New Microfilm Scanner Now Available

Good news for historians and genealogists! The Ridgefield Library has acquired a new ST ViewScan III microfilm scanner to provide improved access to the Ridgefield Press from 1875 to 2003 as well as other microform content needed for research and genealogy. The high-resolution camera allows users to see details more clearly and to digitally zoom in and out. Microfilm content will be scanned into a digital format of your choice such as PDF, JPEG, TIFF or PNG.  You can crop an article, section, or entire page and then enhance and adjust the content further for the best possible quality. 

The resulting files can be emailed quickly and easily or printed in the Library, saved to a USB flash drive, or distributed to Google Drive, Dropbox, or FamilySearch.  

Thanks to the Rotary Club of Ridgefield for a challenge grant to get us started on raising the full purchase price of this much-needed upgrade. Additional donations of any amount are now being accepted and can be made through the Library Wish List on our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

To learn more about this wonderful new resource, join us on Saturday, April 8 at 10:00 AM or 3:00 PM for a demonstration or contact the Adult Services Desk for an individual appointment.

Ridgefield Library for: Questions and Answers

Close observers may have noticed that the Library has gone trivia crazy in the past few months. We have done Downton Abbey trivia, wild game trivia, literary trivia and Academy Award trivia.  We have challenged teams of young people at our popular Teen Trivia afternoons and older contestants at the Library’s celebrity bartender night at Gallo Ristorante. For the Run Like a Mother 5K Race, we offered questions for both kids and their parents on the topics of famous mothers, running and other sports, and health.  What is behind this obsession with trivia at the Library?

We think it is a natural fit.  After all, questions and answers are the stock in trade of reference librarians. As a matter of fact, many of the questions we have incorporated into our quizzes come straight from the inquiries made by patrons at the Library’s service desks (for example, triskaidekaphobia is the answer to a frequent question on certain Fridays).

Look for history and children’s book trivia at the Keeler Tavern Museum Family Day on June 13th and 1970s and superhero trivia at Summerfest in July.  And you can challenge our librarians any time by dropping in to the Library with your questions!

Genealogy Research Using Ancestry Library Edition

Ever wonder about your family tree? Are you the family historian trying to sort through great aunts and uncles, cousins, neighborhoods, and World War II service tales?

Ancestry Library Edition delivers billions of records in census data, vital records, directories, photos, etc. It includes records from North America, United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia, with more countries added on a regular basis. With the addition of the 1940 census records, World War II draft registration cards, naturalization records, passports, and passenger lists you don’t need a huge amount of information to begin a fascinating journey tracing your family’s roots.  Ancestry is the world’s largest genealogy research tool and it is available on the public computers in the Ridgefield Library.

We are offering two programs this month on using Ancestry: one for students in grades 8-12 on Wednesday, March 18 from 3:30-5:00 PM led by Gayle Pulley, Head of Children’s Services, and the other for adults on Thursday, March 24 from 1:00-2:30 PM led by Adult Services Librarian Mary Lee. Both groups will meet in the Library’s Donofrio Technology Center. Please register on our website’s Events Calendar. Get started researching your family history!

Contributed by Adult Services Librarian Mary Lee

LearningExpress Library

LearningExpress Library is an online resource providing comprehensive test preparation, academic skills improvement resources, and career and occupational information for students in grade 4 through adult learners. It offers practice tests, exercises, skill-building courses, eBooks, and information you need to achieve the results you want at school, at work, or in life.

·         Boost academic skills in core subjects such as math, reading, writing, vocabulary and social studies and more.

·         High school students have access to practice tests for PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, ACT, and AP exams. Tests are timed and scored with correct answers provided. Tutorials are recommended based on your score. Other exams include CLEP, ACCUPLACER, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT and PCAT.

·         Learn about careers and prepare for occupational exams such as the PSI Real Estate Salesperson exam, the Praxis and ParaPro Assessments for teaching, EMT, Firefighter and ASVAB exams. Also included are exams for air traffic controller, civil service, commercial driver’s license, cosmetology, culinary arts, dental assisting, Homeland Security, law enforcement, nursing, pharmacy technician, physician assistant, plumber, veterinary technician, and more.

Start at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org then click on Research & Reference, then Databases A-Z. Log in with your Ridgefield Library card. For more information, please contact Adult Services.

Contributed by Adult Services Librarian Christie Mitchell

New Health Insurance Options: Your Library Can Help You Find Answers

One of our jobs as reference librarians is to stay abreast of changes to government programs that affect our patrons.  On October 1^st we saw the launch of the new state health insurance marketplace website, AccessHealthCT.com, part of the  Affordable Care Act (ACA).  In January 2014, more changes are scheduled to go into effect. New consumer protections; expanded health plan options for individuals, families and small employers; and discounts to help qualified consumers afford coverage will become available.

The Ridgefield Library can make understanding the ACA and the enrollment process, which began October 1 and ends March 31, 2014, easier by providing extended computer times and links to a variety of resources and information on our webpage (www.ridgefieldlibrary.org), Research & Reference, Health & Fitness page.   

On Monday, November 4 at 7:00 PM Randi Redmond Oster, a leading speaker on Health Care Reform, will present a program called Health Care Reform: What You Need to Know Now.  She will address questions like:  Who qualifies for health insurance premium subsidies? What are the penalties for not purchasing insurance? Does my business have to offer me insurance? What happens if I am already covered? Will my Medicare deduction change? Please register as space is limited.

Contributed by Victoria Carlquist, Head of Reference Services

Gateway to Health Information

Finding reliable, up-to-date health information can be daunting .  Two of the Library’s online databases,  Health Source: Consumer Edition  and Health & Wellness Resource Center, provide authoritative, comprehensive medical and consumer health information that you can trust from a wide range of magazines, academic journals, and reference books.  

Coverage includes diseases and conditions, alternative medicine, drugs and herbal remedies, diet and healthy living as well as links to recommended websites, such as the National Library of Medicine’s Medline Plus and the American Diabetes Association.   Additional features include a medical dictionary, and directories of contact information for various service agencies, offices, companies, people and health products. 

Access Health Source: Consumer Edition and Health & Wellness Resource Center from the Library’s homepage at http://www.ridgefieldlibrary.org  by clicking the “Research & Reference” tab and then selecting “Health & Fitness.”  

In addition to online resources,  the Library offers books on a variety of health and medical topics and subscribes to two monthly newsletters, Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter and Consumer Reports onHealth, which can be found in the magazine display area.

To learn more about the Library’s consumer health resources , speak with a reference librarian at x1015 or x1016 or visit the reference desk.

Contributed by Reference Librarian Carole Clark

Home Improvement Reference Center Can Help with Fall Fix-Up

Ah, fall – the season of bright blue skies, cool crisp afternoons, New England’s famously beautiful foliage, and the sudden realization that the holidays are just around the corner!  To be ready for holiday visits, you may need some “Fall Fix-up” at your house, and the Ridgefield Library can help.

On our website (www.ridgefieldlibrary.org) ,  go to the Home & Garden page from the  Research & Reference drop-down list.  There you will find the Home Improvement Reference Center listed in the database section at the top (library card needed to log on).  Home Improvement Reference Center is the definitive online tool for home improvement assistance including: maintenance, remodeling, electrical work, plumbing, wood projects, outdoor improvements, decorating home and garden, etc.  Step by step illustrated instructions and/or video tutorials are included.  This comprehensive resource contains 24 major reference works in full text with more than 10,000 images. Additionally, the database contains full-text magazine articles. 

Other Library resources include books and DVDs covering many areas of home improvement.  So whether you need to redecorate the guest room,  improve the bathroom or build a wine rack, take a look at Home Improvement Reference Center or the resources on our shelves and do it yourself with help from the experts.

