Calendar

Board of Education-Special Meeting- (PDF)

Library Closed 9am-1pm

The russell LIbrary will be closed from 9am-1pm for staff training.

Art Show Reception: Kyle O'Neil's Retrospective

A reception for the art show “Kyle O’Neil: A Retrospective Journey” will be held in the Russell Library on Friday, November 3rd, with doors opening at 5:30pm. Welcoming remarks will begin at 6:15pm in the Hubbard Room, with commentary from State Senator Matt Lesser and Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim, followed by an award ceremony. Afterward, those in attendance are encouraged to head to the lobby to mingle, enjoy some harvest-inspired refreshments, and view Kyle's art. Registration is recommended via the Library’s website at www.russelllibrary.org, under “Events.” Wangunk Elder Gary O’Neil and his daughter Kyle O’Neil will be displaying Indigenous Wangunk art at the Russell Library throughout the month of November. The collection is a retrospective reflecting Kyle’s journey as an artist. Media in the exhibit will include terra cotta and white clay reliefs, monoprints, collage and photography. The land the Russell Library sits on is Wangunk land, as is all of the Middletown area. In recognition of Native American Heritage Month this November, the Russell Library is partnering with Gary and Kyle to bring awareness and recognition to the Wangunk people, who are sometimes referred to as a “lost tribe.” Kyle has exhibited internationally with Angels Fly Together, Down Syndrome Association in Argentina, and with Alexander’s Angels at the United Nations in New York. She has been a part of the Connecticut Women Artists, Annual Open Juried Group Exhibition at the Slater Museum in Norwich CT, and at The Buttonwood Tree and the Free Center in Middletown. There will be an opportunity to hear more about the Wangunks with Gary O’Neil at the Russell Library on Monday, November 20th at 6:00pm. O’Neil will speak about the history of his people, who lived in Middletown and surrounding areas until the early 1800's. Gary is a direct descendant of the Jonathan Palmer line of the Wangunks. Registration is recommended via the Library’s website, under “Events.”