Ridgefield Writes Spotlights O'Neill

Along with the rest of the town’s 300^th anniversary activities, our Ridgefield Writes yearlong celebration of Ridgefield authors will wrap up this month with one last special series of programs, applying the successful formula we have used previously for explorations of “Don Quixote” and Shakespeare’s tragedies. A Ridgefield property owner starting in 1922, Eugene O’Neill wrote many of his most celebrated plays while living in town. We will focus on “Desire Under the Elms,” which has the further local significance of having its setting inspired by the playwright’s Brook Farm on North Salem Road.

We will start out on Saturday, September 13^th at 10 AM with a screening of the 1958 film version of the play, followed by a discussion led by film buff Lou Sabini.

Knowledgeable and entertaining on a wide range of literary topics, Yale Professor Dr. Mark Schenker returns on Thursday the 18^th at 7 PM with a lecture on “Eugene O’Neill: The Man and his Works.”

On Saturday the 20^th at 10 AM, we will air a documentary on Eugene O’Neill produced for PBS’s American Masters series.

Monday, September 22^nd at 2 PM and at 7 PM, readers will have a chance to weigh in during scholarly book discussions led by Adult Services Librarian Dorothy Pawlowski. Registration is required only for the book discussions, and those who sign up will receive a free copy of the text.

We will wind up our journey with a dramatic presentation by Stephen Collins on October 23^rd at 7 PM. A frequent performer at the Library, Mr. Collins will treat audiences to scenes from the “Theater of the 30s, 40s and 50s,” including excerpts from plays by Thornton Wilder, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller and, of course, Eugene O’Neill.

Ridgefield Writes has been made possible by a grant from the Wadsworth Russell Lewis Fund.

September Brings Schedules Changes and More

Can you feel the nip in the air? To cap off the summer season, the Library will be closed on Monday, September 1^st in observance of Labor Day. We will be here 9 AM to 5 PM on Saturday the 30^th, so plan ahead to stock up on DVDs for the kids, cookbooks with new grilling recipes for the family picnic and one last good summer read for the holiday.

Registration for fall storytimes and after school activities starts when we return on Tuesday the 2^nd and continues through the 8^th. Programs begin the week of September 23^rd. Visit Children’s Services for a complete calendar and to sign up.

When the seasons change, it’s time to return to fall hours at the Ridgefield Library. Starting September 7^th, the Library will be open Sunday afternoons from 1:00 to 5:00 PM for the convenience of students, commuters and anyone who has a hard time getting here during the busy week.

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month – a great time to make sure every member of your family is ready to take advantage of all we offer. To encourage our youngest visitors to get their first library cards, we are hosting a family fun day called Fall for your Library on Sunday, September 7^th from noon to 3 PM. Geared especially for children aged 4 to 6 and their families, this special event will give youngsters a chance to sign up for a library card with a new design just for kids. Each child getting a card will also have their picture taken, to take home in a commemorative frame. There will be face painting, balloon art, a cozy reading corner, free popcorn, crafts, a raffle and more – all under a tent on the Library’s front lawn. All are welcome!

Adult Summer Reading a Success

One more set of numbers on this summer’s activity at the Ridgefield Library. Now in its 4^th season, our Summer Reading Program for adults really gained momentum this year, with 163 people reading and reviewing 652 books. This is a 31% increase in participants and a 56% increase in books read over last year.

One of the reasons for the increased participation surely was the magnificent prize baskets raffled off each week. Many thanks to the following for their generous donations to fill these baskets, all designed to help you “Read Around Ridgefield”: 50 Coins Restaurant, Adam Broderick, the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Bernard’s Restaurant, Bissell’s Pharmacy, Caputo’s East Ridge Café, Deborah Ann’s Sweet Shoppe, Early Bird Café, the Elms Restaurant, Home Stop, Keeler Tavern, Planet Pizza, Ridgefield Hardware, Ridgefield Magazine, Ridgefield Parks & Recreation, Ridgefield Ski & Sport, Steve’s Bagels, Stop & Shop, Sweet Pierre’s, Southwest Café, Trader Joe’s and Wild Ginger Restaurant.

Another incentive for participants this year was the chance to earn funds to support our new Homebound Delivery Service. For each book or audiobook completed, money was allocated for the purchase of materials for this new outreach program for those unable to visit the Library due to health problems or disabilities. This service is currently in its formative stages and will be available to the general public early this fall. Stay tuned for details of how you can take advantage of the program or volunteer to help implement it.

As always, prizes, programs and everything else related to Summer Reading would not be possible without the generous support of the Friends of the Ridgefield Library.

Finally, for those households without a young reader who earned a Summer Reading poster, remaining posters, signed by artist Jamison Odone, are now available for $10.00 each at the Circulation Desk.

Summer Reading Wrap-up

Summer Reading at the Ridgefield Library is all about words, and encouraging a lifelong love of books and reading. But it is also about numbers, and here are a few impressive ones from this summer’s program.

1,041 children going into grades K-5 and 177 teens in grades 6-12 participated. That translates to one of every four students of all ages in the Ridgefield school system.

Younger readers logged 30,564 books, and teens reviewed 5,401, for a grand total of 35,965 books - an increase of more than 10% over last year. Without one universally popular title like a new Harry Potter, selections ranged from cherished classics like “The Cat in the Hat” to the teen vampire romances of Stephenie Meyer. That’s an average of 29.5 books per child in just six weeks!

• 817 youngsters read at least 10 books and received one of our special posters designed by Jamison Odone.
• 641 logged at least 20 books and earned an ice cream certificate from Deborah Anne’s Sweet Shoppe.
• 494 reached the 30 book level and got their picture taken with our tiger mascot.
• 398 recorded at least 40 books and took home their own miniature tiger – complete with top hat.
• 295 read more than 50 books and were rewarded with a gift certificate from The Toy Chest.

Teenagers earned 143 pieces of pizza from Piccolo Pizza (10 books), 99 ice cream certificates from Deborah Anne’s (20 books) and 66 pairs of movie tickets from the Ridgefield Playhouse (30 books).

Thanks to all the merchants who supplied prizes, to the Friends of the Library for their ongoing generous support of Summer Reading, and to the National Charity League and other volunteers who assisted with 3,580 visits to the Reading Desk. That’s a lot of “Reading around Ridgefield!”

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.

New Self-Checkout Provides Express Service

Serve yourself! That’s the message of the new self-service Express Checkout station at the Ridgefield Library. Just walk up to the special computer touchscreen at the Circulation Desk, scan your library card, and you are on your way. A simple-to-follow set of onscreen instructions is supplemented by audio cues to help you check out your selections quickly and easily. Any type of item may be borrowed at the Express Checkout, including DVDs and audiobooks. When done, touch “Finish” and you’ll get a printed receipt detailing the due dates of the items you have just checked out. Self-checkout is simple to use, even for people with minimal computer experience. Give it a try today – library staff is right at hand to answer any questions.

Here are a few tips for using Express Checkout:

1. You must have your physical library card with you to use the system, which operates solely by scanning (no keyboard entry or name look-up).
2. Your card must be up-to-date, and your account must be free of blocks caused by fines or lost item charges in excess of $5.00. You will need to seek the assistance of staff to clear up any irregularities before using Express Checkout.
3. Waiting list books, Inter-Library Loans and other special items must be collected at the regular circulation counter.

Express Checkout is designed to expedite routine transactions, and there may be times when the system directs you to a staff person to take care of business such as fines or lost items. Of course, you can opt at any time for traditional service from our circulation staff, who are always happy to help you.

Summer Reading - It's Not Just for Kids

Adult Services Librarian Dorothy Pawlowski contributed the following update:

Children and teens aren’t the only ones enjoying summer reading at the Ridgefield Library. Thanks to the support of the Friends of the Ridgefield Library, this year marks our fourth annual Adult Summer Reading Program, which runs through Saturday, August 2^nd. In celebration of our town’s 300^th anniversary, this year’s theme is Adults Read Around Ridgefield.

Summer Reading is a way for adults to share favorite books and have some fun. To participate, just fill out an entry form with a review for each book read or audiobook listened to, and you’ll be entered for our weekly raffle prizes. Entry forms are available at the library or online, and you can even submit entries electronically. The reviews from Adult Summer Readers are available to all as a great resource for reading recommendations. This year, 22 businesses have made generous contributions that Reference Librarian Lesley-Anne Read has assembled into gorgeous gift baskets for our weekly prize drawings.

Don’t miss the remaining programs of our Adult Summer Reading Program. On Monday, July 28^th at 10:30 AM, we’ll be hosting the latest of our monthly Books & Breakfast Book Chats. This informal gathering affords the opportunity for our staff member to share some of their favorite titles, and for participants to share books they’ve enjoyed. Library Director Chris Nolan, Teen Services Librarian Geri Diorio, and Circulation Supervisor Trevor Gladwin will be our staff presenters, and beverages and snacks will be provided. The second of our popular Brown Bag Mystery Lunches led by mystery writer Dr. Joanne Dobson will take place on Wednesday, July 30^th at noon. Mysteries set in New England small towns will be the focus of this discussion. Finally, music fans mark your calendars for Thursday, July 31^st at 7 PM as the folk duo Castlebay presents a program of Songs of Old New England.