Hello, Friends!
We hope that you'll join us this October for an event or to borrow a book! We'll be closed on Monday, October 13 but we'll be open all the other days this month.
For events this month, we are especially excited about Mr. Matt's Musical Storytime for Ages 3-11, Upcycled Book Pumpkins for Grades 6-12, and a talk about True Crime: Murder and Mayhem at the Museum for adults.
October also brings us a Mini Reading Challenge for Grades K-5 AND adults! Read for five hours during the month of October and get a surPRIZE.
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
- Study Pod
- New Audiobook Service: Blackstone Unlimited
- Museum Passes
- Adult Events
- Children and Teen Events
- The Friends of the Southbury Public Library
- Brinker Fireplace Room Display: Agatha Christie: A Collection
- October Gloria Cachion Gallery Exhibit: Thomas Adkins
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.
New Audiobook Service: Blackstone Unlimited
With your Southbury Library Card, you can access more than 7000 audiobooks on demand—with no holds, no due dates, and no limits! Visit BlackstoneUnlimited.com or download the app (Apple or Android) and sign up for an account with your email address and library card number. Then listen away!
All 7000+ items can be borrowed on demand, with no waiting or holds. There is no limit to how many titles you can borrow or any total daily lending limit for the entire library. There are also no due dates, so you can keep a title for as long as you'd like.
Try books turned into movies or start a new series! If Blackstone Unlimited has you curious, check out our other ebook and audiobook offerings. We also have other online resources you can access for free with your library card, like Consumer Reports Online, Weiss Financial Ratings, and more.
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.
NEW: Mini Monthly Reading Challenge
October 1-31: Fall into Reading
Mini Monthly Reading Challenge: Fall Into Reading (Grades K-12 & Adults)
October 1-31, Online on Beanstack and On Paper
New this month: we have a Mini Monthly Reading Challenge for adults! Read for 5 hours during the month of October 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.
Trial of the Century: Nuremberg
Tuesday, October 14, 7-8:30pm, Online via Zoom and Streamed to the Kingsley Room, Registration Required
Join Historian Mark Albertson for an informative history program about the Trial of the Century: Nuremberg. This year marks the 80th anniversary of this significant event in international jurisprudence and Rule of Law. Register to watch over Zoom here and register to watch in the Kingsley Room here.
Photography Workshop
Thursday, October 16, 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.
Devil With a Brush: Caravaggio's Dramatic Masterpieces
Thursday, October 16, 2-3pm, Online via Zoom and Streamed to the Kingsley Room, Registration Required
Caravaggio was a revolutionary Italian painter of the Baroque era, as famous for his violent temper and criminal behavior as he was for his groundbreaking artistic techniques. Join us as we explore the life and work of Caravaggio with returning lecturer Jane Oneail. Register to watch over Zoom here and register to watch in the Kingsley Room here.
True Crime: Murder and Mayhem in the Museum
Tuesday, October 21, 2-3:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required
Forgeries, theft, murder: the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History is full of artifacts that tell stories of long-ago crime and punishment. Join us as staff from the museum uncover stories from Connecticut’s past – and shows how our modern obsession with the true crime genre isn’t so modern after all. To register, click here.
Wicked: From Page to Stage to Screen
Thursday, October 23, 2-3:30pm, Online via Zoom and Streamed to the Kingsley Room, Registration Required
How did Songwriter Stephen Schwartz and his creative team turn Gregory Maguire's novel re-telling The Wonderful Wizard of Oz into a long running Broadway musical that has earned billions? Join as we explore the cultural phenomenon that is Wicked. Register to watch over Zoom here and register to watch in the Kingsley Room here.
The Allure of Vampires
Friday, October 24, 2-3:30pm, Online via Zoom and Streamed to the Kingsley Room, Registration Required
Vampire stories have captivated people for centuries. Books, games, TV, and film have drawn audiences in with a mix of horror, sensuality, and the appeal of eternal life. But why have the tales of the undead endured? And what makes them so appealing in the modern day? This program with Dr. Bill Thierfelder explores the ongoing allure of these powerful creatures. Register to watch over Zoom here and register to watch in the Kingsley Room here.
Poet Laureate Announcement Reception
Friday, October 24, 6-8pm, Brinker Fireplace Room Room, Registration Requested
Join us for the announcement of the next Town of Southbury Poet Laureate! The term for this Poet Laureate will be November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2028. To register, click here.
Meet The Artist: Thomas Adkins
Sunday, October 26, 1-3pm, Brown Room, No Registration Required
Join us and meet Thomas Adkins, the artist displayed this month in the Gloria Cachion Art Gallery. Thomas Adkins will discuss his art work and the painting process in this drop in session. For more information, click here.
Adult Coloring Club
Monday, October 27, 2-3:30pm, Brown Room, Registration Requested
Welcome to the Adult Coloring Club! 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.
Arts and Crafts Club
Tuesday, October 28, 1pm-2pm, Brown Room, Registration Required
Join us at the Southbury Public Library for our new 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.
Demystifying Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts
Tuesday, October 28, 1pm-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required
Join us and learn more about the benefits and differences between revocable trusts and irrevocable trusts, as well as safeguarding your assets and estates. To register, click here.
