Library Lines

Winter Reminders from your Library

2012-01-26T14:25:00.000-05:00

After some curious twists and turns, the weather seems to have settled into a routine winter pattern, which means it is time for some reminders about how Library users might be affected.

The Library makes its own decisions about weather closings, independent of what the schools or town agencies might do. When we do alter our schedule due to weather, we will get the word out through radio, TV, the Ridgefield Press blog, CTWeather.com and our own website and other communications (email newsletter, Twitter and the new Children’s Services Facebook page). Go to www.ridgefieldlibrary.org to sign up for any and all of these to stay informed.

While the Library may remain open, if the schools are closed, our storytimes and other children’s activities are cancelled. If school is delayed, any programs scheduled for the morning are cancelled. Adult program cancellations are made on a case by case basis.

For those with mobility limitations that are aggravated by winter conditions, our Homebound Delivery service can keep you in touch with the world of books (and DVDs and other library materials) when you are unable to get to the Library in person. Call Dorothy Pawlowski at 203-438-2282 x1007 to find out more.

Cast your Nutmeg Book Award Ballot this Month

2012-01-19T20:33:00.000-05:00

It’s time to vote for your favorite Nutmeg book!

The Nutmeg Book Awards are Connecticut's premiere honor for outstanding children's literature. Each year, children in grades 4-8 have the opportunity to read distinguished literature and then vote for their favorite from a list of ten nominated titles in two categories. Children in Grades 4-6 participate in the Intermediate category, and readers in Grades 7 and 8 select from a list of Teen nominations.

Students are NOT required to read all ten books to vote, but here at the Ridgefield Library we offer a number of programs to encourage the reading of the nominated titles, including Nutmeg Nibblers and Nutmeg Teen book discussions. We also make sure we have plenty of copies, so there are always enough to go around.

Students can vote once either at their school library or at their public library. We have ballots and a voting box in Children’s Services should students choose to cast their vote here at the Ridgefield Library. Voting closes January 31^st, with the winners to be announced on February 14^th.

The new list of Nutmeg Book Award nominees is announced each year on February 1^st.

Contributed by Children's Librarian Mary Beth Rassulo

New for the New Year @ the Library

2012-01-12T13:29:00.000-05:00

Each new year brings changes, and here are a few of the most recent ones at the Ridgefield Library.

Dedicated, convenient location for new DVDs: Look near the new books for a special display and shelving area for the latest additions to our entertainment DVD collection.
New borrowing period for non-fiction DVDs (documentaries, how-to, etc.): now 14 days instead of 7
New borrowing period for magazines: now 14 days instead of 21 (current issues still only for use in the Library)
More downloadable eBooks: Children’s and young adult titles are been added to our OverDrive collection for use on Kindle, Nook, iPad and other devices
Tax forms: not a new concept, but forms for 2011 are newly available
New bench at the entrance, given by her family in memory of the late Jean Keller, a loyal and beloved Library patron. As the inscription reads (and as Jean would say), “Laugh, Love, Learn” -worthy words to contemplate as you wait for a ride or take a study break.

Happy New Year – see you at the Library!

Take your Library with You Wherever You Go

2012-01-05T12:59:00.000-05:00

Are you the proud new owner of a tablet computer or smartphone? Then you will want to know about apps and mobile resources that allow you to access Ridgefield Library resources on the go. Some are available for Apple devices, some for the Android operating system, some for both. This is just a taste of what is available, and more features are being introduced every month. For details and links, visit the Technology page on our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

Search over 1,000 periodicals plus numerous databases and reference works with EbscoHost Mobile and Gale AccessMy Library. Novelist, the premier electronic reader’s advisory tool, is also now available in a mobile version – imagine how useful this could be at your next book club meeting!
Put that time waiting in line to good use brushing up your high school Spanish or one of numerous other courses available through Mango Languages Mobile.
Download audiobooks and eBooks directly to your smartphone or tablet through the Library’s subscription to OverDrive. Youngsters can enjoy also animated talking picture books from TumbleBook.
Find out what’s new at the Library with the mobile version of our event calendar or our Twitter account and Facebook pages.

