Wilton Library Association

Contact Information
email: library@wiltonlibrary.org
voice: 203-762-3950
web: www.wiltonlibrary.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
in this issue
-- Wilton Holiday Walk/Library Art Reception
-- Children's Book Sale - Saturday, December 4th!
-- Holiday Happenings for Kids
-- Annual Holiday Glogg Party for Friends
-- With an Eye Toward the Future -- Howard and Matthew Greene
-- Computer Classes in December
-- Shop Until You Drop on December 16th
-- Digital Photography: Picture Editing with Photoshop
-- Expansion News!
-- Special Thanks Greetings!Has anyone else noticed how quickly the past week, the past month and the past year have gone by? December is traditionally a month to reflect on the past, anticipate the future -- and to think of others.The Library will help you do all three with a full schedule of events and programs, our beautiful Giving Tree that offers opportunities to honor or memorialize loved ones, and an outstanding collection of books to inspire your holiday entertaining, gift making and decorating.Please stop by to check us out - you won't regret fitting us into your busy end-of-year schedule!

Sincerely and with best wishes to you and your family,
Kathy Leeds,
Director

Wilton Holiday Walk/Library Art Reception
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Friday, December 3rd from 5:30 to 8:00 pm, very special things will be happening in Wilton Center and especially at its heart... the Wilton Library! Join fellow shoppers in walking throughout the area to sample free refreshments and browse the offerings of merchants in this annual event sponsored by Wilton's Chamber of Commerce. The Library is an active Chamber member and we will have food, drink and a warm fire in the fireplace for all who stop by that evening.

We'll also have the opening of a magnificent new exhibition of watercolors by Wilton's own Ed MacEwen and ceramics, photography and box art by his daughter, Bonnie MacEwen Sailer. Although the exhibit will run through December 29th, this evening will celebrate its "unveiling." Remember to bring your credit cards, checkbooks and cash - 20% of all sales benefit the Library's Art Fund (used to purchase materials on art and art instruction).

Children's Book Sale - Saturday, December 4th!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once a year the Library holds a sale of terrific gently used children's books just in time for the holidays. On Saturday, December 4th from 9 am to 4 pm, our Picture Book Room will be chock full of 16 large tables' worth of offerings, thanks to the generosity of donors throughout the year. Cleaned and sorted, these picture books, chapter books, classics, series, videos and DVDs can be yours for reasonable prices.

Santa is among the many who will visit - bring your children in to say hello from 10:30 to noon. Remember to bring your camera, too - it's sure to be a great photo opportunity!

Holiday Happenings for Kids
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We've got several programs for kids in December:

Mondays through Wednesdays, from December 6th through the 15th, we'll have story times for children 1-5 years old:
- Ones (with an adult): Wednesdays, December 8 and 15, 10:15-10:45 amTwos (with an adult): Wednesdays, December 8 and 15, 11:15-11:45 amThrees: Tuesdays, December 7 and 14, 1:15-2 pm
- Fours/Fives: Mondays, December 6 and 13, 2- 2:45 pm
On Sunday, December 5th from 2-3:30 pm, Miss Sharrie will share Hanukkah stories and crafts with kids 5 and up. She'll perform the Maccabbee Miracle puppet show, too and advance registration is necessary ($5 per child/$4 for Young Readers).On Saturday, December 11th, from 2-3 pm, we'll host our third Read to Rover session for students in grades 1-5. Reservations to read to the certified therapy dogs are full, but we are taking names for a waiting list - call Children's Services (762-3950 x217) for more information. Sponsored by Dog Gone Smart of Norwalk.
On Wednesday, December 15th from 4-5 pm, our annual Christmas Craft program will feature stories, crafts and refreshments for kids 3-7 years old. Advance registration required ($5/$4 Young Readers - materials fee).

Annual Holiday Glogg Party for Friends
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Sunday, December 5th, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, the Library staff and trustees will host our annual "thank you" party for Friends (all who support the Library collections, technology, programs and building campaign with their donations). We will have a blazing fire in the fireplace, festive music, delicious food and, of course, the steaming glogg bowl. If you have never tried this Scandanavian antidote to winter's chill, make sure you stop by for a sip! (We'll have other liquids for those who are less adventurous or who prefer to abstain.)

