Hazardous Material Drop-off Day is Saturday, October 29th, from 9 am to 3 pm at Wilton High School (near the tennis courts). This year, you'll be able to donate your used books at the same time and place! We are hoping to have our biggest book sale ever in the spring, so are delighted to "piggy-back" with the town at the High School.

Now, at the same time you are combing closets, basements and garages for hazardous materials, you can weed your bookshelves as well. Bring us all your used books, videos, DVDs, audiobooks and computer games in good condition (no LPs, textbooks or condensed books, please) and we will offer them up for sale in April, helping to fund the operating costs of our wonderful Library.

Thanks to our talented and generous landscaping chairmen, Donna Ferries and Lydia Wallis, and the support of the Wilton Garden Club, the landscape around our new building is "blooming" with new life! Donna and Lydia have worked with suppliers to get us the best possible materials at the best (often free!) price. Thanks go to the following companies: Klehm's Song Sparrow, Gloeckner & Company, Inc., Lee Horticultural Services, L&L Ever-Green, George Biercuk Greenscapes in Wainscott, NY, Spectrum Products, Oliver Nurseries of Fairfield, and Twombly Nursery in Monroe.

We've also had donations from many individuals who want to help us realize the beautiful plan. Jennifer Amadeo, Elaine and Joe Biersack, Jan and Matt Bryant, Taylor Burke, Debbie and Greg Chann, Kay Chann, Anne and Bob Cuddy, Anne Hamar, Elizabeth Hughes, Ann and John LaCroix, Ellen and Jack Nolan, Ann and John McDonald, Del Overby, Judy Quattrochi, Diana Reische, Liz and Dan Riley and Janice Williams had all made generous contributions by mid-October. Anyone who wishes a copy of the list of trees and shrubs in order to choose one for donation should contact Lydia Wallis directly.

Because so many of you have asked about the Treegators (a registered trademark), they are a portable drip irrigation system which is saving hours of watering. They have a website ( http://www.Treegator.com ) and a toll free number (866-873-3428). Each of the 27 trees requires 26 gallons of water twice a week. It would be a full time job without the Treegators!

The flu season is upon us and the folks at Nursing & Home Care will be at the Library three times to make flu shots available to those who live and work in Wilton. Simply stop by, or for more information about the vaccine and who should get it, call their Flu Hotline at 203-834-6341, extension 444.

Thursday, November 3rd ~~ 10 am to 1 pm
Thursday, November 17th ~~ 1-3 pm
Thursday, December 1st ~~ 4-7 pm (note - due to a shortage of vaccine, this session was canceled!)

We have two marvelous programs for families lined up in November:

The Bluegrass Music Association will be here at 3 pm on Saturday, November 5th, to set toes tapping with musicians who will not only play, but also teach about the bluegrass tradition in our country. Bring the whole family for a wonderful educational treat. There is no charge for the program, but we ask that you register in person, by phone (762-3950) or online.

On Saturday, November 12th, from 1 to 2 pm, the Norwalk Symphony will perform their very popular (Not) Just for Kids program for woodwinds. All are welcome and additional sessions are scheduled for strings on January 21st, for brass on February 18th, and for percussion on April 15th. Our thanks go to the Wilton Bank for making this series possible. Please register in person, by phone, or online to reserve your seats!

Wednesday, November 2nd, from 8 am to noon, the Wilton Library will host a workshop for educators, librarians, and caregiver professionals who support families of children with special needs. We are proud to be the recipients of an LSTA grant to present this workshop, hold several more throughout the winter, and to purchase assistive technology and new collection materials for special needs children and their families in our expanded Children's Library.

Carrie Banks is an acknowledged expert in the field and runs the Child's Place at the Brooklyn Public Library. All are welcome, but please let us know you will join us by registering in person, by phone or online.

We have a several terrific programs for teens planned at the Library in November:

Teen Poetry Open Mic Night - November 4th
Teens in grades 7th-12th will be able to read, sing, rap and/or play music to original or existing poems at the Library on Friday, November 4th, from 7-9:30 pm. Refreshments will be served and there's no charge for the program. Open Mic Night has been phenomenally popular in the past, so advance registration is suggested in person, by phone or online. Perform or provide an audience for Wilton's other talented teens!

Teen Knitting Workshop - November 14th
7th-12th graders can learn to make knitted belts in two sessions at the Library on Mondays, November 14th (4-5:30 pm) and 28th (4-5 pm) . Because these workshops are made possible by the John Curran Memorial Teen Fund, they are free of charge and all materials will be provided by the Library. Register in advance to save a place, please - in person, by phone or online.

Thanks to the generosity of area merchants, we are able to offer you the chance to benefit the Library at the same time that you shop. Last month we were so grateful to our new neighbor, Blue Tulip - our share of the benefit evening proceeds was $4,000! Mid-November will bring two more opportunities:

On Thursday, November 10th, from 5-8 pm, Open House in Wilton Center will donate a portion of their proceeds on all purchases made that evening to the Library. Join us for wine and cheese while you shop - it's sure to be fun!

On Wednesday, November 16th, Lord & Taylor in Stamford holds its annual benefit bash and this year the Wilton Library will be a beneficiary if you stop by our front desk to buy a $5 shopping pass in advance. Not only will the $5 go directly to the Library, but it will also entitle you to significant discounts on purchases throughout the day.

From 7-8:30 pm on Tuesday, November 15th, everyone is invited to an open house at the Children's Library to sample our new parent/teacher resources for families of children with special needs. Books and DVDs, special seating, and assistive technology will be showcased as a result of our recently awarded LSTA grant. Stop by for refreshments and to see what's new!

