January 2026 Newsletter

Hello, Friends!

We hope that you'll join us this January for an event or to borrow a book! We'll be closed Thursday, January 1 for New Year's Day, and Monday, January 19 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but we look forward to seeing you all the other days this month!

For events this month, we are especially excited about our Create with Cursive series for Grades 3-5 and our lecture on Southbury's involvement in the American Revolution. For Grades 9-12: on Wednesday, January 14 from 5:30-9pm, we'll be opening up the whole library after our usual hours just for high school students studying for midterms (along with some cool extras)!

January also brings us another Mini Reading Challenge for Grades K-12 AND adults! Read for five hours during the month of January and get a surPRIZE.

Our 2026 Tiny Art Show is coming up, and we'd love to have you be a part of it! Pick up a 4x4" canvas from the First or Second Floor Circulation Desk and submit it to us by February 4!

The elevator remains out of order, though the Second Floor is still accessible via the stairs. Staff are happy to retrieve any materials from the second floor as needed, as well as make any other reasonable accommodations. We are very grateful for your support and patience during the past year and ask you to continue that during this transition period.

Best wishes,
The Staff of the Southbury Public Library

Table of Contents

2026 Tiny Art Show

Make some art for our third annual Tiny Art Show! Your only limit is a 4x4" canvas: use any art style or medium you like as long as it fits. Open to all ages and artistic abilities!

Pick up your canvas from the First or Second Floor Circulation Desk during our open hours. Submissions are due by 5:30pm on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 and will be on display in the Fireplace Room from February 12 to March 31, 2026.

Find submission requirements, important dates, and more on our website's Tiny Art Information Page.

This is the Southbury Public Library's third annual Tiny Art Show. Our 2024 and 2025 Tiny Art Shows each featured more than 130 pieces of art from a wide variety of community members, ranging in age from 4 months to 89 years old. Materials used included paint, colored pencils, crayons, encaustic wax, 3d pens, egg shells, beads, handmade marbled paper, photography, polymer clay, and more. We had artwork submitted by people of all skill levels, including enthusiastic toddlers, talented teens, adults totally new to art, and professional artists. The range of art we received was as broad as it was impressive, and we encourage everyone interested in participating to give it a try!

Our Tiny Art Show is sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library and the Southbury Library Gift Fund.

Museum Passes

Take a daytrip with one of our museum passes and get reduced or free admission to a variety of attractions. Find a full list of our passes here! Passes can be checked out from the Second Floor Circulation Desk. The passes can be checked out for three days and are first come, first served with one at a time per household.

Mini Monthly Reading Challenge

January 1–31: Bundle Up With Books

Mini Monthly Reading Challenge: Bundle Up With Books (Grades K-12 & Adults)
January 1-31, Online on Beanstack and On Paper

Continuing this month: we have a Mini Monthly Reading Challenge for adults! Read for 5 hours during the month of January to get a SurPRIZE and bragging rights! Pick up a paper Tracking Bookmark from the Reference Desk or track your time on Beanstack. This challenge is also open to Grades K-12; children and teens would pick up their bookmarks from the Second Floor Circulation Desk.

If five hours is too easy, try making it a specific type of reading, such as a new genre or listening to an audiobook during a walk (or while you clean out that one closet you've been avoiding).

Adult Events

Information and Registration: Reference Department at 203-262-0626

All programs require registration unless otherwise noted. The majority of programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Library programs are not funded by the town fiscal budget. All virtual adult programs require registration; registrants will receive an email with the Zoom links the morning of the program.

Plan with Me: Adult Planner Meet-Up
Wednesday, January 7, 1-2pm, Brown Room, Registration Required

Put your New Year's resolution to become more organized into action! This monthly meet-up is all about socializing, having a creative outlet, and getting your plans in order. Come decorate and fill out your planners for the month ahead, or work on any other planning activity you'd like. Bring your own markers, washi tape and stickers, or use some of the supplies we will have on hand. A limited supply of free 12-month planners will be available for those who need them! To register, click here.

