Category Archives: Featured Event

Author Talk with Georgia Hunter

Rowayton Library is thrilled to welcome the New York Times-bestselling author and local resident Georgia Hunter to discuss her latest book, One Good Thing. 

Register here! 

1940, Italy. Lili and Esti have been best friends since they first met at university. When Esti’s son Theo is born, they become as close as sisters. While a war seethes across borders, life somehow goes on—until Germany invades Italy, and the friends suddenly find themselves in occupied territory. Esti, older and fiercely self-assured, convinces Lili to join the resistance efforts. But when disaster strikes, a critically wounded Esti asks Lili to take a much bigger step: To go on the run with Theo. Protect him while Esti can’t.

Terrified to travel on her own, Lili sets out with Theo on a journey to reach Allied territory, braving Nazi-occupied villages and bombed-out cities, doing everything she can to keep him safe.

A remarkable tale of friendship, romance, motherhood, and survival, One Good Thing reminds us what is worth fighting for—and that love can bloom even in the darkest of moments.

Refreshments will be served.

New Yorker Discussion Group: Spring 2025 Session

Thursdays from May 15 through July 3

Maybe you already have a subscription but only consistently glance at the cartoons? Or perhaps you yearn for in-depth reporting, written well without the prefab soundbites of TV news? Or you might just like to meet up with interesting individuals to talk about current events, the latest big hit on Broadway, upcoming museum exhibits worth a look all while enjoying a sip of wine and savory bites on a beautiful spring evening.

Selected readings from the May 12 & 19 issue for the May 15 meeting:

  • Page 28 – Pigeon Toes: The hazardous, barefoot lives of urban birds by Ian Frazier
  • Page 33 – Goliath vs. Goliath: Juan Soto and a shift in the Mets-Yankees rivalry by Louisa Thomas
  • Page 64 – Portfolio: Power Houses: Inside the living rooms of the city’s celebs by Gillian Laub with Naomi Fry
  • Page 84 – Fiction: “Travesty” by Lillian Fishman

 

The magazine issue is on us. Register here!

How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us with Author Rachelle Bergstein

You’re invited to an online intimate conversation with bestselling author Rachelle Bergstein as she chats about her newest book The Genius of Judy. This book takes an expansive look at Judy Blume’s life, work, and cultural impact, focusing on her most iconic—and controversial—young adult novels, from Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret to Blubber. Register here for a conversation you don’t want to miss!

Everyone knows Judy Blume.

Her books have garnered her fans of all ages for decades and sold tens of millions of copies. But why were people so drawn to them? And why are we still talking about them now in the 21st century?

In The Genius of Judy, her remarkable story is revealed as never before, beginning with her as a mother of two searching for purpose outside of her home in 1960s suburban New Jersey. The books she wrote starred regular children with genuine thoughts and problems. But behind those deceptively simple tales, Blume explored the pillars of the growing women’s rights movement, in which girls and women were entitled to careers, bodily autonomy, fulfilling relationships, and even sexual pleasure. Blume wasn’t trying to be a revolutionary—she just wanted to tell honest stories—but in doing so, she created a cohesive, culture-altering vision of modern adolescence.

Blume’s bravery provoked backlash, making her the country’s most-banned author in the mid-1980s. Thankfully, her works withstood those culture wars and it’s no coincidence that Blume has resurfaced as a cultural touchstone now. Young girls are still cat-called, sex education curricula are getting dismissed as pornography, and entire shelves of libraries are being banned. As we face these challenges, it’s only natural we look to Blume, the grand dame of so-called dirty books. This is the story of how a housewife became a groundbreaking artist, and how generations of empowered fans are her legacy, today more than ever.

About the Author: Rachelle Bergstein is a lifestyle writer, author, and editor, focused on style, pop culture, and families. Her work has appeared in the New York PostThe New York TimesNPR, and more. She is the author of three books: Women from the Ankle DownBrilliance and Fire, and The Genius of Judy. She lives with her husband and son in Brooklyn. Find out more at RachelleBergstein.com.

On Writing a Brilliant, Dark, and Diabolical Thriller with Author Liann Zhang

Grab your popcorn, grab your friend, and join us for an propulsive online conversation with author Liann Zhang as she chats with us about her debut thriller Julie Chan is Dead. Register here to join the conversation!

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied.

Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but perfect.

Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.

Julie Chan is Dead is the brilliant, dark, and diabolical debut thriller we’ve all been waiting for. Register now for a wildly fun conversation!

About the Author: Liann Zhang is a second-generation Chinese Canadian who splits her time between Vancouver, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario. After a short stint as a skincare content creator, she graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in psychology and criminology. Julie Chan Is Dead is her first novel.

How to Use Anxiety to Thrive with Dr. David H. Rosmarin

Let’s face it: Everyone has anxiety. Furthermore, our incessant quest to rid ourselves of this ubiquitous human emotion worsens it. What if, instead of fighting our anxiety, we could turn it into a strength? In this enlightening online webinar, you will learn how to use anxiety to become more self-accepting, connected to others, and resilient. Author of Thriving with Anxiety, Dr. Rosmarin’s constructive, compassionate, and evidence-based approach will not make you less anxious. Instead, it will empower you to use anxiety to thrive. Register here! 

You will learn:

  • To rethink anxiety from being a “disease” to being a normal human emotion;

  • How to use anxiety to increase our self-compassion;

  • How to harness the power of anxiety to enhance emotional intimacy; and

  • How can anxiety help us accomplish what we truly want in life?

About the Author: David H. Rosmarin, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, a program director at McLean Hospital, and Founder of Center for Anxiety. Through his work as a clinical psychologist, scientist, educator, author, and keynote speaker, David has helped thousands of individuals and organizations to thrive by embracing the emotion of anxiety. His clinical work and research have been featured in Good Morning America, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Boston Globe, and TED. David is available for organization speaking and consultation via his website www.dhrosmarin.com

SOS Presents: “How Many Children Had Lady Macbeth?” and other puzzles of “The Scottish Play”

Shakespeare on the Sound board member and Shakespeare teacher John Love
will talk about these and other Macbeth puzzles and show scenes from a
movie version of the play. He’ll also address some questions about the play, like…

  • Why would Shakespeare write a play about the murder of a Scottish king and perform it
    before the newly-crowned Scottish king?
  • Why did Shakespeare wait 5 years after performing the play in front of King James to
    perform it for the public?
  • Why do professional (and amateur) actors always refer to it as “The Scottish Play”?
  • How did storms off the coast of Denmark lead to Shakespeare’s writing the play?
  • How is Macbeth completely different from the other “great” tragedies—Hamlet,
    Othello, and King Lear?
  • Why is the part of Lady Macbeth the most coveted female role in all of Shakespeare?
  • What piece of the play was written by someone else years after the death of
    Shakespeare?

Join us for an evening of Macbeth! Register here. 

And don’t miss this summer’s production of Macbeth from  June 11th -29th in Rowayton’s Pinkney Park. 

 

Sunday Movie Matinee: A Real Pain (R)

Join us for a Sunday afternoon screening of A Real Pain (rated R). Mismatched cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. A Real Pain (2024) runs for 1 hour and 29 minutes.

Register here!

