Youth Services 2013 Gift Buying Guide

Each year our Youth Services Librarian puts together a list of books that make great holiday gifts! The list features picture books, books for middle graders, and books for ages 12 and up. Please take a look at our Youth Services Holiday Gift Buying Guide for 2013.The list is also available at the Youth Services Desk as a paper brochure.

Children's Program Registration Is Going on Now!

Registration for Youth Services' Winter/Spring 2014 Program Session is going on now through Sunday, January 12th, 2014. [View the winter program schedule]

•     Our program registration is by lottery
•     You must have an active library card in good standing to register
•     Obtain a registration postcard for the program(s) of your choice from the Youth Services Desk
•     Fill out ALL of the required information. Incomplete applications will not be considered
•     Address the reverse of the card to yourself
•     Affix a first-class stamp (46¢)
•     Drop off your card at the Youth Services Desk by January 12th
•     Registration cards will be mailed back to you within a week of the close of registration

Questions? Please give us a call at 203-637-8802, or comment on this post.

Youth Services Winter/Spring '14 Program Schedule Now Available

The Youth Services Winter/Spring 2014 Program Schedule is now available!

Our program registration is by lottery. Pick up a registration postcard for the program of your choice from the Youth Services Circulation Desk, beginning on Monday, December 9th, through Sunday, January 12th. Don't forget to bring a stamp!

Detailed registration instructions are available on our website, as are descriptions of all our program offerings.

If you have other questions, please comment on this post, or call us at 203-637-8802.

December Events at Perrot

Local a Cappella Group The Grace Notes
Saturday, December 7th, 2013, at 4:00 PM
Returning to usher in the holidays and Old Greenwich's First Light Festival, we are again pleased to host a musical performance of holiday tunes by local women's a cappella group, The Grace Notes.


Shakespeare Talk on Juliet of Romeo & Juliet
Wednesday, November 20th, 2013, at 7:30 PM
Anne Gilhuly will give a talk on Juliet, of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Actors Florence Phillips and Dick Leonard will read scenes from the play. Anne Gilhuly, a Classics teacher at Greenwich Continuing Education, leads our continuing series of Shakespeare talks. This is the fifteenth year that Perrot has sponsored these programs.


Curiosity Concerts: Adventures in Opera
Sunday, December 15th, 2013, at 1:00 PM
Opera singer Caroline Worra and harpsichordist Jennifer Peterson perform “Adventures in Opera,” a recital that explores the characters and emotions behind great arias of the Italian and English opera repertoire. Curiosity Concerts is a new series of classical music concerts for families with children ages 5-8 years old and their interested siblings of any age. The concerts are performed by professional national and local musicians and presented at various venues in the Greenwich, CT area. Curiosity Concerts are under one hour, free, and fun! The series is a coalition effort launched in association with the Greenwich Arts Council.

Please create a PIN for your library account

Due to a coming upgrade to the Greenwich library catalog, all patrons must add a 4-digit PIN to their library accounts beginning today, 11/4. More info from Greenwich Library: http://www.greenwichlibrary.org/blog/library_news/2013/11/create-your-new-library-pin.html

Perrot's Cupola: Under Construction

Restorations are underway on Perrot's historic cupola, which has served as a beacon to our community for over 80 years.

The cupola restoration includes eight new 9-foot-tall windows, a copper roof, a stainless steel finial for the weather vane, a new frame and door to the exterior roof, replacement of rotted sills and trim boards under the windows, new roofing material around the base of the cupola, and fresh paint for the exterior.

See some photos of the work that is underway on Perrot's Facebook page.

The project is expected to take 4 to 6 weeks to complete.

You can help support the restoration of Perrot's cupola by becoming a member.

November Events at Perrot

Author and Former Congressman Robert Steele 
Wednesday, November 6th, 2013, at 7:30 PM
Former Connecticut Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Robert Steele will present his historical novel, The Curse: Big Time Gambling's Seduction of a Small New England Town. The story centers around Connecticut casino complexes, an ancient curse delivered by a Pequot sachem, venal politicians, and Providence mobsters. Ultimately, a small New England town must choose between preserving its character or accepting an extraordinary proposal which will change it forever.


