Starting date: July 20th @ 6:00pm Register Here!

ZOOM Program!
Suffragettes in Corselettes: the evolution of underwear & our 19th amendment
Presented by the Grounded Goodwife
Thursday, August 20th at 6:30
Registration begins August 1st
For centuries, women have allowed themselves to be squeezed, twisted, and squished to conform to desired shapes. The history of underwear reveals a lot about women’s changing roles in society – how we perceive ourselves, and how we’re viewed by others. The 1910s saw an end to the hourglass figure with a tiny waist. Women were finally able to breathe and move more freely. Did the demise of tightlacing help women gain the right to vote in 1920? Underwear matters. This presentation is hands-on and participatory. Tight corseting exerted 22 pounds of pressure on internal organs – find out what that actually feels like! Experience the difficulty of completing everyday tasks while wearing a corset. Have you ever relay raced in a hobble skirt?! This is a must-see event!
 
Don't Miss Our Special Display- Rise Up, Sisters!
August 17th through August 28th
Torrington Library Rotunda During Library Hours/ Face Coverings Required. Social Distancing will be maintained!
In honor of the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame (CWHF) and the Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) are working together with the support of CTHumanities to provide this outstanding and unique display! This display will be featured at the Torrington Library August 17-August 28th and chronicles the diverse group of Connecticut women who were instrumental in the movement for  woman suffrage. The banners tell many different stories, from the Smith sisters of Glastonbury who spoke up about injustices against women and helped to spark others to follow in their footsteps, to Alice Paul, who put her life on the line to force the issue on a national level and whose tenacity helped to sway public opinion in the final hours.

Thursday, June 25th at 7:00pm
Register today!

There is nothing like the beauty and wonder of birds in nature to inspire passion and drive your change. We’ll indulge in viewing the winners of the Audubon Photo Awards, and hear some tips on bird photography from some local bird photographers. Presented by the Bent of the River Audubon Center.
 

The Great Age of Sail: Maritime Music with The Johnson Girls - Live Summer Music Series
Thursday, July 23rd at 6:30
Register July 1st 

*All in-person events are held in compliance with the Governor's Executive Orders and are subject to change if guidance changes.*
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We hope you will enjoy these outdoor performances (weather permitting). Limited to 50 people. You must bring your own lawn chair or blanket to sit on. We will monitor for social distancing. No refreshments will be served; but you are welcome to bring your own! ​

The Johnson Girls have been a force on the folk and maritime music scene for over two decades as the leading all-woman, a cappella maritime group in the world. Believing that sea chanteys and songs of the sea were the first real “World Music”, Joy Bennett, Alison Kelley, Bonnie Milner, and Deirdre Murtha each bring a special influence to the group. Whether performing at packed international folk festivals, intimate venues, workshops, or presenting school or library programs, The Johnson Girls remain true to their mission of keeping chantey singing and its history alive, bringing women’s voices to the fore, and encouraging everyone to join in the revelry. Widely acclaimed for their powerhouse performances of rousing work songs, sensitive renderings of haunting ballads and laments, and hair-raising harmonies, they sweep their audiences along in a tidal fervor. “The Johnson Girls, chantey singers from America, took the place by storm…  Those who thought a chantey singer had to be male, bearded, and with a beer gut, needed to think again.”  - Cornwall Guardian (UK)
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FOREVER JUDY & THE WIZARD OF OZ - Live Summer Music Series
Thursday, July 9th at 6:30
Registration begins June 15th

*All in-person events are held in compliance with the Governor's Executive Orders and are subject to change if guidance changes.*
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We hope you will enjoy these outdoor performances (weather permitting). Limited to 50 people. You must bring your own lawn chair or blanket to sit on. We will monitor for social distancing. No refreshments will be served; but you are welcome to bring your own! ​


Francine Evans & Joel Zelnik will take you on this memorable musical program featuring America’s number one female vocalist, Judy Garland. Crafted with love, “Forever Judy” is an inspiring musical experience, highlighting song hits from the “The Wizard of Oz” celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, her concert years, and selections from the Broadway musical “The Wiz”.

RAT PACK 2 – The Ladies & The Gents - Live Summer Music Series 
Thursday, August 6th at 6:30
Registration begins July 15th

*All in-person events are held in compliance with the Governor's Executive Orders and are subject to change if guidance changes.*

We hope you will enjoy these outdoor performances (weather permitting). Limited to 50 people. You must bring your own lawn chair or blanket to sit on. We will monitor for social distancing. No refreshments will be served; but you are welcome to bring your own! ​

Join the rollicking Vegas Rat Pack, both the men and women, during the ‘hey-hey’ days of Las Vegas’s apex. Francine & Joel recreate memories of Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Juliet Prowse, Shirley MacLaine and Liza Minnelli, not to mention Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra as they perform the unforgettable hits of the 50’s, 60’s and beyond. Fasten your seatbelts!

Thursday, June 11th at 7pm
Register today!

We may not be able to watch Baseball, but that doesn't mean we can't talk about it! Join lecturer Evan Weiner as he talks about America's favorite past time during this virtual event!

Are you new to working (or schooling) at home?  Or are you a work-at-home veteran facing new challenges because your once-quiet house is now filled with your quarantined family or roommates?  If so, here are some helpful tips and ideas to help you stay sane and productive!

1. Get started early
One way to work from home productively is to dive into your to-do list as soon as you wake up. Simply getting a project started first thing in the morning can be the key to making progress on it gradually throughout the day. Otherwise, you may be tempted to prolong breakfast and let the morning sluggishness wear away your motivation.

2. Pretend like you are going into the office
Author and Motivational Speaker Jon Acuff recently tweeted this work-at-home advice: “Start the day with a shower and then dress like you normally would for work. I love pajama pants too, but they’re a breeding ground for depression. Flannel feels like failure by day 3.”  When working from home, do all the things you'd do to prepare for an office role: Set your alarm, make coffee, and wear nice clothes. This will help you get into the professional mindset and prepare you for your day.

3. Choose a dedicated work space
Just because you're not working at an office doesn't mean you can't have an “office”. Rather than cooping yourself up in your room or on the couch, dedicate a specific room or surface in your home to work. Try to only use this space for work, if possible - this will make it easier to get into your “zone” when the workday starts.  If you don’t have a dedicated work computer, you can create a virtual one by signing out of your personal browser and signing in to a separate browser you only use for work activities. A separate browser account can easily be created for free through many internet browsers such as Google Chrome. 

4. Be prepared and structure your day 
Spending time figuring out what you'll do today can take away from actually doing those things. Solidify your schedule the day before to make it feel more official when you wake up the next morning and get started on it.  To stay on schedule, segment what you'll do and when over the course of the day. Use an online calendar (google calendar is easy) to create personal events and reminders that tell you when to shift gears and start on new tasks. 

5. Work when you're at your most productive
Nobody sprints through their work from morning to evening -- your motivation will naturally ebb and flow throughout the day. To capitalize on your most productive periods, save your harder tasks for when you know you'll be in the right headspace for them. Use slower points of the day to knock out the easier, logistical tasks that are also on your plate.  Some people find it helpful to save phone calls and meetings for the afternoon. 

6. Use laundry as a work timer
Is your pile of dirty laundry nagging at the back of your mind as you try to focus on professional tasks? Tackle that chore and your work at the same time by using your laundry as a built-in timer for your home. Put your first load in, then use the time to start and finish something from your to-do list before changing the load. Committing to one assignment during the wash cycle and another during the dry cycle can train you to work smarter on tasks that you might technically have all day to tinker with.

7. Take clear breaks
It can be so easy to get distracted when working from home that you avoid breaks altogether. This can make you feel more productive initially but may backfire later in the day as you fatigue. Use your breaks to get away from your desk. Don’t work through your meals - leave your desk and eat somewhere else in your house.   If possible, find a way to go outside - take your dog out, grab a snack behind your house, go for a walk, etc.  If your children or spouse are also working/schooling from home, you can ask them to join you.  

