OXFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY SELECTED FOR COMPETITIVE FEDERAL HUMANITIES GRANT
$10,000 Grant Will Help the Library Recover from the Coronavirus Pandemic
[Oxford, CT] — Oxford Public Library has been selected as one of 200 libraries nationwide for the American Library Association’s American Rescue Plan: Humanities Grants for Libraries opportunity, an emergency relief program to assist libraries that have been adversely affected by the pandemic.
With funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the Oxford Public Library will use funds to anchor itself in the community as a strong humanities institution. The competitive award comes with a $10,000 grant that will help the library deliver excellent programs and services related to culture, history, literature, and other humanities subjects.
The participating libraries, selected through a competitive, peer-reviewed application process, include public libraries, academic/college libraries, K-12 libraries, and tribal, special and prison libraries. The recipients represent 45 states and Puerto Rico and serve communities ranging in size from 642 residents in Weir, Kansas, to the city of Los Angeles. Libraries were chosen with an emphasis on reaching historically underserved and/or rural communities.
“We are proud and honored to be chosen for this amazing opportunity,” said Library Director Robbi Costigan. “This grant will allow our library to better serve our patrons, enabling us to plan strong, enriching humanities programming as we come out of the pandemic.”
The Oxford Public Library will use the grant funds to launch a town wide survey to assess the needs of their community and also provide new humanities programs and activities. To learn more about the Oxford Public Library’s plans for the grant, please visit www.oxfordlib.org. The Oxford Public Library is located at 49 Great Oak Road, Oxford CT and is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9am to 4pm and Tuesday and Thursday from 9am to 7pm.
“Libraries have faced significant hardships throughout the pandemic — from budget cuts to staff furloughs to building closures — especially in our communities of the greatest need,” said ALA President Patty Wong. “This crucial support from NEH will enable our beloved institutions, and the dedicated people who run them, to rebuild and emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever.”
American Rescue Plan: Humanities Grants for Libraries is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.”
Programs funded by this grant: Please click each program to sign up – Registration is required
Unless otherwise specified, All programs listed as “In-person” will be held at the Oxford Public Library. However, we will also be offering a virtual attendance option for all in-person programs.
Alternatively, all programs listed as “Virtual” will be shown at the Oxford Public Library for those who do not have internet access at home.
Program: Sing Me a Fairy Tale – Jack and the Beanstalk
Date/Time: Sat. April 9th at 10am (In-Person Only)
Audience: Ages 0-7, older siblings welcome!
Details: Sing me a Fairy Tale is a musical storytelling series where classic fairy tale stories are retold with music, interactive singing & dancing, imaginative rhythm activities and rhythm instruments, enabling children and parents to creatively explore the variety of themes in a new and exciting way.
Program: The History of Henna
Date/Time: Tues. April 12th at 5:30pm (In-Person Only)
Audience: Ages 11+
Details: Professional henna artist, Jamilah Zebarth, will host a PowerPoint presentation detailing the history, origin and traditions of henna. Then, each participant with get a professionally applied henna design!
Program: Book-talk/Author Talk with Jeff Blumenfeld
Date/Time: Thurs. April 28th at 6pm (Virtual)
Audience: Adults
Details: Planning a Summer or Fall adventure? Looking for that unusual world travel experience? For anyone who’s ever had a dream to scale the tallest mountain or cross the largest ocean, this presentation is your ticket. Full of fascinating stories and practical advice, it’s ideal for armchair explorers and budding adventurers alike. Questions and answers follow his virtual presentation.
Program: Book-talk/Author Talk with Sheryl Kayne
Date/Time: Sat. April 30th at 2pm (In-person)
Audience: Adults
Details: What are Volunteer Vacations? Planning now for your summer vacation? Where would you like to go and what you like to do? Have you ever considered adding in volunteering? There are all kinds of wonderful opportunities for people, and families, of all ages. Sheryl Kayne says that “Volunteer vacations are a great way to visit new places and make new friends.”
Program: Characters from Colonial Connecticut
Date/Time: Sat. May 7th at 10am (In-Person Only)
Audience: Ages 8 – 12
Details: After a short introduction from the CT Historical Society, students work in teams of 4-5 to learn about a character from colonial Connecticut, such as a tinsmith, tavern keeper, Patriot soldier, enslaved person, or Woodland Indian trader. Each group explores one “identity box,” handling reproduction artifacts, practicing close observation skills, and completing a series of activities related to their character’s life.
Program: Book-talk/Author Talk/ Storytelling Workshops with Matthew Dicks
Date/Time: Tues. May 10th at 6pm (Virtual)
Audience: Teens – Adults
Details: Join us for a guest lecture with Matthew Dicks, a bestselling novelist, thirty-six-time Moth StorySLAM champion, and five-time GrandSLAM champion. In addition to his widespread teaching, writing, and performing, he cofounded (with his wife) Speak Up, which produces sold-out storytelling performances throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York at least once a month. He lives in Newington, Connecticut.
