The Library is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $145,000 grant by the Connecticut State Library Board. The Library will use the grant to help fund Phase 2 of its planned Renovation and ADA Accessibility Building Project. This second phase of the project addresses the existing spaces of the Library and focuses on creating more flexible, functional, user-friendly spaces throughout the Library, including movable furniture, mobile shelving, new carpeting and paint, improved electrical infrastructure and critically needed work space for the public.
Holiday Stroll Begins At the Library
The annual Stonington Village Stroll is a beloved event and it all begins at the Library! As Stonington residents and visitors gather in Wadawanuck Square in front of the Library
We Give Thanks to All our Supporters
We THANK everyone who loves and supports the Library, but especially today! Because of you, we surpassed our GivingTuesday goal! Thank you to all the individual donors and matching challenge supporters
The Stonington Small Business Collaborative
Edward Everett Hale once said: “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” Because of all the individual donors and matching challenge supporters who contributed
Library Hours Restored on Fridays
We are deeply appreciative of the many generous contributions made by a group of area residents and businesses which will allow us to reopen the Library on Friday afternoons through July 1, 2019. Local resident Beth Walker spearheaded this independent fundraising effort. Beth has long been a passionate supporter of the Library and took it upon herself to reach out to her network both to raise awareness of the Library’s current funding challenges and rally her friends, local businesses and the community to show how important the Library is to them and everyone who lives in Stonington.
Library Receives $550 Grant from Mystic Woman’s Club
Our sincerest thanks to the Mystic Woman’s Club for their grant of $550 which has allowed us to purchase an additional book cart and materials for our branch at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center. Library volunteers run the PNC branch every Wednesday from 10 to 11:30. Stop by to sign up for a library card, check out items or place requests for items to be brought at an upcoming visit. The Library’s collaboration with the PNC to create this branch began in January 2017. Since it began the branch has served 301 people who have checked out 514 items.
Adult Summer Reading 2018
Our Adult Summer Reading Program is back from Monday, June 18 through Friday, August 3. Participating is easy! Each time you visit the Library and check out materials, enter our weekly drawing – entry forms will be available at the front desk.
Tribute to Nick Kepple
If you live in Stonington, then there is a darn good chance that you either know Nick Kepple or benefit from his tireless work. If you have not yet met him, please allow me the pleasure of introducing you by characterizing the many roles he plays in our community. He is the father of four, a dedicated husband (it will be 44 years this July), a beloved probate judge who consistently demonstrates kindness, compassion and a steadfast drive to do what is right for those who come before him. Among many other things, he is the President of the Board of Trustees of the Stonington Free Library. By now, you undoubtedly see a pattern in these roles that describe his character—selfless community servant and leader, with a love for family and community at his core.
An Update on Sustainability & Accessibility
This past October the Library held a Community Conversation and Open House week to present its recently completed Strategic Plan to the community. President of the Board Nick Kepple and several Trustees including Kate Randolph, Allegra Griffiths and Denise Easton reported on the goals of the Strategic Plan, the Library’s financial situation and a proposed addition to the building to make the Library accessible and ADA compliant. Since the Community Conversation, the Library has continued an advocacy campaign to town leaders and submitted two funding requests to the town. The first request was for an increase to the Library’s annual municipal funding, which supports Library operations. The second request was for town capital improvement funds to assist with making the building accessible and ADA compliant.
CT Authors Trail 2018
The Library is once again participating in the Connecticut Authors Trail, now in its 10th Season. This event is organized by a consortium of Eastern Connecticut Libraries and features Connecticut authors who are invited by participating libraries to present their work. The Trail begins on July 10th and ends on September 20th with a Grand Finale at Mohegan Sun. This year our Connecticut author will be Gail MacDonald, an associate professor in residence in the journalism department at UCONN Storrs. On Thursday, August 30th at 6:30 pm here at the Library Professor MacDonald will be talking about her book “Morton F. Plant and the Connecticut Shoreline: Philanthropy in the Gilded Age.” Morton Plant was one of the founders of Connecticut College and also the Shennecossett Golf Club.
