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Director's Letter
Dear Library Patrons,
A July article in the Connecticut Mirror offered the following banner headline: "Connecticut library programs grow as book-borrowing declines."
Without context this would be an ominous and anxiety causing introduction to the state of public libraries. Circulation figures have been the default measure of institutional health for decades, if not longer. Books are, to employ a bit of marketing jargon, popularly considered the "library brand." Yet, even as technology and accessible digital resources challenge the primacy of print material, libraries are more in demand than ever. In large measure, this is the result of planning, seeking new community partners to promote initiatives and acknowledging that collaboration is a dynamic and effective way in which to unite communities and instill a lifelong love of learning. Learning still involves access to print material-over 100,000 items were loaned by Otis in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016-but it also involves developing programs that resonate with community members and add value to their lives. There is no question that this is a challenging environment. Nonetheless, the challenge does not diminish the strengths that will help libraries successfully evolve and compete with other information providers. A dedicated staff, a strong empathy for and investment in the Norwich community, and a determination to position Otis as a source of innovation and creativity are assets that will help us succeed.
Robert Farwell
Executive Director
Pronunciator Language Learning
Funded by The Friends of Otis Library
Otis Library now offers Pronunciator Language Learning on our website! Pronunciator is the world's largest language-learning service. It is a fun and free way to learn any of 80 languages with self-directed lessons, live teachers, movies, music, and more. Pronunciator accommodates both casual and committed language learners, with content ranging from child-friendly to university-level. There are also special features for travelers who want to get along during their stay. Pronunciator's clean and simple interface is easy to use with minimal technical skills!
To access Pronunciator from outside the library, you will need your Otis Library card number. No card is necessary to use Pronunciator inside the library. To learn more, visit our
website.
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Otis Library is a Summer Breakfast and Lunch Program Site
The 2016 Summer Breakfast and Lunch Program, provided by Norwich Public Schools Food Services, is a free service available to all children in the Norwich community between the ages of 1 and 18. The program begins June 20 and runs through August 19. Breakfast is served at Otis Library from 10am - 10:30am, and lunch is served from 1pm. - 1:30pm. All meals are served in the Children's Department. To learn more about this service, and other food service sites, visit the Norwich Public Schools website.
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Otis Library Night at Dodd Stadium!
Baseball season is here and Otis Library is proud to partner with the Connecticut Tigers again for the 2016 season! There are two ways to support Otis Library and enjoy a night at the ballpark:
Buy tickets for Otis Library Night at Dodd Stadium
Friday, August 26, at 7:05pm
CT Tigers vs. Vermont Lake Monsters
Fireworks after the game!
$8 each ($4 from each ticket goes to Otis Library)
Buy vouchers for any 2016 CT Tigers Game!
Choose your game!
$8 each ($4 from each ticket goes to Otis Library)
Tickets are available now by contacting Kate McDonald at (860) 889-2365, ext. 127 or [email protected].
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Drop-In Chess
Wednesday, 5pm - 8pm in the Business Center
Something new! Players of all ages and skill levels are invited to play chess. Use one of our chess sets or bring your own. If there is interest, drop-in chess will be available during all operating hours.
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Delicious Discussions Author Series
Delicious Discussions Author Event with Nan Rossiter
Tuesday, August
16 at 12pm
Our next Delicious Discussions Author Event featuring Nan Rossiter, author of Firefly Summer, will be held on Tuesday, August 16, from 12pm - 1:30pm. The event is part of an ongoing partnership with Bank Square Books and Michael Jordan's Steak House.
Tickets are $40 each and include lunch at Michael Jordan's Steak House at Mohegan Sun, a copy of Firefly Summer, dessert and book signing. For more information, please contact Kate McDonald at [email protected] or (860) 889-2365 x.127.
Delicious Discussions Author Event with Elisabeth Egan
Wednesday,
September 21 at 12pm
Our September Delicious Discussions event will feature Elisabeth Egan, author of A Window Opens, on Wednesday, September 21, from 12 - 1:30pm. The event is part of an ongoing partnership with Bank Square Books and Michael Jordan's Steak House.
Tickets are $40 each and include lunch at Michael Jordan's Steak House at Mohegan Sun, a copy of A Window Opens, dessert and book signing. For more information, please contact Kate McDonald at [email protected] or (860) 889-2365 x.127.
