Game On!

Our annual RidgeCon pop culture celebration has become so popular that we have decided to continue the fun throughout the year. The first RidgeCon “spin-off” will be the launch in September of two recurring gaming programs. 

We Got Games is a tabletop gaming meet-up for adults and teens on the 2^nd Tuesday evening of the month. Family Game Day will meet on the fourth Saturday of each month and is an afternoon drop-in program for families with children aged 4 and up.  

What does playing Apples to Apples or the Settlers of Cataan have to do with libraries? Experts in many disciplines now recognize the importance of play in childhood development, in aiding the retention of mental acuity in later years and in fostering collaboration and teamwork for all ages. Not only do tabletop games offer friendly competition, but many require strategy, planning, critical analysis, storytelling and creative thinking. Playing games with children can help their social development, literacy skills and better recognition of cause-and-effect. These skills are many of the same ones libraries introduce and reinforce in storytimes, book discussions and other programs, as well as through tools such as Kindle Fires for kids and Lynda.com and other online tutorials for adults. 

Transforming the Lodewick Children's Library

The Library staff is always seeking better ways to help our patrons find what they need, whether it is a satisfying leisure read or information to fulfill a homework assignment. In the Children’s Library, for example, collections are divided into separate sections for different ages, reading levels or purposes, such as the Holiday collection and the Early Reader section, further divided into 3 subgroups to correspond to level ranking used in the schools.

Over the summer, we have been making a number of additional changes. When complete, one of the most noticeable will be the creation of a separate location for “Chapter Books,” previously mixed in Juvenile Fiction right next to the huge volumes by J.K. Rowling and Rick Riordan.  These are books geared to those just moving beyond Early Readers, such as the Magic Tree House and other popular series.

To help folks become familiar with where things are now located in the Lodewick Children’s Library, we are hosting a Back-to-School Scavenger Hunt the week after Labor Day. Kids in Kindergarten through Grade 5 are invited to drop in any time the Library is open on September 5-9 and pick up a scavenger hunt form.  All who complete the hunt will receive a small prize.

Nutmeg Book Awards News

The Nutmeg Book Award winners for 2017 have been announced, and the 2018 Nutmeg nominees have arrived in the Library!

Annually, in Connecticut, works of fiction published within the last five years that have been determined by librarians and school media specialists to be well-written, with strong characterization, well-constructed plots, rich settings and striking language are announced on May 1^st.  The nominees are broken into four divisions with ten titles in each grade range: Elementary (grades 2-4), Intermediate (grades 4-6), Teen (grades 7-8), and High School (grades 9-12). Children and teens are encouraged to read these selected works of quality fiction throughout the year and vote for their favorite by April 30^th.

This year’s winners are Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winnick, Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson, The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare, and I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson.

Readers in several age divisions will be getting together at the Library over the summer to discuss many of the nominees. A full schedule of these meetings is available on our website. Come in to get your copies and checklists so you can keep track of your Nutmeg reading.

Contributed by Children's Services Library Assistant Sonta Frindt

Take your Child to the Library Day Is February 4th

Take your Child to the Library Day is a national library promotion that was started a few years ago right here in Connecticut.  We are pleased to participate again this year on February 4^th, when our new Library Director Brenda McKinley will be the guest reader at Drop-In Storytime at 10:30 AM. Stay for cider and cookies and a chance to chat with Brenda after storytime. 

While you are here, sign up for a library card for every member of your family, even the youngest child.  We have several fun designs to choose from.  All you need is proof of Ridgefield residence. And you can make a library card holder craft throughout the day in the Lodewick Family Children’s Library.

The Friends of the Library will be holding a pop-up children’s book sale as well so you can build up your own home library. Check our website for exact sale times.

Also on tap on the 4^th is our hard Drive Smash recycling event from 1:00 – 4:00 PM and an opening reception from 4:00 – 6:00 for “Flowers Grow,” artist Pamela Stoddart’s new exhibit of flower-themed mixed media and paintings.

Come enjoy the Ridgefield Library every day, but especially on February 4^th!

Introducing our New Library Director

Hello! I am Brenda McKinley, the new Library Director at the Ridgefield Library. I am honored to be entrusted with this position and thank Chris Nolan for her wonderful legacy. I come to Ridgefield from nearby Newtown, where I live with my husband and our four children. Most recently I served as the Cyrenius H. Booth Library Director in Newtown.

I have been a Librarian for over twenty years and passionately believe in the resources, support, and strength a library brings to the community it serves. The strong ties the Library enjoys with the Ridgefield community are testament that this belief is widely shared and is a big reason why I’m thrilled to be starting this new role.

I look forward to working with the stellar staff as we continue to provide excellent library service for our patrons and our town. It might take me a bit of time to learn all the new names, but I hope to meet you soon.

Please bring your little ones for “Take Your Child to the Library Day” on Saturday, February 4^th at 10:30 AM. I’ll be guest reader at Drop-In Storytime and we’ll enjoy some cookies and conversation. I hope to see you then!

Contributed by Library Director Brenda McKinley

Keeping Kids Entertained Can Be Easy

The kids are home from school because of vacation or a weather cancellation, and they are getting bored.  Here are a couple of suggestions to keep them entertained, accessible for free with a Ridgefield Library card.

Tumblebooks are eBooks for the very young that let you enjoy the illustrations onscreen as you listen to favorite picture books read aloud.

Bookflix from Scholastic is an online literary resource for children that pairs video storybooks with related non-fiction eBooks. Imagine a film of a Curious George story paired with a non-fiction book about monkeys, plus word games, a profile of the author, suggestions for individual or group activities and links to additional resources.

Hoopla offers downloadable and streaming music, movies and TV shows in addition to eBooks and audiobooks and even comic books. And the Kids Mode setting features content that has been deemed suitable for children up to 12 years of age.

OverDrive offers eBooks and audiobooks from many of the best authors, narrators and publishers in the business, and also has a special “Kids Collection” interface.

Check www.ridgefieldlibrary.org/children for more information and links to get you started (some also have apps for enjoying on a smartphone or other device).

Books Can Help - and Heal

Bibliotherapy is a fancy word for turning to literature to help people, especially children, cope with difficult situations. Words and pictures can help make an intimidating experience like moving to a new town or starting a new school less scary.  They can help a child struggling with the loss of a pet or the illness of a family member feel less overwhelmed.  They reassure youngsters that they are not alone in experiencing these situations and having the feelings they do.  They can help a parent find the language to talk about tough topics.

At the Ridgefield Library, we have many resources to help you find the right books to address the difficult situations that arise in many lives.  Our Children’s Services staff draw on their personal knowledge of our collections as well as reference books prepared by teachers, mental health professionals, doctors and other experts.  They are happy to work with caregivers one-on-one to locate just the right book or to share some of the booklists we have created on bullying, divorce, coping with loss and other topics (many of these are also available on our website).  Our most recent includes recommended reading on kindness, empathy and caring, in response to anxieties fostered by the recent election season.

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!

Summer Reading Rocks

As of July 7^th, we are halfway through Summer Reading, and the numbers are looking great!  In just 3-1/2 weeks, 112 adults have registered 233 items; 318 teens have logged 5,169; and a whopping 1074 school-aged children have completed 14,117 books and audiobooks.  This is well on a pace to be our busiest summer of reading ever.

In addition to the sheer enjoyment of reading, participants are urged on to new heights by the fabulous rewards they can earn. Adults have been thrilled by the gorgeous gift baskets created by the Friends of the Library and raffled off each week.  Teens are competing enthusiastically for prizes from The Cake Box, Deborah’s Sweet Shoppe and Books on the Common.  The Toy Chest and Deborah Ann’s have contributed coupons for all children reading a certain number of books, and the Friends of the Library have generously supplied additional prizes.

While the official end of the Summer Reading Program is July 31^st, the online reading log system will remain up and running, and young readers can continue to log their books and earn rewards until the day before school starts.  It’s not too late to get in the game - start your Summer Reading log today at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

A New Look for Museum Passes

We are pleased to announce that we have developed a new packaging system for our popular museum passes.  Colorful and durable plastic pouches have replaced the cumbersome looseleaf notebook binders.  These are a convenient size to tuck into a handbag or pocket and are well-secured with zippers and snaps to keep all the important paperwork secure.

Thirteen popular institutions in Connecticut and New York offer some variety of free admission deal, and another eight offer discounted admission.  The choices range from art museums like the Wadsworth Atheneum and NYC’s Guggenheim Museum, to outdoor activities such as nature centers and parks, to interactive children’s learning experiences. Passes may be borrowed by Ridgefield Library cardholders for two nights on a first-come, first-served basis.

Some museums provide free passes to libraries; others offer special library discounts through a museum pass program organized by the Connecticut Library Consortium.  Here in Ridgefield, the Friends of the Library have generously paid these fees for us since the program started some years ago.

Pick up a brochure at the Library describing all the offerings or visit www.ridgefieldlibrary.org and click on Catalog & Collections, then Other Resources.  Have a great trip, and send us some pictures of your adventures!