Getting Ready to Read @ the Ridgefield Library

2011-12-29T14:35:00.000-05:00

Striving to meet the growing needs of our young patrons, the Ridgefield Library is adding a new class to our winter children’s programs. Designed for children ages three and older, Ready to Read is a drop in workshop for children and caregivers that will help to reinforce pre-reading skills through books and fun activities. Children will receive practice that encourages phonological awareness, letter recognition, narrative skills and vocabulary enrichment. Using literature and games that can also be played at home, children will talk, sing, manipulate and have guided reading experiences. Ways to use science and math to encourage dialog and critical thinking skills will be demonstrated. Ideas from the Every Child Ready to Read program developed by the Public Library Association will be used together with current research –based information on skills necessary for achievement in Kindergarten. The class will take place on seven Thursdays from Jan. 5 through Feb. 16, from 2:00 – 2:45PM in Children’s Services . Children who are ready to read will be ready to learn and the Library hopes to encourage them along their way to success!

Contributed by Children's Programmer Diane Antezzo

Holiday Schedule Changes @ the Library

2011-12-15T13:05:00.000-05:00

Please note the following changes to the Library schedule in observance of the holidays. We will be closed on Saturday, December 24^th and Sunday the 25^ty. We will be closing early at 3:00 PM on New Year’s Eve, Saturday, December 31^st and will be closed on Sunday the 1^st. All other hours remain the same (check www.ridgefieldlibrary.org for details), and we welcome those looking for books and DVDs to keep the kids occupied during cold vacation days or self-help volumes to get a jump on those New Year’s resolutions! And don’t miss our family-friendly entry in the “What the Dickens!” series – a showing of the Mr. Magoo animated version of “A Christmas Carol” on Wednesday, December 28^th at 11:00 AM.

We want to take this opportunity to thank all the many people who have shown their support for the Library during the past year, through both the Annual Appeal and the Campaign for the New Ridgefield Library. You truly make a difference. If you wish to participate in either initiative before the end of the tax year on December 31^st, stop by the Library or make your gift online at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org. Thanks, and best wishes for 2012!

The Changing Face of Library Science

2011-12-09T15:54:00.000-05:00

It is a truism that our interactions with libraries are changing as we (and they) adapt to the evolving digital world. To explore this theme, the Artspace gallery in New Haven is presenting an exhibition entitled “Library Science,” for which they invited 17 artists to contemplate our physical, intellectual and personal relationships with libraries. The results include an intriguing mix of drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and Web-based art work, on display at Artspace through January 28^th. You can also explore the exhibition online at www.libraryscienceexhibition.org.

Concurrently, the gallery has teamed up with the Connecticut Library Consortium to host a statewide festival of films in which libraries play a central role. At 7 PM on December 12^th the Ridgefield Library will be presenting the documentary “The Man Who Wanted to Classify the World,” a 2002 film about the Belgian visionary Paul Otlet, who in the 1930s created a classification system that foreshadowed the hypertext that defines our navigation of the World Wide Web. Dr. Gayle Bogel, director of the Educational Technology Program at Fairfield University, will lead a post-screening discussion on the themes of the film and the exhibition. Please join us to explore the present and future of Library Science in our lives.

Good Reads Now Easier to Find

2011-12-01T16:28:00.000-05:00

Looking for a book to read to your child or something to recommend to your elementary school-age reader? We now have go-to shelves of distinguished books for just this purpose: our new Caldecott and Newbery Award Books Collection.

The Caldecott and Newbery Medals are awarded annually by the Association for Library Services to Children, a division of the American Library Association: the Caldecott to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children and the Newbery to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

The most current Caldecott winner, A Sick Day for Amos McGee (2011), is a beautifully illustrated, wonderful story of friendship. The Caldecott has been awarded since 1938 and we’ve organized the collection chronologically, so readers can see how the picture book has changed over the years.

The Newbery has been awarded since 1922 and this collection is also shelved chronologically, with the most recent winner (2011) Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool first on the shelf.

Come see us here in Children’s Services and we’ll be happy to help you as you browse this collection of award winning books. P.S. Caldecott and Newbery books make great holiday gifts!

