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2025 - March Check it out ... |
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Portland Library Hours: Mon-Thur 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Fri 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sat 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m Phone: 860-342-6770 |
Welcome to the Portland Library Come on Over!
Come in and browse for items or use a computer or the copier. Curbside Delivery is also available; reserve items online or call us and let us know when you want to pick up the items. WiFi print from your mobile device or from home is now available! |
The book drop, open 24/7, is emptied frequently. The library is now fine free. |
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Portland Library Special Dates: |
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In this Issue
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DID YOU KNOW?!?! Do you want to learn a new skill? Earn your CEUs? Train for a new job? Browse the selection of over 600 online courses on accredited skill training for job seekers as well as amazing and fun learning opportunities for casual lifelong learners. |
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Monday, March 17, 6:00 p.m. Learn Irish Calligraphy which is also known as the Uncial style. Calligrapher, Debby Reelitz, will teach the basics, provide guidelines and lettering samples and guide you through a project. Registration is required and opens on Monday, Mar. 3 at 10:00 a.m. Space is limited. |
Monday, March 24, 6:00 p.m. If you’re considering retirement or want to make a change to your existing Medicare policy, this program will provide understanding of Medicare Basics which is essential for making informed decisions about your healthcare coverage. Registration is required. |
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Thursday, March 20, 4:00 p.m. (Snow Date: March 27) The visual arts instructors for the Portland Public Schools are pleased to present an art show showcasing the work of the Grade 8 - 12 students in celebration of Youth Art Month. Please come support the visual arts program in our schools and meet the student artists at this opening reception
hosted by the Friends of the Portland Library. The exhibit runs March 20 - April 19. |
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Saturday, March 29, 10:00 to 12:00 Bring in your gently used books, puzzles, DVDs, CDs, and games! All proceeds from FPL sales benefit the library |
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Preschool Storytime (ages 3-5)Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. March 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8, 22, 29 (no program April 15) Songs, rhymes, and stories that will help get your preschooler ready for kindergarten. |
(ages 0-2)Wednesdays at 10:15 or 11:15 a.m. March 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9, 23, 30 (no program April 16) Rhymes, songs, puppets, scarves and a story stimulate early pre-reading skills of babies and toddlers. |
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We are partnering with @NeighborhoodForest to inspire youth environmentalism and help green our community! Parents/Guardians, please sign your child up to receive a free tree this Earth Day by filling out this short form: Sign ups are open now through March 15th, trees will arrive the week of Earth Day (April 22)! We’ll contact you when your tree is ready for pick-up at the library! For Parent FAQs please see: https://www.neighborhoodforest.org/parent-faqs/ #Freetreesforkids #NeighborhoodForest #EarthDay2025 |
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Saturday, March 8 from 10-2 Protectors of Animals had a highly successful event at the Portland
Library last year so they agreed to return with some of their favorite
canines this year! Come find out if they would be a good
fit for your family. We’ll also be collecting supplies for the shelter and have information on volunteer opportunities. Don’t miss out on their local pizza raffle! No registration is needed for this event. |
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Join us for a hopping good time as we make
adorable sock bunnies together! You’ll transform simple socks into cute, cuddly bunnies with just a few supplies. No sewing skills required! This activity has steps that are appropriate for all ages, but a parent or guardian must be with children to help with supervision. Registration is required and opens on Monday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m. |
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Saturday, March 29 at 11:00 a.m. · For children age 3 to age 10 · A Middlesex Health “health care hero” will read a story featuring a health care provider of color · Youth in attendance get to play surgeon for a day through an interactive activity · Youth in attendance receive a free book that features diverse health care characters Portland Library is proud to partner with the Greater Middletown for Equity in Medical Career Opportunities Coalition (GMEMCO) to host this story time. |
Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. March 13, 20, 27 Grades K-5 March is Youth Art Month and we’re inviting elementary school students to explore a variety of art techniques with us! March13: Art Interrupted
Learn about some masterpieces that were left
unfinished and complete them yourselves. March 20: Glow in the Dark Art March 27: Van Gogh Sunflowers Registration for this program is required and opens on Monday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m. |
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Edible BirdhousesMonday, March 24 at 3:30 p.m.You are invited to come build an architectural feast for your feathered friends. We’ll use seeds, fruits, and more to come up with our own masterpieces. Space is limited. Registration is required and opens on Monday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m. |
Join QPlus every first and third Wednesday nights for tabletop gaming, snacks, games, crafts and more. Open to ages 13-18. Free snacks! All identities are welcome! |
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Wednesday, March 12th - 1:00 p.m. |
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Wicked
"Elphaba is a misunderstood young woman who has yet to discover her true power, and Glinda is a popular young woman who has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet at Shiz University and forge an unlikely friendship-before their lives take different paths following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Their extraordinary adventures will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good"--
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Knifty Knitters Saturdays 10:00a.m.-12:30p.m. The Knitters (and Crocheters) of Portland are open to new, adult members of all experience levels, beginning fiber artists welcome! Drop in at this weekly knitting circle where people share ideas, get helpful knitting tips and enjoy chatting with others who enjoy these creative hobbies. |
Saturday, Mar. 15, 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
The first hour will be quiet, communal, writing time with the final 30 minutes set aside to chat about your project with fellow writers! |
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T.A.B. Talk About Books: Tuesday, March 4th 1:00 p.m. |
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West with Giraffes : a novel
by Lynda Rutledge
Inspired by true events, this part adventure, part historical saga and part coming-of-age love story follows Woodrow Wilson Nickel as he recalls his journey in 1938 to deliver Southern California's first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo.
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1st Thursday Night Book Club: Thursday, March 6th 6:30 p.m. |
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Other Birds
by Sarah Addison Allen
Arriving on Mallow Island, right off the coast of South Carolina, to claim her late mother's apartment, Zoey meets her eccentric and secretive neighbors, including a girl on the run, a lonely chef, a legendary writer and three ghosts, each with their own stories whose endings haven't been written yet.
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Mystery Lovers Book Club: Tuesday, March 18th 1:00 p.m. |
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Death in the details
by Katie Tietjen
A World War II widow creating and selling intricate dollhouses to avoid foreclosure on her Vermont home investigates when her first customer turns up suspiciously dead, relying on help from a rookie police officer and her own skills at crafting miniatures
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Book your adventure today! |
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Museum Passes & Yard Games
Check out the latest on museums for art, nature, history and fun! We have Connect 4, Jenga, and Dice yard games available for a 3 day loan period. Go to the library website and click on Library Museum Passes or call to reserve a pass or game. Reservations are recommended. Boardgames are available to be borrowed for 3 weeks without reservation. |
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These Green Books Shamrock March has come, and with it sweeping visions of the Irish Isles, viridescent hills blooming sage as spring begins to push its way into the world at large. Bottled within these sea glass colored books you'll find a bevy of stories waiting to be experienced. Be seen reading green! |
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Trailblazing women who have shaped history through education, leadership and mentorship, these books and the women they are about will help inspire future generations to the Journey. (with a capital J) |
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Women in Historical FictionSnippets of the past, viewed through a different lens, historical fiction can explore the tantalizing possibilities of the blind spots in history. Whether you want to get lost in a world of rare books during the 1913s New York City, or watch through into the eyes of a Courtesan during the sacking of Rome in 1527. Look no further than these amazing women set in stories from any and every period of history. |
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Sometimes the 70+ thousand books around the library can be a bit daunting. Check out the Staff Picks at the Circulation Desk for a much smaller selection of books vetted by the staff to make it easier!
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Library Board of Directors Thursday March 20th, 7:00 p.m. General Questions: Library Director: Jennifer Billingsley |
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