Author and Food Historian Francine Segan
Wednesday, November 20th, 2013, at 7:30 PM
Noted food historian and cookbook author Francine Segan returns to Perrot to offer up a tantalizing talk exploring pasta's long, rich history and its fascinating future. This fun 101 on pasta in Italy today includes a discussion on how companies such as Garofalo make their award-winning pasta. The evening will also feature tastings of several pasta dishes, perfect cooking tips, and a trivia contest about modern and antique pasta making equipment. Come hungry!

October Events at Perrot

For adults:

Discovering Vintage New York, with author Mitch Broder
Wednesday, October 9th, 2013, at 7:30 PM
Author Mitch Broder will be visiting Perrot to talk about his book, Discovering Vintage New York. A prize-winning journalist who has been writing about the best of the Big Apple for over 20 years, Broder will discuss special spots that are vibrant, quirky, and just plain fun to explore. You'll learn about everything you wanted to know in New York City that you didn't even know existed!

Staying Healthy in Winter, with holistic health counselor Rachel Khanna
Wednesday, October 16th, 2013, at 7:30 PM
Just as nature's seasonal cycles affect our external environment, they also affect our internal environment and our physical and mental well-being. It is important to support one's body during this time of transition. Rachel Khanna, chef, holistic health counselor, and author of Live, Eat, Cook Healthy, will discuss what you can do to keep yourself and your family healthy this winter.


For kids:

NIGHTMARES
Wednesday, October 30th, 2013, at 7:00 PM
The Youth Services wing is tranformed into a cavern of horrors for this yearly event, featuring terrifying tales from unpleasant local ghouls! For brave kids in grades 2 and up ONLY. No grownups allowed. Free tickets will be available soon at the Youth Services Desk

Children's Fall Registration Cards/Program Openings

Registration cards for fall children's programs were mailed back today! Please call us (203-637-8802) if you do not receive your card within the next few days.

Also, we still have room in Stuff & Nonsense, our program for Kindergarteners and first graders, and Spotlight, our program for second and third graders. View more details here. Please give us a call if you would like to sign up your child for either of these programs.

September Is National Library Card Sign-up Month

What’s the best way to prepare children for school year?  Make sure they have a library card! A library card gives access to e-books, online homework help and other tools they need to succeed.  September is Library Card Sign-up Month. Sign up for a library card (or just check out a book) at Perrot's Youth Services Desk this month and you will receive a sweet treat!

Upcoming Event: Talk on Sports Injury Prevention, with Jordan D. Metzel. MD

Talk on Sports Injury Prevention, with Jordan D. Metzel. MD
Wednesday, September 18th, 2013, at 7:30 PM
Radcliffe Children's Wing, Perrot Memorial Library

Learn how to recognize and prevent the most common sports injuries that affect athletes of all ages, from Jordan D. Metzl, MD, award-winning author and sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in both Manhattan and Old Greenwich. From the perspectives of athlete and physician, Dr. Metzl will teach you how to keep your body moving, fit, and injury-free. You'll learn how to recognize common aches and pains that limit activity, and, most importantly, how to fix them yourself at home.

A question and answer session and book signing will follow the lecture.

Summer Reading Wrap-Up

Thanks to everyone who participated in Youth Services's 2013 summer reading program and weekly contests! This year's theme was "CATCH THE READING WAVE."

Please take a look at the four happy winners of our weekly contests! They each won a neat prize pack for guessing which book the Perrot bears were reading in a photo posted in the children's room.

Over 300 kids signed up for our summer reading program and read 1,078 books in total. This year, Perrot made a donation based on each book read by our summer readers to Oceana, the largest international organization focused solely on ocean conservation. Perrot's summer readers read enough books for us to meet our goal of adopting a clownfish!

