Wilton Library Association Newsletter
March 2007
in this issue -- Wilton Reads! The Sweet Hereafter -- Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! -- Digital Photography: Picture Editing with Photoshop -- Poetry in Motion: An Exploration of Diversity -- Wishlist -- Connecticut's Own Chamber Music Concert on March 4th -- Games Monday and Dungeons & Dragons Clubs Continue -- Computer Classes for March -- Keeping Parents Connected Book Discussions -- Read Around the World - Featuring India -- Environmental Film Series: Sacred Planet and Inheritance - A Fisherman's Story -- St. Patrick's Day Crafts for Kids -- More March Book Discussions -- Don't Miss Men's Night Out on March 23rd! -- Critics Choice Movie Night -- Blumenthal Appears at Environmental Symposium -- Art Reception: Focus '07 -- Red Cross Blood Drive at the Library -- Wilton Candlelight Concerts: Prazak String Quartet -- Did You Know? -- In the Spotlight: Wilton History Room at the Library
Hi! March will be brimming with activity, but I'd like to highlight three particularly exciting events that illustrate how the generosity of our community keeps our Library thriving.
With great appreciation, |
On Thursday, March 1st, at 10:30 am, master discussion leader Ben Van Vechten will host a morning discussion of the novel. Come and share your questions and comments - and hear from other readers in what is sure to be a lively session. Please register in advance and we'll save you a seat! And finally, for the culmination of our community-wide read, the Library will welcome author Russell Banks on Thursday, March 15th, at 7:30 pm. We don't often get a chance to meet as well known and regarded an author and we are most grateful to United Way of Norwalk & Wilton, The Wilton Bank, and The Wilton Bulletin for funding Wilton Reads! The Sweet Hereafter. Come hear Mr. Banks talk about the book and answer your questions, then have him sign your copy (we'll have more on hand that you can purchase for his signature, as well). It promises to be an exciting evening for us all. Please register in advance online, by phone, or in person at the Library. |
No registration is necessary - just stop in and celebrate! |
In a continuing and popular series on all aspects of digital photography, professional (and personable!) Michael Franco will employ Photoshop Elements to demonstrate useful editing features. Learn how to remove small objects, easily bring out shadowed sections, crop for better composition and change the color of objects in your photos. Michael's a terrific teacher, as hundreds of students will attest. Please register in advance online, by phone, or in person for this demonstration-style class on Saturday, March 3rd, from 11 am-12:30 pm. |
Now, on Friday, March 9th, and Saturday, March 10th, 7-8:30 pm, those performances will take place, followed by one-hour receptions. Original poetry written by teens will be read, accompanied by various art forms -- music, dance, and art. A book of the students' poetry will be available for purchase. Tickets will be available for sale both at the Library's Circulation Desk and at the door to the Brubeck Room the evenings of the performances. Poetry in Motion is sponsored by the Wilton Library with funding from Fairfield County Community Foundation, the Connecticut Humanities Council, and the John J. and Pat A. Curran Teen Fund. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This month, our collection team has asked me to put two well reviewed books on the wishlist: The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss, by Claire Nouvian ($45) promises a "stunning collection of 160 color photos" and "fifteen short, jargon-free essays" that "flesh out the fantastical images with scientific fact." Species from as far down as four and a half miles are included, from the tiniest denizens to the 60-foot long giant squid. This fascinating book will make a wonderful addition to our shelves - why not purchase it in the name of a sea-lover you know? Britain in the Middle Ages: An Archaeological History, by Francis Pryor ($35) will serve as a course correction for those who think of this period as a stagnant time. Technological advancements in the field of archaeology substantially rewrite long- accepted historical facts about Britain, and Pryor (writing in relaxed and readable prose), illustrates how the Middle Ages paved the way for many modern marvels we now take for granted. This book would be an important addition to our Middle Ages section and we'd be glad to dedicate it with a bookplate to anyone you'd like to honor or memorialize with its purchase. In either case, if you'd like to grant our wish, please email me immediately and I will tell the collection team to purchase it in your name. We'll even make sure you are the first to check the book out, if you like! |
Our chamber music concerts in the Brubeck Room have been playing to SRO crowds, and this fourth in a series of five by Connecticut artists promises the same. Pianist and composer Allen Brings (Chair of the Wilton Library Music Committee) and his wife, pianist Genevieve Chinn-Brings, will treat us to their signature four-hands piano concert on Sunday, March 4th, from 4-5 pm. Dr. Brings is Professor of Music at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College of the City University of New York, where he is co-ordinator of the theory and ear training program. He and his wife are directors of the Weston Music Center and School of the Performing Arts in Weston, Connecticut. Admission will be granted at 4 pm to the first 150 registrants. After 4, and if space permits, waiting list and walk-in registrants will be seated. Please put your name on the list by registering in person, by phone or online and arrive by 4 pm to be guaranteed a seat. |
Our increasingly popular Dungeons & Dragons Club will meet on Saturdays, March 10th, 17th, and 24th from 12:30-2:30 pm. Please call the Library for details and to join, or you can register online by clicking on the dates above. Our Library clubs are all about strategy, imagination, and the fun of getting together with others who share your interests and sense of fun. |