Submitted by Victoria Carlquist, Head of Reference Services

Text and Twitter to Connect with the Library

On the go all day long, connected with family and colleagues via iPhone, BlackBerry or other phone or mobile device?  Then you will want to take advantage of the new ways texting, tweeting and more can help you stay in touch with the Ridgefield Library as well.

Follow us on Twitter and get the latest news on weather cancellations, upcoming events and more, wherever you are. With the crazy weather we have been having, this is a great way to find out fast whether library service has been disrupted by ice, snow, wind, power outage or other force of nature!

Text a Librarian with your reference questions.  Need to find out whether we have a certain book or get the facts for a homework assignment? Just text “askrdg” followed by a space and then your question to 66746, and a librarian will answer promptly during our open hours. 

Why wait till you get home to find out you should have stopped at the Library? You can get on-the-go alerts about overdues, items coming due and requests ready to pick up - all via Library Elf text messages on most cellphone networks. 

Learn more about all these tools at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

Text a Librarian

Now you can Text a Librarian! This is the newest way the Ridgefield Library invites you to send us your reference questions. Wherever you are, you can use your cell phone to ask all the same questions you might by phone, email or in person. Send your text to 66746. Start the body of your message with ASKRDG, then a space, followed by your question. Press send, and stay tuned for our answer!

During the Library’s open hours, our librarians will be monitoring and responding promptly to incoming text messages. At other times, you can send a message but it will not be answered until our librarians are next on duty.

Teens are known for relying on texting for virtually all communications, and we look forward to hearing from them. But we urge anyone on the go with a cell phone handy to give it a try.

The first time you use the service, you will receive a message with an advertising pitch from Mosio, the company that provides this service to libraries. After that, you should only receive responses from our staff. Please note that Text a Librarian messages will incur whatever charges are customary under your phone plan.

Hunting for Hidden Treasures at the Ridgefield Library

Have you ever sought in vain at the Ridgefield Library for something you just knew had to be here somewhere? Here is a selective key to help with your next treasure hunt.

• Young adult literature: we have a dedicated collection for teens but no separate room for them, so these books fill two walls along the perimeter of Children’s Services.

• Language learning materials: books, videos, audio programs and even CD-ROMs are all housed together – in the Reference Room on the first floor.

• Reference books: most of these are now actually shelved alongside circulating materials on the same topic, in both adult and children’s non-fiction stacks. Exceptions are large encyclopedia sets and some special collections devoted to specific topics, such as business (these remain in the Reference Room).

• Large print books: we have an extensive collection of new fiction, old favorites and even non-fiction and biography in large print – all together in the Fiction Room on the second floor.

• Music CDs: Material targeted at young children is in Children’s Services. Recordings of more general interest, from classical to pop, are in the Fiction Room.

Of course, you can always ask any of the staff for assistance – we love to share our treasures!

2007-2008 A Busy Year @ the Library

Did you hear the report on All Things Considered recently about library use rising in response to the downturn in the economy? Well, it is not just in rural Kentucky that people are turning to their public libraries for books to read, kids’ activities, Internet access, newspapers and magazines and more, all free and all close to home. The 2007-2008 fiscal year, which ended June 30^th, saw record levels of usage at the Ridgefield Library as well.

The number of visitors to the Library rose by 6,711 over the previous year, to 398,934 visits (an average of 1,170 per day). Checkouts reached an all-time high of 408,557, up 2.8% in the last 12 months. That amounts to an average of 16.9 items borrowed by every man, woman and child in town. Library staff fielded over 17,000 reference questions, and we logged an average of 81 sessions at our Public Access Computers each day. Visits to our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org went up by nearly 10,000 hits (a 16.4% increase), to 68,478, as Ridgefielders increasingly turned to our virtual library for more reliable answers than they could find on their own with a search engine. Subscriptions to our downloadable audiobook service were up by 6.1% and use of our wireless access rose 4.7%.

Attendance at programs reached over 19,000, due in no small part to the many wonderful Ridgefield Writes events presented in honor of the town’s tercentennial. The total number of programs presented came to 875, or an average of 17 storytimes, book discussions, concerts, author talks and more each and every week. To find out about those programs, over 2,000 families were subscribed to our e-mail newsletter and 22,193 visits were made to our online events calendar.

