Wilton Library Association Newsletter
February 2004
in this issue
-- Expansion News
-- Art @ Wilton Library in February
-- Off the Wall Ladies' Silent Auction
-- Katharine Weber, Noted Author, to Speak
-- Chess, Crafts and Clarinets for Kids This Month
-- College Planning and Self-Defense and for Teens
-- February Book and Poetry Discussions
-- Computer Classes @ the Library
-- Cancellations
-- Thanks! Greetings! Expansion News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I promised last month that more news would appear regarding a generous grant we will receive from the Kresge Foundation, and you may have seen coverage about the challenge in The Wilton Villager or The Wilton Bulletin a couple of weeks ago. Following a long and rigorous application process, the Library received the highly prestigious approval of Kresge Foundation for its project an the promise of $200,000 when we reach the $3,700,000 mark and are just $200,000 short of our goal. There is no question that the challenge will help to energize our push to reach the target. In effect, every donor from this point forward will be responsible for contributions twice what they actually give - the 1 for 1 challenge from Kresge will make donors' gifts that much more meaningful. Special thanks goes to Kathy Welling, Malcolm Whyte and Beth Mason for their work on this important application. Our special mailing to raise funds to both build and equip the wonderful Brubeck Community Room was mailed last month. The piece went out to friends of the Brubecks, area composers and others interested in paying special tribute to this remarkably gifted and generous Wilton family. All contributors to the Brubeck Room will be recorded in a book kept there for posterity. We are so fortunate to be able to thank Dave, Iola and their children for the gifts they have given to this community and the world through the dedication of this inspiring space. If you would like to receive a copy of this mailing, please let me know (Kathy Leeds, 762-7196 or kcleeds@wiltonlibrary.org). I will be glad to send one out to you immediately. Glimpse the Library's Future Art @ Wilton Library in February
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The month of February will be "framed" by a couple of wonderful art happenings:
- On Sunday, February 1st from 11:30 to 1, a reception will usher in the very special exhibit of American lithographs from the home of a Wilton collector. Please come and join us for refreshments and a thrilling look at these works from the Currier and Ives period. The exhibition will continue through the 28th.
- At the other end of the month, we will have a talk about the treasure in our own back yard - the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. Associate Curator Jessica Hough will speak about the history and mission of the Aldrich and its exciting future (the museum is currently under construction for a significant expansion and renovation). If you know and love the Aldrich, you know how wonderful a speaker Jessica is; if you have always meant to get there, come hear what's in store once the Museum reopens its doors!
Take
a look at the Aldrich!
Off
the Wall Ladies' Silent Auction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reservations are now being taken for the Fourth Annual Ladies'Soiree fund raiser
on February 8th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. - this year the event is entitled "Off
the Wall." The entry fee of $25 per person will benefit the Library's technology
and collection purchases this year. Join the more than 200 women we expect
to come to sample wine (served by bartenders David Canary and Peter Rubino)
and wonderful hors d'eouvres and shop the silent auction made up of things
that have come off the walls and out of basements and attics of some of Wilton's
well-known people and businesses. The silent auction is always great fun, and
the company is not to be missed! Call us to save a place or stop by and pay
in advance (suggested to save time at the door the evening of the event). Bring
your friends and relatives, too - they are sure to thank you for this chance
to enjoy doing an exceptionally good thing! Please note that the Library will
close early on February 8th at 4 p.m. so that we can get ready for this terrific
event.
Katharine
Weber, Noted Author, to Speak
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 8th will indeed be a busy day, because we will also host a visit from
noted Connecticut author, Katharine Weber that afternoon at 2 p.m. in the Community
Room. Katharine's latest book, The Little Women, is a contemporary novel
about three sisters, Jo, Amy and Meg (sound familiar?), who find their idyllic
home life threatened in ways Louisa May Alcott never imagined. Her previous
novels, Objects in Mirror are Closer Than They Appear and The Music
Lesson were equally well reviewed and have sparked many book club discussions.
We urge you not to miss this entertaining and enlightening speaker - books
will be available for purchase and signing, and sales will benefit the Library.
I have read all three books and heartily recommend them to you, as I do Katharine!
