Storytimes near Hall Memorial Library

Upstairs Meeting Room

Geared toward ages 9-14 | An adult MUST remain in the building for the entire program for children under 12. Are you comfortable on stage or do you get weak-kneed just thinking about it? Either way, this program is for you! Through theater games and creative challenges, you will practice confidence, collaboration, and self-expression in a supportive, playful environment. Join us for this two-hour experience and learn to transform anxiety into creative power! Registration is required.

McKnight Community Room

Mr. David Vasquenza is the founder of WINS For Life. His company provides a variety of educational services. He has led a multifaceted career in education, human services, coaching, and motivational public speaking. He is committed to assisting others via intellectual, physical, social, emotional, and moral development, while providing individual empowerment, team building, and group leadership training. With his positive energy, inspiring messages, and invaluable teachings, David is a natural public speaker. His presentations feature an array of enriching themes, profound lessons, and wisdom. Reflecting Upon Life is another avenue to empower others, delivered via meaningful poetry, refreshing short stories, humor, and stirring reflections. Mr. Vasquenza is a member of the Connecticut Poetry Society. Please register in advance.

Children's Program Room

Join us for stories, songs, movement & bubbles followed by free play. We'll practice taking turns and even have some parachute time! Toddlers, ages 12-24 months will get to socialize with others their age. When you register for this three week program, please register your child only! .

Upstairs Meeting Room

McKnight Community Room

Come and join our group for some knitting/needlework, chatting, and laughing time! All levels welcome. Instruction offered, from beginners to socks!

Children's Program Room

For Babies under 1 and their caregiver Join us for stories, songs, bounces and bubbles followed by free play. Babies will enjoy the variety of music, rhyming stories, and different toys set out each week for them to explore. When you register for this three week program, please register your baby only, thank you!

Wiggle, giggle, and imagine with Miss Trish during our fun-filled story time. Children and their grownups are invited to enjoy stories, songs, movement, and a craft or activity. We'll even touch on phonics concepts. Stories are specifically chosen for little ones through age 7, but families are welcome to join the fun! This program runs May - August 19. Please note: the library will be opening at noon on Wednesday, June 3 for staff development. There is no session on June 3 or July 1. Registration is not required.

Children's Program Room

McKnight Community Room

Upstairs Meeting Room

We now think of George Washington as America’s foremost patriot, but he came to accept war and independence only slowly. Far from embracing his selection as commander-in-chief, he feared it would lead to his ruin — and possible death. Join author and historian Dr. Edward Lengel as he explores how Washington’s hope for America’s future led him to take on leadership in the struggle for independence. This is a hybrid program--you may join us in the Library or watch virtually from home via Zoom. Register for your choice. IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ! Note that registration for Zoom at home will be a 2-part process, first on the library calendar and then on the Road Scholar page. After registering on the Library Calendar you will receive an email with a link to take you to the Road Scholar site registration page. This is not the link to the program. Hit the "Start Enrolling" button to register with Road Scholar; you will need to make a free sign-in account. Be sure to complete both parts to receive an email with the Zoom link to the program. Know that you must be completely enrolled by the day prior to the event. If you need help call Sue at 860-870-3160.

McKnight Community Room

On Vacation!! See you in August for "Colour Scheme" by Ngaio Marsh

Upstairs Meeting Room

Join fellow veterans for coffee, conversation and interesting speakers. Open to all veterans, not just Ellington.

Upstairs Meeting Room

Unearth your love for science in this fun and interactive S.T.E.M. show geared toward grades K-5. With help from audience volunteers, we’ll conduct exciting experiments about the changing states of matter, pressure, and more — while raising a shovel to scientists who work with dirt! If you didn’t already love science, you’ll really ‘dig it’ after seeing Science Heroes in action! Registration opens June 5 and is required. Adults are welcome to enjoy the show as well. Please register everyone who will attend (except infants). If you are unable to attend, please cancel at least 24 hours in advance to free up your seat! Adults MUST remain in the building at all times for children under 12.

Upstairs Meeting Room

Take advantage of the seasonal bounty of strawberries with a Spinach Strawberry Salad with Poppyseed Dressing, Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream, Easy Strawberry Icebox Cake, and Strawberry Lemonade.

Other Spaces

Join us for an evening of great music in the fresh summer air!* As part of our Summer Concert Series, we invite you to bring a lawn chair or blanket, relax on the lawn, and enjoy live music from the Nashville Katz! The Nashville Katz is a country and Americana band based in Southwick, MA. Specializing in "wholesome entertainment," the Nashville Katz are active in the local New England music scene. *concert held outdoors; moves indoors in case of rain.