Whatever your motivation to come to the Library, we were pleased to welcome you during the past year and look forward to seeing you again soon.

Down to Earth Practical Tips with a Fancy Name

What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase “electronic databases?” This is the unfortunately obscure term that the library world has adopted to describe a multitude of information resources that are available in a computerized format. Many people are familiar with the online versions of encyclopedias like World Book. Students and researchers know about the newest generation of periodical indexes that feature full-text articles and have replaced the old multi-volume print reference sets. Genealogy research and investment analysis services are used by an increasing number of people.

But I bet very few would associate the words “electronic database” with practical advice on topics such as planning a remodeling project, caring for an aging lawn mower or replacing the fan belt in your car. Take a look at the “Research” section on the Library’s website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org, and you’ll find the Home Improvement, Small Engine Repair and Automobile Repair Reference Centers from EBSCO, a premiere publisher of reference information of all types.

The reference centers include technical service bulletins, recall notices and parts specifications on all kinds of vehicles and gadgets; video clips that demonstrate repair techniques; how-to articles and lay-out diagrams for common do-it-yourself tasks; tips from the pros; and much more. Have a plumbing emergency after working hours? With a wireless Internet connection and a laptop, you can even log on and have all this valuable information at your finger tips, any time of day or night – right where the problem is.

So, whether you want to remodel your home to be more environmentally conscious or just need a part number for a used car acquired without an owner’s manual, give the EBSCO Reference Centers a try – all brought to you by the Ridgefield Library.

Migrating Collections

Here's a report from the stacks courtesy of Reference Services head Victoria Carlquist.

If you’ve been in the nonfiction or reference stacks at the Ridgefield Library lately, you’ve undoubtedly wondered what in the world had happened to the reasonable organization of the books on the shelves. And then there’s all that yellow caution tape.

This is what’s going on. We are in the process of reorganizing our collection, and unfortunately this means a bit of chaos until the switching around is complete.

For years we have shelved the reference books (those which do not circulate) in the room behind the Reference desk and the nonfiction circulating collection in the main room of the Library. When looking for nonfiction books, most people tend to peruse only the shelves in the Library’s main room, thereby missing reference materials on the same subjects. Combining the two collections in the main room will make finding more information easier. The reference books are clearly marked on the spines, which we hope will limit confusion.

In order to provide space for the interfiled collections, we needed to move something to the shelves in the reference room, and the biography collection got the nod. So look for Teddy Roosevelt, Anne Boleyn and other favorite historical figures in their new home.

For those of you who are used to finding the business/financial materials in the reference room, they will continue to be there. Multi-volume sets of biographical, art, music, and science encyclopedias will also be found there, as well as the language learning materials.

So please excuse our temporary migratory movement. Hopefully it will not take long for everything to settle into normalcy again. By the way, we interfiled reference and circulating material in Children’s Services some months ago, and this system seems to work well for information-gathering Ridgefielders of all ages!

Referring to Reference

What’s in a name? Librarians strive for precision when they assign subject headings to books or enter search terms in a browser. But sometimes it is difficult to find the right term to convey the full meaning of a concept. One that has prompted much philosophical debate in the profession is the term “reference.” For many years, the librarian who served as gatekeeper to those huge multi-volume encyclopedias and card files of Frequently Asked Questions was known universally as a reference librarian. Over the past 20 years, with the advent of computers, many institutions adopted the label “information” librarian instead (including the Ridgefield Library). This was intended to convey that the profession and its practitioners were up-to-date and technology savvy and that the duties of these individuals had expanded well beyond the traditional scope. But as many writers have pointed out, “information” is only a step on the path that leads through knowledge to understanding and ultimately to wisdom. So, here at the Ridgefield Library, we are returning to the time-honored tradition of calling our staff reference librarians and their workplace the reference desk.

