Learning a Language Just Got Easier

Pronunciator, an online language learning product that provides instruction for all ages in over 80 languages, is now available to Library cardholders.  With its wide range of features, Pronunciator replaces Mango, our previous online offering, and is made possible by the Friends of the Library.

Pronunciator provides instruction for learners ranging from beginners to those seeking advanced conversational skills. For structured learning, Pronunciator includes eight-week interactive courses at all levels that offer five days of study each week consisting of one to two 30-minute sessions per day.  For those who prefer to customize their own learning, Pronunciator makes it easy to select areas of focus such as core vocabulary, essential verbs or conversational practice along with the flexibility of mastering a language by topics of interest.  When using a microphone-enabled device, feedback on pronunciation skills is available.

Also included are units specifically geared toward both early learners (3 to 6-year-olds) and young learners (7 to 12-year-olds) and for those seeking to master vocabulary targeted toward travel, workplace or English as a second language.   Download lessons with apps for Apple and Android phones and tablets for access on the go.  Pronunciator also offers a wide range of special features such as movies, music and poetry to enhance study.  

Contributed by Dorothy Pawlowski, Head of Adult Services

Finding your Next Read

Our librarians are always looking for ways to enhance our readers’ advisory services.  The Ridgefield Library online catalog now draws from NoveList, a trusted source of expert recommendations for help in finding that next good read.   

Click on the entry for any title to find read-alikes with an explanation of why the match has been chosen.  Find suggestions for other authors based on your reading interests.  Want to know the order of books in a favorite series?  Click on the entry for any series’ title, and all the books will be displayed in the proper order.   Do you like James Patterson novels because of their fast-paced quality or Paula McClain’s character-driven writing style?  You’ll find lists of other authors who capture these elements in their books.  This enhanced catalog content is available for children’s, teen, and adult fiction and non-fiction, as well as for audiobooks.

To explore the full content of NoveList, visit the Readers’ Resources page on our website. Here you’ll find book suggestions for all interests and all ages along with lists of award winners and discussion guides.

Finally, don’t hesitate to ask our staff for reading recommendations.  It’s what we love to do.

Contributed by Head of Adult Services Dorothy Pawlowski

Turn to BookPage

Trying to keep abreast of new books?  Stop by the Adult Services Desk and take home the latest copy of BookPage, a selection guide to the best new titles released each month.

Bookpage’s mission is "to connect every book lover with their next great read."   Reviews encompass a wide range of new books from literary fiction, history and biography to popular genres such as mystery and romance, with sections dedicated to recently published titles for children and teens.  In addition, each issue includes author interviews and special features. In May’s BookPage, Chris Cleave talks about his new novel “Everyone Brave is Forgiven,” and Pulitzer-prize winner Richard Russo explains why twenty years after the publication of “Nobody's Fool,” he decided to revisit the residents of North Bath, New York in “Everybody's Fool.”  The May issue also spotlights new books for planning a road trip and historical fiction focusing on Jewish history.

Not to be outdone, our librarians use their unique perspectives to create two monthly publications, Fiction News and Non-Fiction News that highlight new books chosen for their relevance to the diverse reading interests of our patrons.  Pick up copies at the library or view them on the Reader's Resources section of our website.  

Contributed by Dorothy Pawlowski, Head of Adult Services

BookSizzle!

With thousands of new books being published each year, deciding what to read next can be daunting.  The Ridgefield Library provides many ways to help in this selection process.   The newest tool is an electronic newsletter called BookSizzle.

Once you sign up to receive BookSizzle, it will appear weekly in your email inbox.  This online newsletter features the Library’s latest acquisitions including new fiction, non-fiction, mystery, business, science, children’s chapter books, and more.  In addition, you’ll find lists of the current bestsellers and recommended titles on themed topics and current events as well as in-depth features on popular authors.   Book suggestions link directly to the Library’s catalog where you can check for availability or place a reserve.  Each week our staff will also highlight items and events of special interest to Ridgefield Library users.  To sign up for BookSizzle, visit our website or fill out a form at any of the Library’s service desks. 

     

While BookSizzle is a great resource for remote access to reading recommendations, we hope you’ll utilize our in-person readers’ advisory services when you visit the Library.  Our staff is always ready to offer personalized suggestions based on your unique interests. 

Contributed by Adult Services Head Dorothy Pawlowski

The Inside Scoop on New Books for the Fall

Recently, I had the good fortune to attend Book Expo America, an annual event where publishers and authors promote their upcoming titles to booksellers and librarians. Here is a preview of some of the fall’s most anticipated books.

Watch out for new titles by popular authors Adriana Trigiani, Gregory Maguire, Lee Child, Geraldine Brooks, and Jane Smiley.  Coming in September, Jonathan Franzen’s “Purity” is being touted as his best to date and a literary feat.  For fans of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series, a new author continues Lisbeth Salander’s exploits in “The Girl in the Spider’s Web.”