The Thrill of Writing Action, Adventure, and Suspense: A Conversation with Bestselling Author Gregg Hurwitz

Do you love action-packed adventure? Are you ready for the thrill? You’re invited to a riveting conversation with New York Times bestselling author Gregg Hurwitz as he chats with us about his Orphan X series and his life as a writer of suspenseful storytelling.

Orphan X, the series opener, introduces the world to the Nowhere Man. He is a legendary figure spoken about only in whispers. It’s said that when he’s reached by the truly desperate and deserving, the Nowhere Man can and will do anything to protect and save them. But he’s not merely a legend.

Evan Smoak is a man with skills, resources, and a personal mission to help those with nowhere else to turn. He’s also a man with a dangerous past. Taken from a group home at twelve, Evan was raised and trained as part of the Orphan Program, an off-the-books operation designed to create deniable intelligence assets—i.e. assassins. Evan was Orphan X. He broke with the Program, using everything he learned to disappear and reinvent himself as the Nowhere Man. Now ten books in, fans cannot get enough of the Orphan X world and Hurwitz can’t wait to tell us all about it.

Register now for a conversation you just cannot miss!

About the Author: GREGG HURWITZ is the New York Times #1 internationally bestselling author of 24 thrillers including the Orphan X series. His novels have won numerous literary awards and have been published in 33 languages. Gregg currently serves as the Co-President of International Thriller Writers (ITW). Additionally, he’s written screenplays and television scripts for many of the major studios and networks, comics for AWA (including the critically acclaimed anthology NewThink), DC, and Marvel, and poetry. Currently, Gregg is actively working against polarization in politics and culture. To that end, he’s penned op-eds for The Wall Street JournalThe GuardianThe BulwarkSalon, and others, and has produced several hundred commercials and creative content which have gotten several hundred million views on digital TV platforms. He also helped write the opening ceremony of the 2022 World Cup.

The Stories, Science, and History of Trees with Smithsonian Gardens Greenhouse Horticulturalist Matthew Fleming

Join us as Smithsonian Horticulturalist Matthew Fleming, guides us through the secret world of trees as is revealed in the beautiful and absorbing guide to the giants of the plant world—The Tree Book: The Stories, Science, and History of Trees.

Trees occur naturally throughout the world and have been a part of human history for almost as long as humans have existed. Used for shelter, tools, fuel, and food, they also help supply the atmosphere with oxygen and form astonishingly diverse ecosystems, as well as some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes. Now the intricate world of leafy woodlands and abundant rainforests is revealed in this extensive visual guide to trees, exploring their key scientific traits and their ecological importance, as well as their enduring significance in human history and culture. From ancient oaks and great redwoods to lush banyans and imposing kapoks, The Tree Book reveals the anatomy, behaviors, and beauty of these incredible plants and habitats in detail.

Combining natural history and a scientific overview with a wider look at the history, uses, symbolism, and mythology of trees, this book is a new kind of guide to these fascinating organisms.

Register today to learn more about the beautiful world of trees!

About the Presenter: Matthew Fleming has been a horticulturist at the Smithsonian Gardens Greenhouse Facility in Suitland, Maryland since 2010. In addition to serving as a supervisory horticulturist, he manages three greenhouses with nearly a thousand tropical specimens that are displayed throughout the many Smithsonian gardens and landscapes along the National Mall during the warmer months. He has given talks on a wide variety of plant-related topics at the Smithsonian ranging from indoor pests to overwintering tropical plants.  Prior to coming to the Smithsonian, Matt was a purchasing agent and garden center assistant manager for a full-service landscaping firm.  He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences where he studied Horticulture and Landscape Contracting.

 

Wordsmith and Wonder: A Virtual Author Talk with Jodi Picoult

Step into Spring with us as we chat with the highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult about her newest novel, By Any Other Name.

In 1581, Emilia Bassano—like most young women of her day—is allowed no voice of her own. But as the Lord Chamberlain’s mistress, she has access to all theaters in England and finds a way to secretly bring her work to the stage. And yet, creating some of the world’s greatest dramatic masterpieces comes at great cost: by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history.

In the present, playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. Although the challenges are different four hundred years later, the playing field is still not level for women in theater. Would Melina—like Emilia—be willing to forfeit her credit as author, just for a chance to see her work performed?

Told in intertwining narratives, By Any Other Name is a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire that asks what price each woman is willing to pay to see their work live on—even if it means they will be forgotten.

Register now to join the wondrous conversation! 

About the Author: Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-nine novels, including By Any Other Name, Mad Honey (co-authored with Jennifer Finney Boylan), Wish You Were Here, The Book of Two Ways, A Spark of Light, Small Great Things, Leaving Time, and My Sister’s Keeper, and, with daughter Samantha van Leer, two young adult novels, Between the Lines and Off the Page. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband.

Kids Tech: Minecraft Mania

Kids in grades 2 and up are invited to visit the library to try out new mods and engage in some serious Minecraft.

Space is limited so please register here.

As this program is in in high demand and fills up very quickly every month, Rowayton Library would like to share the opportunity to join our sessions from home! Hop on to our Minecraft Java Server at 192.99.35.12:2059. This will save your activity in the game with us and our participants, whether we’re in a session at the library or not, and save you the hassle of having to make a server yourself!

View our Photo Release Policy, effective since February 1, 2019, here.

Sci/Fi and Fantasy Book Club

After you put a good science fiction or fantasy book down, it’s hard not to just gush about it. The Rowayton Library Sci/Fi and Fantasy Book Club is here to provide an outlet to do just that! Every month, we read a selected longtime classic or overlooked gem, and then meet up in person at the library to discuss it.

This month’s selection is an all time classic, Dune! Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where the only thing of value is the “spice” melange, a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness. When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul’s family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined.

A genre-defining intersection of science fiction and fantasy concepts that sucks you right into the world and characters.

Copies of Dune are available at the library or through Hoopla if needed. Refreshments will be provided. Register here to reserve a spot!

15th Annual Daughters’ Ball

Rowayton Library is excited to host its 15th Annual Daughters’ Ball on April 26, 2025 from 4:00 to 6:30 pm. This year’s theme, “Around the World,” will celebrate diverse cultures, stories, and the Library as a destination of wonder and learning, available to everyone! The event will be a magical afternoon under a festive tent, featuring music, dancing, a short limo ride enabling attendees to “travel” the world, and individual passports to be stamped at cultural food and activity stations. Upon disembarking from their library odyssey, travelers will receive special goody “baggage” filled with sustainable goodies.

 

Tickets are available for purchase here!

Norwalk Tree Alliance Poetry Reading

Join the Norwalk Tree Alliance for an April Poetry Month Event Celebrating Trees. Featured poets include Norwalk’s Poet Laureates, Tree Alliance members and audience members who will share poems they’ve written or poems they love, in appreciation of trees. Refreshments will be served. All are welcome to attend. Featured poets will be followed by an open mic invitation to the audience. Bring a poem, let’s celebrate loving our trees!

Register here! 

Learn Excel

Don’t know where to start when it comes to using Excel? No problem! This program is designed to help those with zero familiarity get the hang of the basics over the course of three sessions. “How do I use Excel?” “What do I use it for?” “Is there a difference between Excel and Google Sheets?”

These are exactly the sort of questions that are not only welcomed but encouraged! There’s not such thing as being too inexperienced.

This program is primarily aimed at beginners, but those who are out of practice with Excel and would appreciate a refresher will also get a lot out of it!

