April 22: Celebrate National Poetry Month with a reading at the Whitman-Stafford House

Stratford Public Library presents a poetry reading in celebration of National Poetry Month, featuring prize-winning poets Chris Bursk and Therese Halscheid.  Refreshments will be served.

Join us for this exciting event on Saturday, April 22 at 2PM, at the Whitman-Stafford House, 315 Maple Avenue, Laurel Springs NJ, 08021.

This event is free and open to the public, but please register at the Stratford Library or call (856) 783-0602.  For further information, contact Alfred Encarnacion, Library Director, at ext. 204.

Our Most Popular books in 2016!

(Click on the post to see the list)
Get some reading recommendations from your neighbors, using this list of the books that were checked out most often in Stratford in 2016:

Adult Fiction:

1. Never Die Alone, by Lisa Jackson
2. Blue, by Danielle Steel
3. The 15^th Affair, by James Patterson
4. Fool Me Once, by Harlan Coben
5. A Girl’s Guide to Moving On, by Debbie Macomber

Adult Nonfiction:

1. When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi
2. The life-changing magic of tidying up : the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing, by Marie Kondo
3. Hamilton: the Revolution, by Lin-Manuel Miranda
4. The girl with the Lower back Tattoo, by Amy Schumer
5. The Road to Little Dribbling, by Bill Bryson

Large Print:

1. Family Jewels, Stuart Woods
2. Extreme Prey, by John Sandford
3. The Promise, by Robert Crais
4. As Time Goes By, by Mary Higgins Clark
5. Corrupted, by Lisa Scottoline

Picture books:

1. Emergency Vehicles, by Rod Green
2. Knuffle Bunny, by Mo Willems
3. The Day the Crayons Came Home, by Drew Daywalt
4. Dinosaur vs. the Library, by Bob Shea
5. Swing!, by Rufus Seder

Holiday Weekend Closure

The Stratford Public Library will be CLOSED on Friday - Saturday, April 14 - 15, in honor of Easter Weekend. Everyone have an enjoyable, safe Holiday Weekend!

April 20: Poetry Workshop

Thursday, April 20, 6:30pm:  Join our Director, Alfred Encarnacion, for a workshop discussing issues of craft, theme and mechanics in poetry.  Mr. Encarnacion has published two volumes of poetry, The Outskirts of Karma (2012) and Ambassadors of the Silenced (2016).  His work has been nominated for the prestigious Pushcart prize for small-press publications.  Please contact the library for more information on signing up for this free program.

Read to a dog at the library!

 

On the last Monday of each month, from 6:30 to 7:30pm, children will have the chance to read to a therapy dog team at Stratford Public Library. These reading experiences have great benefits for children, as they enjoy the interaction with the animal while also getting to practice their reading skills to an affectionate and accepting audience. It’s a great way to make reading more fun, especially for kids who may feel some stress about their reading skills.

Children will each have the chance to read independently with the animal and its handler for 10 minutes. PAWS for Reading therapy animal teams are thoroughly trained and experienced with children.

PAWS for Reading visits start April  24!  All dates will be posted on the library calendar at www.stratfordlibrarynj.org.  Sign up for a slot with the PAWS for Reading team! Contact the library at (856) 783-0602 or email libraryasstdirector@stratfordnj.org.

 

Snow Closing

In light of the weather forecast, the library will be closing this evening, Monday, March 13 at 6PM. The library also will be closed Tuesday, March 14 and Wednesday March 15. Due dates will be adjusted accordingly.  We apologize for the inconvenience, but hope that everyone stays safe and warm!

Daylight Savings Time begins!

Don't forget to set clocks forward Saturday, March 11.  Sadly, that means we get one less hour for reading this weekend, even though it's nice to think that Spring is coming soon!