Our Staff LYNN ZAFFINO Library Director Lynn Zaffino, Director Lynn has been at the Easton Public Library since May of 2008. She spent six years as the Children's/Teen Librarian, then two years as the Assistant Director/Head of Youth Services. She took over as Library Director in October of 2016. Prior to working here in Easton, she spent two years at the Fairchild-Nichols Memorial Library in Trumbull. Lynn received her Master of Library Science degree from Southern Connecticut State University in 2010. Prior to her Library career, she worked in retail management, banking, and bookkeeping. Lynn and her husband also owned and operated a used book store in Guilford, CT. Lynn resides with her husband, daughter, and dog. In her spare time, she enjoys reading (naturally!), walking, bowling, doing jigsaw puzzles, and spending time with family and friends. lzaffino@eastonlibrary.org MARY BETH RASSULO Assistant Director/Head of Youth Services Mary Beth joined the Library in October of 2016. She is a native New Yorker and a singer/songwriter with a curious nature that led her into the library world. Mary Beth holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English/Writing from Western Connecticut State University, and a Masters of Library and Information Science from Long Island University. Her passion for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) programming was developed while she was the Children’s Services Librarian at Ridgefield Library. When she’s not at the library she enjoys the outdoors, friends and family, and her grandpuppies, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel/Dachshund mix named Rosco, and a Bulldog named Rock. mrassulo@eastonlibrary.org TORI GOGGIN Youth Services Librarian Tori is a licensed occupational therapist with a background specializing in child development. She was a practicing OT for 4 years and is now completing her master's in Library Science. Her background also consists of teaching infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, as well as English writing and literature. Before coming to Easton Library, Tori worked as a library program aide at the Perrot Memorial Library in Old Greenwich, where she ran toddler and preschool story time and sensory-based story time sessions. Tori is originally from New Hampshire, and has been a resident of Conneccticut since 2022, currently residing in Newtown. In her free time, she loves to read and write, create digital art, and spend time with friends and her boyfriend. tgoggin@eastonlibrary.org DONNA GLEN Youth Services Programming Assistant Donna became a member of the Easton Library staff in July 2025, following her time as a dedicated volunteer. She brings with her a background in administrative roles at both Stepping Stones Museum for Children and Norwalk Hospital. While at Stepping Stones, she especially enjoyed engaging with visitors of all ages—reading stories, singing, and performing as characters during special events. Outside the library, Donna enjoys spending time with her husband, Kevin, along with their dog and two cats. Her hobbies include reading, gardening, and a variety of fiber arts such as knitting, crocheting, and sewing. She has also participated in numerous local community theater productions. Donna holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut and spent much of her career working in commercial real estate finance. dglen@eastonlibrary.org SHANNON BRUCHAL Library Assistant, Digital Services/Social Media Shannon joined the Easton Library staff in June of 2016. Previously, she worked part-time at West Haven Library and Edith Wheeler Memorial Library in Monroe. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University, and has worked many different jobs, such as proofreader, account executive, sales clerk, and youth minister, but the Library is her favorite. Library Assistant by day, folk singer by night, Shannon has recorded two CDs and performs online and at area venues. When she’s not working or singing, you can find Shannon with her nose in a book and hanging out with her husband Rich, and Mr. Beau Jangles, a Lab mix. sbruchal@eastonlibrary.org PENELOPE PAPADOULIS Library Assistant, Technical Services/Interlibrary Loan Penelope was born in Athens, Greece. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematical and Computer Studies & History of Art from Brooks University, Oxford. In 1990, Penelope and her family came to the United States and moved to Connecticut. She started at the Easton Library in November, 1994, as a part-time circulation assistant. She was promoted to a full-time, Technical Services/Cataloger in August of 1995. She loves to read fantasy and science fiction books. pjp@eastonlibrary.org JANE HELFGOTT Library Assistant, Cataloger Jane’s a lifelong library enthusiast whose first paying job was as a Page at her childhood library. She’s held various Library positions through the years ranging from Storytime Volunteer to Librarian for a non-profit organization. She holds a Business degree from the University of Massachusetts and a degree in Couture Clothing Design from SUNY/FIT. She also studied high fashion in Paris and Italy. Jane’s a lifelong artistic entrepreneur, having had her own custom clothing business and until recently, was proprietor for The BOLT Quilt Shop, a nationally recognized, award-winning fabric + sewing store she’d built from the ground up. COVID threw Jane a curve so it was recently that she looked inward and knew her next chapter involved a library…Easton library. Aside from reading, Jane enjoys being a fiber artist. Other passions of hers include kayaking, puzzling, spending time with family and friends, and servicing her herd of vintage Singer 221 featherweight sewing machines. Helen Keller has been her heroine since second grade. jhelfgott@eastonlibrary.org KELLY MARCHWINSKI Library Assistant, Circulation Kelly joined the Easton Public Library in June 2025. She previously worked as a library clerk at the Bethel Public Library. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Western Connecticut State University. Kelly loves hanging out with her little black dog, Nova and floofy cat, Merlin. kmarchwinski@eastonlibrary.org LARRY KAUFMAN Library Assistant, Circulation Larry joined the Easton Public Library as a Circulation Assistant in June 2022. Prior to joining the library staff, he worked for a national nonprofit, several media trade associations, a magazine publishing company, and community newspapers. Larry holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. lkaufman@eastonlibrary.org TOM CECCARELLI Custodian Tom has recently retired from the Easton Police Department after serving the community for 25 years. Tom lives with his wife Debbie and daughter Mackenzie. tceccarelli@eastonlibrary.org