Photography Workshop
Thursday, January 8 and 22, 11am-12pm, Brown Room, Registration Required

Join us to explore the art of photography with our volunteer Sophia, an avid photographer. Learn about the basics of photography and practice taking photographs! You will need a phone with a camera or your own camera. This is an interactive program that is beginner friendly. To register, click here.

Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks: The Grandmasters of American Comedy
Thursday, January 8, 2-3:30pm, Online via Zoom and Streamed to the Kingsley Room, Registration Required.

For more than seven decades, Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks made America laugh—either through their remarkable solo careers or their legendary partnership. Whether together or apart, they were giants of American comedy, who basically conquered every field they entered, whether television, movies, Broadway, or records. Fordham University professor emeritus Brian Rose will discuss the genius of Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks. Register to watch over Zoom here and register to watch in the Kingsley Room here.

Native Plant Seed Sowing
Saturday, January 10, 1-2:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Join Southbury Land Trust in a free Native Plant Winter Seed Sowing workshop. We will explore the importance of native plants in our landscapes, and learn more about the fabulous native plant varieties available. You must bring plastic gloves (dishwashing type), and clean, one-gallon milk jugs and/or half-gallon orange juice or milk paper cartons. SLT will provide the seeds and soil. To register, click here.

Arts & Crafts Club
Tuesday, January 13 and 27, 1-2pm, Brown Room, Registration Required

Join us at the Southbury Public Library for our Arts & Crafts Club. All crafts, skill levels and ages welcome. Bring your own projects and have a space to work and chat. To register, click here.

American Art at 250: Masterworks of a Nation
Thursday, January 15, 2-3:30pm, Online via Zoom and Streamed to the Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Join us in celebrating America's extraordinary artistic legacy as we commemorate our nation's 250th anniversary with a curated exploration of the masterworks that have defined our cultural identity. From the luminous landscapes of the Hudson River School to the bold innovations of Abstract Expressionism, this program presented by Jane Oneail showcases the diverse voices and revolutionary spirits that have shaped American art across two and a half centuries. Register to watch over Zoom here and register to watch in the Kingsley Room here.

Tiny Art Show: Drop-In Painting (Adults)
Saturday, January 17, 12pm-1pm, Brown Room, No Registration Required

Work on a painting for our 2026 Tiny Art Show in a supportive group environment! All supplies provided. Please wear clothing you don’t mind getting dirty. Find out more on our website here.

Poetry Open Mic (Adults)
Sunday, January 18, 3:30pm-4:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Encouraged

Southbury poet laureate Claire Schreier Warner will host a Poetry Open Mic on Sunday, January 18th from 3:30 to 4:30. Each poet will have 5 minutes to share their work. Registration is encouraged, in case of cancellation, but walk-ins are welcome. To register, click here.

The American Revolution- Southbury at War
Saturday, January 24, 2-3:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

250 years ago, the Revolutionary War was fought on home ground. Major military operations were conducted within marching distance of our town. Join us as Southbury’s Municipal Historian, John Dwyer, shares who, how and where local citizens were engaged in action against (or with) the British Crown. But Southbury’s involvement in the struggle for our nation’s independence was not only played out on the battlefield. Learn also of the other ways in which the town and its people helped to save George Washington and the Continental Army. To register, click here.

Adult Coloring Club
Monday, January 26, 2:00-3:30pm, Brown Room, Registration Requested

Join us for a relaxing hour of therapeutic coloring. Materials will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own supplies as well. Registration is requested, not required. Please sign up so we know how many people to expect and to receive event updates! To register, click here.

Wednesday & Evening at the Movies

Freakier Friday (2025) PG
Wednesday, January 14, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

22 years after Tess and Anna endured an identity crisis, Anna now has a daughter and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might strike twice. Register here.

The Penguin Lessons (2024) PG-13
Wednesday, January 21, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

A disillusioned Englishman who goes to work in a school in a divided Argentina in 1976 finds his life transformed when he rescues an orphaned penguin from the beach. Register here.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025) PG
Wednesday, October 22, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested

When Mary finds herself in a public scandal and the family faces financial trouble, the household grapples with the threat of social disgrace. The Crawleys must embrace change with the next generation leading Downton Abbey into the future. Register here.

