Paccadolmi Honors Awarded

The 2016 Paccadolmi Awards were given out on December 4th during a special holiday gathering of Library supporters and friends. The awards are named in honor of Phyllis Paccadolmi, Miss P to the generations of Ridgefielders she knew during more than 5 decades with the Ridgefield Library. This year’s honorees are Ellen Burns and Darwin Ellis, owners of Books on the Common, and Theresa Miller and Julie Yaun.

Ellen and Darwin support our many author talks with book sales, promotion, and a true love of contemporary books and authors.  They have donated an untold number of gift certificates and Grand Prize Shopping Sprees for our Summer Reading Programs for all ages and have been active participants in several community-wide reading initiatives.  Since 2005 they have hosted Library Days at Books on the Common during Thanksgiving weekend, engaging local shoppers and library users in a campaign to earn donations from the store for the Ridgefield Library. 

For the 3 years since our first Great Expectations gala, Julie and Theresa have been the backbone of this major fundraising effort, gracefully yet firmly organizing a multitude of logistics, from table lay-out to valet parking. Thanks to Theresa and Julie and their committee, these events are uniquely entertaining, smooth running and financially successful.  

Introducing our New Library Director

Hello! I am Brenda McKinley, the new Library Director at the Ridgefield Library. I am honored to be entrusted with this position and thank Chris Nolan for her wonderful legacy. I come to Ridgefield from nearby Newtown, where I live with my husband and our four children. Most recently I served as the Cyrenius H. Booth Library Director in Newtown.

I have been a Librarian for over twenty years and passionately believe in the resources, support, and strength a library brings to the community it serves. The strong ties the Library enjoys with the Ridgefield community are testament that this belief is widely shared and is a big reason why I’m thrilled to be starting this new role.

I look forward to working with the stellar staff as we continue to provide excellent library service for our patrons and our town. It might take me a bit of time to learn all the new names, but I hope to meet you soon.

Please bring your little ones for “Take Your Child to the Library Day” on Saturday, February 4^th at 10:30 AM. I’ll be guest reader at Drop-In Storytime and we’ll enjoy some cookies and conversation. I hope to see you then!

Contributed by Library Director Brenda McKinley

Keeping Those New Year's Resolutions

2017 New Year’s Resolution #1: Get everyone in your family their own Ridgefield Library card and use it to take advantage of so many resources at the Library (details available at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org).

·         Try JobNow for online help with resume writing, interviewing, and job search; career assessments; and live online coaching and feedback.

·         Sharpen your work and personal productivity skills with hands-on classes such as LinkedIn 101 and Introduction to 3D Printing. Try lynda.com online video tutorials for dozens of additional business and computer applications.

·         Learn or brush-up one of 72 languages with Mango online language learning programs for use on a computer or on the go.

·         Seeking to be a better parent? Our Parenting the Selfie Generation: Instilling Resilience series offers lectures and discussions on topics from teen social media behavior to breaking free of the overparenting trap.

·         Been thinking of finally turning that great idea into an actual business? Check out our SkillsBox workshops, including the upcoming 5-part Simple Steps for Starting a Small Business series beginning in February.

·         Take a deep breath and relax with Yoga workshops, adult coloring, musical performances and more activities to promote a calmer approach to life.

New for the New Year

Children’s programs that start in February will be open for registration online beginning January 3^rd.  We have several new arts and craft offerings, plus some new formats for our popular Lego and robotics classes, so visit www.ridgefieldlibrary.org soon.

Get tech for the holidays? Look for drop-in help sessions with our Library staff to get you going with that new device or gadget.  Ask also about tutorials through Lynda.com on just about every tech topic imaginable.

Addiction will be the theme of our 2017 Learn Through Film series beginning January 18th.  Join us for three evenings and on social media for difficult and great films along with moderated, civil discussion about this national – and local - epidemic.

Save the date for some upcoming special events: Take your Child to the Library Day on February 4^th, Dr. Seuss’s Birthday Party on March 4^th, our Great Expectations Gala on April 22^nd and the Battle of Ridgefield re-enactment on April 29^th. Much more to come about these and the many other activities we offer each week.

And, of course, our new Library Director Brenda McKinley begins work on January 3^rd.  We are organizing many opportunities for members of the community to meet her, so stay tuned.

Library Book Groups for Everyone

If your New Year’s resolutions include reading more and getting out to meet new people, then why don’t you achieve both of these at once by joining one of the many monthly book discussion groups offered by the Library. 

The Library’s book discussions take place during the day and in the evening.  They focus on a range of genres, so there should be something for everyone.  For those who enjoy mystery and intrigue our Murder by the Book discussion group could be for you.  If you prefer history, biography and current affairs, then The Nonfictioneers should fit the bill.  The Critics’ Circle and the A.M. Book Group both focus primarily on a wide range of classic and contemporary fiction to suit all tastes.  We also have a Poetry Discussion Group led by a retired Columbia University English professor. For those who prefer a more relaxed approach Books and Breakfast provides an opportunity for participants to share what they have been reading over a delicious breakfast. The Library also runs book discussions for members of Founders Hall.

So check the Library’s website at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org for details and put one or more of these discussion groups on your calendar. What better way to stimulate your mind and make new friends in 2017!  

Keeping Kids Entertained Can Be Easy

The kids are home from school because of vacation or a weather cancellation, and they are getting bored.  Here are a couple of suggestions to keep them entertained, accessible for free with a Ridgefield Library card.

Tumblebooks are eBooks for the very young that let you enjoy the illustrations onscreen as you listen to favorite picture books read aloud.

Bookflix from Scholastic is an online literary resource for children that pairs video storybooks with related non-fiction eBooks. Imagine a film of a Curious George story paired with a non-fiction book about monkeys, plus word games, a profile of the author, suggestions for individual or group activities and links to additional resources.

Hoopla offers downloadable and streaming music, movies and TV shows in addition to eBooks and audiobooks and even comic books. And the Kids Mode setting features content that has been deemed suitable for children up to 12 years of age.

OverDrive offers eBooks and audiobooks from many of the best authors, narrators and publishers in the business, and also has a special “Kids Collection” interface.

Check www.ridgefieldlibrary.org/children for more information and links to get you started (some also have apps for enjoying on a smartphone or other device).

Laszig Fund and Library Join Forces to Assist Ridgefield Seniors

The Library shares with the founders and administrators of the Paul and Johanna Laszig Fund for the Elderly a commitment to supporting Ridgefield residents aged 62+ in the many needs they experience as they become older.  For many, one of the first and often most troublesome is the development of difficulty with their vision.  For the avid book lover, diminishment of the ability to read traditional books can be devastating.  Large print books and audiobooks can help extend a lifelong love of reading. With the support of a recent grant from the Laszig Fund, the Library is pleased to announce the addition of several dozen new titles for its large print collection.  It has also purchased a number of Playaways, which are an innovative format that combines a player and an audiobook in one small, easy-to-use device.

Playaways purchased include hot new titles such as John Grisham’s latest, “The Whistler,” and the award-winning “The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead. New large print acquisitions include the runaway hit “My Brilliant Friend” by Elena Ferrante, Martin Walker’s latest Bruno, Chief of Police mystery and Liane Moriarty’s bestseller “Truly Madly Guilty.” Ask at the Circulation or Adult Services Desk for help finding these and many more large print books and Playaways.