Stamford Happenings in August

stamford
August 2, 2021

Please find Stamford and other local happenings in August from the Ferguson Library, Save the Sounds and Building One Community below:

stamford

New Technology Lending Library

 

Many thanks to First County Bank for a generous $10,000 grant to support a new technology lending library. You’ll be able to borrow equipment like a microscope and telescope, as well as crafting and cooking supplies. (Need a baking pan?) For our job seekers and entrepreneurs, we’ll offer video call kits for virtual interviews and meetings. The funds will also allow us to host programs on topics such as robotics, social media for entrepreneurs and tools for successful interviews.

Stay tuned for more information.

 

Ferguson Library Supports Stamford Pride
 

Stamford is celebrating Pride Month in August with a series of events showcasing the local LGBTQ+ community. The Ferguson Library is proud to be a Stamford Pride partner. We welcome you to attend Pride events here at the library, including a Drag Storytime on the Plaza Saturday, August 7 at 11 a.m. and a talk with film critic Michael Koresky on August 9 at 6:30 p.m. He’ll discuss his book, Films of Endearment: A Mother, a Son and the ‘80s Films That Defined Us. Visit our calendar for more information or stamfordctpride.com/events/ for details on all community-wide Pride events.

 

What Do I Read Next?
 

Just finished reading an amazing book and don't know what to read next? We can help! Our librarians are great at offering reading recommendations. Just complete a short form on our website and a librarian will send you three suggestions. You can find the form under Borrowing/Find Books & More/Recommendations.
 
Of course, you can always stop by any library location and chat with a librarian in person.
 
Friends Virtual Author Series
 

Join us for a virtual Friends Author Series event Thursday, August 5 at 2 p.m. with biographer Susan Ronald. She'll be talking about her new book, The Ambassador: Joseph P. Kennedy at the Court of St. James's 1938-1940, which examines Joseph P. Kennedy's deeply controversial tenure as Ambassador to Great Britain on the eve of World War II. Register.
 
Registration is now open for An Evening with Zakiya Harris, author of The Other Black Girl, presented in partnership with Darien Library. The program will take place on Thursday, September 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Library, DiMattia Building. Registration is required. Register.
(This event will also be offered on Zoom.)

 

The NEA Big Read Coming in October
Toni Morrison's Beloved

 

The NEA Big Read is coming in October. The Ferguson Library has received a $12,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to participate in a community-wide Big Read. We hope you’ll join us in reading or re-reading Toni Morrison’s classic novel, Beloved. 
 
We kick off a month-long series of Big Read programs October 2 with a book give-away and the first of three workshops to create a community quilt evoking the rich world of Beloved.
 
Our keynote address October 7 features Swarthmore College President Valerie Smith, the author of Toni Morrison: Writing the Moral Imagination.
 
 We’ll also be holding discussions of Beloved at all our locations. Watch our calendar for more information.

 

Digital Library: Magazines

 

Whether you’re into home decorating, nature, fashion or just about any other topic, we’ve got the magazine for you. Select from hundreds of popular magazines in English and other languages. Use Overdrive’s Libby app to download and read. Every magazine is instantly available without holds or wait lists. Just download the Libby app on your device, choose Ferguson Library and enter your library card number.
 
You’re all set to enjoy reading!

 

Book Shop on Bedford

Look for the Book Shop at Arts & Crafts on Bedford Saturday, August 7. Great deals on kids’ books, hardcover fiction and CDs, DVDs and audiobooks. Mix and match any three items for two dollars!

 

Staff Recommends:
Celebrate Stamford Pride with These
LGBTQ+ Titles

 

Naturally Tan: A Memoir
by Tan France
with Caroline Donofrio
Queer: A Graphic History
by Meg-John Barker
Coming Out Stories: Personal Experiences of Coming Out from Across the LGBTQ+ Spectrum
edited by Emma Goswell
and Sam Walker
 

 

Raising LGBTQ Allies: A Parent's Guide to Changing the Messages from the Playground
by Chris Tompkins
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
by Ocean Vuong
You Know Me Well 
by Nina LaCour and David Levithan
 
Upcoming Programs

 

 
Click here for a full list of August programs for adults.

 
Click here for a full list of August programs for children and teens.


 

 

 

Registration is Open
 
 

Community Cleanup & Open Dialogue on TCI

Sunday, August 8, 2:00 p.m.

Save the Sound, New Britain Racial Justice Coalition, and Black Lives Matter 860 (BLM860) will host a community cleanup to inspire conservation in New Britain. Following the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) Political Workshop held on July 13, the organizations will continue their dialogue on the benefits a fully implemented TCI program would bring to communities overburdened by transportation pollution.

Film screening of WALL-E & Community Dialogue on Environmental Justice

Friday, August 20, 6:00 p.m.

The Nonprofit Accountability Group (NAG) advances racial equity by directing resources to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and disabled children and families. The Artbox Lot is a plot of land renovated to accommodate community events that support children and families. Join these community champions and Save the Sound for a film screening of the popular Disney/Pixar film WALL-E, followed by an open dialogue with Hartford residents on environmental justice. Please bring chairs/blankets; light snacks provided. (Plus free back-to-school supplies for families who need them!)
 
Click the image below to flip through our August Happenings booklet. Use the arrow key to turn the page. Happy reading!