2014 SPRING FLING 2014

Our first spring fling was a tremendous success. Please click the link below for a short photo essay of the event.  Cheers! I  hope to see you at our next event coming soon.  Stay tuned.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/122981263@N02/

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was added to our collection at the main stairwell of the main libraryl

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865.

This oil painting of Abraham Lincoln, a gift of Dr. Philip DePasquale, is a replication of a painting by John Dennison Crocker, painted in 1865 and subsequently ripped from its gilded frame and stolen from the Norwich City Hall in 1994. John Dennison Crocker (1822-1907) was born in Salem, CT and spent most of his life in Norwich, CT. He painted CT landscapes and portraits of local dignitaries. Abraham Lincoln visited Norwich on March 9, 1860 and Crocker probably used photography to record Mr. Lincoln’s image. Crocker subsequently painted this portrait in 1865. The slater Museum in Norwich and Norwich City Hall have Crocker’s paintings in their permanent collections.

Susan D’Amico, a contemporary portrait painter, painted this portrait of Lincoln in 2011 in response to a ‘Call to Artists’ to replace Crocker’s stolen painting. She attempted to replicate the stillness and somber colors particular to nineteenth century American portrait painters, based upon a sole photograph taken of the original painting and Crocker’s other portrait paintings. Her challenge was to copy the Crocker portrait as closely as possible, not adding any artistic interpretation; to truly be a copyist rather than an expressive painter. This was difficult for Susan, since Crocker’s interpretation was somewhat different than existing photographs of President Lincoln and the only photograph of Crocker’s Lincoln was taken at an angle, distorting the image. In the past, Susan has drawn and painted Lincoln based upon his photographed image but she had to do more studies in graphite and pastel based on Crocker’s image before painting on the canvas.

A friends of the library Summit at the Farmington libraries

It was just fun to pop my head in to this ad hoc Friends  of the library meeting for a picture of several area library friends group representatives who got together to discuss strategies and tactics to increase sales and deal with the changing reading media.  Special thanks to  convener Linda Chapron for her leadership in bringing all these fabulous volunteers together. 

Green Eggs and Ham

Special thanks to our great and creative children’s team: Sarah Morgan, Jane Maciel
, Trish Hart, Paula Montes
, Eva Markuszka, Angela Delaney,Vida Lashgari, Vivian Young, and Pat Sidlovsky   for making this and all  children’s programs special and fabulous beyond expectations.

Dr. Seuss quotes:

1. "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

2. "Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is your than you."

3. "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

4. "A person's a person, no matter how small."

5. "Why fit in when you were born to stand out?"

6. "Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple."

7. "Maybe Christmas.." he thought "Doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

8. "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go."

9. "You'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut."

10."Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!"

11. "Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory."

12."You're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So get on your way!"

March 5, 2014 celebrating Green Eggs and Ham at the Farmington Libraries

Terry Matava, Farmington Libraries employee of the Year!

It was an honor to present Terry Matava with the 2013 employee of the year award.  Indeed, as a team player, Terry always takes the extra step and makes the extra effort to support her colleagues in the day-to-day operations of the libraries.  Terry is a highly valued employee who significantly makes a difference in the atmosphere of Farmington’s libraries.  Her peers selected Terry because they enjoy her professional and personal wit and sense of purpose.  I am very happy to be surrounded by a wonderful, smart and interesting team of professionals all purposed to provide the best service to the best population in the world; the people of Farmington Connecticut.

Cold winter days are the best time to enjoy indoor activities with your children at the Farmington libraries

Good morning, today is February 28, 2014.  With a wake-up temperature of +2°F. What a perfect day to pack-up your children and bring them to the library to explore the joy of learning and doing with others or with themselves.