Avon Free Public Library

Saturday, May 18, 2024
11 am – 12 pm
1st Floor Community Room
Health at Every Size (HAES) is a holistic approach that views health not in terms of a lack of illness, but rather an individual resource that we all have the opportunity to work toward if we so choose. The HAES framework works to distance itself from the focus on weight that is so often emphasized in our social and medical cultures and works to improve access to high quality medical care regardless of one’s size. This presentation will discuss the main principles of the HAES framework and will dispel the myths that often accompany it. The presenters will share the psychological and dietary benefits of adopting a HAES approach to health and will provide participants with practical steps in working toward this goal.
Please register. 
About Our Presenters 
Dr. Kim Daniels is a Clinical Psychologist with a private practice in Hartford, CT, where she specializes in working with individuals struggling with disordered eating patterns. She takes a HAES-aligned, Intuitive Eating approach to these concerns, helping clients to stop the diet roller coaster, make peace with food, and develop respect for their bodies, no matter their size. Ashley DeBella-Marques is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition. Ashley developed Food is Fuel, LLC in 2013, where she employs an individualized approach of nutritional science and therapeutic techniques to promote well-balanced eating and wellness. She also holds specialist certification as a certified eating disorder registered dietitian (CEDRD).

Local Event: Health at Every Size: What it is, What it’s Not, and How it Can Help You

Avon

Connecticut

Health at Every Size: What it is, What it’s...

Saturday May 18, 2024: Saturday, May 18, 2024
11 am – 12 pm
1st Floor Community Room
Health at Every Size (HAES) is a holistic approach that...

Health at Every Size: What it is, What it’s Not, and How it Can Help You

This lecture pulls together and interrelates:
<ul><li>Cats' relationship to hunting and resting through the Cycle of Predation that can lead to "drive-by" ankle biting, play aggression, early morning wake up, and food aggression as examples.</li><li>Their sense of identity in being a predator or being prey on the Confidence Scale that can lead to similar behaviors but can also result in fearful cats, victimized cats (cat on cat aggression), fear aggression and redirected aggression. </li><li>Their relationship with us as influenced by the Mother/Kitten Relationship that they learned from their mother cat and that connects them through food needs, attention and comfort seeking, and their status with their most favored and/or least favored people.</li><li>And finally the relationship between Hunger, Appetite, Metabolism and Exercise to all the above! </li></ul>
 A Q &amp; A session will follow to address your questions and concerns about your cat's behavior.
Presenter: Stephen Quandt, founder of Stephen Quandt Feline Behavior Associates, LLC and certified Feline Training and Behavior Specialist most recently with the Animal Care Centers of NYC (nycacc.org) and also of the ASPCA.org has created a feline behavior webinar for the public that explains cat behavior from the perspective of the evolutionary and adaptive forces that help shape their lives.

Local Event: (Virtual Event) Decoding the Mysteries of Cats

(Virtual Event) Decoding the Mysteries of Cats

Wednesday May 22, 2024: This lecture pulls together and interrelates:
Cats' relationship to hunting and resting through the Cycle of...

Join us for a virtual, moderated conversation with Karen Valby to celebrate the release of The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and the Reclamation of Their Groundbreaking History.
Karen Valby’s The Swans of Harlem brings to life the stories of Black dancers whose contributions to the world of ballet were silenced, marginalized, and otherwise erased. Karen introduces readers to important figures of our past, while inspiring us to courageously chase our dreams. This is the kind of history I wish learned as a child dreaming of the stage!”— Misty Copeland
The Swans of Harlem is the forgotten story of a pioneering group of five Black ballerinas, the first principals in the Dance Theatre of Harlem, who traveled the world as highly celebrated stars in their field and whose legacy was erased from history until now.
At the height of the Civil Rights movement, Lydia Abarça was a Black prima ballerina with a major international dance company—the Dance Theatre of Harlem. She was the first Black ballerina on the cover of Dance magazine, an Essence cover star, cast in The Wiz and on Broadway with Bob Fosse. She performed in some of ballet’s most iconic works with her closest friends—founding members of the company, the Swans of Harlem, Gayle McKinney, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells, and Karlya Shelton—for the Queen of England and Mick Jagger, with Josephine Baker, at the White House, and beyond.
Some forty years later, when Lydia’s granddaughter wanted to show her own ballet class evidence of her grandmother’s success, she found almost none, but for some yellowing photographs and programs in the family basement. Lydia had struggled for years to reckon with the erasure of her success, as all the Swans had. Still united as sisters in the present, they decided it was time to share their story themselves.
Captivating, rich in vivid detail and character, and steeped in the glamor and grit of professional ballet, The Swans of Harlem is a riveting account of five extraordinarily accomplished women, a celebration of their historic careers, and a window into the robust history of Black ballet, hidden for too long.