Contributed by Children's Librarian Mary Beth Rassulo

Listening with Intent

2011-11-23T12:23:00.000-05:00

Audiobooks are hot everywhere, especially in Ridgefield. The Library has 1,300 audiobooks on CD that circulate so frequently that at any given time, only about 55% of them are available. Recently, we’ve added more than 1,000 downloadable audiobooks to the collection and those have proven very popular as well. Audiobooks are a true art form in and of themselves. There are publishers devoted solely to creating them, and people often have favorite narrators, whom they will follow from book to book. Every year, the Audio Publishers Association holds the Audies, the premiere awards program in the United States, recognizing distinction in audiobooks. I have been fortunate enough to have been chosen as a judge for the 2012 Audies Competition, in the non-fiction category. This means listening to and evaluating more than 25 audiobooks between now and the new year. While listening for technical specifications (good sound quality, no odd edits or paper shuffling noises), I also have to be attentive to the narrator’s tones, energy, and overall performance. It is a pleasure to spend time with all these talented narrators. I encourage you to check out some of the Library’s audiobooks and discover this art form for yourself.

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

Library Days Return to Books on the Common

2011-11-17T13:16:00.002-05:00

It’s time once again for Ridgefield Library Days at Books on the Common the weekend after Thanksgiving. Just show your Ridgefield Library card at the register and 15% of the proceeds of your purchase will be donated to the Library. To make your holiday shopping even easier, the bookstore will be open Friday the 25^th from 9:30 AM – 8:00 PM, Saturday the 26^th from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM and Sunday the 27^th from 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

Books on the Common and the Ridgefield Library are partners in many projects, including this fall’s Author Talk series featuring John Burnham Schwartz, Tom Perrotta and Stewart O’Nan (coming December 8^th is Linda Urbach, author of “Madame Bovary’s Daughter”). We are pleased to offer this opportunity for you to support both your community library and a treasured local store through Ridgefield Library Days at Books on the Common.

The Library will be closed on Thursday the 24^th and Friday the 25^th, so be sure to come in before then if you don’t have a library card or have lost yours. Stop by the Circulation Desk today; all you need is proof of Ridgefield residence (such as driver’s license, lease or utility bill).

New Tech Trends and Old-Fashioned Fun @ the Library

2011-11-10T18:43:00.002-05:00

Libraries seem to be situated right at the intersection of the traditional and the cutting edge, and the Ridgefield Library is no exception. This week, on Saturday, November 12, two special programs in the Dayton Program Room illustrate how hi-tech and tradition go hand in hand @ your Library.

From 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, families are invited to celebrate Family Game Day by playing good, old-fashioned board games suitable for all ages, such as Scrabble, backgammon, Battleship, Sorry, Candyland, Settlers of Catan, Blokus, Bananagrams and Connect Four. Come enjoy a family favorite or learn a new game, so you are prepared to weather the next storm!

In the afternoon, we switch gears to the newest of new innovations, with a hands-on workshop called “Downloading Library E-Books and Audiobooks 101.” Drop in between 1:30 and 4:30, and staff members will be on hand to provide one-on-one assistance with downloading eBooks and audiobooks from our Overdrive service for use on your computer, eReader, mp3 player, smartphone or other portable device. Considering purchasing an eReader? Stop by to try out a Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader or iPad. Educate yourself now about these new technologies, before the holiday gift giving season.

Ridgefield Authors Online @ the Library

2011-11-03T18:11:00.000-04:00

Ridgefield -dubbed "the Lenox of Connecticut" in the early 1900s--has a proud literary past, with some of the most prominent authors and publishing figures of their time, including: legendary publishers who had summer houses here, such as E.P. Dutton and Henry Holt; influential magazine editors such as Henry Luce; authors–many of whom wrote some of their most important work here–such as Nobel Prize-winner Eugene O’Neill, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Allan Nevins, Pulitzer prize-winning novelist Robert Lewis Taylor, futurist Alvin Toffler, novelist Howard Fast, the notorious newspaper columnist Westbrook Pegler (himself a Pulitzer recipient), journalist/playwright Clare Booth Luce, popular history writer Cornelius Ryan, as well as Roz Chast and Maurice Sendak.

In commemoration of the town’s tricentennial in 2008, the Ridgefield Library created an online directory of these and other Ridgefield authors, past and present. We are now pleased to announce that our directory has been completely revised and updated, thanks to research and writing by author Victoria Secunda and technical assistance from recent RHS graduate Jenna Dubin. The directory may be viewed at ridgefieldauthors.wikispaces.com/.

Inquiries about being added to our list should be directed to Reference Librarian Christie Mitchell at camitchell@ridgefieldlibrary.org or 203-438-2282 x1016.

