Catalog
Below are some of our exciting upcoming programs.
Check out our full event calendar for a list of all our programs.
Color Your World!
Tuesdays in April at 10:30 AM
Join us for a fun 30 minutes and discover all things color! We will read books about color and make a color craft! Wear a color and join in the fun! Best for ages 2-5! Registration required. Please dress for painting.
Yale's ASL program for Shared Reading Saturday!
Saturday, April 20 @ 10:30am
Learn ASL to sign books to your children! on Saturday, April 20 at 10:30!
Registration is free but required. Funded by Yale Linguistics Dept.
Art Workshop! Painting Southeastern Connecticut Surrealism
Thursday, April 25 @ 6:00pm
Join us for this pop-up art class offered by the Mystic Museum of Art Outreach Program to complement the Celebrating Cultural Heritage through Art lecture series.
You will be led step-by-step through an acrylic painting referencing Chagall's famous colors, creatures and whimsy. Instead of Chagall's French landscapes, your canvas will render details of our own New London County.
Meredith Andrews, noted local Fiber Artist and Lead Outreach Teacher at the Mystic Museum of Art, will instruct this workshop. It is an hour long and beginner-friendly. All supplies will be provided.
Registration is required to attend this program.
Volunteer Library Clean-Up Day!
Saturday, May 4 from 9:00am - 12:00pm
Join us outside on the Library lawn for a spring cleanup day!
Please bring gardening gloves and any other supplies you might need for outdoor maintenance.
Thank you for your continued support and we hope to see you there!
AARP Driver Safety Class
Saturday, May 4 from 10:30am - 2:30pm
The AARP Smart Driver course, offered by AARP Driver Safety, is the nation’s largest driver safety course and is designed especially for drivers age 50 and older. Since 1979, AARP Driver Safety has helped more than 20 million people stay safe, educated and confident on the road. Learn research-based safety strategies to help keep you safe while on the road. Many participants may be eligible for a multi-year insurance discount after taking the course. Participants are encouraged to check with their insurance agent to see if they are eligible. There are no tests required to pass the course.
The 4 hour course is open to drivers of all ages and costs $20 for AARP members and $25 for non-AARP members. You must have your AARP number with you to receive the discounted price. Payment is by cash or check and is due at the beginning of the course, please bring exact amount for payment (change will not be available); no bills larger than $20 bills will be accepted for payment.
Be sure to bring a pen for taking notes and filling out paperwork and plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early to complete paperwork.
Tripledale Farm Petting Zoo
Saturday, May 11 from 10:00am - 12:00pm
Drop in any time between 10 am and 12 noon to visit with adorable furry friends from Tripledale Farm's Petting Zoo.
Generously funded by Pfizer Groton.
Stories and Science: Storytime for Little Learners!
Wednesdays at 10:30 AM
Storytime for Little Learners provides multisensory experiences in science, engineering, mathematics, the arts and reading! Seeing, hearing and touching are all important parts of this meaningful learning experience. Best for ages 6 months to 5 years old.
Family Storytime
Fridays @ 10:30 AM
The Mystic & Noank Library makes every effort to ensure our programs and services can be enjoyed by all members of the public. If you have any concerns about accessibility or need to request specific accommodations, please contact the program organizer for an accommodations request form. Please make arrangements at least 2 weeks in advance.
Chess Club for Kids!
Wednesdays at 4:30 PM
Welcome to Mystic Noank Library’s Chess Club! The club welcomes children grade 3 and up! We will be meeting on Wednesdays after school from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Children should know how the chess pieces move before their first visit. We teach chess strategy, chess sportsmanship, and organize games.
Sportsman-like conduct is always a goal. Members must be respectful of each other's play, and at the end of each game, win or lose, members must be cordial with one another.
Instructor:
Michael Grater, library associate and chess enthusiast, leads our Chess Club. He grew up playing chess and continues to play for fun. Chess is a great game that builds concentration, patience, planning, sportsmanship, and problem-solving skills in children, teens and adults.
