Ridgefield Library

Sunday, March 16th @ 2:00 pm:  Join Curator Amy Kurtz Lansing of the Florence Griswold Museum for a presentation about the Tonalist and American Impressionist painters who formed an artists’ colony centered around Miss Florence Griswold’s boardinghouse in Old Lyme, CT beginning in 1900. Learn about the colony’s leading artists, including Childe Hassam and Willard Metcalf, as well as about its resilient matron, Florence Griswold. Together, they created a community that nurtured artistic expression in a historic riverside setting beautified by lush gardens. Kurtz Lansing will highlight examples from the museum’s esteemed collection of Impressionist paintings and discuss ongoing research being conducted about the Lyme Art Colony which updates our understanding of this key group of American artists, their work and interactions.

ARTalks are presented in partnership with the Ridgefield Guild of Artists.

Click here to learn more and to register.

Friday, March 14th:  The Ridgefield Library is your place for Lifelong Learning, and our exceptional staff take that to heart. To make sure that we can give you our best every day, the Library will be closed Friday, March 14th, 2025 for a full staff training day.  The planned training sessions will include safety training as well as professional development geared to library staff.  The Library Administration thanks our Board of Directors for supporting and recognizing the vital importance of a well-trained staff to provide outstanding library service to the Ridgefield community.

Saturday, March 15th @ 10:00 am:  The League of Women Voters of Ridgefield and the Ridgefield Library present a Meet Your Legislators meeting with Ridgefield’s state elected officials

Members of the CT State Legislature, 111th District State Legislature Representative Aimee Berger-Girvalo and  42^nd District State Legislature Representative Savet Constantine; and 24th District State Senate Senator Julie Kushner and 26th District State Senate Ceci Maher will discuss what is happening at the CT State Capitol and let their constituents know where they stand on important issues.  They will provide insight into the current legislative session and discuss  the bills before the current session.

A  question and answer period will follow.  Questions from the  public must be brief, of general interest to the audience and should not be about personal matters. All participants are expected to conduct themselves with dignity and treat all those present with respect, empathy and fairness.

Click here for more information and to register.

Thursday, March 13th @ 6:30 pm:  Join us for a screening of the award-winning documentary film “A Fine Line,” which tells the story of top female chefs and their battle for recognition in a male-dominated world.  A panel discussion will follow the screening, with Joanna James, Executive Director and Producer; Barbara Nevins, chef and founder of Southwest Cafe; and Anna Llanos, chef and founder of Mothership.

Presented in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Ridgefield.

Click here to learn more and register.

Tuesday, March 11th @ 6:30 pm:  Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that impacts an individual’s ability to read, write, and spell. While dyslexia is the most well-researched learning disability, new findings provide a deeper understanding of how to identify and treat dyslexia. Learn what you can do as an educator and parent to advocate for your children and students.

Dr. Margie Gillis is passionate about ensuring that all educators have knowledge and skills grounded in research, practice driven by data, perseverance guided by accountability, and a focus on results. She received her Masters in Special Education at the University of Connecticut and her doctorate in Special Education from the University of Louisville. Subsequently, she became a Certified Academic Language Therapist at Teachers College. After working at Haskins Laboratories at Yale for 9 years,  Margie founded Literacy How Inc in 2009. A non-profit organization committed to providing professional development and coaching for teachers on how best to implement evidence-based literacy practices, she and her team of mentors build teachers’ knowledge and support their instructional practice. In 2010, Margie founded the Anne E. Fowler Foundation to support professional development and provide scholarships for teachers. Margie has worked at the policy level through the Connecticut State Department of Education.  She is the co-founder and former president of Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities, the former president of the CT Branch of the International Dyslexia Society, a former board member of the Academic Language Therapist Association, and on the editorial boards of IDA Perspectives and The Reading League Journal.

This program is made possible by the Couri Family Education Fund.

Click here to learn more and register.

Tuesday, March 11th @ 1:00 pm:  The Town of Ridgefield Commission on Aging and the Ridgefield Library present Karen Facini, VP Branch Manager and Frederick Bambico, Teller at M & T Bank in Ridgefield, who will present a special talk on Identity Theft as part of the monthly Senior Voices series.

It’s important to learn how to identify the signs of identity theft and fraud in order to protect yourself. Karen and Frederick have combined approximately forty-three years of experience in the banking industry, including first-hand experience with customers who have had their identity stolen. In most cases (95% of the time) you do not get your money back. Fortunately, most banks will assist victims. Come learn about red flags, digital payment apps, phishing, verification codes and when not to “Click”.

Senior Voices is a free event and a hybrid program. Individuals may attend in person and on-line. Light refreshments will be served. If you have any questions, please contact the Commission on Aging at [email protected].

Click here to learn more and register.

Thursday, March 6th @ 7:00 pm:  Join Dr. Blaine Langberg as he shares his thrilling adventures hiking Mt. Whitney and Mt. Kilimanjaro, featuring a captivating slideshow of his experiences. He will also screen an inspiring movie, by local cinematographer Alex Lugones, about his trek to Everest Basecamp. To conclude the event, Dr. Langberg will engage the audience with a reading from his book, Conquering Whitney: A Mountain of Misadventure. 

Conquering Whitney: A Mountain of Misadventure is a rollicking mix of travel narrative, humor, and a search for self-discovery. Jacob’s inspirational odyssey is set against a backdrop of breathtaking scenery, burgeoning friendships, raving raptors, and an epic hunt for ice cream sandwiches-truly something to satisfy every appetite!  Books on the Common will have copies for sale and signing.

Click here to learn more and to register.

Saturday, March 1st @ 2:00 pm — Ridgefield art collector Joel Third will present a talk, Just Audubon: Birds & Animals, to coincide with the special exhibition of his extensive collection of Audubon prints, on view in the Library’s Gallery through April 9th. There will be a reception with refreshments and conversation following Third’s talk.

Click here to learn more & register.

Sunday, March 2nd @ 2:00 pm:  Join us for a documentary film screening of “Alien: American Dream Denied,” hosted by the Library and Ekta Community Center. This film spotlights the emotional journey of highly-skilled, documented immigrants as they seek permanence in a country that benefits from their talent, but denies them a home.

The film will be followed by a panel discussion with Director/Producer Vidyut Latay, Immigration Attorney Ekta Dixit and Raman Sehgal, moderator and Modern Minorities Podcast Host .

Founded by people of Asian Indian heritage, the mission of Ekta Community Center is to nurture and promote public interest in Indian and Indo-American culture. As a secular, nonprofit organization the goal is to serve as a hub for community building, enrichment, volunteering and support services.

Click here to learn more and to register.

Did you miss the CT Legislators’ Housing Forum held on Saturday?  View the recording here on the Library’s YouTube channel:  https://youtu.be/pAB8FkWxkTI

Please note that the recording of the February 22^nd Housing Forum is unedited and starts with Rep. Berger-Girvalo’s welcoming remarks, followed by introductory remarks by each of the CT Legislators on the stage.  Public questions start at 27:27 and continue through the end of the meeting at 1:23:09.

Saturday, February 22nd @ 9:00 am:  The Ridgefield delegation of elected state officials and Majority Leader Jason Rojas invite you to join their discussion about current housing laws, as well as proposed housing legislation for this year’s session. No registration required.  All participants and attendees are expected to conduct themselves with dignity and treat all those present with respect, empathy and civility.

The Housing Forum will be recorded and made available for viewing on the Library’s YouTube channel.