Wednesday, November 27-Saturday, December 7, 2024: There will be no children’s programs, including regular storytimes and afterschool clubs, between November 27 and December 7. Winter session programs will begin on Monday, December 9, 2024 and run through Saturday, March 1, 2025. Please visit the program event calendar for a full listing of all children’s programs and events.
Wednesday, December 11th @ 6:00 pm: Join us in a judgment-free environment at Ridgefield Library where participants, often strangers, can openly engage in discussion on the topic of death and dying. “Dying to Know” is a moderated discussion group created to explore and normalize conversations around death and dying. Mickey Nelson and Sue Broudy, certified End-of-Life Doulas, will guide open conversations around mortality, and all the things related to this sacred time. You are invited to attend, listen, and share in the conversation as you feel comfortable. All perspectives are welcomed and respected. “Dying to Know” is not a grief support group or counseling session, but a space for sharing conversations and questions about dying and deepening our awareness about death, a subject we all share.
Click here to learn more and to register.
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
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:
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 31st 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.
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.
Tuesday, December 3rd: Please support the Ridgefield Library with a donation to the Annual Appeal! Every gift matters and helps the Library provide the resources, programs and services our community depends on. Thank you!
BIG NEWS: First time donor gifts made between Friday December 29th and 11:59 pm on Giving Tuesday, December 3rd, will be MATCHED up to a total matching gift of $2,500 – thanks to the Friends of the Ridgefield Library!
Donate here: https://ridgefieldlibrary.ejoinme.org/MyPages/AppealDonations/tabid/119243/Default.aspx
Friday, November 29th through Sunday, December 1st: Remember to shop locally at Books on the Common over Thanksgiving weekend! The first 25 shoppers who show their Ridgefield Library card at check-out will receive the wonderful Nutshell Library collection by Maurice Sendak. If you know this beloved collection, you know what special gift it makes!
Books on the Common donates 15% of book purchases to the Ridgefield Library during Library Days, when you show your Ridgefield Library card at the register.
Thank you, Books on the Common!
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.