Wilton Library Association Newsletter
October 2004
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
in this issue
-- Benefit Concerts for the Brubeck Room
-- Computer Classes for October
-- Focus on Art
-- History of Beer
-- David Facini Discusses The Middle East
-- Wilton Discusses To Kill a Mockingbird with Susan Boyar
-- Bob Russell's Wilton, CT
-- Wilton Library/Parent Connection Resources
-- Exciting Kids' and Teens' Activities in October
-- Chamber/Library Workplace Seminar
-- More Book Discussions this Month
-- Special Thanks!
-- Expansion Update
Hello!
Spring is the season typically associated with anticipation of things to come, but as I look at our calendar for October -- and out the window -- I am more and more aware of how the Wilton Library is growing to fill community needs.
Our program calendar has never been more varied or exciting and you'll find highlights of what's in store in this newsletter, on our website, and in the local news. At the same time, our construction project is evolving in the most dramatic and wonderful way, whetting appetites for what will be possible in months ahead. Already, parking capacity and layout are vastly improved. As the expansion proceeds, we can anticipate the larger, more flexible and fitting program and collection space to come. This truly is a time to be proud of -- and involved in -- your library.
Sincerely,
Kathy Leeds, Director
Benefit
Concerts for the Brubeck Room
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 |
Mark your calendars for two wonderful musical tributes by gifted local musicians! To honor the Brubeck family and their contributions both to our community and the musical world at large, concerts will take place this month at St. Matthew's Church at 8 pm on Saturdays at the beginning and end of the month. Please join us in celebrating the talent and tremendous generosity of our friends: |
Saturday, October 2nd Fall Interlude ~~ Wilton Chamber Players featuring Ralph Kirmser, Kyle Nobles, Rosemary Dellinger, Linda Gortz and Mary Bozzuti Higgins will perform instrumental and voice pieces from 20th century chamber works.
Saturday, October 30th Trios & Tangos ~~ Errante/Cho Trio featuring Richard Errante, Lois Errante and Kyong Hee Cho will perform Mendelssohn, Turina and Piazzolla.
Call the Library today (762-3950) to reserve tickets for either or both concerts. Prices are $25 regular admission, $10 for seniors and students, $50 for preferred seating. All proceeds will benefit the Brubeck Room - the spectacular new performance and program space in our expanded library.
More about The Brubeck Room...
Computer
Classes for October
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Computer guru Mary Anne Franco will conduct hands-on training
sessions on Mondays and Thursdays on popular topics: Thursday, October 7th -- Basic Internet Monday, October 18th -- Create a Web site Thursday, October 21st -- Basic Microsoft Word Classes will take place in the library's reference area from 8:30-10 am. Registration is required ($20/$15 Friends of the Library) and space is limited, so call (762-3950) or register online as soon as possible. Mary Anne will demonstrate use of the Library's databases, too - sign
up (no charge) to explore the Invisible Web of information available
at your fingertips on either of the following dates: |
 |
Focus
on Art
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 |
We have a number of opportunities for art lovers on Sundays in October: Join us on Sunday, October 3rd from 11:30 am-1 pm for the opening reception of The Wild Bunch, a group showing of works by artists from the Rowayton Arts Center. Brunch will be served and all are welcome! A portion of proceeds from sales of works throughout the month will benefit the Library. No registration necessary - just come and feast on this wonderfully varied exhibit. On Sunday, October 17th at 2 pm, we'll have a program about the magnificent new exhibit at the Bruce Museum entitled, Drawn by the Brush: Oil Sketches by Peter Paul Rubens. Popular Museum docent Jim Pelgrift will touch on the highlights of this exceptional show, the first in North America to be devoted entirely to Peter Paul Rubens' oil sketches, and the first anywhere for more than fifty years. Advance registration is suggested. |
On Sunday, October 24th at 2 pm, retired MIT professor Donald Harleman will discuss Saving Venice from the Sea, a project in which he has been involved to protect revered artwork from the flooding in this city of canals.
And sign up soon to join us for a lecture by Joan Kaskell and a bus trip to see the treasures at the Frick Museum in Manhattan, cosponsored by St. Matthew's Church -- on Thursday, November 4th (registration is required and the bus will cost $30 per person). The day will start at 9 am for the lecture and end around 4 back here in Wilton, depending on traffic.
