Digital Branch Pop-up Training
2025-01-11 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
Digital Branch Pop-up Training
Want to learn more about what our Digital Branch offers, have questions on how to get started with borrowing ebooks and audio, or need help registering for Libby or Hoopla? We’re here to help! Drop in and chat with Jean.

Two Town Tabletop Club
2025-01-11 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-02-08 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-03-08 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-04-12 13:00 - 17:00 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
Are you ready to dive into a world of adventure, strategy, and fun? Whether you’re a seasoned tabletop game aficionado or just curious to see what all the excitement is about, our monthly meet-up has something for everyone! Why Join Us?

Explore New Games: From favorites to the latest hits, discover a wide variety of games that will challenge your mind and spark your imagination.
Meet Like-Minded Enthusiasts: Connect with fellow game lovers, share tips and strategies.
All Skill Levels Welcome: Whether you’re a beginner or a master, our meet-up is the perfect place to learn new games or showcase your expertise.

Don’t miss out on the fun! Grab your friends, roll the dice, and join us for an unforgettable gaming experience. 🧩
Questions? Contact jkallay@burnhamlibrary.org

Drop-in thru the back door.

Adult and Teen Take & Make: Mini Valentine Birdhouse
2025-01-14 09:00 - 17:00 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
Stop by the library to pick up a Take & Make craft kit at the circulation desk! Kits will be available starting on January 14th and throughout the month while supplies last. January’s Take & Make is a Mini Valentine Birdhouse! Questions? Email ksteele@burnhamlibrary.org.

Penguins, Polar Bears, Peaks and Parks: Bio-geographical Journeys to the Earth's Four(?) Poles
2025-01-16 18:00 - 19:00 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
Penguins, Polar Bears, Peaks and Parks: Bio-geographical Journeys to the Earth’s Four(?) Poles

Thursday, January 16 • 6:00 – 7:00 pm
It has become fashionable in the last few years to scale the seven highest peaks on each continent or walk across a continent or visit every country in the world. In this vein, our speaker, Dr Richard Benfield, took four journeys in 2023 to the four geographic poles: the North Pole, the South Pole, and the other two. Other two? Where are they? In this one-hour presentation, we will focus on the four poles and the animals and people who live there: their landscapes, livelihoods, and flora and fauna. Our presentation will show that even you can go there (though one of the poles is somewhat challenging) and take you into geographical worlds where few venture … you will also learn for your next trivia contest where the other two poles are located on Earth!
Registration is required. Email jkallay@burnhamlibrary.org or call 860-354-6937

CANCELED Boards and Brews
2025-01-24 18:00 - 22:00 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
Boards and Brews

Friday, January 24 • 6:00 pm
Tabletop games, board games, and libations are on the menu! Join friends, new and old, for a board gaming event. All levels of board gaming expertise are welcome and feel free to bring your favorite game to share.
BYOB and potluck snacks. Ages 21+ Questions? email jkallay@burnhamlibrary.org

Burnham's Satellite Library
2025-01-28 12:30 - 13:30, 2025-02-25 12:30 - 13:30, 2025-03-25 12:30 - 13:30 | Hilltop Center, United States
Join Katie at the Hilltop Center on the 4th Tuesday of Each Month!
Whether you’re looking to discover new books, need help with tech, or just want to chat, Katie has you covered. Swing by to grab a new library card, register for upcoming programs, or simply enjoy some good conversation. She’s here to assist with it all!

Introduction to AI: Concepts, Demos, and Safety
2025-01-28 18:00 - 19:30 | Virtual Program
Introduction to AI with Mary McPheat: Session 1: Concepts, Demos, and Safety
REGISTER HERE. A Zoom link is provided after registration
Virtual Program
Tuesday, January 28 from 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Three town libraries – Roxbury, Bridgewater, and Washington – collaborate to present you Introduction to AI, with Mary McPheat.
This session will provide a rapid introduction to artificial intelligence in just 60 minutes, covering key concepts, generative AI, and privacy considerations. It features demos to help you grasp the technology’s power and hopefully spark some creative thinking about its possibilities.
Mary McPheat is recognized for her strategic insight into enhancing operational workflows and ability to harness technology to improve organizational performance. As Founder and CEO of Grounded Logic, a firm focused on operational excellence and integrating generative AI and tech-enabled solutions, she elevates team dynamics and business delivery standards. Alongside her role leading Grounded Logic, Mary imparts her knowledge through teaching and guiding students to navigate and apply AI in modern business contexts.