What does a reference librarian do? She is not here simply to supply answers but rather to REFER inquirers to the best source of information which can lead them down that path to wisdom. She knows which sources are most authoritative on particular topics. She can evaluate the reliability of raw data found on the Web. She demonstrates how to use the library catalog to discover and follow whole lists of “references” to a title, author or subject. She can introduce the many electronic databases and other resources that have replaced the familiar “reference books.” So visit, call or e-mail the Library soon, and ask to speak to a reference librarian. You’ll be wiser for the effort!

The Role of Libraries in the Technological Age

I recently attended a presentation by Irving Wladawsky-Berger, Chairman Emeritus of the IBM Academy of Technology and Visiting Professor of Engineering Systems at MIT. Throughout his long and distinguished career, he has focused on how information technology is helping transform the institutions of society. At this session, Mr. Wladawsky-Berger shared his reflections on the roles of libraries in this era of rapid and far-reaching technological change.

In his view, libraries have always helped people to organize and make sense of huge amounts of information, and technology has simply given us new tools to do so. As a matter of fact, Google and its ilk have only made it more important that people have libraries and librarians to turn to for assistance in sorting through the huge overload of possibilities available in cyberspace. Our job has been and continues to be to help our patrons spend their time effectively and satisfactorily.

Librarians remain trusted authorities, able to assess the reliability of the many data sources now available. Instead of surfing the web indiscriminately, save time and be more productive by trying one of the subscription databases the Library offers or a topical website tested and recommended by our staff.

Librarians know the tastes and interests of their communities and, through a thoughtful acquisitions process enhanced by the use of technology, select and share the very best of the many thousands of new books published every year.

Librarians guide individual readers through the mass of choices, using displays, booklists, personal interaction and online resources such as Novelist and BookLetters to match each reader to those books most likely to please him or her.

Other library technologies make it possible to place holds and renew items online, access the catalog and databases 24/7 and perform many other tasks quickly and efficiently – leaving you more time to read that special book your librarian found just for you!

Parents Back to School Tour

Do you remember doing homework back when you were in grade school? If you have a school-aged youngster, you know that the landscape has changed considerably. What you may not know is all the ways the Ridgefield Library can help your child succeed in school. Parents of students in grades 3 through 8 are invited to come to the Library on Monday, October 22nd from 2:00 to 2:30 PM for a “Parents Back to School” tour.

· Remember the endless shelves of reference books like the Reader’s Guide to Periodicals, which required painstaking searching of the index in every volume to uncover information on a topic? At the Ridgefield Library, most of these have been replaced by electronic databases that search multiple indexes at once, search on keywords as well as esoteric approved subject headings and even offer full text of most articles.

· You probably relied on pen and lined paper, supplemented occasionally by poster board covered with photos cut out of old National Geographic magazines. Now kids are expected to submit their assignments neatly word processed or even organized into a PowerPoint presentation – easy to accomplish at the Library, where many available computers are equipped with Microsoft Office software and access to the Internet for pictures of that elusive mammal or celebrated author.

· In the old days, you could only get help from a reference librarian by going into your library during limited hours. Today, your children can get assistance from trained professionals on the phone, via e-mail and by logging onto InfoAnytime, a 24/7 virtual reference service – and, of course, they can spend time in person with our helpful staff 58 hours a week, including Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons.

Contact Children’s Services at 438-2282 x2002 or at rdgchild@biblio.org to sign up for this informative session - we promise to have you out in time to meet the bus!

Hello, Columbus

Library Lines come to you this week from Columbus, OH, where I have had the opportunity to visit the main branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML), one of the most-used library systems in the country. Here are a few interesting things I observed.

<>CML uses a self-serve circulation model for almost all transactions, allowing patrons to check out their own items and even pick up reserves, without waiting for staff assistance. The traditional circulation desk is lined with self-check stations facing the public, but there is plenty of staff right at hand, where they are working on other tasks when not needed to help resolve issues of overdue or lost books or new card registrations.