Writers' Group
Mondays @ 4:00 PM
We welcome local writers for free-write sessions at 4 p.m., Mondays, in the Ames Room. The sessions are open to anyone who feels like writing.
Loosely based on the notion of stream-of-consciousness writing described by Natalie Goldberg in "Writing Down the Bones," the sessions are broken into three parts of 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and 5 minutes. A writer selects a topic from subjects previously placed in a box. For the first 5 minutes, write whatever comes to mind. Don't stop to correct, just record whatever pops into your head, even if it's something like, "I have no idea what to write..." Each person shares what they've written, free of commentary or criticism.
Then, for 10 minutes, writers write what comes to mind, perhaps an idea or a subject someone had just read aloud or something you wrote in the first 5 minutes will lead to a focus. The group shares again. Writers write for another 5 minutes and then share.
You'll be surprised at the places you'll go with the topics in these sessions. They give you an opportunity to express yourself, they're therapeutic, and they often lead to a lot to talk about after putting your pens down.
Experience Calm With Guided Meditation Sessions
Tuesdays @ 3:00 PM on Zoom
Enjoy being guided in a 30 minute body centered meditation practice to help increase your skills in focusing, rest, self-compassion and gratitude. Self-acceptance, deep relaxation, tranquility, peace and lightness are how participants feel after a session.
Pamala Lewis has been studying Eastern and Western approaches to meditation and enjoys the benefits of a dedicated daily sitting practice for more than 25 years. She co-leads the New London Community of Mindfulness, guides 2 weekly Zoom groups, and offers individual coaching sessions in Somatic Mindfulness Meditation. Pamala also offers Somatic Mindfulness Meditation along with Back Yoga outdoors through the summer months.
This class is for beginners, those who might be struggling with mindfulness meditation and those who may enjoy a friendly, relaxed and body-centered approach to practice.
True Stories Told With This and That: A Flash/Mixed Media Workshop
Monday, May 13 @ 6:00pm
Let's celebrate the booming market of mixed media/flash nonfiction (stories under 1000 words). Participants will explore how to blend textual and non-textual elements like audio, image, or video and learn about the craft of writing the lyric or poetic essay. Everyone will create a zine (mini-magazine) in the workshop as an example of mixed media work.
Author Bio
Mary Collins directs the Writing Minors at Central Connecticut State University and teaches a nonfiction workshop every summer for the Yale Summer Writing Program. Winner of the teaching award at CCSU, Collins' books, features and essays have received national awards and recognition. Prior to moving to CT in 2007, she worked as a writer and editor for National Geographic and the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. For more, visit www.marycollinswriter.com.
Registration is required to attend this program.
Improv for Introverts, Extroverts, and Everyone-in-Between
Saturday, May 18 from 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Learn principles of and practice improvisational storytelling in a supported, encouraging way. Improv teaches so much: listening, taking risks, being present, connecting with others, tapping into deeper creativity, storytelling, and more! Join this workshop to play improv games, have fun, and learn new skills to impact your personal and professional lives. The workshop is intended for adult participants 18+ and no previous improv experience is required. There will be new activities introduced since the last workshop, so this workshop won't be redundant for past participants.
Instructor: Sarah Page completed her improv training with Bay Area Theatre Sports (BATS Improv) in San Francisco. She enjoys playing improv games with people of all ages as an ongoing practice and a means of helping others to be spontaneous, connect with others, tap into their imaginations and get over fear of failure.
Roode Concert Series: Mama Train
Thursday, May 23 from 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Join us this summer for the Mystic & Noank Library's annual Roode Memorial Concert Series, a series of free outdoor concerts on the grounds of the Mystic & Noank Library! These concerts celebrate the life of Mystic & Noank Library patrons Agnes and Carl Roode. The Roodes were longtime Mystic residents who loved music and the Library. Their family continues the tradition of honoring their legacy with a wonderful lineup of talented musicians in 2024.
Please bring your own lawn chair, blankets, or other seating to your comfort level. In the event of rain, indoor attendance will be limited, and the Library will welcome the first 50 guests to arrive.
Performer Bio:
Mama Train celebrates the spirit of the Jazz Age with rich female vocals and dynamic expressive piano. Inspired by early jazz and blues artists like Billie Holiday, Annette Hanshaw, and Django Reinhardt, they perform classics from the 1920s to 1950s. Their soulful melodies and lively instrumentation combine to create a small act with a big vintage sound!
Friends Fair
Saturday, June 1 from 9:00am - 2:00pm
The Friends Annual Spring Fair is on June 1st from 9-2, rain or shine!
The fair will include a White Elephant sale and our Silent Auction will close at 2 PM on Fair Day.
The Spring Fair is the biggest fundraising event for the Friends who use the money throughout the year to help support our wonderful Library! Volunteers are needed. Please sign up to help at the circulation desk or by calling (860) 536-7721.
The following week, the Friends will be holding a Week Long Book Sale in the Ames and Activity Rooms.
Something Old, Something New: Connecticut Weddings Through the Ages
Monday, June 10 @ 6:00pm
As the wedding season begins, join us with the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History for a look back at the history of wedding ceremonies and attire. From colonial to modern times, how did Connecticans tie the knot? How did they celebrate? What did they wear? And how did some of our cherished wedding customs originate? This program uses CMCH’s extensive collection of wedding clothing, accessories, photographs and prints to examine some of our ideas about what makes a “traditional” wedding, and what those traditions reveal about how ideas about marriage have changed through the years.
Speaker Bio
Natalie Belanger is the Adult Programs Manager at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History. She holds a B.A. in history from Smith College and an M.A. in women's history from the University of Maryland. She has worked in museum education for most of her career, and teaches history courses at Manchester Community College.
Family Yoga with Lianne's Healing Creations!
Thursday, June 20 @ 11:00am
Come and enjoy yoga and mindfulness together as a community! During this class, children and families will have fun learning various yoga poses and sequences. We will use music and rhythm throughout the class to accompany the postures. Mindfulness-based teachings and breathing techniques will be introduced. At the end of class, we will focus on relaxation and self-regulation techniques while listening to live music.
This class will meet on the library lawn, weather permitting.
Best for ages 4-8! Registration required.
Learn more about Lianne's Healing Creations at http://www.lianneshealingcreations.com/
15 Minute Field Trips! Backyard Bees!
Thursday, June 20 @ 3:00pm
Learn the various roles of honeybees through role play and about the many other pollinators in garden. Make a pollinator puppet to take home. Best for ages 6 and up!
Roode Concert Series: Connor Holdridge
Thursday, June 20 from 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Join us this summer for the Mystic & Noank Library's annual Roode Memorial Concert Series, a series of free outdoor concerts on the grounds of the Mystic & Noank Library! These concerts celebrate the life of Mystic & Noank Library patrons Agnes and Carl Roode. The Roodes were longtime Mystic residents who loved music and the Library. Their family continues the tradition of honoring their legacy with a wonderful lineup of talented musicians in 2024.
This event takes place indoors, capacity is limited to 50.
Performer Bio:
Connor Holdridge is a jazz guitarist, composer and improvisor. As versatile as he is gifted, Connor easily maneuvers the various music scenes of D.C. and Baltimore, to include his involvement in gypsy jazz group Ultrafaux, jazz/Neo-soul band Attic Sessions and his work as a sideman for artists all around the area.
Science Heroes: Adventure of the Lost Treasure!
Friday, June 21 @ 4:00pm
Join us on a treasure-hunting adventure deep within the jungle! We will use the events in the story to explore several exciting science concepts:
-Air pressure
-Energy transfer
-Physical vs. chemical changes
Volunteers help conduct each experiment and the whole audience gets involved in changing variables, making predictions, and comparing results! We’ll even bring some experiments out into the crowd for all to see. This program will meet on the library lawn, weather permitting. Should the program move indoors seating will be first come, first served until capacity is met.
Experience the fusion of science and stories!
Inspiration Station for Kids! Duct Tape Milk Carton Birdfeeders!
Monday, June 24 @ 11:00am
Be INSPIRED to practice conservation! Each week will feature the idea and practice of conservation through art. Conservation as a movement focuses on protecting species from extinction, maintaining and restoring habitats, enhancing ecosystem services, and protecting biological diversity.