Evening at the Movies

Materialists (2025) R
Thursday, January 8, 6-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

An ambitious young New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex. Register here.

The Accountant 2 (2025) R
Thursday, January 22, 6-8:15pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Christian Wolff applies his brilliant mind and illegal methods to reconstruct the unsolved puzzle of a Treasury chief's murder. Register here.

Adult Book Clubs

The Southbury Public Library offers three book clubs for adults: Tuesday Night Fiction Book Club, Nonfiction Book Club, and Mystery Book Club. Registration is requested, not required. Join us for a discussion about this month’s books! Please sign up so we know how many people to expect and to receive event updates!

Mystery Book Club
Monday, January 12, 3-4pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested

This month we'll be discussing Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto. To register, click here.

Nonfiction Book Club
Wednesday, January 14, 10-11am, Brown Room, Registration Requested

This month we'll be discussing Funny Farm: My Unexpected Life with 600 Rescue Animals by Laurie Zaleski. To register, click here.

Tuesday Night Fiction Book Club
Tuesday, January 27, 6:30-7:30pm, Brown Room, Registration Requested

This month we'll be discussing The Granddaughter by Bernhard Schlink. To register, click here.

Children and Teen Events

Information and Registration: Children/Teen Department at 203-262-0626

See below for information about our upcoming Children's and Teen Programming! All of our Children's and Teen Programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Library programs are not funded by the town fiscal budget.

Children and Teen Reading Challenges

Mini Monthly Reading Challenge: Bundle Up With Books (Grades K-12 & Adults)
December 1–31, Online on Beanstack and On Paper

Continuing this month: you can use a paper tracking bookmark instead of Beanstack AND adults can join! Read for 5 hours during the month of December; track your time spent reading on Beanstack or pick up a Tracking Bookmark from the Second Floor Circulation Desk. Adults can participate on Beanstack or pick up an Adult Mini Monthly Reading Challenge Bookmark from the Reference Desk.

1000 Books Before Kindergarten (Birth to Entering Kindergarten)
Ongoing, Online on Beanstack

Read a book (any book!) to your newborn, infant, or toddler and keep track on Beanstack. Repeats count! If you read 1 book a day for 3 years, that’s 1,095 books! 10 books a week for 2 years is 1,040 books, and 3 books a day in one year is 1,095 books. Every book you read you get one sticker, and if you finish you can get a certificate, small prize, and your picture on our wall of fame if you’d like! Visit Beanstack to get started online.

100 Books Before Graduation (Grades 9-12)
Ongoing, Online on Beanstack

Read 100 books before High School Graduation! 100 books may seem like a lot (and it is), but it works out to about 1 book every 2 weeks. When you sign up, get a special tracking bookmark to fill out as you read. Make it to half way and get a $5 Gift Card to Dunkin' or The Bakery. Read 100 books and get a special throw blanket! Every 10 books you read, pick out something from the prize box (pins, stickers, animal sticky notes, and more!). Visit Beanstack to find out more and get started!

Children's Storytimes

Drop-In Storytime (All Ages)
Monday, January 5, 12, 26, 10:30-11am, Kingsley Room, No Registration Required (The library is closed January 19)

Join Jen for an all-ages storytime in the Kingsley Room! We'll share books, rhymes, and songs, and a small craft will be available to make with us or take home. Find out more on our website here.

Stuffie Storytime & Sleepover (All Ages)
Tuesday, January 20, 6-6:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Grab your PJs and a stuffed friend and join Miss Jen for a special PJ Storytime with your stuffie! Listen to bedtime stories, songs & rhymes and complete a small craft. After storytime, you can choose to leave your stuffie here at the library for a special sleepover. The next day, you can pick up your stuffie and receive a letter and photos of their amazing adventures at the library! Find out more and register on our website here.

Special Events for Children

I Spy Bear Hunt (Ages 0-18)
January 2-31, Upstairs, No Registration Required

The bears have escaped from the books! Can you find all the bear characters from children's literature? It's time for an I Spy Bear Hunt. Find all the bears hidden throughout the Youth Services department, complete the form, and you'll receive a small prize. Forms are available in the Youth Services department. Find out more on our website here.

Take or Make Craft (All Ages)
Saturday, January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, Second Floor, While Supplies Last

Stop by the Youth Services Department on Saturdays this month to make a thematic paper craft. Make it here or bring it home. Crayons and glue available in the library. Appropriate for all ages, though young children may need assistance. Find out more on our website here.

Babies & Books (Ages 6-24 months)
Tuesday, January 6, 13, 20, 27, and February 3, 10, 10:30-11:30am, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Babies & Books is a six-week series lapsit storytime for children 6 to 24 months and their parents/caregivers. Listen to short stories and songs. Find out more and register on our website here.

Create with Cursive (Grades 3-5)
Tuesday, January 6, 13, 20, 27, and February 3, 4:30-5:30pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Learn to write in cursive! Practice the letters and create your own signature with this weekly class that runs for five consecutive weeks. Find out and register on our website here.

Family Giant Games Night (All Ages)
Thursday, January 6, 6-7pm, Youth Services Department, No Registration Required

Join us for an evening of Giant Games! Drop in between to enjoy a variety of traditional, larger-than-life, board games. This event is perfect for families or a group of friends; if a team is not made of middle schoolers and above, an adult must be present. Find out more on our website here.

Tunes & Tales (Recommended for Ages 5 & Under)
Thursday, January 8, 15, 22, 29, 10:30-11am, Kingsley Room, No Registration Required

Join Jen for a morning filled with music and stories! Children will sing, dance, and enjoy a thematic craft. Find out more on our website here.

Makerspace Morning (Ages 5-11)
Saturday, January 10, 10-11:30am, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join us to explore, think, and create in our mobile makerspace! Choose from a wide range of materials to create something new and unique, or complete a craft project using provided instructions. Find out more and register on our website here.

LEGO Club (Grades K-5)
Tuesday, January 13, 4:30-5:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join us for an afternoon of LEGO fun! We’ll provide the LEGO bricks, and you bring the creativity! You can free build, or work off of instructions. Find out more and register on our website here

Family Trivia Night (All Ages)
Friday, January 23, 6:30-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join us for another Family Trivia night! Work together as a family team to answer our trivia questions! We'll have a variety of topics, including kid-centric knowledge, general information, and questions aimed at parents, too. The family who answers the most questions correctly will win a $100 gift card to Riverview Cinemas! Find out more and register on our website here.

Special Events for Teens

Teen Crochet Club (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, January 6 & 20, 6:30-7:30pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join us for our crochet (and knitting) club, open to both new and experienced crafters alike. If you’re already working on a project, bring it with you. If you’re new to knitting and crocheting, get started with us! We will have basic knitting and crocheting supplies available. Attend one or both meetings. Find out more and register on our website here.

Food Explorers: Chocolate Stuffed Pupusas (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, January 13, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join us to make another tasty recipe with Food Explorers! We’ll be making pupusas (corn flour pockets similar to a bun or pancake) that we’ll fill with a delicious chocolate filling, all from scratch! This recipe is nut free but may contain eggs, dairy, and gluten. Find out more and register on our website here.

Midterms After Hours (Grades 9-12)
Wednesday, January 14, 5:30-9pm, Whole Library, Registration Optional

We’re opening up the whole library (minus the Brown Room) after hours just for high school students studying for midterms! In addition to all the usual library space and tables on both floors, we’ll also have extra white boards, snacks, candy, pizza, and cute animals to de-stress with (including bunnies, chinchillas, snakes, lizards, and more!). This coincides with Pomperaug High School’s midterms, but 9–12th graders from other schools are also welcome to attend. Registration is optional, but will help us plan how much pizza and snacks to get. Find out more and register on our website here.

Cute Animals Hangout (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, January 22, 6-7pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Come hang out with a variety of cute animals, both furry and scaly! Meet, interact with, feed snacks to, and pet a variety of animal friends including bunnies, ferrets, sugar gliders, snakes, a bearded dragon, and more. Find out more and register on our website here.

Family Trivia Night (All Ages)
Friday, January 23, 6:30-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

The Friends of the Southbury Public Library

The Friends of the Southbury Public Library sponsor almost all of our fun virtual and in-person programs found on the calendar page of our website, our Mini Monthly Reading Challenges, and most of our Summer Reading Program Prizes! Find out more about the Friends here!

Winter Lobby Book Sale
Now Through the End of January, Open During Library Hours, Lobby

The Friends of the Southbury Public Library's Winter Lobby Book Sale continues through to the end of January! Located in the lobby of the Southbury Public Library, this sale features a wide selection of books for all ages, including Children’s, Cooking, Boutique, History, Biography, Fiction, Nonfiction, Special Interest and so much more. The sale is being refreshed daily as space allows, so new items are being added all the time. Open during library hours, there's something for everyone at the Winter Lobby Book Sale!

Friends Donation Center
Located in the Southbury Plaza between Catalyst Gym and The Paper Store
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-11:30am; Wednesdays from 5-7pm. CLOSED December 16 to January 5.

Because we do not have the same basement storage access, please continue to bring any book donations to the Friends Donation Center in the Southbury Plaza rather than the library. The Friends Donation Center is located between the Catalyst Gym and the Paper Store and is generously donated by Gatto Development Corporation. Upon reopening on January 6, the Donation Center is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30am to 11:30am and Wednesdays from 5-7pm. The Donation Center will be closed December 16 to January 5; please do not leave donations outside the Donation Center.

Items accepted include gently-used hardcover, softcover, and paperback books in all genres, both fiction and nonfiction, for adults, teens, and children. The Friends also accept DVDs, music CDs, vinyl records, audiobooks on CD, jigsaw puzzles, and games. Donation receipts for tax purposes are available. These donations will be used in future book sales to raise funds for library programs and other services to benefit the community.

For more information about the Friends of the Southbury Public Library, click here.

Study Pod

Do you need a quiet spot to study, work, or take a Zoom Meeting? Check out our new Study Pod on the first floor! Near the adult computers, it is available during our open hours on a first come, first served basis for 30 or 60 minute sessions; sign up for a session at the Reference Desk. Sessions can only reserved the day of use and cannot be booked in advance.

Study Pod Features:

Well Lit: motion-activated LED lights provide a well-lit environment for video conferencing and focused work
Active Ventilation: four high performance fans work together to refresh the air inside the booth more than once per minute, ensuring an ideal temperature and pleasant working environment
Sound Reduction: two-inch thick acoustic panels insulate you from sound outside, and others from your conversations or music
Desk Surface: 34 inches wide, the desk includes a coat hook, shelf, and phone/tablet groove
Power: two outlets and two USB ports (one USB-C and one USB-A)

In response to community needs realized during our Strategic Planning process, we have added the Pillar Booth to our services to help fill the need for a quiet, private place to take or make phone calls, Zoom calls, and more.

December 3 - January 28: Judith Secco Exhibit

This December and January brings Judith Secco to the Gloria Cachion Gallery. Judith is a native of Connecticut’s northwest corner and an avid self-taught photographer. Her combined love of photography and nature began at a young age, developing photos with her father in an in-home basement darkroom focusing mainly on black and white images. This later evolved into an interest in digital photography. She has experimented with and developed her own technique in photo editing using layers, textures and composites of more than one photo. Through post-processing, her images take on a unique quality, as she enhances the beauty of her subject with an artistic eye, bringing nature to life. Judith’s husband, James, makes the frames for each piece which adds a beautiful finishing touch.

Shooting a variety of subjects, Judith’s work finds its balance between photography and fine art. She has won numerous awards for her work which has been shown throughout New England.

The full exhibit will be open during regular library hours which are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30am to 5:30pm, Tuesday and Thursday 9:30am to 9:00pm, Saturdays 9:30am to 4:00pm and Sundays 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Visit our online gallery for a sample of photos from the exhibit.

This email was sent by the Southbury Public Library, 100 Poverty Road, Southbury, CT 06488. www.southburylibrary.org

Published by on December 31, 2025
Last Modified January 02, 2026

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News Newsletter

Southbury Public Library

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