Wilton Library Association Newsletter
February 2007
in this issue
Most of you know how proud we are of the Brubeck Room, the "crown jewel" of the Library's recent expansion. We have held everything from holiday parties to state-wide seminars to Arctic wolf programs to business expos within its walls so far and the room has proved to be every bit as wonderful a setting as we had envisioned and planned. My personal favorite use of the room has been the concerts we've held there - from Norwalk Symphony concerts for kids, to the Connecticut's Own Chamber Music series to our Summer Music and More Concerts - the acoustical properties of the room have been sublime. Those who were fortunate enough to pack the house for the inaugural concert last spring by Dave, Dan, and Chris Brubeck certainly would join me in saying it is one of the best settings ever for jazz piano and small ensembles - living up fully to its promise. It is with great excitement and gratitude that I announce, therefore, that we will be launching a new music series this spring featuring jazz pianists of exceptional quality. Funded by the William and Karen Tell Foundation and thanks to Ed and Catherine Romer, this series will "put us on the map" with jazz afficionados and performers in a fitting tribute to the Brubeck family for which the room is named. Stay tuned for upcoming performances - and make sure to reserve your seats as soon as registration opens... these will be the hottest tickets in town! Sincerely, |
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Peter Handrinos is a contributing columnist for Yahoo Sports, the nation's second most popular destination for sports commentary with over 12 million unique visitors per month. He has appeared on Sporting News Radio, CNN Radio, Bloomberg Radio, and Sports USA Network. He lives just next door in Norwalk, Connecticut. |
Bring your donations, in containers (bags or boxes), to the covered bin at the top of the steps to the back door on Godfrey Place 24/7 until April 7th. It's not too early to start spring cleaning! |
Sales of artwork benefit the Library's Art Fund, so bring along your checkbook or credit card. You may want to meet the artist as well, so stop by for refreshments and conversation on Sunday, February 4th, from 11:30 am to 1 pm for the opening reception. |
Have you read the book yet??? Check out our Wilton Reads! blog to see what others are saying about The Sweet Hereafter, by Russell Banks and to make your own comments. If you've never "blogged" before, here's your chance to join the growing ranks - it's fun and easy (just click on the word "comments" and fill in the form, click on "preview," if you wish, and then "post"). I'd love to hear your impressions of the movie or the book. On Sunday, February 4th, at 2 pm, we'll show Atom Egoyan's award-winning film of the novel on the big screen in the Brubeck Room. There is no charge for the program, but we ask that you register in advance so we can save you a seat. View a trailer, if you like - it's a powerful film (and note the R rating for some language and sexuality). For those unable to come on the 4th, we'll have a second screening on Thursday, February 15th, at 7 pm in the Brubeck Room. Again, please register online in advance. |
Our Music Committee at the Library (a very knowledgeable volunteer group of composers, performers, and music buffs) has recommended that we acquire a newly released set of 9 DVDs that includes recorded performances by Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Thelonious Monk, Buddy Rich, Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, and Chet Baker. Filmed in several European countries from the 1950s to the 1970s, the collection is an amazing record of jazz history as well as a pure pleasure to watch and hear. I hope you will consider adding it to our shelves - we have an exceptional collection of jazz on CDs and this would certainly complement our holdings. The cost is $150 for the nine CDs and we will be happy to recognize your tax deductible gift in honor or memory of a loved one. Just drop me an email ( kathy_leeds@wiltonlibrary.org) and I'll take it from there. |
In case you wondered, all VHS, all non-fiction DVDs, and all television series (VHS or DVD) carry no rental fee, and are circulated for 7 days. Rental fees go directly back into improving our offerings, allowing us to keep the DVD collection strong and growing. |
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In this 9-week program, participants will learn about the world of high finance using the real stock market, a real-time portfolio with a live trading simulation and "not so real" currency. Teams of 2 - 4 will be assigned and they'll compete with teams around the country. Our Library's resources will be utilized (both print and electronic) to make wise investment decisions. This game is endorsed by the National Council on Economic Education - and it's both educational and fun. |
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Hands-on Classes:
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The Stock Market Game for Teens is back! Teams must register in advance for the sessions that take place on Thursdays, (February 8th, through April 12th) from 4-5 pm in the Library's new computer lab. Note that there will be no session on February 22nd and the first session on February 8th will run from 4-5:30 pm. In this ten-week program, teens will learn about the world of high finance using the real stock market, a real-time portfolio with a live trading simulation and "not so real" currency. The game is intended for kids in grades 7-12. Our teams of two to four kids will compete with other teams around the country. Library resources will be utilized (both print and electronic) to help make wise investment decisions and the Library's own in-house stock market guru, Michael McEneaney, will give students ongoing guidance. This game is endorsed by the National Council on Economic Education. Advance and our participation is made possible by the John and Patricia Curran Teen Fund. Thanks to a generous gift from the Bank of America Foundation and the Office of the State Treasurer (Connecticut), cash prizes are being offered to the top 3 finishing teams in the state. First place teams receive $500, second place - $250, and third place - $100 A minimum of three players must be on a winning team to qualify for the prize. |
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Do you know a 4th or 5th grader who'd like to review books and movies? Tell him or her to sign up to watch Little House on the Prairie one week and then discuss and compare the movie and book the next. As an added treat, our good friends at Tom-E-Toes are donating pizza for kids who come to discussion night! Sign up now in the Children's Library for both sessions:
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In fact, our first of three "Enviro Flicks" will be shown on Sunday, February 11th from 2-3:30 pm in the Brubeck Room. Who Killed the Electric Car? investigates the birth and death of the electric car, as well as the role of renewable energy and sustainable living in the future. Reviewer Pam Grady said, "If timing is everything, then filmmaker Chris Paine could not have picked a better season to release his muckraking documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?. With gas prices at record highs and much of the world finally copping to both the reality of global warming and the fact that petroleum is a finite resource, the time might be right for an automobile that can plug in and go, but as Paine's film relates, GM, Toyota, and others developed the technology, even produced cars, but then literally pulled the plug on their own grand experiment." Join us - the movie is not just good for you, it's really good! Please register in advance - and bring your friends. |
On Tuesday, February 20th, children of all ages can create their own Mardi Gras crafts all day in the Children's Library. We'll hold parades throughout the Library at 11 am and 4:30 pm to show off the children's creations. All materials will be provided free of charge and no registration is required. |
Wilton Library's own Dave Ostergren will lead this month's discussion at the Senior Center (on School Road at Comstock Community Center) on Tuesday, February 27th, at 11 am. No Ordinary Time, by Doris Kearns Goodwin is a wonderful example of history that is anything but dry. A New York Times reviewer said, "Goodwin has pulled off the double trick of making Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt seem so monumental as to have come from a very distant past, and at the same time so vital as to have been alive only yesterday." Join in the discussion! Call the Senior Center to register (834-6240). |
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The staff of the Children's Library has a treat in store for our youngest Young Readers! Kids will enjoy stories and a special "groundhog craft" on Friday, February 2nd, from 10:15 to 11 am. Please 
As part of our visiting author series, we'll host syndicated columnist and author Peter Handrinos on Saturday, February 3rd, from 11 am to noon. Peter will talk about his recently published book, Best New York Sports Arguments: The 100 Most Controversial, Debatable Questions for Die-Hard Fans, and books will be available for purchase and signing. Please register in person, by phone (762-3950) or 
We are looking for gently used books, CDs, and DVDs for children, teens, and adults. They'll go into our annual April book sale that helps fund the general operating cost of the Library. Please... no textbooks, condensed books, LPs, or magazines (they don't sell at all). 
I hope your New Year's resolution diet won't preclude your enjoyment of the truly delectable exhibit of art that will hang in the Library throughout the month of February! Abbie Zuidema's watercolors of food and objects associated with its consumption will be a mouth-watering treat for us all! 
