Adult Newsletter - September 2025
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Summer Reading was a Success! Thank you!

As we wrap up another successful Summer Reading at the Weston Public Library, we would like to extend a warm thank you to everyone who made this summer special. We hope you had as much fun as we did and that you're excited to see what we come up with next summer and all year long!  
 
Library Closed - Labor Day

The Library will be closed on Monday, September 1 in observance of Labor Day.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Open Sundays

The Library will be open on Sundays starting September 14 from 12:00-4:00pm.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hispanic Heritage Month with Hoopla

From September 15 through October 15, celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with us as we honor the vibrant culture and traditions of the Hispanic community. Hoopla, one of the Library's digital material services, has put together a curated collection of Hispanic authors, Latin music, and more! Check it out here with your Weston library card.
 

Collection Reorganization and New Spaces

The Library has completed the first phase of moving our adult fiction, young adult, and special collections to build our new Adult Cozy Reading and Young Adult spaces! We hope you enjoy the new arrangement and expect more updates to these spaces in the coming months. We will be looking to enhance them with new furniture, amenities, and collections! More to come!
 

Discover the Power of Coding with Fiero Code
 
Are you ready to unlock the world of coding? Whether you’re a total beginner or looking to sharpen your skills, Fiero Code is here to help! As a free online coding resource, available with your Weston Public Library card, Fiero Code offers an interactive, self-paced way to learn how to code—no experience required.
 
It's a fun and engaging platform designed for learners of all ages, but especially great for kids and teens who want to explore programming. With step-by-step lessons, hands-on projects, and exciting challenges, Fiero Code makes learning to code accessible and rewarding.
 
Ready to begin? Click here to sign up!
 

Donations

The Library is accepting donations of the following, in good condition and for all ages: books, DVDs/Blu-rays, and music CDs. Donations may be delivered during all open hours, but large donations must be coordinated ahead of delivery. Boxes/bags of material should be easily lifted by one person. We are not accepting the following: materials in poor condition, magazines, textbooks, encyclopedia, reference sets, or VHS/audio tapes. 

SPECIAL EVENTS

Virtual Gallery and Art Tour with Riva Blumenfeld: Jack Whitten (ZOOM)
Tuesday, September 16 at 7:00pm 
 
JACK WHITTEN: THE MESSENGER
Museum of Modern Art 
 
Jack Whitten created visionary beauty from righteous anger. He was born in Bessemer, Alabama in 1939. Growing up amid the violence of the segregated South, he joined the Civil Rights movement, then made his way to New York in 1960. There, he decided to become an artist. Through his exploration of materials and tools—from new paints to Afro-combs and electrostatic printing—Whitten invented art-making techniques that were the first of their kind. Through his confrontation with racial prejudice and technological change, he made art matter in a world in turmoil. This retrospective is the first to span all six decades and every medium of Whitten’s innovative practice, and features more than 175 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper that illuminate his singular artistic journey.

Registration is required. Click here to register. Zoom information will be in the confirmation and reminder emails.
 
This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Weston Public Library.

Canta Libre: Sunday Soundscapes
Sunday, September 21 at 4:00pm
 
The Friends of the Weston Library announce the beginning of their third season of Sunday Soundscapes concerts with the chamber ensemble Canta Libre.
 
Canta Libre was founded in 2002 by flutist Sally Shorrock to foster the performance and enjoyment of musical literature specifically written for flute, harp and strings. They have been acclaimed by audiences throughout the Northeast.
 
They were featured at The American Harp Society 50th Anniversary National Conference, and have appeared at Lincoln Center, on WNYC at The Green Space, The Music Festival of the Hamptons, Barge Music, Concerts at One at Trinity Church in Manhattan, WLIW TV, National Public Radio of Long Island, and The Brooklyn Public Library. Trained at the finest conservatories, many of the members have performed and toured internationally with appearances at major festivals, including Aspen, Spoleto and Tanglewood.
 
Their critically-acclaimed CD of music by Jean Francaix, Joseph Guy Ropartz, Jean Yves Daniel-Lesur and Maurice Ravel is available on the 4Tay label.
 
Ensemble members are Sally Shorrock, flute, Bradley Bosenbeck, violin, Veronica Salas, viola, Bernard Tamosaitis, cello and Karen Lindquist, harp.
 
A donation of $20 for adults and $10 for students is suggested, but not required. Reservations are recommended as seating is limited. Click here to register!
 
This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Weston Public Library. 

Tealight Ghosts: Make It at the Library
Wednesday, September 24 at 6:30pm
 
Create a trio of ghosts from air-dry clay! All supplies are provided including the battery-powered tealights. Please note that finished ghosts will take 1-2 days to dry before becoming spooky seasonal decor. Boxes will be provided to protect your creations! 
 