Historical Collection The Easton Public Library houses a collection of materials on the history of Easton. You can find these items throughout the Library. There are also a few resources in the Historical Collection, which is in the Conference Room. Dolly Curtis Interview DVDs Check out our extensive collection of DVDs featuring the many interviews that Dolly Curtis conducted over the years with local celebrities, artists, musicians, etc. Historical Collection Our historical collection, housed in the glass cabinet in the Conference Room, includes annual town reports, the Code of the Town of Easton, CT, and other historical documents. Online Resources Visit our website for online access to back issues of the Easton Courier. Another online resource, Heritage Hub, provides information regarding obituaries dating back to 1704. Historical Society of Easton Connect to the Historical Society's website: https://historicalsocietyofeastonct.org/ Books in Our Collection Aspetuc Chronicles: Narratives of Former Days in Easton and Weston, Conn. by John Damon Bradley 974.59 Bradley, John Dimon Redding and Easton by Daniel Cruson 974.69 Cruson, Daniel Easton--Its History by Helen Partridge, with Francis Mellen 974.69 Partridge, Helen Historical and Archeological Assessment Survey of Easton, Connecticut by John Damon Bradley 974.69 Reeve, Stuart Historical Collection Annual Town Reports back to 1932 Code of the Town of Easton, CT - 342.09 Code Historic Homes in Easton 974.69 HIstorical

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Bookworm Crafters J oin us for a monthly virtual read-aloud story and a special craft for the K-1 crowd on Mondays at 4:30 p.m. Reading out loud is optional. Pre-readers are welcome! If interested, please call the library at 203-261-0134, or email Kristine at koulman@eastonlibrary.org . April 22, 2024

Testimonials I enjoy being a patron of the library, scouring the flyers and library website for new books. Thank you to everyone at the library who work so hard to provide so many different types of enjoyment for all! - Leigh H.

Kids and Teens

FALCON TO FALCON Click here to view the entire brochure Additional Info Midterms and Finals Information At the end of the Second Quarter, all students take midterms for their classes, unless otherwise notified. The midterms take place within the span of four days. On each of the four days, students take two midterms, with the exception of the day(s) when they have their study hall (when they would take just one). Students arrive at 7:30 a.m. for the first exam of each day, and the school day ends as if it were a half day, at 12:00 p.m. The same goes for all students at the end of the Fourth Quarter, when they take their finals. GPA and Grading Information Grade Point Average (GPA) is a measurement of a student's grades. A student’s GPA is determined by their letter grade in each course, the number of credits the course is worth, and whether or not the course is Honors/AP. At Joel Barlow, a weighted GPA system is used, meaning that Honors and AP courses are weighted more than other classes, and a student has the possibility of having a GPA higher than a 4.0. Students are unable to access their GPA in PowerSchool, however, they can find it in Naviance by going to My Account under the About Me section. Writing Center The Writing Center staff provides students with individual help on any of their writing assignments. In order to make an appointment with a staff member of the Writing Center, students simply go onto the JBHS website under the School Resources tab to locate the link to the Writing Center homepage ( Writing Center Homepage Link ). The Writing Center itself acts as a quiet area for students to work where there are computers and printers available. FAQs What if I’m late to school or need to leave early? If you are ever late to school, you must check in at the security desk located in the main lobby. They will provide you with a pass to give to your first period teacher. If you have a note to leave early, drop it off at the Security Dest in the front lobby at the start of the day. Where should I go during study hall/break? In a normal school year, you would have a choice of going to the library or the lunch room for study hall. However, it is also a possibility that the auditorium and upper gym will be available as well. What are Activity periods? Activity is a time when you can participate in clubs that meet during school hours related to a skill or passion. Check out the Activity Fair in September and feel free to try out a few different clubs, or start your own! What happens in advisory? In advisory, your advisor will review upcoming events and schedule changes (a.k.a the AdMinIt). You will have the opportunity to ask any questions and to talk with some of your peers. Your advisory is meant to have an open environment allowing all students to feel comfortable sharing out. How do I find my bus? Your advisory will have a diagram of the bus lineup on the first day of school, and there are teachers outside on the first day to direct you. When you find your bus, don’t wait to get on it, because they all leave at the same time shortly after school gets out. How does the student drop off/pick up work? Both the student drop off and pick up happens in the front of the school. The car lines are usually long so it’s recommended that your parents arrive somewhat early. When should I visit my counselor? You can visit your counselor in Student Services at any time to ask a question, discuss/fix your schedule, or just to talk (if they are available). It’s great to email them ahead of time to make an appointment. You’ll also have designated times when you’ll be called down to meet about future class schedules in the middle of the year. It’s a great idea to make an effort to get to know your counselor, as they’ll be able to help you throughout high school and make it easier for them to write a letter of recommendation. How do you create a PDF to submit for an assignment? There are two primary ways to do this. The first is by using the Notes app. Once in the app, click on the camera icon, then select scan documents. Once you complete the scan of your work, click done, and then the images can be uploaded as a PDF to your Google Drive. The second way to do this is to take a picture of your work and upload the pictures to your computer. Once they are on your computer, you can convert the images from a PNG to a PDF, combine the separate PDFs into a singular one, and then upload the PDF to your Google Drive.