Register here!

Learn Excel

Don’t know where to start when it comes to using Excel? No problem! This program is designed to help those with zero familiarity get the hang of the basics over the course of three sessions. “How do I use Excel?” “What do I use it for?” “Is there a difference between Excel and Google Sheets?”

These are exactly the sort of questions that are not only welcomed but encouraged! There’s not such thing as being too inexperienced.

This program is primarily aimed at beginners, but those who are out of practice with Excel and would appreciate a refresher will also get a lot out of it!

Register here!

Writing Autobiographical Poems with Author/Educator Valerie Bolling

What do you enjoy?
What matters most to you?
What’s interesting about you that others may not know?

Kids in grades 4-8 are invited to join us for a creative workshop to help answer these questions through poetry to celebrate National Poetry Month! During this session, with guidance from Author/Educator Valerie Bolling, you will write a poem about the subject you know best, YOU. Even if you’ve never written a poem before, you’ll be a poet after this session.

Register here to start writing!

 

Dreams We Chase: A Virtual Author Talk with Novelist Jennifer Weiner

You’re invited to a glimmering conversation with New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner as we chat about the signature emotional depth of her books that have been inspiring readers toward self-discovery for decades. Hearing from the queen of fun herself, we’ll chat with the author about her New York Times bestselling novels, Good In BedIn Her Shoes, Big Summer, The Breakaway and many more. Additionally, in a special preview, Weiner will briefly discuss her forthcoming novel (due out on April 8, 2025) The Griffin Sister’s Greatest Hits. Set in the world of pop music, The Griffin Sister’s Greatest Hits is about sisters, motherhood, young love, and the dreams we chase.

Register here! 

Sisters Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were born just a year apart but could not have been more different. Zoe, blessed with charm and beauty, yearned for fame from the moment she could sing into a hairbrush. Cassie was a musical prodigy who never felt at home in her own skin and preferred the safety of the shadows.

On the brink of adulthood in the early 2000s, destiny intervened, catapulting the sisters into the spotlight as the pop sensation the Griffin Sisters, hitting all the touchstones of early aughts fame—SNL, MTV, Rolling Stone magazine—along the way.

But after a whirlwind year in the public eye, the band abruptly broke up.

Two decades later, Zoe’s a housewife; Cassie’s off the grid. The sisters aren’t speaking, and the real reason for the Griffin Sisters’ breakup is still a mystery. Zoe’s teenage daughter, Cherry, who’s determined to be a star in spite of Zoe’s warnings, is on a quest to learn the truth about what happened to the band all those years ago.

As secrets emerge, all three women must face the consequences of their choices: the ones they made and the ones the music industry made for them. Can they forgive each other—and themselves? And will the Griffin Sisters ever make music again?

About the Author: Jennifer Weiner is a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose books have spent over five years on the New York Times bestseller list, with more than 11 million copies in print in 36 countries. She is the author of the novels Good in Bed (2001) and In Her Shoes (2002), which was turned into a major motion picture starring Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette and Shirley MacLaine. And the author of That Summer (2021); The Breakaway (2024); and The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits (forthcoming 2025) . She is also the author of The Littlest Bigfoot middle-grade trilogy, Her nonfiction collection Hungry Heart: Adventures in Life, Love, and Writing (2016), was a finalist for the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay.

Sunday Movie Matinee: Waking Ned Devine

Join us for a Sunday afternoon showing of the classic comedy Waking Ned Devine (PG). The lucky winner of the national Irish lottery is Ned Devine, so taken by his good fortune that he now can’t be waked, because he died from the shock of it! News of the win spreads quickly in the scenic little Irish village of Tully More, but not the secret news of Ned’s demise. With lottery officials closing in to confirm the prize claimed by the deceased Devine, Ned’s closest friends scheme to keep the prize money close to home, in memory of Ned of course! But as the plot twists humorously, they learn it is hard is to keep such a secret in a small town. Waking Ned Devine (1998)  runs for 1 hour and 31 minutes.

Sign up here! 

How Women’s Liberation Transformed America: In Conversation with Clara Bingham

Join us for a transformative conversation with award-winning journalist and author, Clara Bingham, as she chats with us about her new book, The Movement: How Women’s Liberation Transformed America, 1963-1973.

Register here! 

The Movement is a comprehensive and engaging oral history of the decade that defined the feminist movement, including interviews with living icons and unsung heroes. The Movement is the first oral history of the decade that built the modern feminist movement. Through the captivating individual voices of the people who lived it, The Movement tells the intimate inside story of what it felt like to be at the forefront of the modern feminist crusade when women rejected thousands of years of custom and demanded the freedom to be who they wanted and needed to be.

This engaging history traces women’s awakening, organizing, and agitating between 1963 and 1973 when a decentralized collection of people and events coalesced to create a spontaneous combustion. From Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique to the underground abortion network the Janes, to Shirley Chisholm’s presidential campaign and Billie Jean King’s 1973 battle of the sexes, Bingham artfully weaves together the fragments of that explosion person by person, bringing to life the emotions of this personal, cultural, and political revolution. Artists and politicians, athletes and lawyers, Black and white, The Movement brings readers into the rooms where these women insisted on being treated as first-class citizens and, in the process, changed the fabric of American life.

About the Author: Clara Bingham is an award-winning journalist and the author of The MovementWitness to the RevolutionWomen on the Hill, and the co-writer of Class Action. A former Washington, DC, correspondent for Newsweek, her writing has appeared in Vanity FairThe Guardian, and The Daily Beast, among others. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Power of Reset and How to Change What’s Not Working with Author Dan Heath

Are you ready for a revolutionary guide to fixing what’s not working—in systems and processes, organizations and companies, and even in our daily lives? Join us for an enlightening conversation with bestselling author Dan Heath as he talks with us about his newest book, Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working. 

Register now for your reset!

Changing how we work can feel overwhelming. It can feel like trying to budge an enormous boulder. We’re stifled by the gravity of the way we’ve always done things. We spend so much time fighting fires—and fighting colleagues—that we lack the energy to shift direction but with the right strategy, we can move the boulder.

In Reset, Heath explores a framework for getting unstuck and making the changes that matter. The secret is to find “leverage points”: places where a little bit of effort can yield a disproportionate return. Then, we can thoughtfully rearrange our resources to push on those points. Heath weaves together fascinating examples, ranging from a freakishly effective fast-food drive-thru to a simple trick from couples therapy to an inspirational campaign that saved a million cats.

What if we could unlock forward movement—achieving progress on what matters most—without the need for more resources? The same people, the same assets…but dramatically better results. Yesterday, we were stuck. Today, we reset.

In this talk, you’ll learn:

  • Why the feeling of progress can be your secret weapon in accelerating change;
  • How leaders can uncover and stop wasteful activities;
  • Why your team’s motivation is often squandered—and how to avoid that mistake;
  • How you can jumpstart your change efforts by beginning with a “burst.”

About the Author: Dan Heath is the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author (or author) of five beloved business books: SwitchMade to StickDecisiveThe Power of Moments, and Upstream. His latest book, Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working, will debut on January 21, 2025. His books have been translated into 33 languages and have sold over 4 million copies worldwide. His writing honors include: One of the best nonfiction books of the year, according to Amazon. One of the best audiobooks of the year, according to Apple. And the OWL award for Best Business Book of the Year. Dan hosts a podcast called: “What It’s Like to Be…” In every episode, he interviews someone from a different profession: a couples therapist, a rancher, a Secret Service Agent, and more. It’s consistently a Top 10 podcast in Apple’s Careers category. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from the University of Texas at Austin.

