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Wilton Library Association Newsletter
January 2006
in this issue
-- Wishlist
-- Library Snow and Ice Schedules
-- Books, Books, Books!
-- Digital Photography: Fun Creations with Pictures
-- Happy Birthday, Ben!
-- Visiting Authors
-- Operation Respect: The Essential Blue-Eyed
-- 2006 Wilton Business Directories for Sale
-- Special Thanks
-- Construction News
-- Norwalk Symphony (Not) Just for Kids
-- Snow in August Film Screening
-- Hot Topic: The Death Penalty
-- Story Times for Kids
-- Parents Are Invited
-- Lights Out at the Library
-- New Library Cards Are Coming
-- SAVE THE DATE: February 3rd!!!
Greetings!
I hope you all are enjoying this festive time of year as much as my family and I are.
Although the period from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day can be exhausting and
commercial, it's equally likely to be a period of thoughtfulness, generosity and renewed
perspective on our own lives and those of our loved ones.
It seems just a few short years ago that gifts for our children were primarily toys and
games. Even more recently they were largely electronics and clothes. And now we are
supplying household tools and equipment for our kids' new homes in Acton and
Baltimore.
Though presents have changed in most respects as the children have grown, one constant
gift has been books. From board books to easy readers to fairy tales to chapter books,
each year we've had a few special titles wrapped in paper and bows for them to savor
throughout the year. This year was no exception: Bob Spitz's The Beatles: The
Biography, Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat, and Freakonomics by Steven Levitt
and Stephen Dubner were exchanged at our house for Martha's Vineyard mysteries by
Phillip Craig and Arthur Agatston's The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook.
What a marvelous gift a book is for any age or interest - and at any time of year. Books
thoughtfully chosen can entertain, enlighten, and engage us throughout our lives - directly
or indirectly teaching us more about ourselves and the world around us. And if you are
looking for suggestions for books to read and purchase for others, look no further than
our Library staff - we are always willing to share our favorites with you!
With best wishes for great reading in the New Year
Kathy Leeds, Wilton Library Director
Wishlist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And speaking of gifts, have you gotten presents for everyone on
your holiday shopping list? Still searching for that perfect belated
gift? Or are you thinking ahead about the best way to honor or
memorialize a loved one?
Please consider adding in his or her name to the Library's
collection of language instruction courses. An incredibly active
part of the collection, our Pimsleur audios need updating to CD
format - particularly for listeners who choose to learn while
driving! Fewer and fewer new cars have tape players, so we
desperately need the following courses on Pimsleur Language
instruction CD sets:
French I (short course) ~ $40
French I (16 hours) ~ $350
Italian I (short course) ~ $40
German I (short course) ~ $40
Chinese I Mandarin (short course) ~ $40
Chinese I Cantonese (short course) ~ $40
Spanish II (16 hours) ~ $350
Pimsleur sets are designed to enable listeners to speak new
languages with native-like pronunciation, enabling basic survival
skills, travel and courtesy. With Pimsleur Language Programs
you don't just study a language, you learn it -- the same way you
mastered English! And because the technique relies on
interactive spoken language training, the Pimsleur Language
Programs are totally audio -- no book is needed!
If you would like to contribute one or more of these sets for those
traveling, doing business abroad or simply wanting to learn more,
please contact me in person, by phone (762-3950, extension 215)
or by email.
Library Snow and Ice Schedules
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We have already had a couple of doses of nasty weather this
winter and although we hope Mother Nature will prescribe no
more, that's probably not going to be the case in the months
ahead. The Library will try to remain open during bad weather,
but decisions about delayed openings and early closings take
into account the safety of both customers and staff members
traveling to and from the building. Please check before you start
out in times of extreme or anticipated bad weather to make sure
we will be plowed, sanded, salted and open for business:
Phone: 203.762.3950
Radio: WEBE 108 FM, WEFX 95.9 FM, WEZN 99.9 FM,
WKHL Kool 96.7 FM, WNLK 1350 AM, WSTC 1400 AM,
WLAD 80AM
TV: News Channel 12 and WSFB TV Channel 3
Websites: www.cancellations.com, www.ctweather.com, and
the Library's own site www.wiltonlibrary.org
Please take care on slippery or snowy roads and walkways this
winter! Together, we'll look forward to spring.
Books, Books, Books!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Start the new year off right by participating in an energizing
discussion about a fascinating book:
On Thursday, January 5th, at 10:30 am, Ben Van Vechten
will begin another of his lecture series – this time on short stories.
