Tuesday, September 10th @ 1:00 pm: Seniors – protect yourselves and your money from scams and crimes. The Commission on Aging and the Ridgefield Library will host a talk by Detective Victoria Ryan of the Ridgefield Police Department. Detective Ryan encourages everyone, particularly seniors, to be vigilant at all times regarding scams and fraudulent activity. In particular, Detective Ryan will address:
• Computer scams classified as: romance scams, grandparents scams, pop-up scams, phone scams and email and text scams
• Utilities scams
Detective Ryan will also talk about commonly seen local crimes such as mail and car theft. There have also been some local incidents of pickpocketing.
We will learn to be aware, and how to spot and report scams.
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]
Please click here to register to attend.
Thursday, September 12th @ 7:00 pm: As the opening keynote for our fall Scholarly Series, The Curious Mind: Exploration and Discovery, join us for an evening with Rudy L. Ruggles, Jr., Scientist, Philanthropist, Explorer, National Security Expert and Inventor. Rudy will share the role curiosity has played in his career that has had him at the forefront of national security affairs, high-speed computing and international strategic relations. Through curiosity and a love of lifelong learning, Rudy will share how asking the question, Is it stimulating, rewarding and worthy? has taken him to the ends of the earth.
Rudy currently serves as Adjunct Professor and Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees of the J. Craig Venter Institute. Throughout his career, Rudy has been posted and worked in multiple countries, including China, Iran, Algeria and Australia during more than 40 years working in national security and intelligence services. He was elected a Fellow Member of the Explorers Club in 1980. His expeditions have included travel to the North Pole, the Antarctic, tropical rainforests and an 8,500-foot dive in a Russian deep submersible to study mid-Atlantic Ridge hydrothermal vent field biodiversity. Further, he has flown MIGs in Russia and lectured at the U.S. Army War College. He was a Senior Associate Physicist in IBM’s Research Labs and a Strategic Planner at IBM’s Corporate Headquarters. He served as President at the Hudson Institute and has received numerous awards, and academic honors. Rudy served in the U.S. Army, Combat Engineers.
Rudy has lived in Ridgefield for over 50 years.
This program is part of the Library’s Scholarly Series, The Curious Mind: Exploration and Discovery, made possible by the Friends of the Ridgefield Library.
Saturday, September 7th @ 10:30 am: Dance and sing along with Robert the Guitar Guy in this musical program featuring traditional favorites and contemporary songs. This program is best for children 5 and under. Registration is encouraged, but drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
Click here to learn more.
Through August 23, 2024: Walk around Downtown Ridgefield and read “Once Upon a Book” by Grace Lin and Kate Messner, while also getting some exercise and visiting town. Pick up a handout at the Children’s Services Desk or download one here to participate and finish the puzzle to earn a rubber duckie! Use the map to visit all 21 stops in numerical order to read this year’s picturebook “Once Upon a Book” by Grace Lin and Kate Messner. Instead of turning the page, you will walk to the next stop! As you visit each location, read the story together, read and talk about the questions on each poster and solve the puzzle on the back. Enter your answer in your Beanstack account to earn your prize! The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.
Friday, August 23rd @ 2:00 pm: Tall Poppy String Band is a new Old Time trio featuring fiddler George Jackson, guitarist Morgan Harris and banjoist Cameron DeWhitt. Drawing from the deep well of American string band music, Tall Poppy String Band approaches tradition with playful curiosity; each performance more a discussion than a statement. Whether they’re chasing the elusive downbeat of a source recording, playing with the pronouns in a bluegrass standard, or challenging the assumed roles of their instruments, Tall Poppy String Band endeavors to prove that tradition is still being written.
Click here for more information and to register.
This program is part of the Library’s 2024 Summer Reading Program and is made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Ridgefield Library.
June 21-August 23, 2024: Registration for the 2024 Summer Reading Program is now open! Readers of all ages-adults, teens, children and families-can register online via the Beanstack website or download the Beanstack app onto a smart device. Children are challenged to read 20 (teens and adults for 30) minutes a day to earn digital badges, reading rewards, brags tags and/or raffle tickets. Participants are also invited to complete activities to earn badges and raffle tickets towards prizes. Join us for a kick off celebration on June 21 with Bryson Lang the Juggling Comedian and a Bubble Dance Party on the front lawn. You can also pick up a map for the 4th annual Storywalk (TM) downtown.
Visit https://libguides.ridgefieldlibrary.org/SRP/home for more information about the 2024 Summer Reading Program including booklists, activities, programs and events for all ages. Summer Reading is made possible by the generous support of the Friends of the Ridgefield Library.
Tuesday, August 20th @ 7:00 pm: One unidentified skeleton. Three missing men. A village full of secrets. The best-selling author of The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna discusses her sparkling new novel about a young American woman turned amateur detective in a small village in Southern Italy.
For a full description, visit https://www.julietgrames.com/
Books on the Common will have copies for sale and signing.
Click here for more information and to register.
Saturday, August 17th: Join us for a day of all-age fandom fun! Enter our adventure-themed con dressed as your favorite character and enter our costume/cosplay contest, visit the Temporary Tattoo Parlor, explore Pokemon, create your own superhero slime, learn how to play Disney’s Lorcana, explore you emotions in our Inside Out Room, or feast on the delight of the Willy Wonka immersive experience. Teens can participate in a chocolate tasting, have a hand decorated with henna, make crafts and photo ops! DJ Miles from Bach to Rock will bring the atmosphere to our Fandom Raffles and photo ops, our library-wide scavenger hunt, and a special Friends Booksale! There will be giveaways, raffles, contests, prizes and more!
Children’s programs run from 10:00 am-1:00 pm, teen and adult programs from 1:00-4:00 pm, and and Adults 18+ Trivia Lounge from 4:00-6:00 pm.
For more information visit: https://libguides.ridgefieldlibrary.org/RidgeCon/home
Thursday, July 25th @ 6:00pm: Come join us, and a local group of square dancers, and experience the joy of one of America’s oldest traditions! During this free session you will be introduced to a number of basic dance steps and will be dancing in a square within ten minutes. By the end of the evening you will be enjoying your newly acquired skill as you comfortably dance to contemporary music. Dress is casual. Singles and couples of all ages are welcome. No experience is necessary, as it is quite easy to learn. It is simply walking to music. Smiles are guaranteed!
Click here to learn more and register.
Friday, July 12th @ 6:00pm: 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! Library staff will be on hand to facilitate a variety of games. 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 6 or more can also email to request a table be set aside.
All attendees must be 21 or older. Registration is recommended.