Planning for the Holidays @ the Library

The Library will be closed on Thursday, November 24^th and Friday the 25^th for Thanksgiving but will be open regular hours on Wednesday and also on Saturday and Sunday. Don’t forget also to visit Books on the Common for Library Days Friday through Sunday of the holiday weekend.

The annual Holiday Stroll organized by the Downtown Ridgefield merchants association will take place on Friday, December 2^nd and Saturday the 3^rd, with lots of seasonal fun for the whole family.  Two long-time favorite activities will return to the Library on Friday evening – horse and carriage rides and the Ridgefield Music and Art Center’s RMAC ‘n’ Cheese music and food offerings around the firepit.  On Saturday, we will host Drop-in Storytime at 10:30 AM with a “frozen” theme and music at 1:30 by wind and brass players from the Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra.  Stroll on by!

Registration for preschool storytimes and after school activities to start in January will begin online  December 1st.

Finally, now that it is finally beginning to be wintry, we want to remind everyone that the Library makes weather closing decisions independently of the schools or town agencies.  You can see the details on our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

Special Benefits for Library Cardholders

A Ridgefield Library card gives residents access to myriad collections and services in person and online.  Did you know that your card also gets you some other special benefits?

Show your card at the box office for discount admission at the Ridgefield Playhouse to great cultural programming from the Metropolitan Opera, Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre, live in HD.

The Ridgefield Woman’s Club offers library users discounted admission to their Craft Fair coming up on November 19th – a great way to support an organization which in turn supports so many groups in town, including the Library.

Thanksgiving weekend your card is worth even more during Library Days at Books on the Common.  Shop local and show your card at the cash register, and the store will donate 15% of your purchase value to the Library.

Don’t have a card? It’s easy to sign up anytime at the Circulation Desk.  As a special incentive, new registrants receive a voucher for free tickets to the Ridgefield Playhouse HD film series.  They also get a coupon worth 10% off their next purchase from our Library Store featuring convenience and gift items for readers and writers.

Get details of all these perks online at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org and get everyone in your family a library card today!

ABI/Inform Complete - The Library's Newest Online Business Resource

Launched in the early 1970s, ABI/Inform remains the gold standard when it comes to business research databases. ABI/Inform’s massive content set includes thousands of sought-after, full-text journals from the business press as well as key trade publications, wire feeds such as 

PR Newswire, newspapers, dissertations, conference proceedings, and market reports.

Journal titles include The Economist, Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, Crain’s New York Business, and Nation’s Restaurant News.  Market Reports include Economist Intelligence Unit, Euromonitor, Hoovers/Dunn and Bradstreet, Acquisdata, and more.

ABI/Inform is a business intelligence tool that can benefit almost anyone. Log in to ABI/Inform to explore management and leadership styles, learn about a business topic, prep for a job interview, find information on companies and executives, keep abreast of business and industry trends, and review country or industry reports to understand key business challenges and opportunities.

To get started with ABI/Inform, go to www.ridgefieldlibrary.org and click on Research & Reference then Databases A-Z, or find ABI/Inform on our Business & Finance webpage, then enter your Ridgefield Library barcode.   

There will be a training session to introduce ABI/Inform Complete on Tuesday, November 15, from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. Register at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org or call 203-438-2282.

Contributed by Adult Services Librarian Christie Mitchell

Celebrating Picture Books @ the Library

Picture Book Month is an international literacy initiative that celebrates the print picture book during the month of November each year.  It is supported by numerous literacy and cultural organizations, authors and others, including local libraries. Here are a few ways you can help celebrate at the Ridgefield Library throughout the month.

• Come in to the Lodewick Children’s Library, find a picture book you really like on the shelf, and bring it to the desk so we can add it to a display of Readers’ Favorites.
• If you love picture books, head for our special shelves of Caldecott Award winners, where you will find beloved classics as well as the newest talents. The Randolph Caldecott Medal annually recognizes the preceding year's "most distinguished American picture book for children", beginning with 1937 publications. It is awarded to the illustrator by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).
• Watch the Library’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts for postings by our staff of their personal picks, then chime in with your own suggestions.
• Read a picture book to or with a loved one and experience the joy!