Documentaries, etc. @ your Library

2011-10-27T16:20:00.000-04:00

While many people know about the Ridgefield Library’s collection of entertainment DVDs, some may not know that there are many nonfiction titles to choose from as well. Documentaries such as Ken Burns’ series Jazz, Baseball, The War, Civil War and The Brooklyn Bridge are available. One can find DVDs in many subject areas. For example, Meerkat Manor, The Life of Birds and The Dog Whisperer are among the titles dealing with animals. Science titles include The Planets, Evolution and Planet Earth. If exercising is your goal, we have many titles at varying skill levels. Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting, the Art21 series and The Art of Steal are among those on art. DVD biographical portraits include John Adams, Martin Luther King, Jr., Edith Piaf and Albert Einstein. For opera fans, we have many titles to choose from including Hansel and Gretel, the Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Rigoletto and more. Dance titles offer a variety from An Evening with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to Kirov Stars: Shakespeare Dance Trilogy to Sleeping Beauty.

Nonfiction DVDs are shelved with the books in the same subject areas. Newest additions are found at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org, clicking Catalog and Collections, then Media.

Contributed by Head of Reference Services Victoria Carlquist

Celebrate National Friends of Libraries Week

2011-10-19T18:24:00.002-04:00

The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF), a division of the American Library Association, has designated October 16-22 as National Friends of Libraries Week, and there couldn’t be a more apt time to celebrate our own Friends of the Ridgefield Library (FORL).

The Friends Annual Fall Used Book Sale runs this Friday the 21^st through Monday the 24^th, with thousands of offerings in many popular categories, all at attractive prices. Look for them at their new location at Yanity Gym, also with expanded Friday hours until 8 PM.

Also ongoing now through October 30 is the Friends Fall Silent Auction, featuring great packages created around the theme “Learning about Ridgefield.” There are items to suit diverse interests and budgets, so check out the display near the Circulation Desk and place your bids.

Our Friends make possible some of your favorite library programs and services, including Summer Reading, Camp Snooze, Reading Is a Family Affair, Ridgefield Folk, the Poetry Discussion Group, Mango language learning programs, Great Courses on audio and video, e-books and e-book readers. You can help through your generous support of the Book Sale and the Silent Auction. More information about both is available at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

eBook Loans for Kindle Now Available @ your Library

2011-10-13T18:58:00.000-04:00

The Ridgefield Library’s eBook service through OverDrive is now compatible with the Kindle. These eBooks can also be downloaded to any device with a Kindle app including computers, tablets, and smartphones.

There are over 1,000 current Kindle eBooks to choose from, with new titles being added each month. To checkout an eBook, go to our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org. You’ll find a video link showing the process of downloading, or go directly to the “Help” section on the Overdrive page. Your Ridgefield Library card barcode allows you to sign in.

Once you’ve selected and checked out a title, click the “Get for Kindle” button. This will open the Amazon website, where you will be asked to log in to your Amazon account. Select either a Kindle device or Kindle reading app and click on “Get library book.” Please note that an active WiFi connection is required for wireless delivery to a Kindle device. If your Kindle is not WiFi capable, you’ll need to send the eBook to your device via a USB cable.

The Library also loans out Kindles for those who would like to try one. Please contact Adult Services Librarian Dorothy Pawlowski to reserve, or with any questions about our eBook service.

Library Welcomes New Staff Members

2011-09-29T15:04:00.000-04:00

We are pleased to introduce two new members of the Library staff.

Ann Victor, Children’s Collection Specialist, has English and Music degrees from Susquehanna University and is beginning her Masters of Library Science degree with C.W. Post Long Island University this fall. She also brings valuable experience as a bookseller with Borders. She is responsible for ordering, processing, cataloging and general maintenance of our children’s materials.

Kathy Cherniavsky grew up working in the Trumbull Public Library as a teenager. After receiving her MLS at Southern Connecticut State University, her first professional position was as a surgical clinical librarian at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford. She later ran the medical library at Milford Hospital. After marrying a hotel manager, she became an elementary school Media Specialist in Georgia and the Florida Keys for fifteen years. An avid reader and lover of children’s literature, Kathy can be found most afternoons at the desk in Children’s Services, where she is ready to assist with homework questions or leisure reading suggestions.

