with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra New England. He has been musician, contractor and percussionist for the New England Pops and the American Musical Theater as well as many Big Bands throughout New England. He was also the percussionist with the CD award winning Klezmer group, Klezical Tradition and plays frequently with Zev and the Klezmer All Stars. Gary has taught percussion at the University of Connecticut and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, […]

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.

In this 2-part beginner yoga series, participants will learn valuable breathing and movement sequences that can be used daily. Each class will include breathing and meditation to prepare the mind as well as deep stretching appropriate for all levels and just a hint of strength work to help keep bodies healthy and agile. Modifications will be provided for anyone that needs them and chairs will be available for those that choose to practice chair yoga. Please register for each session separately. The Library has a limited supply of yoga mats; we suggest bringing your own. This program is FREE and open to all at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. Register HERE or by calling 860-767-1560.

Program for kids ages 2-5. Dig into a delightful garden-themed story time filled with stories, songs, and fun about plants, flowers, and growing things! 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

As the weather warms up and leaves start to show up on trees, birders in North America eagerly await the return of thousands of birds from their wintering grounds in Central and South America. The sights and sounds of warblers, vireos, thrushes and more fill our woodlands and wetlands. Learn about the incredible journeys these birds make, the perils they face, and which species you can expect to see coming into and through Connecticut. This program is FREE and open to ALL at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. Register HERE or by calling the Library at 860-767-1560.

Enjoy a movie on the big screen in the Buel Room of Essex Library! For the movie title, or any other information, please call the library at 860-767-1560. This program is FREE and open to all at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT.

Program for kids in grades K-2. Come to the library to learn all about emergency preparedness with the American Red Cross! This program will teach kids to identify the best ways to stay safe during emergencies, use coping skills to help manage stress, gain confidence in their abilities to be prepared, use their knowledge to act as advocates for preparedness, and discuss the role science plays in emergency preparedness. All children who participate will receive a storybook to share what they have learned at home. For more about Prepare with Pedro, see the Prepare with Pedro page on the American Red Cross website. The American Red Cross is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to people affected by disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. From helping during disasters and ensuring access to lifesaving blood, to providing training to save lives and supporting military communities, the Red Cross is there when help can’t wait. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required, space is limited. Click here to register!

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.

In this 2-part beginner yoga series, participants will learn valuable breathing and movement sequences that can be used daily. Each class will include breathing and meditation to prepare the mind as well as deep stretching appropriate for all levels and just a hint of strength work to help keep bodies healthy and agile. Modifications will be provided for anyone that needs them and chairs will be available for those that choose to practice chair yoga. Please register for each session separately. The Library has a limited supply of yoga mats; we suggest bringing your own. This program is FREE and open to all at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. Register  HERE  or by calling the Library at 860-767-1560.

Program for kids ages 8-12. Join the Society of Women Engineers for this super fun STEM project! Kids will be introduced to the Engineering Design Process with a hands-on design challenge! In this challenge, participants will design and build an air-powered rocket that can hit a distant target. For more than seven decades, SWE has given women engineers a unique place and voice within the engineering industry. Our organization is centered around a passion for our members’ success and continues to evolve with the challenges and opportunities reflected in today’s exciting engineering and technology specialties. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required. Click here to register!

Program for kids ages 2-5. Hop into a ribbiting adventure with stories, songs, and fun all about frogs! 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. Register Here!

From the atoms that compose us to the evolutionary forces that shaped us, our existence is built on fundamental scientific principles. Join Miranda, Aurora, and Shahank for an engaging exploration of what makes us who we are. Register HERE. Miranda will discuss how our bodies came to take their current form, tracing the evolutionary forces that connect us to our ancestors and other species. Aurora will dive into the chemistry of everyday life, from the molecules we interact with daily to the reactions powering our bodies. Shahank will explore the origins of the elements themselves, uncovering how the universe forged the building blocks of matter-from the Big Bang to the explosive deaths of stars. Come discover the science behind what makes up us, from the smallest molecules to the grand forces of evolution and the cosmos!  This program is FREE and open to ALL at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. About the Speakers Miranda Margulis-Ohnuna is a first-year PhD student in vertebrate paleontology at Yale University. Aurora Miranda is a second-year PhD student in Chemical Biology at Yale University. Shahank Dattathro is a third-year PhD student at Yale University.

Program recommended for kids ages 5-12. Hop into the spirit of Spring with our fun and creative Cookie Decorating Class for Kids with the Cookie Jar CT! In this 1-hour hands-on class, kids will decorate 3 delicious sugar cookies using vibrant royal icing and learn a variety of decorating techniques. Whether it's creating bunny ears or pastel flowers, each child will have the opportunity to express their creativity and leave with their own beautifully decorated cookies. Stacey Britner, owner of The Cookie Jar CT, is a passionate baker on a sweet adventure in the world of cookies. After two years in the baking market, her enthusiasm for baking is as warm as the oven she works with. She says, "There’s nothing quite like the joy of seeing someone’s face light up with the first bite of one of my homemade treats." She loves experimenting with flavors, perfecting recipes, and sharing the happiness that comes with a perfectly baked cookie. Every batch is a labor of love, and her goal is simple: to spread smiles, one delicious cookie at a time.  Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required, materials are limited. Click here to register!

Program recommended for kids ages 5-10. Clues to wildlife activity are all around us! Join educators from Bushy Hill Nature Center to learn how to read animal tracks and signs, the ways different animals move, and make your own wildlife track to take home! Proudly operating for over 136 years, and the oldest operating co-ed camp in the nation, Bushy Hill Day Camp at Incarnation Center offers people of all ages the chance to learn and grow in a screen-free and unplugged environment. Located on 700+ acres encompassing Deep River and Ivoryton, their diverse surroundings offer the perfect setting for school programs, indigenous studies, summer camp, team building and workshops. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration required. Click here to register!

Program for kids ages 5-12. Get creative and craft your own jumbo beaded lizard using colorful pool noodles! In this fun, hands-on program, participants will string together noodle "beads" to design a big, bendy, and vibrant lizard. Come make a reptile friend that’s as unique as you! Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required, materials are limited. Click here to register!

Enjoy a movie on the big screen in the Buel Room of Essex Library! For the movie title, or any other information, please call the library at 860-767-1560. This program is FREE and open to all at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT.

Program for kids ages 5-12. Join us for this awesome session of STEAM Saturdays where kids will use recycled materials to create a protective structure to keep an egg safe when dropped from a ladder. Through creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork, kids will explore principles of physics, engineering, and design—learning about concepts like impact force, cushioning, and structural integrity. Once the structures are complete, we’ll put them to the test with a thrilling egg drop finale! Will your design survive the fall? Come ready to experiment, innovate, and have a smashing good time! This program is weather-dependent. Registered patrons will be notified of cancellation due to weather via telephone or e-mail. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required, materials are limited. Register Here!

The Essex Library will host an advance screening of the Indie Lens Pop-Up “Free for All: The Public Library.” The documentary tells the story of the quiet revolutionaries who made a simple idea happen. From the pioneering women behind the “Free Library Movement” to today's librarians who service the public despite working in a contentious age of closures and book bans, meet those who created a civic institution where everything is free and the doors are open to all (Run Time: 60 minutes). The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with Former Hartford Mayor, Luke Bronin, Former Executive Director of the American Library Association, Keith Michael Fiels, and Hartford Public Library’s President and CEO, Bridget E. Quinn. Essex Library Association Executive Director Ann Thompson will moderate the panel discussion. Register  HERE or by calling the Library at 860-767-1560.

Program for kids ages 2-5. Daffodil Days are in full swing here in Essex! Bloom into a world of stories, songs, and fun with our daffodil-themed story time, celebrating spring, growth, and sunshine! 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. Register: https://engagedpatrons.org/EventsRegister.cfm?SiteID=1314&BranchID=1000003139&Branch=Essex%20Library%20Association%20&EventID=553937&PK=

In this workshop, participants will learn everything they need to know to create a thriving container garden in any space. From selecting the perfect containers, to choosing the right plants, and designing a layout that showcases a specific style, this class covers it all. This program is FREE and open to all at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. Registration is preferred. Register HERE.

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. Register for 5:00 Time Slot: https://engagedpatrons.org/Eve... Register for 5:15 Time Slot: https://engagedpatrons.org/Eve... Register for 5:30 Time Slot: https://engagedpatrons.org/Eve... Register for 5:45 Time Slot: https://engagedpatrons.org/Eve...