Brian Gillie's The Roots of Rock and Roll
Wednesday, November 5, 2-3:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required
Join us for an afternoon of interactive retro-groove of singing, dancing, history, stand-up piano playing, original sound bites, radio commercials, impersonations and attitude. Explore the story of rock’s first fifteen years and its evolution through gospel, rhythm & blues and country and western. Meet the singers and rock groups from doo-wop, Motown, girl groups, surfin’, soul music, novelty songs and more; Little Richard to Coasters, Chuck Berry to Beatles, Elvis to Four Seasons.To register, click here
Wednesday at the Movies
Greek Mothers Never Die (2025) PG-13
Wednesday, October 8, 1-3:15pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
At 26, Ella wants to escape her controlling Greek mother and unfulfilling life. When her mother dies but returns as a ghost, Ella feels trapped until her ex Nick reappears, sparking hope for love and independence. Register here.
White Bird (2023) PG-13
Wednesday, October 15, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
Struggling to fit in at his new school after being expelled for his treatment of Auggie Pullman, Julian is visited by his grandmother and is transformed by the story of her attempts to escape Nazi-occupied France during World War II. Register here.
Wicked (2024) PG-13
Wednesday, October 22, 1-3:45pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
Elphaba, a young woman ridiculed for her green skin, and Galinda, a popular girl, become friends at Shiz University in the Land of Oz. After an encounter with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads. Register here.
The Friend (2024) R
Wednesday, October 29, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
When a solitary writer adopts and bonds with a Great Dane that belonged to a late friend, she begins to come to terms with her past and her own creative inner life. Register here.
Evening at the Movies
A Complete Unknown (2024) R
Thursday, October 9, 6-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
In 1961, an unknown 19-year-old Bob Dylan arrives in New York City with his guitar and forges relationships with musical icons on his meteoric rise, culminating in a groundbreaking performance that reverberates around the world. Register here.
Sinners (2024) PG-13
Thursday, October 23, 6-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. 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!
Nonfiction Book Club
Wednesday, October 8, 10-11am, Brown Room, Registration Requested
This month we'll be discussing The Teachers: A Year Inside America's Most Vulnerable, Important Profession by Alexandra Robbins. To register, click here.
Mystery Book Club
Monday, October 20, 3-4pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested
This month we'll be discussing Her Last Breath: A Kate Burkholder Novel by Linda Castillo. To register, click here.
Tuesday Night Fiction Book Club
Tuesday, October 28, 6:30-7:30pm, Brown Room, Registration Requested
This month we'll be discussing The Life Impossible by Matt Haig. 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: Fall Into Reading (Grades K-12 & Adults)
October 1-31, Online on Beanstack and On Paper
New this month: you can use a paper tracking bookmark instead of Beanstack AND adults can join! Read for 5 hours during the month of October; 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, October 6, 20, 27, 10:30-11am, Kingsley Room, No Registration Required
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.
Babies & Books (6-24 months)
Tuesday, October 7, 14, 21, 28, and November 18, 25, 10:30-11am, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Babies & Books is a 6-week lapsit program for children 6 to 24 months and their parents/caregivers. Listen to short stories and songs, and enjoy a small craft or sensory play. Find out more and sign up on our website here.
Mr. Matt's Musical Storytime (Ages 3-11)
Monday, October 27, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join Mr. matt for a rockin' musical storytime! This high energy program will feature engaging stories, songs, movement, and a unique craft. Find out more and register on our website here.
Read with SPG: Fall Into Language! (Ages 1-5)
Wednesday, October 29, 10-11am, Kingsley Room, Registration Appreciated
Read with Speech Pathology Group: Fall Into Language! Featuring: The Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything. Enjoy an interactive read-along led by one of our Speech Language Pathologists! Using this fun seasonal book, the SLP will demonstrate how shared reading builds vocabulary, expands language, and encourages participation - all while having fun! Find out more and register on our website here.
PJ Storytime (All Ages)
Thursday, October 30, 6-7pm, Kingsley Room, No Registration Required.
Grab your PJs and a stuffie and join Jen for a drop-in PJ Storytime! Listen to bedtime stories, songs & rhymes and complete a small craft. Find out more on our website here.
Special Events for Children
Storywalk: I am a Bird (All Ages)
Wednesday, October 1 through Saturday, November 1, Along Sidewalk Near Old Field Road.
A StoryWalk is a movement and literacy boosting project that places an illustrated children’s book, taken apart and displayed page by page, along a walking route. Take a stroll along our fall selection, I Am a Bird, by Dana Walrath! You can find the StoryWalk outside on our grounds, along the sidewalk near Old Field Road. Enjoy an accompanying activity inside the library after you finish the Storywalk (during library's open hours). Find out more on our website here.
Take & Make Craft (All Ages)
Saturday, October 4, 11, 18, 25, 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.
Tunes & Tales (Recommended for Ages 5 & Under)
Thursday, October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 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.
Halloween Pumpkin Craft with the Southbury Garden Club (Ages 7-12)
Saturday, October 18, 11:30am-1pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited.
Join the Southbury Garden Club to create fun Halloween Pumpkin decorative crafts. Find out more and register on our website here.
LEGO Club (Grades K-5)
Tuesday, October 21, 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, October 24, 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.
Make Your Own Mask (Grades K-5)
Wednesday, October 29, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join us to make a spooky, funny, or cute mask for Halloween (or any day you need to be in disguise!). Find out more and register on our website here.
Pick Up a Halloween Goodie Bag! (All Ages)
Friday, October 31, Second Floor, While Supplies Last
Stop by the Youth Services circulation desk to pick up a fun Halloween goodie bag! We would love to see your costumes, but they are not required. While supplies last. Find out more on our website here.
Special Events for Teens
Teen Crochet Club (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, October 7 & 21, 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. Find out more and register on our website here.
Book Pumpkins (Grades 6-12)
Wednesday, October 15, 4-5pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join us to upcycle an old book into a pumpkin! These gourd-geous crafts are surprisingly easy to make. All supplies provided. Find out more and register on our website here.
Cute Animals Hangout (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, October 16, 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, October 24, 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.
Teen Food Explorers: Scotch Pancakes (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, October 30, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited
Join Food Explorers for a delicious dessert program. We'll be making Scotch Pancakes: think teeny pancakes in a bowl topped with whipped cream and fruit. This recipe is nut free but contains dairy, eggs, and gluten. Find out more and register on our website here.
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, as well as most of our Summer Reading Program Prizes! Find out more about the Friends here!
Friends Donation Center
Located in the Southbury Plaza between Catalyst Gym and The Paper Store
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-11:30am, and Wednesdays from 5-7pm
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. The Donation Center is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30am to 11:30am and Wednesdays from 5-7pm.
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.
Brinker Fireplace Room Display: Agatha Christie: A Collection
We're featuring one of our Head Librarian Heather Aronson's most loved authors: Agatha Christie! This month's display in the Brinker Fireplace Room features Heather's personal collection of Agatha Christie books and highlights the iconic cover art of Tom Adams, William Teason, and other illustrators.
If you're inspired to check out a library copy of one of the books featured, it's no mystery where we keep them shelved: on the Mystery Shelf under Christie! Some of Agatha Christie's books are also featured on Libby and Hoopla as ebooks and audiobooks if virtual lending is more your style. If you're curious to know more about Agatha Christie, Kanopy also features several documentaries about her: Icons of our Time: Agatha Christie, The Mystery of Agatha Christie with David Suchet, Agatha Christie's England, and Inside the Mind of Agatha Christie.
October 5-28:Thomas Adkins
“Plein Air Travels” by Thomas Adkins, an exhibit of recent works by the Southbury landscape painter, opens October 5, 2025 at Southbury Public Library and runs through Tuesday, October 28, 2025. Adkins, considered one of the finest landscape artists in the Northeast, is showing plein air and studio paintings of Connecticut and New England scenes along with travels to South Carolina, Italy, and Montana.
This exhibit finds Adkins at another high point as a painter. He has won numerous awards at The Lyme Art Association, Rockport Art Association, Wayne Plein Air Festival, Hudson Valley Plein Air Festival, Adirondacks Plein Air Festival along with many others.
His artwork has been exhibited throughout the U.S. and is included in prestigious collections, including those of the New Britain Museum of American Art and Mattatuck Museum of Art, as well as many private and corporate collections, including those of Aetna Insurance, Timex, Webster Bank, and the Hilton Hotels Private Collection. .
Lyrical, evocative, and quietly rhapsodic, Adkins’ paintings capture evanescent moments in time when the atmospheric conditions and lighting bring a bit of magic to the landscape.
“The moods, mystery, and atmosphere, along with inherent design of nature, intrigue me, and I seek to unveil and express those qualities in my paintings, trying to document a specific place and time,” the artist says. “Every good landscape painting should have a sense of what the artist is feeling to a particular location. Every day and every hour there is a different reaction nature has on our senses.”
As a plein air painter, Adkins begins his paintings on location, typically with sketches and small studies that develop into larger final compositions in the studio.
Adkins is a member of many prestigious artist organizations, such as, Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society and the Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society. He is an Elected Member of The Lyme Art Association and Rockport Art Association and a board member at the Hudson Valley Art Association.
A graduate of Paier College of Art of New Haven, who also completed graduate classes at the School of Visual Arts of New York, Adkins has worked as art director and creative director for some of Connecticut’s and New York’s most prestigious advertising agencies. His designs and illustrations have been used by Black & Decker, Kraft Foods, GE, IBM, Minolta, Nestlé Waters North America, Wendy’s and other major corporations.
In addition to Gregory James Gallery, New Milford, CT Adkins’ paintings can be found at the Susan Powell Fine Arts Gallery, Madison, CT. Bayview Gallery, Brunswick, ME, Powers Gallery, Acton, MA, Bryan Memorial Gallery Stowe, VT.
To learn more about Thomas Adkins and his work, visit his website, Instagram, or Facebook page. 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 paintings from the exhibit.
This email was sent by the Southbury Public Library, 100 Poverty Road, Southbury, CT 06488. www.southburylibrary.org