Turn to Your Library When Times Get Tough

I was intrigued by the special coverage in the Danbury News-Times recently about the local impact of the shaky economy. Libraries were mentioned in article after article as great places to save money while still enjoying many favorite activities. In fact, libraries typically experience a surge in use when times are tough, and the Ridgefield Library’s usage statistics over the past few months bear this out. Here are a few of the ways the Ridgefield Library can help you weather these trying times.

· Instead of spending $50 or more taking the family to the multiplex, come to our Hollister Film Series every other Tuesday afternoon and evening. We’ll even throw in the popcorn for free!

· Give up on Netflix and get your DVDs from the Library. We don’t deliver to your door, but we will call or e-mail you when the title you have requested is available for your use.

· Why buy that expensive audiobook you will only listen to once? Borrow one for free on cassette or CD or available for download anytime, anywhere to an MP3 player.

· Take in a concert, lecture or art show locally instead of spending precious gas money on trips to the big city. Our Ridgefield Folk concert series features world class talent, and the artists on exhibit in the Dayton Program Room “Gallery” are top notch.

· Do you really need all those magazine subscriptions? The Library carries over 200 popular titles in print (available for borrowing) and offers full-text editions of hundreds more online.

Of course, we don’t want to dissuade you from patronizing local businesses or arts organizations, but if you are looking for ways to stretch your dollar to afford their offerings, make the Ridgefield Library a regular part of your family’s routine.

Knock Off Killowatts

Here's some news from Gretchen Bishop, a volunteer with the Library and with the Ridgefield Action Committee for the Environment.

The Ridgefield Library and the Ridgefield Action Committee for the Environment (RACE) want to help town residents “eliminate” their excess energy consumption. The two groups have partnered to provide six Kill A Watt energy meters that library patrons can borrow with a library card.

A Kill A Watt measures how much electricity an appliance consumes. Simply plug an appliance into the meter, leave it for twenty-four hours, and then check the LCD display to discover how many kilowatt-hours have been consumed. Instructions are included to help you figure out electrical expense by the hour, day, week, month, or year.

Do you wonder just how much your ten-year-old refrigerator costs to run? Or how much energy is wasted by leaving on the computer when it’s not in use? The Kill A Watt can provide this information so residents can make simple lifestyle changes that will result in energy savings. By running a Kill A Watt test before and after implementing new conservation-minded practices, families can track progress in reducing their carbon footprint.

Recently the Library implemented a number of energy saving measures in its own facility, such as programmable thermostats and motion sensors for lights in some areas. With RACE, we hope to continue to offer services and programs that patrons will find useful in these times when environmental issues are so pressing. Each Kill A Watt at the Library comes with a list of websites providing information on energy conservation and energy star appliances as well instructions on how to sign up for clean, renewable energy. They are located at the Reference Desk and may be borrowed for 14 days. Why not try one out and “knock off” some kilowatts on your energy bill?

Friends Book Sale Coming up in May

The tent on the lawn for the recent author festival brought dozens of people into the Ridgefield Library looking for the book sale. That big tent has become a true sign of the success of the Friends of the Library’s twice yearly used book sales and brings out the bargain hunters and avid readers in droves. Don’t despair - there’s not long to wait! The spring sale is coming up on Friday May 16^th through Monday, May 19^th. There will be some 25,000 books of all varieties, along with CDs, DVDs and other media. There will be so many goodies that the tent and the Dayton Program Room will both be filled, and Visa/MasterCard will be accepted for purchases over $10. Schedule details can be found on the Library’s webpage at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org.

While there, you might want to consider becoming a member of the Friends (look for the printable form online, or pick up a brochure at the Library). Members receive special privileges, such as admission to a preview reception before the sales and an insider newsletter. Most importantly, membership dues along with book sale proceeds make it possible for the Friends to sponsor some of the Library’s most popular activities, such as the Summer Reading Program.

If you would like to do even more to help, you are invited to call Book Sale chair Joan Laspia at 431-8766 to become part of the volunteer team. Boxes and bags and even armfuls of donated books come in to the Library every week and must be sorted and priced prior to each sale. New volunteers are always welcome!

One final note: Friday May 9^th is the deadline to bring in donations for this month’s sale. Donation guidelines are available on the website or by calling the Library at 438-2282.

National Volunteer Week

Every day of the year, the Ridgefield Library benefits from the efforts of scores of volunteers, but once a year, during National Volunteer Week, we pause to thank them publicly. Simply listing all the individual names would exceed the word limit for this column, so we will have to acknowledge them collectively.