8. Make Technology work for you
Are you distracted by ambient sound in your home?  Invest in a pair of noise-canceling headphones.  Do you waste a lot of time bouncing back and forth between multiple programs? Set up a second screen or device to dedicate to the program you use the most, and use the other one to view everything else.  Does your internet load slowly or freeze up during video calls?  Bandwith problems can often be remedied with a call to your service provider or by purchasing a new router from an office supply store. Sometimes a modest investment in technology can pay huge dividends in productivity. 

Technology can also help you stay connected. Working from home can make you feel isolated from your coworkers and your company’s overall mission.  Instant messaging and videoconferencing tools can make it easy to check in with coworkers and remind you how your work is contributing to the big picture.

9. Kill your Vampires
Technology can be your biggest friend, but it can also suck the lifeblood of your work: focus, productivity, energy, and creative flow.  If your phone is your top distraction, place it in a different room while you are working and only check it when you’re on break. If accessing your social media accounts on your work computer is a constant temptation, remove them from your browser shortcuts and log out of every account.  If this isn’t enough to curb your addiction, there are a variety of free and low-cost apps and programs (Freedom, StayFocusd, etc.) that can help you maintain focus by shutting down or limiting access to social media during your workday.  

10. Set boundaries with family and friends
Set clear boundaries and expectations with family and friends. Just because you work at home does not mean you are freely available during all hours of the day.  Ask other housemates or family members to respect your space during work hours.  Let them know when you will be on “break” so they can save non-urgent conversations until then. 

11. Prepare your meals the night before
When you're in your own home, it can be tempting to spend time preparing a really nice breakfast and lunch for yourself.  Working from home can help you avoid the temptation of relying on fast food, but meal prep can also be a major time suck. Prepping healthy meals and snacks the night before can help your breaks feel longer while also ensuring that you don’t “chew” up valuable work time trying to figure out what to eat. 

12. Know when to quit
Having the freedom to work as long as you want on a project can feel good initially, but long days make it harder to keep healthy boundaries and can lead to burnout. Set an alarm at the end of the day to indicate your normal work day is coming to an end. You don't have to stop at exactly that time, but knowing the work day is technically over can help you start the process of saving your work and calling it quits for the evening.

Want to learn more?  Check out Lynda.com!  This professional online database is FREE to Torrington Library cardholders.  Follow this link to see what Lynda has to offer on this subject: Work-at-Home Tips.   


Source Material and Additional Resources:
https://www.agweb.com/article/working-home-now-5-tips-help-you-succeed
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/productivity-tips-working-from-home
https://www.groovehq.com/blog/work-from-home
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/12/success/work-from-home-tips/index.html

Apps for Distraction-Free Work/Writing:
https://theamericangenius.com/social-media/10-apps-for-distraction-free-productive-writing/
https://wallstreetinsanity.com/10-apps-that-block-distractions/
https://zapier.com/blog/stay-focused-avoid-distractions/

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Whether you're still in quarantine, you're heading back to work, or you have kids at home and they JUST KEEP EATING, who couldn't use some fresh meal suggestions?  Here are some tasty, quick and economical recipes that may just become your new favorite!  Enjoy!

​5-ingredient Peanut Butter Energy Bites

With just five ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, these sweet and healthy treats make a great make-ahead breakfast or snack! 

https://chefsavvy.com/5-ingredient-peanut-butter-energy-bites/

4-ingredient Pound Cake

This Classic Pound Cake recipe uses only 4 simple ingredients to create a traditional butter cake that is perfect plain, or topped with strawberries and whipped cream!

https://cookiesandcups.com/pound-cake-recipe/print/38137/
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​Chocolate Depression Cake

Was the grocery store out of eggs today?  Did you run out of butter but you don’t want to go back out?  Don’t worry about it!  This easy and inexpensive recipe dates back to the Depression Era, when these ingredients were hard to come by.  

https://chocolatechocolateandmore.com/wp-json/mv-create/v1/creations/430/print