Registration is required. Click here!
 
This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Weston Public Library.

VIRTUAL AUTHOR TALKS

On Writing Darkly Charming Villainous Love with Hannah Nicole Maehrer, New York Times Bestselling Author and TikTok Superstar (VIRTUAL)
Wednesday, September 3 at 7:00pm
 
Embrace your dark side (and your best evil laugh) and join us in conversation with Hannah Nicole Maehrer, creator of the New York Times bestselling Assistant to the Villain series. 
 
Evie Sage didn’t mean to become the right-hand woman to the kingdom’s most terrifying villain. One minute, she was applying for an entry-level position that promised “light paperwork and occasional beheadings,” and the next, she was knee-deep in magical mayhem, murder plots, and an entirely inappropriate crush on her brooding, sharp-jawed, walking disaster of a boss.
 
Now, with a magical prophecy unraveling, assassins showing up in the break room, and a suspicious amount of frogs wearing crowns, Evie has to figure out how to survive her job without setting the kingdom on fire―or her dignity, which is hanging by a very sarcastic thread.
 
Being evil-adjacent was never part of the five-year plan. But then again…neither was falling for The Villain.

Full of humor and heart, this magical office comedy about a sunshine assistant and her grumpy evil boss is one you won’t want to miss out on. With the third book in the series, Accomplice to the Villain, out August 5, 2025, you need to register today to learn what tricks are up this author’s sleeve!
 

Argue Less and Talk More with Communication Expert Jefferson Fisher, New York Times Bestselling Author and Social Media Sensation (VIRTUAL)
Wednesday, September 10 at 2:00pm
 
Join us (and be ready to take notes) for an afternoon virtual conversation with communication expert Jefferson Fisher, as we chat about his book, The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More. 
 
No matter who you’re talking to, The Next Conversation gives you immediately actionable strategies and phrases that will forever change how you communicate. Jefferson Fisher, trial lawyer and one of the leading voices on real-world communication, offers a tried-and-true framework that will show you how to transform your life and your relationships by improving your next conversation.
 
Whether it’s handling a heated conversation, dealing with a difficult personality, or standing your ground with confidence, his down-to-earth teachings have helped countless people navigate life’s toughest situations. Now for the first time, in his book The Next Conversation, Fisher has distilled his three-part communication system (Say it with control, Say it with confidence, Say it to connect) that can easily be applied to any situation.
 
The Next Conversation gives you practical phrases that will lead to powerful results, from breaking down defensiveness in a hard talk with a family member to finding your own assertive voice at the boardroom conference table. Your every word matters, and by controlling how you communicate every day, you will create waves of positive impact that will resonate throughout your relationships to last a lifetime.

Everything you want to say, and how you want to say it, can be found in The Next Conversation, the definitive book on making your next conversation the one that changes everything. Register now!

Our Failed Attempts to Make English Eezier to Spell with Author Gabe Henry, Simplified Spelling Historian and Author of Enough is Enuf and Eating Salad Drunk (VIRTUAL)
Wednesday, September 17 at 2:00pm
 
Have you ever wondered why the English spelling of words is sometimes… well… just weird? Come on a surprisingly hilarious journey with us and author Gabe Henry through the history of the English language, while we discuss troublemakers like Mark Twain who broke all the rules. 
 
Anyone who has the misfortune to write in English will, every now and then, struggle with its spelling. In our erratic system, choir and liar rhyme, daughter and laughter don’t, and somehow you and ewe can’t agree on a single letter. So why do we still use it? If our spelling is so inconsistent, why haven’t we tried to fix it? 
 
In the comic annals of linguistic history, legions of rebel wordsmiths have died on the hill of spelling reform, risking their reputations to simplify English spelling. This book is about them: Mark Twain, Eliza Burnz, Noah Webster, Upton Sinclair, Emma Dearborn, Theodore Roosevelt, Benjamin Franklin, and the countless other “simplified spellers” who, for a time in their lives, became fanatic about writing kof instead of cough, tung for tongue, and fyzics for physics (and tried futilely to get everyone around them to do it too).
 
In Enough is Enuf, Gabe Henry humorously traces the “simplified spelling movement” from medieval England to Revolutionary America, from the birth of standup comedy to contemporary pop music, and explores its lasting influence in words like color (without a U), plow (without -ugh), and the iconic ’90s ballad “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Finally, Henry brings us to the digital age, where the swift pace of online exchanges now pushes us all 2ward simplification. 
 
