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Granby Public Library System

granby-ct.gov/library

860-844-5275

GranbyLibrary@granby-ct.gov

Main Branch Hours

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 10 a.m.–8 p.m.

Tuesday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Winter Sunday hours have ended

Cossitt Branch Hours

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: 3–8 p.m.

Registration is required for many of the library’s programs. To register, follow the links on the library’s website or call the library. To learn more about upcoming programs, sign up for the library’s monthly eNewsletter in person, on the website, or by phone.


Adults and Teens

Passport to Connecticut Libraries: April 1 – 30. Libraries across Connecticut are encouraging people of all ages to discover the power of their library card. Pick up a Library Passport at either the Main Branch or Cossitt Branch and visit at least five participating libraries in Connecticut to be eligible to win a $150 gift card for adults or a $100 gift card for children. Enjoy traveling to libraries in other towns, receive a small gift and browse their collection. Turn in your Passport by May 6 to enter the drawing. For more details and a full list of participating libraries, ask your local librarian. Sponsored by Friends of Granby Public Library and Friends of Cossitt Library.

Celebrate National Library Week with the Granby Libraries and Four Dads Pub: April 3 – 9. Having a library card gives access to books, movies, music and—great food and drink at Four Dads Pub. Simply show your library card during National Library Week and receive 10 percent off your food order. Check out the menu at fourdadspub.com

Food Labels Decoded: Organic, Natural and GMO Foods: Wednesday, April 6, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Organic and natural labels appear everywhere and seem to beckon us with promises of improved health, but are they better for you than “regular” food products? Are they worth the additional expense? Nutrition consultant Anna Kazmierczak, MS, MBA, will help separate fact from fiction. This is the final presentation in the series Food Labels Decoded. Register online. Sponsored by Friends of Granby Public Library.

Photo Workflow Organizing: Thursday, April 7, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. at Cossitt Branch. Sort and arrange your photos and folders using Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad and Apple Mac laptops. Professional photographer and technology educator Andy Mars guides participants with step-by-step instruction. Register online, space is limited. Sponsored by Friends of Cossitt Library.

Landscape as Canvas: Earth Art: Monday, April 11, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. In the 1960s and 70s, artists like Robert Smithson, Nancy Holt and Ana Mendietta began the practice of making art using materials from the natural world. Learn more about the inspiration for the movement from Jane Oneail, art educator, and get insight into the works of several leading artists, including Andy Goldsworthy. Register online. Sponsored by Friends of Granby Public Library and Granby Land Trust.

Upcycling: 1 + 1 = New: Thursday, April 21, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Main Branch. Find ways to upcycle the clothes in your closet in this fun presentation and discussion with Sandy Salazar. Learn to transform clothing that no longer inspires you. Salazar is a practicing sustainable clothing shopper and enjoys transforming consignment shop finds into fashionable new outfits. She will also share clever ways to transform and repurpose old wedding dresses. Register online.

Cossitt Seed Library: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 3 – 8 p.m. at Cossitt Branch. The Cossitt Seed Library opened to the public in March and continues to offer fruit, vegetable, herb and flower seeds to gardeners this spring. Stop by for your free seed packets and be sure to check out library resources to help you plan and grow your garden. Help us expand our Seed Library when you learn to harvest seeds at future programs presented by Master Gardeners and local horticulturists.

Monday Funday for Teens and Tweens: Monday, April 4, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. at Main Branch. It’s spring and we’re sprouting off about a couple of cute craft projects for ages 10 to 18. Just add water and sunshine, then watch as your egg-head grows a head of green hair! Register online; space is limited. Sponsored by Friends of the Library.

Emotional Freedom Technique: Monday, April 4, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. EFT, also known as Tapping, is used by thousands of practitioners around the world to improve mental and physical health. Life coach Cris Jacobs will describe what benefits it may offer you. Handouts are available. Register online.

Writers Group: Tuesdays, April 12 and 26, 5 – 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Adult fiction writers looking to take the next step with their work are invited to attend bi-monthly workshops led by local writers. Exchange ideas and sharpen your skill set with creative writing prompts, character development exercises, and helpful critique responses. Register online.

Time for Chess: Thursday, April 21, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Main Branch. Do you enjoy the game of chess? Players of all skill levels are encouraged to register online for friendly matches held on the fourth Thursday of the month. Drop-ins are also welcome and will be accommodated as time and space allow. Register online.

New Page Turners Book Club: Wednesday, April 20, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Main Branch. Page Turners will enjoy quarterly themes to inspire a range of reading—the first theme being Best-Sellers from Another Day. Leading the Page Turners book discussion is veteran discussion leader Beth Morrill who led our popular Around the World book discussions. The first title selected is Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin. Baldwin was an essayist, playwright, novelist and a voice of the American civil rights movement. This novel was published in 1955. Copies are available at the library, online and through curbside pickup. Registration is recommended, but not required.

Sci-Fi Book Club: Wednesday, April 27, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Main Branch. The title selected for this month is Recursion by Blake Crouch. Leading the conversation will be veteran discussion leader, Doug Soucier. Copies of the book will be available for checkout both in the library and online. Registration is recommended, but not required.