Authors, techniques and themes will be explored and binders of
the short stories to be discussed are available at the Circulation
Desk. The series will continue on January 12th, 19th, 26th and
February 2nd, from 10:30-noon. Space is limited, so be sure to
register early in person, by phone (762-3950) or online.
On Wednesday, January 11th, from noon to 1 pm, Susan
Boyar will lead the Wilton Library Readers in a discussion of
Never Let Me Go, by award-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro (The
Remains of the Day, When We Were Orphans, An Artist of the
Floating World). Publisher’s Weekly describes the premise of the
novel: “Set in late 1990s England, in a parallel universe in which
humans are cloned and raised expressly to "donate" their healthy
organs and thus eradicate disease from the normal population,
this is an epic ethical horror story, told in devastatingly poignant
miniature.” All are welcome – bring your lunch, if you like! No
registration is necessary.
On Thursday, January 12th, at 7 pm, Susan will return to discuss Pete Hamill's Snow
in August, this year's Wilton Reads! selection. Mr. Hamill himself will appear here on
February 2nd, so be sure to mark that date on your calendar, as well. Again, space is
limited, so please register early in person, by phone (762-3950) or online.
On Tuesday, January 24th, at 11 am, Bill Ziegler will lead a discussion at the Wilton
Senior Center in Comstock Community Center on School Road. All are invited to talk
about A Room with a View, by E.M. Forster - a classic that challenges the self-discipline
and propriety dictated by emulation of the upper classes in Britain at the turn of the
century. Call the Senior Center (834- 6240) for more information or to register
.
Digital Photography: Fun Creations with Pictures
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From 11:30 am to 1:30 pm on Saturday, January 7th, Mary
Anne and Michael Franco will continue their popular series on
digital photography. If you have not seen this dynamic duo
before - join us! If you are a devotee - as many are already - don't
miss this helpful session.
Mary Anne and Michael will show us how to create calendars,
greeting cards and photo albums with our digital pictures on the
7th, and they have more in store throughout the spring (February
4th: basic picture editing; March 4th: scanning and restoring
photos; May 13th: cataloguing photos using Adobe Photoshop
Elements). This is the perfect opportunity to try out that new
camera you received for the holidays! Advance registration is
suggested in person, by phone (762-3950) or online.
Happy Birthday, Ben!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Sunday, January 15th, from 2-3 pm, children ages 6 and up
will celebrate the 300th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's
birth through activities and an appearance by Ben, himself!
Refreshments will be served and there is no charge for the
program, but space is limited. Please register in advance in
person, by phone (762-3950 x217) or online.
Visiting Authors
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We have two authors visiting us during the month of January,
and we hope you will be able to stop by to hear them talk about
their books.
On Sunday, January 22nd, at 2 pm, the Library and Ambler
Farm will co-host a visit by Scott Chaskey, author of This
Common Ground: Seasons on an Organic Farm. A pioneer of
the organic community farming movement, Mr. Chaskey has
worked as a land steward and farmer for the Peconic Land Trust
at Quail Hill Farm in Armagansett, New York, for the past 15
years. His publisher relates, “Over the years, he has recorded his
meditations on weather, wildlife, soil, seed, root, plant, and
flower, and in This Common Ground, he has organized some of
these reflections season by season, through the course of one year
on the farm. Chaskey’s observations reflect a doer’s respect for
the rhetoric of the fields and a firsthand knowledge of the
interdependence of soils, plants, animals, and humans. His
contagious sense of wonder and artistic sensibility illustrate why
planting and reaping are such an important part of what defines
the human community and the human condition.” Please join us
to listen to this fascinating philosopher of the soil. Mr. Chaskey
will have books on hand for purchase and signing. Registration is
suggested in person, by phone (762-3950) or online.
On Sunday, January 29th, at 2 pm, author Wayne Coffey will
discuss his New York Times bestseller about the 1980 U.S.
Olympic Hockey Team, The Boys of Winter. Published earlier in
2005, this account of “The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream,
and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team” was very well
received. Author Robert Lipsyte (The Contender) wrote in the
New York Times, “The great stories can always be retold, but
when they are retold with the emotion, the muscular prose, the
freshness that Coffey brings to the Miracle on Ice, they seem
new.” Please come meet Mr. Coffey and hear about the story
behind the scenes of this seminal sports event. Registration is
suggested in person, by phone (762-3950) or online.
