Print's Not Dead!

Library Board and staff had the pleasure of hearing a presentation recently by Len Vlahos, outgoing executive director of the Book Industry Study Group (BISG), the leading book trade association for standardized best practices, research and information, and education and events. Looking at trends in the publishing industry over the past few years (study data covered the years 2008-2013), Len shared some interesting insights, a few of which are included below.

• 77% of trade sales continue to be in physical format, with only 23% being digital content (e-books).
• E-books did experience rapid expansion both in units sold and in revenue from 2009-2012, during the period when many people acquired and started using smartphones and tablets such as iPads for the first time.  But this trend has declined as the novelty of these devices has worn off.  At the same time, hard and soft cover book sales remained stable.
• Two titles accounted practically all by themselves for an increase in trade book sales in 2012 of almost 8% - what Len referred to as the “Fifty Shades of Hunger Games” phenomenon.

In fact, Len is so bullish on the future of print publishing that he is moving to Colorado to take over ownership of the famed Tattered Cover independent bookstores!

Snapshot Day Returns to CT Libraries

Snapshot Day is back! On Tuesday, April 16, 2013, libraries all over Connecticut will be taking a ‘snapshot’ – collecting information to capture the impact that Connecticut libraries have in their communities on a typical day. This is the third Snapshot Day, sponsored by the Connecticut Library Association, the Connecticut State Library, and the Connecticut Library Consortium.

In just one day in 2011 during the 2^nd Snapshot Day, here’s what happened at Connecticut libraries, including at our own Ridgefield Library:

• 55,862 people walked through the doors of 90 Connecticut libraries
•  56,573 books, movies and more were borrowed
• 717 new borrowers were registered
•  6,063 reference questions were answered
•  9,422 people used computers
• 478 programs/classes were offered, attended by 8,520 people

Connecticut’s libraries are busier than ever, with people coming not only to check out books, but use computers or attend the many programs our libraries offer. All across the state, libraries are the cornerstones of their communities, places where people come together to visit, learn and share ideas.

On April 16^th we hope once again to capture a slice of life of Connecticut’s libraries. Come to the Ridgefield Library between 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM to be counted - and maybe even get your snapshot taken!

Practical Programs to Improve your Life

What comes to mind when you think of the Ridgefield Library? Somewhere to get great books for leisure reading. A resource for homework assignments. A spot for free magazines, movies and more. Perhaps a place to satisfy a long-held curiosity about history, foreign languages or great books.

But do you think of the Library as a center for useful instruction in the practicalities of modern life? In the month of January alone, the Library is offering a number of programs designed to help you cope in a busy and ever-changing professional, family and personal environment. Please check our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org for more details on these and upcoming programs.

Start on Saturday, January 10 from 9 AM to noon, when the Ridgefield Action Committee on the Environment (RACE) and Boy Scout Troop 432 team up with the Library to help you “Cut the Catalogs and your Carbon Footprint” by removing your name from all those pesky mailing lists.

On Thursday the 15^th at 8 AM, join Fred Rhines, president of On Track Staffing, for a seminar titled “Recharging your Job Search Plan for 2009,” co-sponsored by the Library and the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Rhines’s timely presentation will be informative and also allow you to assess the steps you are taking as you look for a new career opportunity. Library staff will demonstrate the many resources available to aid you in this process. Registration is required for this session by contacting the Chamber at (203) 438-5992 or jkouroupas@ridgefieldchamber.org.

Also on the 15^th, at 7 PM, a panel of experts from the National Association of Professional Organizers will share tips on how to get and stay organized. Who wouldn’t benefit from some help in this area?!

Future programs being considered include estate planning and life transitions like adoption and retirement; other suggestions are welcome!

Holiday Time @ the Library

Things are hopping at the Ridgefield Library, but we’re taking a little break for the holidays. The Library will be closed on Wednesday the 24th, Thursday the 25th and Thursday, January 1st. We will also close early at 3:00 PM on New Year’s Eve. Do join us during our regular hours on Friday the 26th (10 AM to 6 PM), Saturday the 27th (9 AM to 5 PM) and Sunday the 28th (1 PM to 5 PM) and again starting January 2nd. There will be few activities on tap over the holiday period, but we welcome visitors to Monday and Saturday drop-in storytimes and Friday Flicks. There will also be a special winter program for ages 4 and up on Monday the 29th at 2 PM, featuring a marionette performance of “The Snow Maiden.”

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the many visitors who have made the Ridgefield Library such a special and busy place throughout 2008. It hardly seems possible that it has been a whole year since we began the town’s 300th anniversary observance and the Library’s celebration of Ridgefield readers and writers. Although the official commemoration is over, you can still visit the Ridgefield Authors Blog on our website, attend one of our ongoing writing workshops and AuthorTalks or participate in our many book discussion groups. Ever-improving technologies may facilitate searching for a book in our catalog, researching an author in an online database or even checking out your selections at our self-check counter. But libraries such as ours continue at the core to be places where people come together to celebrate the written word. As we look to 2009, the Ridgefield Library’s mission remains as relevant and vital as ever: to be an intellectual and cultural center for Ridgefield, offering a supportive, welcoming environment that encourages all to read...to discover...to question...to exchange ideas...to grow.