History
of Beer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Greg Glazer, editor of All About Beer, will discuss the history
of beer and offer a beer tasting (audience members must be 21 years
or older) on Thursday, October 14th at 7 pm. Refreshments
will be served and there is no charge for program, but advance registration
is required. Call 762-3950 or register
online.
David
Facini Discusses The Middle East
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Thursday evenings, October 7th and 21st at 7 pm,
scholar and retired Wilton High teacher David Facini will lead a discussion
entitled, The Middle East: Can Politics and Culture Converge? Please
join us for this stimulating and fact-filled two-part seminar that will
include topics of Koran symbolism, the history of UN resolutions about
Israel and the role of women in Islam. Advance registration is suggested
and all ages are welcome.
Call 762-3950 or register online. This seminar is part of the Library's ongoing Operation Respect programming as we strive together to understand and appreciate each other.
Wilton
Discusses To Kill a Mockingbird with Susan Boyar
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our amazing book discussion leader, Susan Boyar, will lead an exploration of the characters, events, messages and themes of Harper Lee's classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, on Monday, October 18th at 7:30 pm. Space is limited, so reserve your spot early by calling or registering online. This discussion is part of Wilton's very first town-wide read sponsored by the Library and its partners: the Silvermine Tavern, The Wilton Bank, The Wilton Bulletin, the Wilton Cinemas at Executive Campus, the Wilton Presbyterian Church, and Wilton's PTA Council. Please note that Susan will lead her regular monthly discussion of Anne Tyler's The Amateur Marriage on Wednesday, October 13th at noon. |
 |
Bob
Russell's Wilton, CT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hot off the press, Bob Russell's Wilton CT: Three
Centuries of People, Places and Progress will be the topic
of discussion on Wednesday evening, October 13th starting at
7:30 pm. Join us as we toast Bob and his achievement - the first
and only comprehensive work that documents our town's history. Refreshments
will be served and all are invited to hear Bob talk about the book, congratulate
him, and purchase signed copies. Proceeds will benefit both the Library
and the Historical Society.
Register to join us as space is limited. This program will be repeated on Sunday, November 7th at 2 pm.
Wilton Library/Parent Connection Resources
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 |
The Parent Connection (a participating member of Wilton Youth
Council) Speaker Series videos are now available for checkout in
our Picture Book Room. Located on the Parent Shelf, all four videos
from recent presentations join hundreds of other resources selected
with parents in mind.
Topics for our Parent Shelf resources range from sibling rivalry to toilet training techniques to special needs to teaching tolerance. Local organizations including SPED*NET, the Parent Connection and the Woman's Club have helped to make this corner an incredibly valuable tool for Wilton families. |
Exciting Kids' and Teens' Activities in October
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| The Wilton Library Chess Club resumes in October,
with its spaces totally filled with those who were unable to participate
in earlier classes. We'll keep you posted on future opportunities.
Remember, chess sets and boards are available at all times for
use in the Library lobby.
Drop-In Story Times will take place from Monday, October 4th through Thursday, November 18th. Times and days for age groups are listed on our program page. All are most welcome and no registration or fee is necessary. Halloween Survivor Night at the Library will take place on Friday, October 22nd, from 7-9 pm. Kids in grades 4 through 6 will discover all kinds of things around the library, and make "survival" items with their findings. This program is made possible by a grant from Fleet Bank. Because of its popularity, advance registration is required. Registration is already full, but you may call 762-3950 to put your name on a waiting list. |
 |
A Halloween Hoot craft program will take place on Wednesday, October 27th, from 4 to 5 pm in the Library Community Room for children aged 3 through 7. Halloween stories, crafts, and refreshments will make this a special treat. A materials fee: $5 per child/$4 for Young Readers will help us defray costs. Advance registration is required, so call 762-3950 or register online.
A Lemony Snicket Night of Peril will be a happening at the Library on Friday, October 8th, from 7 to 8:30 pm for kids aged 7-12. Celebrating the latest Lemony Snicket release, The Grim Grotto, the Library's own Lesley Keogh will offer games, puzzles, refreshments, and fun for enthusiasts of the Lemony Snicket series. The program is already full, but you can call 762-3950 to put your name on a waiting list.
