Events

MTL Youth Chess Club (Recommended for Grades 4-8) IN PERSON Program

Monday, May 20

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Registration recommended; drop-ins welcome. We invite young chess players and chess enthusiasts to participate in our newly launched Youth Chess Club. No prior chess knowledge is required; all levels of experience are welcome to participate! The library will provide chess boards and pieces for all to use. While this program is recommended for grade 5-8, older teen players are welcome too! About our facilitator: Matthew Shirvell (aka Coach Matt) is an avid chess player who has been teaching chess in Connecticut for over 6 years. He has competed in USCF tournaments across the country, worked as a tournament director to run some of the largest events in the state, and has helped his students reach their goals.  Recently, in January 2023, one of his students earned sole 1st place in a USCF event with a perfect score! The club will meet every Monday, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. except on holidays or as otherwise noted. Program contact: Sarah Zimmermann (sarah@marktwainlibrary.org), Teen and Reference Librarian

Adult Chess Club (In-person)

Monday, May 20

6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Registration Recommended, See Below We invite all adult chess players and chess enthusiasts to participate in our newly launched, weekly Adult Chess Club. No prior chess knowledge is required; all levels of experience are welcome to participate! The library will provide chess boards and pieces for all to use. As space is limited, we recommend participants register for each program that they plan to attend. About our facilitator: Matthew Shirvell (aka Coach Matt) is an avid chess player who has been teaching chess in Connecticut for over 6 years. He has competed in USCF tournaments across the country, worked as a tournament director to run some of the largest events in the state, and has helped his students reach their goals.  Recently, in January 2023, one of his students earned sole 1st place in a USCF event with a perfect score!    

Great Decisions (In-Person)

Monday, May 20

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Registration for this program is closed.  Look for our next session in the Fall of 2024 Join our popular Great Decisions series, an international relations discussion group that meets in person at the Library. This 8-session course, designed by the Foreign Policy Association, focuses on the most pressing issues of our time. The discussions will be moderated by members of the Library’s World Affairs Forum.  Read the Foreign Policy Association briefing book before each session and engage in lively discussions. The World Affairs Forum meets on the first and third Monday of the month at the Library.   Participants are encouraged to attend in person to fully participate in the discussion; however, an option for individuals to join virtually via Zoom is available. All registered participants will receive a Zoom link on the day of the meeting. Dates and Topics February 5 - Mideast Realignment February 19 - Climate Technology and Competition March 6 - Science Across Borders March 18 - U.S. - China trade rivalry April 1 - NATO’s future April 15 - Understanding Indonesia May 6 - High Seas Treaty May 20 - Pandemic Preparedness Registering on this page will register you for the full 8-week course.  Registered participants will receive notification when the briefing books arrive in late January.  There is a suggested donation of $20 to help defray the cost of the briefing book and materials for this program. Donations welcome when you pick up your book or click here to donate.   More About Great Decisions: Great Decisions is America's largest discussion program on world affairs. The name is shared by a national civic-education program, briefing book, and PBS television series produced by the Foreign Policy Association. The Great Decisions program highlights eight critical foreign policy challenges facing Americans each year. In libraries across the country, Great Decisions discussion group participants discuss and debate each issue. Supported by the Foreign Policy Association for over 50 years, Great Decisions involves citizens in the foreign policy-making process.

Great Decisions (In-Person)