If you were one of our very special signer-uppers, you can still keep track of the books you read, even though our "official" program has ended! You can either take your reading record home with you, or leave it here in the library. We will also continue to give out prizes for books read (while supplies last, so HURRY!).

We'd also like to give a special mention our teen volunteers, who helped record books for our reading program participants. This year we had 72 volunteers, who together worked over 500 volunteer hours. Thanks, guys!

And remember, we still have another month of summer left, so please KEEP READING!

Countdown to Kindergarten Storytime

This year we are offering a special Countdown to Kindergarten Storytime--  with stories, songs, and a craft to help your child get ready for the first day of Kindergarten! This program is for children entering Kindergarten in Fall 2013 ONLY. Children attend independently, but parents and caregivers should remain in the Library

Wednesday, August 21st, 2013, from 1 PM to 1:45 PM

Sign up now at the Youth Services Desk!

Youth Services Fall Program Schedule Now Available

The Youth Services Fall 2013 Program Schedule (.PDF) is now available!

Our program registration is by lottery. Pick up a registration postcard for the program(s) of your choice from the Youth Services Circulation Desk, beginning on Monday, August 12th, 2013. Registration ends on Friday, September 6th, 2013, so make sure you have returned your card by that day. [See detailed registration instructions]

If you have any questions on our children's programs or registration process, please comment on this post, or give us a call at 203-637-8802.

Casey Carle's BubbleMania- August 1st at Perrot

Casey Carle's BubbleMania

Thursday, August 1st, 2013

4:00 PM

on the Youth Services Green

A unique program combining high energy entertainment with artistic achievement, BubbleMania is loaded with visual comedy, quick wit, big band swing music and the untamed, often unbelievable qualities and beauty of spherical liquids. Casey's creations grow from intricate and imaginative bubble artforms to "trapping" people inside bubbles! 

For families with children ages 5 and up

Free tickets available now at the Youth Services Desk

Children's Summer Program Openings

We still have spaces available in our Stuff & Nonsense and Spotlight programs during the summer!

Stuff & Nonsense is for kids entering Grade 1, and will meet Mondays at 4 PM on July 8th, July 15th, July 22nd, and July 29th.

Spotlight (on The Mysterious Sea) is for kids entering Grades 2, 3, and 4, and will meet Wednesdays at 4 PM on July 10th, July 17th, July 24th, and July 31st.

Please call us (203-637-8802) if you would like to sign up your child for either of these programs!

Perrot's Summer Reading Club and Contest for Kids

Summer is here! And that means it's time to sign up for Perrot's summer reading club! You can participate (and win prizes for reading!) from June 25th through August 2nd.

To sign up for our summer reading club, simply go to our volunteer table by the computers in Youth Services. Our friendly teen volunteers will sign you up, tell you the rules and start a reading record for you. You'll also get to put your name up on the bulletin board! We'll keep your reading record here in the library. When you've read a book, just tell a volunteer next time you're in the library and they'll write it in your reading record. After you read your first, third, and fifth books, you get a prize! Also, this year, for each book you read, Perrot will make a donation to Oceana, a group that works to protect our oceans. 

Parents, you can also take home a reading record for your littlest ones. We have special sheets for books read aloud with your child. Children get a sticker for each book they've read with a grown-up.

We're also having a contest this summer! Our summer reading theme is CATCH THE READING WAVE. Each week in July, we will display a picture of Perrot's bears reading a book, and you will have to guess which book it us. Once you figure it out, fill out a guess slip. We will have a random drawing from all our correct guess slips each week. We have 4 great tote bags full of prizes to give away, each which contains books as well as ocean-themed prizes!

Be sure to join us at Perrot this summer and CATCH THE READING WAVE!

Movies in the Park 2013

Perrot is pleased to present our seventh annual series of Movies in the Park in Binney Park. This year we are featuring Up and Charade. Bring your picnic, your chairs, and enjoy!


