Introducing Our New Teen Librarian

I am so pleased to be welcomed back to the Ridgefield Library. I have been working at the Ridgefield library on and off for the past four years, mostly in the Circulation Department. I have spent time at all the service desks and was most recently serving as the substitute Teen Librarian this summer.

I received a BA in Information and Library Science from Southern CT State University and earned my Master’s in Library and Information Science with a focus on School Media Library from Long Island University. I have always wanted to work with teens and look forward to getting to know more of the teens in this community.

As Teen Librarian I am excited to be able to work with teens and parents on programs and finding the right book. I love to read teen books and am always ready to talk about favorites. Stop in to the Ellis Family Teen Center the next time you come to the library to say hello. See some of the changes we are making and let me know what you would like to see in Teen Services.

Megan Klein is the Teen Librarian at the Ridgefield Library. She may be reached at 203-438-2282 x11004 or MEKlein@ridgefieldlibrary.org

Library Days Return to Books on the Common

If you are one of the almost 200 people who enjoyed Diana Nyad’s presentation last week, you understand the importance of the close partnership between Books on the Common and the Ridgefield Library. Together we bring Ridgefielders and other readers dozens of author and book events each year, an extraordinary treat for a town our size.  Thanksgiving weekend is the perfect time for you to support both the bookstore and the Library to ensure that these wonderful opportunities continue.

The annual Library Days at Books on the Common will take place November 23rd, 24th and 25th.   Just show your Ridgefield Library card at the cash register, and 15% of the proceeds of your purchase will be donated by the bookstore to the Library. 

Please call 203-438-9100 for more information about the store, including hours and location.  For information about obtaining a library card, please call 203-438-2282. 

Your support of local businesses like Books on the Common, and the bookstore’s support of the Library,   help keep Ridgefield an exceptional place to live, at the holidays and year-round.

Celebrate Children’s Books in November

The Children’s Services Department at the Ridgefield Library offers a full schedule of programs and special events every month of the year.  Kids of all ages are welcome to learn, create, relax, and explore in the Library’s dedicated children’s area.  We are especially excited to share the love of books and reading with Ridgefield’s youngest residents.  On Saturday, November 10th, Gail Carson Levine, author of the beloved Newbery Honor Award-Winning Ella Enchanted, will be at the Library to discuss her new book, Ogre Enchanted.  Purchase books on-site by Books on the Common and stay for a book signing at the end of the event.

Picture Book Month is an international literacy initiative that celebrates the print picture book during the month of November.  Join us for “Children’s Books Merit Grown-Up Conversation,” a two-part discussion series for adults which will examine the picture book as visual literacy, art, and cultural fare.  The first session will be held November 27^th.

For more information and to register for programs, go to the events page of the Library’s website www.ridgefieldlibrary.org

Still Alive! 200 Years of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Signs of Halloween are everywhere in the Ridgefield Library, many with a Frankenstein-inspired theme.  We are celebrating the 200^th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s classic tale with an array of special programs and activities for all ages:  you can decorate and display a Franken-Pumpkin; learn the art of Monstrous Make-up;  join a Frankenstein book discussion;  attend a screening and lecture by Mark Edwards of Sacred Heart University on Frankenstein: Book to Movie; enjoy a very special presentation by Dr. Mark Schenker of Yale, Frankenstein’s Creature: A Monster for Its Time--and Ours; and spend Halloween at our drop-in Frankenstein movie marathon (fans of Mel Brooks will not be disappointed!).  For dates, times and locations, please go to ridgefieldlibrary.org to download our special Frankenstein brochure.

Thank you to the Friends of the Ridgefield Library for their generous support of Still Alive! 200 Years of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.  For more information and to access the Library’s full calendar of events, please go to ridgefieldlibrary.org

Medical Information at Ridgefield Library

Looking for reliable medical information? The Ridgefield Library is pleased to announce our new Medical Reference collection located on the Upper Level. The collection consists of resources that have been recommended by the National Library of Medicine. Included are medical encyclopedias, a four-volume cancer encyclopedia, resources on mental health, laboratory and diagnostic tests, human anatomy, and a guide to prescription and non-prescription drugs.

The 5-Minute Clinical Consult 2019, for example, lists medical diseases and conditions alphabetically, and provides an overview, diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care related to each condition. Additional resources cover general medicine, OB-GYN, and pediatrics. Periodicals include the Health & Nutrition Newsletter from Tufts University and Consumer Reports On Health. 

Who Can You Trust?: Finding Quality Health Information will be held at the Library on Monday, October 15, from 2-3:30 p.m. Please register at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org or call 203-438-2282 for more information.

Libraries are part of a healthy community. We aim to provide quality medical information to help everyone become better informed about their health.

Medical resources are for educational purposes and do not replace the advice of a medical professional. We encourage you to visit and share information with your doctor or health professional.   

*****

Christie Mitchell is Adult Services Librarian at the Ridgefield Library.  She may be reached at camitchell@ridgefieldlibrary.org or 203-438-2282 x12004

Arts Alive at the Library

Arts programming is alive at the Ridgefield Library this Fall. Opportunities abound for those who love to write, read, listen and create. The sixth annual Ridgefield Writers Conference happens September 21, and the Ridgefield Folk series kicks off on September 23rd. The Library’s many book groups are in full swing, offering lively and thought-provoking discussions every month. The Library’s STEAM corner is open and ready for all makers and creators.

On September 30th teens and parents are invited to attend Thriving Through the Arts: College and Beyond, a special program focusing on next steps for young musicians, actors, dancers, and visual artists.

Something else “fore” teens: Love Your Library mini golf on Friday, September 28 from 6:30-10:00pm. Middle and high school students can play the course for $10 per player. Food and refreshments will be served. Participants will be entered in a raffle for gift cards valued at $100, $75 and $50. This event sponsored by Woody and Suni Harford.

Go to ridgefieldlibrary.org to access the Library’s calendar of events and for more information.

Best New Things

Best new thing for your family game night: Ridgefield Library is now circulating board games and puzzles! Use your Library card to bring home a game. Join us on the second Tuesday of each month at 6pm for our teen and adult game meet-up: We Got Games! The Library has a collection of games from which to choose, or you can bring a game to play. All skill levels are welcome.

Best new thing for teens: the third annual LYL (Love Your Library) weekend includes a “teen only” mini-golf event on Friday, September 28 from 6:30-10:00pm. Middle and high school students will have the first shot at playing the course for $10 per player. Food and refreshments will be served. All participants will be entered in a raffle for gift cards valued at $100, $75 and $50. Teen Night is sponsored by Woody and Suni Harford.

Best thing for all Library lovers: Sunday hours resume on September 9. The Library is open from 1-5pm.

Go to ridgefieldlibrary.org to access the Library’s calendar of events and for more information.