Cozy Cups & Crafts: Punch Needle for Beginners
2025-02-04 18:00 - 19:30 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
Join us to learn the basics and fun of punch needle embroidery while enjoying a hot beverage by the fireplace! Choose between a cherry, strawberry, or mushroom pattern to create a charming wall hanging decoration!
This program is for ages 12+. Registration is required. Please RSVP below. Cut off is Monday, January 20th, at 12PM.

Dystopian Tropes from an Indigenous Perspective: In Conversation with Waubgeshig Rice
2025-02-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual Program
Dystopian Tropes from an Indigenous Perspective: In Conversation with Waubgeshig Rice
Tuesday, February 11 at 7:00 pm via digital live stream
REGISTER HERE
You’re invited to a riveting conversation with bestselling author Waubgeshig Rice about his newest book, Moon of the Turning Leaves, the hotly anticipated sequel to the bestselling novel, Moon of the Crusted Snow.
It’s been over a decade since a mysterious cataclysm caused a permanent blackout that toppled infrastructure and thrust the world into anarchy. Evan Whitesky led his community in remote northern Ontario off the rez and into the bush, where they’ve been living off the land, rekindling their Anishinaabe traditions in total isolation from the outside world.
As new generations are born and others come of age in the world after everything, Evan’s people are in some ways stronger than ever. However, resources in and around their new settlement are beginning to dry up, and the elders warn that they cannot afford to stay indefinitely.
Evan and his fifteen-year-old daughter, Nangohns, are elected to lead a small scouting party on a months-long trip to their traditional home on the north shore of Lake Huron—to seek new beginnings and discover what kind of life—and what dangers—still exist in the lands to the south.
Moon of the Turning Leaves is Rice’s exhilarating return to the world first explored in the phenomenal breakout bestseller Moon of the Crusted Snow: a brooding story of survival, resilience, Indigenous identity, and rebirth. Register now for a thrilling conversation!
About the Author: Waubgeshig Rice is an author and journalist originally from Wasauksing First Nation. His books include the Independent Publishers Book Award-winning short story collection Midnight Sweatlodge and the national bestselling novel Moon of the Crusted Snow. Reporting for CBC News for the bulk of his journalism career, in 2014, he received the Anishinabek Nation’s Debwewin Citation for excellence in First Nation Storytelling, and from 2018 to 2020, he hosted Up North, CBC Radio’s afternoon show for northern Ontario.

I Am Nobody’s Slave: An Author Talk with Pulitzer Prize Finalist Lee Hawkins
2025-02-18 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Program
I Am Nobody’s Slave: An Author Talk with Pulitzer Prize Finalist Lee Hawkins
Tuesday, February 18 at 2:00 pm via digital live stream
REGISTER HERE
We welcome you to our conversation with journalist and author Lee Hawkins as he talks to us about the examination of his family’s legacy of post-enslavement trauma and resilience in this riveting memoir, I Am Nobody’s Slave: How Uncovering My Family’s History Set Me Free.
I Am Nobody’s Slave tells the story of one Black family’s pursuit of the American Dream through the impacts of systemic racism and racial violence. This book examines how trauma from enslavement and Jim Crow shaped their outlook on thriving in America, influenced each generation, and how they succeeded despite these challenges.
To their suburban Minnesotan neighbors, the Hawkinses were an ideal American family, embodying strength and success. However, behind closed doors, they faced the legacy of enslavement and apartheid. Lee Hawkins, Sr. often exhibited rage, leaving his children anxious and curious about his protective view of the world. Thirty years later, his son uncovered the reasons for his father’s anxiety and occasional violence. Through research, he discovered violent deaths in his family for every generation since slavery, mostly due to white-on-Black murders, and how white enslavers impacted the family’s customs.
Hawkins explores the role of racism-triggered childhood trauma and chronic stress in shortening his ancestors’ lives, using genetic testing, reporting, and historical data to craft a moving family portrait. This book shows how genealogical research can educate and heal Americans of all races, revealing through their story the story of America—a journey of struggle, resilience, and the heavy cost of ultimate success. Register today to join the conversation!
About the Author: LEE HAWKINS was a 2022 Pulitzer Prize finalist as a lead reporter on a series about the Tulsa Massacre of 1921 at the Wall Street Journal, where he worked for nineteen years. He has received several fellowships, including The Carter Center’s Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism, the Alicia Patterson Foundation Journalism Fellowship, the O’Brien Fellowship for Public Service Journalism, the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism National Fellowship for reporting on child well-being. Hawkins is a five-time winner of the National Association of Black Journalists’ “Salute to Excellence” Award. He is the creator and host of the podcast “What Happened in Alabama?” and lives in the New York City area.

"I Love Music" Trivia Night
2025-02-21 18:30 - 20:00 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
Join us for a symphony of fun with a melodious night of music-themed trivia, refreshments, and prizes! Trivia questions will span music over a wide variety of genres and time periods!
This program is for adults. Registration is required to attend. Register as a team or single. No team? No problem! Join a team and meet new friends! RSVP below.

Intro to AI: Making Use of AI in Your Business
2025-02-25 18:00 - 19:30 | Virtual Program
Introduction to AI with Mary McPheat: Session 2: Making Use of AI in Your Business
REGISTER HERE A Zoom link is provided after registration
Virtual Program
Tuesday, February 25 from 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Three town libraries – Roxbury, Bridgewater, and Washington – collaborate to present you Introduction to AI, with Mary McPheat.
This session provides an overview of Artificial Intelligence (AI), its capabilities, and its practical business applications. Participants will learn about the AI landscape, explore various tools and platforms, and understand how AI can support businesses in growth and efficiency.
Mary McPheat is recognized for her strategic insight into enhancing operational workflows and ability to harness technology to improve organizational performance. As Founder and CEO of Grounded Logic, a firm focused on operational excellence and integrating generative AI and tech-enabled solutions, she elevates team dynamics and business delivery standards. Alongside her role leading Grounded Logic, Mary imparts her knowledge through teaching and guiding students to navigate and apply AI in modern business contexts.

Book Discussion: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
2025-02-26 17:00 - 20:00 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
Book Discussion
All are welcome to join in the conversation on Wednesday, February 26, at 5:00 pm to discuss My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. Copies of each selection will be available at the library, or you can request a curbside pick-up. For more information, email jkallay@burnhamlibrary.org

Adult and Teen Take & Make: Magical Luminaries
2025-03-04 10:00 - 17:00 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
Stop by the library service desk to pick up a magical luminary craft kit! Kits will be available throughout the month while supplies last starting Tuesday, March 4th, and are limited to one per family.

AT CAPACITY - Local Farms and Foods
2025-03-07 17:30 - 18:30 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
Local Farms and Food
Presented by the Bridgewater Land Trust in partnership with Burnham Library.
This special event will feature a new film highlighting local farms and food, hosted by Bridgewater resident and chef Erik Landegren. The presentation was followed by a wine and cheese reception sponsored by Will Stuart of Berkshire Hathaway.
RSVP is required as space is limited—email julie@bridgewaterlandtrust.org

Power of Reset and How to Change What’s Not Working with Author Dan Heath
2025-03-12 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Program
Power of Reset and How to Change What’s Not Working with Author Dan Heath
Wednesday, March 12 at 2:00 pm via digital live stream
REGISTER HERE
What if we could unlock forward movement—achieving progress on what matters most—without the need for more resources? The same people, the same assets…but dramatically better results. Yesterday, we were stuck. Today, we reset.
In this talk, you’ll learn:

Why the feeling of progress can be your secret weapon in accelerating change;
How leaders can uncover and stop wasteful activities;
Why your team’s motivation is often squandered—and how to avoid that mistake;
How you can jumpstart your change efforts by beginning with a “burst.”

Register now for your reset!
About the Author: Dan Heath is the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author (or author) of five beloved business books: Switch, Made to Stick, Decisive, The Power of Moments, and Upstream. His latest book, Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working, will debut on January 21, 2025. His books have been translated into 33 languages and have sold over 4 million copies worldwide. His writing honors include: One of the best nonfiction books of the year, according to Amazon. One of the best audiobooks of the year, according to Apple. And the OWL award for Best Business Book of the Year. Dan hosts a podcast called: “What It’s Like to Be…” In every episode, he interviews someone from a different profession: a couples therapist, a rancher, a Secret Service Agent, and more. It’s consistently a Top 10 podcast in Apple’s Careers category. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from the University of Texas at Austin.

