PLAY at your library!

Talk, Sing, Read, Write and Play are all essential early literacy skills that we focus on at both Bill and Gales Ferry Library. Research shows that learning through play is an important part of a child’s development. Even during infancy a child begins to expand their mind just by looking at their environment and taking in their surroundings. Playing together can help develop problem solving skills, teach about cause and effect and conflict resolution. Play also encourages sharing, helps develop fine and gross motor skills, and nurtures creativity and imagination!

Make Homemade Ice Cream and Dance Party

Bill Library

Friday, July 1, 10:30 am

Ages 5 - 12

What better way to kick off your July 4 activities than by making a sweet treat while we have a dance party!

Reading the Map with DPNC

Avery Preserve in Gales Ferry

Tuesday, July 12, 10:00 am

Ages 6 - 12

When out on the trail you can’t always depend on your phone! Participants will learn how to read trail signs, use a paper map and compass. Children will have a chance to design a map of our location, navigate their way around using a compass, and discuss hiking preparedness.

Storytime on the Lawn

Gales Ferry Library

Tuesday, July 26, 10:30 am

Join Mrs. Burt and local author Julia Reid for a special storytime on the lawn at Gales Ferry Library. Ms. Reid will be reading her second book called Alex and the Magical Coat – Standing Up to Others. Sidewalk chalk and playdough will be available to play with after storytime is finished. 

Teen Hike and Nature Photography Workshop

Poquetanuck Cove Trail

Monday, July 18, 10:00 am

Grade 7 – 12

Bring your smartphone or digital camera and hike the Poquetanuck Cove Trail. During the hike we will take photos and try to improve our photography skills. Everyone will then share their favorite photos with Mrs. Burt and she will share them with the community.

Libraries Love Lakes

Bill Library

Monday, July 11, 4:00 pm

For families and adults

July is Lakes Appreciation Month and Ledyard Library is collaborating with Long Pond Residents to present a drone video and slideshow presentation on the flora and fauna of Long Pond, a Ledyard Town treasure.

Mrs. Burt will follow with a children’s craft about lakes.There will also be a display of children's books and information on lakes and ponds to check out.

A Garden Tour: Regenerative Farming for the Soil and Food Insecure

Coogan Farm 162 Greenmanville Ave. Mystic, CT

Saturday, July 23, 10:30 am

Ages 13 and up

Join Farmer Craig Floyd on a tour of Coogan Farm’s Giving Garden. Learn how to bring back depleted soil and turn it into healthy, highly productive soil. Increase the nutritional value of produce and fruit, while reducing pest pressure, without chemical sprays and pesticides. Tour requires lengthy walking over uneven ground. Registrants will meet on-site & due to limited parking, ride-sharing is HIGHLY recommended. Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate unregistered walk-ins. This program is a Ledyard Seed Library Program co-sponsored with Eastern CT Community Gardens Association.

News from the Ledyard Seed Library

Thank you to those who have sent photos of the progress in you gardens! If your plants are growing from seeds you picked from the Ledyard Seed Library, we are anxious to see how they are doing. In addition to your vegetable gardens and produce, we’d love to see photos of your flowers. Please include a description with your photos. We will post groups of them throughout the season, so please keep them coming.

We would also love some of your favorite summertime recipes, new, traditional or tried-and-true, using fresh vegetables, herbs and fruit. We will add your recipes to our online Recipe Box.

Thanks again to our volunteers, Linnea and Sylvia, who continue to keep our seed boxes filled with seed packets for your use. Don't forget to stop by to pick up some late season crop seeds.

You can email photos and recipes to Laura at lnorcia@ledyard.lioninc.org

Ledyard Libraries at Bill and Gales Ferry are taking part in One Book One Region (OBOR), a collaboration between the libraries of Eastern Connecticut. The purpose of this initiative is to bring community members together to discuss ideas, broaden appreciation of reading and break down barriers between people. The adult selection this year is Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir by a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann. This title, as well as the middle school book Rolling Warrior by her as well, are available at our libraries.

We want to include the whole family in the One Book One Region activities so please check out our other selections Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor for young children and OCDaniel by Wesley King for teens. Click on the book covers above to place a hold.

Friends of the Library Meeting

Thursday, July 14, 7:00 pm

Bill Library

All are welcome to attend our next Friends Meeting at Bill Library. We will be discussing the Annual Bill Book Sale which we plan to hold again this year. 

Did you know that July 30 is Paperback Book Day? Please feel free to stop by the library and check out a paperback book. Perhaps you would like to take one on vacation, or to the beach? Our book sales have plenty to choose from. Visit the ongoing book sales at both libraries - in the meeting room at Bill Library, and the Book Cellar at Gales Ferry Library, each of which are open during normal library hours. All sales go towards support of the library.

You can support the Friends of the Library by signing up for Amazon Smile. Amazon will donate a percentage to the Friends each time you order. There are no extra costs to you. Please go to Smile.Amazon.com and look for The Friends of the Ledyard Libraries.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sarah Desormier, President

860-464-9538, Friends@Ledyard.lioninc.org

Ledyard Historical Society at the Bill Library

Open Mondays (except major holidays)

Other days by appointment.

Looking for volunteer opportunities this summer? We are looking for teen and adult helpers in the following areas: Digitization (scanning photos and historical documents) and indexing transcripts of historical documents, as well as non-computer jobs such as adding obituaries to our file. Training provided for all tasks. Enjoy a few hours of air conditioning and help us make Ledyard & Gales Ferry history more accessible!  

Contact Andrea Buka at research@ledyardhistory.org or 860-464-9912 (Bill Library) for more information or to make an appointment.

Display Cases at Bill Library

Thank you to all who have shared their collections, organizations and clubs with us by setting up displays in our two display cases at Bill Library. We still have availability for the month of August. If you have a collection, organization or club you would like to highlight and share with our community, setting up displays is a great way to do it! For more information please email Laura at lnorcia@ledyard.lioninc.org.