Libraries are opening their doors again

With the Phase Two reopening of Connecticut, many of the area libraries are opening again, after having done only curbside service for much of the year.  

The David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village opened on Tuesday, June 23, and resumed its regular operating hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Social distancing guidelines will be observed. 

For more information and to make curbside requests, call the library at 860-824-7424 or go to www.huntlibrary.org.

The Kent Memorial Library also opened on June 23. Patrons must make an appointment in advance to use the library, and appointments will be for 45 minutes starting every hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a short option at 5 p.m. Appointments can be made by phone or email. 

Curbside pick-up will continue for those who do not want to enter. Patrons can place holds on their accounts online, or by calling or emailing the library. C-Car is available so people will be able to request from other libraries. Patrons may search the collection at www.Wowbrary.com. 

Although the annual Kent book sale will not open this summer, the library is taking book sale donations. A phone call in advance is requested. 

Open hours are Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

For more information, call 860-927-3761 or go to www.kentmemoriallibrary.org.

The Scoville Memorial Library in Salisbury is preparing to welcome back patrons on a limited basis starting Tuesday, July 14. The building remains temporarily closed as the premises are cleaned and safety measures such as plastic guards are installed. After reopening, the library will continue to offer curbside pickup to those who request it by calling 860-435-2838. Items should be returned through the library’s bookdrop next to the front door. 

The library’s schedule of offerings onscreen will continue, even after the opening. For updates on Zoom book groups, meditation, exercise classes and more for both children and adults, go to www.scovillelibrary.org, where you can also sign up for the library’s email newsletter. 

The Douglas Library of North Canaan will reopen to the public on Monday, June 29, at 1:30 p.m. and resume regular hours — except Friday evenings and Saturdays for the time being. 

All visitors are required to wear a mask. Temperatures will be taken with an infrared thermometer upon entry. Library visits will be recorded on a contact tracing sheet.

Children under 12 will not be able to enter the library at this time.  The front entryway will be open for entering, the rear side door for exiting only. To access the handicapped entrance, visitors will need to call the library (860-824-7863) to unlock the door.  Entry to the library will be overseen by a staff member and limited to five people. 

Only one computer will be available to the public for 20-minutes of usage.  

The sitting areas and the upstairs of the library will be off limits to the public; so will the restroom.  

Curbside service will remain available to those who prefer not to enter the library; call 860-824-7863 or email your requests to douglaslibrary@comcast.net. Go to www.douglaslibrarycanaan.org for more information.

The Hotchkiss Library of Sharon plans to open for computer use, by appointment only, beginning Tuesday, June 30, from 1 to 4 p.m.  Patrons must observe all safety protocols and may reserve a computer for 20 minutes on the hour and half hour.  Curbside service continues Mondays through Saturdays, 1 to 4 p.m.  

“We anticipate opening the library for limited browsing, two patrons at a time, sometime in mid to late July,” said Executive Director Gretchen Hachmeister.   Virtual programming, including book groups, book talks, knitting, children’s activities, and chair yoga continue.  

Call 860-364-5041 or email request@hotchkisslibrary.org to make an appointment, reserve materials, or register for a program. 

Latest News

Housatonic softball beats Webutuck 16-3

Haley Leonard and Khyra McClennon looked on as HVRHS pulled ahead of Webutuck, May 2.

Riley Klein

FALLS VILLAGE — The battle for the border between Housatonic Valley Regional High School and Webutuck High School Thursday, May 2, was won by HVRHS with a score of 16-3.

The New Yorkers played their Connecticut counterparts close early on and commanded the lead in the second inning. Errors plagued the Webutuck Warriors as the game went on, while the HVRHS Mountaineers stayed disciplined and finished strong.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mountaineers fall 3-0 to Wamogo

Anthony Foley caught Chase Ciccarelli in a rundown when HVRHS played Wamogo Wednesday, May 1.

Riley Klein

LITCHFIELD — Housatonic Valley Regional High School varsity baseball dropped a 3-0 decision to Wamogo Regional High School Wednesday, May 1.

The Warriors kept errors to a minimum and held the Mountaineers scoreless through seven innings. HVRHS freshman pitcher Chris Race started the game strong with no hits through the first three innings, but hiccups in the fourth gave Wamogo a lead that could not be caught.

Keep ReadingShow less
The artist called ransome

‘Migration Collage' by ransome

Alexander Wilburn

If you claim a single sobriquet as your artistic moniker, you’re already in a club with some big names, from Zendaya to Beyoncé to the mysterious Banksy. At Geary, the contemporary art gallery in Millerton founded by New Yorkers Jack Geary and Dolly Bross Geary, a new installation and painting exhibition titled “The Bitter and the Sweet” showcases the work of the artist known only as ransome — all lowercase, like the nom de plume of the late Black American social critic bell hooks.

Currently based in Rhinebeck, N.Y., ransome’s work looks farther South and farther back — to The Great Migration, when Jim Crow laws, racial segregation, and the public violence of lynching paved the way for over six million Black Americans to seek haven in northern cities, particularly New York urban areas, like Brooklyn and Baltimore. The Great Migration took place from the turn of the 20th century up through the 1970s, and ransome’s own life is a reflection of the final wave — born in North Carolina, he found a new home in his youth in New Jersey.

Keep ReadingShow less
Four Brothers ready for summer season

Hospitality, ease of living and just plain fun are rolled into one for those who are intrigued by the leisure-time Caravana experience at the family-owned Four Brothers Drive-in in Amenia. John Stefanopoulos, pictured above, highlights fun possibilities offered by Hotel Caravana.

Leila Hawken

The month-long process of unwrapping and preparing the various features at the Four Brothers Drive-In is nearing completion, and the imaginative recreational destination will be ready to open for the season on Friday, May 10.

The drive-in theater is already open, as is the Snack Shack, and the rest of the recreational features are activating one by one, soon to be offering maximum fun for the whole family.

Keep ReadingShow less