Tax Help Is Here!

The income tax filing season is upon us, and the Ridgefield Library can help!  We now have copies of the most common IRS and Connecticut state forms and instruction booklets available on the Upper Level near the Adult Services Desk.  If you are looking for less common forms or ones for other states, we can help you find and print out what you need.  The Government and Legal Reference page on our website also includes links to many useful resources.

On Thursday mornings through April 13, IRS trained and certified volunteers from the AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide program will be available in the Library’s Dayton Program Room to offer free, individualized help to low and moderate income taxpayers, especially those 60 and older.  Income tax assistance is available by appointment only; call 203-438-4288 for an appointment and a list of all the documents you will need to bring with you.

Don’t forget to make a copy of your completed return for your files – we have copiers on the Upper Level and in the Commons on the Main Level, with the very modest charge of 20 cents per page. And if you experience “sticker shock” once you have finished your return, check out one of our many books that outline tax strategies for the self-employed, those planning for retirement and more!

It's Older Americans Month at the Library

May is Older Americans Month, an annual celebration of the legacies and ongoing contributions of America’s “seniors,” a demographic group that now spans three generations and continues to grow. Of course, not all seniors are alike, and the Library has a range of services to accommodate the spectrum of interests and abilities of Ridgefield’s older residents.

For the active older adult, we have many programs allowing one to pursue lifelong learning (book discussions, films, scholarly series like the current “Enjoying Joyce” program) and to keep up to date in critical area such as retirement and estate planning and health and medical issues (authoritative medical and financial databases and expert reference librarians). Books, magazines, DVDs and online how-to databases help the curious learn new skills or take up new hobbies in retirement. Volunteer opportunities allow one to give back to the community.

For those whose activities may be somewhat curtailed by the effects of aging, we offer large print books and audiobooks in a number of convenient formats. Many popular programs are offered in daytime sessions for those who prefer not to drive after dark. And for those unable to get to the Library themselves, we will bring our riches to you through our Homebound Delivery program.

Storytime via Skype

Libraries often stand at a crossing point in modern life, bringing together old-fashioned traditions and cutting edge technology. Activities as seemingly disparate as storytime and accessing the Internet can come together in unexpectedly creative and meaningful ways. A story from one of our frequent patrons illustrates this in a charming and personal manner.

A Ridgefield resident with a young grandson living far away, our patron regularly comes in and takes out stacks of picture books. She chooses titles she knows her grandson has available to him. Then she goes home and signs on to Skype, the free Internet-based phone application. Using this very 21st century communications tool, she reads the words aloud to the youngster, while he turns the pages of his own copies to view the illustrations. Despite the distance, they are able to share the precious act of parent (or grandparent) and child reading together.

Instead of avoiding technologies that might be intimidating to some older people, our patron has embraced them to help her enjoy one of the most ancient of human interactions – the sharing of stories between generations. We are pleased to play our part in this worthwhile effort!

Plan Ahead for 2009 at the Library

Here are a few tips for planning ahead for 2009 at the Ridgefield Library.

• Registration for winter storytimes and after school programs is taking place in Children’s Services December 2^nd through 8^th. Programs, from Mother Goose to Terrific Twos and beyond, start the week of January 5^th. Stop by for a full calendar.

• Our Critics’ Circle and AM Book Groups will be announcing their selections for the first half of 2009 next week. New members are always welcome, so pick up a list at the Library or check www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

• Are you part of a community book group? The Library is happy to make arrangements to get you multiple copies of your discussion titles, but advance planning is essential. We recommend submitting your requests at least one month before you need copies in hand. Consult with our staff now about your choices for early 2009.

• Do you have health or physical limitations that make it difficult to get to the Library? Now is the time to sign up for our new Homebound Delivery Service before the snow flies and your mobility is even more restricted. Call Dorothy Pawlowski at 438-2282 x1003 to register, and volunteer drivers will deliver books and other materials right to your door.

• 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, and the Ridgefield Library is playing a big part in observing this landmark occasion. We have been chosen as one of only 40 libraries nationwide to host “Visions of the Universe,” an exhibit created by NASA and the American Library Association to commemorate the 400 years of exploring and learning about space since Galileo first turned his telescope on the heavens. Under the guidance of local astronomer Dr. Heidi Hammel, there will be dozens of activities this spring throughout the community. Stay tuned for details!

Homebound Delivery Service Now Available

The Ridgefield Library is pleased to announce the launch of a new outreach service to deliver library materials to Ridgefielders who are unable to come to the Library due to disability or health problems. “Despite record-setting numbers of visitors to our facility, we recognize that there are many people in town who are missing out on the delights of the Ridgefield Library because of physical challenges of one sort or another,” says Library Director Chris Nolan. “Now, thanks to community support, we are able to bring the Library to them.”

Homebound delivery service is available to Ridgefield residents of any age and may be requested due to long-term or short-term disability or health problems that make it impossible for an individual to come to the Library. Library staff conduct an intake interview and explain the program guidelines. They also work with each participant to develop a reader preference profile to assist in selecting materials of interest.

Participants call the Library to request a delivery. Any book, audiobook, DVD, large print book, magazine or other item owned by the Ridgefield Library may be requested (there may be a wait for some popular items). All items are loaned for 28 days and most may be renewed for an additional loan period.

Each participant is matched with a volunteer, based on geographical and schedule compatibility. Deliveries and pick-ups may be made once a week, at an agreed upon time.

The Library’s Homebound Delivery Service is made possible by crucial funding from the Friends of the Ridgefield Library and by the generous donation of time by volunteer drivers from the community. Special thanks are due to Melissa Brady, who is serving as volunteer coordinator for the project.

To sign up to receive homebound delivery service or to volunteer for the service, contact Adult Services Librarian Dorothy Pawlowski at 203-438-2282 x1003 or FictionRoom@RidgefieldLibrary.org.

Seniors, Teens and Wii

Teenagers sometimes seem to be a different species, depicted in the media as lazy, self-centered and interested in music, movies and other pursuits nearly incomprehensible to their elders. Well, at the Ridgefield Library, we think that there is more to admire in both teenagers and their favorite pastimes than meets the eye. A dedicated and talented group of young people make up the Library’s Teen Advisory Group (TAG), which helps to plan and implement programs and services for middle and high schoolers. They have assisted with reorganizing collections, served as a focus group for publishers’ representatives specializing in young adult literature, created book displays to entice other readers and much more. In addition to making the Library a stimulating and welcoming place for their own peer group, TAG members also serve as ambassadors to older and younger Ridgefielders, donning story book character costumes to entertain young children and lending a helping hand to new readers as volunteers with the Library’s Summer Reading Program.

The latest intergenerational endeavor is coming up on Wednesday, July 25^th, when members of TAG will travel to Founders Hall for a 2:30 seminar called “What’s Wii?” Perhaps best known for its Guitar Hero game, Nintendo’s Wii is one of the hottest youth crazes today. But video games are not just for kids! “Wii video game system becomes new tool for hospital rehab unit,” trumpets one recent headline, and numerous studies show that older adults can gain important physical and psychological benefits from the Wii. This electronic game system has people of all ages bowling, playing golf and tennis and swinging a hula hoop - all in their living rooms.

If you are a member of Founders Hall, do join us to learn about the Wii phenomenon. You’ll not only hear about it, you’ll have a chance to play – and to meet some of the Library’s exemplary young adults.