Table of Contents

Adult Events
- Wednesday and Evening at the Movies
- Adult Book Clubs
- Technology Help
Children and Teen Events
- Children's Events
- Teen Events
The Friends of the Southbury Public Library
Brinker Fireplace Room Display: The Town of Southbury: 350th Anniversary
Artist of the Month: Historical Photography Exhibition of Southbury

Adult Events

Information and Registration: Reference Department at 203-262-0626 ext. 130

All programs require registration unless otherwise noted. The majority of programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Library programs are not funded by the town fiscal budget. For all virtual adult programs requiring registration, registrants will receive an email with the Zoom links the morning of the program.

Adult Graphic Novel Club
Tuesday, October 3, 7:30-8:30pm, Online and in the Brown Room, Registration Required

Join us for the introductory meeting of the Adult Graphic Novel Club. This is an adult focused group to discuss graphic novels and manga. Come with your ideas, experiences, opinions, and an open mind as we explore this amazing world of visual realism and fantasy! November's meeting will discuss the graphic novel Watchmen, by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons and John Higgins. Copies of Watchmen will be available at the Circulation Desk beginning Tuesday, October 3. To register, click here.

The Old Woodbury Path
Thursday, October 5, 1-2:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

For centuries, the Woodbury Path was the Lower Naugatuck Valley’s most important transportation route for Native Americans, settlers and traders. Travelers referred to this ancient road as the Woodbury Path, and used it not only for travel, but also as a boundary marker and point of reference. Join us as we explore the colorful history of the Woodbury Path, its effect on early commerce and its eventual demise. To register, click here.

Musical Journey with Matthew: Latin Music
Saturday, October 7, 1-2pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Join us for a musical experience like never before. Explore Hispanic musical heritage by journeying through the best of what the Americas had to offer in the twentieth century. Take an excursion through well-known musical works of Central and South America, including Jobim, Velazquez, and others. To register, click here.

Genealogy Basics: The Research Process
Thursday, October 12, 2-3:30pm, Online and in the Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Designed for beginning to intermediate genealogists, join as we explore the formal genealogy research process. This program will cover identifying a research question; formulating a research plan; and evaluating what’s discovered. Perfect for genealogists starting to feel a little overwhelmed by their initial search. For Zoom Program, register here. For Kingsley Room, register here.

The Haunted History of Halloween
Friday, October 13, 2-3:30pm, Online and in the Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Every October 31, pint-sized ghouls and goblins wander through neighborhoods knocking on doors and asking for treats . . . little do they know they're actually carrying out an ancient tradition dating back thousands of years. Join us as we take a captivating journey through the mysterious tales behind the spookiest night of the year. For Zoom Program, register here. For Kingsley Room, register here.

Write it, Polish it, Publish It: A Writing Group - Session 1 (Rescheduled from September 9, 2023.)
Saturday, October 14, 10am-1pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Come join Southbury Poet Laureate Faith Vicinanza as she leads a writing workshop as part of a year-long series. Explore the writing process through writing prompts and sharing your work. Any time is the perfect time to work on a new skill, or spend time with an old friend, your writing, whether you write poetry or prose, short fiction, non-fiction, or a blog. To register, click here.

Boppa Chua! Marc Black’s History of the 1950’s and 60’s through Popular Song
Thursday, October 19, 2-3:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

New York Blues Hall of Fame inductee, Marc Black, will be your guide through an afternoon of song, storytelling and laughter through these two historically defining decades. To register, click here.

Shaken: Art that Rocked Audiences from the Renaissance to Today
Friday, October 20, 2-3:30pm, Online and in the Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Join us as we consider some of the biggest scandals in the art world in terms of audience reception and includes works such as Donatello’s David, Manet’s Luncheon on the Grass, and Sargent’s famous Madame X. For Zoom Program, register here. For Kingsley Room, register here.

Coloring Club
Monday, October 23, 2-3:30pm, Brown Room, Registration Requested

Welcome to the Adult Coloring Club! Join us for a relaxing hour of therapeutic coloring in the Brown Room. Materials will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own supplies as well. Registration is requested. To register, click here.

Blind/Low Vision Lions Club
Tuesday, October 24, 2-3:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Join Mark Beninson of Lion’s Low Vision Center as he discusses resources available to those that are blind or low vision. Learn more about insurance coverage as well as how the Lion’s Low Vision Centers support affected individuals. To register, click here.

Halloween Trivia
Tuesday, October 24, 6-7pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Think you know Halloween trivia? Join in on the fun with some spooky trivia that’s sure to make your hair stand straight up! To register, click here.

Lu Burke Lecture Series: Tracey O'Shaughnessy
Wednesday, October 25, 3:30-4:30pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Join us for the latest installment of our Lu Burke Lecture Series with Nationally award winning columnist Tracey O'Shaughnessy! O'Shaughnessy, who has won a number of awards for her columns, art criticism and feature stories, will discuss the perils and promises of Artificial Intelligence. To register, click here.

Sleep Tips
Thursday, October 26, 2-3pm, Online and in the Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Did you know that during restorative sleep the body not only rests and recharges, it also cleans the brain of toxins and debris, consolidates memories, repairs tissues and organs, and grows new cells, including brain cells? Come learn about tips to improve sleep and restorative rest. For Zoom Program, register here. For Kingsley Room, register here.

From Mickey Mouse to Star Wars and Beyond: How the Walt Disney Company Conquered the Entertainment Universe
Friday, October 27, 2-3:30pm, Online and in the Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Over the last nine decades, the Walt Disney Company has transformed every facet of the entertainment business. Join us as we examine this remarkable story of creativity and media growth, and explore how the Walt Disney Company grew from a small cartoon studio in 1923 to become the most powerful force in worldwide entertainment. For Zoom Program, register here. For Kingsley Room, register here.

Scary Poems and Stories
Saturday, October 28, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

To celebrate the spooky season, the Southbury Library invites you to an afternoon of scary poems and stories. Come bring your spookiest poems and stories to share. Southbury Poet Laureate Faith Vicinanza will lead this program and bring some of her favorite scary works. To register, click here.

Wednesday at the Movies

Juniper (2021) NR
Wednesday, October 11, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested

When a self-destructive teenager is suspended from school and asked to look after his feisty alcoholic grandmother as a punishment, the crazy time they spend together turns his life around. Register here.

Asteroid City (2023) PG-13
Wednesday, October 18, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested

Following a writer on his world famous fictional play about a grieving father who travels with his tech-obsessed family to small rural Asteroid City to compete in a junior stargazing event, only to have his world view disrupted forever. Register here.

About My Father (2023) PG-13
Wednesday, October 25, 1-3pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested

When Sebastian tells his old-school Italian immigrant father Salvo that he is going to propose to his all-American girlfriend, Salvo insists on crashing a weekend with her tony parents. Register here.

Evening at the Movies

You Hurt My Feelings (2023) R
Thursday, October 12, 6-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested

A novelist's longstanding marriage is suddenly upended when she overhears her husband giving his honest reaction to her latest book. Register here.

The Pope's Exorcist (2023) R
Thursday, October 26, 6-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Requested

Follow Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican's leading exorcist, as he investigates the possession of a child and uncovers a conspiracy the Vatican has tried to keep secret. Register here.

Adult Book Clubs

The Southbury Public Library offers four book clubs: Tuesday Night Fiction Book Club, Nonfiction Book Club, Mystery Book Club, and Adult Graphic Novel Club. Join us for a discussion about this month’s books. Print copies are available at the Circulation Desk, there's no registration required and new members are always welcome!

Adult Graphic Novel Club
Tuesday, October 3, 7:30-8:30pm, Brown Room, No Registration Required

Join us for the introductory meeting of the Adult Graphic Novel Club. This is an adult focused group to discuss graphic novels and manga. Come with your ideas, experiences, opinions, and an open mind as we explore this amazing world of visual realism and fantasy! November's meeting will discuss the graphic novel Watchmen, by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons and John Higgins. Watchmen chronicles the fall from grace of a group of superheroes plagued by all-too-human failings. Along the way, the concept of the superhero is dissected as an unknown assassin stalks the erstwhile heroes. Copies of Watchmen will be available at the Circulation Desk beginning Tuesday, October 3. For more information, click here.

Nonfiction Book Club
Wednesday, October 11, 10-11am, Brown Room, No Registration Required

This month we'll be discussing Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia, by Christina Thompson. A thrilling intellectual detective story that looks deep into the past to uncover who first settled the islands of the remote Pacific, where they came from, how they got there, and how we know. For more information, click here.

Mystery Book Club
Monday, October 16, 3-4pm, Kingsley Room, No Registration Required

This month we'll be discussing The Mitford Murders, by Jessica Fellowes. It's 1920, and Louisa Cannon dreams of escaping her life of poverty in London. When a nurse is killed on a train in broad daylight, Louisa finds herself entangled in the crimes of a murderer who will do anything to hide their secret. For more information, click here.

Tuesday Night Fiction Book Club
Tuesday, September 26, 6:30-7:30pm, Brown Room, No Registration Required

This month we'll be discussing Sea of Tranquility: A Novel, by Emily St. John Mandel. 1912: Edwin St. Andrew is eighteen years old when he crosses the Atlantic by steamship, exiled from polite society. Two centuries later a famous writer named Olive Llewellyn is on a book tour. She’s traveling all over Earth, but her home is the second moon colony. When Gaspery-Jacques Roberts, a detective in the black-skied Night City, is hired to investigate an anomaly in the North American wilderness, he uncovers a series of lives upended. For more information, click here.

Technology Help

Technology Help with James Chapin
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12-1pm, Reference Area, No Registration Required

Do you have technology questions or are you having issues with a device? Come by for help with local tech expert James Chapin. Feel free to ask your questions to our Reference Staff as well. Please note, there will be no Technology Help on Thursday, September 7, and Thursday, September 14. For more information, click here.

Reference Technology Assistance

Did you know that the Reference Department offers assistance with mobile devices, downloading our e-resources, and more? If you have a simple question, stop by the Reference Desk more than an hour before we close and we can assist you. Like other Reference Questions, you may have to wait for a Reference Librarian to be available. If your question is more in-depth or you're not sure how long it will take, call the Reference Department at 203-262-0626 ext. 130 to inquire about making an appointment. Most of our assistance is related to answering questions about how to use a device, app, or website. We cannot touch your device directly, but instead we teach you how to do what you are looking for help with. If you have a hardware question or very technical question, we recommend visiting James Chapin during his Technology Help on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12-1pm.

Children and Teen Events

Information and Registration: Children/Teen Department at 203-262-0626 ext. 3

See below for information about our upcoming Children's and Teen Programming! All of our Children's and Teen Programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. Library programs are not funded by the town fiscal budget.

Children's Storytimes:

Drop-In Storytime (All Ages)
Monday, October 2, 16, 23, & 30, 10-10:30am and 11-11:30am, Storytime Room, No Registration Required

Join Miss Jen for stories, rhymes, and a small craft every Monday except October 9. All ages are welcome. Find out more on our website here.

Babies & Books Storytime (6-24 Months)
Tuesday, October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 10:30-11am, Storytime Room, Registration Required – Space Limited (Waitlist Only)

Babies and Books Storytime is an interactive lapsit program for babies ages 6-24 months and their parents and caregivers. Find out more and register on our website here.

Toddler Time Storytime (Ages 2 & 3)
Wednesday, October 4, 11, 18, 25, 10:30-11am, Storytime Room, Registration Required – Space Limited (Waitlist Only)

Parents and caregivers are invited to join their toddlers ages 2 and 3 for theme based stories, songs, and a craft. Find out more and register on our website here.

Stories & More Storytime (Ages 4 & 5)
Thursday, October 5, 12, 19, 26, 10:30-11am, Storytime Room, Registration Required – Space Limited

Children ages 4 and 5 able to sit and pay attention independently are invited to listen to longer stories and complete a craft or activity. Find out more and register on our website here.

Special Events for Children:

Storywalk: And Here’s to You! (All Ages)
Ongoing through Tuesday, October 31, Outside on the Library Grounds

Follow along and get moving with our fall StoryWalk featuring And Here’s to You!, by David Shannon. Stop by the Youth Services department to make or take a craft. Find out more on our website here.

Monthly Mini Reading Challenge: Hallow-Read (PreK-Grade 12)
October 1-31, Online on Beanstack

Join us on Beanstack for our next Mini Monthly Reading Challenge! Complete the challenge within the month, and get a SurPRIZE! The SurPRIZE could be a fancy bookmark, notecard set, cool pens, or something else entirely! We'll have something different every month. Our October theme is Hallow-Read. Find more and sign up on our Beanstack page here.

Tiny Food Explorers (Ages 2-5 & Caregivers)
Tuesday, October 3, 11am-12pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join Tiny Food Explorers for some fun with food! Come and explore new flavors and textures while playing games all about food and MyPlate! You’ll make a hands-on healthy snack that even the pickiest of eaters will be keen to try. All snack ingredients will be nut free but may contain dairy. Find out more and register on our website here.

DIY Craft Lab (Grades 2-8)
Tuesday, October 3, 4-6pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Stop by anytime between 4-6pm to join Mr. Matt for an afternoon of creating! DIY Craft Lab features a mix of ten open creative crafting stations and awesome craft projects for kids and teens. Stop by to make something, or everything! Find out more and register on our website here.

Fundamentals of Cubing: Rubik’s Cube Practice (Grades 1-12)
Thursday, October 5, 12, 19, & 26, 4-5pm, Storytime Room, No Registration Required

As preparation for our Saturday, October 28 Interlibrary Rubik's Cube Competition, join us to learn some techniques and hints, challenge each other, and practice. The Woodbury Library is also having practices on Wednesdays in October from 3:30-4:30pm; come to any or all practices at either library. Find out more on our website here.

Food Explorers: Pizza Quesadillas (Ages 6 & Up)
Thursday, October 5, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join Food Explorers for a delicious after school snack! You’ve all had quesadillas…but have you ever had a pizza quesadilla!? Children will make their own pizza quesadillas and choose from a variety of filling ingredients. Recipe is nut free but may contain dairy and gluten. Find out more and register on our website here.

Open House Make or Take Craft (All Ages)
Saturday, Saturday, October 7, 14, 21, & 28, All Day, Upstairs, No Registration Required

Stop by the Youth Services department Saturdays to make a thematic craft. Make it here or bring it home. Crayons and glue sticks are available in the library. Available while supplies last. Find out more on our website here.

ARTuesday (Ages 7 & Up)
Tuesday, October 10, 5-6pm, Storytime Room, No Registration Required

Do you love art? Join us for a playful, messy, and expressive art experience where there is no right or wrong. Come play and experiment with a variety of art mediums and themes. Smocks recommended. Please wear something you don't mind getting messy. Find out more on our website here.

Three Different Approaches to Meditation (Grades 2-5 & Parents/Caregivers)
Tuesday, October 17, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required

Children grades 2-5 and their parents or caregivers are invited to join Dr. Wendy Hurwitz for a workshop on meditation! Three types of meditation will be presented, and ways to augment their benefits. Alternatives to meditation will also be discussed. There will be opportunities for participants to try each method. This is a fragrance-free program. Find out more and register on our website here.

Lego to the Library! (Ages 5-10)
Wednesday, October 18, 4-5pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required

Join us for an afternoon of LEGO fun! We’ll provide the LEGO bricks, and you bring the creativity! You can free build, or work off of instructions. Find out more and register on our website here.

Family Trivia Night (All Ages)
Friday, October 20, 6:30-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join us for another Family Trivia night! Work together as a family team to answer our trivia questions! We'll have a variety of topics, including kid-centric knowledge, general information, and questions aimed at parents, too. The family who answers the most questions correctly will win a $100 gift card to Riverview Cinemas! Find out more and register on our website here.

Halloween Flower Arranging with the Southbury Garden Club (Ages 7 & Up)
Saturday, October 21, 11:30am-1pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join the Southbury Garden Club to make Halloween-themed flower arrangements. Find out more and register on our website here.

Let’s Draw Monsters! With Rick Stromoski (Ages 7-12)
Monday, October 23, 4-5pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Award-winning cartoonist Rick Stromoski will show you how to draw creatures, goblins, ghosts, and all things Halloween-y! Rick will also have signed copies of his new middle-grade graphic novel, Take a Hike, for purchase after the program. Find out more and register on our website here.

ARTuesday (Ages 3-6)
Tuesday, October 24, 5-6pm, Storytime Room, No Registration Required

Stop by for a playful, messy, and expressive art experience where there is no right or wrong. Come play and experiment with a variety of art mediums and themes. Smocks recommended. Find out more on our website here.

Design Your Own Witch Craft (Grades 1-5)
Saturday, October 28, 2-3pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join Miss Katie to design your very own witch for Halloween! Find out more and register on our website here.

Interlibrary Rubik’s Cube Competition (Grades 1-12)
Saturday, October 28, 2-3pm, Woodbury Public Library

Do you have what it takes to compete in this Rubik's Cube Competition? The fastest time wins a special prize. Our events include Fastest Cube Solve for three separate age groups: Grades 1-4, Grades 5-8, and Grades 9-12. We will also have a Team Blindfold Solve. Open to Grades 1-12. Find out more and register on our website here.

Halloween Goodie Bags! (All Ages)
Tuesday, October 31, All Day, Upstairs, No Registration Required

Stop by the Youth Services circulation desk to pick up a fun Halloween goodie bag! We would love to see your costumes, but they are not required. While supplies last. Find out more on our website here.

Special Events for Teens:

Monthly Mini Reading Challenge: Hallow-Read (PreK-Grade 12)
October 1-31, Online on Beanstack

Join us on Beanstack for our next Mini Monthly Reading Challenge! Complete the challenge within the month, and get a SurPRIZE! The SurPRIZE could be a fancy bookmark, notecard set, cool pens, or something else entirely! We'll have something different every month. Our October theme is Hallow-Read. Find more and sign up on our Beanstack page here.

Fundamentals of Cubing: Rubik’s Cube Practice (Grades 1-12)
Thursday, October 5, 12, 19, & 26, 4-5pm, Storytime Room, No Registration Required

As preparation for our Saturday, October 28 Interlibrary Rubik's Cube Competition, join us to learn some techniques and hints, challenge each other, and practice. The Woodbury Library is also having practices on Wednesdays in October from 3:30-4:30pm; come to any or all practices at either library. Find out more on our website here.

How to Write an Admissions Essay That Gets Noticed (Grades 9-12)
Tuesday, October 10, 6-7pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join admissions essay coach Gary Santaniello to learn how to make your college admissions essay stand out. He will show you how to tell a compelling personal story in your unique voice, starting with how to choose an essay topic (if not supplied), and including how to marshal your thoughts and words in clear, effective writing. Find out more and register on our website here.

Food Explorers: Vanilla Chai Cake Pops (Grades 6-12)
Wednesday, October 11, 4-5pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join Food Explorers for a delicious fall baking program! We’ll use our handy cake pop machine to quickly bake some Vanilla Chai Cake Pops. And the best part, you’ll get to make your own glaze and decorate them! Recipe is nut free but will contain gluten, dairy, and eggs. Find out more and register on our website here.

Volunteer at the Friends of the Southbury Public Library Book Donation Day (Grades 6-12 and Age 12 & Up)
Saturday, October 14, 9:30am-12:30pm & 12:30pm-3:30pm, Sign Up Required by Wednesday, October 11

Interested volunteers would be helping to unload book, DVD, and similar donations from people's cars and bringing them into the Lower Level Friends Book Sale Area. They might also help sort book and other material donations. Teen volunteers will be working mostly in groups with other teen volunteers and Friends of the Southbury Public Library members. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out this Google Form by Wednesday, October 11.

DIY Book Pumpkins (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, October 17, 6-7pm, Brown Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join us to upcycle an old book into a pumpkin! These gourd-geous crafts are surprisingly easy to make. All supplies provided. Find out more and register on our website here.

Family Trivia Night (All Ages)
Friday, October 20, 6:30-8pm, Kingsley Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join us for another Family Trivia night! Work together as a family team to answer our trivia questions! We'll have a variety of topics, including kid-centric knowledge, general information, and questions aimed at parents, too. The family who answers the most questions correctly will win a $100 gift card to Riverview Cinemas! Find out more and register on our website here.

Teen Advisory Board (Grades 6-12)
Tuesday, October 24, 6-7pm, Tutor Corner

Teen Advisory Board (TAB) members can directly influence our teen book and AV collections, teen programming and events, and other teen services. Each monthly meeting opens with a discussion about ideas for programs, materials, and more and closes out with some special volunteer projects. If you are interested in becoming a TAB member, fill out the application form on our website.

DIY Pom-Pom Bats (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, October 26, 6:30-7pm Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

Join staff member Katie to make Pom-Pom bats! More cute than spooky, these round, fuzzy creatures are easy and fun to make. Find out more and register on our website here.

Interlibrary Rubik’s Cube Competition (Grades 1-12)
Saturday, October 28, 2-3pm, Woodbury Public Library

Do you have what it takes to compete in this Rubik's Cube Competition? The fastest time wins a special prize. Our events include Fastest Cube Solve for three separate age groups: Grades 1-4, Grades 5-8, and Grades 9-12. We will also have a Team Blindfold Solve. Open to Grades 1-12. Find out more and register on our website here.

