Author Archives: Christine Michaud

Passport to Connecticut Libraries

Posted on by

Enter for a chance to win a Visa gift card of up to $150.

Contest Dates: April 1 – 30

Over 140 Connecticut libraries are proud to participate in the Connecticut Library Association’s Passport to Connecticut Libraries Program. To celebrate National Library Week during April, the Passport to Connecticut Libraries Program invites you to visit all of the participating Connecticut public libraries. Each library has its own architecture, vibe and collection to explore and browse! The program is open to adults and children, and the hope is that it encourages residents to explore the amazing diversity of our public libraries.   Take your library card and passport to at least five libraries on the list to be eligible to win a $150 gift card for adults or a $100 gift card for children. Each age group will have two winners; one chosen in a random drawing and one “Top Traveler” prize awarded to the patron in each age group who has visited the most libraries. (A tie will be broken by a random drawing.)

Ask for your Passport at the circulation desk today & begin participating on April 1st!  Click Here for a List of Participating Libraries

This is a Connecticut Library Association initiative.

3 Programs to Spruce Up Your Garden

Posted on by

Designing Shady Retreats: Monday, March 28 at 6 PM, via Zoom

In this richly illustrated lecture, we explore a variety of intriguing gardens that will inspire you to create your own shady retreats! Join Joan Butler of Enchanted Gardens to learn design tricks and strategies to light up shady corners, highlight unusual plants that thrive in low-light conditions, and illustrate the creative use of art objects, seating and water features.

Click Here to Register. A Zoom link will be sent to you on the day of the program.

Sustainable Gardening: The New Lawn: Thursday, March 31 at 6:00 PM, In person at the Durham Public Library

Join Judy Preston of the Connecticut Sea Grant for a discussion of sustainable gardening practices. She will focus on lawns and talk about providing wildlife (including pollinator) habitats while protecting water quality.

Space is limited and registration is required. Click Here to Register.

A Piet Oudolf Story with Deborah Chud: Thursday, April 7 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom

Piet Oudolf has gained international renown for his imaginative plant­ings and a style that he calls naturalistic planting design. Oudolf gardens feature the plants that he has found to be the most dependable, disease resistant, and easy to maintain.Join Deborah Chud as she shares her experience growing from novice gardener to Piet Oudolf expert!

Click Here to Register. A Zoom link will be sent to you on the day of the program.

The Spring Gardening programs are made possible with funding from the Community Foundation of Middlesex County.

Library Receives Grant for Kindness Projects

Posted on by

THANK YOU to the Peach Pit Foundation in partnership with the Community Foundation of Middlesex County for their generous grant of $2,500 to the Durham Public Library. This money will be used to support library projects that spread kindness in our community. Stay tuned for more information about the fun and creative programs we will be launching with this generous gift!

Wi-Fi Hotspots

Posted on by

In order to expand Internet access to Durham residents, the Library has established a Wi-Fi hotspot lending program. The hotspots are provided by T-Mobile and funded by a gift from Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare and PALS: The Friends of the Durham Public Library.

No internet at home? Borrow ours for: school projects and papers, job searching online, and connecting your tablet or laptop.

On a long car trip? Have the kids in the backseat streaming movies, music or other online content.

On Vacation? Road trip, camping, or grandmas house with no internet? Bring it with you!

Loans and Holds

Hotspots are available to Durham Public Library card holders ages 18 and up with fines of less than $10.00. Patrons must present their valid Durham Public Library card at the time of checkout.

Checkouts are limited to one hotspot per household at any given time. Hotspots may be checked out for one week and cannot be renewed.

Hotspots may be reserved by placing a hold online or by calling the library. Devices will be held for two days. If the device is not picked up by the end of the second day, the hold will be cancelled and the device will move to the next person in line.

At the time of checkout, patrons must sign a Hotspot Use Agreement, acknowledging the Library’s Hotspot Use Policy.

The Library reserves the right to refuse lending to patrons who abuse equipment or who repeatedly return Hotspots late.

Hotspots must be picked up and returned at the Durham Public Library circulation desk. Hotspots must never be returned to another library or placed in the book drops.

Hotspot Use

Patrons are responsible for the proper care and use of the Wi-Fi hotspot. We recommend that patrons have a basic working knowledge of the device on checkout. If you encounter any technical problems, contact Library Director Christine Michaud at cmichaud@durhamlibrary.org or 860-349-9544, ext. 5.

The Library is not responsible for any liability, damages, or expense resulting from use or misuse of the hotspot and its connection to other electronic devices, or data loss resulting from use of the Hotspot. Any use of the device for illegal purposes, unauthorized copying of copyright-protected material in any format, or transmission of threatening, harassing, defamatory or obscene materials is strictly prohibited.

Wi-Fi service will be turned off if the hotspot is more than two days overdue, rendering the device unusable.

Loss or Damage

Overdue fines of $5 per day, to a maximum of $20, will be charged for late hotspots.

Hotspots that are two weeks or more overdue are considered lost. Patrons will be charged a $100.00 replacement fee if the hotspot is lost or damaged.

Patrons will be charged a replacement fee not to exceed $20 if a charging block or case is lost or damaged.

Library Renewal 2021

Posted on by

Thanks to our amazing and generous community, we have achieved our $100,000 fundraising goal for the Library Renewal Project!  

Heartfelt thanks go out to the PeachPit Foundation, to the Cumello, Eames, Howe, and Mueller families, and to our incredible community of businesses and individuals who stepped up to support this project. We could not have done this without each and every one of you. 

With the matching funds in place, the Connecticut State Bond Commission gave final approval this week to a $147,000 grant to complete this project. We would like to thank Laura Francis and all of the town and state officials who worked with us to make this happen.