Did you know that we have just changed our rental period on feature film DVDs from 2 days to 3 days at no additional cost? That's right - just $1 will get you great entertainment, and now you don't have to rush to watch your selection! 
The Children's Library is holding a series of teas, each with a different theme, in coming months. This month on Sunday, February 4th, from 2-3 pm, we'll host an American Girl Doll tea. Girls should bring along their favorite American Girl doll for a special afternoon treat. Advance registration is required, so please call the Children's Library (762-3950 x217), stop by or 
Join stock market guru Michael McEneaney from 2-3 pm each Monday for nine weeks, starting on February 5th (first session runs 2-3:30 pm) and ending April 9th. Although we have been running the game with Mike's guidance for more than a year with teens (and a new game is about to begin for them on February 8th!), this is the first time we've run one for adults, and we encourage you to 
On Mondays February 5th, 12th, and 26th, from 3:30-5 pm, kids in grades two through five can drop in to play games and do puzzles. High school volunteers will be on hand to help out and supervise chess and Scrabble. Jigsaw puzzles, Monopoly and Checkers will round out the fun. Learn to play, brush up on your skills and make friends. There's no charge, but please register so we know you are coming: 
Our very own Mary Anne Franco will conduct a raft of computer classes during the month of February - now's the time to sign up and brush up on your skills. The cost of each hands-on 1.5 hour class is $25 ($20 for seniors and Friends of the Library). Registration in person or by phone and payment in advance are required. Our class sizes are limited to ten students who must have basic keyboarding skills and familiarity with Microsoft Windows. 
Please join us for a talk by Cecelia Hope Manley, LPC about the challenges and rewards of caregiving on Wednesday, February 7th, from 4-5:30 pm. Sponsored by Mid-Fairfield Hospice as part of their In the Midst of Winter series, this discussion will center on risks, health-preserving strategies, and resources to guide those caring for an aging parent. Please register in advance by phone (762-3950), in person, or 
The Wilton League of Women Voters and the Library will again join forces in the Brubeck Room on Wednesday, February 7th, at 7:30 pm, to run a discussion on the issue of immigration. Ask questions and get answers from panelists Mark Broughton, Mayor of Danbury, and Michael Boyle, an immigration attorney, as they talk about the incredibly complex issue of immigration, including the ethical, legal, and economic impacts of proposed solutions. Please 
Would you like to work with us? We are looking for four individuals to fill part time positions at the Library at the Circulation Desk, in Teen Services and in Administrative Services. Full descriptions of the positions, applications and contact information is available on our 
During February we have two special program treats for kids: 
Last month's showing of An Inconvenient Truth was a rousing success, and we'll continue (with the help of The Betsy and Jesse Fink Foundation) to host programs about the environment throughout the winter and spring. 
Valentine's Day is upon us and from Monday, February 12th, through Wednesday, February 14th, kids of all ages can stop by the Children's Library during Library open hours (just until 3 pm on the 12th, however) to make their own crafty creations with Valentine's Day themed crafts. There is no charge for materials and no need to register - just stop in. 
Wilton Library Readers with Susan Boyar will discuss The March, by E.L. Doctorow, on Wednesday, February 14th, from noon to 1:30 pm. The Nation's Vince Passaro wrote, "The March is a very fine, robust and deeply intelligent novel. The only novels of the Civil War that rank with it, to my knowledge, are Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage and McCarthy's Blood Meridian." This Civil War novel chronicles General William Tecumseh Sherman's infamous and destructive march through Georgia to the sea. Join in the discussion! 
Dungeons & Dragons, the newest club at the Library, takes place on Saturdays in February from 12:30-2:30 pm. All kids in grades 6-9 are welcome to join in the fun - simply register in advance for one or all of the sessions and come let your imagination soar. Note that the schedule is subject to change, so call in advance to confirm: