Submitted by Elizabeth Reinhart
(June 23, 2026) — The following programs and events will take place at Essex Library, 33 West Avenue in Essex during the month of July, 2026.
Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. Voices and Visions of the American Revolution: A Screening Reel
Join Essex Library for a 40-minute “Voices & Visions” screening reel that showcases the art, music, and literature of the Revolutionary Era, offering a lens into the voices and visions of 1776. A short discussion of the reel will follow its screening. The screening reel is based on The American Revolution, a six-part, twelve-hour documentary series by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt. This program is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. Registration is suggested. Register online at youressexlibrary.org or by calling the library at 860-767-1560.
Tuesday, July 7, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. “How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are,” with Mark Wolynn (Virtual Author Talk)
How do the experiences of our ancestors influence our thoughts and behaviors today? In his award-winning book, It Didn’t Start with You, author Mark Wolynn shares compelling evidence that the roots of our anxiety, phobias, and chronic pain may not reside in our immediate life experience or in chemical imbalances in our brains—but in the lives of our parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents. Registration is required. Register online at www.youressexlibrary.org or by calling the library at 860-767-1560.
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. “Federalist Fathers and Republican Mothers: The Fashions of John and Abigail Adams” (Virtual)
Join us virtually as Essex Library hosts nationally renowned textile expert Lynne Bassett, who will present an illustrated lecture entitled “Federalist Fathers and Republican Mothers: The Fashions of John and Abigail Adams.” Through a variety of different primary artifacts, Bassett will show how both early and contemporary American have expressed their national and personal character through their clothing choices. This program is free and open to the public. Registration is required for all virtual programs. Register online at www.youressexlibrary.org or by calling the library at 860-767-1560.
Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Author Talk with Christopher Shaw Myers on Jaws Actor Robert Shaw
The Essex library will host an author talk with Christopher Shaw Myers. Christopher is the nephew of actor Robert Shaw, who played the shark-obsessed fisherman Sam Quint in Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster, Jaws. Christopher will share insights and entertaining tidbits from his book, Robert Shaw: An Actor’s Life on the Set of Jaws and Beyond. For adults and teens. Register online at www.youressexlibrary.org or by calling the Library at 860-767-1560.
Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. Movie Matinee at Essex Library
Enjoy a movie on the big screen in the Buel Room! For more information, including the movie title, call the Library at 860-767-1560 or visit the events calendar section of the Library’s website, www.youressexlibrary.org.
The Essex Library Association is a center for free, reliable information. We stimulate curiosity, nurture creativity and enable discovery. We are a window into the world. The Essex Library has been a vital community institution since 1889. Since that time, the Library has grown to become a modern, professionally staffed organization with a collection of nearly 50,000 items in a beautiful, 9,500 square foot facility. All of the Library’s programs are free and open to the public.
