The Ridgefield Library will cease passport application acceptance service effective February 13, 2026, at the direction of the U.S. State Department. Under new federal government guidelines, a previously unenforced statute which excludes all 501(c)3 nonprofit association libraries from the Passport Acceptance Facility program will now be enforced. This enforcement is regardless of the relationship between the association library and their municipality, the government service the library provides, the municipality’s financial support of the library or the reinvestment of passport application processing fees into direct public library service.
The Ridgefield Library has served our community by completing nearly 6,000 passport acceptance appointments since being certified by the federal government to be a Passport Acceptance Facility in 2014. This designation requires annual exams by the Library staff certified to serve as agents and federal inspection of the Library acceptance site. The Library passed the most recent inspection with a score of 100 out of 100. As the U.S. State Department letter stated, “The decision to remove your facility from the Passport Program is not a reflection of your facility’s performance or to the value that you provide your community.”
According to Ridgefield Library Director, Brenda McKinley, “We are deeply concerned to lose this service. For well over a decade, the Ridgefield Library has provided efficient, accessible and supportive passport acceptance service for individuals and families in a welcoming and comfortable environment. The Library is able to provide evening appointments for working people and families and to meet our community’s needs on their schedule.”
Since being chartered by the State of CT in 1901, the Ridgefield Library has served as the Principal Public Library, per CT State Statutes, for the Town of Ridgefield. The Library is also a 501(c)3 nonprofit. The Town of Ridgefield generously grants approximately 70% of the Library’s annual operating budget. As a public-private partnership, the Library closes the annual budgeting gap through our annual appeal, fundraising events, investment income and small amount of operational income, such as the income generated by the passport services. Income from passport service is used to directly serve the public with collections, programs and resources.
It is not known at this time whether this decision will be reversed. There is a bipartisan effort in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to reinstate association libraries as passport acceptance facilities. In the meanwhile, Ridgefield residents are able to make appointments at the United States Post Office on Catoonah Street for passport services. Library staff are here to help with questions.
For more information, visit us in person or at www.ridgefieldlibrary.org or call us at (203) 438-2282.
Saturday, February 7: Join us to celebrate the magic of libraries! Take Your Child to the Library Day (TYCLD) was founded in 2011 at the Waterford Public Library in Connecticut and is now celebrated by thousands of libraries across the nation. Ridgefield Library is hosting a magical storytime 10:30 am for all ages (no registration required!) and a comedy magic show with Ed Pop at 2:00 pm. You can participate in our magical rabbit scavenger hunt and grab a Take & Make Craft to continue the fun at home.
Ed Popielarczyk is a professional magician, balloon sculptor, flea circus ringmaster and storyteller who has been entertaining children and family audiences for over thirty years. Registration is encouraged, but drop-ins are welcome as space permits. Register here.
Friday, February 13 @ 6:00 pm: Join us for our 21+ adults-only tabletop gaming experience. Snacks, non-alcoholic beverages provided as well as a ticket for one beer or glass of wine included. Tabletop games mean anything from card games to dice games, board games to strategy games.
You are welcome to bring a game and play, learn a new game, borrow a game from our collection to take home, or just observe! If you have a specific game that you are interested in teaching, please let us know so we can put a table aside for you. Larger groups of six or more can also email to request a table be set aside.
All attendees must be 21 or older. Registration is recommended.
Click here to learn more and to register.
Sunday, February 15 @ 2:00pm: Ruben Wind, the child of Holocaust survivors, will tell his parents’ stories of escaping from the Nazi regime even as the walls were closing around Jews throughout much of their former homeland. Ruben’s account of his parent’s fortuitous flight to South America will be seen in the context of the unprecedented horrors occurring throughout Europe. He shares the story beginning during the Holocaust and the decades that followed.
Ruben is passionate about sharing his family’s story. He believes it’s incredibly important to educate younger generations about the Holocaust — to make sure it’s never forgotten and never repeated.
He is a member of HERO The Holocaust Education Resource and Outreach Center. Ruben is a member of Generations Forward, a group of second and third generation individuals sponsored by the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center of White Plains, New York.
