AUBURN - For Deb Daloia, it started as a "mommy's night out," a break from raising her three young children.

Daloia found a way to put her love of reading to good use: She joined one of two book clubs at Seymour Library.

"I read a lot of books that I wouldn't normally have picked up," she said. "It has expanded what I read for pleasure."

The book clubs are two of many programs and services the library has added in the last year. On Tuesday, library staff held an open house to celebrate the new programs.

"We've added a lot of new things, and we thought we'd do (the open house) as an appreciation for those who have come to the programs," said Danette Davis, the children's librarian. This was the first time the library has held an open house.

In addition to the book clubs, the library has branched out into crafts and cookery. This past year, it held a night that featured crocheting and another that showed patrons how to preserve family recipes.

Both drew dedicated followers - so much so that this fall, the library will highlight a different craft each month.

Also begun this past year were "theme nights," when the library features such themes as cookbooks and mysteries.

"I'm excited when I see people who haven't ever been here before and they're finding something that connects with them," said reference librarian Lisa Carr.

Also new are the shelves of DVDs, with classics such as "The French Connection" and"The Grapes of Wrath."

"We don't have a lot of Blockbuster DVDs, but titles you might have a little more difficulty locating," Davis said.

Many of the new services are upgrades to technology, thanks to electronic resources librarian Jim Vivenzio.

He started "WiFi," a wireless Internet connection allowing patrons to bring in their own laptops to surf the Internet, check e-mail and access the library's home page, www.seymourlibrary.org.

"Whatever you can do at home, you should be able to do here," Vivenzio said.

The library also added computer work stations on every floor, so that patrons can check book availability while they're perusing the shelves, rather than have to walk all the way to the main computer station across from the front desk.

In July, the library will get a new computer service known as Polaris.

The system will change the way staff check out books. People will be able to electronically compile lists of books they would like to read.

The library also is more aggressively courting youth during the summer, with special programs for elementary students.

"This year we're really trying to work with schools on the summer reading," Davis said. "We want to keep reminding people that we're here and the library has resources they can use."