Notary Services

Do you need your paperwork notarized? Our Notary Public is available to notarize your documents free of charge. A Notary Public is a public servant appointed by state government to witness the signing of important documents and administer oaths. Please schedule an appointment for a notarization.

To register for the 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. session, click here.
To register for the 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. session, click here.
To register for the 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. session, click here.

Required Paperwork
If you need something notarized, please bring two forms of ID containing your signature, one of which must have a photo.

Examples of Acceptable IDs
• Valid Driver’s License
• Passport
• Credit Card with Signature

Unacceptable IDs
• Social Security Card
• Birth Certificate

Before You Arrive
Be sure the documents are complete and ready for signature. Please don’t sign the document(s) until you appear before the Notary Public.

If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney. The Notary Public is prohibited from helping you to prepare, complete, or understand legal documents.

Sci/Fi and Fantasy Book Club

After you put a good science fiction or fantasy book down, it’s hard not to just gush about it. The Rowayton Library Sci/Fi and Fantasy Book Club is here to provide an outlet to do just that! Every month, we read a selected longtime classic or overlooked gem, and then meet up in person at the library to discuss it.

This month’s selection, Sea of Rust, is a fun adventure story about a cadre of armed robots on an important mission to save free machines in a post-humanity world. It deals with the ‘What next?’ of a robot uprising, and presents many interesting ideas and moral quandaries in a world of automatons.

Action packed, full of a mishmash of interesting characters, and of course: rife with cool sci-fi concepts!

Copies of Sea of Rust are available now at the library if you need one.

Register here! Refreshments will be provided.

Cookbook Book Club

Enjoy trying out new dishes?
Interested in sharing tips on how to tweak a recipe?
Want to swap cooking or baking suggestions over a delicious meal?

then this Book Club is for you!

Come join us for a potluck celebration of comfort food, conversation, and cocktails. Each season, Ruth Freeman and Kerry McFarlin will hold a session where participants select recipes from a few chosen cookbooks in the library’s collection.

Then, make the dishes to bring to the library for a potluck dinner full of wonderful culinary delights, both savory and sweet.

This session, we welcome all participants to join us in having some fun at this potluck dinner, full of wonderful culinary delights, both savory and sweet, and maybe learn a trick or two in the kitchen!

The cookbooks selected for this session include:

-Does This Taste Funny? Recipes Our Family Loves by Stephen Colbert and Evie McGee Colbert
-First Prize Pie by Allison Kave
-Pass the Plate: 100 Delicious, Highly Shareable Everyday Recipes by Carolina Gelen

What you need to do:
– Register here.
– Come to the library and select a recipe and let us know which one you will bring to the potluck. Participants may make free copies of their chosen recipe at the library.
– Bring your dish and a copy of your recipe (annotated, if applicable) on the evening of the event. We can reheat in a microwave, but please have food table-ready and bring the appropriate serving utensil.

We will supply liquid refreshments and paper supplies.

Questions? Contact the library at library@rowayton.org.

**New Photo Release Policy effective February 1, 2019:

Rowayton Library reserves the right to utilize photographs or videos taken at the library for future library publications and/or other library publicity. All library patrons consent to the use of their photo/video taken at the library or during library events for such purposes. If a patron does not wish to be photographed/videoed, the patron must notify the library staff to that effect.

Sunday Movie Matinee: Wicked (PG)

Join us for a Sunday afternoon showing of the movie musical, Wicked! Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Wicked is rated PG with a runtime of 2 hours and 40 minutes. Sign up online!

Magic: The Gathering

You have been summoned to join The Gathering! Interested in traversing different planes of existence? Or battling your friends with powerful creatures and spectacular spells? Then this group is for you! Players in grades 5 and up are invited to join us for commander games of Magic: The Gathering. Compete with friends, meet new opponents, or learn how to play! We will provide playing cards and dice but you’re welcome to bring your own, too!

Register here!

New Photo Release Policy effective February 1, 2019. See here for details.

Women and Money Series: How to Make Sense of Today’s Financial Markets

When it comes to the financial and real estate markets, people aren’t always as rational as you would think. Behavioral finance experts have been studying the not-so-smart decisions people make. We will reveal the fears, misperceptions and emotional needs people have that sabotage their investment and home sale returns.

Join us for this monthly roundtable for women on money led by financial professionals Julia Strayer and Liz Maccarone. This series’ discussion will focus on how to make sense of today’s financial markets, is open to women with any level of financial knowledge, and is an ongoing informational gathering to learn and share.

We’ll show you how to avoid the mistakes and make decisions like the pros. We’ll cover the latest market news and how that might affect your decision making. We’ll also give you background and context for understanding why market movement occurs and we’ll share strategies for keeping ahead of what might come. Register here!

Our Roundtable Leaders:

Julia Strayer, CPWA®, CIMA®, CRPC®
Senior Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor

Prior to joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2000, Julia was a vice president and private banker for BankBoston’s Private Bank for 7 years, responsible for asset management and trust services. Previously, Julia worked in marketing for 9 years with Merrill. Julia has a BA from Ohio State University and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Julia has appeared on the CNBC show “Power Lunch,” CBS “This Morning,” WGCH’s “Women in Business,” in addition to featured articles in USA Today.

Liz Maccarone, CRPC®
Senior Financial Advisor

Liz joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2012. Liz works closely with high-net-worth individuals and their families to create personalized and comprehensive strategies that support their goals, including investment management, retirement planning, liability management, and multigenerational planning. Liz values the importance of establishing and cultivating relationships with families including the next generation. Liz graduated from Fairfield University with a dual bachelor’s degree in Finance and Marketing. She began her career working at a boutique investment firm as a Business Development Associate, specializing in commodities and futures trading.

The roundtable meetings will be conducted via Zoom. Visit their website here to find the appropriate download instructions and download link for your device.

How We Create Pandemics, From Our Bodies to Our Beliefs with Smithsonian Curator Sabrina Sholts

Join us for this enlightening virtual presentation with Smithsonian curator Sabrina Sholts as she talks about how the very fact of being human increases our pandemic risks—and gives us the power to save ourselves. A presentation you don’t want to miss, register here!

The COVID-19 pandemic won’t be our last—because what makes us vulnerable to pandemics also makes us human. That is the uncomfortable but all-too-timely message of The Human Disease: How We Create Pandemics, From Our Bodies to Our Beliefs, which travels through history and around the globe to examine how and why pandemics are an inescapable threat of our own making. Drawing on dozens of disciplines—from medicine, epidemiology, and microbiology to anthropology, sociology, ecology, and neuroscience—as well as a unique expertise in public education about emerging infectious diseases, biological anthropologist Sabrina Sholts identifies the human traits and tendencies that double as pandemic liabilities, from the anatomy that defines us to the misperceptions that divide us.