Ann and Kathy replace Children’s Library Assistant Diana Messer, who has gone off to graduate school, and long-time Technical Services head Bobbie Herman, who has retired to enjoy time with her grandchildren in California.

Faster Turnaround on Museum Passes at the Ridgefield Library

2011-09-22T14:06:00.000-04:00

Several changes are coming to the museum pass program at the Library. Starting October 1, the loan period on the passes will be 2 days. This means, for example, when you check out a pass on Tuesday, it will be due back at the Library by Thursday. Also, passes will now be offered on a first come, first served basis. There are no longer any reservations for passes. We hope these changes will mean quicker turnaround times on the passes, so that more of our patrons can make use of them. What has not changed is that only people with valid Ridgefield Library cards may take out museum passes.

Many passes are made available through the generosity of The Friends of the RidgefieldLibrary. The Library offers passes that give either free admission or discounted admission to such places as: American Museum of Natural History, Beardsley Zoo, Connecticut Science Center, Danbury Railway Museum, Discovery Museum, Earthplace, Guggenheim Museum, Mystic Seaport, Neuberger Museum of Art, Peabody Museum, and the Stepping Stones Museum for Children, and more. Next time you are in the Library, stop by the Children’s Services Department to see what passes are available that day. You never know where the Library can take you!

Poetry Lovers Meet Monthly

2011-09-15T17:42:00.002-04:00

The Library’s Poetry Discussion Group meets on the third Friday of the month from 1:00 – 3:30 PM. One collection of a poet’s work is discussed over two or three sessions. Discussions are led by retired English Professor Dr. Alan Holder. This program has proved to be so popular that we are instituting new rules.

The program is made possible thanks to the Friends of the Ridgefield Library, who in the past have made free copies of the selected book available to all participants (as long as supplies lasted). Because demand often outpaces supply, effective immediately these free books will be available only for those who are members of the Friends. To join, print out a membership form from the Library website (www.ridgefieldlibrary.org, look under “About Us” for the Friends page) or pick up a form at any session. Friends membership is a great deal, with dues only $10 per/year for seniors and $15 for adults. And to top it off, Friends dues support your favorite Library activities, like the Poetry Discussion Group.

For non-members a limited number of copies will be available to use at the discussions and some will be for sale (book prices range from approximately $10 to $15 a book).

Library a Refuge after the Storm

2011-09-01T18:07:00.000-04:00

The Ridgefield Library suffered power outages, along with most of the town, on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday last week. But once we were up and running, we became a source of power for thousands. On our first day open after the storm, 2,846 people came to the Library – more than double our normal daily average of 1,200 visitors!

And what did they do here? Here’s one sample, posted on our Facebook page by a grateful patron: "Library is a huge asset. I charged my computer, IPAD, droid and another cell phone and conducted a 3 hour meeting all from Ridgefield Public Library. Thank you!" Accessing the Internet via our computers or wireless network was a top priority for many, along with charging various devices. We outfitted every available space with tables and chairs and power strips to accommodate the largest number we could.

With lack of power and the delay of the start of school, many families had kids itchy with boredom, so we provided ad hoc children’s programs, including crafts, board games, movies and a special Friday evening storytime.

While we couldn’t fix every storm-related problem, we are proud that the Ridgefield Library was able to be a vital resource for our town in a time of trouble.

Kiplinger Features Libraries in “Fabulous Freebies 2011”

2011-08-26T12:47:00.000-04:00

The annual August “Fabulous Freebies” round-up by Kiplinger magazine starts out with the reminder that “No list of freebies would be complete without our perennial favorite: your public library,” and it goes on to cite free “books, magazines, audiobooks, e-books, video games, CDs and DVDs” along with free activities such as “book clubs, lectures, film screenings, children’s story hours and craft activities.”

Elsewhere in the article they suggest visiting the library for Free Hobbies (#1), Free E-Books (#18) and Free Audiobooks (#19). To be sure, you will find all of this at the Ridgefield Library. But we also offer additional resources and services that complement some of the other freebies they mention. Many of these do cost us money, but they are free for use by Library visitors or cardholders. Try ValueLine or Morningstar investment reports as a supplement to the list of Free Investing Apps (#4). Our Museum Passes fit nicely under the category of Free Outings (#28). The Foundation Center Cooperating Collection can help with Free Money for College (#26). And, of course, you can even peruse the latest issue of Kiplinger for free @ your Library – or check the full article on our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

Summer Reading Soars @ the Library

2011-08-22T12:02:00.002-04:00

Who says people don’t read any more and libraries are obsolete? Participation in the Summer Reading Program at the Ridgefield Library soared to new heights this year, aided in part by the use of new online reading log software and promotion via social media.

