Labor Day Weekend Closings and Service Disruptions

The Ridgefield Library will be closed on Sunday, September 6th and Monday the 7th in observance of Labor Day. We will be open on Saturday, September 5th but will be experiencing significant service reductions due to system maintenance being done by the network which supplies our technology infrastructure.

Here’s what you can expect starting Friday evening and continuing through Tuesday morning:

You must have your library card with you for check-out; we will not be able to do look-ups.
Borrowing will be limited to 4 items per family.
NO self-serve check-out.
NO renewals or reserves.
NO issuing or renewal of library cards or payment of fines.
NO access to the “My Account” feature in the catalog.
NO access, in the Library or remotely, to the library catalog.
NO access on Library computers to online databases.
NO access in the Library to Internet service, except via wireless (bring your own laptop!).
NO library e-mail access so staff will not be able to respond to messages.
NO reminder or overdue notices sent by the Library or by ELF.

Please do not hesitate to ask staff for assistance, and thanks for your patience.

Karin Fallon One of Four New Library Board Members

The Ridgefield Library is pleased to announce that several new members have joined its Board of Directors. This week we introduce Karin Fallon. Karin is shown at right with Bill Wyman, one of the other new directors who will be profiled in coming weeks.

After ten years of corporate experience in the commercial insurance industry, Karin Fallon began to serve various nonprofit organizations in Ridgefield over the last 20 years. She has served on the boards of the Ridgefield Community Kindergarten and the PTA boards of Branchville Elementary, East Ridge Middle School and Ridgefield High School. She is also active in the leadership of her church in Stamford, Connecticut. As a young child, a visit to the town library was a weekly event, and Karin's interest and desire to serve our town library is based on the joy of those experiences and utmost appreciation for the many ways the Ridgefield Library currently serves its community. In Karin's words, “While the education our public school system provides is the basis for the future of our children, it is the library that is the heart of the community, where all are welcome and all are served. I am honored to be a part of this great tradition by becoming a member of the Ridgefield Library board.”

New JobNow Service Available for Job Seekers

The Ridgefield Library is pleased to announce its new JobNow online job search assistance service. Whether you are a recent graduate entering the job market for the first time or a more experienced worker struggling to adapt to a rapidly changing hiring environment, JobNow has just the resources you need to succeed.

Log on at the Library or from home at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org and access an extensive collection of tools to help identify the perfect job, write a successful resume and ace that interview. JobNow features specially selected job search links, resume and cover letter templates, personality and career assessments and much more. But what makes JobNow special is that it offers one-on-one “live” coaching using chat technology between 3 PM and 11 PM every day. JobNow’s job coaches are experienced and well-trained in every aspect of the job search process and offer personalized assistance such as talking you through practice interviews. They can work with you live to create a winning resume, or you can submit your c.v. to the Resume Lab any time and get an expert critique within 24 hours.

JobNow is just the latest way your Library is a wise resource in challenging times – try it today.

By the Numbers

Just how busy is it at the Ridgefield Library these days?

• 1,365 children, teens and adults participated in the recently completed Summer Reading Program, logging 34,853 books read in just six weeks.

• 9,134 items were checked out during that period at the new self-service computer in Children’s Services.

• The number of items checked out rose by 4.9% in 2008-2009 over the previous year, to an all-time high of 428,104. Translating into an average of 17.8 items borrowed for each man, woman and children in Ridgefield, that’s a lot of free bestsellers, book group selections, DVDs, magazines and other items people might have bought in another era.

• Adult program attendance last year rose by 25% and children’s program attendance was up 9.2%, with a total of 22,180 people of all ages enjoying our myriad offerings, from films and book discussions to storytimes and craft programs.

• Computer use continued to skyrocket last year, with hits on our website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org up 19.9%, visits to our online event calendar up 58%, wireless log-ins up 22.1% and the number of sessions on the computers in the Library up 9.5%.

Come in soon and become part of what we expect to be another record-setting year!

Keychain Library Cards Now Available

Good news! Keychain library cards are now available at the Ridgefield Library. Effective immediately, everyone signing up for a new library card will actually receive two – one keychain variety for your convenience in using our Library, and one traditional card which enables you to use other libraries around the state.

Those who already have a regular Ridgefield Library card may exchange it free of charge for a keychain set, but be advised that the new cards will have a different barcode number. You will need to update your account with Library ELF, neighboring libraries you frequent and any other location where you have registered your existing number.

Here in Ridgefield, we hope the convenience of the keychain format will make it easier for you to keep your card handy for use at the Circulation Desk, when doing self-service check-out and when logging onto our Public Access Computers or wireless.

If you take advantage of the statewide ConnectiCard system, which allows you to use your home town library card at any Connecticut public library, you will need to present the full-sized regular card, along with additional identification, so make sure to have these with you when you travel out of town.

Get Creative @ Saving for College

Hundreds of children, teens and adults have been coming to the Ridgefield Library to “Be Creative” during Summer Reading (which runs through August 1^st). Here’s another way parents can “Get Creative @ Saving for College.” Tying in with this year’s summer reading theme, the Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET) is inviting Connecticut residents with children any age through 8^th grade in the coming school year to enter their young scholar in a special promotion sponsored by CHET, the Connecticut State Library and the office of State Treasurer Denise Nappier.

A simple entry form (available at the Library or at www.aboutchet.com/library) qualifies the contestant for one of four $1,000 cash prizes to be awarded through a random drawing. What a great way to start a college savings plan for your child – and, if you are a winner, your local library also receives $500!

Entries must be postmarked by August 21, 2009 and received at CHET by August 28^th. Participation in our Summer Reading program is not required to enter this contest.

P.S. Older students might want to explore some of the other ways the Ridgefield Library can help you get ready for college, such as Learning Express and PrepMe test preparation software. See www.ridgefieldlibrary.org for more.

Help Us Help Your Book Discussion Group

On a regular basis, the Ridgefield Library helps some 50 local book discussion groups choose their selections, find background information and discussion questions and obtain multiple copies for group members. We are pleased to be able to support this popular and worthwhile activity, but we do ask that you follow these guidelines:

• Plan Ahead. You must submit your request a minimum of 3 weeks before the date you need books in hand.
• Check the Publication Date. We are not able to obtain multiple copies of books that are less than 1 year old.
• Confirm your Numbers. Save us time and money by ordering only as many copies as you really think your group will need.
• Pick a Contact Person. Please designate one responsible party to complete a request form for each title and to communicate with group members about the status of your request.
• Stick to your Meeting Schedule. Special arrangements made to accommodate your scheduling needs do not allow us to extend due dates or renew items from other libraries if your plans change.

For suggestions of titles that lend themselves to discussion, ask at the Fiction Desk or in Children’s Services. To request multiple copies of a title, contact Interlibrary Loan Coordinator Karen Kazzi at 438-2282 x1011 or at klkazzi@RidgefieldLibrary.org.