Our enormously popular Summer Reading Program would not be possible without the countless hours put in by teens and adults assisting young readers. It would be much harder to find desired material without the ongoing efforts of volunteer shelvers. And special events like last weekend’s author festival mobilize the talents of dozens of people doing everything from wearing storybook character costumes to serving punch.

Certainly the Friends of the Library deserve special mention for their continued support. Not only are the Friends a valuable source of assistance with everything from mailings to receptions, their book sales provide the financial support for some of the Library’s most cherished programs, such as Ridgefield Folk, Reading is a Family Affair and, of course, decades worth of Summer Reading.

In the past year, volunteer involvement with the Library has expanded significantly, as many members of the community have signed on to assist with the myriad tasks involved in planning for our proposed building project and in evaluating and developing a broad range of library services. The entire town will benefit from their efforts to make the Ridgefield Library truly a model of excellence, now and for years to come.

Many volunteers come to the Library individually, but others are part of fruitful partnerships with the National Charity League, the Ridgefield Men’s Club, ABC House, the Volunteer Center serving Western Connecticut, numerous Scout troops and community service programs at schools, churches, synagogues and other organizations. However they come to us, the Ridgefield Library salutes and thanks every one of them!

New Playaway Audiobook Format Available

Here's some news from Adult Services Librarian Dorothy Pawlowski.

The Ridgefield Library is constantly looking for ways to enhance the listening experience of our audiobook users. Thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Ridgefield Library, a selection of Playaways has just been added to our ever-expanding audiobook collection.

Playaways are perhaps the most user-friendly way to access an audiobook. These compact self-contained units come with an entire pre-loaded audiobook selection and are the perfect option for those without access to a CD or MP3 player. Listening is as easy as pressing a button, and when you pause, the player saves your place between sessions. Weighing only about two ounces, a Playaway can easily be tucked into a pocket for portability while you go about your daily activities at home, at the gym, or outdoors. Other useful features include the option to adjust the speed of the narrator to enhance your listening, and a universal headphone jack that allows either use of your own headphones or of the earbuds provided.

Available titles include Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly, Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo, and Bill Bryson’s The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. Visit the Fiction Room on the Library’s second floor or www.ridgefieldlibrary.org for a complete list of current selections.

While Playaways offer a new alternative for listening to audiobooks, more titles are constantly being added to our popular collection of over 1100 books on CD. And if you are intimidated about trying a downloadable audiobook, consider contacting Adult Services Librarian Dorothy Pawlowski for a one-on-one tutorial, or to arrange for the loan of an MP3 player that is pre-loaded with an audiobook of your choice.

NoveList Is for Readers of All Ages

The more than 30 people who came to the first Books & Breakfast meeting recently were treated to a demonstration of Novelist, an online resource for finding satisfying works of fiction, learning about an author, preparing for a book discussion and more. What even people familiar with this great tool may not realize is that Novelist also covers books for children and teens, along with its content for adult readers.

Has your child ever said: “I need to read an historical fiction book for school, but I don't know where to find one?” Or, “I read all the Lightning Thief books; can you help me find more books like those?” If so, you may want to look at NoveList’s special sections for Younger Kids, Older Kids and Teens. You can find a favorite author and every book s/he has written; search by series to see which book comes next; or look for books by plot points (to find another great dog story, for example). Book lists are broken down by age and then subject. Need a book on immigration for your fifth grader? There is a list of titles to choose from. You can also explore fiction by genre - mystery, historical fiction, fantasy, romance and more are further divided by age so you can find just the right book for your child. There is abundant supplementary material for teachers and parents, plus plenty of ideas for making the transition from young adult to adult books.

Access NoveList at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org, from the Research or Children’s Services pages. From one handy opening page, you can explore the world of great fiction, no matter what your age or reading level.

REMINDER: The next Books & Breakfast meeting will be held March 31^st, at 10:30 AM in the Dayton Program Room. Join us to learn about more hidden treasurers like NoveList.

Calling all Authors!

The Ridgefield Library’s Ridgefield Writes author festival is coming up at the end of April, and we want you to be included. If you are or know someone who is a writer of any genre who lives or has lived in Ridgefield, contact the Library right away at 203-438-2282 x1013 or rdgprograms@biblio.org to make sure you get an invitation to the Grand Reception on Sunday, April 27^th. And don’t forget to check the Ridgefield Authors wiki on our webpage to make sure we have a current and complete listing for you there as well. You can pick up a brochure at the Library or check our website for a full calendar of Ridgefield Writes events coming in April and beyond. Look for the delightful “writing tiger” mascot created by talented young local author and illustrator Jamison Odone.