June 2011 Archives

This summer, Greenwich Library's Technology Training Center is all about eBooks. Each easy-to-understand session is taught by a librarian who is an expert at the highlighted web service. All programs are free and open to the public.

"Electronic reading devices have become very popular with our library community. Our downloadable collection is compatible with many of these devices. These programs will teach patrons to access the Library's eBook collection and also find free books online," said Training Librarian Jasmine Posey.

"One World, Many Stories" is the theme of this year's Summer Reading Program at Greenwich Library. The Summer Reading Program is part of Greenwich Library's commitment to promote the love of reading.

"Studies have shown that children who continue to read during the summer months perform significantly better than those who do not," said Children's Librarian Alice Sherwood. "Children who are already reading increase their skills, reading fluency and comprehension; those who are just starting to read do not lose the early achievements they have made during the school year."

Summer reading is not just for children. AuthorsLive@GreenwichLibrary will welcome two novelists of contemporary women's fiction on Tuesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. in the Meeting Room. Holly LeCraw will read from her debut novel, The Swimming Pool and J. Courtney Sullivan will read from her second novel, Maine.

The Swimming Pool is a passionate and suspenseful family drama and murder mystery, set during the sultry summertime of Cape Cod, Connecticut and North Carolina. LeCraw skillfully alternates between past and present, allowing the reader to observe Marcella Atkinson's affair with Cecil McClatchey and the consequences it has on both her family and his. The aftermath of betrayal and the cost of passion loom large in the story's background.

"Although LeCraw's descriptive prose is sensual and worth savoring, readers will whip through The Swimming Pool, eager to find out what really happened on the night of Betsy's murder. At the novel's conclusion, they'll relish the fact that LeCraw is a debut author--how thrilling it is to anticipate what she'll come up with next," said Eliza Borne of BookPage.

The Friends of Greenwich Library elected four new trustees to serve on the Greenwich Library board at their annual meeting in May. Mary-Jane Brogan, S. Wear Culvahouse, Mary Lee Kiernan (not pictured) and Kathy Whittemore will serve three-year terms.

Greenwich Library's gaming collection is available for borrowing. The collection features games in multiple formats including Wii™, XBOX 360, Playstation® 3 and PC. The collection is located on the second floor of Greenwich Library near the DVD collection and also in the Children's Room.

"Video games are now a mainstream form of entertainment for all ages and the medium of choice for the millennial generation," said Library Director Carol Mahoney. "Libraries across the country have embraced gaming by offering both video game collections and gaming programs for children, youth and seniors. Libraries see it as a way to engage people by providing programs that support literacy, team-building and intermixing media content for learning. Video activities require traditional text literacy in order to succeed, and people can have fun participating in a social activity at the same time."

Greenwich Library will offer extended hours to accommodate high school students during exam week. The main library will remain open until 11 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 15. The Library will be open primarily for the students, but anyone can use the facility during these extended hours.

The Library Café will extend its hours until 8:00 p.m., and students can purchase study break snacks. Library staff will be available to assist with reference questions.

"Greenwich Library has long been a destination for students during exam week, and we hope that they will take advantage of the additional hours of study time to prepare for exams," said Carol Mahoney, Greenwich Library Director. "Many other libraries in the area have had success with extended hours during student exam periods."

Greenwich Library wants to hear from you!  Now through June 13, Greenwich residents can share their views and ideas about Greenwich Library's services and priorities and help inform the Library's strategic plan for mapping out the Library's future. The survey only takes a few minutes, but its impact as the voice of the community will resonate for years to come.

To complete the Greenwich Library survey, please visit the Library's website here through June 13 or visit one of the Library's three locations - the Main Library and the Cos Cob and Byram Shubert branches. Limited paper copies will also be available in the buildings, as will online and paper versions in Spanish and Japanese.

The survey marks the launch of the Library's strategic planning efforts.  Additional steps to help guide the Library's future growth and allocation of resources include community conversations and focus groups, which will be held in September and October.  "It is critical to involve the community in developing our next strategic plan," said Jenny Baldock, President of the Greenwich Library Board of Trustees.  "In a rapidly-changing world, it is vital to address both present and future needs of our patrons, and so we are strongly encouraging all Greenwich residents to fill out the survey."

Greenwich Library continues to be a premier destination for residents. Recently, the Library reached an exciting milestone, welcoming its 5 millionth visitor since the opening of the Peterson Wing in June 1999.  During this same period, circulation has increased 60 percent and visitor traffic to the Library's three buildings has grown nearly 66 percent, welcoming a record 777,600 patrons in 2010-11. These increases occurred along with the growth of the Library's website, which provides 24/7 access to numerous resources, including eBooks and downloadable music. As Greenwich Library embarks upon its latest round of strategic planning, it is crucial to hear from everyone to maintain the Library as a relevant and responsive resource for the community.

Fancy Nancy & Other Story Books, a musical revue based on popular children's literature, will be performed as a fundraiser to benefit the Greenwich Library on Sunday, June 12, at 2 p.m., in the Cole Auditorium.

Six delightful stories come to life in Theatreworks USA's musical revue Fancy Nancy & Other Story Books. Performed by a five-member cast who portray dozens of characters throughout the show, the stories represent various issues, themes and ideas relevant to a broad and diverse audience of children. Books featured in the show include Fancy Nancy, Babymouse: The Musical, Duck For President, I Have To Go!, Leonardo The Terrible Monster and Pirates Don't Change Diapers.

Vanity Fair contributing editor Mark Seal will discuss The Man in the Rockefeller Suit on Tuesday, June 7 at 7 p.m. in the Cole Auditorium as part of the AuthorsLive series.

Seal tells the unbelievable true story of the shape-shifting con man called Clark Rockefeller. Much was reported after Rockefeller's arrest in 2008, but his full story has never been told. Seal spent two years interviewing almost 200 people who know the imposter and discovered that his fraud was deeper, more sinister and more widespread than anyone could have imagined. The Man in the Rockefeller Suit is the jaw-dropping story of a real-life Talented Mr. Ripley determined to live out the American dream by any means necessary.

Talk baseball with a Fairfield County native that's lived it, both on the field and calling the shots from the bench.

Willie Upshaw, former Major-Leaguer and manager of the Bridgeport Bluefish, will discuss the game and answer questions on Saturday, June 11, at 2 p.m., in Greenwich Library's Meeting Room.

Upshaw was named Atlantic League Manager of the Year and led the team to the Liberty Division Title and its fifth Championship Series appearance in franchise history. Upshaw returned home in 2009 as skipper of the 'Fish after spending the 2006 and 2007 seasons as first base coach for the San Francisco Giants. Upshaw, the first manager in Bluefish history, spent three years in Bridgeport from 1998-2000. He was named Atlantic League manager of the year in 1998 and led the Bluefish to their lone championship the following season.