For Children and Families

Wildlife on Wheels, A Visit from the Forest Park Zoo: Tuesday, April 12, 11 – 11:45 a.m. at Main Branch. The Zoo in Forest Park is bringing its traveling show to the library during school vacation week. Visiting ambassador animals could include tortoises, a bearded dragon, a cockatoo or even a giant cockroach! Best for age 6 and older. Space is strictly limited. Advance registration is a must. Sponsored by the Friends of Granby Public Library.

Kids @ Cossitt: Create a Garden: Thursday, April 14, 3-4 p.m. at Cossitt Branch. For ages 4 and up. Love to dig in the dirt? Come help us create a special garden at Cossitt—we’ll provide the seeds, dirt, pots and tools, you choose the flower seeds you would like to grow and plant them in the soil. Then decorate a marker with your name and a drawing of your chosen flower to put in the garden. Watch your flower grow each time you visit the library. Sponsored by the Friends of Cossitt Library.

Creature Creations: Saturday, April 23, 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Main Branch. For ages 8-12. Come with your imagination ready to recycle old stuffed animals and create something completely new and original. With a little creativity, some glue and some thread, you can reassemble the arms, legs, heads and tails of many different toys to craft something uniquely yours. Ugly or beautiful, monstrous or adorable—with unlimited combinations, you’ll leave with a special new friend that will create an impression. Registration is required. Sponsored by the FOGPL.

Family Yoga: Saturday, April 30, 9 – 9:45 a.m. at Main Branch. For ages 5 and up. Time to unwind and relax. Instructor Aubrey Schulz guides us through some basic poses. Please bring a towel or yoga mat. Registration required in advance. Sponsored by the Friends of Granby Public Library.

Take and Make Crafts: Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Main Branch Children’s Room. Calling all crafty kids, ages 3 and over. Stop by the Children’s Room and select a craft kit from our Craft Box to take home and complete. No registration or reservation needed. An assortment of crafts for all levels of ability will be available. One craft kit per child, please. All materials and instruction will be provided. First come, first served. Supplies are limited. Craft kits and activity sheets are also available in the Children’s Room at Cossitt Library during regular open hours. Some crafts may contain small pieces that could be a choking hazard to children age 3 and under. Sponsored by FOGPL.

Story Times

Good Morning Tuesday! and Good Morning Wednesday! Story Times with Miss Joan: Tuesdays, 10:30 – 11 a.m. and Wednesdays, 10:30 – 11 a.m. at Main Branch. Miss Joan invites her preschool friends and their caregivers to sing, do a fingerplay and share a story together. Choose which day fits better in your schedule—Miss Joan offers the same program twice each week. No registration needed. Sponsored by Friends of Granby Public Library. (No April 12)

Bedtime Stories with Miss Heather: Tuesdays, 6 – 6:30 p.m. at Cossitt Branch. New day, starting April 5. Miss Heather welcomes children ages 4-7 with their caregivers for story time—pajamas encouraged. We’ll read stories and sing songs together. Each child will also receive a craft to complete at home. No registration needed. Sponsored by Friends of Cossitt.

Story Time On Your Time: All April at Main Branch. Too busy to attend a scheduled Story Time program? Stop by or call the library and request a Story Time Bag for you and your baby or toddler. Each Bag contains board books, a washable toy and pages of suggested finger plays, songs and nursery rhymes to enjoy together. Keep each bag for up to one month, then return it and check out another. Each bag is unique. Place a hold in our online catalog or by calling 860-844-5275

New and Ongoing Library Services

Personal Service: Need help choosing books or other library materials for yourself or your family? The library’s resourceful staff are always available to help. Stop in or call for assistance in selecting your next favorite title: 860-844-5275 for adults and teens, 860-844-5285 for children.

Learning at Your Library: Did you know that the library offers people free access to several online learning databases, ready to help people gain new professional skills, creative abilities, and job-seeking tips? Check out the library website’s “Online Learning” page to access LinkedIn Learning, CreativeBug, JobNow, and the Computer Skills Center to see what you can learn next.

Libby: Use this app to check out up to 10 titles at a time, and read or listen to best-sellers, old favorites, and new releases—all with the click of a button. With titles that can be read on nearly any device (including your kindle!), there is something for everyone. This “digital bookshelf” allows you to place holds on popular titles and download the books people are talking about as easily as pulling out your Granby Library card.

Hoopla: Granby Library patrons are able to access the hoopla digital catalog, more than 900,000 titles of eBooks, eAudio books, music albums, TV series, and more. Download the free app and log in with your GPL library card. Every patron can borrow up to four titles a month with no holds, and no waiting. Take advantage of these free digital checkouts in addition to the items you can borrow through Overdrive/Libby Use your Granby Library Card anywhere you are!

Museum Passes: Granby Library Patrons can borrow museum passes that will provide visitors with free or reduced rates for dozens of museums across Connecticut and Massachusetts. Check the library website or call for more details.

1000 books before kindergarten

It’s never too early to start reading to your child. The popular program is an easy and fun way to spend time reading together. We provide everything you need. We would love to help you get started—ask for information at the Children’s Desk or call: 860-844-5275 (main desk) or 860-844-5285 for Miss Joan, the Children’s Librarian.