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Programs for Adults
Technology Classes
Feeling a little lost with all the new technology? Maybe even some of the old technology? We are ready to assist you with one-on-one instruction tailored to your specific needs. Topics include basic computer skills, navigating the internet, e-mail, e-readers, and Microsoft Office. Assistance will be provided by appointment only on Wednesdays, 5pm - 8pm. Please call 860-889-2365, ext. 100, for additional information or to make an appointment.
Technology Classes are offered in Spanish on Mondays between 5pm - 8pm by appointment only. Please call (860) 889-2365, ext. 100, to register.
The Rows City Knitters meet every Friday at 10am in the Meeting Room. All skill levels welcome! For more information, call (860) 889-2365, ext. 128.
African American Authors Book Discussion Series
Sponsored by The R. S. Gernon Trust.
Otis Library is hosting an African American Authors Book Discussion Series in July and August. Books to be discussed are
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin on Tuesday, July 5;
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates on Tuesday, July 19;
And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou on Tuesday, August 2; and
The Light of the World: A Memoir by Elizabeth Alexander on Tuesday, August 16. All discussions will take place at 12pm in the Meeting Room. Refreshments will be provided. Attendees will receive a free copy of the book
being discussed. Please call (860) 889-2365, ext. 128, to register.
This free series is facilitated by Nathalie Etoke, Associate Professor of French and Africana Studies at Connecticut College. She is the author of two books and several articles published in academic journals. In 2012, her book
Melancholia Africana received the Frantz Fanon Book Award from the Caribbean Association of Philosophy. In 2011, she made a documentary entitled
Afro Diasporic French Identities. The documentary examines how the legacy of slavery and colonization challenges the republican ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity.
A Step-by Step-Guide to Researching Your Family History
Monday, August 15, 6:30pm, Community Room
This program is funded by Connecticut Humanities. Connecticut Humanities, a nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, supports cultural and historic organizations that tell the state's stories, build community and enrich lives.
This presentation gives an overview of the process, resources and tools
researchers use to discover their family history. New researchers will learn how to get started, what information is available, how to find it, and how to use it. More seasoned researchers will benefit from tips on search methods and helpful websites and databases. The program will be presented by Beth Mariotti, Director of the Godfrey Memorial Library.
The presentation will cover:
- Census Records
- Birth, Death and Marriage Records
- Cemetery Records
- Obituaries
- Church Records
- Local Histories and Biographies
- Military Records
- Tools available for genealogy research, onsite and online
Free program; no registration required. Upcoming genealogy programs include
Where Did I Come From? Researching Immigration on Wednesday, September 7, at 6:30pm, and
Tips for Advanced Online Research on Monday, September 12, at 6:30pm.
Fashion in Fiction: Clothing Speaks Volumes in Jane Austen's Regency Novels
Wednesday, August 17, 6:30pm, Community Room
Sponsored by The Friends of Otis Library
"Fashion in Fiction" is a delightful show-and-tell on the clothing of Regency
England as reflected in Jane Austen's fiction. The program is presented by dynamic performance artist Kandie Carle. Ms. Carle has been presenting historical programs since 1992, from Regency to Edwardian (1800-1915), and draws on her extensive background in theater, dance and historical fashion to engage and enthrall the audience!
While dressed in authentic Regency attire, Ms. Carle gives a detailed overview of the clothing of the Regency era (early 1800s) for both gentlemen and ladies. She shares excerpts from Austen's personal letters as well as passages from some of the novels, highlighting Miss Austen's use of clothing and fashion to define character and class, enhance story line, and develop plot points.
Teens through adults will enjoy discovering just how important fashion was 200 years ago! This program is free and open to the public.
Brass Valley: The Fall of American Industry
Monday, August 29, 6:30pm, Community Room
Otis Library will host author/photographer Emery Roth II as part of the
Connecticut Authors Trail.
Mr. Roth will discuss his book
Brass Valley: The Fall of an American Industry
. In this ode to Connecticut's Naugatuck River Valley, vibrant photos and moving poetry relate the region's legendary industrial history and ponder its legacy. Free event; no registration required. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing.
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Programs for Tweens and Teens
Poetry Series
This program is funded by Connecticut Humanities. Connecticut Humanities, a nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, supports cultural and historic organizations that tell the state's stories, build community and enrich lives.