Weaving together a wealth of personal experiences, scientific findings, and historical stories, Sholts brings dramatic and much-needed clarity to one of the most profound challenges we face as a species. Though the COVID-19 pandemic looms large in Sholts’s account, it is, in fact, just one of the many infectious disease events explored in The Human Disease. With its expansive, evolutionary perspective, the book explains how humanity will continue to face new pandemics because humans cause them, by the ways that we are and the things that we do. By recognizing our risks, Sholts suggests, we can take actions to reduce them. When the next pandemic happens, and how bad it becomes, are largely within our highly capable human hands—and will be determined by what we do with our extraordinary human brains.

About the Author:

Sabrina Sholts is a biological anthropologist and Curator of Biological Anthropology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (NMNH). Her research explores intersections of human, animal, and environmental health in the past and present. She received her PhD in Anthropology at UC Santa Barbara and was a postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley in Integrative Biology and at Stockholm University in Biophysics and Biochemistry. Sholts has published widely in academic journals including American Journal of Biological AnthropologyEnvironmental Health PerspectivesJAMA, PNAS, Scientific ReportsProceedings of the Royal Society B, and Nature Ecology & Evolution, and written for popular audiences in Scientific American and Smithsonian Magazine. She was named as a World Economic Forum Young Scientist in 2019. In addition, she was Lead Curator of the exhibition Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World at the NMNH (2018-2022) and a scientific advisor for the related exhibition Épidémies: Prendre soin du vivant at the musée des Confluences in Lyon, France (2024-2025).

Notary Services

Do you need your paperwork notarized? Our Notary Public is available to notarize your documents free of charge. A Notary Public is a public servant appointed by state government to witness the signing of important documents and administer oaths. Please schedule an appointment for a notarization.

To register for the 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. session, click here.
To register for the 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. session, click here.
To register for the 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. session, click here.

Required Paperwork
If you need something notarized, please bring two forms of ID containing your signature, one of which must have a photo.

Examples of Acceptable IDs
• Valid Driver’s License
• Passport
• Credit Card with Signature

Unacceptable IDs
• Social Security Card
• Birth Certificate

Before You Arrive
Be sure the documents are complete and ready for signature. Please don’t sign the document(s) until you appear before the Notary Public.

If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney. The Notary Public is prohibited from helping you to prepare, complete, or understand legal documents.Notary Services

Notary Services

Do you need your paperwork notarized? Our Notary Public is available to notarize your documents free of charge. A Notary Public is a public servant appointed by state government to witness the signing of important documents and administer oaths. Please schedule an appointment for a notarization.

To register for the 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. session, click here.
To register for the 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. session, click here.
To register for the 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. session, click here.

Required Paperwork
If you need something notarized, please bring two forms of ID containing your signature, one of which must have a photo.

Examples of Acceptable IDs
• Valid Driver’s License
• Passport
• Credit Card with Signature

Unacceptable IDs
• Social Security Card
• Birth Certificate

Before You Arrive
Be sure the documents are complete and ready for signature. Please don’t sign the document(s) until you appear before the Notary Public.

If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney. The Notary Public is prohibited from helping you to prepare, complete, or understand legal documents.

Charcuterie Class with Curated Creations

Join us for a delicious afternoon arranging a charcuterie board that is both tasty and beautiful.  Learn make a kiwi flower, salami roses, prosciutto ribbons, and more! Participants will be able to take home their delectable creations, as well as learn skills that will impress future guests at any gathering.

Space is limited so please register here!

Presented in partnership with Curated Creations, Inc.

 

Notary Services

Do you need your paperwork notarized? Our Notary Public is available to notarize your documents free of charge. A Notary Public is a public servant appointed by state government to witness the signing of important documents and administer oaths. Please schedule an appointment for a notarization.

To register for the 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. session, click here.
To register for the 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. session, click here.
To register for the 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. session, click here.

Required Paperwork
If you need something notarized, please bring two forms of ID containing your signature, one of which must have a photo.

Examples of Acceptable IDs
• Valid Driver’s License
• Passport
• Credit Card with Signature

Unacceptable IDs
• Social Security Card
• Birth Certificate

Before You Arrive
Be sure the documents are complete and ready for signature. Please don’t sign the document(s) until you appear before the Notary Public.

If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney. The Notary Public is prohibited from helping you to prepare, complete, or understand legal documents.

Notary Services

Do you need your paperwork notarized? Our Notary Public is available to notarize your documents free of charge. A Notary Public is a public servant appointed by state government to witness the signing of important documents and administer oaths. Please schedule an appointment for a notarization.

To register for the 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. session, click here.
To register for the 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. session, click here.
To register for the 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. session, click here.

Required Paperwork
If you need something notarized, please bring two forms of ID containing your signature, one of which must have a photo.

Examples of Acceptable IDs
• Valid Driver’s License
• Passport
• Credit Card with Signature

Unacceptable IDs
• Social Security Card
• Birth Certificate

Before You Arrive
Be sure the documents are complete and ready for signature. Please don’t sign the document(s) until you appear before the Notary Public.

If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney. The Notary Public is prohibited from helping you to prepare, complete, or understand legal documents.

Take Your Child to the Library Day

Join the Rowayton Library in celebrating the 14th anniversary of this day on Saturday, February 1st, 2025! This year, we are thrilled to welcome back local author Valerie Bolling for a very special Storytime at 12:00 p.m. featuring two of her books! Stop by the Rowayton Library and Rowayton Community Center with your child or children to enjoy fun activities, featured book displays, snacks, and lots more library fun!

Take Your Child to the Library Day (TYCLD) is an international initiative that encourages families everywhere to take their children to their local library. Launched in 2011 in Connecticut by librarians Nadine Lipman (Waterford Public Library, retired) and Caitlin Augusta (Stratford Library) with artist Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, TYCLD raises community awareness about the importance of the library in the life of a child, and promotes library services and programs for children and families.

No registration required!

Toddler Time: Sleepy Snowy Owls

Did you know that snowy owls can stay comfy and cozy in the Arctic even when the temperature is well below zero? That’s because they have so many thick feathers to keep them warm! Children ages 2 to 6 and their caregivers are invited to join us as we make our own snowy owls by sponge painting on construction paper. Glue and paint will be used so dress for mess!

Register here!

Great Decisions Discussion Group 2025

Intermittent Wednesdays from January 15th to April 30th

Great Decisions is America’s largest discussion program on world affairs and created by the Foreign Policy Association. This program provides background information and policy options for the eight most critical issues facing America each year.

Rowayton resident Jim Frayer will facilitate discussions. Register here and pick up your briefing book at the library!

The weekly topics and corresponding discussion meeting dates are:

  • Wednesday, January 15  – American Foreign Policy at a Crossroads
  • Wednesday, January 29  – U.S. Changing Leadership of the World Economy
  • Wednesday, February 12 – U.S.-China Relations
  • Wednesday, February 19  – India: Between China, the West, and the Global South
  • Wednesday, March 12 – International Cooperation on Climate Change
  • Wednesday, March 26 – The Future of NATO and European Security
  • Wednesday, April 9 – AI and American National Security
  • Wednesday, April 30 – American Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead

A video showing of the topic up for discussion will be shown at 6:30 p.m. every week. Actual discussion of the topic will begin at 7:00 p.m. Participants are invited to tune in to both!

New Photo Release Policy effective February 1, 2019. See here for details.

Online programs hosted by the library will be provided via Zoom. Visit their website here to find the appropriate download instructions and download link for your device. Registration for all programs is required. Participants who register for any program will receive an email with the link to join.