AGES 5-12 Read a story or the chapter of a favorite book to a real live dog! Will you meet Walker, Ginny, Belly, Travis, Amelia, Oreo or another wonderful furry friend? Bring a familiar book from home to read or borrow one from our collection. These wonderful and certified therapy dogs would love to visit with you! We encourage adults to let our young friends visit with the dogs on their own. This maximizes the benefits build their reading confidence and fluency. Please be sure to register so we know how many dogs to request. The calm and friendly dogs just love to be read to and are certified with Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs, New England Human Animal Bond Foundation, or Faithful Friends Therapy Dogs.

Children's Program Room

Join us for stories, songs, movement & bubbles followed by free play. We'll practice taking turns and even have some parachute time! Toddlers, ages 12-24 months will get to socialize with others their age. When you register for this three week program, please register your child only! .

Children's Program Room

Kids ages 4-8 - join us for this vibrant, hands-on crafting experience designed for young artists. Poke, poke, and poke again to create your very own fabric-enhanced dino pal. You'll use precut foam designs and push pieces of fabric into holes to make your own one-of-a-kind dinosaur. Give your dino a bright pink streak, a spotted pattern, or whatever design you imagine! No glue, no cutting, no sewing—just pure push art fun. Registration is required and please be mindful that is is for ages 4-8 only. An adult must remain IN THE CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT for the entire program.

Other Spaces

Join us as we meander along about a mile of trail with some elevation change. From moss and lichen, to buds, small flowers, little insects and beech trees, on this easy walk we will frequently pause to explore what we would otherwise overlook. Be ready to be awed by the little wonders and bring your curiosity. Magnifying glasses will be provided. Please wear sturdy shoes (no flip flops), appropriate hiking clothes, bring water, and use insect spray (ticks). Preregistration needed. Only 15 spaces are available, so don't hesitate to sign up for this very interesting hike. Julia is the Education Assistant at CFPA. Besides hiking, reading, and dancing, she enjoys exploring ecosystems and finds joy in sharing the small wonders of the natural world with others. Location: Ellington Highland Trail at Stein Road Rain date - July 22nd

McKnight Community Room

Come and join our group for some knitting/needlework, chatting, and laughing time! All levels welcome. Instruction offered, from beginners to socks!

Children's Program Room

For Babies under 1 and their caregiver Join us for stories, songs, bounces and bubbles followed by free play. Babies will enjoy the variety of music, rhyming stories, and different toys set out each week for them to explore. When you register for this three week program, please register your baby only, thank you!

Upstairs Meeting Room

Have projects that you need to finish? Need to mend or sew something? Need help or advice? Join the Community Open Sew days! Drop in anytime. Bring your items/projects and thread. Sewing machines and wisdom available.

Children's Program Room

Spark your inner geologist! Come learn about rocks, minerals and more from a real Geologist! Dr. Jon Gourley is a professor at Trinity College who has been on archaeological digs and visited geological sites around the country and the world. You’ll even get hands-on with fossils and minerals. Registration is required. Open to ages 7-12. An adult MUST remain in the building for the entire program for children under age 12.

McKnight Community Room

Study Room

Wiggle, giggle, and imagine with Miss Trish during our fun-filled story time. Children and their grownups are invited to enjoy stories, songs, movement, and a craft or activity. We'll even touch on phonics concepts. Stories are specifically chosen for little ones through age 7, but families are welcome to join the fun! This program runs May - August 19. Please note: the library will be opening at noon on Wednesday, June 3 for staff development. There is no session on June 3 or July 1. Registration is not required.

Upstairs Meeting Room

McKnight Community Room

McKnight Community Room

The Derek Piotr Fieldwork Archive (fieldwork-archive.com) was established by Derek Piotr in August 2022. The Archive contains over 1,500 audio recordings made from March 2020 onward, and preserves diverse representations of folklife; ballads, hymns, tales, poems, children’s songs, and interviews among them. The focus of this collection is on the "non-singer": someone with no background in musical performance who can nevertheless relate a song or folkloric memory. In this lecture, Derek will walk you through the process of journeying everywhere from Iceland to Appalachia to record these songs from non-musicians, as well as the organization and development of the Archive as a web-based repository. Derek Piotr is a folklorist, researcher, and performer whose work focuses primarily on the human voice. His work covers practices including fieldwork, vocal performance, preservation, and autoethnography, and is primarily concerned with tenderness, fragility, beauty, and brutality. He has collaborated with artists including Scott Solter, Nathan Salsburg, and Thomas Brinkmann across various disciplines.

Children's Program Room