Our computer queen, Mary Anne Franco, will be teaching several hands-on and demonstration-style classes in the Library's Computer Lab (thanks to Praxair for our state-of-the-art learning environment): Tuesday, March 6th, noon-1:30 pm ~~ Introduction to Email Tuesday, March 6th, 7-8:30 pm Thursday, March 8th, 12-1:30 pm Tuesday, March 20th, 12-1:30 pm |
On Thursday, March 15th, from noon-1:30 pm, Class of 2012 parents are invited to come together to discuss Are We Having Fun Yet?: The 16 Secrets of Happy Parenting, by Kay Willis. (multiple copies are available for borrowing at the Library) in a similar program. Please register in advance in person, by phone, or online. |
Children ages 6-10 are invited to come on Saturday, March 10th, from 3-4 pm, to hear speaker (and Wilton Library staff member) Seema Saksena talk about her native India and Holi, the Festival of Color. Stories about India will be a special part of the hour. Please register in advance in person, by phone, or online. |
As part of our initiative to raise awareness about the environment, the Library will present the final two films in a three-film series on Sunday, March 11th, from 2-3 pm and and Sunday, March 25th, from 2- 3:30pm in the Brubeck Room. "Rather than showing the destruction happening around the world, we thought it would be a powerful way to make people think about the environment if we show them some of the beautiful places around the world that still exist," said Jon Long, director of the Sacred Earth, showing on March 11th. The movie shows diverse landscapes, peoples and animals including the last remaining old growth forests of British Columbia, the snowy peaks and glaciers of Alaska, the red rock canyons of Utah and Arizona, the tropical jungles and underwater mysteries of Borneo, the ancient ruins of Thailand and remote deserts of Namibia, and the white sand beaches of New Zealand. Please register in advance in person, by phone or online. On March 25th, we'll show Inheritance - A Fisherman's Story, the moving documentary about the Hungarian river Tisza which was flooded with tons of cyanide from an Australian-Romanian gold mine and the story of fisherman Balazs Meszaros as he struggles with the effects of the disaster on his own community, and attempts to confront the corporate forces behind the mining operation. Please register in advance for this eye-opening film. EnviroFlicks are funded by The Betsy and Jesse Fink Foundation as part of Wilton Library's Environmental Initiative. |
From Wednesday, March 14th, through Saturday, March 17th, children of all ages can test their creativity in the Crafts Room of the Children's Library. We'll provide materials and some inspiration and guidance - kids supply the enthusiasm and talent. There is no charge for participation and no registration is required - simply stop by! |
Our Wilton Library Readers, under the direction of outstanding leader, Susan Boyar, will ponder The Inheritance of Loss, by Kiran Desai. Publisher's Weekly said, This stunning second novel from Desai ...is set in mid-1980s India, on the cusp of the Nepalese movement for an independent state. Jemubhai Popatlal, a retired Cambridge-educated judge, lives in Kalimpong, at the foot of the Himalayas, with his orphaned granddaughter, Sai, and his cook. The makeshift family's neighbors include a coterie of Anglophiles who might be savvy readers of V.S. Naipaul but who are, perhaps, less aware of how fragile their own social standing is—at least until a surge of unrest disturbs the region. Jemubhai, with his hunting rifles and English biscuits, becomes an obvious target. Besides threatening their very lives, the revolution also stymies the fledgling romance between 16-year-old Sai and her Nepalese tutor, Gyan. The cook's son, Biju, meanwhile, lives miserably as an illegal alien in New York. All of these characters struggle with their cultural identity and the forces of modernization while trying to maintain their emotional connection to one another. In this alternately comical and contemplative novel, Desai deftly shuttles between first and third worlds, illuminating the pain of exile, the ambiguities of post-colonialism and the blinding desire for a "better life," when one person's wealth means another's poverty. Join Susan and the Readers on Wednesday, March 14th, from noon-1:30 pm. Bring your lunch and we'll provide beverages. You may register in person, by phone, or online. On Tuesday, March 27th, at 11 am at the Senior Center, I'll lead a discussion of Middlesex, a second novel by Jeffrey Eugenides. The book has been called "epic and wondrous" by Salon.com, "a towering achievement" by the L A Times, "unprecidented, astounding" by the San Francisco Chronicle, and "a deeply affecting portrait of one family's tumultuous engagement with the American twentieth century" by The New York Times. I am looking forward to hearing everyone's impressions of what is definitely a unique look at life. Please call the Senior Center (834-6240) to register for the discussion at Comstock Community Center, 180 School Road, Wilton. On Thursday, March 29th, from 7-8:30 pm, our International Book Group will hear Cintia Goncaves discuss the book, Gabriella, Clove, and Cinnamon, by Jorge Armado. You are welcome to join this growing group of readers who gather to learn about other cultures and countries through eye-witness accounts and the literature of each land. Refreshments and international desserts add a special touch to the evening. Please register in advance in person, by phone, or online. |
Guys! You won't want to miss Wilton Library's third annual men's fund-raiser on Friday, March 23rd, from 7:30 to 10:30 pm. Bring a big appetite, a taste for the finer things, your competitive spirit and, most importantly, bring your friends! The evening will feature:
The fee for the evening is $75 per person and we ask that you register in advance in person, by phone (special hotline extension 270), or online. |