Monday, May 20

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Registration is Required Below Join our popular Great Decisions series, an international relations discussion group that meets in person at the Library. This 8-session course, designed by the Foreign Policy Association, focuses on the most pressing issues of our time. The discussions will be moderated by members of the Library’s World Affairs Forum.  Read the Foreign Policy Association briefing book before each session and engage in lively discussions. The World Affairs Forum meets on the first and third Monday of the month at the Library.   Participants are encouraged to attend in person to fully participate in the discussion; however, an option for individuals to join virtually via Zoom is available. All registered participants will receive a Zoom link on the day of the meeting. Dates and Topics February 5 - Mideast Realignment February 19 - Climate Technology and Competition March 6 - Science Across Borders March 18 - U.S. - China trade rivalry April 1 - NATO’s future April 15 - Understanding Indonesia May 6 - High Seas Treaty May 20 - Pandemic Preparedness Registering on this page will register you for the full 8-week course.  Registered participants will receive notification when the briefing books arrive in late January.  There is a suggested donation of $20 to help defray the cost of the briefing book and materials for this program. Donations welcome when you pick up your book or click here to donate.   More About Great Decisions: Great Decisions is America's largest discussion program on world affairs. The name is shared by a national civic-education program, briefing book, and PBS television series produced by the Foreign Policy Association. The Great Decisions program highlights eight critical foreign policy challenges facing Americans each year. In libraries across the country, Great Decisions discussion group participants discuss and debate each issue. Supported by the Foreign Policy Association for over 50 years, Great Decisions involves citizens in the foreign policy-making process.

Creative Collective Discussion Group: “The Creative Act” (Virtual)

Tuesday, May 21

10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Registration is closed for this session.  Please join us for our next session in June. 

Weekly Drop-In Knitting Circle (In-Person)

Tuesday, May 21

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Meets Tuesdays, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Our popular weekly drop-in knitting circle continues to meets every Tuesday in the Library's Mark Twain Room.  Share your knitting, crochet, and needlepoint project or learn basic techniques like casting on, knit, and purl stitches. Each week brings an opportunity to learn something new and there is always someone who can help with any problem.  

Z.E.B.R.A. (Zealous Excellent Book Readers Association) for 7th and 8th Graders

Tuesday, May 21

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm

Avid readers in 7th and 8th grades are invited to attend our monthly book discussion group for older readers. There will be books for browsing and cookies and chips for snacking while we discuss books you’ve read lately. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

Yale Science in the News: EnLIGHTenment — From Computers to the Cosmos (Virtual)

Tuesday, May 21

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Registration Required Below Science in the News is a student-driven initiative where Yale graduate students and postdoctoral researchers present complex and exciting science topics to the general public. In this session, speakers will focus on the topic: EnLIGHTenment: Tracing Light from Computers to the Cosmos Discover the mesmerizing dance of light and matter —  From sunglasses to mirrors, we leverage the properties of light to our everyday needs. Studied by great minds like Newton and Einstein, the properties of light now guide us toward promising advancements in science and technology in the future.

College Application Timeline Workshop (Recommended for Rising Seniors and their Families) Zoom program

Tuesday, May 21

7:30 pm

Family Story Time (birth-5)

Wednesday, May 22

10:30 am - 11:10 am

Registration Required It's time for Family Story Time! We'll sing, dance, and read together.  This event is designed for children birth - 5 but interested older siblings are welcome to attend. You only need to signup once for all the Family Story Time sessions. It is okay to miss sessions. Questions, please email Lisa at Lisa@marktwainlibrary.org Photos & videos from this event may be used on the Library's social media sites.

Navigating the Challenge of Dementia — Luncheon, Lecture & New Resources (In-person)

Wednesday, May 22

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Registration Required Below LUNCHEON, LECTURE & PRESENTATION OF NEW RESOURCES AT MTL Caring for someone suffering from memory loss? Interested in learning more about the condition? Join us for a light luncheon and lecture focusing on the risk factors, symptoms and disease stages of dementia.   In addition, learn about current research and strategies to better cope with challenges, including the Library's new Memory Kits. During the luncheon, MTL's Librarian Kathryn Zimmerman will unveil MTL's New Memory Care Kits.  These kits are designed to help caregivers create connections with a loved one who has dementia.  The kits have been made possible due to a grant awarded to the Mark Twain Library from the American Library Association/Libraries Transforming Communities. Following the luncheon, an expert from the Connecticut Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association will deliver a comprehensive talk on the impact of Alzheimer's.  Participants will learn about the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia, Alzheimer's disease stages and risk factors, current research and treatments and available Alzheimer's Association resources. This program is made possible, in part, by a grant from Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities, an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) Co-sponsored with The Heritage Center Space is limited. Register below to reserve a seat for both the luncheon and lecture.  