Operation Respect: The Essential Blue-Eyed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mary Grace Williams, Rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in
Wilton, will lead the showing and discussion of another of the very
special films we’ve been able to add to our collection via a grant from
United Way of Norwalk & Wilton. Jane Elliott, creator of this training
method, believes that people can best be motivated to fight
discrimination by experiencing it themselves - if only for a short time in
a controlled environment. In The Essential Blue-Eyed, Elliott divides a
multiracial group of Midwesterners on the basis of eye color and then
subjects the blue-eyed members to a withering regime of humiliation and
contempt. Please join us on Tuesday, January 17th from 7-8:30 pm for
a thought-provoking evening that can benefit us all. Advance registration
is required in person, by phone (762-3950) or online.
2006 Wilton Business Directories for Sale
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The 2006 edition of the Wilton Business Directory is in
production and will be available for sale this month (the 2004
edition is pictured here). Published every other year, this unique
resource is available online as well and lists almost 1,000 Wilton
businesses, with verified information for contact name, mailing
address, phone and fax numbers, website and email address. All
businesses are indexed by size and type and separate listings of
Wilton Library Business Friends and Wilton Chamber of
Commerce members are included.
Sponsored by the Wilton Bank, the 2006 Directory costs just
$39.95 - a small price to pay to have the entire Wilton business
community at your fingertips. To order, call (762-3950) or email
Lauren McLaughlin, Assistant Director
(lauren_mclaughlin@wiltonlibrary.org).
Special Thanks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although it is impossible to adequately thank all who donate
money, time and services to the Library each month, I'd like to
mention a few recent gifts:
•
•
Thank you to Connie Dickerson and Jonathan and Alice
Woods for their generous response to our newsletter wish
list request. We will soon have all of Alfred Hitchcock's
most significant films on DVD. The Alfred Hitchcock
Masterpiece Collection has the films: Psycho, Rear
Window, Vertigo, The Birds, Shadow of a Doubt, Rope,
Marnie, Family Plot, Torn Curtain, The Trouble With
Harry, Frenzy, Topaz, and Saboteur. The Alfred
Hitchcock Signature Collection consists of: Strangers on
a Train Two-Disc Edition, North By Northwest, Dial M
for Murder, Foreign Correspondent, Suspicion, The
Wrong Man, Stage Fright, I Confess, and Mr. and Mrs.
Smith (1951). We are so pleased to be able to offer such a
complete film selection from this renowned director.
Thanks to everyone who has donated to our Annual
Appeal and Building Fund recently. Hundreds have
responded generously to help fund our collection
purchases this year. Many more have donated to help
finish off our wonderful building project. Your help will
continue to make the Wilton Library an exceptional and
exceptionally important resource for our community!
Construction News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we draw toward the end of the construction process,
several exciting changes will occur this month.
Construction crews will finish work toward the end of the
month on our new Teen Services Area (where adult
fiction stacks used to be). Finally, teens will have their
own permanent space - and Teen Librarian Susan
Lauricella will be on hand in her office just next door to
help with homework and reading, listening and viewing
suggestions. Susan is most excited about the possibilities
our new Teen Services space will afford and continues to
engage the teens themselves in planning for its future.
We'll also finish up work during the month on the new
Quiet Study rooms, wonderful acoustically separate
spaces that can be reserved by individuals or groups at
the Reference Desk. There will be six rooms in all,
accommodating between 1 and 8 people - perfect for
those who need absolute quiet or who wish to keep their
conversations from disrupting the quiet environment in
the rest of Adult Services. Call the reference librarians to
discover how the reservation system works!
Finally, work will continue on the Brubeck Room
through the month of January and into February, but the
end is definitely in sight! Thanks to everyone who
weathered the recent period of closed stacks in Adult
Services - staff and customers alike! A number of issues
conspired to prolong this inconvenience, and you all were
patient and understanding (and, in the case of the
reference staff, energetic!) in working together through
the weeks of limited access. Check out the progress.
Norwalk Symphony (Not) Just for Kids
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Saturday, January 21st, from 1 to 2 pm, the Norwalk
Symphony will perform their very popular (Not) Just for Kids
program - this time for strings. All ages are welcome and
additional sessions are scheduled for brass on February 18th, and
for percussion on April 15th.
Our thanks go to the Wilton Bank for making this series
possible. Because of their sponsorship, the (Not) Just for Kids
series is free, but please register in person, by phone (762-3950
x217), or online to reserve your seats!
Snow in August Film Screening
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prepare for author Pete Hamill's visit to Wilton on February 2nd
by viewing the Showtime movie of Snow in August at the
Library on Tuesday, January 24th at 7 pm. We'll have popcorn
and soda for all who come to the show - and no advance
registration is suggested in person, by phone (762-3950) or
online.
