Teens Teach Tech October 10th

Where else around town but at the Ridgefield Library do residents of all ages interact positively on a daily basis in so many ways?  Sometimes it is just sitting next to each other at the computers; other times it is being drawn by common interests to a program such as one of Heidi Hammel’s astronomy presentations.  On Saturday morning, October 10^th, we take this intergenerational interaction one step further, with the return of “Teens Teach Tech” in the Dayton Program Room.

A group of tech-savvy teenagers will be on hand to offer one-on-one assistance for tech- challenged adults.  Bring your cell phone to learn how to change that annoying ring tone. Use one of our laptops to find out how to set up an address book or calendar in your e-mail program. Learn texting tips for staying in touch with the younger generation in your family. Get a guided tour of the mysteries of Facebook. You’ll even have a chance to try out the Wii gaming system that has found its way from kids’ rec rooms into myriad adult settings, including health clubs, senior centers and corporate training programs.  Drop in any time between 10 AM and noon.

Celebrate Banned Books Week September 26 - October 3

Can you imagine a high school curriculum or a public library that does not include classics like "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and "To Kill a Mockingbird?” Since 1990, the American Library Association (ALA) has recorded more than 10,000 challenges to these and other books, including 513 in 2008. Challenges are not simply an expression of a point of view; on the contrary, they are an attempt to remove materials from public use, thereby restricting the access of others. Even if the motivation to ban or challenge a book is well intentioned, the outcome is detrimental. Censorship denies our freedom as individuals to choose and think for ourselves.

In support of the right to choose books freely for ourselves, the Ridgefield Library is joining the ALA in recognizing Banned Books Week September 26^th through October 3^rd. This year's observance commemorates the most basic freedom in a democratic society—the freedom to read freely—and encourages us not to take this freedom for granted. Here at the Ridgefield Library we will celebrate with educational displays of banned and challenged books throughout the building. Take a look – you might find a few of your favorites. For more information about specific banned or challenged titles, check the Resource Guide at the Fiction Desk.

Online Program Registration Now Available

Online program registration is the latest innovation introduced by the Ridgefield Library. Here’s how it works.

Hear about a program that interests you? Check the event calendar on our website for details (www.ridgefieldlibrary.org, then click on Events). If it is listed as “No registration” then all you have to do is show up (although some popular programs like Ridgefield Folk do fill up, so early arrival is recommended).

If registration is required, you will see a button labeled “Register.” Click on this and follow the simple instructions. Click “Send” and your registration is automatically recorded and a confirmation e-mail is sent to you.

Occasional programs with complex registration requirements may still be handled by staff and will be listed as such in the event calendar.

Want to sign up for something while you are at the Library? Look for the Program Registration button on all our catalog computers, which will take you directly into the event calendar (no need to log in).

Don’t have access to a computer? Call or come in to the Library and a staff member will be happy to enter your registration for you.

Ask at any public service desk for a demonstration of online registration and other helpful features of our event calendar.

Bill Wyman Joins Library Board

We are continuing this month with our profiles of new members of the Ridgefield Library Board of Directors. This week we get to know William Wyman, who has a long and rich history of involvement with Ridgefield organizations. Bill and his wife Barbara have lived in Ridgefield since 1975 and have four children, all graduates of the Ridgefield school system.

Bill’s professional career has spanned several areas that will be useful to the Library in its marketing and communications efforts:

• First, focusing on getting consumer products to market (sales and sales management) with companies like Procter & Gamble and Clorox;
• Later, understanding what drives consumers to make decisions (marketing research) with MAJERS and Nielsen;
• Currently, helping organizations as a consultant to market their products more effectively and efficiently.

Of his role on the Library Board, Bill says, “There are a limited number of organizations that truly make a difference in a community-- a good library is one of the most important. Ridgefield’s Library serves a greater percentage of the town’s population annually than any other organization and yet its purpose/role is not understood by many. My goal is to help expand the community’s awareness of the benefits that the Library provides.”

Sunday Hours Resume; Statewide Library Services Saved; Fundraising Events Planned

Starting on September 13^th, the Ridgefield Library once again will be open Sunday afternoons from 1:00 to 5:00 PM, for the convenience of students, commuters and anyone else who just can’t get enough of the Library during the rest of the week.

You will be pleased to hear that the myriad valuable library resources provided by the state of Connecticut have been reinstated in the budget that was finally passed last week. This includes the many useful databases included in iCONN, the InfoAnytime 24/7 virtual reference desk, support for Inter-Library Loan service, high-speed Internet access for libraries and much more. Thanks to all of you who contacted elected officials to urge support for statewide library services. The message was heard loud and clear that libraries are more important than ever in these challenging times.

Support for local library services also comes from special events, and two great opportunities are coming up to have fun while raising funds. “Murder @ the Library” is a musical murder mystery dinner theater evening scheduled for Friday, October 2^nd. Camp Snooze, the popular sleepover at the Library for 4^th graders, will be held on Saturday, October 24^th. For more on both, visit our webpage or call Leslie at 203-438-2282 x1022.