The Klansman’s Son — Conversations: Truth, Myth & Democracy (Virtual)

Wednesday, May 22

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Registration Required Below The Klansman's Son: My Journey From White Nationalism to Anti-Racism By R. Derek Black       Join us as Dr. Daniel Barrett moderates this important Conversations discussion with R. Derek Black, an activist and author who shares important insight and lessons for these contentious times. As coded language and creeping authoritarianism spread the ideas of white nationalists, this is an essential book with a powerful voice. In a provocative new memoir, R. Derek Black (they/them) shares the story of being raised to take over the white nationalist movement in the United States and their journey toward renouncing their family's beliefs, apologizing for their past actions and their work today as an anti-racist. Derek's father, Don Black, was a former Grand Wizard in the Ku Klux Klan and started Stormfront, the internet’s first white supremacist website. Young Derek built the kids’ page and their mentor and godfather was David Duke. While in college in 2013, Derek publicly renounced white nationalism and apologized for their actions and suffering they had caused. The majority of their family stopped speaking to them, and they disappeared into academia, convinced that they had done so much harm that there was no place for them in public life. But in 2016, as Derek recognized the mainstreaming of the hate they had once helped cultivate, they knew they couldn’t stay silent. This virtual webinar will be hosted via Zoom.  Registered participants will receive an invitation with link prior to the program. Please include a cell phone number to receive text reminder. Panelists: R. Derek Black (they/them) is a doctoral candidate in history at the University of Chicago. Since 2016, they have spoken to many audiences at universities, foundations, institutions, museums, synagogues, and churches. They received the Elie Wiesel Award and a humanitarian award from the Anti-Defamation League. The Klansman's Son is their first book.   Dr. Daniel W. Barrett is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Western Connecticut State University. A former resident of Redding, he graduated with a BA from Wesleyan University, earned his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Arizona State University and served as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Health Communication at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.      

Upcycle Crafting: MTL’s Modern Makers (In-person)

Thursday, May 23

10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Registration Required Below Take time for yourself this spring and join our favorite crafter, Deb Owen for this delightfully fun craft.  Deb will show us how to upcycle ordinary clay pigeons used in skeet shooting into winsome and useful bowls.  These beautiful bowls make lovely trinket dishes and decor for your home or to give as a special gift. No experience is required. All materials supplied. Space is limited so please register early.

Fine Wine or Sour Grapes? Let’s Talk About Aging (In-person)

Thursday, May 23

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Registration Required Below Co-sponsored by Redding's Commission on Aging "Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been," David Bowie Aging happens... so let’s talk about it! Join a new, informal discussion group as we talk, listen, learn — and figure out how to turn sour grapes into fine wine. The conversation will be facilitated by Redding residents Jean Rexford and Kathleen Brandt. The group will meet at the Library the second and fourth Thursday of the month. Potential topics will include maintaining relevancy, resiliency, dealing with ageism, acceptance and compassion. Spring Meeting Dates: March 28, April 11, April 25, May 9, May 23, June 13 and June 27. Our Facilitators Jean Rexford — Jean started the Connecticut Center for Patient Safety in 2005 to promote patient safety, improve the quality of health care and protect patient rights.  Jean is a former member of the Connecticut Medical Examining Board and Redding's Commission on Aging. Kathleen Brandt — Kathleen is vice chairman of the Redding's Commission on Aging. After nearly two decades working as a registered nurse, she became an attorney in 1996, specializing in patient advocacy litigation.