We “got the feeling” at Essex Library! In follow-up to the Indie-Lens Pop-Up documentary film "We Want the Funk," which was screened at the Library earlier this month, a live drumming performance by Gary Ribchinsky, the founder of the band Long Island Sound, will take place on March 29 at 1:00 PM at Essex Library. Ribchinsky will also provide a lecture on the basic characteristics of funk music, artists and songs. This program is FREE and open to the public at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. Register at youressexlibrary.org or by calling the Library at 860-767-1560. If you missed the Library's screening of "We Want the Funk," Connecticut Public will be premiering the film on April 8, 2025. More information is available HERE. About the Film WE WANT THE FUNK! is a syncopated voyage through the history of funk music, spanning from African, soul, and early jazz roots, to its rise into the public consciousness. Featuring James Brown's dynamism, the extraterrestrial funk of George Clinton's Parliament Funkadelic, transformed girl group Labelle, and Fela Kuti's Afrobeat, the story also traces funk's influences on both new wave and hip-hop. About Stanley Nelson Stanley Nelson is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, MacArthur Fellow, and […]

Program for kids ages 2-5. Explore the rainbow with vibrant stories, songs, and fun activities in this colorful story time adventure! 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. Register: https://engagedpatrons.org/EventsRegister.cfm?SiteID=1314&BranchID=1000003139&Branch=All%20Locations&EventID=551555&PK=

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. Register for 5:00 session. Register for 5:15 session. Register for 5:30 session. Register for 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: https://engagedpatrons.org/EventsRegister.cfm?SiteID=1314&BranchID=1000003139&Branch=Essex%20Library%20Association%20&EventID=551554&PK= Register as a Teen Mentor: https://engagedpatrons.org/EventsRegister.cfm?SiteID=1314&BranchID=1000003139&Branch=Essex%20Library%20Association%20&EventID=552490&PK=

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.

Enjoy a movie on the big screen in the Buel Room of Essex Library! For more information, including the movie title, call the Library at 860-767-1560 or visit the events calendar section of the Library’s website, www.youressexlibrary.org.

Program for kids ages 2-5. Celebrate the season with a spring-themed story time featuring cheerful tales, songs, and activities perfect for young children! 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. Register: https://engagedpatrons.org/EventsRegister.cfm?SiteID=1314&BranchID=1000003139&Branch=All%20Locations&EventID=551553&PK=

We “got the feeling” at Essex Library! Join us as we collaborate with Connecticut Public to offer the Indie-Lens Pop-Up “We Want the Funk,” a documentary film from Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson, on Thursday, March 20 at 5:30 PM in the Buel Room. In follow-up to the film, a live funk drumming performance by Gary Ribchinsky, the founder of the band Long Island Sound, will take place on March 29 at 1:00 PM at Essex Library. Ribchinsky will also provide a lecture on the basic characteristics of funk music, artists and songs. This program is FREE and open to the public at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. Register at youressexlibrary.org or by calling the Library at 860-767-1560. About the Film WE WANT THE FUNK! is a syncopated voyage through the history of funk music, spanning from African, soul, and early jazz roots, to its rise into the public consciousness. Featuring James Brown's dynamism, the extraterrestrial funk of George Clinton's Parliament Funkadelic, transformed girl group Labelle, and Fela Kuti's Afrobeat, the story also traces funk's influences on both new wave and hip-hop.

Join us for a presentation from Yale Science Graduate Students as they explore how our minds and bodies change on different scales during our lifetimes in a talk entitled, “From Minds to Molecules: Exploring Human Development over Scale and Time.” Maisha Hossain will explore how infants’ brains become socialized into little minds as they grow, from a set of cells to a whole brain buzzing with information and ideas. Kerry Larkin will explore how cells coordinate and change to form the different tissues and organs of the body, and how this understanding can help us learn about features of cancer cells. Devin Juros will discuss how our cells age as we age, accumulating changes to their metabolism and protein production which can eventually break down entire bodily systems. This program is FREE and open to the public at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT.

Program for kids in pre-k and up. How to catch a leprechaun? It's tougher than you think! He'll turn your whole house upside down. He's quicker than a wink! St. Patrick’s Day is when the leprechauns come out, so join us at the library, to learn what leprechauns are all about! We’ll teach you how to be prepared, we’ll craft and cut and glue, to make a secret trap for leprechauns, so they can’t play tricks on you! Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required, materials are limited.