Up (Rated PG, 89 minutes)
Saturday, July 20th, 2013, 8:30 PM
[Rain date: Sunday, July 21st]
From the revolutionary minds of Pixar Animation Studios comes a hilariously uplifting adventure where the sky is no longer the limit. Carl Fredricksen, a retired balloon salesman, is part rascal, part dreamer who is ready for his last chance at high-flying excitement. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, Carl sets off to the lost world of his childhood dreams. Unbeknownst to Carl, Russell, an overeager 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer who has never ventured beyond his backyard, is in the wrong place at the wrong time-- Carl's front porch! The world's most unlikely duo reach new heights and meet fantastic friends like Dug, a dog with a special collar that allows him to speak, and Kevin, a rare 13-foot tall flightless bird. Stuck together in the wilds of the jungle, Carl realizes that sometimes life's biggest adventures aren't the ones you set out looking for.

**************************************************************

Charade (Not Rated, 114 minutes)
Saturday, August 24th, 2013, 8:30 PM
[No Rain Date]
Hollywood legends Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn light up the screen in the stylish thriller Charade. Regina finds herself pursued through the streets of Paris by several men in search of the fortune that her murdered husband stole from them. As her world turns upside down, she finds herself leaning on a suave, charming stranger whose motives are unclear. Co-starring James Coburn, George Kennedy and Walter Matthau, this timeless classic will keep you guessing until the very end.

Connecticut Trails Day 2013

Join the largest National Trails Day celebration in the nation on the weekend of June 1st and 2nd! That's right, Connecticut Trails Day is so large that we had to turn it into a full weekend celebration. Choose from 259 events in 152 towns on over 560 miles of trail featured in this year's booklet.

There will be outdoor activities for everyone, including hiking, biking, horseback riding, running, trail maintenance, kayaking, educational walks, bird watching, letterboxing, and more. These events are guided by knowledgeable volunteers from local hiking clubs, parks and recreation departments, state agencies, conservation organizations, historic groups, education programs, and land trusts.

Don't miss out on this fun-filled weekend, which will provide many opportunities to discover new places and experience the outdoors with family, friends, and neighbors.

See an electronic version of the events booklet, or pick up a copy in the library (at our bulletin board).

First Sunday Science at the Seaside Center at Greenwich Point- Spot and Tag Horseshoe Crabs

The Bruce Museum, and other non-profit organizations in the area, sponsor periodic free, fun, and educational programs for children and families at the Seaside Center at Greenwich Point!

Photo: James Finn

First Sunday Science at the Seaside Center
Project Limulus: The Horseshoe Crabs are Coming
Sunday, June 2nd, 2013, 1:30 PM-4:00 PM
The day will be full of exciting opportunities to participate and learn more about Project Limulus, an ongoing study of the Horseshoe Crab.  Don’t miss this opportunity to spot and tag Horseshoe Crabs on the Greenwich Point Beach, discuss the research project with people involved, and hear a presentation on the ecology of this often seen but not well known creature. There is a chance that participants will get wet during some segments of this program, please dress accordingly! We will be meeting at the Innis Arden Cottage, located on Greenwich Point. The program is free, but passes are required for Park entry. See the Town of Greenwich website for entry details. Presented by the Friends of Greenwich Point, Town of Greenwich, Sacred Heart University, and the Bruce Museum.  For more information, please call Peter Linderoth at 203-413-6742 or email plinderoth@brucemuseum.org.

School Visit Books-- Get some great recommendations!

During the month of May, our Youth Services librarian, Mrs. Jarombek, visited 4th- and 5th-grade classes at local elementary schools to talk about new and exciting books and to promote our book clubs for kids.

Check out the full list for some great book recommendations!

Children's Summer Program Registration Starts Tuesday, 5/28

Registration for Youth Services' Summer 2013 Program Session starts Tuesday, May 28th, and runs through Saturday, June 22nd. [View the summer program schedule]

Our morning preschool programs are drop-in during the summer, but you still need to register for Stuff & Nonsense (for kids entering 1st grade) and Spotlight (for kids entering 2nd/3rd/4th grade).