Local Event: The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood…Virtual Author Event with Kare

The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas,...

Thursday May 23, 2024: Join us for a virtual, moderated conversation with Karen Valby to celebrate the release of The Swans of Harlem: Five...

The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood…Virtual Author Event with Kare

Join us for a virtual conversation with Tabitha Stanmore to celebrate the release of her new book, Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic (May 28). It’s a spritely and deeply researched history of magical problem-solving in a distant, unsettled, and strangely familiar time.
Imagine: it’s 1600, and you’ve lost your keys. You’ve scoured your house. They’re nowhere to be found. What do you do? In medieval and early modern Europe, the first port of call might very well have been cunning folk: practitioners of “service magic.” Neither feared (like witches), nor venerated (like saints), cunning folk were essential to everyday life, a ubiquitous presence in a time when the supernatural was surprisingly mundane. For people young and old, male and female, highborn and low, practical magic was a cherished resource with which to navigate life’s many challenges, from recovering stolen linens to seizing the throne, and everything in between.
In historian Tabitha Stanmore’s charming account, we meet lovelorn widows and degenerate nobles, selfless healers and renegade monks seeking answers. We listen in on Queen Elizabeth I’s astrology readings and track treasure hunters trying to unearth buried gold without upsetting the fairies that guard it. Much like us, premodern people lived in bewildering times, buffeted by forces beyond their control. Their anxieties are instantly recognizable, and as Tabitha reveals, their faith in magic has much to teach us about how we accommodate ourselves to the irrational in our allegedly enlightened lives today.
Charming in every sense of the word, Cunning Folk is an immersive reconstruction of a bygone world, and a thought-provoking commentary on the beauty and bafflement of being human. People of the past faced life’s challenges and uncertainties just like we do, contending with forces beyond our control. They looked to cunning folk to be the brokers between humanity and the supernatural, making space for faith in the things we can’t explain.
Tabitha Stanmore, PhD, is a specialist in medieval and early modern magic. She is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Exeter, UK, the first university to offer a master’s degree in occult history. She has been interviewed on BBC Radio and TV. Her monograph, Love Spells and Lost Treasure, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. Cunning Folk is her first book for general readers.
Please register; Zoom links will be sent out before the event.

Local Event: Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic/Virtual Author Event with Tabitha Stanmore

Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical...

Saturday May 25, 2024: Join us for a virtual conversation with Tabitha Stanmore to celebrate the release of her new book, Cunning Folk: Life...

Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic/Virtual Author Event with Tabitha Stanmore

2:00 – 3:15 pm (Stop in anytime!)
In Person – Library Atrium 1st Floor
For adults
Bring your own project that you’re working on.
If you don’t have something in progress we will have adult coloring on hand.
Registration is required.

Local Event: Craft ‘n Chat

Craft ‘n Chat

Tuesday May 28, 2024: 2:00 – 3:15 pm (Stop in anytime!)
In Person – Library Atrium 1st Floor
For adults
Bring your own project that you’re...

One of our favorite artists returns to celebrate a new book! Join Amy Latta for a virtual “doodle-along”, where we’ll learn the basics for creating animals. We’re excited to host her again, as we had fun during the release of Doodle Everything!
The Ultimate Collection of Doodles from the Wild Side
Animal lovers, grab your pencils! Take your doodles to the next level with adorable, easy-to-draw wildlife from Amy Latta, bestselling author of Doodle Everything! From aardvark to zebra, Amy breaks down each animal drawing into simple shapes and effortless steps that produce the cutest creatures every time, no matter your age or skill level. Plus, blank practice spaces are provided throughout so you can doodle as you go!
As you draw along, you’ll love learning unexpected facts about your favorite animals: Did you know woodpeckers have a unique bone that protects their brains from damage when pecking? Or that nine-banded armadillos almost always give birth to identical quadruplets? With bonus tutorials on how to draw animal families and habitats, you’ll be decorating notebooks, planners, greeting cards and more with doodles like:
• A pack of wolves howling at the full moon in a forest clearing • A color-filled under-the-sea scene complete with angelfish, anemones, sharks and even a blobfish! • A pride of lions (including a lioness and cub!) ruling over the grassy savanna • Your very own furry best friend at home, from retrievers and bulldogs to calicos or hermit crabs
Let your creativity run wild on every page with this encouraging, easy, all-in-one collection!

Local Event: Doodle All the Animals! Art & Author Event with Amy Latta

Doodle All the Animals! Art & Author Event with...

Thursday May 30, 2024: One of our favorite artists returns to celebrate a new book! Join Amy Latta for a virtual “doodle-along”, where we’ll...

Doodle All the Animals! Art & Author Event with Amy Latta

Join us for an all day session, 8:30-4:30, on Mental Health First Aid Training.
Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. This training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.
What this course covers: 
• Common signs and symptoms of mental illness • Common signs and symptoms of substance use • How to interact with a person in crisis • How to connect the person with help • NEW: Expanded content on trauma, addiction and self-care
Who should take this course: Employers, Police officers, Hospital staff, First responders, Faith leaders, Community members, Caring individuals
Please register. This is a full day of programming. Please bring a bag lunch; the community room refrigerator and microwave will be available for use.
Class size is limited to 30 students. View a pdf on this course <a href="https://www.avonctlibrary.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/060921-MHFA-One-Pager_Rebrand-v2.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>
This course will be taught by Justine Ginsberg, BSN, RN Justine is the Community Health Coordinator and Program Director – RGH for Farmington Valley Health District.

Local Event: Mental Health First Aid Training

Mental Health First Aid Training

Saturday June 1, 2024: Join us for an all day session, 8:30-4:30, on Mental Health First Aid  Training.
Mental Health First Aid teaches you...

Join us for an in-person lit lecture and discussion to kick off adult summer reading!
“Not that I’m any witness”: Bearing Witness to Southern Appalachia through the Eyes of a Child.
This presentation on Barbara Kingsolver’s poignant 2022 novel, Demon Copperhead privileges the voice of the vulnerable and resilient child narrator: “a little blue prizefighter,” as he is described on the novel’s opening page. It is this voice that guides us through life in the mountains of Southern Appalachia. Like Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield—its 19th century predecessor and intertext—Demon Copperhead is a both a coming-of-age story and a social justice novel, one that bears witness to the too-often forgotten realities of the people of Appalachia.
Dr. Aimee Pozorski has authored Roth and Trauma: The Problem of History in the Later Works (Continuum, 2011), Falling After 9/11: Crisis in American Art and Literature (Bloomsbury, 2014), and AIDS-Trauma and Politics (Lexington, 2019). She has edited or co-edited volumes on the topics of Philip Roth, American Modernism, and HIV/AIDS representation. With Maren Scheurer, she co-edits the peer-reviewed journal, Philip Roth Studies and co-edited the <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/bloomsbury-handbook-to-philip-roth-9781501380242/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bloomsbury Handbook to Philip Roth</a>. She is Professor of English Department at Central Connecticut State University, and a regular presenter at the Avon Library!
Bring a friend or a member of your book club!
Sponsored by the Friends of the Avon Library.
Please register.

Local Event: Lit Lecture: Demon Copperhead/Bearing Witness to Southern Appalachia through the Eyes of a Child

Lit Lecture: Demon Copperhead/Bearing Witness...

Tuesday June 4, 2024: Join us for an in-person lit lecture and discussion to kick off adult summer reading!
“Not that I’m any witness”:...

Lit Lecture: Demon Copperhead/Bearing Witness to Southern Appalachia through the Eyes of a Child

Join the Morning Book Club to talk about Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER &amp; A GOOD MORNING AMERICA Book Club Pick!
Once in a great while, a book comes along that changes our view of the world. This magnificent novel from the Nobel laureate and author of Never Let Me Go is “an intriguing take on how artificial intelligence might play a role in our futures … a poignant meditation on love and loneliness” (The Associated Press).
Copies of the book and a reader’s guide will be available to check out ahead of time at the Reference Desk.
Past participation is not required for this once-a-month book club. Everyone is welcome to join the low-key, no long-term commitment, friendly group. Registration is required.

Local Event: Wednesday Morning Book Club: Klara and the Sun

Wednesday Morning Book Club: Klara and the Sun

Wednesday June 5, 2024: Join the Morning Book Club to talk about Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER &amp; A GOOD...

<h2>Thursday, June 6 at 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm </h2>
Join us for the annual Pride Block Party, held at the West Avon Congregational Church, 280 Country Club Rd., Avon, CT 06001
Free to attend!
Bounce House! Live Music! Book giveaways! Hotdogs! Ice Cream!
Visit booths from: National Art Honor Society, Interval House, Avon Cares, Greater Hartford Wellness, A Promise to Jordan, Hartford Q+
co-sponsored by the West Avon Congregational Church, Avon Library, Avon Senior Center, Avon Youth Services Board
Rain location: Avon Library Community Room

For info about Open Mic: <a href="https://www.avonctlibrary.info/event/sign-up-for-open-mic-time-at-the-avon-pride-block-party/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.avonctlibrary.info/event/sign-up-for-open-mic-time-at-the-avon-pride-block-party/</a>
For info about “We Are Only Ghosts” Adult Author Event with Jeffery L. Richards: <a href="https://www.avonctlibrary.info/event/we-are-only-ghosts-jeffrey-l-richards/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.avonctlibrary.info/event/we-are-only-ghosts-jeffrey-l-richards/</a>

Local Event: Pride Block Party: A Community Celebration Full of Resources

Pride Block Party: A Community Celebration Full...

Thursday June 6, 2024: Thursday, June 6 at 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Join us for the annual Pride Block Party, held at the West Avon Congregational...

Pride Block Party: A Community Celebration Full of Resources

Meet author Jeffrey L. Richards at the PRIDE Block Party!
We Are Only Ghosts: A stunning, lyrical, and emotionally powerful novel of historical fiction spanning World War II-era Europe to 1960s New York City, We Are Only Ghosts is a haunting portrait of survival, loss, love, and redemption in all its human complexity.
New York City, 1968: The customers at Café Marie don’t come just for the excellent coffee and pastries. They come for the sophisticated ambiance, and the illusion of being somewhere other than a bustling, exhausting city. Headwaiter Charles Ward helps create that illusion through impeccable service-unobtrusive, nearly invisible, yet always watchful. It’s a skill Charles honed as a young Jewish boy in war-torn Europe, when avoiding attention might mean the difference between life and death. But even then, one man saw him all too clearly-a Nazi officer who was both his savior and tormentor. At seventeen, Charles was deported to Auschwitz with his family. There he was singled out by Obersturmführer Berthold Werden, who hid him in his home. Their entanglement produced a tortured affection mixed with hatred that flares to life again, decades later, when Berthold walks into Café Marie. Drawn back into Berthold’s orbit, Charles is forced to revisit the pain and the brief, undeniable pleasures of the life he once knew. And if he acts on his growing hunger for revenge, will he lose his only tether to the past-the only other witness to who he was and everything he endured-or find peace at last?
Jeffrey L. Richards is an author and playwright. Originally from Oklahoma, he moved to New York nearly three decades ago and began writing seriously while enrolled in New York University. He now lives in New Jersey with his rescue dog, Andi, and can be found online at JeffreyLRichards.com.
Books will be for sale at this event. Please register!
The PRIDE Block Party is held at the West Avon Congregational Church, 280 County Club Rd., Avon CT 06001–directly across the street from the library.

Local Event: We Are Only Ghosts: Author Event with Jeffrey L. Richards (in-person)

We Are Only Ghosts: Author Event with Jeffrey...

Thursday June 6, 2024: Meet author Jeffrey L. Richards at the PRIDE Block Party!
We Are Only Ghosts: A stunning, lyrical, and emotionally...

We Are Only Ghosts: Author Event with Jeffrey L. Richards (in-person)

Forgiveness means freeing yourself of
the past. Often, the biggest challenges in life come from the mind's
disturbances – persistent thoughts, regrets, fears, worries, and long-held
grudges. Meditation deepens your understanding of yourself and others, awakens
your consciousness, and connects you to your personal inner peace. It
opens the door to being able to forgive, both yourself and others. 
 
Please join Arlene Samsel who has been meditating for many years and knows,
first hand, the power of meditation, how it can totally transform our lives and
bring us the peace and serenity we're all looking for. There will be a chance
to try this out. 

Presenter: Arlene Samsel
is uniquely qualified and experienced in meditation, public speaking, and
the performing arts. She has been an elementary school teacher and
has also performed publicly as a musician for many years. In addition,
Arlene was director of a camp where she taught children how to
meditate. She has been meditating for 25 years and has given many
meditation workshops and retreats which has enabled her to speak firsthand
about the crucial role of meditation in enhancing the daily lives of busy
people.

Local Event: (Virtual Event) Meditation and Forgiveness

(Virtual Event) Meditation and Forgiveness

Thursday June 6, 2024: Forgiveness means freeing yourself of
the past. Often, the biggest challenges in life come from the...

LADY NIKI: Lady Gaga Tribute Artist
Saturday, June 8, 2024, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
In Person – Community Room
All Ages

Nickie Fuller, known for her dazzling tribute to Lady Gaga, is a Singer, Dancer, and Entertainer. She is known for her ability to reinvent her image, and her versatility as a performer. For over a decade she has been singing all over the New England area with her tribute to Lady Gaga. Follow her on instagram @ladynikigaga to stay updated on where she will be next!
Sponsored by the Friends of the Avon Library.
Register!

Local Event: LADY NIKI: Lady Gaga Tribute Artist

LADY NIKI: Lady Gaga Tribute Artist

Saturday June 8, 2024: LADY NIKI: Lady Gaga Tribute Artist
Saturday, June 8, 2024, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
In Person – Community Room
All...

Do you have a pet in your life? Are you looking for ways to get involved
with pets in the community? During this interactive program you will learn about
the benefits of pet ownership and interaction, how to help pets in need and the
important components of pet safety. This program is specifically designed for
adults and senior citizens.
Presented by CT Humane Society. The Connecticut Humane Society is the
leading resource in the state for companion animal welfare, enriching the lives
of families and communities through adoption services, medical care, education,
and prevention of cruelty.

Local Event: (In-Person Event) Pet Savvy Citizens

(In-Person Event) Pet Savvy Citizens

Monday June 10, 2024: Do you have a pet in your life? Are you looking for ways to get involved
with pets in the community? During this...

Join us for an in-person author panel featuring Avon writers, who will be discussing changes in publishing over the last ten years. They’ll discuss their books, their writing experience, and what they’ve learned from their travels through traditional and self-publishing. This is part of our 10th anniversary celebration for our Local Author Festival. 
Lynn Katz is a former teacher, curriculum writer, and school principal with a soft spot in her heart for toothless, rescue dogs and public libraries. Her debut novel, The Surrogate, was published with Black Rose Writing in May 2021, and her middle-grade novel, Chester and the Magic 8 Ball, was published in February 2023 and has received a Kirkus Review (starred review.) Learn more at <a href="https://www.lynnkatzauthor.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.lynnkatzauthor.com/</a>
Juliana Spink Mills is a Brazilian sci fi and fantasy author. Their stories have appeared in several anthologies, including Fit For The Gods and the Bram Stoker Award-nominated Not All Monsters. Find them on Instagram @jspinkmills or at <a href="https://www.jspinkmills.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.jspinkmills.com</a>
Marilyn Simon Rothstein, a novelist, is the author of Crazy to Leave You, Husbands and Other Sharp Objects, Lift and Separate—and coming in late October 2024, Who Loves You Best. She’s lived in Avon with her family for over 40 years but claims she’s only 30-years-old.
Terry Walters is a highly sought-after educator, consultant, and speaker, and has been teaching plant-based cooking and wellness to audiences all over the world for over twenty years. She is a dedicated chef, coach, and advocate, sharing her knowledge and passion for making healthy change in the way we eat and live. Follow her at www.<a href="https://terrywalters.net/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://terrywalters.net&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1697730664353000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2ts1bOWTIJdCAx19-BqXXi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">terrywalters.net</a> or on Instagram at @TerryWaltersCooks
Books will be for sale at this event!
Please register.