New Yorker Discussion Group: Winter 2025 Session

January 9th to February 27th 

Maybe you already have a subscription but only consistently glance at the cartoons? Or perhaps you yearn for in-depth reporting, written well without the prefab soundbites of TV news? Or you might just like to meet up with interesting individuals to talk about current events, the latest big hit on Broadway, upcoming museum exhibits worth a look all while enjoying a sip of wine and savory bites on a chilly winter evening.

The magazine issue is on us.

Selected readings from the February 3 issue for the February 6 meeting:
  • Page 12 – Line of Fire: Fighting an inferno in L.A. by M.R. O’Connor
  • Page 17 – Shouts & Murmurs: Production Notes: “Melania” by Paul Rudnick
  • Page 30 – Poem: “The Bay” by David Baker
  • Page 36 – Capybara, Mon Coeur: Why is the world’s largest rodent so lovable? by Gary Shteyngart
  • Page 48 – Poem: “Speaker” by Paul Tran
  • Page 54 – A Critic at Large: The literature of apocalypse by Arthur Krystal
  • Page 66 – On Television: Tom Brady joins the commentariat by Vinson Cunningham

Register here!

View our Photo Release Policy, effective since February 1, 2019, here.

New Yorker Discussion Group: Winter 2025 Session

January 9th to February 27th 

Maybe you already have a subscription but only consistently glance at the cartoons? Or perhaps you yearn for in-depth reporting, written well without the prefab soundbites of TV news? Or you might just like to meet up with interesting individuals to talk about current events, the latest big hit on Broadway, upcoming museum exhibits worth a look all while enjoying a sip of wine and savory bites on a chilly winter evening.

Selected readings from the December 30 and January 6 issue:
  • Page 20 – Talk Sense: How much does language shape our thoughts? by Manvir Singh
  • Page 24 – You Won’t Get Free of It: Alice Munro’s family reckons with sexual abuse by Rachel Aviv
  • Page 34 – Poem: “Prelude in Grey Major” by Christian William
  • Page 62 – Books: The evolution of good and evil by Nikhil Krishnan
  • Page 70 – The Theatre Audra McDonald in “Gypsy” by Helen Shaw

The magazine issue is on us.

Register here!

View our Photo Release Policy, effective since February 1, 2019, here.

Animal Embassy: Preparing for Winter

Children in grade K through 5 are invited to join us as we welcome back Animal Embassy to take us on a journey around the globe with incredible live Animal Ambassadors. We’ll meet Animal Ambassadors representing diverse habitats! Animals prepare for winter in a variety of ways. Some animals migrate, some get new fur coats, some hibernate and some store food to last through the winter. We will explore the ways in which different animals prepare for the challenges of the winter season while meeting Animal Ambassadors such as a Rabbit, a Ferret, an African Bullfrog, and an Axolotl. Animal Embassy enables children of all ages to connect with the natural world with this unforgettable, interactive live animal presentation!

As this program is brought to us by an outside organization, we cannot exceed a specific maximum headcount capacity. As such, we ask that every child who wishes to attend be registered individually so that we may ensure that we do not exceed capacity.

Register here!

View our Photo Release Policy, effective since February 1, 2019, here.

Sci/Fi and Fantasy Book Club

Meeting monthly starting Wednesday, January 8, 2025

After you put a good science fiction or fantasy book down, it’s hard not to just gush about it. The Rowayton Library Sci/Fi and Fantasy Book Club is here to provide an outlet to do just that! Every month, we read a selected longtime classic or overlooked gem, and then meet up in person at the library to discuss it.

To start things off we’re going to be reading Terry Pratchett’s fantasy novel Going Postal. As hard as it is to choose a favorite entry out of the Discworld shared universe, this book stands out as a great introduction to the world! Set in Pratchett’s wonderfully crazed city of Ankh-Morpork, the book follows Moist Von Lipwig. A con artist who has been given the choice to either save the city’s failing postal service or hang for his crimes. Smartly written, packed with dry humor, and rife with commentary about the corruption of technology and what the public sector must do in order to survive.

Copies of Going Postal are available now at the library if you need one.

Register here! Refreshments will be provided.

 

Chair Dance with Claudia

Using many different styles of music, Claudia’s motivating, high energy dance class includes a classic dance movement warm-up using a chair, light weight strengthening exercises, and a full body stretch, using the mind-body connection to make this class both inspirational and fun.

Sing a little, dance a lot, move to your fullest potential, while getting a light aerobic workout, as well as gaining strength, flexibility, and energy. Posture awareness is the focus of this combination of standing, dance and chair stretch. Work out at your own pace while gaining benefits of the group energy.

Join us for this 45 minute workout that is guaranteed to make you feel great!

Register for each individual February session below:

View our Photo Release Policy, effective since February 1, 2019, here.

Chair Dance with Claudia

Using many different styles of music, Claudia’s motivating, high energy dance class includes a classic dance movement warm-up using a chair, light weight strengthening exercises, and a full body stretch, using the mind-body connection to make this class both inspirational and fun.

Sing a little, dance a lot, move to your fullest potential, while getting a light aerobic workout, as well as gaining strength, flexibility, and energy. Posture awareness is the focus of this combination of standing, dance and chair stretch. Work out at your own pace while gaining benefits of the group energy.

Join us for this 45 minute workout that is guaranteed to make you feel great!

Register for each individual February session below:

View our Photo Release Policy, effective since February 1, 2019, here.

Suburban Safari: A Backyard Wildlife Adventure

Join us for a special documentary screening of Suburban Safari: A Backyard Wildlife Adventure with filmmaker and Rowayton resident James Porter. Suburban Safari is a 1-hour and 34-minute documentary exploring the vibrant wildlife sustained in a small patch of woods in a suburban neighborhood. Over a ten-year period, the documentary follows the lives of recurring visitors to the filmmaker’s own backyard in Rowayton, including a 75-year-old box turtle that appears annually for over a decade. Could this be the last box turtle in Rowayton? Come to the film screening and find out!

A Q&A session with James Porter will follow the film. Refreshments will be provided. Register here.

Tech Help

Have an issue with one of your devices? Technology proving to be more of a challenge than you thought? We can help! Register for a 30-minute help session just for you.

To register for the 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. session, click here.
To register for the 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. session, click here.
To register for the 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. session, click here.

View our Photo Release Policy, effective since February 1, 2019, here.

Tech Help

Have an issue with one of your devices? Technology proving to be more of a challenge than you thought? We can help! Register for a 30-minute help session just for you.

To register for the 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. session, click here.
To register for the 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. session, click here.
To register for the 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. session, click here.

View our Photo Release Policy, effective since February 1, 2019, here.

Magic: The Gathering

You have been summoned to join The Gathering! Interested in traversing different planes of existence? Or battling your friends with powerful creatures and spectacular spells? Then this group is for you! Players in grades 5 and up are invited to join us for commander games of Magic: The Gathering. Compete with friends, meet new opponents, or learn how to play! We will provide playing cards and dice but you’re welcome to bring your own, too!

Register here!

New Photo Release Policy effective February 1, 2019. See here for details.

On Pulse-Pounding, Family Driven Mysteries: A Conversation with Laura Dave

Join us for a captivating conversation with #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave, as she chats with us online about her newest book The Night We Lost Him.