Michael and Mary Anne Franco will return Saturday, November 12th, from 11:30-1:30 pm with another installment of their popular series on digital cameras and photography. This user friendly duo will make everything about digital cameras clear as they discuss camera terminology and basic operation for the new digital camera owner, or for anyone wanting to learn more about this exciting and rapidly advancing technology.

There is no charge for the program, but registration is requested in person, by phone or online. There will be several more classes on different aspects of digital photography in 2006 (January 7th, February 4th, March 4th and May 13th), so this is a great time to start learning!

Do you have a reluctant reader at home? Is he balking at turning pages for fun or schoolwork? If so, you will want to attend a seminar from 10 am-1 pm on Tuesday, November 15th, led by author and librarian, Michael Sullivan. Parents, educators, and librarians and media specialists alike are invited to the seminar, cosponsored by the Wilton PTA Council and SPED*NET.

Booklist said of his book, Connecting Boys with Books: Statistics show that boys do not read as much as girls. Given the importance of reading in developing vocabulary, self-expression, and higher- level thinking skills, it is essential to get boys engaged with books. In this brief, highly readable treatise, author Sullivan outlines both the tenets of successful programming for boys in the tweens--ages 8 to 12--and methods that can be used to put theory into practice. Covering genres that appeal to boys, the power of reading-related games, sports-themed library programming, and a well-run chess program, this compendium of ideas and recommendations will help both school and public librarians reach their young male constituents. The combination of practical programming recommendations and philosophical and statistical background makes for potent advocacy.

Although the book was written for librarians, parents are sure to find him engaging and informative as well. Please register in person, by phone or online.

We are pleased to host the first Special Services Parent Advisory Council Coffee on Wednesday, November 30, from 9:30-11:00 am at the Wilton Library. The Advisory Council urges all parents of Wilton students pre-K to grade 12 and to come join them for company, coffee and conversation.

There is no registration required. Call Christine Chambers at 762-3381 for more information. Please join us!

We have lots of fun in store for kids toward the end of the month...

On Thursday, November 17th, from 2-3:30 pm, we will celebrate Anime Movie Day with a free showing of Spirited Away. Having displaced Titanic as Japan's #1 all-time film, been the subject of near-universal praise by critics, and received numerous accolades (including a 2003 Academy Award for "Best Animated Film"), the consensus is in: Spirited Away is a wonderful film. Our license to show films is sponsored annually by the Louis Dreyfus Corporation - and we are so grateful to them! Children under 5 must bring along an adult, but no reservations are required. Please join us in the new Craft/Story Room!

On Saturday, November 19th, from 1-3, kids aged 3- 8 will enjoy Thanksgiving stories, crafts and refreshments. Advance registration is required in person, by phone (762-3950) or online and there is a materials fee of $5 per child ($4 for Young Readers).

On Friday, November 25th, from 11 am-12:30 pm and 2-3:30 pm, the Children's Library will hold "The Day After" film fun. Free movies at the Library will be a must along with the turkey leftovers. Come one, come all - no registration is required!

There are several exciting book discussions planned for November:

On Wednesday, November 9th, from noon to 1 pm, the Wilton Library Readers with Susan Boyar will tackle Case Histories, by Kate Atkinson. Library Journal says, Edinburgh resident Atkinson has been touted for her clever subversion of the standard family saga (the Whitbread Prize-winning Behind the Scenes at the Museum), as well as her playful parody and magic realism (Not the End of the World). Now she turns her deft hand to the hard-boiled detective genre and wreaks a similarly wonderful havoc. Cambridge P.I. and Francophile Jackson Brodie serves as the link among three interwoven tales. Don't miss this great read and lively discussion! No registration is necessary and you may bring your lunch - drinks will be provided by the Library.

The November 22nd Senior Center Book Discussion at 11 am will feature leader Ben Van Vechten and center on The Hill Bachelors, by William Trevor. Call the Senior Center (Comstock Community Center on School Road - 834-6240) to register.

Popular lecturer Ann Martin will continue her series delving into the theme of revenge in Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus and The Merchant of Venice in November. Entitled Revenge: A Dish Better Served Cold, the series will take place on Mondays from 10:30 am to noon: November 7, 14, and 21. Advance registration is required in person, by phone (762- 3950) or online.

Last year, we learned together a great deal about discrimination and prejudice. This year we are concentrating on how to address them. Please join discussion leader Troy Ellen Dixon as she shows and talks about the film Let's Get Real, a documentary about taunting and bullying in middle schools. The topics covered in the film include racial and religious differences, learning disabilities, sexual orientation and harassment, and more. You owe it to yourself and your middle schooler to be part of this important evening.

Funds for the program (and the film, which has been added to our collection) have been provided through a grant by United Way of Wilton and Norwalk. The showing and discussion will take place on Tuesday, November 29th from 7-8:30 pm. Advance registration in person, by phone (762-3950) or online is suggested.

We are so fortunate to be an official site of the 2005 Tellabration! An International Day and Night of Storytelling for Adults is held every November on the Saturday and Sunday before Thanksgiving. Begun in 1987 by Connecticut storyteller J. J. Pinkerton, the goal of this event is to raise the level of awareness of this ancient art form in the adult community. Often adults assume that storytelling is meant only for children, but there are many stories, both personal and folk tales, that are appropriate for adults. Tellabration! Also strives to build grassroots support for storytelling.

The Wilton Library is thrilled to host a 2 pm Tellabration! performance on Sunday, November 20th. Please register in person, by phone (762-3950) or online and bring the whole family... you'll be glad you did!