How Women’s Liberation Transformed America: In Conversation with Clara Bingham
2025-03-20 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Program
How Women’s Liberation Transformed America: In Conversation with Clara Bingham
Thursday, March 20 at 2:00 pm via digital live stream
REGISTER HERE
Join us for a transformative conversation with award-winning journalist and author, Clara Bingham, as she chats with us about her new book, The Movement: How Women’s Liberation Transformed America, 1963-1973.
The Movement is a comprehensive and engaging oral history of the decade that defined the feminist movement, including interviews with living icons and unsung heroes. The Movement is the first oral history of the decade that built the modern feminist movement. Through the captivating individual voices of the people who lived it, The Movement tells the intimate inside story of what it felt like to be at the forefront of the modern feminist crusade when women rejected thousands of years of custom and demanded the freedom to be who they wanted and needed to be.
This engaging history traces women’s awakening, organizing, and agitating between 1963 and 1973 when a decentralized collection of people and events coalesced to create a spontaneous combustion. From Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique to the underground abortion network the Janes, to Shirley Chisholm’s presidential campaign and Billie Jean King’s 1973 battle of the sexes, Bingham artfully weaves together the fragments of that explosion person by person, bringing to life the emotions of this personal, cultural, and political revolution. Artists and politicians, athletes and lawyers, Black and white, The Movement brings readers into the rooms where these women insisted on being treated as first-class citizens and, in the process, changed the fabric of American life.
About the Author: Clara Bingham is an award-winning journalist and the author of The Movement, Witness to the Revolution, Women on the Hill, and the co-writer of Class Action. A former Washington, DC, correspondent for Newsweek, her writing has appeared in Vanity Fair, The Guardian, and The Daily Beast, among others. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

True Crime: Murder and Mayhem in the Museum
2025-03-20 18:00 - 19:00 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
True Crime: Murder and Mayhem In the Museum
Presented by the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History
Thursday, March 20 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Forgeries, theft, murder: our museum is full of artifacts that tell stories of long-ago crime and punishment. This presentation uncovers stories from Connecticut’s past – and shows how our modern obsession with the true crime genre isn’t so modern after all.
About the Presenter: Natalie Belanger is the Public Programs Manager at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History. She holds a B.A. in history from Smith College and an M.A. in women’s history from the University of Maryland. She has worked in museum education for most of her career and teaches history courses at Manchester Community College.
Registration is required. Please RSVP below or email jkallay@burnhamlibrary.org

Staying Safe Online - location change
2025-03-25 14:00 - 15:30 | Hilltop Center, United States
Staying Safe Online with Mike Ingber
Presented by the Burnham Library, the Hilltop Senior Center and Community Caring in Bridgewater
Tuesday, March 25 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm at the Hilltop Senior Center NEW LOCATION AT THE BURNHAM LIBRARY, 62 MAIN STREET SOUTH
Mike Ingber will focus on the types of threats and scams that exist, what the crooks are after, and some general advice for staying safe. He will discuss malware, ransomware, phishing, social engineering, tech support scams, and the importance of using good passwords. Refreshments will be served.
Registration required. Please RSVP below or email jkallay@burnhamlibrary.org

Book Discussion: Sweet Taste of Liberty by W. Caleb McDaniel
2025-03-26 17:00 - 20:00 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
Book Discussion
All are welcome to join in the conversation on Wednesday, February 26, at 5:00 pm to discuss Sweet Land of Liberty by W. Caleb McDaniel. Copies of each selection will be available at the library, or you can request a curbside pick-up. For more information, email jkallay@burnhamlibrary.org

Dreams We Chase: An Author Talk with Novelist Jennifer Weiner
2025-03-26 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual Program
Dreams We Chase: An Author Talk with Novelist Jennifer Weiner
Wednesday, March 27 at 7:00 pm via digital live stream
REGISTER HERE
You’re invited to a glimmering conversation with New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner as we chat about the signature emotional depth of her books that have been inspiring readers toward self-discovery for decades. Hearing from the queen of fun herself, we’ll chat with the author about her New York Times bestselling novels, Good In Bed, In Her Shoes, Big Summer, The Breakaway and many more.
Additionally, in a special preview, Weiner will briefly discuss her forthcoming novel (due out on April 8, 2025) The Griffin Sister’s Greatest Hits. Set in the world of pop music, The Griffin Sister’s Greatest Hits is about sisters, motherhood, young love, and the dreams we chase.
About the Author: Jennifer Weiner is a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose books have spent over five years on the New York Times bestseller list, with more than 11 million copies in print in 36 countries. She is the author of the novels Good in Bed (2001) and In Her Shoes (2002), which was turned into a major motion picture starring Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette and Shirley MacLaine. And the author of That Summer (2021); The Breakaway (2024); and The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits (forthcoming 2025) . She is also the author of The Littlest Bigfoot middle-grade trilogy, Her nonfiction collection Hungry Heart: Adventures in Life, Love, and Writing (2016), was a finalist for the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay.