During the party, you may want to stop by our beautiful Giving Tree that is decorated with the covers of books and audiovisual materials we'd like to acquire. Simply select a tag, fill out the required information and pay by check, cash or credit card, and we will purchase the title for the Library's collection in the name of the person you would like to honor or memorialize. We'll send a letter to whomever you designate explaining your gift, too - what a terrific, tax-deductible way to please those on your holiday shopping list!

With an Eye Toward the Future -- Howard and Matthew Greene
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are you a parent or grandparent of a teen planning for college? Are you a teen thinking about whether or not you'll be able to afford to go? Don't miss this useful session from 7-9 pm on Wednesday, December 8th by college planning gurus Matthew and Howard Greene based on their latest PBS special, Paying for College with the Greenes. We are so fortunate to be able to offer this lecture and question and answer period free of charge thanks to the generosity of the Greenes. Advance registration is suggested as space is limited.

Computer Classes in December
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hands-on computer classes scheduled in December are:

12/6, Monday, 8:30-10 am: Basic Excel12/9, Thursday, 8:30-10 am: Basic PowerPoint12/20, Monday, 8:30-10 am: Basic PowerPoint
12/23, Thursday, 8:30-10 am: Intermediate Internet

There is a charge of $20/$15 Friends for the classes and all take place before the Library opens in the Adult Reference area.On Tuesday, December 21st from 12:30-2 pm in the Community Room, Mary Anne Franco will offer a free demonstration of how to use the Library's paid databases to find newspaper articles. Advance registration is suggested.

Shop Until You Drop on December 16th
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Open House, Inc. at 9 Center Street in Wilton Center, will donate 10% of all sales made from 5- 8 pm on Thursday, December 16th at the store to the Library's building fund. Join us for wine and cheese and lots of wonderful gift choices - it's the perfect time to pick up last minute presents and perhaps indulge yourself!

We are most grateful to the folks at Open House for sponsoring the evening and hope to see you all there.

Digital Photography: Picture Editing with Photoshop
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Saturday, December 11th from 11 am -12:30 pm, Michael and Mary Anne Franco will show us how to edit our digital photos using Photoshop. Sharpening, lightening, darkening, resizing and more will be on the agenda as this terrific duo enlightens us again about the mysteries of digital photography! The program is free but advance registration is suggested as space is limited.

Expansion News!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to all of you who have contributed to the Building Fund, particularly those who have recently paid off or accelerated payment of pledges. We continue to reach out for support in order to close the gap caused largely by the unanticipated increase in materials cost. Naming opportunities still exist to honor or memorialize loved ones - including the opportunity to name the new building. Please call Kathy Welling (762-2104), our Board President and Capital Campaign Chairman, to inquire about giving... or giving more.

Construction is right on schedule, and those who drive by will see the foundation of the two-story addition moving toward completion. Steel work begins the first week of December, and weather permitting, we hope to top off the structure in mid-January. During the period that steel is going up, we will have to "reclaim" part of the new rear parking lot to accomodate the huge crane that will be necessary to do the job. Traffic through the lot will be rerouted and our book drop box will be repositioned at the end of the front (north) lot. We do appreciate your patience and flexibility as we make our way through this transformation!

We've seen the first "inside" work already, with a temporary wall installed in front of the window near our magazines and newspapers. This wall will keep us safe during construction of the connection between the addition and our existing building. Meanwhile, work begins this month in our existing basement to eliminate it as a staff and storage area and make it over into mechanical and electrical systems space. We'll be squeezing staff into already full corners upstairs for several months until new quarters are ready. Most notably our Music Room will be converted into an office for three - with LPs, CDs and opera and dance videos relocated temporarily.It's an exciting time, for sure, and we will keep you posted on developments throughout the project -- look for pictures of the construction on our website and see the weekly bulletins in our lobby about ongoing progress.