The Transcendentalists: exploring a New England School of Thought Transcendentalists in Utopia Please read in The Dial (the only Transcendentalist literary journal). After dissolving into the ether with Emerson in our first lecture, we will move on to    consider a set of writers and reformers who make Emerson seem downright practical. Among those men were Bronson Alcott and George Ripley both of whom believed that they could reform humanity and change the world. As we look at Transcendentalism in the 1840s, we…

The Transcendentalists: exploring a New England School of Thought Transcendentalists in Utopia Please read in The Dial (the only Transcendentalist literary journal). After dissolving into the ether with Emerson in our first lecture, we will move on to    consider a set of writers and reformers who make Emerson seem downright practical. Among those men were Bronson Alcott and George Ripley both of whom believed that they could reform humanity and change the world. As we look at Transcendentalism in the 1840s, we…

Learn what the facts are concerning recent trends in motor vehicle break-ins, thefts, and residential burglaries in our community —  and how these crimes can relate to the CT Juvenile Court system. We will dispel rumors, while providing professional advice on best practices for keeping crime at bay.  Presenter: Avon Community Officer Eric Lundell co-sponsored by the Avon Library and Avon Police Department.

Ken Feder, Professor of Anthropology at Central Connecticut State University, and Founder and Director of Farmington River Valley Archaeology Project, will share stories of the ancient people of the Farmington Valley, as discovered through various archeological projects. Learn about the numerous digs that have been completed in the area; find out what a “chert” is, and hear tales of villages, hunting encampments, and quarries use by the River Valley’s first settlers. Free, no registration. Recommended for high school age and…

A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN  COMPOSERS There have always been women composers. As far back as the seventh century BC, Sappho, the Greek lyric poetess, played her own accompaniments on the barbiton and the pektis. Throughout the twelfth century there were female troubadours and during the sixteenth, madrigal composers. Francesca Caccini  (1587-1638) is thought to be the first woman to write an opera and Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre  (1663-1729), the author of an early ballet. It is not until the…

Susan B. Anthony was a women’s rights activist, and she devoted her life to racial, gender, and educational equality. She is one of the most famous women in American history, she played a prominent role in the women’s suffrage movement; the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote and she also was in support of women’s labor organizations and for a woman’s right to own property. In 2020 we celebrate not only 100 years since the ratification of the…

Situational Awareness: Being Safe by Being Aware Are you a runner, walker, or biker here in Avon? Love the rails-to-trails but feel less at ease these days about safety? Join Officer Eric Lundell in a conversation about how to feel safer in your daily activities by being situationally aware; i.e. learning to use all of your senses and powers of observation to empower yourself in your community. co-sponsored by the Avon Library and Avon Police Department  

Mr. Emerson (b.1803, d.1882) speaks of his vision of the freedom and greatness of man, tells of his own literary highlights, as essayist, poet and orator, and recalls several personal tragedies, memories of friendships from near and far, his first and second marriage and his family, in short, his own journey through history, from the age of 8 to age 70. Presented by Wendell Refior.  Wendell Refior is an independent Emerson scholar who reenacts sermons and orations in period costume. …

Details coming soon

Witches in Connecticut at the Avon Public Library Monday, April 20, 2020 at 2 PM The harrowing story of the hanging of witches in Colonial New England continues to haunt our present-day imagination. The trials and executions of witches in Connecticut predated the more famous Salem witch panic by over 40 years. Hear the stories of some of the women and men accused, tried, and executed as witches and learn how Connecticut successfully controlled the spread of witch accusations long…

In The Public, an unusually bitter Arctic blast has made its way to downtown Cincinnati and the front doors of the public library, where a group of homeless people turn the building into a shelter for the night by staging a "sleep-in." What begins as an act of civil disobedience becomes a stand-off with police and a rush-to-judgement by the media. This David vs. Goliath story tackles some of our nation's most pressing issues and sets the drama inside one…

Discover the world of European river cruising with Bella Europa Travel. In this informative program you will learn about the many options that exist as well as the differences between traditional and river cruising. The talk will be complimented by beautiful photography and bits of interesting information to help you decide whether this form of cruising is for you. Canal barging, a more intimate way to explore Europe, will also be introduced. For more information, contact Cyndi Larsen clarsen@avonctlibrary.info 860-673-9712.…

As the former editor of Connecticut Magazine, Charles Monagan spent years discovering and describing the people, places, and things that make our state special.  On 4/23 he will talk about his favorites- from the Hot Lobster Roll to the Yale Bowl!  He'll show native and newcomer alike the independent spirit and local pride at the heart of this great state of Connecticut. Copies of Mr. Monagan's Book Connecticut Icons: Classic Symbols of the Nutmeg State will be available for sale…

Members of the Korean Spirit & Culture Promotion Project will show you how to make your own lotus flower lantern using colored paper and wire frames. You’ll leave with a beautiful paper lantern for yourself or to give as a gift. A short film about Korean culture will also be shown.   Traditional homemade Korean desserts will be served at the end of class! PLEASE NOTE: This program is for adults only and lantern making supplies will only be available for…

1:30 Mindfulness with Melodies Mindfulness is all about being present. Mindfulness can reset and relax our minds. Indrani Mukherjee has developed “Panchajanya Om” a unique form of mindfulness! Indrani’s mindfulness session uses Indian   Classical Music (vocal) to help people in a wonderful meditative way and has been observed to produce beneficial effects on people suffering from autism, ADHD, stress, anxiety, anger issues, depression,           dementia and forgetfulness. This unique mindfulness method using her mesmerizing melodies can literally transform someone’s entire world…

In the late 19th Century, the women’s rights movement split between those favoring a time-consuming, state-by-state legislative approval, and those who took to the streets and risked arrest, to obtain a federal law on votes by women, mandatory for every state. The divisions among various factions did not resolve until after World War I, when all factions committed to the ratification of the 19th Amendment. The U.S. Constitution required ratification by 36 states, and the suffragists were faced with objections…