Make STEAM @ Home

Looking for fun and educational activities when the family is stuck inside during the winter weather? Now you can Make STEAM @ Home with the Ridgefield Library’s new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Kits for children ages 4-11. The Library is developing a series of fun, interactive, thematic learning kits about a variety of topics and skills that relate to STEAM and literacy.

Make science at home with Snap Circuits or Osmo. Learn coding with Bee-Bots or Dash & Dot. Engineer with K’Nex or dominos. Make art with a Spirograph or Cursive kits; make math with the Money Kit or the Telling-Time Kit. Drama, knitting and Ozobot kits will be coming in February.

Stop into the Lodewick Children’s Library to see the available kits and bring one home for seven days with the use of your Ridgefield Library Card. STEAM kits are only available for check out from the children’s information desk (and must be returned there) and cannot be reserved. One per family, please; late fees $2.00 per day, up to a maximum of $20. STEAM kits at the Ridgefield Library are made possible by the McGovern Family.

Contributed by Kristina Lareau, Head of Children's Services

Art in the Lodewick Children's Library

You may notice several new familiar faces in the Lodewick Children’s Library the next time you visit. Thanks to a grant from the Ridgefield Woman’s Club, we have added artwork depicting some of our favorite characters from children’s literature to the walls. Not only did we want to add more visual interest and recognizable friends for children to enjoy, we wish to continue exposing children to art, creativity, and visual information, essential components of their literacy development.

The Library continues to offer opportunities for children to create and experiment with new mediums, stretch the limits of imagination, and nurture new skills. Recently, children created art inspired by Caldecott Award-winning illustrators. This summer they are enjoying the Cardboard Challenge and Art at the Aldrich. Families can also borrow a museum pass and get acquainted with the work of historical and contemporary artists.

Another new addition to the Children’s Library is an empty frame, to be filled on a rotating basis with art created by your children. What better way to encourage creative expression than to celebrate their accomplishments by showcasing their visual inventions? Ask the Children’s Library staff for details and start creating!

“Creativity is contagious, pass it on” - Albert Einstein

Contributed by Children's Services Library Assistant Sonta Frindt

Introducing Kindle Fires for Kids

Just in time for summer leisure time - the Ridgefield Library is pleased to bring you six Kindle Fires for Kids! Released in June, this new Kindle tablet is available to our patrons at the Children’s Services desk. These supplement the LeapPad devices we have had available for some time.

There are four Kindle Fires available for in-house use in the Children’s Library, and two that can be checked out and brought home! One Kindle Fire can be checked out per family for 7 days with a current Ridgefield Library card.  They cannot be reserved or renewed and must be returned to the Children’s Services desk. For in-library use, you will need to leave keys or other valuables as collateral.

Each of the Library's Kindle for Kids is equipped with Amazon’s FreeTime Unlimited which offers unlimited access to over 13,000 kid-friendly books, educational apps, games, movies, and TV shows from top brands like Disney, Nickelodeon, PBS, Amazon Originals for Kids, and a child-safe web browser. There are three age profiles for children to use: Ages 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12.

Stop by the Lodewick Children’s Library to bring Bumbersnoot or Bilbo (yes, your children’s librarians named them) home with you! 

Contributed by Head of Children's Services Kristina Lareau

Self-Check Now Even More Convenient

In response to popular demand, we have moved one of our self-check stations into the Lodewick Children’s Library for the convenience of parents and caregivers who wish to check out their selections while a child is attending a program.  This is also a boon for those with curious children who tend to wander off while mom or dad are checking out, as it keeps the whole family safely together inside the Children’s Library until they are ready to leave.

Two self-check kiosks remain in the Bossidy Commons near the Circulation Desk, and there is also one on the Upper Level, to accommodate those using the Main Street door to come and go.

It’s easy - all you need is your Ridgefield Library card. Scanners electronically read Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags in the books, so you don’t even need to locate and scan the barcodes and can process a stack of several items at a time.  Please note that you will still need to go to the Circulation Desk to clear up fines or lost items or to pick up a reserve item. Ask a staff member for a quick introduction, and then check yourself out!

Introducing our New Head of Children's Services

I am so pleased to be welcomed to the Ridgefield Library and the Ridgefield community!

I received a BA in English and Education at Worcester State College (MA) and earned my MA in Children’s Literature and MS in Library & Information Sciences from Simmons College in Boston. I’ve worked in various Massachusetts libraries-from the Bibliothèque at the Alliance française to the Boston Arts Academy to the Westfield Athenaeum-though most recently, I was a Children’s Librarian at the Fairfield Public Library (CT) for four years.

I love to laugh and be silly, talk about books, recommend books, review books and read books with children. I am a proud Gryffindor who loves playing board games, listening to audiobooks, and critiquing picture books. I cannot live without coffee. Or cheese.

I also have 2 cats, 2 dogs (Hermione & Houdini, Mercedes & Lana) and a well-trained husband named Matt. I am a Steampunk who loves to dress up and consequently own more petticoats than actual coats.

