Did you know? The Ridgefield Library offers these special services for our patrons:
Book-A-Librarian
The Adult Services Department now offers one-on-one appointments where staff can offer specialized assistance on a variety of topics. Some of these topics include, but are not limited to: technology assistance on cellphones, laptops and tablets; tutorials on how to use our databases or conduct genealogy searches; assistance with downloadable materials and tours of the library spaces for new patrons.
Notary Services
To be an accessible and inclusive resource for all in the community, the Ridgefield Library is now offering Notary Services. This includes, but will not be limited to, witnessing signatures on documents, administering oaths and other services. This service is subject to staff availability. There is a $5 fee for each notarization and two forms of ID are required to perform notary services.
Private Study Rooms
The Library has six private study rooms where individuals can work alone or collaboratively with others. Rooms are available on the Main and Upper levels and can accommodate 4-6 people. Rooms are available on a walk-in basis and for advanced reservation with 24-hours notice.
Proctoring Services
In fulfillment of its mission to be a source of support for lifelong learning, the Ridgefield Library offers proctoring for tests and examinations. Exams are proctored by the Adult Services Department during regular library hours, Monday through Saturday, and appointments are subject to staff availability.
To learn more about these services or to schedule an appointment, please contact the Adult Services Department, either by calling (203) 438-2282 ext. 201 or emailing [email protected]
The E. W. Morris Memorial Library Building that forms the historic front wing of the Ridgefield Library opened its doors for the first time on June 22, 1903. After 120 years, the Morris Building continues to welcome Ridgefield residents to the Library. Members of the community are invited to share their memories of the Library and its place in their lives through a new collaborative online platform, The Morris Building 120th Anniversary Community Collection. Create and share your materials for inclusion in the Collection — the submission process is free and easy! Submissions can include pictures, old Library cards, programs, flyers, maps, posters and other visual memorabilia. Submission of original written material is also encouraged. Contact the Adult Services Department for more information at [email protected]
Do you know the little boy in this historic photograph of the Morris Building? Please email the Library if you have any information!
See more beautiful historical images of the Ridgefield Library in our online gallery, The E.W. Morris Building Anniversary Collection.
Thursday, September 21st @ 7:00pm: Bestselling author Rich Cohen discusses his new book, When The Game Was War: The NBA’s Greatest Season, the gritty, no-holds-barred account of the 1987 NBA season, a thrilling year of fierce battles and off-the-court drama between Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas and Michael Jordan. Publisher’s Weekly said “this love letter to the NBA’s golden age is an instant classic.” Books on the Common will have copies for sale and signing.
Sunday, September 10th @ 2:00pm: The Library’s Ridgefield Folk Concert Series returns with Washboard Slim & the Bluelights, whose music comes from the roots of traditional American popular music. The Bluelights draw on a variety of musical forms and they’ve created a new musical style that equally respects the past and the present – a typical Bluelights performance might include original tunes, early jazz, blues, swing, standards, jug band, early string band, gospel, pop music from the turn of the century and roots-y rock’n’roll. Started in 1986, they continue to perform at festivals, concerts and clubs around the country. In 2008 they won the Connecticut Blues Challenge and entry into the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Ridgefield Folk Concerts Series is made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Ridgefield Library.
Tuesday, September 5th @ 7:00pm: Join us for a very special program with Kevin R. C. Gutzman, author of The Jeffersonians: The Visionary Presidencies of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. Before the consecutive two-term administrations of Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, there had only been one other trio of its type: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe. Gutzman’s The Jeffersonians is a complete chronicle of the men, known as The Virginia Dynasty, who served as president from 1801 to 1825 and implemented the foreign policy, domestic and constitutional agenda of the radical wing of the American Revolution, setting guideposts for later American liberals to follow.
The three close political allies were tightly related: Jefferson and Madison were the closest of friends, and Monroe was Jefferson’s former law student. Their achievements were many, including the founding of the opposition Republican Party in the 1790s; the Louisiana Purchase; and the call upon Congress in 1806 to use its constitutional power to ban slave imports beginning on January 1, 1808. Of course, not everything the Virginia Dynasty undertook was a success: Its chief failure might have been the ineptly planned and led War of 1812. In general, however, when Monroe rode off into the sunset in 1825, his passing and the end of The Virginia Dynasty were much lamented. Gutzman’s book details a time in America when three Presidents worked toward common goals to strengthen our Republic in a way we rarely see in American politics today.
Kevin R.C. Gutzman is Professor of History at Western Connecticut State University and a faculty member at LibertyClassroom.com. He has his law degree from the University of Texas Law School and his Ph.D. in American history from the University of Virginia. His books include Thomas Jefferson – Revolutionary; James Madison and the Making of America; Virginia’s American Revolution; and, with Thomas Woods, Who Killed the Constitution?
(Photo credit: Lifetouch Portrait Studios Inc)
This program is part of the ongoing First Principles Series co-sponsored by the Ridgefield Library, the Ridgefield Historical Society, the League of Women Voters of Ridgefield, Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center and the Cannon Ridge Chapter of the DAR.
Wednesday, August 23rd @ 7:00pm: Dennis DiPinto, Director of Ridgefield’s Parks & Recreation Department will discuss the ever-changing roles and responsibilities of Parks & Recreation Departments locally and across the country. This presentation will discuss the current state of Ridgefield Parks & Recreation, its mission, strategic goals and range of responsibilities. Woven into the presentation will be a focus on program offerings for adults and their entire families. Participants are sure to learn something they didn’t know about their Ridgefield Parks & Recreation Department!
Dennis joined the Ridgefield’s Parks and Recreation Department as Director in March 2018 after 22 years as Director of Parks and Recreation for the Town of Brookfield. Prior to Brookield he was the Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation in Old Saybrook.