Enjoy a movie on the big screen in the Buel Room of Essex Library! For more information, including the movie title, call the Library at 860-767-1560 or visit the events calendar section of the Library’s website, www.youressexlibrary.org.Enjoy a movie on the big screen in the Buel Room of Essex Library! For more information, including the movie title, call the Library at 860-767-1560 or visit the events calendar section of the Library’s website, www.youressexlibrary.org.

Are you looking for volunteer opportunities in the community? Join us at Essex Library for our 2025 Essex Library Non-Profit Volunteer Expo to meet and connect with representatives from local non-profits. Discover what local organizations are doing for the community and learn about how you might join them. The 2025 Essex Library Non-Profit Volunteer Expo is FREE and open to the public at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. No registration necessary, drop-in! Check our website to see which organizations are participating! www.youressexlibrary.org

Program recommended for kids ages 4-11. Join storyteller Monica Peterson for an interactive St. Patrick’s Day program that brings the humor and magic of Celtic folklore to life! Dressed in costume, Monica shares enchanting tales such as The Pancake, where a leprechaun grants three wishes with hilarious results, The School Mistress and the Giant, where a brave teacher outwits a giant to save her student, and The Baker and the Fairies, where a clever woman must find a way to escape Fairyland. Monica Peterson has entertained at the JFK Presidential Library, The Children's Museum of the Arts in Manhattan, New Britain Museum of American Art, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Great Park Pursuit, Connecticut Storytelling Festival, Tellabration, and at festivals, museums, libraries, schools, and senior centers. Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required. Please register all children and adults attending separately.

Program for kids ages 2-5. Discover the magic of leprechauns with festive stories, songs, and activities at our leprechaun-themed story time! 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.

Jeff Snow returns to Essex Library to present traditional and original tunes and songs from Scotland, England and Ireland played on a variety of instruments including twelve string guitar, autoharp, Celtic Bouzouki and the Bodhran. The magical sounds from the instruments coupled with vocals and Jeff's love and knowledge of his Scottish heritage create a robust and unforgettable musical program. This program is FREE and open to the public at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. Seating is limited, register early!

Are you curious about how the brain works? Gain insight on how reality is constructed by the brain in a lecture at Essex Library presented by April Pruitt, a PhD graduate student at Yale completing her thesis in neuroscience. Pruitt’s talk will cover themes showcased in a new exhibit at the Yale Peabody Museum entitled “Mind over Matter: The Neuroscience of Perception, Attention, and Memory.” This program is FREE and open to the public at 33 West Avenue, Essex, CT. Register online or by calling the Library at 860-767-1560.

Program for kids ages 5-12. Create structures and ball run contraptions with KEVA® planks! Kids will gain first-hand experience with balance, leverage, geometry and the principles of physics every time they design, stack, adjust and construct a new design! Work together or independently, bring your imagination and build, build, build! Essex Library programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required.

Join us for Nutmeg Book Club, a group celebrating Connecticut’s own kid’s book award, for kids in grades 4-6! Books are available for pickup starting February 4 with a special Nutmeg Book Club Kit that includes activities, stickers, bookmarks, and other goodies related to the book! This month we are reading Wayward Creatures by Dayna Lorentz. Read the book on your own and then join us at the library for a fun discussion and related activity. Our meeting is on February 28 from 4-5 PM. Nutmeg nominees are chosen by a committee of school media specialists, public librarians, and reading teachers, as well as a small selection of student representatives in the appropriate age range for that reading material. Each spring, students are allowed to cast their votes for the nominee they think should win the Nutmeg Award. Criteria includes the age of the book, and require that the books be well-written, with strong characterization, vivid setting, striking language, a well-constructed plot, and plausible conclusion. Nutmeg nominees may cover sensitive topics. For more information about how nutmeg books are selected, please see https://www.nutmegaward.org/about/faqs About the Book: Twelve-year-old Gabe doesn’t know where he belongs anymore. His family is caught up in […]

Program for kids ages 2-5. Embark on a wild adventure with roaring tales and animal antics during our zoo-themed story time! 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. Register: https://engagedpatrons.org/EventsRegister.cfm?SiteID=1314&BranchID=1000003139&Branch=Essex%20Library%20Association%20&EventID=549170&PK=

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: https://engagedpatrons.org/EventsRegister.cfm?SiteID=1314&BranchID=1000003139&Branch=All%20Locations&EventID=549169&PK=