Wallingford Public Library Adult Eventd October 2 - October 16, 2023
From: Wallingford Public Library
October 3, 2023
Housing for All: A Community Conversation on the Housing Crisis
Monday, Oct 2nd - 6:30-8pm
Community Room v
Join Ben Fink of the South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) for an open community discussion. Connecticut is currently experiencing a housing crisis, with rising rents and house prices, and low availability. The state as a whole has a shortage of 85,000 affordable housing units, and Wallingford is not immune to this problem. Availability of affordable housing units is essential for providing low-income and young renters quality of life, stability, and opportunity, so what can be done?
Register
What If Vikings Had Stayed in North America? An Alternate History Scenario
Tuesday, Oct 3rd - 7-8pm
Community Room
A thousand years ago, Vikings landed in Canada, set up camp for a little while, and then left forever. But what if they’d stayed a little longer? Author Hal Johnson looks at these events both from the side of history-as-it-happened (in which Vikings are a footnote in the 16,000-year history of Canada) and history-as-it didn’t. Could one small change a thousand years ago have led to mounted, armored Indigenous knights driving Pilgrims back onto the Mayflower? There’s only one way to find out!
Register
Civil War Soldiers’ Quilts
Tuesday, Oct 10th - 7-8pm
Zoom
Quilts made for use by soldiers during the Civil War are very rare—only seventeen are known (so far) to exist—and quilter Pam Weeks has studied most of them in person! She will outline the origins of the U.S. Sanitary Commission at the beginning of the War, the roles women played both on the home front and the battlefield, and share the stories of fourteen actual Civil War soldiers’ quilts.
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Hispanic Heritage Month: Salsa with Zorayda
Wednesday, Oct 11th - 6-7:30pm
SCOW 284 Washington Street
Salsa is a dance that originated in Cuba. The catchy, rhythmic sound reached the United States in the 1940s by way of Puerto Rico and New York. It is a blend of African, European, and Caribbean sounds and rhythms. Zorayda Cocchi will be offering a beginner dance course to introduce participants to the rhythmic sounds and movements of Salsa. This program is offered in partnership with SCOW in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month
Register
Taking Stock of the Russia-Ukraine War
Monday, Oct 16th - 2-3:30pm
Community Room
Russia’s large-scale war against Ukraine has lasted for one and a half years and counting, and many wonder what’s next. With millions of Ukrainians displaced and thousands killed or wounded, millions of Ukrainians continue to endure bombardments of schools, hospitals, residential buildings, and power plants. The Ukrainian people’s fierce resistance and tenacity have amazed and inspired people around the world. This talk by Dr. Olena Lennon, Ph.D., University of New Haven, will discuss the latest developments in the war between Ukraine and Russia and assess scenarios for resolution in both the short and long terms. Presented in partnership with the American Association of University Women.
Register
An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe
Monday, Oct 16th - 7-8pm
Community Room
The undisputed master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, comes to life for a special evening of mystery and horror. Learn the truth behind the fiction of the life, legacy, and death of this American legend. Enjoy your favorite stories and poems performed live by historic
re-enactor Campbell Harmon.
Register
Talking TED @ Home
Thursday, Oct 12th - 7-8pm
Zoom
Join librarian Cindy Haiken on Zoom to watch and discuss a popular TED talk. Once registered, you will receive an invitation to the Zoom meeting via email on the day of the event. In October, we will watch and discuss Alua Arthur’s “Why Thinking about Death Helps You Live a Better Life.”
As a death doula, or someone who supports dying people and their loved ones, Alua Arthur spends a lot of time thinking about the end of life. In a profound talk that examines our brief, perfectly human time on this planet, she asks us to look at our lives through the lens of our deaths in seeking to answer the question: “What must I do to be at peace with myself so that I may live presently and die gracefully?”
Register
One-on-One Career Counseling
Sign up today to schedule your virtual appointment
with our career specialist Sarah Eiseman!
Get personalized help with crafting a resume or cover letter or preparing for your big interview.
Visit to get started or contact Sarah Eiseman at seiseman@wallingfordlibrary.org. You will be contacted shortly to schedule your Zoom appointment.
Register
Library Gatherings
Spanish Conversation Group
Thursdays - 4:30-5:30pm
Improve your Spanish in a friendly and non-judgmental space! Some knowledge of Spanish recommended. Just drop-in!
French Conversation Group
Mondays - 4:30-5:30pm
Improve your French in a friendly and non-judgmental space! Some knowledge of French recommended. Just drop-in!
Knit @ WPL
First and Third Monday of Each Month
Monday, Oct 2nd & 16th
6-7:30pm
Board Room
No registration required
Knit @ WPL is a place where knitters and crocheters can practice their work in the company of others. Newcomers are welcome to join, but knitting experience is required.
WPL Play Readers
First Wednesday of Each Month
Wednesday, Oct 4th
6:30-8:30pm
Collins Room
No registration required
The Wallingford Public Library Play Readers bring and share poetry, prose, famous speeches and documents, monologues, as well as original material! Come check us out. All are welcome to read and/or listen.
Open Sew
First Tuesday of Each Month
Tuesday, Oct 3rd
5:30-8:30pm
Adults & Teens in Grades 9+
Drop-in
Collaboratory
Do you like to sew? Join people who enjoy quilting and sewing at a casual “drop in” program. Bring your unfinished projects, either hand sewing or machine. There are 4 portable sewing machines (or bring your own) and lots of sewing supplies and tools provided by the library for your use. Due to the one-on-one nature of this program, masks will be required for all participants.
Saturday Mornings with Poetry
Second and Fourth Saturday of Each Month
Saturday, Oct 14th & 28th
9:45am-12noon
Collins Room
No registration required
A meeting of people who love reading and writing poetry. SMwP provides poetic opportunities for anyone to share their poetry, discuss the literary works of poets known and unknown, and expand skills in writing and editing poems in the shared camaraderie of comfortable, supportive members.
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Friday Night Flicks
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse [PG]
Friday, Oct 6th - 6pm
Miles Morales catapults across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. When the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles must redefine what it means to be a hero.
Asteroid City [PG-13]
Friday, Oct 20th | 6pm
In an American desert town in the mid-fifties, the Junior Stargazer Convention attracts stargazers of different ages. A group of students and their parents visit the town to attend the event. What follows is an unexpected exchange of ideas and experiences that lead to eye-opening revelations.
Upcoming Book Clubs
Thursday Night Book Club: This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
Thursday, Oct 19th
6:30-8pm
Collins Room & Zoom
Contact Cindy Haiken to participate:
chaiken@wallingfordlibrary.org
On her 40th birthday, Alice Stern drinks too much and wakes up in her teenage bedroom on her 16th birthday listening to her dad make breakfast. At first, this is unsettling, but then it’s pretty cool. As she moves through her day, she tries to figure out how to get back to her life as a 40-year-old and whether there’s anything she can do in the past to improve her future and save her father’s life.
Mystery Book Club: Playmates by Robert B. Parker
Wednesday, Oct 4th
3-4:15pm
Community Room & Zoom
Contact Carole to participate at cshmurak@gmail.com and put “Wallingford Mystery Book Club” in the subject line.
In this 16th installment in the popular detective series, Spencer, the tough-guy private eye from Boston, investigates an arrogant college athlete at Taft University who is suspected of shaving points in basketball games. He soon realizes that corrupt academics and thieves with graduate degrees all have their fingers in the pot.
Classics Book Club: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Thursday, Oct 5th
6:30-8pm
Collins Room and Zoom
Contact Cindy Haiken to participate:
chaiken@wallingfordlibrary.org
An unnamed young woman impulsively marries a wealthy widower before discovering that both he and the staff at his grand estate are haunted by the memory of his late first wife, Rebecca. Du Maurier’s gothic novel, which has been adapted for stage and screen numerous times and has never been out of print, won the National Book Award in 1938.
