Happy Holidays from the Ridgefield Library

The Library will be closed on Tuesday, December 24 and Wednesday the 25^th but will be open our regular hours the rest of Christmas week.  We will also close early at 3:00 PM on December 31^st and remain closed on New Year’s Day.

Don’t forget that there are many great resources on our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org , even when we are closed.  College and high school students with pending deadlines for research projects will find academic databases such as Literary Reference Center or GreenFILE.  There are downloadable audiobooks and e-books for family and individual enjoyment, including e-picture books from Tumblebooks for the new reader.

Please Note: The service we use for print and time management on our Public Access Computer workstations is being discontinued as of the end of this month. We will switch to an honor system for paying for print-outs and monitoring fair time allowances until we move to the New Ridgefield Library this coming spring. If you believe you may have a credit towards printing on your card, please check at the Reference Desk now about getting a refund; after 12/31 we will no longer have access to this information and will not be able to issue refunds.

Newsletter for Nonfiction Lovers

When people come up to the Reference Desk at the Ridgefield Library looking for suggestions for a “good read,” they are not always seeking a romance, mystery or work of literary fiction.  Indeed, many readers prefer non-fiction – biography, memoir, history, science and many more subjects, from award-winning and very readable authors such as Nathaniel Philbrick and David McCullough.  We even offer a monthly discussion group, The Nonfictioneers, who only read non-fiction. A new publication, Nonfiction News, is now available for these individuals.  Each monthly issue will feature an author profile, a selection of new titles, and articles about what’s new in the nonfiction book world.  The upcoming January newsletter, for example, highlights the author Doris Kearns Goodwin, whose new book “The Bully Pulpit”  is receiving excellent reviews, and lists the “Best Nonfiction of 2013” chosen by The New York Times, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly and Library Journal.

Stop by the Library and pick up a copy of Nonfiction News from the display at the Reference Desk or find current and past issues in printable PDF format on the Library website @ ridgefieldlibrary.org.  Just click on “Reader’s Resources” and navigate to “Finding a Good Book.”

Contributed by Reference Librarian Carole Clark

Who is Reading What

I had the opportunity last week to attend a presentation by Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project.  The Center is in the midst of a 3-year survey about reading and libraries funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and their findings have some thought-provoking implications. Here are a few selected results.  More about the project can be found at libraries.pewinternet.org.

75% of people aged 16+ reported having read at least one book in the past 12 months.  The average number of books read was 10; the median was 7 books.  While consumption of e-books continues to rise over time, as of 2012 only 23% of this population reported having read an e-book while 67% had read at least one book in print.   13% of respondents reported having listened to an audiobook.

Contrary to popular conceptions about young people’s allegiance to their gadgets, three-quarters (75%) of younger Americans say they have read at least one book in print in the past year, compared with 64% of adults ages 30 and older.  

For reading with a child, survey respondents overwhelming prefer print books (81%), while travelers gravitate strongly (73%) towards the convenience of e-books.

Holiday Strolling

The Holiday Stroll sponsored by Downtown Ridgefield is one of the town’s most beloved traditions. Taking place this year on December 5, 6 & 7, this old-fashioned New England holiday celebration offers seasonal treats for all ages. 

Friday night, we invite you to stroll down to St. Stephen’s Church, where the Library and the Church are co-sponsoring Holiday Harmony with The Sunshine Road at 6:30 and again at 7:30 PM.  These short family concerts are appropriate for children ages 8 and under. No registration – just drop in!

For adults, the Library is proud to present Seasons Readings, an irreverent and irresistible collection of short plays and stories that shine a holiday light on human nature at its best... and at its worst. Friday evening at 7:00 at the Library, professional actors from JIB Productions, Inc. will share selections from the likes of William Lederer, Grace Paley, Garrison Keillor and Matt Hoverman.  Admission is free, but please bring a donation to the Ridgefield Food Pantry. Donations of non-perishable food as well as personal care and household products will be collected at the door. Space is limited – first come, first served.

There's much more all weekend, all around town. Get a full schedule on the Library’s website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.