What’s happening…

BML is pleased to announce our re-opening date!  The building will officially open to the public on Monday September 13th at 12pm.  Current hours will remain for September, but we anticipate the return to full Pre-Covid hours in October. The BML staff is looking forward to seeing all our patrons in person. 

Don’t forget to enter our raffles.  We have a $50 gift certificate to Town & Country Nurseries and another in the Children’s Department for a $50 gift certificate to Dairy Barn. Click for library safety requirements.

Touchless Pickup

For the time being the library will continue to offer touchless pickup. Please email BML (library@brainerdlibrary.org) or call 860-345-2204 to make requests. We will arrange pick-up, so please provide the best contact, and include your library card #. Masks and social distancing required onsite.

Saturday, October 2nd 10-3

Brainerd Library announces our Fall Festival & Book Sale!  It will be outside under tents.

Enjoy cider, some baked treats, browse books & media, or create something colorful to take home.  We invited our gardeners and the UConn Extension Center to provide plants, flowers, and information to support your end of season planting.

Stop by to help us welcome the fall season!

Hiking Through History Oct 4th 10am

Learn about the arduous journey, the settling of Connecticut and much more while hiking in a beautiful, wooded setting. This will be a 3-mile hike over various terrain that is well marked but has some roots rocks, hills and brushy areas. The hike will be led by Patrick Smith Curator of the Museum of Connecticut History in Hartford. This program is free and suitable for ages 8 and up. Event will be held rain or shine unless weather conditions are hazardous. Please email patrick.j.smith@ct.gov or Robert.kinney@ct.gov to reserve a spot as space is limited.

Teen Yarn Bracelet Kits!

A new craft for teens and tweens is now available! Learn the basics of crochet by making a beaded yarn bracelet. Stop by the Teen Room to pick out your materials, then take this craft home with you to enjoy.

Welcome Back: Lorraine Riess, Poet Laureate, Haddam                                                          

The books have been waiting.

But it’s dangerous in there. Beware.

If we dare return, we take a chance

of becoming a different person

than who we were before.  More–>

Nintendo Switch games are now available for checkout!

Here’s what we have – with more games to come! Please call 860-345-2204 or email us at library@brainerdlibrary.org to start a new adventure today!

BML is pleased to announce:   We have 2 new passes to the Hill-Stead Museum!

The passes may be checked out and provide 50% off general admission for 2 adults & 2 children.

Link to Hill-Stead Museum Website

Hill-Stead was the first architectural project of founder Theodate Pope Riddle (1867–1946), one of the first licensed female architects in the U.S.  The Colonial Revival mansion is one of the few remaining representations of early-20th-century country estates with 152 acres of gardens and grounds. Hill-Stead gives a personal view of renowned masterpieces, textiles, and decorative arts. The museum’s collection of paintings includes: Monet, Degas, Whistler, Manet and Cassatt.

The Dogs of Chernobyl: Webinar by Stephen Quandt

September 21st at 6pm

Feline Behaviorist, Stephen Quandt, has worked in animal welfare since 2002. This webinar is based on his experiences in the Exclusion Zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. With many photos and videos, he will tell the story of the inhabitants of the abandoned towns of Chernobyl City and Pripyat and the dogs (& some cats!). 35 years after the nuclear accident he went to Chernobyl to participate in a spay/neuter and research campaign for the dogs that were descended from the pets left behind after the 1986 nuclear plant disaster. He will discuss radiation and the impact of the environment.  You will also meet inhabitants of the town of Slavutych, built the year following the accident to house the inhabitants of Pripyat. It is a story of resilience, hope, life and heroism.  Click for Reading list.

Want to know what’s new in our YA collection?

Sign up for this newsletter to learn about the new books we get each month! Each newsletter will include pictures and a brief synopsis of each new book.

Teens and adults looking to sign up can email kmoore@brainerdlibrary.org to get on the mailing list.