What can you do in the Innovation Space? The possibilities are endless. All you need is your imagination. 3Doodler Designer Blocks Electronic Snap Circuits Gimp Set Jewelry Making Supplies MakeyMakey Origami Paper Osmo Kit Duct Tape Knitting Looms Magna Doodle Brain Flakes Knitting/Crochet/Yarn Puzzles Cross-Stitching Sudoko Cube LED & Lithium Batteries The Paper Shoe Book Ozobot Rubik's Cubes Board Games Little Bits LEGO Robots & Manual Spirograph Coloring Station StikBot Button Maker Crafts to Go

Library History In 1933, a group of Easton visionaries voted to create a public library in their town. The Easton Public Library opened in the basement of Samuel Staples School with a budget of $200 from a state grant and $50 from the local P.T.A. In 1937, the Library had new quarters, a room on the main floor of Town Hall. The Library Board, to consist of six members—no more than three from any particular political party— with six year terms, was established in 1950. Once again, space became an issue, and the Library was moved to the basement of Town Hall where it occupied 1,125 square feet. Crowded conditions forced residents into action in 1968. A Town Meeting authorized a bond issue of $300,000 to finance an addition to Town Hall. In 1979, eleven civic-minded women met to form the Friends of the Easton Public Library. With the Friends’ support, the Library began to act as a center for the whole community, offering more programs for children and adults. Fire code violations mandated improvements to the facility in 1991. The Library Board of Trustees applied to the State Library and was awarded a grant for library construction. Library Trustees championed a town-wide fund raising campaign and pledged $300,000 toward the cost of a new building. A special referendum for construction of a new Library was conducted on December 11, 1994 and passed by fifteen votes. The much anticipated new Library building opened for business on May 29, 1996. The Library became a member of the computer age when it joined reQuest, a statewide library network whereby patrons and staff can locate items in other area libraries. It also made a computer available to the public for word processing. In 1998, with monies raised by the Friends of the Library and Library Board private funds, the Library’s circulation functions were automated and the oak card catalogs were replaced by on-line catalogs. The next year saw three workstations in the Library’s Reference area networked to make Internet and on-line databases available to the public. In 1999, the Library received the prestigious Award of Excellence for Small Libraries from the Association of Connecticut Library Boards. This auspicious group also awarded Library Director, Bernadette Baldino, a citation for Outstanding Contribution to Library Service in Connecticut. With the creation of a web page in 2000, www.eastonlibrary.org , Library resources were made available to patrons in the comfort of their homes. In 2010, the Library began circulating downloadable ebooks and audiobooks to its patrons. While taking advantage of this new technology, patrons still come to the Library to check out materials, attend programs, use the computers, and receive technology assistance. The Library looks forward to continuing its history of growth and service, helping community members of all ages lead richer, more interesting lives by providing access to print, audio and electronic resources, hosting cultural activities, and serving as a forum for community gatherings.

Library Policies Code of Conduct Circulation Policy Child Behavior and Supervision Privacy and Confidentiality Library Computer and Internet Safety Policy Hotspot Policy Collection Development Material Review and Reconsideration Policy Animals in the Library Exam Proctoring Tutoring Laptop Loaning Policy Display Policy Policy on Art Displays and Exhibits in the Library Programs Policy Meeting Room Guidelines Inter-Library Loans Donations Library Personnel Public Relations and Media Bulletin Boards Volunteers

Easton Public Library Strategic Plan 2021-2025 Click here to read the Strategic Plan