<>“All adults must be accompanied by a child” reads the sign at the entrance to a special area in the children’s library outfitted with colorful, small-scale furnishings, toys, “games computers,” and picture books for the pre-school set and their parents. <>

The adult non-fiction collection does not run in straight sequential order by Dewey Decimal number. Instead, it is broken up into thematic groupings, such as “Fine Arts and Humanities” and “Genealogy, History and Travel.” In the fiction stacks, the alphabetical sequence is indicated by signs featuring pictures and quotations from authors whose last name situates their books in that row. <>

Self-contained computer “pods” on wheels allow reference librarians to move to high traffic areas as needed, concentrating service in the teen area after school or in the large print section when the senior van arrives. <>

A large lobby features not only a gift and used book store run by the Friends but also a coffee stand and even an ATM. <>

Not everything I saw at Columbus would be appropriate or desirable at the Ridgefield Library, and thankfully we have no need of the “No Weapons” signs displayed at their entrance. But I did gather some interesting food for thought.

Back to School

It’s back to school time in Ridgefield! Is your family ready to take advantage of everything the Library offers to help you meet your educational goals this year?

Library cards are now needed to use the Library’s computers as well as check out books, so make sure every student in your household has one handy and up-to-date. To make this easier, we are offering streamlined registration procedures and free replacement cards during National Library Card Sign-Up Month in September. Every person who signs up for a new card or renews an expired card during the month will be entered in a drawing for a Ridgefield Library book bag full of goodies. Parent signature is required for applicants under 17, so pick up a form today and get your young scholar off to a good start.

Bookmark the Library’s website (www.ridgefieldlibrary.org) on your home computers. Of particular interest to students will be our list of remotely accessible research databases arranged by topic and InfoAnytime, a 24/7 virtual reference service.

Reference works are now interfiled with regular non-fiction books in Children’s Services, so all the materials on a subject are easy to peruse in one spot.

Large print and audio versions of many contemporary and classic novels can be of assistance to reluctant or transitional readers. This includes nearly 2,000 titles downloadable for playing on a PC or mp3 player (sorry, not compatible with Apple or iPod).

Come to one of our Parents Back to School tours, on Saturday, October 6th from 10 to 10:30 AM or Monday, October 22nd from 2 to 2:30 PM. Children’s and Teen Services staff will give you a personal introduction to these and many other resources that may come in handy when those tricky homework assignments start to appear. Call 438-2282 x1024 or e-mail rdgchild@biblio.org to sign up.

In late June, the General Assembly finally passed and the governor signed a state budget for the coming year. Why should Ridgefield Library users care?

Several key services offered by the Connecticut State Library and related agencies received level or increased funding, ensuring access by Ridgefielders and all state residents to some very useful resources without having to pay for them on a local basis.

Connecticard is the core reciprocal borrowing and Inter-Library Loan delivery service that makes it possible for a Ridgefield library card holder to access free-of-charge materials from virtually every other public library on the state –and have them brought directly to your local library’s door for your convenient pick-up. Support for Connecticard was increased substantially for a second year, helping to better align funding with actual operating costs.

Funding for iCONN, the Connecticut Digital Library, was increased to cover ongoing operation and subscriptions to its dozens of online databases and other resources, all available to every Connecticut library card holder. Among other things, the increase will allow iCONN to continue access to the Hartford Courant Historical archive database, a project that was implemented this past year with contributions from many individual libraries, including the Ridgefield Library.

Have you tried InfoAnytime, the 24/7 virtual reference service that was initiated last year by a group of several dozen libraries (including Ridgefield)? If you have benefited from this superlative source of information and research assistance, you will be pleased to know that the General Assembly added a new budget line specifically for this service and funded it in the amount of $150,000. If you haven’t tried it yet, visit our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org and see what creative public/private collaboration can make possible.

If you value any of these services, be sure to tell Governor Rell, State Senator Judith Freedman and State Representative John Frey how much you appreciate their support of Connecticut libraries – including your own.