Local Event: Local Author Festival: Avon Authors Discuss Changes in Publishing

Local Author Festival: Avon Authors Discuss...

Monday June 10, 2024: Join us for an in-person author panel featuring Avon writers, who will be discussing changes in publishing over the...

Local Author Festival: Avon Authors Discuss Changes in Publishing

Two of our reader favorites return to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our Local Author Festival.
Join us for an in-person event with Kristan Higgins &amp; Kate White, to celebrate the release of their new books!
Kristan Higgins is the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than twenty novels, which have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. Her books have received dozens of awards and accolades, including starred reviews from Entertainment Weekly, People, Kirkus, The New York Journal of Books, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and Booklist.
The happy mother of two snarky and entertaining grown children and the grandmother of the world’s cutest child, Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and complimenting strangers on their children. She lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, cuddly dog and indifferent cat.
About Look on the Bright Side, a funny, romantic, and deeply moving novel about the unexpected rewards that come from life’s detours. Lark Smith has always had a plan for her life: find a fantastic guy, create a marriage as blissful as her parents’, pop out a couple of kids and build a rewarding career as an oncologist. Things aren’t going so well. For one, the guy didn’t work out. Theoretically, she’d love to find someone else, but it hasn’t happened. Two, she’s just been transferred out of oncology for being too emotional. (Is it her fault she’s a weeper?) Three, her parents just split up. Deviating from the plan was…well, not in the plan. A potential solution comes from the foul-tempered and renowned surgeon Lorenzo Santini (aka Dr. Satan). He needs a date this summer for his sister’s wedding. His ancient Noni wants to see him settled. In exchange, he could make a few introductions and maybe get Lark back into the field of her choice. As a sucker for old people and fake relationships, Lark agrees. Teeny problem—she instantly falls for his big, warm family. Especially his estranged brother. Meanwhile, Lark’s mom has moved in with Lark’s colorful landlady, Joy, and an unlikely friendship blossoms. The three women have a long summer and a big beautiful house on the ocean to figure out what’s next…and quite possibly learn that the best things in life aren’t planned at all.
Kate White is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of eighteen novels of suspense: ten standalone psychological thrillers, including the upcoming The Last Time She Saw Him, (May 14), and also eight Bailey Weggins mysteries.
For fourteen years Kate served as the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, which under her became the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. Though she loved her magazine career, she decided to leave ten years ago to concentrate full-time on another passion: writing suspense fiction.
About The Last Time She Saw Him: In this gripping psychological thriller, a young woman is left reeling when a broken marriage engagement is followed by a shocking death, one she becomes desperate to prove was actually murder.
As Kiki Reed heads out to a party at a friend’s house in the Connecticut countryside, she’s more than a little nervous. Her ex-fiancé Jamie, a great guy who just wasn’t “the one,” will be attending, and she hasn’t seen him since she broke his heart a few months earlier. But when they come face to face, their exchange is brief and pleasant, which is a huge relief. Then, as the party is winding down, a noise pierces the night. The last few guests run outside to find Jamie inside his car, dead from a gunshot wound.
Shocked and grieving, Kiki learns that the police believe Jamie took his own life, but she knows he was moving on from the breakup and just doesn’t believe it. Determined to find the truth, she searches for any evidence that will get the police to take her seriously. But as she peels away the layers, she uncovers something far more sinister than she’d imagined—and it may be her life on the line next. . .
~~ 
Please register so we can set the community room up with appropriate spacing.
Books will be for sale at this event! Plus: audience giveaways!

Local Event: Reader Favorites: Kristan Higgins & Kate White in conversation (in-person)

Reader Favorites: Kristan Higgins & Kate White...