Program: On the Move: Immigration and Migration to Connecticut
Date/Time: Sat. May 14th at 10am (In-Person Only)
Audience: Ages 8 – 12
Details: Visitors from the CT Historical Society introduce students to a variety of 20th century stories about moving to Connecticut. An introductory game of chance looks at the difficult choices and conditions faced by immigrants throughout history. Students then work in teams to examine artifacts from “immigration trunks” and uncover many different family stories about moving to Connecticut.
Program: Little Life Lessons
Date/Time: Sat. May 28th at 12pm (In-Person Only)
Audience: Ages 5+
Details: Travel back 1000 years to the Eastern Woodlands! Educators from the Institute for American Indian Studies will bring the museum experience to your class with images, tools and natural materials. Your students will learn about village life through handling replicated items and furs and get the chance to pick stories from a traditional rabbit bag. These Native American stories teach children today how moral lessons were passed through generations before fables were written in books.
Program: Book-talk/Author Talk Panel with Q&A portion with Mary Collins, CCSU professor
Date/Time: Tues. June 21st at 1:30pm (In-Person)
Audience: Teens – Adults
Details: Oxford Public Library welcomes Mary and Donald Collins to present their new book “At the Broken Places: A Mother and Trans Son Pick up the Pieces.” In this collaborative memoir, a parent and a transgender son recount wrestling with their differences as Donald Collins undertook medical-treatment options to better align his body with his gender identity.
Program: Author Talk with Dana Meachen Rau
Date/Time: Weds. June 22nd at 1pm (In-Person Only)
Audience: Ages 7 – 11 (or any child or educator who has enjoyed the “Who Was?” biography series!)
Details: This program will engage students in the process from idea to bound book, focusing on biographies, specifically the Who Was Biography series. We will discuss the role of the author, including getting ideas, research techniques, development of plot, and the important task of rewriting. Then we will cover the roles of other hands in the process, such as the illustrator, editor, designer, and printer.
Program: Veterans Panel-Sharing Voices: A Human Library Experience
Date/Time: Sat. June 25th at 1:30pm (In-Person)
Audience: Teens – Adults
Details: OXPL will be hosting a panel of authors writing about Veteran’s experiences as well as local Veterans sharing their own experiences in a “speed-dating style” human library experience.
Program: Connecticut Witchcraft: Witch-Speak and Social Unrest in 17th Century Connecticut
Date/Time: Tues. June 28th 5:30pm (In-Person Only)
Audience: Teens – Adults
Details: Popular culture has expended an extraordinary amount of time and resources studying and popularizing the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. As a result, many people believe that the events in Salem were the first and only witch trials to occur in the New World. Contrary to their beliefs, Connecticut experienced a series of witchcraft accusations and trials during the three decades preceding Salem. Patrick’s lecture, “Connecticut Witchcraft: Witch-Speak and Social Unrest in 17th Century Connecticut” is based on his 2016 book, and brings to the light the earliest witch trials to take place in New England. While the goal of the lecture is to bring the Connecticut Witch Trials to the forefront of witchcraft lore, it is also to educate citizens on the reasons why communities accused the women that they did of being witches, leaving with a better understanding of the cultural constructs of early Connecticut.
Program: Rock Your World – a music program for kids!
Date/Time: Friday July 15th at 10:30am (In-Person Only)
Audience: Ages 0 – 8
Details: Armelle Gloaguen, award-winning artist and educator, is an experienced teacher and an accomplished singer, songwriter and guitarist. Join us for an educational multicultural music show featuring an eclectic mix of new and traditional favorites from all the over the world. Explore rhythm, ear training, singing, dancing, and a variety of never-seen-before instruments.
Program: Korean History Film, Meal Presentation
Date/Time: Sat. July 16th at 1:30pm (In-Person)
Audience: Adults
Details: Join us for a visit from the Korean Spirit & Culture Promotion Project (KSCPP) who will showcase a film on worldwide contributions from Korea and provide information and demonstrations on traditional cuisine.
Program: Travelogue/Cultural Program with Gerri Griswold
Date/Time: Tues. July 19th at 6pm (Virtual)
Audience: Adults
Details: Gerri from White Memorial Conservation Center shares images and cultural norms from along the trail of the Andes, drawing on experiences featured in her book Nowhere Is a Place: Chilean Patagonia. Meet the people, animals, and numerous microclimates that define this mythical place.
Program: Korean Lantern Craft and Cultural Film Presentation
Date/Time: Sat. Sept. 10th at 2pm (Virtual)
Audience: Adults
Details: Join us for a visit from the Korean Spirit & Culture Promotion Project (KSCPP) who will showcase a film on Korean culture and history. Then, we will create a beautiful Lotus Lantern craft!