Digital resources for Kids Now @ the Library

The Library’s digital collection isn’t just for adults anymore.  Along with audiobooks and eBooks for children, the Library also offers literacy resources to support emerging and reluctant readers.  BookFLIX is a new addition to our digital offerings that is specifically designed to support a child’s interest in reading.  It pairs classic fictional video storybooks with related nonfiction books to strengthen a love of reading and learning for children in PreK to 3^rd grade.  The digital library is quite extensive with 110 popular video storybooks paired with a related nonfiction eBook, such as the popular “Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type” storybook video paired with a nonfiction eBook about cows.  BookFLIX will help early readers develop and practice essential reading skills while introducing them to a world of knowledge and exploration.  Tumblebooks is another digital resource offering hundreds of popular storybooks and chapter books.  Both of these quality resources allow children to read the eBooks on their own or choose to read along.   Some of the benefits of the audio component include helping all children build fluency skills, improve sight word recognition, and build comprehension.  These digital resources are another way of introducing the love of reading to children.  

Contributed by Gayle Pulley, head of Children's Services

Kids Coding for a Cause Comes to Ridgefield

The Library is pleased to announce that it will be hosting a program called Random Hacks of Kindness, Jr (www.RHoKJr.org) on December 5th.  RHoKJr is the project of a nonprofit organization that provides elementary and middle school students the opportunity to come together as problem solvers and innovators to make the world a better place.  Here at the Ridgefield Library we are enthusiastic about this approach because it helps provide a real world context for computer programming skills with the goal of igniting a passion to learn more.

The event will offer Ridgefield elementary and middle school students in fourth through eighth grades the opportunity to explore the power of computing by developing technical solutions to practical problems.  The goal of the event is to show students how important technology is through participating in a one-day hackathon which will enable them to create technical solutions for local non-profit organizations.  The students will work in groups of four (with a mentor and an adult facilitator) to create prototype smartphone apps for the participating non-profits.

Stay tuned for a report on the progress of this project over the next few weeks.

It's a Wrap for Summer Reading

Super readers were frequent visitors at the Ridgefield Library this summer.  In Children’s Services, 1309 children signed up for the Summer Reading Program.  They logged a total of 38,867 books read over the summer with many children exceeding the 50 book goal. 

The Library hosted special events for children and their parents that included a magician, a Frisbee demonstration and musical performers. Children had the chance to code like a superhero.  Others had the chance to create fascinating art projects.  Children shined when they displayed their own talents at the library’s talent show.  Those who read 30 books were thrilled to have their picture taken like a superhero. 

The Library would like to thank those who sponsored the reading program.  We could not provide the wonderful programs and incentives without their support.  The Friends of the Library sponsored our special event programs and prizes. Deborah Anne’s Sweet Shoppe donated ice cream cones and The Toy Chest donated $5 gift certificates.  Their support allows us to offer incentives to our young readers.  We would also like to thank the parents who helped their children log the books, bring them to the library, and who spent hours reading with and listening to their children read.  

Contributed by Gayle Pulley, Head of Children's Services

Summer Reading Is Not Just for Children

As of this writing (on July 9^th), we are nearly halfway through the 2015 Summer Reading Program, and the numbers are adding up.  So far, 1157 school-aged children, 330 teens and 86 adults are registered in our online logging program and recording their reading and reviews.  Readers can sign up anytime and continue to participate through August 8^th, so go to www.ridgefieldlibrary.org today and get started.

We particularly urge adults to take part, to help demonstrate to younger readers the lifelong joy and value of reading. To make it easy, all of our monthly book discussions (except the poetry group) meet through the summer.  We know you are reading, so make it count!  At the Ridgefield schools, teachers and staff have issued a challenge to their students, with the results to be compared and celebrated when school starts in the fall. You can do the same with the children (or grandchildren) in your life. 

Some families have readers participating at the children’s, teen and adult levels.  If yours is one, come in together and let us take your picture for our gallery of superheroes.  After all, Every Hero Has a Story – let us share yours!

Heroes Come in Many Shapes and Sizes

There will be plenty of superheroes flying around the Library this summer as we present our first ever Comic Con on July 25^th.  We’ll have cartoon exhibits, face painting, costume pageants, panel discussions and much more, all celebrating pop culture graphic novels, films, games and science fiction and fantasy literature.  There will be something for all ages, so check out the details at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org and plan to join us – all free, and no registration required.

But, with a Summer Reading theme of “Every Hero Has a Story,” we are also celebrating hometown heroes, who do good and help others without the assistance of super powers like x-ray vision and shapeshifting. At 2:00 PM each Wednesday in July, youngsters aged 5 and older are invited to meet some special heroes and hear their stories.  We will welcome Police Chief John Roche on July 1^st and Fire Chief Kevin Tappe on the 15^th. Mike Principi, the “hot dog guy,” will visit on July 22nd to tell about the wonderful work he does building playgrounds for orphans around the world during the winter months. And on July 8^th we’ll hear about the adventures of “wonder dog” Bacon, a therapy dog from ROAR.