Register now for this informative and entertaining conversation to find out why Gabe Henry thinks UR not a bad speller, the English language is.
 
RECURRING EVENTS/CLUBS

New Yorker Roundtable
Tuesdays, September 9, 16, 23, 30
 
Meetings are hybrid, in-person at the Library, and online via Zoom.
 
Join the Friends of the Library New Yorker Group to discuss articles from the current issue on politics, current events, literature, and more.
 
The New Yorker is available online with your Weston Public Library card. Click HERE to access it digitally.
 
Sponsored by the Friends of the Weston Public Library.
Cookbook Club
Monday, September 8 at 12pm

The Weston Public Library Cookbook Club is an opportunity for those who love cooking to share favorite recipes and try new recipes with neighbors and friends! Make your favorite dish to share and bring the recipe! September's theme: Tailgating and Game Day Fare. 
 
Looking for favorite recipes from previous meetings? You can check out all of the recipes HERE.
 
Click here to register.  This group meets monthly in the Community Room.
 

Sip + Stitch
Thursday, September 11 at 7pm

Come spend an evening with friends and neighbors and share your projects. We can share our progress on old projects and the new ones we are starting!
 
This club is perfect for beginners and seasoned experts alike, and is not limited to stitching: any needle craft is welcome! It's always an enjoyable evening with warm company.
 
Click here to register. This group meets monthly in the Community Room.
Book Discussions
 
Thursday, September 11, 10:30am
Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck
  
Wednesday, September 17, 7:30pm (Zoom)
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston
 
Friday, September 19, 11am
Tess of the D'Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy
 
To reserve a copy of the book or for the Zoom link, please email kbennett@westonct.gov. 
 
Sponsored by the Friends of the Weston Public Library.
 
SERVICE SPOTLIGHT

Online Room Reservation System

The Library's online room reservation system allows patrons to see the availability of and reserve a Conference Room or the Community Room. To access the system, click here!
 
Please note that we no longer take reservations over the phone; use the online system or print a physical application to make a reservation. To access the printable application and policy, click here.
 
Weston Public Library's Book Match

We'd love to help you find your next favorite book or author! Fill out our online form and in a few days we'll email you a list of suggestions. This service is designed for adult borrowers of the Weston Public Library. For youth suggestions, please contact our Children and Teen Librarian. 

Local History Resources
 
Learn more about the rich history of Weston through the library's Local History Resources including digitized versions of The Chronicle Quarterly, the Weston Forum, and more! 
 
Click here for access.  
 
 

Prepare for Your Next Big Trip with Transparent Language Online
 
Learn over 110 languages from all over the world, including indigenous languages from the Americas, English as a Second Language, and Irish Gaelic!
 
Sign up through the library website.
 
 

Homebound Delivery Service
 
Weston residents who are temporarily or permanently homebound due to health or disability issues or COVID concerns are eligible for the Library's free homebound delivery service.
 
Call the library at 203-222-2665 or email westonlibrary@westonct.gov for more information. 
 

Consumer Reports Online Access

Did you know that you can access current and back issues of this popular magazine for FREE? Through the state library's ResearchIT resource, you can read, download, and print individual sections including the popular Buyer's Guides.
 
Check it out here!

LIBRARIAN PICKS
September Releases
 
What new releases are librarians most looking forward to in September? Check out the selection below from Weston's Adult Services Librarian, Anne.
 
Avoid the rush and place your holds early at www.westonpubliclibrary.org.
 

Amity by Nathan Harris  In 1866 New Orleans, formerly enslaved siblings Coleman and June are separated, only to embark on perilous, individual journeys through the Mexican desert to reunite and seize the freedom they were promised.
 
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan  In postwar Ohio, a stolen moment between Cal Jenkins and Margaret Salt reverberates through generations, as a small town's buried secrets and a wife's spiritual gift expose the longing for love and goodness.
 
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai  When Sonia and Sunny meet again by chance on an overnight train, their rekindled connection propels them through a journey shaped by family expectations, artistic disillusionment, and personal upheaval as they seek meaning, love, and belonging across continents and generations.
 
Life, & Death, & Giants by Ron Rindo  An orphan, born weighing eighteen pounds and measuring twenty-seven inches long is taken in by his devout grandparents who disapprove of all the attention and hide him away from the world.
 
Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei  From the acclaimed author of The Stardust Grail comes the epic tale of two sisters who sail across oceans to find their missing third sister—a wistful rumination on sisterhood, friendship, and ecological disaster.
 
Weston Public Library
56 Norfield Road, Weston, Connecticut 06883
203-222-2665

https://www.westonpubliclibrary.org/