Goodbye Kathy L. and Lynn J.
May 31st, 2018 marks the last day for long-time staff members Lynn J and Kathy. Lynn J joined the staff part-time as a Tech 1 in Nov. 1997 and eventually moved up to a Tech 2/Reader's Advisory. Kathy joined the staff in Feb. 2001 as a children's librarian, moved to reference in 2007 and became the Head of Reference in Feb. 2012. Kathy spearheaded a special grant for Muslim Journeys and debuted the mystery book club. Lynn J will miss guiding patrons with book selections and sharing her passion for reading. We will miss their expertise, leadership, and friendship and wish them the best in retirement.

Craft Programs For Children

On Wednesday afternoons at Mary Cheney between 2pm and 4pm and Thursday afternoons at Whiton between 2:30pm and 3:30pm children can drop in for special music-themed crafts. These crafts will include decorating pet rocks, creating musical instruments such as a drum, maracas, wind chimes, guitar and a spin drum. All supplies will be provided for free.

Special Programs For Children

Tuesdays at Whiton and Mary Cheney are going to rock! Be on the look out for our series of special Tuesday performances for children; 3:30pm at Whiton and 6:30pm at Mary Cheney. There will be magic, music, dance, and puppet shows! These are free programs to attend.

Libraries Rock! Summer Reading Program

Are you ready for this summer to rock? 2018's theme is Libraries Rock! and the Manchester Public Library has a score of awesome programs and activities lined up.

Pre-K Summer Reading Kick-Off is Friday, June 22nd at 10am with Turn It Up!, a music and movement program; K-5 Kick-Off is Saturday, June 23rd at 10:30am with Ed Pop, a magician. Teen Summer Reading, Reading Rocks! starts June 25th. The Adult program will start on Tuesday, June 25th with a performance at 6:30pm at Whiton Branch Auditorium by former State Troubadour Tom Callinan.

Registration information and reading logs will be available at both Mary Cheney and Whiton.

Adults who turn in both a registration and title form will receive a resuable plastic bag, provided by the Friends of the Library, filled with ideas for your summer reading, listening, and viewing pleasure. Teens will receive a t-shirt after logging two books. Preschool children will receive a t-shirt after logging ten book, children in kindergarten through 3rd grade will receive a t-shirt after logging five books, and children in 4th and 5th grades will receive a t-shirt after logging three books. (T-shirts available while supplies last)

Starting July 2nd, there will be a different Rock 'n Rattle Your Brain music-themed puzzle or word game available. Handouts will be available on Mondays and will also be available for printing from home on the Adult Summer Reading homepage. Turn in completed forms to Whiton by Friday or Cheney by noon on the following Monday to be eligible for that week's random drawing for a bag of gently-used books.

Enjoy music performances this summer from Tom Callinan, The Elderly Brothers, the Glastonbury Ukelele Band, Bob Hennessy, Debbie Vinick, and Bill Ludwig, Manchester's Town Troubadour.

Other scheduled programs include a music trivia night, the history of Rock 'n' Roll in Connecticut, classic movie musicals on Friday afternoons, as well as regularly scheduled book clubs, Cheney Cinema Saturday, and Silk City Board Game Group.

Book Review: Love Real Food by Kathryne Taylor

While there are thousands of cookbooks available for home cooks and foodies to drool over, it's unusual to find one that consistently has recipes that are easy to make and delicious. Kathryne Taylor of the "Cookie and Kate" food blog has packed over 100 vegetarian recipes in her first cookbook, which also includes substitutions for making each meal vegan, dairy free and gluten free. Kathryne's recipes use whole foods to create delicious breakfasts, salads, soups, snacks, entrees and desserts. Ingredients are generally easy to find and also included are tips and tricks for each recipe and cooking in general. Instructions are thorough and easy to follow and the results are almost always amazing. Some of my favorites are the easy gluten free oat waffles, fresh taco salad with creamy avocado lime dressing, roasted carrots with farro, chickpeas and herbed creme fraiche, and the peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. It doesn't hurt that Kathryne's "chief crumble catcher", her adorable dog Cookie, is pictured throughout the book enjoying her meals. This is a cookbook I feel confident using when I have company, even if it's the first time I'm making a recipe, because the results have been so consistently good!

-Valerie, Circulation Librarian

Find out more

Manchester Public Library
http://library.townofmanchester.org
 

Contact us

Mary Cheney Library

586 Main Street

860-643-2471

Whiton Branch Library

100 N Main Street

860-643-6892