My favorite book right now is Ben Clanton’s “Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea.” Stop by the Children’s Library to say “hi” and talk about your favorite children’s book!

I’m the one with the purple hair.

Contributed by Kristina Lareau, head of Children's Services

Introducing our New Children's Librarian

If you have been in the Lodewick Children’s Library in the last few weeks, you may have noticed a new face at the desk and facilitating some programs.  Shay Glass, our new Children’s Librarian, is originally from Georgia, but moved to Boston to get his masters degrees in library science and children's literature at Simmons College. After several years working at libraries in the mountains of North Carolina and in Portland, Oregon, he is excited to be back in New England and settled in one place. In addition to providing reference assistance and reading recommendations, Shay will be purchasing materials for the juvenile fiction (“chapter book”) collection and bringing his experience and fresh ideas to many of our programs, especially STEAM activities such as Lego Challenge, robotics, Maker Crafts and more. Shay  fills the position formerly held by Mary Beth Rassulo, who is now assistant Director at the Easton Public Library.

“I'm thrilled to be here,” Shay says. ”Some of my favorite things include reading children's books and talking about them, so I'd love hear about all the books you're reading and how you feel about them!” We invite you to stop by soon and welcome him to Ridgefield.

New for the New Year

Children’s programs that start in February will be open for registration online beginning January 3^rd.  We have several new arts and craft offerings, plus some new formats for our popular Lego and robotics classes, so visit www.ridgefieldlibrary.org soon.

Get tech for the holidays? Look for drop-in help sessions with our Library staff to get you going with that new device or gadget.  Ask also about tutorials through Lynda.com on just about every tech topic imaginable.

Addiction will be the theme of our 2017 Learn Through Film series beginning January 18th.  Join us for three evenings and on social media for difficult and great films along with moderated, civil discussion about this national – and local - epidemic.

Save the date for some upcoming special events: Take your Child to the Library Day on February 4^th, Dr. Seuss’s Birthday Party on March 4^th, our Great Expectations Gala on April 22^nd and the Battle of Ridgefield re-enactment on April 29^th. Much more to come about these and the many other activities we offer each week.

And, of course, our new Library Director Brenda McKinley begins work on January 3^rd.  We are organizing many opportunities for members of the community to meet her, so stay tuned.

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.

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.

Falling into Fall @ the Library

Sunday hours are back!  Beginning September 11 and running through the school year, the Library will be open on Sundays from 1:00 to 5:00 PM. 

Registration is now open for fall preschool storytimes and after-school activities, including book discussions, Maker groups, crafts, music programs, and even yoga for youngsters.  Most regular programs begin the last week of September. Sign-up may be done online at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org/children/programs/index.shtml.  Stay tuned also for information about “specials” on school holidays and other occasions. And, of course, drop-in favorites like Mother Goose and storytime on Saturday morning continue most weeks.

Seasonal series like the Ridgefield Folk concerts and ARTalk lectures pick up again in the fall.  Check our event calendar at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org so you don’t miss these very popular offerings. Many of these are sponsored by the Friends of the Library, whose fall used book sales are on tap for mid-October.

The Library and Ridgefield High School are looking forward to the 3^rd year of their joint Books Building Bridges intergenerational reading program.  This year’s title is “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” by Ken Kesey.  Grab your copy, and start reading, or re-reading, this classic and watch for details of book chats, scholarly lectures and more.

Get Ready to Read this Summer

On your Mark, Get Set…Read! No matter what happens at the Summer Olympics in Brazil, we expect to set new records in reading right here in Ridgefield this summer, with the annual Summer Reading Program, which begins June 13th.  Pre-schoolers, elementary school students, teens and adults are all invited to take part and earn prizes, enjoy entertaining programs and more.  The formal program runs through July 30^th, but you can continue to log your reading and collect prizes until the day before school starts. Find out all the details at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

June 13^th is also the beginning of our summer schedule.  From then through Labor Day, the Library will be closed on Sundays; the rest of our schedule remains the same as always: Monday – Thursday, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Friday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM and Saturday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.  And don’t forget to visit our “virtual library branch” online 24/7 at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org for eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, music and video, research databases and much more.

Other highlights of the summer include RidgeCon on August 12 and 13 (our 2^nd annual celebration of popular culture) and writing contests for children and adults (details to be announced shortly). See you at the Library!

Book Club Corner Expands

The Book Club Corner is the Library’s collection of discussion-worthy titles in fiction, memoir and non-fiction available in batches of 10 or so copies for use by book clubs. To help alleviate our current difficulties with inter-library delivery service, this spring we are adding several high-interest titles, including “The Muralist” by B.A. Shapiro, “Fates and Furies” by Lauren Groff and “Circling the Sun” by Paula McLain.

We are pleased to announce that we have recently instituted a Book Club Corner for children and families as well.  Among the first batch of titles are “Because of Winn-Dixie” and “Flora and Ulysses” by Kate DiCamillo, “Starry River of the Sky” by Grace Lin, “El Deafo” by Cece Bell and Jamison Odone’s re-telling of “Alice in Wonderland.”  All have been used to great effect in our Reading Is a Family Affair inter-generational discussion series, and we recommend them for either children-only or parent and child settings. Look for Children’s Book Club Corner selections in the Parent Resource area of the Children’s Library.

Don’t hesitate to ask at the Children’s or Adult Service Desk for assistance in making a selection for your book group and to reserve a Book Club Corner title. Book Club Corner offerings are made possible by the Friends of the Ridgefield Library.

Introducing our New Children's Library Assistant

The Ridgefield Library is pleased to announce the addition of Angela Skrobar as our new part-time library assistant in Children’s Services.  Angela fills the position previously held by Kathy Cherniavsky who retired in November after years of dedicated service to the Library. She joins Head of Children’s Services Gayle Pulley, Children’s Programmer Diane Antezzo, Children’s Librarian Mary Beth Rassulo, Library Assistant Christine Miller and Children’s Collection Specialist Ann Victor in this very busy department.

Prior to joining the Library, Angela worked in both the public and school library environments.  Her duties will include assisting patrons in finding great books to read and working with the Library staff to promote and present our popular children’s programs.  Angela’s support will also be a great asset during our busy Summer Reading program.

Angela and her family moved to Ridgefield in 2014.  Angela has quickly become a part of the community and volunteers her time to a variety of local organizations.  Her professionalism and positive attitude make Angela a welcomed addition and a strong asset to the Ridgefield Library.  Drop in and welcome her soon!

Contributed by Gayle Pulley, head of Children's Services

It's Picture Book Month

Read it again!  We’ve all heard those enthusiastic words.  The times we share reading a story to a child are treasured memories. It’s a child’s first time being read to and their first introduction to the visual arts.  These positive reading experiences help them develop into life-long readers and learners.
A picture book is much more than a simple story with pictures. A well-crafted story is born of an author’s imagination. The artist’s illustrations are essential as they are created to reveal more of the story.  Within 32 pages and sometimes in even fewer sentences, a skilled writer and illustrator create a story that takes us on a magical adventure certain to capture your heart.  It can make us giggle, weep, imagine and reminisce.  We will find wild things, Martin’s words, an unimaginary friend and frogs on flying lily pads.

November is Picture Book Month - a good excuse to check out some picture books, no matter your age. Sharing stories with a child is priceless and creates life-long memories.  Next time a child says, “Read it again,” be assured they are asking for precious time with you as well.

You can see some of our staff's favorites on our FlickR page at https://flic.kr/s/aHskpRFrfJ

Contributed by Gayle Pulley, Head of Children's Services

Announcing Alice

It has been 150 years since the publication of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll (aka Charles Dodgson), and we can’t resist!  Our staff is smiling like the Chesire Cat as we put together a roster of Alice-related activities this fall for all ages.  We will start with a field trip on October 7^th to the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City, where we will tour their special exhibit “Alice: 150 Years of Wonderland, ” guided by exhibit curator Carolyn Vega. The culmination of our adventures will be a presentation on November 22^nd by author Gregory Maguire called “Green Witches, White Rabbits and Wild Things,” in which the author will talk about his own novel “Wicked,” his new book “After Alice” and his friend Maurice Sendak.

In between you can enjoy scholarly lectures, a book-to-film comparison, a Mad Hatter tea party, book discussions for children and for adults, and much more, in a series we are calling “Curiouser and Curiouser.”  If you are curious about Alice or the man who created her, please join us for our journey down the rabbit hole, sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Watch our website for full details, coming soon.

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

Introducing the New Head of Children's Services

The Ridgefield Library recently welcomed Gayle Pulley as Head of Children’s Services. Ms. Pulley will be responsible for the daily management of the dynamic and busy Lodewick Children’s Library. Her experience includes 16 years as an elementary and high school librarian. Before coming to the Ridgefield Library, Ms. Pulley was the district librarian at the Eldred (NY) School District. Ms. Pulley received a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and earned her graduate degree in Library Science and a teaching certification from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She recently relocated to Stamford with her husband David, Assistant Superintendent at Southern Westchester BOCES. They share 5 children and are proud grandparents of their three granddaughters. She enjoys traveling, researching family genealogy, and reading a wide range of genres. Ms. Pulley is excited to be part of Ridgefield’s vibrant library and to provide enriching experiences where children come to the Library to discover and choose books they want to read. She feels fortunate to have the opportunity to share in nurturing a child’s love of reading and developing literacy skills. She will work closely with long-time Children’s Library staffers Mary Beth Rassulo, Diane Antezzo, Christine Miller, Kathy Cherniavsky and Ann Victor.

Contributed by Head of Children's Services Gayle Pulley