A record 1,553 young people read an astonishing 48,490 books. That’s 31 books per student – enough to stretch all the way to the Danbury Fair mall if laid end to end!

We are especially proud of Ridgefield’s teen summer readers, whose ranks grew by more than 100, to 263 sixth through twelfth graders. Even more astonishing is that the number of books these kids logged was up by 67%, to 6,222. Teen Services Librarian Geri Diorio attributes this impressive increase to “going where they live,” i.e. making the program available in the online environment they frequent and using social media like Facebook to spread the buzz.

Adults also seemed to like the new system, with the number of participants up 7% and the number of books logged up by 29%.

We have received so much positive feedback that we are exploring ways to turn the success of Summer Reading into a year-round opportunity for Ridgefielders of all ages to track and share what they’re reading.

Finding the Latest Books and More @ the Library

2011-08-11T18:22:00.000-04:00

How do you find out about the latest and greatest books and other materials the Ridgefield Library has to offer? Of course, you can browse the special displays of new acquisitions but many popular items will be out in circulation as soon as we receive them.

Our staff has developed several online tools to help you explore what’s new and to make it easy for you to get on the list for your favorites - even before we receive them!

You can subscribe to “BookLetters” newsletters that provide a round-up of bestsellers, new and upcoming releases, books discussed on radio and TV and more. Sign up on the “Reader’s Resources” page on our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org to get these periodic updates sent directly to your inbox.

You can also look for the new feature in our “This Week @ the Library” e-newsletter, which provides quick links to web listings of new additions to our collections in many popular areas, from mysteries to DVDs. These pages, which are also accessible on our website, include cover art, summaries, reviews, author interviews and sometimes excerpts, along with handy links to our catalog so you can check availability and request the items that interest you.

Library Offers Many Music Recordings

2011-08-04T16:24:00.000-04:00

Looking for a place to get music CDs in Ridgefield? The Library has a collection of over 2,000 recordings in a broad range of genres, and we’ve just reorganized our CDs to make finding music more user-friendly.

The Library offers current top-sellers as well as enduring favorites by a wide range of artists in pop, rock, folk, country western and jazz. Fans of our Ridgefield Folk series will find CDs by many of the artists who have appeared, and our comprehensive world music collection represents most regions and nations. Our recordings of movies and Broadway musicals now live in a new browser that makes it easy to locate your favorite film or show tunes.

The Library’s wide array of classical music CDs ranges from symphonies and chamber music to works for solo piano and strings. Want to listen to an opera or ballet before going to a live performance or HD broadcast? We have recordings of most classical works that are being performed in the greater metropolitan area.

Finally, can’t remember the name of the song or musical work that’s stuck in your head? We’d love the challenge of identifying it and locating a recording for you.

Contributed by Adult Services Librarian Dorothy Pawlowski

Celebrate the End of Summer Reading at Piccolo Pizza

2011-07-27T16:57:00.002-04:00

Summer Reading at the Library draws to a close on Saturday, August 6^th. Make sure to get all your reading recorded so you can qualify for great prizes and raffles, made possible by the Friends of the Library and generous local merchants. Volunteers and staff are standing by to help you log your titles, or do it at your convenience online from anywhere your travels take you. Parents – if your children are participating, don’t forget it is easy for you to join in Adult Summer Reading as well. Sign up today and make reading a family affair!

For the 2^nd year, we will be celebrating the end of Summer Reading with a special fundraising promotion, courtesy of Piccolo Pizza. Pick up a coupon at the Library or print one from our website and present it when you order eat-in, take-out or delivery items at Piccolo all day on Wednesday, August 3^rd and Thursday, August 4^th (11 AM – 10 PM). The generous folks at Piccolo will donate 50% of their profits on your purchases to support Summer Reading and other activities at the Library. What a wonderful way to celebrate reading, have a great family meal and support your Ridgefield Library!