Wilton Library Association Newsletter
January 2004
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
in this issue:
-- Expansion News
-- Art Exhibits/Receptions: Comstock Drawing Group & PTSA Reflections
-- Darius Brubeck - Teacher and Musician Visits Wilton
-- Out of Doors in Art and Music
-- Annual Report for 2002/03
-- Drop in Story Times Sponsored by Fleet Bank
-- Lights Out at the Library - for Boys!
-- Teen Programs for the Month & A Request
-- January Book and Poetry Discussions
-- Span the Digital Divide @ the Library
Happy New Year!
Expansion
News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Library originally went before Wilton's Planning and Zoning
Commission in October to present its plan for the expansion. The hearing
was continued to November 10th and again to December 8th to allow engineers
time to modify the drainage design for the site. The December 8th meeting
marked approval from P&Z and a green light for construction to start
in early spring. The Library will remain open throughout the 18-month
to 2 year construction project, with the maintenance of ample parking
and safe access at the top of our list for our Construction Mangers
from Turner Construction Company. We all may need to put up with some
noise and inconvenience in the months ahead, but the excitement of
seeing dreams fulfilled will help us all get through the dust and digging.
We offer continual thanks to our Building Committee Chairman, Malcolm
Whyte, for steering our course through the various stages of the project.
His expertise and hard work have benefitted both the Library and the
Town.
On the fund raising front, we got a wonderful holiday gift from the Kresge Foundation. More news will appear soon, but their challenge to our community to reach our goal is exciting and will support our efforts as we get closer to the target of $3,900,000 raised privately.
This month we will send out a mailing to raise funds to both build and equip the wonderful Brubeck Community Room. The piece will go 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.
Art
Exhibits/Receptions: Comstock Drawing Group & PTSA Reflections
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two art exhibits will take place during the month of January:
- January 9-29 The wonderfully eclectic Comstock Drawing Group will display their works in the lobby and Adult Services wing of the Library (reception on Friday, January 9th from 6-7:30 p.m.).
- January 16-30 The PTA Council will sponsor an exhibit of art, music, photography and literature works by Wilton K-12 students in the Children's Services wing (reception from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, January 16th).
All are welcome to come to both receptions and exhibits to view these exceptional shows of local talent.
Darius
Brubeck - Teacher and Musician Visits Wilton
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Library is so fortunate to have Darius, one of the very
talented Brubeck brothers, visit us on Wednesday, January 14th at 7
p.m. to speak about his 20 years in South Africa as a teacher and musician
during a period of conflict, transition and hope. Please join us in
welcoming Darius back to the area for a very special visit to the Library
that will soon honor his family in a lasting and fitting way (see above).
Out
of Doors in Art and Music
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Composer Elizabeth Lauer will join her longtime friend and
popular art lecturer Joan Kaskell to talk delightfully about art and
music Sunday afternoon, January 11th at 2 p.m. Together they will present
Out of Doors in Art and Music, exploring themes of nature in color
and sound, illustrating their talk with Vivaldi's The Four Seasons,
as well as landscapes from different historical periods.
No charge for the program, but registration is suggested in person, by phone (762-3950) or online.
Annual
Report for 2002/03
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Annual Report for the Wilton Library Association's past
fiscal year will soon be mailed to new and renewing Friends of the
Library. Copies of this comprehensive document will be available at
the Library as well, and we encourage all to take a look at the activity
and finances of the year concluded June 30th. Normally this document
is available far earlier for the public, but we delayed its publication
because of all the work going on for our Gala Weekend in September
and then the Annual Appeal/Capital Campaign mailing in October. I think
you will find it - as I do - fascinating reading and a terrific reminder
of all we've been up to in past months!
Drop
in Story Times Sponsored by Fleet Bank
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Starting in January, all our story times will be offered on
a "drop-in" basis (no registration of administrative fee will be required).
We hope to be able to satisfy more children and parents by encouraging
them to stop by whenever they are able rather than signing up for a
six to eight week schedule of sessions. Story times are wonderful opportunities
for children to acquire a love for reading and appreciation of literature
that will last their whole lives long.
Story time schedule for January and February:
- 1s Tuesday and Wednesdays, 10:15-10:45 a.m.
- 2s Tuesday and Wednesdays, 11:15-11:45 a.m.
- 3s Monday and Tuesday, 1:15-1:45 p.m.
- 4s and 5s Monday and Tuesday, 2:15-3 p.m.
- 5s through 8s Tuesdays 4:15-4:45 p.m.
Ones and Twos must be accompanied by an adult. There will be no Monday story times on January 19th and February 16th as the Library will be closed for holidays on those dates.
Fleet Bank has very generously offered to fund not only these sessions, but also all teen programs for the coming year. Thank you to our neighbor, Fleet, for being such a thoughtful community partner!
Lights
Out at the Library - for Boys!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Friday/Saturday, January 30th/February 1st (snow date, February
6/7), from 7 at night until 9 the next morning, the Library will hold
its very popular annual overnight for boys in grades 2-4. Games, food
and fun are guaranteed, but space is limited, so register right away!
There is a fee of $25 per child to defray costs.
Call us to register (762-3950) - ask for Children's Services.
Teen Programs for the Month & A Request
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Teens will be able to gain skills this month at the Library
two ways:
- Katie Wilbur will show them how to elaborately decorate cookies for friends and family on Thursday, January 29th from 4-5 p.m. Advance registration is required for this lesson from a queen of creativity!
- The American Red Cross will conduct a new 1- day babysitting training session, following the tremendous demand for classes held last month. This time the training will run on one day only from 10 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. on Daturday, January 31st. Participants must register and pay $50 in advance and bring a bag lunch that day. This class is intended for kids ages 11- 15 and seating is limited, so register early.
A Request: We intend to start a chess club at the Library to respond to those in Wilton whose children would like to learn the game or refine their skills. Although we have been contacting potential teachers, we would welcome volunteers who have had experience with this sort of teaching and who have an hour or so a week to devote to the job. If you or anyone you know is interested, please let us know immediately. And if you have children who want to join, watch the newspapers for the time and dates of meetings -- we hope to start next month.
January Book and Poetry Discussions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Ben Van Vechten will be back with another popular poetry seminar, Thursday mornings from 10:30-noon on January 8,15,22,29 and February 5. Poetry packets are available at the front Circulation Desk - stop by and pick one up!
- Susan Boyar will lead Wilton Library Readers in a discussion of George Eliot's "Daniel Deronda" at noon on Wednesday, January 14th. No registration necessary - bring your lunch.
- Seniors will join Bill Ziegler in discussing "Billy Budd" by Herman Melville at the Senior Center (Comstock Community Center). Call 834-6240 to register.
Span the Digital Divide @ the Library
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael and Mary Anne Franco will return for a second session
on taking the mystery out of digital photography. Their last class
was enthusiastically received - if you are thinking of buying a camera
or need to improve skills with one you already own, come and learn
from the experts at 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 25th.
Mary Anne will continue her popular "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.
- January 7th - Intermediate Excel
- January 8th - Intermediate Internet
- January 21st - IntermediatePowerPoint
- January 22nd - Intermediate Word
Register online for any of these classes.
Contact Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
email: library@wiltonlibrary.org
voice: 203-762-3950
web: http://www.wiltonlibrary.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~