The Portland Library is open to the public!
Hours open to patrons:
Monday -- Thursday 10:00-1:00 & 2:00-6:00
Friday 10:00-2:00
Curbside pickup: Monday -- Thursday until 6:30
Friday 2:00-4:45
Saturday 9:30-1:30 (and by appointment other times)
Staff in the Library are always available by email and phone contact
860-342-6770
The Library will be closing Thursday December 24th at 1:00p.m.
and will be closed Friday December 25th and Saturday December 26th!
The Library will be closing Thursday December 31st at 1:00p.m.
and will be closed Friday January 1st and Saturday January 2nd!
Happy Holidays and a healthy 2021 to all!
Looking for some recommended reading or items to request for curbside pickup? The Library has some booklists of the latest books: click here
Upcoming Events
Florence Griswold Museum
Wee Fairie Village virtual programs
Portland Forum meeting
Thursday December 10th at 6:30p.m.
The Portland Forum is a new initiative of Portland Library. In partnership with the Portland Social Justice Coalition, and in support of the Portland Solidarity Proclamation to 'stand committed to peace, justice and freedom for our citizens here in Portland and in solidarity with all Americans' we will be hosting a series of discussions that focus on representing the countless faces of diversity.
Come to the December meeting using the zoom link on the library webpage, to celebrate black literature and music. We will discuss some new books by black authors and some notable black biographies and follow up on the recent book discussion from our
November meeting (A new film is available on HBO that is based on the book Between the World and Me by Coates)
Enjoy a discussion and sample of music by entertainers who happen to be People of Color: Gospel singers, folk by Odetta and jazz by Nina Simone included.
Registration Requested!
Join remote meeting access through Zoom the ID is 8603426777 and the Passcode is Portland
For the December newsletter click here.
The Book Drop is open 24/7 and Curbside delivery is still available!
Please check our Portland Town website for UPDATED information on the
Covid-19 virus situation.
To join Library program Zoom meetings
To go to Portland Library's virtual meetings, click on "Join remote meeting access through Zoom", the ID is 8603426777 and the Passcode is Portland
Check out our Staff Picks!
Portland Library now offers museum passes for free or discounted access to your favorite museums!
New Britain Museum of Art
All visitors using a Museum pass from the Portland Library are required to make a reservation online in advance at nbmaa.org/visit
Check what days are available for our library pass, reserve that day and then go to the museum website to reserve a time on that day to visit the museum!
Register as a member, using Portland Library as the member name and present the printable museum pass for that day when you get to the museum.
Florence Griswold Museum
All guests are required to make advance reservations prior to visiting.
Check what days are available for our library pass, reserve that day and then go to the museum website to reserve a time on that day to visit the museum!
https://florencegriswoldmuseum.org/
Contact Us!
Sign up for our online monthly newsletter!
Send questions to the Information Staff.
Do you have a question?
This service is meant for brief factual questions
(a definition, a date, a phone number, what library in
the area has the item you are looking for, etc.)
If you need an immediate answer, please call the
Library at 1-860-342-6770.
Mystery Lovers Book Club Discussion
Tuesday December 15th @ 1pm (Zoom meeting)
A Highland
Christmas
by M.C. Beaton
Zoom meetings
To join Portland Library's virtual meetings, click on "Join remote meeting access through Zoom", the ID is 8603426777 and the Passcode is Portland
E-Books & E-audio
E-Books & E-Audiobooks
E-books, E-audiobooks,
Comics & Movies
Portland Library Digital Archive: Documenting COVID-19
The Portland Library is collecting materials and anecdotes for a rapid response collection to document the outbreak and spread of coronavirus.
This project is intended to be a community initiative to document how our lives have been affected by the virus in Portland, Connecticut. The Portland Library will collect, document and preserve how the pandemic has affected the lives of residents of Portland, Connecticut and the surrounding area.
Please consider submitting items (digital and paper) that document your daily life during this time. We will accept up to five submissions per person.
For more information, visit our submission page HERE.
Job Seekers
Looking for a job? Considering a career change? Need to update your resume?
LearningExpress Job & Career Accelerator or JobNow Live Job Assistance can help you be successful in your search! You can register for an account and use it from home!
Create professional resumes and cover letters, master interviewing and networking techniques, and more. Get detailed information on more than 1,100 occupations. Find careers that match your skills and interests. Access millions of current job and internship postings.
LearningExpress Computer Skills Center
Video courses are the fastest and easiest way to learn how to use a computer. Use the materials in this center to learn the basics of computers, from searching the Internet to using popular programs for word processing, creating spreadsheets and databases, implementing design, and more.
e-magazines for adults and kids
portlandlibraryct
Come in and get a Library Card...
Library cards are free to all residents of Portland. All you need is a picture ID with your Portland address or a picture ID and a piece of mail with proof of your Portland address. Portland residents of all ages may obtain cards; if you are under 18, your parent or guardian must sign the library card application.
Temporary Library Card
Click here to apply for a temporary library card!
Portland residents can register online as a patron of our library and get temporary access to request materials and use some online resources. If you do not visit Portland Library to complete the registration process within 30 days, this account will be deleted. Please bring proof of residency, such as a photo ID, utility bill, or other official mail, to the library and we will then provide you with your physical library card.
Automatic Renewals are so convenient!
Beginning January 1st, any item checked out at the
Portland Library and eligible for renewal will be automatically renewed. Renewals won’t happen for Zoom books, items with holds for another patron, or if the user's library card is expired or blocked. Please note, our renewal policies have not changed,
everything has stayed the same with the exception that your renewals will happen automatically.
If you have an email associated with your account. You will receive an email listing the items that have been renewed. You will also continue to receive a courtesy email alerting you that your items will be coming due. We hope this service will
assist you in managing your account with ease. As always, if you have any questions, please call the library at 860-342-6770.
Dinosaur Footprints
When dinosaurs roamed the Connecticut Valley some of them came to Portland!
There are still footprints to be found in Portland including a few mounted on walls at the Portland Library. Inside the library there are 2 brownstone slabs, one containing several good quality, medium-size theropod footprints labeled as Anchisauripus and the other containing two remarkable specimens of Otozoum.
