This Week @ the Library

It's National Volunteer Week!

The Ridgefield Library could not begin to offer all the programs and services it does without the assistance of scores of volunteers. From helping with Summer Reading to working on mailings, dedicated and talented folks of all ages lend a hand in making the Ridgefield Library the important community resource it is. OUR THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE SHARED THEIR TIME AND TALENTS IN THE PAST YEAR!

Fun for Kids

• Monday 10:30 AM Drop-in Story Time (ages 3 and up)
• Monday 4:30-5:30 PM Chess (K - 8th grade; all skill levels welcome)
• Tuesday 10 AM and 11 AM Mother Goose (infants to age 2 with a caregiver) Dayton Program Room
• Tuesday 4:30 - 5:30 PM. Junior Critics. Children in grades 4 & 5 get together to share the titles they're reading and enjoy snacks.
• Tuesday 6:30 PM Scrabble (grades 4-8)
• Friday 11 AM and 2 PM Friday Flicks (ages 2 and up)
• Saturday 10:30 AM Drop-in Story Time (ages 3 and up)

Learn more about these and other children's programs.

Teen Happenings

Chess. Monday 4:30-5:30 PM. Kids in grades kindergarten through 8th grade meet to play chess. Instruction will be given by members of the Ridgefield High School chess team. Players of all skill levels are welcome.

Scrabble. Tuesday 6:30-7:30 PM. Young people in Grades 4 - 8 learn strategies from a tournament player as they enjoy playing the game.

Check out our Teen Page on the web.

Learn about Letterboxing

Do you want to learn more about Ridgefield's history?
See some interesting places?
Do you like to go on Treasure Hunts?
Be outdoors?
Take hikes?
Just be together with friends?
Family?

Then Tercentennial Letterboxing is for you!

From April 1 through September 15, 2008, 21 sandwich-size plastic containers, "letterboxes", are hidden at various sites around Ridgefield - in historical places, parks and open spaces. Find 11 of them and you can receive a commemorative prize; find all 21 and you're eligible for the grand prize. Or, just have fun finding a few. You might decide to find a couple letterboxes in a day, or a few every several weeks. You decide how and when to look for the letterboxes. Some locations are quick and easy walks, others involve moderate or longer hikes, but this is an event designed for groups and individuals of all ages. The Tercentennial Letterboxing Event is a unique and entertaining way to learn about Ridgefield and its history as we celebrate our town's 300th anniversary!

Come to one of these workshops to get started:
April 30 at 7 p.m. at the Ridgefield Library
May 3 at 10 a.m. at the Discovery Center
May 5 at 10 a.m. at the Ridgefield Library

Find out about more tercentennial events.

More Programs On Tap

Memoir Writing Group. Saturday, 10:00 AM - noon.
The Memoir Writing Group meets on the first Saturday of every month in the History Room. The sessions will include advice from other writers, a prompt with writing time, critique and sharing.

Ridgefield Folk concert with Red Molly. Sunday, 2:00 PM.
Since 2004 when Red Molly (Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner, Carolann Solebello) came together at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, the trio has been winning over audiences up and down the east coast with their rich harmonies.

"Everything Red Molly sings is delivered with tick-tight arrangements, crystalline vocals, and caramel harmonies. But what is most striking is the ardor they bring to everything they do, whether snuggling into the sweet parochialism of an old spiritual, or the gritty pathos of a Gillian Welch tune." Boston Globe.

In July 2006, Red Molly's first full-length record was released, Never Been To Vegas. With a mix of originals and songs by timeless greats like Hank Williams, Gillian Welch and Patty Griffin, it is no wonder that the album quickly climbed into the top 30 on the Radio & Records Americana chart. Boston's WUMB named Red Molly Best New Artist in 2006. The band is expected to release their follow up album in spring 2008.

The concert is free thanks to the Friends of the Ridgefield Library. Tickets can be picked up the day of the concert starting at 1 PM. Doors open at 1:30 and the show starts at 2:00.

Get a sneak preview of Red Molly.

Did You Know...?

In honor of the town's 300th celebration, we will be featuring each week a tidbit of information about the past, present and future of the Library.

Until 1968, the Ridgefield Library was a subscription library, and residents had to pay to enjoy its collections and services. Originally a library card cost $1 per year, which went up to $2 in 1955. At one time, the Board of Education paid a small charge per pupil so our young people could use the Library free to complete their homework assignments.

Be a Power User

As a subscriber to this e- newsletter, you are already a "power user" of the Ridgefield Library. Look for weekly tips to make you even more powerful!

THIS WEEK'S TIP: Planning a summer vacation or business trip abroad?The Ridgefield Library can help you get ready with its collection of language learning materials. Audiobooks, video tutorials, computer software and good old-fashioned phrase books are all housed together in the reference room for your convenience, organized by language. Just choose the format that fits best with your lifestyle and learning style. In addition, we offer more than 175 of the acclaimed Pimsleur audio-only language programs, from Albanian to Vietnamese, as part of our downloadable audiobook service. This series also includes English language instruction for speakers of many world languages. Ask a librarian for more information. Additional language learning materials specially for young people, including the popular Muzzy series, may be found in Children's Services.

Favorite Library Links

·  Library Catalog

·  Event Calendar

·  Library Webpage

·  Book Group Selections

·  Hollister Film Series Schedule

·  Ridgefield Authors Wiki

·  Ridgefield Writes

Contact Information