Not So Lazy Days of Summer @ the Library

School may be winding down, but things are just heating up for the summer at the Library. Get out your smartphone or old-fashioned paper datebook and mark down the following dates.

• Memorial Day Weekend:  The Library will be closed on Sunday the 24^th and Monday the 25^th but will be open our regular hours 9 AM – 5 PM on Saturday the 23^rd.  Look for us in the town parade on Monday morning!
• Summer Hours Begin: Starting on June 21^st, we will be closed on Sundays through Labor Day.
• Summer Reading Starts: School is out on June 18^th, and Summer Reading at the Library gets off to a roaring start the very next day!  The theme this year is “Every Hero Has a Story,” and we have special programs for preschoolers, elementary age students, teens and adults.
• Comic Con 2015:  The Library is proud to announce that it will be holding its first ever Comic Convention on Saturday, July 25^th.  This will be a full day of events and activities celebrating popular culture, in particular comics, graphic novels, films, games, science fiction and more.  You won’t want to miss it!  Much more information will be coming soon.

Students Vote for State Book Award at Ridgefield Library

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.  The nominees are chosen by committees of public and school librarians from across the state. There are now four divisions: Elementary for grades 2-4 (new this year and the only division that includes nonfiction), Intermediate for grades 4-6, Teen for grades 7-8, and High School for grades 9-12. It is Connecticut’s own book award.  To help make voting easy, the Ridgefield Library has put Nutmeg Book Award ballots online. You can see a link to them if you stop by our Facebook page, or if you follow us on Twitter, or on the Library’s 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

Children’s Book Award Winners @ the Ridgefield Library

Readers, young and old! It’s our favorite time of year again, when the American Library Association announces the winners of its legendary annual awards: the John Newbery Medal for the best in children’s fiction, and the Randolph Caldecott Medal for the best in children’s picture books. This year’s winners are Kwame Alexander’s “The Crossover” for the Newbery, a chapter book that fuses the rhythm of poetry and basketball, and Dan Santat’s “The Adventures of Beekle” for the Caldecott, a story about a little creature who longs to be someone’s imaginary friend.

You can check out these, and many more award winners, in our special Juvenile Award Winner collection in the Lodewick Family Children’s Library. This collection contains the Newbery and Caldecott winners from every year, dating back to 1922! The two sections are organized in reverse chronological order, so you can see the progression of titles over the course of nearly a century. You’ll recognize some wonderful bedtime favorites, such as “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak, among the Caldecotts. Reread some great stories, like Robert O’Brien’s “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH,” in the Newberys. Take a look on ALA’s website (www.ala.org) for a full list of these timeless classics. 

Contributed by Ann Victor, Children's Collection Management Specialist

Take Your Child to the Library Saturday

Join in the 4^th annual Take Your Child to the Library Day on Saturday, February 7^th at the Ridgefield Library.  Families across the country will take time to visit their local library and celebrate all that it has to offer.  Nadine Lipman, a Connecticut children’s librarian, developed the event to raise awareness of the library’s importance in the life of a child.  The Ridgefield Library invites children and their families to participate in a variety of fun events on Saturday.  Drop-In Storytime begins at 10:30 AM for children ages 3 and older in the Lodewick Children’s Library.  The Just So Stories Puppet Performance will take place at 11:30 AM for children ages 4 and older in the Main Program Room located on the lower level of the library.  Children in kindergarten through 5^th grade are invited to Kids Tech Time in the Lodewick Children’s Library from 4 to 5:30 PM as part of our coding celebration.  Remember, every day is a great day to take your child to the library.  A routine library visit becomes a habit that will develop into a child’s life-long love of learning.  You can check out the library website to learn more about our programs and events that will inform your family and enrich your life.

Contributed by Gayle Pulley, Head of Children's Services

Keeping your New Year’s Resolutions

Whatever your resolutions for the New Year, the Ridgefield Library is here to help you fulfill them. 

Improve your computer skills.  Our Atomic Training web-based instructional programs offer video training on hundreds of the most commonly used applications from Microsoft, Apple, Google, Adobe and more.  All you need is your Ridgefield Library card number to sign on and improve your job or personal productivity skills. 

Take care of yourself so you can take better care of your family.  The Noreen L. Papa “Mothers Life your Live” Fund brings to the Library programs and resources promoting women’s health and wellness.  Check our event calendar for upcoming activities.

Read more.  With 5 monthly book discussion groups focusing on genres from mysteries to poetry, the Library can give you the incentive needed to pick up those books you have been meaning to read. New readers are always welcome!  Or check out Books & Breakfast, the monthly gathering where Library staff and patrons share what they have been reading recently. 

Get more out of reading with your children.  Our new Conversational Reading initiative offers hands-on workshops and take-home kits to help you get the most out of time spent reading together with the youngsters in your life.