Showtime describes the film: Based on best-selling author Pete
Hamill's tender novel, the film tells the tale of a fatherless
Catholic boy who is endangered after witnessing a violent crime
and subsequently forms an extraordinary bond with Rabbi Judah
Hirsch, a refugee of war. Snow in August explores themes of
friendship, courage and acceptance as it reveals how a young
boy's struggle to tell the truth and confront a menacing bully is
magically aided by the eight-foot legendary 'Golem' - a mythical
protector who rose from clay to defend the Jewish people from
their enemies.
Hot Topic: The Death Penalty
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Library and the Wilton League of Women Voters have
joined forces to bring engaging and enlightening discussions to
our community on a series of "hot topics" this year. On
Thursday, January 26th, at 7:30 pm, we'll have a chance to
weigh in on both sides of the issue of the death penalty.
Our guest speaker will be Robert Nave. Nave is a lifelong
resident of Waterbury, and opposes the Connecticut death penalty
in his triple capacity as state death penalty abolition coordinator
for Amnesty International USA, National Steering Committee
member, and Northeast U.S. representative of the Amnesty
International Program to Abolish the Death Penalty, and
executive director of the Connecticut Network to Abolish the
Death Penalty (CNADP). A member of the ACLU and its
Connecticut CLU affiliate, he works closely with the CCLU in
the struggle to abolish capital punishment in Connecticut. A high
school teacher for 19 years, he spends much of his time speaking
on this important topic.
Certainly the recent executions of Stanley Tookie Williams in
California and Michael Ross in Connecticut have renewed debate
and discussion of the penalty's ethical and practical aspects. Join
us on the 26th to take part - and please register in advance by
phone (762-3950), in person or online.
Story Times for Kids
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our weekly winter story times will begin on Monday,
January 23rd and continue through Thursday, March 9th.
Advance registration is required for the 7-week program, so
please call or stop by to put your child's name on the list - or
register online. Note that children two and under must bring
along an adult.
To 11 Months: Wednesdays, 10:15-10:45 am
Ones: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:15- 10:45 am
Twos: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10:15- 10:45 am
Threes: Tuesdays, 11:30-noon; Wednesdays, 1-1:30 pm
Fours/Fives: Mondays and Tuesdays, 2-2:45 pm
Our special Folklore and Fantasy story time will take place
on Saturday, January 28th from 2-3 pm for kids in grades
K-3. Folklore and Fantasy will return on Saturdays February
11th and 25th, March 11th and 25th. Please register in
person, by phone or online to save a place.
Parents Are Invited
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Tuesday, January 10th from 4-5:30 pm, parents, educators,
librarians and caregivers are invited to a workshop on autism
presented by Dawn DiNoto. Our focus will be on optimizing the
experience of autisitic kids and their families in a public setting
and the workshop is part of a series funded by a Federal LSTA
grant administered by the Connecticut State Library.
On Friday, January 20th, from 1-3 pm, Beth Gallos and Jill
Maller-Kesselman will discuss with parents issues that affect
their preschool children.
Join us for either or both of these informative programs, but
please let us know you are coming by registering in person, by
phone (762-3950) or online.
Lights Out at the Library
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From 7 pm Friday, January 27th, until 9 am, Saturday,
January 28th, boys in grades 2-4 will get this year's treat of
staying over night in the new Wilton Library! Games, food and
fun are guaranteed to all who participate.
Space is limited, so please register immediately in person, by
phone or online. Our snow date for the sleepover is Friday,
February 6th.
New Library Cards Are Coming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Library will soon have new Library cards available for new
customers and for those who would like the convenience of a two-part
card. Because so many of us visit the Library on the web, the
conventional card with its barcode for database use from home can stay
next to the home computer, while the new smaller keychain card can
travel with us on visits to the Library for checkouts and renewals.
Our new cards are lime green so that you can find them easily amid all
the other plastic in your wallet or on the key chain. This may be the
perfect time to get up to date with the new color and card - and there is
no charge to do so if you turn in your old Wilton Library card at the same
time. As always, lost cards can be replaced for $1 - the best investment
you'll ever make! Stop by the Circulation Desk to upgrade an old onepart card, get your very first library card, or to replace a missing one.
SAVE THE DATE: February 3rd!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miniature Golf Among the Classics will take place from 7:30 to
10:30 pm on Friday, February 3rd at the Library. Our second
annual "guys' night out" will benefit the WLA’s collection &
technology funds.The evening will include food, drink, a silent
auction, the Library's own mini-golf course, boutiques for
Valentine’s Day shopping, and more.
Sponsorship opportunities are available - call Anne Rowlands at
762-3950 x216 for more information. An invitation to attend the
event is coming!