2022 Summer Reading Wrapup

Thank you to everyone who participated in Portland Library’s 2022 Summer Reading Challenge by reading, attending programs, completing our extra
challenges to earn badges or volunteering to help run our programs or staff our volunteer desk.

An extra big THANK YOU goes out to the Friends of the Portland Library for funding the beautiful window artwork, prizes, programs and all aspects of this summer’s program.

We hope you had as much fun as we did!

337 kids and teens registered for summer reading
5,701 days read

174 Missions completed

35 programs offered for kids and teens

1,152 people attended our kids and teen programs

168 entries into our teen raffles

We’re looking forward to next year!

Fall Storytimes

Registration is required and can be done by calling the library at 860-342-6770 or registering through our library calendar. Registration begins on Monday, August 29.

Preschool Storytime
Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.
September 13, 20, 27, October 4, 11, 18, 25,
November 1, 15
(no program November 8 as there is no school)

Join us in our Wagner Room for stories, songs, and rhymes that encourage literacy and social skills and help get your preschooler prepared for kindergarten. We will offer a craft related to the weekly theme at the end of the program that can be done at the library or brought home.

Storytime for Toddlers and Tots:
Mother Goose on the Loose
Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. or 11:15 a.m.
September 14, 21, 28, October 5, 12, 19, 26,
November 2, 9, 16

Mother Goose on the Loose, a fun-filled interactive session for our youngest patrons, uses rhymes, a
story, songs, puppets, scarves, and more to stimulate the learning process of babies and toddlers. Two sessions will be offered each Wednesday to keep group sizes small and interactions personalized.

Become the Ultimate Ologist!

(grades 3-5)

Thursdays at 3:30 p.m.

September 15, 22, 29, October 6

The Ologies is a book series that delves into following lost journals and investigating unusual topics. Each week we will explore one of the Ologies in depth, from investigating Illusionology’s properties of magic to everything dragons and Wizardology. We will try out our spy skills with Spoyology and walk the plank while solving a Pirateology mystery.
Get ready to become an expert investigator and the ultimate “Ologist.”
Registration is required and opens on Monday, August 29.

Save the Date: Pumpkin
Painting for the Portland Fair

Wednesday, October 5 at 6:30 p.m.

Paint a pumpkin and we will bring it to the Portland Fair and enter it for you! Kids of all ages are invited to participate, but only those age 5 and up are eligible for fair entries. Pumpkins and paint will be supplied. A parent or guardian must be with children to help with supervision.

Registration is required and space is limited.

New Storywalk® at Riverfront Park

Come celebrate the installation of a new StoryWalk® at Riverfront Park by joining the Portland Library and the Portland Youth Services Little Hikers group for a short hike on Friday, September 9 at 10:30 a.m.

The StoryWalk® concept was created as a way for people of all ages to combine physical activity with books and to help build children's interest in reading while encouraging healthy activity for all. The featured book is Duck on a Bike by David Shannon. After our walk, we will offer a craft and some light refreshments.

2023 Nutmeg Nominees Announced

The 2023 Nutmeg nominees were announced on May 1. Below is the list of nominees in each category. We have several copies of each book at the library, and many are
available to borrow as downloadable e-books through the Overdrive and Hoopla links on our library website. The winners of the 2022 Nutmeg Awards will be announced on May 15.

The Nutmeg Book Award encourages children in grades 2-12 to read quality literature and to choose their favorite from a list of ten (fifteen elementary) nominated titles. The award is jointly sponsored by the Connecticut Library Association (CLA) and the Connecticut Association of School Librarians (CASL). Nominees are selected by a committee of students, school librarians and public librarians around the state.

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Congratulations to the 2022 Nutmeg Award winners!

Elementary: InvestiGATORS by John Patrick Green
Intermediate: Wink by Rob Harrell

Reading Lists

Not sure what to read next? Check out these book lists for some new ideas.

Adventures for Children

Books for Animal Lovers in Grades 3-5
Character Counts: Picture Books about Kindness and Caring
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Readalikes
Historical Fiction for Children
Mysteries for Children
Ready for School

Scary Stories for Kids
Science Fiction for Children

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1000 Books Before Kindergarten

Raise a reader! 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a national reading initiative that encourages parents and caregivers to provide positive, nurturing early experiences by reading aloud daily to their children from birth to age five. Reading to children builds important vocabulary and language skills that are needed for kindergarten. We invite you to participate in this exciting, free program open to children birth to age five.

How long will it take to read 1,000 books? This is a self-paced program that depends on how often you read together. Reading three books together a night—approximately 15 minutes—will mean you will have read 1,095 at the end of one year.

Come into the library and pick up your 1,000 Books Before Kindergartenwelcome packet in the children’s department.

Thank you to the Friends of the Portland Library for funding this program.

Not able to come to the library but want to get started on your next reading journal? Print them out here!

Computers in the Children's Area

Early Literacy Computer Station Added

In September 2014, the Youth Services Department added an AWE Early Literacy Computer Station to its list of services. Stocked with more than 40 games that build skills in the areas of reading, words and phonics; science and nature; math and problem solving; reference; music and arts; writing and computer skills; and social studies and geography, this colorful touch-screen computer is great for kids between the ages of 2-8. Users may sign up at the children’s reference desk to use the computer.

Portland Library Computer Information

We have two computers with Internet access in the Children's Department that can be used by patrons under the age of 11. Only children or others accompanied by children are allowed to use these computers.

Please note the following when using the computers:

Parents and guardians will have to sign a Public Computer Procedures form the first time their child uses a computer.
If others are waiting, use is restricted to 30 minutes per user.
There is filtering software on the computers in the Children's Department.
Please, no eating or drinking at the computer.
Our printing rates are as follows: Each user is allowed two free black and white pages. Additional pages are $.15 per page. Color copies are always $.50 per page.