We will make duct tape milk carton birdfeeders. Feeding birds helps encourage biodiversity of songbirds in the backyard.
Best for ages 3-10!
Inspiration Station for Tweens and Teens! Duct Tape Milk Carton Birdfeeders!
Monday, June 24 @ 2:30pm
Be INSPIRED to practice conservation! Each week will feature the idea and practice of conservation through art. Conservation as a movement focuses on protecting species from extinction, maintaining and restoring habitats, enhancing ecosystem services, and protecting biological diversity.
We will make duct tape milk carton birdfeeders. Feeding birds helps encourage biodiversity of songbirds in the backyard.
Best for ages 11 and up!
Writers Group
Monday, June 24 @ 4:00pm
We welcome local writers for free-write sessions at 4 p.m., Mondays, in the Ames Room. The sessions are open to anyone who feels like writing.
Loosely based on the notion of stream-of-consciousness writing described by Natalie Goldberg in "Writing Down the Bones," the sessions are broken into three parts of 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and 5 minutes. A writer selects a topic from subjects previously placed in a box. For the first 5 minutes, write whatever comes to mind. Don't stop to correct, just record whatever pops into your head, even if it's something like, "I have no idea what to write..." Each person shares what they've written, free of commentary or criticism.
Then, for 10 minutes, writers write what comes to mind, perhaps an idea or a subject someone had just read aloud or something you wrote in the first 5 minutes will lead to a focus. The group shares again. Writers write for another 5 minutes and then share.
You'll be surprised at the places you'll go with the topics in these sessions. They give you an opportunity to express yourself, they're therapeutic, and they often lead to a lot to talk about after putting your pens down.
Genesis: A Poetry Group
Monday, June 24 @ 5:30pm
Genesis: the origin or coming into being of something
Calling all poets, poets-to-be, contemporaries & contemplatives, and admirers of the written word. Join us for a new poetry writing group that will meet (generally) on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 6 PM in the Library's Ames Room. Each meeting we will explore a new poem to read deeply together and parse out its images, references, poetic devices, and possible meanings to cultivate a deeper appreciation for poetry. Then we will take the opportunity to generate our own writing in response to a prompt rooted in the poem we just read. Your responses do not need to be in meter or rhyme (or even have line breaks!) and sharing what you've written is not required. You are welcome to simply come listen and enjoy the musicality of language as well.
Food Explorers! Fruit Crumbles!
Tuesday, June 25 @ 3:30 pm
Food Explorers for a deliciously fruity cooking class! You’ll be making Mini Fruit Cobblers by making a sweet fruit filling topped with a crumbly topping made of oats, brown sugar and cinnamon. Recipe is nut free but will contain dairy.
Habitats are Homes with the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center!
Wednesday, June 26 @ 11:00AM
Learn more about our local habitats and why they are so important. Meet some of the animals living in different habitats and then make seed bombs to help your own yard become an even better habitat! This program will meet on the library lawn, weather permitting.
Family Yoga with Lianne's Healing Creations!
Thursday, June 27 @ 11:00am
Come and enjoy yoga and mindfulness together as a community! During this class, children and families will have fun learning various yoga poses and sequences. We will use music and rhythm throughout the class to accompany the postures. Mindfulness-based teachings and breathing techniques will be introduced. At the end of class, we will focus on relaxation and self-regulation techniques while listening to live music.
This class will meet on the library lawn, weather permitting.
Best for ages 4-8! Registration required.
Learn more about Lianne's Healing Creations at http://www.lianneshealingcreations.com/
Cool-ology! Powerful Pollinators
Thursday, June 27 @ 3:30pm
Learn about powerful pollinators with Cool-ology! For Ages 7 and Up!
DJ Red Supreme!
Friday, June 28 @ 4:00pm
Kids will exercise, learn some dance moves, and be entertained by DJ Red Supreme.
This program will meet on the library lawn, weather permitting. Should the program move indoors seating will be first come, first served until capacity is met.