Kids in grades 4 and 5 can be both book reviewers and movie critics. First, they'll read the book Millions, by Frank Cottrell Boyce, they'll watch the movie, then they'll meet to compare and discuss them over pizza donated by our friends at Tom-E-Toes. The film will be shown on Thursday, March 15th, from 5-6:45 pm. The discussion with pizza will take place on Thursday, March 22nd, from 5:30-6:30 pm. Advance registration is required in person, by phone, or online (click on the dates above). |
Please register in advance in person, by phone, or online. |
On Saturday, March 24th, from 6-7:30 pm, the Wilton Arts Council will host a reception in honor of all the photographers who have entered the Focus '07 Juried Photography Exhibition. Please join them to meet the artists and see spectacular examples of their talent. The exibit runs from Monday, March 5th through Friday, March 30th. |
People often speak of the Wilton Library as the "heart of our community." On Wednesday, March 28th, from 1:30 to 6:30 pm, we'll be exactly that, helping The American Red Cross to collect much needed blood from generous donors. The Red Cross says, "We are grateful for the thousands of Americans nationwide who donate blood to help ensure a sustained and secure blood supply." To make an appointment: to donate at the Library, call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543) or for more details, call the Library (762-3950). |
Wilton Candlelight Concerts concludes its 59th season on Sunday, March 18th, at 4 pm, with the Prazak String Quartet. This ensemble, from the Czech Republic, was recently praised by The New York Times for "hot blooded and richly textured" playing. For this last concert of the season, performed at the Congregational Church on Ridgefield Road, they will perform quartets of Haydn, Jancek, and Brahms. A portion of the proceeds from the Candlelight Concert series benefits Wilton Library's classical and jazz music collections. Tickets will be available 1/2 hour prior to the performance or you may reserve yours now by calling 203-762-3401 or 203-762-5019. |
Did you know that the Library has copies of most commonly used tax forms (state and federal) waiting for you in our reference area? We'll also download and print out forms we don't have from the IRS website if you can't find them in our reproducible forms file. In addition, to make life easier at times that the IRS site has slowed to a crawl as the time to April 15th dwindles, we've created a page with links to the most commonly used tax forms that we'd love for you to use. Our Tax Forms, Publications & Information page includes forms for Connecticut and New York as well as federal forms, online tax information, phone numbers for forms and information, and contact information for our local IRS offices. Although we can't help you file your taxes - or pay your taxes, we can help make the whole process less painful! |
Did you know that Wilton's history resides at the Wilton Library? The extensive archival collection of the Wilton Library and the Wilton Historical Society was once located in a corner of the first floor of the Library, where files were above, beneath, between, and behind each other. Our new History Room is a bright, beautiful and much expanded space, located at the south end of the second floor, accessible by either elevator or stairs. Originally organized by Carol Russell, Archival Curator and current Wilton Town Historian, the History Room contains Wilton Historic house and neighborhood information, genealogies, photographs, maps, manuscripts, diaries, and scrapbooks. Also included are rare books and ledgers, newspapers, including the Wilton Bulletin, and the archival records of a number of Wilton organizations. The History Room is open for on-site research three to four afternoons per week. Scotty Taylor, Archival Curator, staffs the room each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from noon to 5 pm. Carol Russell, continues to come in on Thursdays when she is available, generally from 10 am to 4 pm. At other times, patrons may request materials from the reference staff, who will retrieve files and provide them for use in the reference area. Stop by and see this lovely facility - we are here to share information, answer questions and support the preservation of the stories of our town families and history. Join with those who come regularly each week and those who have written or visited from as far away as California, Oregon and Texas. We look forward to seeing you! |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ email: kathy_leeds@wiltonlibrary.org phone: 203-762-3950 |
For months, groups and individuals all over town have been reading The Sweet Hereafter, by Russell Banks. Some have watched the award-winning feature film based on the book and many have joined in discussions of this fascinating work about a small town's tragedy. March ushers in two special Wilton Reads! events at the Library:
For months, a student board, several professionals and a group of student poets and artists in grades 7-12 have been working with Teen Librarian Susan Lauricella to create a two-performance poetry and arts event centered around the themes of diversity and tolerance.
Kids in grades 2-5 can drop in at the Children's Library Mondays March 
On Thursday, March 8th, from noon to 1:30 pm, Wilton Youth Services and the Wilton Library will join forces to present a special program for Wilton High School Class of 2013 parents. The book that has been selected for discussion is Too Much of a Good Thing: Raising Children of Character in an Indulgent Age, by Dan Kindlon, Ph.D. Copies of the book are 
As part of our year-long Environmental Initiative, we'll offer an Environmental Symposium on the subject of Chemical-Free Land Care from 6-9 pm on Tuesday, March 27th. A reception and exhibits will start off the gathering at 6 pm with the panel discussion starting at 7 pm. This amazing evening is funded by the Betsy and Jesse Fink Foundation. 