Chess,
Crafts and Clarinets for Kids This Month
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- The Wilton Library Chess Club will begin on February 17th from 4-5:15 p.m.and reservations have been pouring in! Students in grades K-12 will the basics and more from teacher Susan Clark who will demonstrate basic opening and closing moves and strategies. We are able to fund instruction and materials (regulation chess boards and pieces will be provided) through a generous grant from Fleet Bank for children's and teen programming. The program will continue for 6 weeks on Tuesdays in February (17th and 24th) and March (2,9,23,30). Although this session was filled within a week of its announcement, we are taking registrations for a subsequent session. Call the Library (762-3950) for details.A Be My Valentine craft program for children ages 3-7 will be offered from 4-5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 11th. Stories, crafts and refreshments are included for the $5/$4 Young Readers materials fee. Registration is required as space is limited.
- On Saturday, February 21st at 4 p.m., the Norwalk Symphony Youth Program will bring woodwinds and hands-on participation for kids three through ten years old. There is no charge for this program, but registration is suggested.
College
Planning and Self-Defense and for Teens
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ten
Steps to College with the Greenes is a must for all parents and students
who are facing the college admission process within the next couple of
years. Join admissions and planning gurus Howard and Matthew Green for
a session filled with solid advice based on their popular PBS program.
Books and other materials will be available for purchase and sales will
benefit the Library's building fund for the planned expansion of our Teen
Services Area. Come with questions and a pencil and paper to profit from
the expert advice of the Greenes at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25th.
Advance registration is required so that we can plan seating and refreshments.
June Fagan, martial arts instructor and owner of Curves for Women, will
demonstrate easily learned self-defense moves for teens. This session is
a must for those moving to college campuses or traveling on their own -
the hour or so spent with June will be full of great advice and practice
to keep teens alert, prepared and safe in potentially dangerous situations.
Our staff at the Library had the benefit of a training session with June
a couple of months ago and she received rave reviews, so we all urge you
to sign up and stay safe! Sign
up online!
February
Book and Poetry Discussions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ann Martin will be back with another popular literature discussion seminar, Murder
and Mayhem with Martin, Monday mornings from 10:30-noon on February 23
and continuing on all five Mondays in March. Books for the seminar are available
for purchase at the front desk and include:
- The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan PoeThe Mirror Crack'd by Agatha ChristieIll Wind by Nevada BarrBlack Cherry Blues by James Lee BurkeThe Big Bad City by Ed McBain
- The Sculptress by Minette Walters
Susan Boyar, our wonderful book discussion leader will facilitate a discussion of Kate Atkinson's Behind the scenes at the Museum at noon on Wednesday, February 11th. No registration is necessary - bring your lunch and join us.
Seniors will join Librarian David Ostergren in discussing Mornings on Horseback by David McCollough at the Senior Center (Comstock Community Center). Call 834-6240 to register.
Computer Classes @ the Library
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Popular teacher Mary Anne Franco will continue her "before hours" computer classes on Wednesdays from 8:30-10 a.m. The cost is $20 per person ($15 for Friends of the Library), helping fund other programs that the Library offers.
| February 4thWednesday | Basic Internet |
| February 5thThursday | Web- based E-mail |
| February 8thWednesday | Basic Word |
| February 19thThursday | Mail Merge |
Past
students have nothing but raves about this user friendly hands-on training!
Seating is limited and registration is required, so call us (762-3950) orRegister
online!
Cancellations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The weather and other considerations forced us to cancel two exciting programs
last month, but both will be rescheduled as soon as possible. Both the Darius
Brubeck talk on South Africa and the Stormy Markets presentation on investments
were postponed. We post closing, late opening, and progam cancellation notices
on all major television and radio stations for this area, on several Web cancellation
services and on our own homepage. We also leave a message on our phone at 203-762-3950
about closings and cancellations, so call if you are in doubt. We will, if
we have your name and phone number, also try to reach you by phone well in
advance if you are registered for a program that must be cancelled or postponed.
Let's hope for an early spring!
You may want to note that the Library will be closed Sunday and Monday, February 15th and 16th, for the Presidents' Day holiday weekend.
Thanks!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks for logging on, tuning in and otherwise keeping informed about what's happening @ your Library!
Kathy
Leeds, Director
Contact Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
email: library@wiltonlibrary.org
voice: 203-762-3950
web: http://www.wiltonlibrary.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~