Build Your Own U.S. History Book! (Grades 5-8) OFFSITE PROGRAM AT JOHN READ MIDDLE SCHOOL

Friday, May 24

8:00 am - 8:50 am

Please register below. This program will be held before school at John Read Middle School. Come enjoy snacks and test your knowledge of U.S. History at John Read Middle School (486 Redding Road) with an interactive and fun test-your-knowledge program using a beautiful Build-Your-Own-History sticker book to take home with you. This collaborative activity will really get your mind moving! You do not need to be a student at John Read Middle School to participate in this program. Program contact: Sarah Zimmermann (sarah@marktwainlibrary.org), Teen and Reference Librarian Co-sponsored by John Read Middle School/JRMS PTA    

Classics Book Club: ‘Winesburg, Ohio’ (In-Person)

Friday, May 24

11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Registration Required Below This group is led by MTL's bibliophile extraordinaire,  Catherine Riordan. Catherine taught literature at the college level for many years, and shares her contagious enthusiasm for the classics. The group reads and discusses titles of all time periods, including modern works. Copies of the latest book will be available at the Library's front desk. The Classics Book Club meets in person at the Library. This Month: May 24 — Sherwood Anderson, Winesburg, Ohio 1919 UPCOMING DATES & SELECTIONS:

June 28 — Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye 1970

Click Here to View Recent Classic Book Selections  

MTL Youth Chess Club (Recommended for Grades 4-8) IN PERSON Program

Monday, May 27

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Registration recommended; drop-ins welcome. We invite young chess players and chess enthusiasts to participate in our newly launched Youth Chess Club. No prior chess knowledge is required; all levels of experience are welcome to participate! The library will provide chess boards and pieces for all to use. While this program is recommended for grade 5-8, older teen players are welcome too! About our facilitator: Matthew Shirvell (aka Coach Matt) is an avid chess player who has been teaching chess in Connecticut for over 6 years. He has competed in USCF tournaments across the country, worked as a tournament director to run some of the largest events in the state, and has helped his students reach their goals.  Recently, in January 2023, one of his students earned sole 1st place in a USCF event with a perfect score! The club will meet every Monday, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. except on holidays or as otherwise noted. Program contact: Sarah Zimmermann (sarah@marktwainlibrary.org), Teen and Reference Librarian

MTL Youth Chess Club (Recommended for Grades 4-8) IN PERSON Program

Monday, May 27

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Registration recommended; drop-ins welcome. We invite young chess players and chess enthusiasts to participate in our newly launched Youth Chess Club. No prior chess knowledge is required; all levels of experience are welcome to participate! The library will provide chess boards and pieces for all to use. While this program is recommended for grade 5-8, older teen players are welcome too! About our facilitator: Matthew Shirvell (aka Coach Matt) is an avid chess player who has been teaching chess in Connecticut for over 6 years. He has competed in USCF tournaments across the country, worked as a tournament director to run some of the largest events in the state, and has helped his students reach their goals.  Recently, in January 2023, one of his students earned sole 1st place in a USCF event with a perfect score! The club will meet every Monday, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. except on holidays or as otherwise noted. Program contact: Sarah Zimmermann (sarah@marktwainlibrary.org), Teen and Reference Librarian

Creative Collective Discussion Group: “The Creative Act” (Virtual)

Tuesday, May 28

10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Registration is closed for this session.  Please join us for our next session in June. 

TOPSTONE Family Story Time Co-Sponsored by the Redding Department of Parks & Rec (ages birth-5)

Tuesday, May 28

10:30 am - 11:00 am

MTL Story Times @ Topstone Pond: Co-sponsored by the Redding Department of Parks & Recreation Let's enjoy the outdoors together! We'll gather at Topstone beach for an outdoor Family Story Time with books, songs, and flannel board stories. Please bring your own beach chairs/ beach blankets. REGISTRATION REQUIRED; include your phone number for a text update in case of inclement weather. Photos and or videos from this event may be used on the Library's social media sites.