Wordsmith and Wonder: An Author Talk with Jodi Picoult
2025-04-02 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual Program
Wordsmith and Wonder: An Author Talk with Jodi Picoult
Wednesday, April 2 at 7:00 pm via digital live stream
REGISTER HERE
Step into Spring with us as we chat with the highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult about her newest novel, By Any Other Name.
Told in intertwining narratives, By Any Other Name is a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire that asks what price each woman is willing to pay to see their work live on—even if it means they will be forgotten. Register now to join the wondrous conversation!
About the Author: Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-nine novels, including By Any Other Name, Mad Honey (co-authored with Jennifer Finney Boylan), Wish You Were Here, The Book of Two Ways, A Spark of Light, Small Great Things, Leaving Time, and My Sister’s Keeper, and, with daughter Samantha van Leer, two young adult novels, Between the Lines and Off the Page. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband.

The Stories, Science, and History of Trees with Smithsonian Gardens Greenhouse Horticulturalist Matthew Fleming
2025-04-08 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Program
The Stories, Science, and History of Trees with Smithsonian Gardens Greenhouse Horticulturalist Matthew Fleming
Wednesday, April 8 at 2:00 pm via digital live stream
REGISTER HERE
Join us as Smithsonian Horticulturalist Matthew Fleming, guides us through the secret world of trees as is revealed in the beautiful and absorbing guide to the giants of the plant world—The Tree Book: The Stories, Science, and History of Trees.
Trees occur naturally throughout the world and have been a part of human history for almost as long as humans have existed. Used for shelter, tools, fuel, and food, they also help supply the atmosphere with oxygen and form astonishingly diverse ecosystems, as well as some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes. Now the intricate world of leafy woodlands and abundant rainforests is revealed in this extensive visual guide to trees, exploring their key scientific traits and their ecological importance, as well as their enduring significance in human history and culture. From ancient oaks and great redwoods to lush banyans and imposing kapoks, The Tree Book reveals the anatomy, behaviors, and beauty of these incredible plants and habitats in detail.
Combining natural history and a scientific overview with a wider look at the history, uses, symbolism, and mythology of trees, this book is a new kind of guide to these fascinating organisms. Register today to learn more about the beautiful world of trees!
About the Presenter: Matthew Fleming has been a horticulturist at the Smithsonian Gardens Greenhouse Facility in Suitland, Maryland since 2010. In addition to serving as a supervisory horticulturist, he manages three greenhouses with nearly a thousand tropical specimens that are displayed throughout the many Smithsonian gardens and landscapes along the National Mall during the warmer months. He has given talks on a wide variety of plant-related topics at the Smithsonian ranging from indoor pests to overwintering tropical plants. Prior to coming to the Smithsonian, Matt was a purchasing agent and garden center assistant manager for a full-service landscaping firm. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences where he studied Horticulture and Landscape Contracting.

Our National Parks with Dr. Richard Benfield
2025-04-10 18:00 - 19:00 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
Our National Parks
Thursday, April 10 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Dr. Richard Benfield will draw upon his ten years of teaching about National Parks and World Heritage Sites, his four years working in Banff National Park for Parks Canada, and his latest research projects on conservation and protection of large feline predators in the World’s National Parks to create an immersive experience for all participants.
“National parks represent our best ideals—truly American, democratic, and a reflection of us at our finest, not our worst” – Wallace Stegner,1983
About the Speaker: Dr. Richard Benfield is an Emeritus Professor of Geography at Central Connecticut State University, where he served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Geography for 25 years. An author of two best-selling books and a nationally and internationally acclaimed speaker, Dr. Benfield has dedicated a quarter of a century to writing and speaking about America’s and international national parks. His travels to over 135 countries provide first-hand experiences of the world’s wonders, including cathedrals, wildlife (with a special affection for Snow Leopards, wolves, and gorillas), and even hidden gems in London that most tourists never discover.
Registration is required. Please call or email jkallay@burnhamlibrary.org to register.

Artist Reception: A Pocketful of Painters: Past & Present Pupils of Peter Seltzer
2025-04-12 15:00 - 17:00 | The Burnham Library, 62 Main Street South, Burnham Library, Bridgewater, CT, 06798, United States