Meandering in the Meadows: Saturday, September 25 9:30am

Do you like to talk about books? Walk and hike? BML announces a new book club! Meandering in the Meadows. We meet at 9:30am on the 4th Saturday of each month at the silo at Haddam Meadows State Park. Join us to walk the loop and enjoy the outdoors, with stops along the way to discuss the month’s book selection. It is not necessary to have read the book. Copies available at the library. Call 860-345-2204 or email library@brainerdlibrary.org to reserve a book. You can email Laurie at lgardner@brainerdlibrary.org for more information.  Register Here!

The threat of inclement weather will postpone. Announcements will be made via our Facebook, Instagram, library web page, and email to participants.

September: The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate… by Peter Wohlleben
October:    Two Old Women: an Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage, and Survival. by Velma Wallis  Must Read Books for Nature Lovers

Opening Day—October 13, 1908

Brainerd Memorial Library announces the approval of a $675,000 construction grant by the Connecticut State Library. This money will fund half of the phase two renovations, which will transform and modernize the interior of our building, unchanged since the 1996 expansion.

We look forward to the Town of Haddam’s support for 1/4 of the remaining costs, with the rest of the total, $1,350,000, to be funded by the Library. This investment is in addition to the current work in progress, which is near completion, and has been fully paid by the Library.

Let’s Play!

Visit our games & puzzles page!  There are daily puzzles, online games like Tetris and Mahjong Solitaire, jigsaws [even create your own] and more fun distractions to try.

Live Ongoing SCORE Webinars

Get strategies from industry experts to help your business succeed.

For more Job Related Resources [Search Sites, Webinars, Resume help] visit our Job Search page!

Try Something New!  Click right Icon for more…

Get intelligent writing assistance from Microsoft Editor

River Runner

Spend a minute or two with River Runner, a site that allows you to “drop a raindrop” anywhere in the contiguous United States and then shows you a visualization of the downstream path to where the raindrop ends up.

How to Use Split-Screen in Google Maps

The Google Maps app now has a split-screen street view option on Android. Turning it on lets you use Street View and the map simultaneously, which makes finding and navigating to a destination—or virtually exploring the surrounding area—much easier than relying on the map or the street view alone.

Microsoft Office Training – Microsoft offers free online tutorials for MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access & more.

GFCLearnFree.org –provides quality innovative online computer learning. Whether you are new to the computer, require review or just want to gain more skills, these free tutorials can help. From Computer Basics to Microsoft Office, choose from dozens of free training topics.

How to Tether your Mobile Phone Internet to your Laptop 

If you’re traveling or do not have an Internet connection, you can connect by using your phone. Perhaps you’ve heard of a personal hotspot, but don’t know how to set it up. This article will explain how to tether an iPhone or Android phone to another device, via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB.  Note: Setting up a personal hotspot may affect your wireless data plan and you may need to speak to your mobile phone carrier.  It may be as simple as turning it on in your phone and plugging the USB cable into your laptop! Link to Android only phone tethering directions

Open Library and Internet Archive

Non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more.

Online Storytelling!

NORTHEAST STORYTELLING (NEST) is a non-profit organization focused on artistic, educational and charitable pursuits. Their vision and purpose is to nurture family, community, and storytelling throughout New England and New York. They believe sharing stories creates understanding between people.

SkyView® Lite

Brings stargazing to everyone! Simply point your iPhone, iPad, or iPod at the sky to identify stars, constellations, satellites, and more!

Links direct you to a free app on the Apple Store site.

SkyView® Lite [Google Play App for Android Devices]

Find stars and constellations! Open SkyView® Free and let it guide you and identify them. SkyView Free is a beautiful, intuitive stargazing app that uses your camera to spot and identify celestial objects in sky, day or night.

Libby by Overdrive

JobNow

“Resume lab” and live, online job coaches help job seekers: target suitable jobs, prepare and practice for job interviews.  The Adult Learning Center provides: career-enhancing skills through test preparation (including GED and the U.S. Citizenship Test) and live, online academic tutors for writing assistance, computer literacy, and software assistance.

BOOKTALK

Poetry Blog

KEEPING QUIET by Pablo Neruda Now we will count to twelve and we will all keep still. For once on Read More