Tuesday June 11, 2024: Two of our reader favorites return to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our Local Author Festival.
Join us for an...

Reader Favorites: Kristan Higgins & Kate White in conversation (in-person)

Experience the beauty of The Bushnell through a virtual, interactive presentation. Trained Bushnell volunteer tour guides will show you backstage spaces, talk about the history of the venue and tell stories about their favorite shows and performers.

Local Event: Behind the Scenes at The Bushnell (In-Person Event) 

Behind the Scenes at The Bushnell (In-Person...

Thursday June 13, 2024: Experience the beauty of The Bushnell through a virtual, interactive presentation. Trained Bushnell volunteer tour...

Behind the Scenes at The Bushnell (In-Person Event) 

Dog owners are becoming increasingly interested in the genetic make-up of their furry family members. As the popularity of Canine DNA testing grows and the trend of “Breed Revel Parties” takes hold, the need for a general understanding of dog evolution and genetics grows. In order for owners to fully understand how their small mixed breed dog could possibly have German Shepherd in its DNA, owners need a basic understanding of canine genetics. This program will provide the skills needed to identify dog breeds based on their phenotypic characteristics, give background information in canine evolution, and provide a basic understanding of canine genetics.
Presented by CT Humane Society. The Connecticut Humane Society is the leading resource in the state for companion animal welfare, enriching the lives of families and communities through adoption services, medical care, education, and prevention of cruelty.

Local Event: (In Person Event) Beyond the Breed: Exploring Dog DNA

(In Person Event) Beyond the Breed: Exploring...

Monday June 17, 2024: Dog owners are becoming increasingly interested in the genetic make-up of their furry family members. As the...

(In Person Event) Beyond the Breed: Exploring Dog DNA

Monday, June 17, 2024, 6:00 – 6:45 pm
*Stay late until 7:00 pm if you’d like to share, mingle and socialize*
In Person – Library Atrium 1st Floor
For adults, teens entering Grades 11 and up are welcome!

Join Silent Book Club to celebrate one year of our club and summer!
Do you love to read, meet other book-loving people, and free snacks? We will meet in our sunny, cozy, air-conditioned atrium. Bring your own book or find something new at the library. Enjoy 45 minutes of companionable silence and reading, with (not required) mingling and chatting with other book lovers after.
To celebrate we will have a fun selection of cheese, crackers, brownies, and seltzer. We will also be doing a book prize giveaway. 

Our meetings are completely free; snacks, coloring pages, and books included! Join us anytime you can, no long-term commitment is required.
Registration is required.

Local Event: Silent Book Club: CELEBRATION!

Silent Book Club: CELEBRATION!

Monday June 17, 2024: Monday, June 17, 2024, 6:00 – 6:45 pm
*Stay late until 7:00 pm if you’d like to share, mingle and socialize*
In...

Join us for an open house event to celebrate our local writing talent! This open house features:
Joanne Leedman-Ackerman, Deborah Goodrich Royce, Patricia Walsh Chadwick, Vanessa Kelman, Dawn Hoffman, Gail Ward Olmsted, Nancy Tandon, Peter Marzano! 
The event begins at 6:30 pm; mix and mingle with the authors. At 7:00 pm, formal remarks begin: each author will share a story or anecdote about their book. At the end, there will be more time to mix and mingle with the authors. This event is part of our “10 Events to Celebrate 10 Years of Local Authors” Books will be for sale at this event.
Please register so we can set up the community room with appropriate spacing.

Local Event: Local Author Open House (in-person)

Local Author Open House (in-person)

Monday June 17, 2024: Join us for an open house event to celebrate our local writing talent! This open house features:
Joanne...

Avon Library Reference Department

Hartford County

Michael Lemanski

Hartford Metropolitan Area

Farmington

West Hartford

Canton

Simsbury

Greater Hartford

Newington

Tim Jensen

Windsor

Wethersfield

Granby-East Granby

Southington

Walker's Spring Preview

Kingswood Oxford Presents Seussical Jr

T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Fresh Perks Every Week

Event on Wednesday May 22, 2024 at 7:00pm

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