By all accounts, the fall fiction debut to watch out for is “City on Fire” by Garth Risk Hallberg.  At a whopping 944 pages, this novel set in 1970s New York City is purportedly impossible to put down and triggered a bidding war among publishers.  The most talked about upcoming non-fiction includes “The Three-Year Swim Club: The Untold Story of Maui’s Sugar Ditch Kids and Their Quest for Olympic Glory” by Julie Checkoway and Dan Marshall’s comic memoir “Home Is Burning.”

One thing is certain. With hundreds of new titles on the horizon, readers have a lot to look forward to this fall.

Contributed by Dorothy Pawlowski, Head of Adult Services

Online Learning with Lynda.com

Do you want to keep up to date on the software you use?  The Ridgefield Library’s newest online resource lynda.com is for you.  This powerful learning tool offers over 3,400 video courses for professional and personal development.

These instructional videos, taught by experts in their fields, can be accessed anywhere an Internet connection is available.  Topics offered include business and management skills, software training, design and web development, 3D and animation, and computer programming.   You’ll also find a wealth of instruction on photography and multimedia editing. Videos are searchable by topic and can be viewed in short segments. 

Seeking a job or professional advancement?   Lynda.com is a powerful tool for information on job search strategies, designing a resume, preparing for an interview, and managing your career.  Once you’ve finished a course, upload a Certificate of Completion to your LinkedIn profile.

All you need to get started is a Ridgefield Library card.  We will be offering training sessions on using lynda.com on June 17th, June 18th, and June 19th in the Library’s Donofrio Family Technology Center.   To register for one of these sessions or to start learning, visit our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.  

Contributed by Dorothy Pawlowski, Head of Adult Services

Get Magazines on the Go

Looking for the latest issue of a magazine? Zinio is an online resource offering beautiful full color, interactive digital magazines accessible from computers and from a wide range of smartphones and tablets.   Ridgefield Library cardholders can now download current and back issues of 48 magazines including National Geographic, Newsweek, The New Yorker and a range of specialty magazines such as Cooks Illustrated, Eating Well, ARTnews and The Family Handyman.   Some titles offer enhanced elements such as audio and video that bring content to life.     

These magazines are available from anywhere with an Internet connection and, once downloaded, can be read offline.   The Zinio interface has just been updated, streamlining the process for checkout and reading on a computer, and the new Zinio for Libraries app has been redesigned to improve ease of access to magazines on most mobile devices.   Select as many current and back issues as you like and retain them for as long as you like.

Drop by the Donofrio Technology Center on Thursday, May 7th between 1 and 3 PM or on Wednesday, May 20^th between 4 and 6 PM for a demo and one-on-one help in getting started with Zinio or visit our website for more information. 

Contributed by Head of Adult Services Dorothy Pawlowski

Celebrating eBooks

Thursday, September 18^th has been designated the first International Read an eBook Day.  According to Pew Research, the popularity of eBooks is increasing, and in 2013, 28 percent of adults 18 and older read at least one.  

   

In recognition of this celebration, the Library will be hosting an open house in the Donofrio Family Technology Center to help Ridgefield Library cardholders get started with OverDrive, the Library’s eBook platform.   Whether you’ve never tried downloading an eBook or haven’t done so in a while, drop-in anytime between 1 and 4 PM when staff members will be waiting to answer your questions and offer assistance.

OverDrive eBooks can be accessed and read on a computer and on most smartphones, eReaders and tablets.  OverDrive has added many new user friendly features including OverDrive Read offering the option to easily download and save an eBook in a browser or “see book, read book.”   The Kids Collection and Teens Collections enable easy searching for age appropriate selections for every member of the family.   And, as more publishers make their eBooks available, the selection of titles continues to grow. 

If you can’t make it on September 18^th, our staff is always ready to answer your eBook questions.

Contributed by Dorothy Pawlowski, Head of Adult Services

Digital Magazines Now Availalble

The Ridgefield library is pleased to announce the availability of Zinio, a new online resource.  Now Library cardholders can read complete full color, interactive digital magazines on computers or on a range of mobile devices.

Getting started with Zinio is easy.  Just go to our website to browse our Zinio for Libraries collection and follow the instructions for setting up your Zinio account with a username and password. Select from 46 magazines covering a wide range of interests including Newsweek, O the Oprah Magazine, Eating Well, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.   Current issues are released simultaneously with print versions and available for instant browser streaming and app-driven offline viewing.  Check out as many issues as you want and keep them in your account as long as you wish with no need to worry about due dates.  Recent back issues are also available for most titles.

Zinio’s stunning interface recreates a magazine page for page, including full color pictures, intuitive navigation, and key word searches for articles.  Some titles such as National Geographic also offer enhanced elements such as audio and video that bring the content to life.   

The Library’s Adult Services Staff is happy to provide assistance in getting started with this convenient new way to access your favorite magazines.

Contributed by Head of Adult Services Dorothy Pawlowski

New Year’s Resolutions

It’s the time of year for New Year’s resolutions.  If yours is to make more time for reading, here are some suggestions:

  For some, deciding what to read is the biggest obstacle.  Whether you’re looking for a light or a literary read or something in between, our staff is here to help you find the perfect book for your reading enjoyment and edification.

Listen to an audiobook.  Finding the time to read is often a challenge, and audiobooks provide a great way to enjoy the content of a book while driving, exercising, or multi-tasking at home.  The library offers a large selection of audiobooks on CDS and in downloadable formats that are compatible with most computers, tablets, and smartphones.  

Join a book group.   The structure of a book group can provide the impetus to make time for reading.   The Ridgefield Library offers a variety of ongoing book groups, and their monthly selections offer something for almost every interest.  No membership is required, and new readers are always welcome.  Stop by the library or check our website for more information. 

On our side, our resolution is to continue to provide the best resources for readers in 2014.

Contributed by Adult Services Librarian Dorothy Pawlowski.

A Streamlined Way to Download eBooks

Recently, OverDrive, the company through which the Ridgefield Library offers eBooks to our Library cardholders, made upgrades to simplify the process of downloading titles.  As part of this change, OverDrive added a new option for getting eBooks called “READ”.

Simply put, READ allows eBook access from any device with web browser capabilities and offers a one-step download process that OverDrive describes as “see book, read book.”  If you have a computer, tablet or phone that supports Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Internet Explorer 10, you can download and read an eBook that you’ve checked out with a one-click process.  READ offers offline access to the title when you’re not connected to the internet and includes many options for customizing how the book is displayed, along with the ability to take notes and highlight passages. 

 For more information on this new feature visit our website or contact Adult Services Librarian Dorothy Pawlowski.    Or join us for the upcoming Tech Fridays program on August 23rd in the Library Program Room.  Drop in anytime from 1 to 3 PM with all your questions about downloading eBooks or audiobooks from the Ridgefield Library website.  We hope to see you there.

Contributed by Adult Services Librarian Dorothy Pawlowski

What Should I Read this Summer?

Headed to the beach or on vacation and need some reading recommendations?  Here are a couple of ways the Ridgefield Library can help. You can find these and more on the Reader’s Resources section at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org. 

• Subscribe to our “Reading on our Radar” blog for regular news of the hot new titles, plus some less well-known “sleepers” that are worth a look.
• Check out the Staff Picks list on the “Finding a Good Book” page on the website, where you will also find information on new releases, bestsellers, award winners and dozens of thematic reading lists, including the perennial favorite “Beach Books with Brains and Bite.”
• Sign up to receive periodic BookLetters email newsletters that feature new and recommended books in various genres.  Register on our website.
• Attend the monthly Books & Breakfast gathering (2^nd Monday of each month at 10:30 AM, currently at Keeler Tavern Museum), where staff and library patrons share what they have been reading – along with coffee and snacks. 
• Follow us on Twitter @ridgefieldlib and watch for our Friday postings of what our staff is reading.

And, of course, we are always happy to make suggestions in person – just ask!

Library Launches Tech Fridays

We’re excited to announce a new monthly program called Tech Fridays.  Would you like to use one of our electronic databases or download an eBook but feel stymied by the learning curve involved?  Do you want to learn about social media tools or how to find apps for your phone or tablet?  Then Tech Fridays are for you.  Each month we’ll highlight a 21^st century tool offered by the Library, or one readily available online, with the goal of helping our patrons become empowered users of these resources.

The first of our Tech Fridays will take place on October 26th.  Drop in anytime between 2 and 4 PM when staff members will demonstrate and answer your questions about OverDrive, the library’s downloadable eBook and audiobook service.   On November 30th, Reference Librarian Christie Mitchell will focus on tools and websites related to personal finance.  After a break for the holidays, Tech Fridays will be held from 2 to 4 PM on the fourth Friday of each month.  Future programs will include How to Do Research, Technology for Seniors, Social Media, and Teens Teach Tech.  If you have a technology topic you’d like us to cover, contact Adult Services Librarian Dorothy Pawlowski with your suggestions.

This entry was contributed by Adult Services Librarian Dorothy Pawlowski.

Give Mango Foreign Language Learning System a Try

Interested in learning or becoming more proficient in a foreign language?   The Ridgefield Library is here to support your efforts.  Responding to the proliferation of new products and formats, we are continually looking to expand our language learning collection to serve you better.  

Pimsleur language learning selections are no longer available as part of our NetLibrary downloadable audiobook service.   We are exploring several other options, including interactive computer-based programs, and would like your input.

This month, we are running a trial of Mango Languages, an online language-learning system offering instruction in speaking skills for a wide variety of languages.  Mango uses real-life situations to teach a new language.  By listening to and repeating material from native conversations, the user learns the language and how to use it in practical situations, while being introduced to elements of grammar and conjugation.

You can access the Mango Languages trial by visiting our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org, or you can try it at the Library.  Once you have sampled Mango Languages, e-mail your feedback to dlpawl@RidgefieldLibrary.org.  Please include reactions to the Mango 2.0 Technology Preview when commenting about whether this is a resource the Library should consider purchasing. Thanks for your help.