The Library will play an active part in the Chamber of Commerce Halloween Open House and Family Fall Frolic on Saturday, October 30th from 3 to 5 pm in Wilton Center. Stop by for games, treats, and painted windows in the Library courtyard!
Chamber/Library Workplace Seminar
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Paul Shashaty will present a seminar entitled Spiritual, Mental and Physical Adjustments for Better Workplace Health and Life Experience on Friday, October 15th from 9:30-11 am.
Co-sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the Library, this seminar is part of an ongoing series designed to improve the quality of community life for those who own businesses or work here in Wilton. There is a $25 registration fee for Chamber members ($30 for non-members) for this program and advance registration is required at the Library (762-3950) or the Chamber (762-0567).
More Book Discussions this Month
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 |
In addition to those mentioned above (with Bob Russell and Susan Boyar), we have several more discussions slated this month, all of which promise to be engaging, enlightening and exciting: Ann Martin will continue her exploration of world literature on Mondays, October 4th, 18th and 25th from 10:30 am to noon. Titles include House Made of Dawn (Kiowa Indians) by N. Scott Momaday; Native Speaker (Korean American) by Chang-Rae Lee; Things Fall Apart (Nigerian) by Chinua Achebe; The Dwarf (translated from Swedish) by Par Lagerkvist; and The Bluest Eye (African American) by Toni Morrison. Ben Van Vechten will begin a 5-part series on books and essays entitled George Orwell: The Conscience of a Century. Thursdays, October 21, 28, November 4, 11 and 18 from 10:30 to noon will be filled with lively discussion about an author whose works have undisputed relevance for our time. A materials fee of $5 will be collected for the essays - stop by the Library to pick yours up and register. Maureen Canary will lead the Senior Center Book Discussion this month on Tuesday, October 26th at 11 am at Comstock Community Center. This month's title is our very own Charles Grodin's It Would Be So Nice if You Weren't Here. Search our catalog to reserve a copy... |
Special Thanks!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although it is impossible to adequately thank all who donate money, time and services to the Library each month, I'd like to mention a few recent gifts:
|
 |
Expansion Update
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I recently wrote a letter to the editors of our local papers that summarizes our progress that I'll repeat for you here:
To
the Editors:
The first phase of the Library construction project is virtually
complete and we'd like to thank everyone for showing patience and flexibility
over the summer months as our two new parking lots were created.
Our neighbors (particularly our friends at Fleet Bank!) have been
understanding and gracious about the inevitable disruption the excavation and
paving caused for employees and customers. We are all grateful to Shawn's Lawns
and Turner Construction for minimizing this disruption - from diverting the equipment
traffic to and from the site to avoid passing by residential areas to containing
all their activities on a very tight site, they have been sensitive and responsive
to the community.
Our patrons have been good humored about the occasionally baffling
access to the front door and the outside "book bin," and many have inadvertently
gotten a tour of our office area as they persevered to find a way into the building.
We are most appreciative of their ability to weather this first phase of the
construction project with a spirit of anticipation and excitement for the end
result.
Now that our lots are complete, they have increased Library parking
capacity from 55 to almost 100 cars and connections between adjacent lots will
soon make navigation of this part of the Center far easier. We still have finishing
touches to complete on Phase I: connections and lighting fixtures (new lights
similar to those in the Stop & Shop Plaza) will happen soon; a final coat of
asphalt and restriping throughout the two lots will be done at the completion
of the entire project in spring of '06. The path is clear to the front door and
handicapped access has been restored in the front lot.
Now we are moving ahead to Phase II and our former rear parking lot
is enclosed with fencing for the "big dig" (one that will take considerably less
time and money than its big brother in Boston!) that will be the basement and
foundation for the two-story addition behind our current building. Stop by to
watch the work, and come inside to see the model and talk to our staff about
the construction timetable. Signs in the lobby and a special construction photo
webpage (www.wiltonlibrary.org/expansion/photos.asp)
will keep everyone up to date as well. And you might want to dig out that old
copy of "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel" to read along with "To Kill a Mockingbird" and
Bob Russell's "Wilton, CT" to read this fall!
Contact Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
email: library@wiltonlibrary.org
voice: 203-762-3950
web: http://www.wiltonlibrary.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~