Ridgefield Library

Tuesday, December 3rd @ 7:00 pm: How does knowledge about quantum theory and psychic phenomena affect our understanding of our world? Both are mysterious and both are topics of serious research. Both tell us that our world is much wilder than what we imagine. And, both have surprising connections to consciousness. This talk is an exploration into the microscopic world as well as the world of human experience and how they link together in surprising ways.

Peter Bancel holds a Ph.D. in experimental physics and is the author of numerous scientific papers and articles. He currently works at the Institut Métapsychique International in Paris, France, where he studies the interface between physics, consciousness and psychic phenomena. He is also an associate fellow at the Institute of Noetic Sciences in California.

This program is part of the Library’s 2024 Scholarly Series, The Curious Mind: Exploration and Discovery, made possible by the generosity of the Friends of the Ridgefield Library.

Click here to learn more and to register.

Fall 2024 Scholarly Series:  The Ridgefield Library will be celebrating the boundless human capacity and desire to explore, learn and discover with special programming for all ages this fall.  The Curious Mind: Exploration and Discovery is the title for this year’s Scholarly Series, the Library’s annual in-depth examination of a topic or author supported by funding provided by the Friends of the Ridgefield Library.

Upcoming programs in the series are listed here – all programs will be held in person at the Ridgefield Library, unless otherwise noted.

Our most recent program was held on October 24th with Dr. Heidi B. Hammel of NASA, talking about the amazing discoveries by the James Webb Space Telescope:

And if you missed the fascinating opening keynote presentation by Dr. Rudy L Ruggles, Jr., on September 12th, view the recording here:

Ridgefielders agree – it’s easy to LOVE the Library!  While the Library receives funding from the town, we also depend on broad support from the Ridgefield community to fund our exceptional collections, programs and services.

Thank you for helping us meet our annual fundraising goals– your donation to the Annual Appeal matters and makes a difference in the Library’s ability to serve our entire community!

Please donate here: https://ridgefieldlibrary.ejoinme.org/…/Default.aspx

Saturday, May 31st, 2025: Save the date for the Ridgefield Library’s Annual Gala! This year’s Ridgefield Library Gala will honor Dean and Theresa Miller with the Hope H. Swenson Visionary Award for their many years of generous support and service to the Library’s vision and mission.

Dean joined the board of the Ridgefield Library in 2012, where he served for six years, including as Treasurer for four years and as Board Chair for his last two years. He was proud to be part of the team who helped oversee the completion of the new Library building and the hiring of Brenda McKinley as the new director. Dean and Theresa both served on the Gala committee from its inception in 2014 through 2021. They are past recipients of the Library’s Paccadolmi Award for extraordinary volunteer service.

“It’s a privilege to honor the Millers with the Hope H. Swenson Visionary Award. Their commitment to making the Library better and to making our Ridgefield community better is simply remarkable,” says Brenda McKinley, Library Director. “Their dedication to the needs of the community through service and leadership roles with Meals on Wheels, RVNAIhealth and Thrown Stone exceeds any definition of above and beyond. On May 31^st of next year, we’ll be delighted to gather at our annual Library Gala to celebrate the Millers and shine a light on their inspiring leadership, support and service. We hope you’ll save the date and join us for a wonderful evening.”   

For information on sponsoring the 2025 Annual Ridgefield Library Gala, contact Jane Lindenburg, Development Director, at [email protected] or 203-438-2282 x 104.

Thursday, December 5th @ 7:00 pm:  As the closing keynote talk of this fall’s scholarly series The Curious Mind: Exploration and Discovery, join us for a call to action from technology industry legend Nick Donofrio as he shares his insights on how human curiosity leads to innovation and to positive change.  Covering topics ranging from emerging technology to the importance of diversity and inclusion, Nick highlights opportunities to change our path for the better and for embracing change. As he highlighted in his 2022 autobiography, “If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes”, Nick believes deeply in each individual’s ability to drive transformation in our lives and our society.

This program is part of the Library’s 2024 Scholarly Series, The Curious Mind: Exploration and Discovery, made possible by the generosity of the Friends of the Ridgefield Library.

Click here for more information and to register.

The Library’s Museum Pass Program offers free or discounted admission to over 20 premiere educational and cultural institutions in Connecticut and New York. Passes are located at the Circulation Desk. They may be borrowed for two nights and are available on a first come, first served basis only (no reservations).  The Museum Pass Program is made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Ridgefield Library.

For more information, call the Circulation Department at 203-438-2282 x202 or email the Circulation Desk.

Tuesday, November 19th @ 7:00 pm:   What we eat and how we produce food matters — for the health of our bodies and the health of the planet.  In her eco-friendly cookbook, Love the Foods That Love the Planet, Cathy Katin-Grazzini shares over 100 tantalizing low-carbon dishes for climate-conscious home cooks who don’t want to skimp on taste.

This year may exceed 2023 as the hottest year on record, and more than 30 percent of global greenhouse gases that are driving the warming climate come from growing and raising food sources. Favoring foods that carry a very light climate footprint is an impactful way to help stem the tide.

“Want to slash your individual climate footprint? It’s easy, it’s delicious, it’s super healthy, and it starts with your fork,” said Katin-Grazzini. “We all have the power to make choices that help cool the planet, and the time to act is now.”

Books on the Common will have copies for purchase and signing.

Click here for more information and to register.

Sunday, November 17th @ 2:00 pm:   Ridgefield Independent Film Festival (RIFF) founder and director Joanne Hudson will discuss her experience collaborating with an entire town to create, build and sustain a community film festival that has become a leader in the CT Film Festival Circuit. Joanne will also launch the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival Film Society (RIFF FS), along with RIFF programming director and film society president Gary Giovannetti, and RIFF community curator and film society outreach coordinator Adele Annesi. Event attendees will have an opportunity to join the new society and learn how films are selected for RIFF, which celebrates its milestone 10th anniversary in spring 2025.

Joanne Hudson is a playwright and director whose plays have been commissioned, developed and produced nationally and internationally. As a Fulbright Scholar in creative writing, Hudson traveled to Iceland to write a play about a scientist who loses her ethics and finds her humanity. The play is titled “unbidden,” and is now included in the literature of the Westmann Islands. Hudson holds an MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University School of the Arts. She founded the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival in 2015 with the hope of making the world a more compassionate place by sharing stories through cinema.

The ARTalks series is presented in partnership with the Ridgefield Guild of Artists.

Click here to learn more and register.

Tuesday, November 12th @ 7:00 pm:  Ridgefield author Chris Belden will read from his latest novel The Vote, the story of a controversial referendum that tears apart a small lake community and serves as a microcosm of the divisiveness that plagues the entire country. Chris Belden is the author of several novels and story collections, including The Private Dick, Who Am I to Judge?, and Shriver, which was made into the film “A Little White Lie.”

Sunday, November 3rd @ 2:00 pm:  The Four Horseman are acclaimed individual singer-songwriters who have banded together to create lively shows known for their joyful spontaneity and well-crafted songs ranging from hilarious to heartbreaking.  The Ridgefield Folk Concert Series is made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Ridgefield Library.

Click here to learn more and register.