Wilton Library Association Newsletter
July 2007
in this issue --4th of July!
Hello! Summer is here, and the Library is filled with art, music, information, and just plain fun. I know that many businesses in town feel that folks leave the area in droves as soon as school is out, but our level of activity would seem to prove just the opposite! And now our newly expanded hours (we are open until 8 pm Monday through Thursday, starting July 2nd) give everyone more time to stop in and enjoy a story, a show, an art exhibit, a concert - or simply more time to settle into our cool and comfortable spaces throughout the building to read a book, newspaper, or magazine. The Library is truly an oasis in the summer months, drawing families in to refresh, relax, and renew. I look forward to seeing you here! Sincerely, |
Please note that the Library will be closed for the 4th of July so that we all may take part in holiday activities with our friends and families. Visit us on the Web at www.wiltonlibrary.org for 24/7 information and service! |
No registration is necessary - please just come and be part of the fun. Call the Children's Library at 762-3950, extension 217, for more information. |
If you are unable to come on the 6th, stop by at any time this summer through Thursday, August 30th, to see the show. You'll be amazed at the variety and quality of this engaging show to highlight local talent. A percentage of all sales benefits the Library's Art Fund, allowing us to purchase not only art for the permanent collection, but also books and audiovisual materials on art, artists, and art instruction. |
Thursday, July 5th (4 to 6:45 pm)~~ The Sorcerer's Stone Please note that children under 8 years of age must be accompanied by adults and caregivers for those children 8 and over must remain in the building while the movie is playing. There is no charge for the film series, no registration is necessary, and you can call the Children's Library for more information (762-3950, extension 217). For a special treat, at the end of each showing there will be a raffle for one copy of the new book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which will hit the shelves in July as well! |
The shows are bound to be filled to capacity, so please note that admission is on a first come, first served basis and registration will be done at the door starting 1/2 hour before each show. The first 150 to register (children and caregivers) will be seated. There is no charge for the program. Lost Ark for Little Kids (up to age 6) ~~ 1 to 1:30 pm on Wednesday, July 11th |
As so often happens, generosity begets more giving, and as a result of additional significant monetary donations by Susan and Frank Carroll, Anissa and James Shannon, Doon and John Foster, in-kind donations and discounts by Donna Merrill (landscape design), Nick Vona (masonry), Chris Reeb and Lucci Electric (wiring and lighting), Drew Klotz (sculpture), Summer Rain (sprinkler system), and Nick Lee (plantings), the new courtyard is becoming an oasis for events and individual enjoyment. We are grateful as well to volunteers Kathy Welling, Joan Waldie, and Elizabeth Harleman who have all been responsible for shepherding parts of the design and implementation along. Please stop by and see the progress! We will (weather permitting) hold our summer concert series here starting on July 12th (see below), and will have a formal dedication later in the summer when the renovation is complete and furnishings have arrived. It has been such fun - despite the dust and noise - to watch the transformation take place. Our new Library continues to evolve as a source of pride to the community thanks to the efforts, talent, and generosity of so many. |
The Latin rock/salsa band The Cosmic Jibaros will follow on Thursday, July 19th with a sound that's new to the Summer Music & More Series and we're sure you'll like their style. With passionate vocals, stirring lyrics, and floor-shaking percussion, The Cosmic Jibaros have redefined the Latin rock band, building from Latin and Caribbean rhythms and adding funked up guitars and accordion flourishes for a sound thats both cross-cultural and highly danceable. Our final concert will take place on Thursday, July 26th, when Wilton High alumni Dan Kreiger ('03) performs on keyboard, with Rob Bruce ('99) on bass, Chris "Gus" Johnson on drums and Paul Dano ('02) on guitar and lead vocals. The band, Mook, is simply amazing and they are making a name for themselves in the music world (yes, Paul Dano IS the actor recently seen in the great role of Dwayne in the film Little Miss Sunshine). The concerts are free of charge (although we will happily accept your contributions to help fund future programs at the Library!), thanks to the sponsorship of our very good friends at The Village Market. In addition, complementary wine will be provided for the first two concerts (to those 21 years of age and over, of course) by Michael Crystal, founder of the Grand Crew Wine Club. The Library will provide refreshments as well, so please join us for an all-round fantastic summer experience! Weather permitting, all shows will take place from 5 to 6:30 pm in the Northeast (new) Courtyard - please enter through the doors closest to Old Ridgefield Road that will be opened just for easy access to these concerts. If the weather is threatening, we'll relocate to the Brubeck Room, inside and just to the left of the main entrance. |
On Saturday, July 14th, kids can drop in to get a lightning scar just like Harry's. From 2 to 3 pm, there will be a potions lesson with professor Snape and Professor Trelawney in the Children's Library, too - don't miss it! On Monday, July 16th, we'll have three fun activities: On Tuesday, July 17th, there are two special activities planned: On Wednesday, July 18th, from 1 to 3 pm, the Children's Library will be transformed into Hogsmeade Village. Kids will find their way through the town with the Marauder's Map. Face painting, balloons, fortune telling and puppet shows will abound, and a scavenger hunt will take place for kids entering second grade and up. Honeydukes, of course! This special day is sponsored by our friends at Stop & Shop. On Thursday, July 19th, from 4-5 pm, Professor Trelawney will lead a discussion with children entering second grade and up of the Harry Potter books with particular emphasis on predictions about what will happen in the seventh and final book. Kids are encouraged to share their personal guesses about what will happen to Harry. Please register in advance for the Predictions Discussion. On Friday, July 20th, from 10 pm to midnight (or later), the faculty of Hogwarts will be on hand at the Children's Library for a final banquet! The cost of $50 per child includes a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, to be distributed at the stroke of midnight. The Library will remain open for those who wish to stay and read (a parent or caregiver must keep children wishing to remain company, and this extended evening is only for those who will be reading). Bagels, juice and coffee will be available throughout the night. Please call Lesley Keogh at extension 248 to register immediately, as registration is open only to the first 30 who call in. Advance payment is required to secure the registration and only those children entering 3rd grade and up are eligible to participate. Proceeds from the evening will benefit future Children's Library programs. |
On Wednesday, July 25th, from 4 to 6 pm, teens in grades 7-12 can learn how to craft a new wardrobe from old t-shirts! They'll learn creative cutting, tying, and fabric painting to stamp their own style on a uniquely created t-shirt. All supplies will be provided and there is no charge for the program as it is underwritten by the Pat and John Curran Teen Fund. Please register in advance - and bring a friend! |
Attendees at Build Green! will learn the costs and payback time of major installations like geothermal power and solar panels, as well as simple steps like insulation modifications. Suzanne Knutson, Wilton Magazine's Garden Editor, will serve as moderator for the panel of experts. Suzanne is the author of an extensive article on green construction appearing in the July/August issue of the magazine, and something of an expert, herself. Roundtable participants will include prominent local architects and builders as well as industry gurus. The program will focus on the health improvements as well as energy savings associated with green construction (for example, the reduction in asthma resulting from cleaner homes). A reception will follow the roundtable discussion. Please register in advance online. |
The first show, for little kids up to age 6, will take place from 1 to 1:30 pm. The second, for kids entering first grade and older, will go on from 2 to 3 pm. There is no charge for the show and registration will take place at the door starting 1/2 hour before each show. Admittance will be on a first come, first served basis and the first 150 people to register (children and caregivers) will be seated. All children must be accompanied by adults. Call the Children's Library at 762-3950, extension 217, for more information. |
Purvi will share many tales of fantastical creatures that will surely stir imaginations. Caregivers and kids are welcome to attend, but we ask that you all register in advance for this popular program. |
~~ From 10:30 to 11:30 am, children ages 3 to 5 are invited to come see Curious George - Zoo Night. Admission is free and no registration is necessary. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult, and caregivers for kids 8 and older must remain available in the Library during the show. Look for more Reel Friday screenings in August! |
Contact Information: email: kathy_leeds@wiltonlibrary.org phone: 203-762-3950 web: http://www.wiltonlibrary.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
To celebrate Independence Day, the Children's Library will have special drop-in craft days for kids of all ages. We'll have materials on hand in patriotic red, white, and blue and kids are welcome to come by at any time on Monday and Tuesday, July 2nd and 3rd. Additional drop-in crafts days are planned as follows:
On Thursdays, July 5th and 19th, and Tuesdays, July 24th and 31st, children ages 1-6 are invited to listen to a story or two with our master storytellers as follows:
More that 50 Wilton artists have entered their work in the Library's 63rd Summer Art Exhibition, and what a talented bunch they are! Please join us on Friday, July 6th from 5:30 to 7 pm for a reception to honor their talent and dedication. We'll serve refreshments and you will be able to shop while you nibble, as most of the artwork will be for sale.
You may have heard (!) that a new movie, in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, will debut on Wednesday, July 11th. To celebrate its opening and add to the already considerable anticipation, the Library will have a "movie countdown," showing all the previous films in the week leading up to the 11th. This Harry Potter festival is sponsored by the Louis Dreyfus Corporation and we are so grateful for their support. 
For those not in line at the movie theater to see the new Harry Potter film on Wednesday, July 11th, we have a show of our own that has been a blockbuster success in the past. Lesa Scheifele from The Lost Ark, an environmental research program, will bring live creatures to the Library to teach kids about endangered species. Part of the Fantasy Beasts and Books summer reading program, these two performances are sponsored by the Betsy and Jesse Fink Foundation.
You may have noticed the sound of construction going on in the normally quiet reference area in recent weeks - in fact, it would have been hard to miss! At the time of our expansion, and due to the generous contributions by the Goldsmith family, we were able to close in the original entry courtyard on the northeast side of the building to provide more space for the adult book collection. The courtyard is dedicated to Carolyn M. and Arthur A. Goldsmith Jr., and we are most grateful for their children's donations in their name.
Chance Browne and the Twinkies will open the seventh year of outdoor concerts at the Library on Thursday, July 12th, from 5 to 6:30 pm. Founded in 1973, the group is a perennial favorite in Wilton and surrounding communities and its members will bring our new courtyard to life with their special blend of folk and rock.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released this month and we have a full week of excitement in store for readers who anxiously await this seventh (and last) in the amazing series by J.K. Rowling. No registration is required except as noted below.
On Tuesday, July 17th, from 5 to 6:30 pm, Wilton Library staffer Seema Saksena will show teens (ages 13-18) the traditional art of 
Wilton Library and 
Live owls will be our guests and the stars of the show on Wednesday, July 25th, when Wind Over Wings brings several of them to the Brubeck Room. In two separate sessions, kids will meet an Eastern Screech Owl, Great Horned Owl, Great Grey Owl, and a Saw Whet Owl and learn about their remarkable abilities. Interactive, informative, and humorous, the program will give kids lots of opportunities to ask questions. Part of the summer reading program, Fantasy Beasts and Books, the program is sponsored by the Betsy and Jesse Fink Foundation.
On Thursday, July 26th, from 2 to 3 pm, Purvi Sarup, a Wilton High School senior, will take children entering grades 2 through 6 on a magic carpet ride to her heritage country, India!
Reel Fridays, sponsored by the Louis Dreyfus Corporation, will feature two separate shows on Friday, July 27th: