Extreme Draw On! at the Library

Spring is the time for the annual community drawing festival organized by The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. Expanded in time and scope this year, Extreme Draw On! will run from March 24^th through May 4^th, with exhibits and programs in scores of locations around the state and the country. This year’s program features a special tribute to Ridgefield’s own late great author and illustrator Maurice Sendak.

The Library is pleased to partner with the Aldrich again this spring, as we have since the program’s inception in 2006. We will be hosting a "drawing horse" near the entrance to our 21 Governor Street facility, so come by and make a drawing inspired by the work of our beloved Mr. Sendak and we will post it in our front windows for all to admire. We’ll have all the supplies you need. Draw the "wild thing" in you, or pay homage to another favorite Sendak character with your own interpretation.  As Mr. Sendak so ably demonstrated, creativity has no age limits and imagination has no boundaries. Adults and children of all ages welcome! 

Tablets – Not of Stone

It seems as though every other patron who comes to see us at the Library these days is toting a tablet computer. The Ridgefield Library has several app suggestions for tablet owners to make the most of their library/tablet experience. The Library subscribes to many in-depth reference databases, and you can access them on-the-go with the Ebscohost Mobile app and the Gale Access My Library app.  They will let you browse thousands of magazines, journals, newspapers, and encyclopedias. Novelist’s app will help you decide what fiction book to read next. It has book descriptions, suggestions for read-alikes, and author biographies. WorldCat’s app will let you search the worlds’ catalog of more than almost 150 million items in libraries worldwide for books, videos, and audio recordings.  The Mango app allows you to learn languages everywhere you go. It features all the Mango language courses offered through the Ridgefield Library.  Finally, even the littlest library patrons are using tablets, and we’ve not forgotten them: Tumblebooks are eBooks for the very young. Using your tablet’s browser to access the Ridgefield Library’s website, click on Tumblebooks from the Children’s home page, then look for the green iPad friendly book link at the top right. All you need is your tablet and your Ridgefield Library card!

Contributed by Geri Diorio, Head of Children’s Services and Teen Services Librarian 

Upcoming Computer Maintenance Shuts Down Some Library Services

All main Library computer systems will be offline from 6:00 PM on Saturday, March 16 through 9:00 AM on Monday, March 18 for a scheduled upgrade.

• The Circulation System will be down, so we will not be able to accept fines or lost item payments, check items in or issue new cards or card renewals. Checkout is possible only upon presentation of your library card.
• Library catalog and account features will be unavailable both remotely and at the Library, so you will not be able to search our catalog, place a hold or renew items you have out.  No notices of overdues or holds ready for pick-up will be sent.
• Public Access Computers at the Library will have no Internet connection but may be used for word processing and other offline applications.  Wireless access WILL be available for those with their own laptops.
• Remote access to some databases that requires your library card number for log-in may be affected.  OverDrive access to downloadable content should remain available.
•   Library staff will not be reachable by email.

Staff will be available to offer alternative research resources and to assist in locating items in the Library.  Do not hesitate to ask for their help!

Searching for the “Real Thing”

With the advent of online information, finding the “real thing” can sometimes be confusing.  For example, a child is required to have a magazine article to complete an assignment, and the teacher has specified that the article cannot come from the Internet.  So the student and mother come to the Library.  The librarian helpfully suggests that they use an online magazine database index, and that’s when the questions start.  Once it is explained that the database is a compilation of many full-text articles that have appeared in real, hard-copy magazines, are indexed by subject or keyword and are complete with full citations, mother and student relax and happily search for the required article.

So the next time you find yourself in need of a “real” magazine article, give the Ridgefield Library’s two magazine databases a try, either from home or in the Library.  Both General Reference Center Gold and MasterFILE Elite can be found on our homepage by clicking the Research & Reference button, choosing Databases A to Z from the dropdown list and entering your library card number when prompted.  Articles may also be printed out or emailed, which comes in handy when using these resources on Library computers.   

Contributed by Victoria Carlquist, Head of Reference Services