Important Service Notification for Ridgefield Library Borrowers

For the foreseeable future we will no longer process requests for items we do not own. We apologize for the inconvenience this will cause many of our regular patrons.

We are experiencing a problem affecting the entire state of Connecticut which is not related to the budget woes of the state.  Our once reliable delivery system has changed radically, and currently books and other items moving from one community to another can take more than 6 weeks to get delivered to the right spot.

Therefore, if you would like to place a hold on a title we own during this uncertain time, PLEASE go to a service desk (Circulation Desk, Adult Desk, Children’s Desk) and do not place holds yourself through the catalog. We ask for your cooperation with this, as it will only put additional strain on the system.

You may elect to travel to another library, in a neighboring community or elsewhere across the state, to pick up a book from their building. Our staff can guide you in locating and confirming availability.

Staff will also be happy to help you find alternatives, such as digital copies of some titles, or discussion suggestions available in our Book Club Corner.

Since items are also not being returned in a timely manner to their owning libraries, you may receive an overdue notice for something you borrowed elsewhere and returned here (or vice versa).  Please bring this to the attention of the circulation staff.

Teens Can Learn Tools to Enhance Their Health and Wellness

April really is the cruelest month, especially if you are in high school. AP exams begin soon, there are recitals, concerts, dances, and research papers galore. All this activity can cause stress, stress can cause illness, and no one has time for that!  The Ridgefield Library has partnered with the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce Health and Wellness Council to offer a series of programs for high school students who are looking to lead healthier lives. These programs will teach teens some “Life Hacks” they can use at any time.  On April 27^th a yoga instructor and a meditation teacher will lead a program on Calming the Chaos. They’ll show teens how to center themselves with movement, breath, and mindfulness. May 20^th brings a program that will help teens look and feel their best. A nutritionist and skin care expert will show some simple approaches to eating healthily. Finally, on May 25^th, the RVNA’s director of community health and wellness will teach teens some time management skills to maximize their downtimes. All the programs will run from 4 to 5 PM at the Ridgefield Library. High school students are encouraged to sign up through the Library’s website at ridgefieldlibrary.org. 

Contributed by Teen Services Librarian Geri Diorio

Keeping up with Library Science

April 12^th was National Library Workers Day, an occasion designated by the American Library Association (ALA) to recognize the individuals who work at the many different jobs that are all part of the library profession.  Their job descriptions are ever-evolving, as technology and community expectations have evolved.  Keeping up is a job in itself, one to which Ridgefield Library staff are dedicated.  Here is a sampling of some of the workshops, webinars, conferences and other professional development opportunities our staff have attended in just the past few months.

Pinterest for Libraries

Readers’ Advisory Roundtable

Using Pop Culture to Create Great Library Programs

Getting Started with Digitization

Building Great Programs for Patrons in their 20s and 30s

Retinkering Makerspaces

Learners as Leaders: Student-Directed STEM Programs in Libraries

Building the Digital Branch

Fueling the Next Generation of Opportunity for Young Children’s Love of and Engagement in Reading

Learning Python

The Digital Shift

Book Club Recommendations

Protecting Patron Privacy

How to Build and Promote your Digital Collections

Customizing Making: How Libraries Are Responding to Creating Opportunities for Participatory Learning

Stay tuned to see how all we have learned about will find its way into programs and services here at the Ridgefield Library!

April Is Nutmeg Book Award Time

It’s April, and that means it is time for the children of Connecticut to vote for the Nutmeg Book Award winners. The Nutmeg Book Award encourages children in grades 2-12 to read quality literature and to choose their favorite from a list of nominated titles. It is Connecticut’s homegrown book award. The nominated books are chosen by committees of public and school librarians from across the state. There are four divisions: Elementary for grades 2-4 (the only division that includes nonfiction), Intermediate for grades 4-6, Teen for grades 7-8, and High School for grades 9-12. Many Ridgefield students will be voting in their school libraries, but the Ridgefield Library offers a way to vote that may be appealing to people in middle and high schools – online. You can see a link to the Nutmeg ballots if you stop by our website. Students who are not voting at school are encouraged to vote online using our ballot. Please only vote once, either at school OR online. The winning books will be announced on May 15, and the new list of nominees will come out at that time as well. Spring is Nutmeg Book Award time!

Contributed by Teen Services Librarian Geri Diorio