Executive Director's Letter 

For much of the last five months, our focus has been on the short term – how to keep staff and patrons safe and how to keep offering services as best possible. What we have found amid these challenges are opportunities to respond with positive actions that reflect the resilient and adaptable nature of our profession and an answer to the question, posed by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) earlier in the pandemic, “To what extent will what we are experiencing today not just ‘be’ history, but rather ‘make’ it?”

Please Note: Otis Library will be closed on Saturday, September 5, and Monday, September 7 in observance of Labor Day.

Appointments may be made for passport applications, a half-hour to browse the collections, or up to two hours for computer use. Outside pickup of materials will continue.

Our new hours for all services: Monday-Friday 10-1, 2-4, and Saturdays 10-2. One-on-one instruction and computers in the children's and young adult areas will not be available. Use of meeting spaces and restrooms is not available during this stage of reopening. Social distancing must be observed, and masks will be required at all times when inside the building. To arrange an appointment, please call (860) 889-2365 and follow the prompts. Please visit our website for further information. Revisions to this policy, including matters of access to the building and services, may be necessary based on health and safety concerns.

Click here to view bookdrop locations.

As we find ourselves still spending quite a bit of time cooking at home, the Friends have some delicious recipes to share. Enjoy a back-to-school treat with "Apple Brownies" a recipe submitted by Ann Isa. This recipe was taken from the cookbook, A Literary Feast Served up by the Friends of Otis Library. To purchase a copy for $15, please contact the Front Desk at 860-889-2365.

1 c. vegetable oil

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

4 lg. apples, chopped

1 c. nuts, chopped

1/2 c. raisins or chocolate bits

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. In a bowl, add vegetable oil, sugar, eggs and stir. Now add apples, nuts and raisins or chocolate bits. Mix well. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. Pour into pan and bake for about 45 minutes.

Click here to become a Friend of Otis Library!

The group will be discussing the One Book One Region 2020 selection Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo. Please register for the virtual discussion by e-mailing Adultprograms@otislibrarynorwich.org or register on our online calendar.

One Book One Region invites you to participate in our community memoir project, "A Life in One Line." Residents of New London County are invited to submit a one-sentence memoir to be compiled in a self-published book entitled "A Life in One Line." Use this link to submit your one sentence memoir. Please submit your line by September 15.

Additional information about the book will be provided as we get closer to publication at the end of the summer. Looking for inspiration? Read the 2020 One Book One Region selection, Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo.

Otis Library will host a new virtual program for adults through Zoom that will celebrate all things Science Fiction and Fantasy! This fandom club will meet four times a year to discuss all genres of that month’s theme – books, graphic novels, comics, movies, television shows, and games. Join us on September 21 for a discussion of The Witcher, a book series by Polish fantasy author Andrzej Sapkowski. In addition to the novels, The Witcher is an action role-playing game and a Netflix television show. Registration is required for this free program. To register and receive the Zoom link, please e-mail Victoria at Adultprograms@otislibrarynorwich.org or register on our online calendar.

Otis Library will host the virtual program “From Seneca Falls to the 19^th Amendment: Songs of American Woman Suffrage." This historic music program will be presented by Rick Spencer and Dawn Indermuehle.

The struggle for woman’s suffrage was an important and hard-fought step toward gender equality.  Music was one of the significant tools used in the crusade for a woman’s right to vote.  Songs were composed to advance (and to oppose) the agenda that culminated in the 1920 ratification of the 19^th Amendment to the Constitution.  This program presents some of the most engaging and interesting songs of the movement, with historical commentary and a Power Point presentation, in commemoration of the centennial of a woman’s right to vote in America. Rick and Dawn carefully craft their vocals and accompaniment to sound true to the era and style.

Registration is required for this free program. You may register on the Library’s online calendar or e-mail Julie Menders at Adultprograms@otislibrarynorwich.org.

In partnership with the Prudence Crandall Museum, Otis Library will host the virtual program “The Work Must Be Done:” Women of Color and the Right to Vote on Wednesday, September 30, at 7pm. This program is presented by the Connecticut Historical Society. It originally was to be presented in April as part of Otis Library’s Harris Sisters Month, which recognizes the courage and achievements of Norwich natives Sarah and Mary Harris.

Funding for this project is made possible by the State of Connecticut and the National Endowment for the Humanities, both of which provide significant support to Connecticut Humanities. To register for this virtual program, please contact Julie Menders at Adultprograms@otislibrarynorwich.org, or you may register on the Library’s website calendar.

Congratulations to the participants of this year’s summer learning program! This year was very different with everything being online, but you rose to the challenge and did it! Extra congratulations to the winners of the weekly social media challenges and Marcelo, who was the recipient of the Grand Finale Prize, Apple AirPods! Thank you all for participating, and we look forward to seeing you at our fall programs. Check our website and social media for updates.

Please enjoy a mini-storytime from home! Listen to a story and sing a song or two with Miss B! Presented with children ages 2-4 in mind, but everyone is welcome to join! Tune in to our YouTube channel or visit our Facebook page.

Learn the alphabet through fun rhymes, songs, craft ideas and perhaps a visit with a furry friend! Different letters will be featured each week. These DIY ideas are suited for the busy lives of parents and caregivers. Tune in to our YouTube channel or visit our Facebook page. New videos posted weekly.

Attention Charter Oak Federal Credit Union members! Did you know Charter Oak is giving away $100,000 in 100 days to benefit local charities?  Donate $25 to $500 to Otis Library through November 25, and Charter Oak will match it!! Check out their website for full instructions, https://charteroak.org/community-giving/matching-gifts-program/.  We are so grateful to Charter Oak and its members for this wonderful program!

Honor a friend or loved one by supporting a collection or theme they enjoy. Perhaps they love mysteries, history, or have a favorite author. Perhaps they benefited from a particular service provided by library - technology assistance, homebound delivery, or genealogy research. Whatever the connection, you can honor them with a gift to Otis Library. We will work with you to purchase materials they would enjoy sharing with others and design a bookplate in their honor. For someone who has passed, this is a wonderful way to keep their spirit alive with every person who borrows those materials. Contact Cathy Special at cspecial@otislibrarynorwich.org or 860-889-2365 x 125 for more information. Please visit our website for more ways to support your library.

We now offer a game page on our website! Try your hand at a crossword puzzle, word search, Words with Friends 2, and Paired Prose (pairing a book with a mocktail). Be sure to try these games out soon - we will be switching the theme in a few weeks!