The Night We Lost Him focuses on estranged siblings who discover their father has been keeping a secret for over fifty years, one that may have been fatal…

Liam Noone was many things to many people. To the public, he was an exacting, self-made hotel magnate fleeing his past. To his three ex-wives, he was a loving albeit distant family man who kept his finances flush and his families carefully separated. To Nora, he was a father who often loved her from afar – notably a cliffside cottage perched on the California coast from which he fell to his death.

The authorities rule the death accidental, but Nora and her estranged brother Sam have other ideas. As Nora and Sam form an uneasy alliance to unravel the mystery, they start putting together the pieces of their father’s past—and uncover a family secret that changes everything.

With Laura Dave’s trademark combination of soulful suspense and evocative family drama, The Night We Lost Him is a riveting page-turner. Register now to learn about this book and so much more!

About the Author: Laura Dave is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including The Last Thing He Told Me and Eight Hundred Grapes. Her novels have been translated into thirty-eight languages, and six of them, including The  Night We Lost Him, have been optioned for film and television. She resides in Santa Monica, California.

 

Unearthed: Exploring the Smithsonian National Gem Collection with Dr. Jeffrey Post

Join us for an absolutely dazzling presentation with the emeritus curator of the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection, Dr. Jeffrey E. Post as he talks about The Smithsonian National Gem Collection Unearthed: Surprising Stories Behind the Jewels.

The Smithsonian’s Unearthed explores the scandals, mysteries, and human stories behind the world’s greatest gems. In this original book, the surprising stories behind this world-renowned gem collection are brought to life by Dr. Jeffrey E. Post, curator of the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection for over 30 years. In this webinar, fact is separated from fiction and Dr. Post will reveal fresh information and regale the viewers with anecdotes and tales of some of the world’s greatest and most famous gemstones. Inside the illustrious pages of Unearthed, Dr. Post tells the stories of the Smithsonian’s most famous gems, including the Hope Diamond, Star of Asia Sapphire, Carmen Lucia Ruby, Hooker Emerald, and Blue Heart Diamond and presents the tales, details, and fascinating facts surrounding rarely displayed gems from the Smithsonian vault and recent additions made to the collection.

Shine bright with us this holiday season and register here!

About the Author and Presenter:

Dr. Jeffrey Edward Post, a native of Wisconsin, received Bachelor of Science degrees in geology and chemistry from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville, and his Ph.D. in chemistry, with a specialty in geochemistry, from Arizona State University.  Prior to joining the Department of Mineral Sciences at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History in 1984, he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow for three years in the Department of Geological Sciences at Harvard University.  He was Chairman of the Department of Mineral Sciences 1989-1994 and 2014-2019, and from 1991 to 2023 served as Curator-in-Charge of the U.S. National Gem and Mineral Collection. Dr. Post was the lead Curator for the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals that opened in 1997. In May 2023 he was appointed research curator, emeritus.

His areas of research interest include mineralogy, gemology, and geochemistry.  He has published more than 150 scientific articles in these fields.  He is the author of The National Gem Collection, and the recently published: The Smithsonian National Gem Collection—Unearthed: Surprising Stories Behind the Jewels.

Chair Dance with Claudia

Using many different styles of music, Claudia’s motivating, high energy dance class includes a classic dance movement warm-up using a chair, light weight strengthening exercises, and a full body stretch, using the mind-body connection to make this class both inspirational and fun.

Sing a little, dance a lot, move to your fullest potential, while getting a light aerobic workout, as well as gaining strength, flexibility, and energy. Posture awareness is the focus of this combination of standing, dance and chair stretch. Work out at your own pace while gaining benefits of the group energy.

Join us for this 45 minute workout that is guaranteed to make you feel great!

Register for each individual December session below:

View our Photo Release Policy, effective since February 1, 2019, here.

Chair Dance with Claudia

Using many different styles of music, Claudia’s motivating, high energy dance class includes a classic dance movement warm-up using a chair, light weight strengthening exercises, and a full body stretch, using the mind-body connection to make this class both inspirational and fun.

Sing a little, dance a lot, move to your fullest potential, while getting a light aerobic workout, as well as gaining strength, flexibility, and energy. Posture awareness is the focus of this combination of standing, dance and chair stretch. Work out at your own pace while gaining benefits of the group energy.

Join us for this 45 minute workout that is guaranteed to make you feel great!

Register for each individual December session below:

View our Photo Release Policy, effective since February 1, 2019, here.

Kids Tech: Minecraft Mania

Kids in grades 2 and up are invited to visit the library to try out new mods and engage in some serious Minecraft.

Space is limited so please register here.

As this program is in in high demand and fills up very quickly every month, Rowayton Library would like to share the opportunity to join our sessions from home! Hop on to our Minecraft Java Server at 192.99.35.12:2059. This will save your activity in the game with us and our participants, whether we’re in a session at the library or not, and save you the hassle of having to make a server yourself!

View our Photo Release Policy, effective since February 1, 2019, here.

Cookbook Book Club

Enjoy trying out new dishes?
Interested in sharing tips on how to tweak a recipe?
Want to swap cooking or baking suggestions over a delicious meal?

then this Book Club is for you!

Come join us for a potluck celebration of comfort food, conversation, and cocktails. Each season, we will hold a session where participants select recipes from a few chosen cookbooks in the library’s collection.

Then, make the dishes to bring to the library for a potluck dinner full of wonderful culinary delights, both savory and sweet.

This session, Ruth Freeman and Kerry McFarlin welcome all participants to join us in having some fun at this potluck dinner, full of wonderful culinary delights, both savory and sweet, and maybe learn a trick or two in the kitchen! As the weather gets cold and the winter season begins, we’re drawn to cozy, comforting dishes to bring warmth and cheer to our seasonal feast.

The cookbooks selected for this session include:

  • Modern comfort food : a Barefoot Contessa cookbook by Ina Garten
  • Food Gifts : 150+ irresistible recipes for crafting personalized presents by Elle Simone Scott
  • Well Plated Every Day : recipes for easier, healthier, more exciting daily meals by Erin Clarke
  • Ottolenghi Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi

What you need to do:

  • Register here.
  • Come to the library and select a recipe and let us know which one you will bring to the potluck. Participants may make free copies of their chosen recipe at the library.
  • Bring your dish and a copy of your recipe (annotated, if applicable) on the evening of the event. We can reheat in a microwave, but please have food table-ready and bring the appropriate serving utensil.

We will supply liquid refreshments and paper supplies.

Questions? Contact the library at library@rowayton.org.

New Photo Release Policy effective February 1, 2019. See here for details.

Magic: The Gathering

You have been summoned to join The Gathering! Interested in traversing different planes of existence? Or battling your friends with powerful creatures and spectacular spells? Then this group is for you! Players in grades 5 and up are invited to join us for commander games of Magic: The Gathering. Compete with friends, meet new opponents, or learn how to play! We will provide playing cards and dice but you’re welcome to bring your own, too!

Register here!

New Photo Release Policy effective February 1, 2019. See here for details.

Native Rights and Culture in Fiction–A Conversation with Mona Susan Power

You’re invited to join us as Mona Susan Power chats about her newest novel A Council of Dolls. This conversation highlights how her work explores Native Rights and Native American culture, in particular using an important symbol that anchors comfort and companionship in Native life: dolls.

