Celebrate Teen Read Week

The Ridgefield Library is celebrating Teen Read Week (October 17 to the 23). Teen Read Week is an initiative of the American Library Association. Thousands of libraries, schools and bookstores across the country will celebrate this year’s theme, Books with Beat, which encourages teens to read a variety of materials, including poetry, audiobooks, books about music, mysteries, romance and more.

Teens have more activities to fill their free time than ever — web videos, social networking sites, video games, afterschool activities, athletics —and increasingly high expectations in the classroom. It is important that they are reminded that reading is something that is fun and relaxing that they can do for free. Also, that reading for fun can translate into better performance at school.

Although some people think of library patrons as either little children or fully grown adults, the Ridgefield Library has many teenage patrons. These folks borrow books, movies and music, and take part in Library programs such as YA and High School Critics, the Teen Advisory Group, and Scrabble.  We invite all Ridgefield middle school and high school students to stop by the Library during Teen Read Week (and afterwards) to see all that Ridgefield Library can offer them.

Find out more about Teen Services at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

Things to Know about your Library Card

Things to know about your Library Card. It:
• allows us to access your account at least 14 times faster by scanning than by looking you up (and thereby helps keep any line at Circulation moving along – even more so if you have it ready to present when you approach the desk);
• has two parts if you have the keychain version, and it is important to keep both parts in your possession – for your security, and also you may need the main card to register at some libraries;
• must be current to use self-checkout, borrow from other Libraries, maintain your LibraryELF subscription, and renew items online (you must re-register with LibraryELF if the card expires);
• can be used at any public Library in Connecticut (but not beyond);
• valid for two years (renewal just takes a minute but must be done in person with the card and ID)
• can be replaced if lost for a $1.00 fee if you present ID;
• comes in a special edition for $5.00 if you would like to show your “Ridgefield Library colors.”

Circulation staff will be glad to answer any questions you have!

Contributed by Trevor Gladwin, Head of Circulation

Friends of Libraries Week October 17-23

The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations is pleased to announce that October 17-23, 2010 is National Friends of Libraries Week. While Friends groups around the country vary widely in their structure and their activities, all are dedicated to one premise: the importance of libraries as the social and intellectual centers of communities.

Here in Ridgefield, we are fortunate to have an extraordinarily hard-working and supportive group of Friends. The Friends of the Ridgefield Library (FORL) has been raising funds and awareness for the Ridgefield Library since 1975, and it is currently the sponsor of some of the Library’s most popular offerings, including Summer Reading, Ridgefield Folk, Fall for the Library and Camp Snooze.

Celebrate National Friends of Libraries week by visiting the FORL giant fall book sale, under the tents in the Library’s lower parking lot, from the 15th through the 18th. Or you can attend one of two Big Read book discussions sponsored by the Friends: on October 20 at 10 AM and the 21st at 7 PM. The Wednesday morning session is reserved exclusively for members of the Friends, but they will be happy to sign you up on the spot!

Find out more about the book sale and the Friends at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

Banned Books Week @ the Library

Do you remember the story of Ferdinand the Bull, who liked to just sit and smell the flowers? What about “Where the Wild Things Are”? These are among the favorites enjoyed last Saturday at our special Banned Books Week Storytime.

Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event organized by the American Library Association and others to celebrate the freedom to read. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted challenges to books across the United States.

Our BBW celebration this year focuses on John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” (the subject of our townwide Big Read), which remains one of the top most challenged books over the decades, for its “vulgar” language and its unfavorable portrayal of organized religion, big business and other powerful institutions. We invite you to ponder this response as you read this American classic this fall.

In case you were wondering: Ferdinand’s peace-loving nature was condemned by the right wing as promoting pacifism during the Spanish Civil War, and Sendak’s classic has drawn ire for being too scary, for portraying unacceptable behavior by a child and for a variety of supposed dark psychological undertones.

The Big Read Is about More than Books

While reading and discussing our chosen title of “The Grapes of Wrath” is at the heart of The Big Read, Ridgefield’s celebration of this initiative is not just about books and reading. We have worked to put together a varied schedule of programs in other disciplines and media that will bring our community together to explore the themes that are key to Steinbeck’s book and the times in which it is set. For example, there are art exhibits at the Library and at The Aldrich and concerts presented by the Library and the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra. One special event is taking place on Thursday, September 30th at 7:30 PM at the Ridgefield Playhouse, when actor/singer/scholar Will Kaufman will present a multi-media presentation entitled “Woody Guthrie: Hard Times and Hard Travellin’”. To encourage attendance at this unusual and inspiring Big Read event, the Playhouse is offering exclusive $10 ticket pricing for anyone who shows their Library card and a “Grapes of Wrath” wine-tasting at 6:30 PM compliments of Mélangé Fine Wines and Spirits. This event is hosted by The Playhouse and The Acoustic Celebration, and a portion of the proceeds will go to The Woody Guthrie Foundation. See you there!

September is Library Card Sign-up Month

September is National Library Card Sign-up Month! Why should you get or renew your Ridgefield Library card?

• You need it for the quickest, most secure and most accurate service at the Circulation Desk.

• You need it to use our handy self-serve check-out stations.

• You need it for check-out whenever our circulation system is offline and we can’t look you up.

• You need it access myriad databases, periodicals and other subscription-based online resources that require user authentication, including those paid for by the Ridgefield Library and those in the Connecticut Digital Library, paid for by the state.

• You need it for the most convenient access to Library Internet computers, including printing.

• You need it for building-wide wireless access.

• You need it to access downloadable audiobooks for playing on your computer or portable audio player.

• You need it to take advantage of resource-sharing privileges at other public libraries around the state of Connecticut.

This month, there’s a bonus. Get a new card or renew an expired one, and you’ll be entered in a drawing for a free personal copy of “The Grapes of Wrath,” Ridgefield’s Big Read selection. Do it today!

Computer System Upgrade September 16-18 Will Cause Some Service Disruptions

Please be aware that we will be experiencing some service disruptions on September 16, 17 and 18 due to an upgrade to our computer systems.  Here is what you can expect.

• A current, unexpired library card will be necessary for all check-outs, and a limit of 4 items per family will be in effect. We will not be able to do name look-ups, renew items, pay off fines, issue new cards or renew expired ones, and self-check will not be working.

• Our catalog (both in the Library and online) will be unavailable.  Ask staff for assistance.

• You will not be able to access “My Account” online to renew or reserve items.

• Reminder, overdue and hold notices from the Library and from ELF will not be sent.

• We will not be able to check anything in, but all items returned those days will be recorded as coming in on the 19th and no fines will accrue for that period.

• Wireless and Internet should be available, as well as most databases in the Library only (no remote access).

Most of the system improvements are technical in nature and won’t be very noticeable to our patrons, but they will enhance our ability to serve you.   Thanks for your patience!