Spring Cleaning!

Here at the Library, we are doing a lot of spring cleaning to get ready for our move back to 472 Main Street in April.  We’ll even be having another giant tag sale to dispose of items in our temporary facility we will no longer need.  But we are still able and willing to assist in your spring cleaning efforts in several ways.

The Friends of the Library are happy to accept used book donations for their spring book sale, coming on May 2 through 5 at Yanity Gym.  Items in good condition may be dropped off at the Library’s 21 Governor Street location during open hours.  Please check the donation guidelines at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org and remember to pack your books in boxes that are easy for our volunteers to lift and carry.

The Library can also help you clear off your driveway and make your property look at its spring best by accepting donations of used cars, boats and other vehicles.  It is fast and easy and earns you a tax-deduction, while supporting the Library’s operations.  More information on this convenient program is available at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

Now all we need is spring weather!

Looking Forward to Summer Reading

It’s only the first day of spring, but here at the Library we are already well into planning for Summer Reading.  Here are a few highlights you can look forward to.

In celebration of our new building, our Summer Reading theme will be “Discover...the Ridgefield Library.”  Local artist Paul Siegel is creating a special work of art for the poster, which will feature a “Where’s Waldo” style cut-away drawing of the new Children’s Library, and summer readers will be encouraged to go on a treasure hunt to find the many exciting things featured in the drawing.

For the first time, we will be offering a Summer Reading opportunity for youngsters aged two to five.  Parents will read with or to their pre-schoolers and fill out a game card to earn a prize.

To help children create accounts and track their books, hand out prizes and encourage more reading, the Library will be looking for approximately 50 middle and high school volunteers, each of whom can make a significant time commitment (16 to 20 hours between June 23 and August 9). For more information contact Geri Diorio at the Library or at gadiorio@ridgefieldlibrary.org. 

Take our Photo-A-Day Challenge

During the month of March, for those who are teens, or those who are teens at heart, the Ridgefield Library is offering a Photo-A-Day Challenge. On the New Ridgefield Library’s Facebook page, you’ll find a bright green photo offering daily “prompts” – ideas to inspire you. Take a photo of your interpretation of the suggestion and share your photo using social media.  You can use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr, your own blog…the choice is up to you! But when you share your photo, please add the hashtag #ridgefieldlibpix so that the rest of us who are playing can follow along and see all the photos inspired by the prompt. Today’s prompt is “throwback,” will you photograph something that takes you back to good memories? Tomorrow’s is “upside down,” will you be literal or figurative with that one? Ringing in the month, the prompt was “lion or lamb” and one photo showed a rather adorable pet cat, definitely a lamb, not a tiny lion. Want to play along, but concerned about forgetting a day, or two, or twelve? No big deal, you can play catch up, or just start up again from today’s date. The idea is to inspire creativity and have some fun!

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

Get Ready, Get Set...

Normally in early March we would be accepting registrations for spring storytime sessions.  Looking ahead to the coming move back to 472 Main Street sometime in April, we have decided to forego our regular schedule of “classes” this spring.  Popular drop-in programs such as Monday and Saturday morning storytimes and Friday Flicks will continue, as will book groups (Junior and Middle School Critics, Bookworms, Harry Potter) that meet once or twice a month.  We will also have occasional family concerts and other special programs.

Adult programs will also be scaled back as we get ready for the move.  Ongoing monthly programs including book discussions and writers’ networking groups will continue, but we are not planning any other activities at this time for April and early May.

Details of what is on, and what is not, will be available on our website and in the weekly email newsletter.

The good news is that once we are in the New Ridgefield Library, we will be able to offer an expanded and more diverse menu of programs for all ages and interests.  Starting with Opening Weekend May 9-11, you can look forward to the return of your favorites, plus many new offerings.