Click here to learn more and to register.
The Library’s Museum Pass Program offers free or discounted admission to premiere educational and cultural institutions in Connecticut, Massachusetts 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.
Sunday, February 1 @ 2:00 pm: The Lonetown Boys are an acoustic quartet featuring classic country, folk, blues and americana music. Their unique combination of upright bass (Pat Lavery), Dobro/Lapsteel (Chris Davis), Mandolin/percussion (Dan Bonis), violin and vocals (Dan Tressler) and acoustic guitar/vocals (JD Seem) evoke a traditional, pure and poignant melancholy sound sometimes called “that high lonesome sound”.
For this performance, The Lonetown Boys will pay tribute to the great Hank Williams, the honky tonk poet who had 55 hits in the Top 10 between 1949 and 1953, including “Your Cheatin’ Heart”. “You Win Again”, “Honky Tonk Blues”, “Lost Highway” and “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”.
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 to register.
Saturday, January 24 from 9:00am to 4:00pm: Recycle your old electronics safely and securely! Decluttering after the holidays? Here’s your chance to clean out your home or office, recycle responsibly, protect your private information and support a great cause, all in one simple act.
Bring your old phones, tablets, laptops, hard drives, PCs, Macs, printers, TVs, DVD players and other technology to the Lower Level of the Library. Computer parts will be destroyed and then safely recycled. Other home electronics and small appliances will also be accepted for recycling, except for large kitchen appliances and any device containing mercury, Freon or hazardous liquids. Secure e-waste recycling and final disposal will be provided by Take 2 Inc of Waterbury, the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority’s certified electronics recycling provider. Suggested donation is $20 per item, with proceeds supporting the Library’s technology initiatives, including STEAM programming for all ages. (E-waste recycling is also available at no charge at the Ridgefield Recycling Center.)
Thursday, January 22 @ 7:00 pm: This presentation will explore the amazing life and career of Connecticut’s Noah Webster and the founding of the American Republic. Noah Webster and his extraordinary generation of American Revolutionary leaders overcame great odds to form a new democracy and country known as the United States of America.
Presenter Craig Hotchkiss was a United States History teacher at South Windsor High School for 33 years, including Honors and Advanced Placement classes, and served as the History Department Chair for ten years.
This A250 program is supported by the Friends of the Ridgefield Library Scholarly Series. Additional promotional support by Ridgefield CT Commemorates America at 250.
Click here to learn more and to register.
Monday, January 19 from 10:00 am to 5:15 pm: Families and children are invited to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday with a day of special programs and activities:
10:30 am — All Ages Storytime
11:00 am — Day of Service Meals On Wheels Bags, All Ages
2:00 pm — Day of Service ROAR, Grades K-5
4:30 pm — Day of Service Birthday Boxes Town of Ridgefield Social Services, Grades K-5
Sunday, January 18 @ 2:00 pm: The Nu Haven Kapelye invites audiences of all ages to explore the world of klezmer music. As Connecticut’s largest klezmer ensemble, the Kapelye blends spirited Eastern European Jewish melodies with engaging storytelling, live demonstration and audience participation. Through a mix of traditional Klezmer melodies, Yiddish folk songs and our original contemporary arrangements, the ensemble introduces listeners to the cultural roots and historical journey of klezmer—from its origins in shtetl celebrations to its revival in modern American communities. Along the way, we will insights into the instruments, rhythms and improvisational techniques that define the genre, making the music accessible and meaningful to newcomers and aficionados alike.
Attendees will learn how klezmer music reflects the lived experiences of Jewish communities, and how it continues to evolve through cross-cultural collaboration and creative expression. Whether clapping along to a freylekhs (a lively dance) or hearing the soulful strains of a doina (an improvised solo piece), participants will leave with a deeper appreciation for the music’s emotional depth and communal spirit. Ideal for families, music lovers and lifelong learners, the Nu Haven Kapelye’s performance fosters connection through sound, story and shared discovery.
Click here to learn more and to register.
The Ridgefield Folk concert series is made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Ridgefield Library.