From the mid-century metropolis of Chicago to the windswept ancestral lands of the Dakota people, to the bleak and brutal Indian boarding schools, A Council of Dolls is the story of three women, told in part through the stories of the dolls they carried….

Sissy, born 1961: Sissy’s relationship with her beautiful and volatile mother is difficult, even dangerous, but her life is also filled with beautiful things, including a new Christmas present, a doll called Ethel. Ethel whispers advice and kindness in Sissy’s ear, and in one especially terrifying moment, maybe even saves Sissy’s life.

Lillian, born 1925: Born in her ancestral lands in a time of terrible change, Lillian clings to her sister, Blanche, and her doll, Mae. When the sisters are forced to attend an “Indian school” far from their home, Blanche refuses to be cowed by the school’s abusive nuns. But when tragedy strikes the sisters, the doll Mae finds her way to defend the girls.

Cora, born 1888: Though she was born into the brutal legacy of the “Indian Wars,” Cora isn’t afraid of the white men who remove her to a school across the country to be “civilized.” When teachers burn her beloved buckskin and beaded doll Winona, Cora discovers that the spirit of Winona may not be entirely lost…

A modern masterpiece, A Council of Dolls is gorgeous, quietly devastating, and ultimately hopeful, shining a light on the echoing damage wrought by Indian boarding schools, and the historical massacres of Indigenous people. Mona Susan Power weaves a spell of love and healing that comes alive on the page. Register here to join the conversation!

Aren’t able to attend? Visit us here to view recordings of past events and the list others that are coming up!

About the Author: Mona Susan Power is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Her novel, A Council of Dolls, was longlisted for the National Book Award and the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction. She is the author of three previously published works of fiction, The Grass Dancer, which won the Pen/Hemingway Prize, Sacred Wilderness, and Roofwalker. Her short stories have been published by The Atlantic Monthly, The Paris Review, The Best American Short Stories, and more. Mona is a graduate of Harvard and the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Brought to you in partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium.

On Childhood Migration from Central America–In Conversation with Javier Zamora

Tune in for a special conversation with New York Times bestselling author Javier Zamora as he chats with us about his riveting tale of survival and perseverance as told in his award-winning memoir Solito.

Zamora’s adventure is a three-thousand-mile journey from his small town in El Salvador, through Guatemala and Mexico, and across the U.S. border. He will leave behind his beloved aunt and grandparents to reunite with a mother who left four years ago and a father he barely remembers. Traveling alone amid a group of strangers and a “coyote” hired to lead them to safety, Javier expects his trip to last two short weeks.

At nine years old, all Javier can imagine is rushing into his parents’ arms, snuggling in bed between them, and living under the same roof again. He cannot foresee the perilous boat trips, relentless desert treks, pointed guns, arrests and deceptions that await him; nor can he know that those two weeks will expand into two life-altering months alongside fellow migrants who will come to encircle him like an unexpected family.

Solito provides an immediate and intimate account not only of a treacherous and near-impossible journey, but also of the miraculous kindness and love delivered at the most unexpected moments. Solito is Javier Zamora’s story, but it’s also the story of millions of others who had no choice but to leave home. Register today to learn more about this gripping and moving story!

Register here! Aren’t able to attend? Visit us here to view recordings of past events and the list others that are coming up!

About the Author: Javier Zamora was born in El Salvador in 1990. His father fled the country when he was one, and his mother when he was about to turn five. Both parents’ migrations were caused by the U.S.-funded Salvadoran Civil War. When he was nine Javier migrated through Guatemala, Mexico, and the Sonoran Desert. His debut poetry collection, Unaccompanied, explores the impact of the war and immigration on his family. Zamora has been a Stegner Fellow at Stanford and a Radcliffe Fellow at Harvard and holds fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.

Successfully Navigating College Admissions This Fall

 A program for high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors & their parents/caregivers

Ron Feuchs and Jackie Tepper, partners at Stand Out For College, LLC are offering this Zoom presentation to help families of juniors, sophomores and freshmen understand the college admissions process and how to successfully navigate the recent changes. This program is recommended for parents and their high school teens and is a detailed and strategic overview of what students should focus on for a successful college admissions process.

Ron and Jackie will discuss current college admissions trends, admissions strategies, the changing test-optional environment, the importance of researching and visiting colleges to find schools that can be a good fit for your child, a timeline and other action steps that can be taken to make this fall productive and help reduce the stress around the college admissions process.

They will examine the holistic admissions review process, what admissions officers consider important when they review applicants, and how students can position themselves to develop a compelling narrative to increase their chances for admission.

They will also discuss the importance of community service, how it can provide an opportunity for personal growth and a way to showcase a student’s character. Admissions officers place great emphasis on a student’s character and how the student has been able to give back and help others.

Register here!

Presentation will be conducted via Zoom. Visit their website here to find the appropriate download instructions and download link for your device.

Women and Money Series: How to Make Sense of Today’s Financial Markets

When it comes to the financial and real estate markets, people aren’t always as rational as you would think. Behavioral finance experts have been studying the not-so-smart decisions people make. We will reveal the fears, misperceptions and emotional needs people have that sabotage their investment and home sale returns.

Join us for this monthly roundtable for women on money led by financial professionals Julia Strayer and Liz Maccarone. This series’ discussion will focus on how to make sense of today’s financial markets, is open to women with any level of financial knowledge, and is an ongoing informational gathering to learn and share.

We’ll show you how to avoid the mistakes and make decisions like the pros. We’ll cover the latest market news and how that might affect your decision making. We’ll also give you background and context for understanding why market movement occurs and we’ll share strategies for keeping ahead of what might come. Register here!

Our Roundtable Leaders:

Julia Strayer, CPWA®, CIMA®, CRPC®
Senior Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor

Prior to joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2000, Julia was a vice president and private banker for BankBoston’s Private Bank for 7 years, responsible for asset management and trust services. Previously, Julia worked in marketing for 9 years with Merrill. Julia has a BA from Ohio State University and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Julia has appeared on the CNBC show “Power Lunch,” CBS “This Morning,” WGCH’s “Women in Business,” in addition to featured articles in USA Today.

Liz Maccarone, CRPC®
Senior Financial Advisor

Liz joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2012. Liz works closely with high-net-worth individuals and their families to create personalized and comprehensive strategies that support their goals, including investment management, retirement planning, liability management, and multigenerational planning. Liz values the importance of establishing and cultivating relationships with families including the next generation. Liz graduated from Fairfield University with a dual bachelor’s degree in Finance and Marketing. She began her career working at a boutique investment firm as a Business Development Associate, specializing in commodities and futures trading.

The roundtable meetings will be conducted via Zoom. Visit their website here to find the appropriate download instructions and download link for your device.

This session of the series is hosted by Darien Library.

Library Giving Day 2025

#LibraryGivingDay is a one-day fundraising event with the goal of encouraging people who depend on and enjoy public libraries to donate to their individual library system. And in turn, that support will go toward the incredible programs, services and materials provided by local libraries all over the country.

Today is the sixth annual Library Giving Day—an event that gives library lovers like you a chance to elevate and support us.

Please consider clicking the “Donate” button below throughout the day and evening to help us stay strong. Most importantly, all donations count toward helping us provide a better library for you. We’re so grateful for your appreciation and support!