At Home With Wilton Library

Change is in the air for many this month -- at work, at school, and at home. Whatever your September looks like in 2020, we hope it brings you peace, happiness, and a little more time to get outside. Today we offer up resources for the fastest growing outdoor activity in America, birdwatching. We also pay homage to National Hispanic Heritage Month with selections from Hispanic and Latinx authors and musicians. And don't miss some intriguing virtual programs to keep you informed, entertained and inspired. Enjoy your September, At Home with Wilton Library.

Birdwatching for Everyone

The cooler fall weather in Connecticut is one of the best times for birdwatching, offering the greatest species diversity. Birdwatching is a fun and inexpensive hobby but don't just wing it -- use these great resources to learn more about ornithology in our area. Place a hold in the catalog or download eBooks in the Libby by OverDrive app or view online on our OverDrive page.

Thursday, September 17 @5-6pm via ZOOM REGISTER HERE

Join us as Wilton Library and Wilton’s Police and Fire Departments present a special online program on disaster preparedness. In the aftermath of Isaias, it’s essential to think through how to prepare for future storms. Presenters, Police Chief John Lynch and Fire Chief Geoffrey Herald, will offer experience-based advice as well as a checklist of steps to take in advance of a major storm. REGISTER HERE in order to receive the invitation link to the Zoom session.

National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated September 15 - October 15, recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. Celebrate and read nonfiction and fiction by and about Hispanic authors and characters from all over the world. Place a hold on any of these books and more in our catalog.

Wednesday, September 23 @5-6pm via ZOOM or YouTube REGISTER HERE

This is the final installment of the collaborative Wilton Library/Wilton Historical Society scholarly series, “Jazzed Up: The History of Jazz in America,” that was put on hold in April. In a virtual program, vocalist, pianist and composer Brenda Earle Stokes shares the rich history of women in jazz, focusing on the many contributions of the often-overlooked female instrumentalists and composers. The series is sponsored by Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. The media sponsor is the Wilton Bulletin. The moderator is Steve Hudspeth. REGISTER HERE in order to receive the Zoom link or YouTube live stream information.

Catch the Rhythm of Latin Music

Latin music appeals to people of all ages and backgrounds because of its rhythmic beats and catchy vibe. It doesn't matter if the lyrics are in English, Spanish or both. Catch the rhythm with these Latin music selections from Hoopla Digital. To access Hoopla on your mobile device, visit hoopladigital.com or download the free Hoopla Digital app.

Friday, September 18 @10:30am-12pm via ZOOM  REGISTER HERE

Please join us online for the next CT Poetry Society workshop using Zoom. All that's required is the willingness to share some poetry that you have written by reading it aloud to the group. REGISTER HERE in order to receive the invitation link to the Zoom session.

Tuesday, September 22 @11am-12pm via ZOOM REGISTER HERE

Please join us as Janet Krauss leads a discussion of several poems by former Poet Laureate of the United States, Billy Collins. The poems are all freely available on the website of the Poetry Foundation. Here are the titles: The Afterlife, Aimless Love, Books, Boyhood, Forgetfulness, and Introduction to Poetry. REGISTER HERE in order to receive the invitation link to the Zoom session.

Saturdays, September 26, October 3, 10 & 17 @3-4pm via ZOOM REGISTER HERE

Please join us as Mark Schenker of Yale College, who presented a series on Homer’s Odyssey earlier this year, returns to the Wilton Library with a virtual lecture series on James Joyce's Ulysses, viewed through the lens of Homer's epic. This series is made possible with the support of the Literary Series in Memory of Amy Quigley. Register online; you will automatically be registered for all four sessions. Please email mbellacosa@wiltonlibrary.org with any questions.

REGISTER HERE in order to receive the invitation link to the Zoom sessions.

Tuesday, September 15 @7-8:30pm via Zoom  REGISTER HERE

Please join us for the third program in a series of talks focused on the health of Comstock Brook in Wilton and what we can all do to improve and protect the stream’s water quality and brook trout. Bill Lucy, Soundkeeper of Long Island Sound, will talk about fishing in Comstock Brook as a Wilton youth and how that stream led to his career in water conservation. Co-sponsored by Wilton Library, Mianus Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and Norwalk River Watershed Association. REGISTER HERE with Trout Unlimited in order to receive the invitation link to the Zoom session.