Mad Science Monday: Blood Typing (Grades 6-12)
Monday, October 30, 4-5pm, Storytime Room, Registration Required - Space Limited

This month, explore the science behind how antibodies are used to test blood types! We'll use a synthetic kit to identify the "blood types" of different samples and determine if any are compatible pairs for a blood transfusion. No real blood will be present in this program. Find out more and register on our website here.

The Friends of the Southbury Public Library

The Friends of the Southbury Public Library sponsor almost all of our fun virtual and in-person programs found on the calendar page of our website. For more information about the Friends, click here.

Donation Day
Saturday, October 14, 10am-3pm, Library's Below Ground Rear Entrance

Donate gently-used or new books (hardcover & paperback) for adults, teens and kids, DVDs, music CDs, audiobooks on CD, puzzles, vinyl records, and collectibles. Unloading assistance will be provided! Please bring donations to the library's below ground rear entrance, as indicated in red in the picture above. Orange Detour signs will point you in the right direction. If you are a teen interested in high school service hours, please fill out this form by Wednesday, October 11. Find out more on our website here.

If you are unable to attend this Donation Day, donations may be dropped off to the library at the rear, lower level doors of the building every Tuesday and Thursday from 10-11:30am.

Lobby Book Sale
Year-Round, Open During Library Hours, Lobby

The Friends of the Southbury Public Library's Lobby Book Sale continues year-round! Located in the lobby of the Southbury Public Library, this sale features a wide selection of books for all ages, including Children’s, Cooking, Boutique, History, Biography, Fiction, Nonfiction, Special Interest and so much more. Open during library hours and refreshed regularly with new books, there's something for everyone at the Lobby Book Sale!

Library Coffee Station
Year-Round, Open During Library Hours, Lobby

The Friends of the Southbury Public Library's Coffee Station is up and running! Located in the lobby of the Southbury Public Library, just $1.00 gets you a steaming hot cup of coffee or tea! All proceeds go to the Friends of the Southbury Public Library.

This October, the Southbury Historical Society's display celebrates the 350th anniversary of the Town of Southbury. Included in the Brinker Fireplace Room display are historical photographs and memorabilia.

Artist of the Month: Historical Photography Exhibition of Southbury

Residents and visitors to Southbury will soon have the opportunity of stepping back in time to see what the town and its people looked like over the past couple hundred years, without the need of a time machine. The 350th Anniversary Steering Committee, as part of its year-long celebration of the town, is proud to unveil a new, historical photography exhibit at the Gloria Cachion Gallery in the Southbury Public Library that will include images from private collections, some never before seen by the public.

This free photographic exhibit is the first of three months’ worth of changing images that celebrate some of Southbury’s outstanding people, places, institutions, and events. The changing exhibit will last three months from October to December. Each month will feature different photographs. The first part, which will open on October 3, 2023 is called “Early Southbury” and will feature many old images of Southbury, some dating as far as late 1800s.

Most images are digitized photographs and come from both public and personal collections, including those of the Southbury Historical Society, Heritage Village Master Association, Southbury Training School, John and Lynn Dwyer, Melinda and Ray Elliott, The Hornbecker Family, Ed Platt III, Kayanne and Bill Davis, Sandy Tarbox, Rich Tomlinson, Hugh Sullivan, and many others.

Gosia Liedlich, the town’s Digital Communications Specialist, is a member of the 350th Anniversary Committee, and was leader on the project, including collecting and assembling the photographs. “It has been a privilege to work on this exhibit,” said Liedlich. “I’ve learned a lot about Southbury and its history in the process and we are thankful to all the current and past residents who brought in or sent us the photos.”

The town historian John Dwyer, co-chair of the 350th Committee, along with Southbury Historical Society President and committee member Melinda Elliott, collaborated on the captions for all the images.

The 350th Anniversary Steering Committee sincerely hope that residents and visitors alike will learn something new about the town and come away with a deeper appreciation of Southbury.

The exhibit will be open during regular library hours which are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30am to 5:30pm, Tuesday and Thursday 9:30am to 9:00pm, Saturdays 9:30am to 4:00pm and Sundays 12:00pm to 5:00pm. The exhibit will also be online as a virtual gallery here. Please visit our website to learn more.