Otis Library will host a "Poetry Out Loud" series on Fridays, July
15 -
August 12,
from 12pm - 2pm. Participants age 15 and up are invited to gather in the Otis Library Community Room to work on their poetry, songs, and flash fiction, then share them with the group. All skill levels are welcome! This program will be facilitated by Charlie Chase, a published poet and President of the Norwich Arts Center. Pizza and soda will be provided each week. Free event; no registration necessary.
Tween Advisory Board (grades 5-8)
Wednesday, August 31, 6pm - 7pm
Share your ideas and participate in program planning! Meet other students your age and make new friends! Work on projects to give back to the community. Register online or by contacting the Front Desk at (860) 889-2365 beginning August 1.
Coming in September! Watch our calendar for more information.
Anime Club of Otis Library
Anime fans! The first official event of Otis Library's Anime Club for students grades 5 and up will kickoff with a anime drawing workshop with artist Debra Hamuka-Falkenham. Stay tuned for time and date!
Ecology Club of Otis Library
Starting in September, join us one Saturday a month to discuss environmental ideas and projects for the library and our community! For students grades 6 and up. In partnership with Expressiones Cultural Center of New London. Stay tuned for dates!
Teen Survey
Teens! Take a stake in your community by taking our teen survey for students in grades 9 and up. What kind of library programs and services do you want to see at Otis? From coding to crafting, tell us what you want! Stop by the Young Adult Department starting September 1 for a hard copy or online on the Teen page of our website.
Back to School: Secrets for Conquering Math (grades 6 and up)
Saturday, September 10, 12pm - 3pm, Community Room
Sponsored by Professor & Chair Michelle Dunlap and CT Department of Human Development, Connecticut College Holleran Center Margaret Sheriden Faculty Engagement Grant, and Otis Library
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Children's Programs
All programs are offered at no charge to the public. Registration is required for some programs. Please register in person at the Children's Desk; by calling (860) 889-2365, ext. 114; or you may register for our programs via our online calendar
.
Mother Goose & More (ages zero to 23 months)
Mondays, August 1, 8, 22, 10:30am (program); 11am - 12pm (playgroup)
Enjoy 30 minutes of rhymes, songs, and other activities for the very young, then stay (or not) for a one-hour open play group. Older siblings are welcome! No registration required.
Fossils and Rocks (all ages)
Tuesday, August 2, 11pm - 12pm
Calling all rock hounds! Discover the fascinating world of fossils and rocks!
Learn about their creation, where they're found, and how you can identify different types. Presented by Sue Reynolds of the Lapidary and Mineral Club of Central Connecticut. Space is limited; please
register.
2016 Summer Reading Finale: Magic Show & Fair! (all ages)
Wednesday, August 3, 5pm - 7pm
Join us for a magic show from 5pm - 6pm by Norwich's own Mr. Magic, Richard Rothstein, to celebrate the end of our summer reading program! Music and audience participation create a fun family hour! After the show, please stay from 6pm - 7pm for a fun library "Carnival Fair!" Play games and win prizes and treats at exciting activity stations! No registration required.
Bella! Therapy Dog Extraordinaire (all ages)
Monday, August 15, 11:30am - 12:30 pm
Courtesy of Ms. Pepin - thank you!
Visit and read to our very favorite therapy pug, Bella. No registration required.
Open Art Clinic Exhibit Night (all ages)
Wednesday, August 24, 5pm - 7pm
Join us to celebrate the work of our first Open Art Clinic with an evening of art, fun, music, and treats! No registration required.
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Fines Policy Statement
Otis Library introduced a modified loan policy on 7/29/2016. This simplified policy is designed to encourage patrons to return materials on time and to define the rules covering late fees. Of particular note:
- Adult signatories for children's cards are responsible for the content, condition and prompt return of the materials borrowed by children and for any fines or fees accruing to the child's account.
- The library's circulation system blocks all borrowers with accrued or accumulating fines equal to or exceeding $20 and the account will be blocked until overdue materials are returned and the fines total less than $20.
- A minimum payment of $1.00 is required;
- Use of public computers is not affected by fines but the patron may not borrow material.
A full copy of the fines policy is posted at each service desk for your convenience.
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Hours
Monday & Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Closed on Saturdays in July & August
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