Adults’ Featured Events

First Annual Jigsaw Puzzle Tournament

Saturday, August 27, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Registration required.

Ready for a summer challenge? Fire up your jigsaw puzzle skills and bring your team to the library’s first annual jigsaw tournament. Teams may consist of 2-4 people and will compete to finish the same 500-piece puzzle in the least amount of time. Prizes, including bragging rights, will be awarded to the first two teams to finish the puzzle. Here’s how it works:

  1. Form a team of two to four players.
  2. Create a team name
  3. Registration opens August 1. Register via email at staff.essexlib@gmail.com, stop by, or call the Library at 860-767-1560. Space is limited to 10 teams so register early.

Bereavement Support Group

1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month at 3:30 p.m. in the Library
Grieving is tough – but you don’t have to go it alone. This group is free and open to all. If you’re struggling with loss – of a spouse, a parent or other family member, or a close friend – please consider coming to a meeting; sometimes just having a place to share our feelings makes them easier to bear. No advance registration is necessary. Rev. Joy Perkett, Pastor at First Baptist Church in Essex will facilitate the group. Rev. Perkett received a Master of Social Work and a Master of Divinity from Boston University.

If you are interested in attending this group but can’t get to a meeting at 3:30 p.m., please email Ann Thompson at athompson@essexlib.org.

Alzheimer Caregiver’s Support Group

2nd Tuesday every month at 5:00 p.m. in the Library, masks optional.
Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease can be challenging. To help people who care for those with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, the Alzheimer’s Association Connecticut Chapter facilitates about 90 support groups around the state. The Essex Library is honored to collaborate with AACC in hosting a monthly caregivers support group which offers caregivers a place to share, learn and feel welcomed. People talk about their experiences and offer suggestions to deal with topics including medical, legal, behavioral and financial problems. The trained group facilitator is there to listen, help guide the conversation and to provide information about resources in the community. This support group is FREE and open to the public.
24/7 Helpline: (800) 272-3900 or ehelpline@alz.org

Score LogoSCORE At The Library

Thursdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the library. Masks required.
The Southeastern Connecticut chapter of SCORE provides free and confidential advice on starting and growing small businesses. Appointments must be scheduled in advance, either by calling 860-388-9508 or downloading a request form. SCORE is also offering information and assistance with the Paycheck Protection Program and SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

Instructions for Using Zoom

You do not need to have a Zoom account to join the Library’s Zoom meetings. To connect with video, you will need to be connected to the Internet, either from a computer, iPad or cell phone. A link for each meeting will be provided in the monthly newsletters and on the Library’s website. All library programs and meetings offered on Zoom are moderated by library staff and are recorded; the library does not offer Zoom recordings to the public.The Library records all programs and reports all Zoombombing, attempted Zoombombing, and/or misuse of our public programming platform to federal and local law enforcement.

For more detailed instructions see: Instructions on Using Zoom, a free video-conferencing software.

To Connect with a Computer:

To Join a Zoom Meeting from your computer, click the links provided for each meeting, OR

  1. Go to https://zoom.us
  2. Click on ‘Join A Meeting’ located in the upper right area of the screen
  3. Type the meeting number in the window then click ‘JOIN’
  4. A ‘Launch Application’ window will appear
  5. Click ‘Open link’

If you have trouble getting the Zoom meeting to open, please be sure to use the Chrome, Safari, or Internet Explorer browser. To download Google Chrome to your device, see instructions here: https://www.google.com/chrome/

To Connect with an iPad or iPhone:

  1. Download the Zoom app from the App Store, located here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zoom-cloud-meetings/id546505307
  2. Click the link provided for the meeting

To Connect with an Android device:

  1. Download the Zoom app for Android, located here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=us.zoom.videomeetings&hl=en_US
  2. Click the link provided for the meeting

To Connect with a land line phone:

If you’re joining the meeting by phone, call this number: 1 (646) 558-8656. Once you’re connected, then dial the meeting ID number to join the meeting.