• Our program registration is by lottery
• You must have an active library card in good standing to register
• Obtain a registration postcard for the program of your choice from the Youth Services Circulation Desk
• Fill out ALL of the required information. Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Address the reverse of the card to yourself
• Affix a first-class stamp (46¢)
• Drop off your card at the Youth Services Desk by June 22nd
• Registration cards will be mailed back to you within a week of the close of registration

Questions? Please give us a call at 203-637-8802, or comment on this post.

Help Stamp Out Hunger, This Saturday, 5/11

More than 50 million Americans are facing hunger. You can help! This Saturday, May 11th, 2013, leave out a bag of non-perishable food by your mailbox for your mail carrier to deliver to a local food bank! [Please, no glass containers or expired items.] 

Wondering what foods are best to put out for the food drive? Here are the top ten non-perishable foods requested by food banks:

• Cereal
• Pasta
• Rice
• Canned fruits and vegetables
• Canned meals such as soups and chili
• 100% juice 
• Peanut butter
• Pasta sauce
• Macaroni and cheese
• Canned protein such as tuna or chicken
• Beans, canned or dry

The annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive is a nationwide effort that provides food to local food banks and pantries that would otherwise be faced with depleted stocks during the summer months. Food banks across the country continue to experience record demand for emergency food assistance. Stamp Out Hunger is the nation's largest single-day food drive, having collected more than one billion pounds of food since its inception in 1993. In 2012, generous Americans donated more than 70 million pounds of food, which marked the ninth consecutive year that at least 70 million pounds were collected. 

A photo and poem from our Poetry Slam

Here are some of the participants from Perrot's Poetry Slam last weekend-- 

2nd-grader Cavell, and 4th-graders Victoria, Emily, and Sarah. 

Sarah shared with us her lovely poem about libraries:

Library

Library, 

Peaceful and quiet.

Library,

Home of books

Library,

Oasis of wisdom

Library,

Home sweet home

Y2C2's Favorite Book of 2012/2013 Is...

The Young Young Critics' Club (Y2C2), Perrot's book club for 4th- and 5th-graders, has declared that its favorite book of 2012/2013 is...


KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES
by Shannon Messenger
Twelve-year-old Sophie has never quite fit into her life. She’s skipped multiple grades and doesn’t really connect with the older kids at school, but she’s not comfortable with her family, either. And Sophie has a secret-- she’s a Telepath, someone who can read minds. But the day Sophie meets Fitz, a mysterious (and adorable) boy, she learns she’s not alone. He’s a Telepath too, and it turns out the reason she has never felt at home is that, well. . . she isn’t. Fitz opens Sophie’s eyes to a shocking truth, and almost instantly she is forced to leave behind her family for a new life in a place that is vastly different from what she has ever known.


See the rest of Y2C2's favorite books from the last year!

Golden Y Award Winners, Spring 2013

CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of the Semi-Annual Young Young Critics' Club (Y2C2) Jeopardy Tournament!

The winning team, Flo (L-R): Charlotte I., Artemis, Matthew, and Charlotte H.

They are the current holders of the coveted Wonderful Golden "Y" Award! The winners have demonstrated their mastery of trivia questions related to the books that the Young Young Critics' Club (our book club for 4th- and 5th-graders) has read during the past year. (Yes, it looks like a lobster, but trust us, it’s also a wonderful golden ‘Y’-- stop by the Youth Services Department and see for yourself!)

Teens: Looking for a summer volunteer opportunity?

. . .Perrot needs you! Perrot is looking for teen volunteers for its Youth Services department to help run the summer reading program for kids.

Who can be a Perrot Library Summer Teen Volunteer?
Anyone going into Grade 7 and up who can volunteer at least 5 hours during the summer.

When do volunteers work?
From June 25th to August 2nd, whenever the library is open. You can set your own schedule and sign up for shifts any hour that the library is open—mornings, afternoons and evenings.

Why volunteer?
• To help others
• To learn job skills
• To earn community service hours
• To meet other teens and have fun!

How do I become a Summer Teen Volunteer?
Easy! Just pick up an application at the Youth Services Desk (or download one here), have a parent or guardian sign it, and drop it off.

How do I learn what to do?
All volunteers must attend a 1-hour training session in June where we’ll teach you everything you need to know.

Have more questions?
Please call Kathy Jarombek, Director of Youth Services, at 203-637-3535.

YCC's Favorite Book of 2012/2013 Is...

The Young Critics' Club (YCC), Perrot's book club for 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-graders, has declared that its favorite book of 2012/2013 is....

THREE TIMES LUCKY
by Sheila Turnage
Rising sixth-grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel-- a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.


See the rest of YCC's favorite books from 2012/2013!

Youth Services Summer Program Schedule Now Available

The Youth Services Summer 2013 Program Schedule is now available!

Please note that for our summer program session, all our preschool programs will be DROP-IN, and most are limited to the first 20 children and their caregivers to sign in before each program. Our Stuff & Nonsense and Spotlight programs will still be by registration only.

Pick up a registration postcard for the program of your choice from the Youth Services Circulation Desk, beginning on Tuesday, May 28th, 2013. Don't forget to bring a stamp! The registration period closes at 5 PM on Saturday, June 22nd, 2013. Our programs are selected by lottery. You may view our complete registration instructions online and see descriptions of our program offerings.

If you have other questions, please comment on this post!

Upcoming Events at Perrot

Poetry Slam
Sunday, April 28th, 2013, from 3 PM to 5 PM
Join us in celebrating Poetry Month at the first annual Perrot Library Poetry Slam! Bring a poem you have written or a favorite by someone else to read at our open mike. All ages welcome.

Talk with Lee Woodruff, author of Those We Love Most
Wednesday, May 8th, 2013, at 7:30 PM
Author Lee Woodruff, married to newsman Bob Woodruf who suffered a traumatic brain injury in Iraq, brings her own experience dealing with sudden tragedy to her first novel, Those We Love Most. A split-second distraction and a family is forever changed. Individuals must confront their choices, examine mistakes, and ultimately find their way back to each other in this humorous and poignant page-turner.

Book Recommendations from the Reference Desk

What We're Reading at Perrot


THE ART FORGER, BY BARBARA SHAPIRO
[Fiction] How well we all remember the theft of some famous paintings from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. . . Claire Roth works for a company which produces legitimate copies of famous works. She is a fine artist in her own right. When Aiden Markel, the owner of a famous Boston Gallery approaches Claire to make a copy of one of the stolen works form the Gardner, she is flabbergasted. After receiving assurances that her work will never be seen, except by the rich owner, and the original Degas will be returned, she agrees. What follows is a fabulous look into the world of art forgery and also into the technique of Degas. This is a great tale in more ways than one.


See the rest of our latest list of recommendations!

Wendy Epstein

Perrot is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Wendy Epstein, one of our longtime Adult Circulation staff members. Wendy had a big personality and a quick wit, and our Adult Desk just won't be the same without her. Our thoughts and love are with Wendy's family at this difficult time.

WENDY EPSTEIN, a longtime Stamford resident, passed away on Tuesday, March 12th, 2013. For those who knew Wendy, she was a force. She spoke her mind, had strong opinions about right and wrong, and always let you know when she thought you were wrong. She always went to great lengths to help and support her friends in all of their own pursuits and she received so much fulfillment from their accomplishments. She cherished her friendships and found herself surrounded by a diverse group of people that crossed generations, professions, and backgrounds. Wendy was born in Brooklyn, NY to Samuel and Beverly. She attended Herricks High School in New Hyde Park, NY and later the Collegiate Business Institute. She would eventually meet and marry Marvin Epstein with whom she had two sons, Michael and Marc. Throughout her life she found work at a television station, a law firm, a corporate headquarters, a mortgage firm, and most recently the Perrot Library in Greenwich where she found great fulfillment from her interactions with both staff and patrons and where her absence will be felt by all. And through it all, with little conversation or attention, was Wendy's volunteer work and philanthropic donations. Wendy fought lung cancer with grace, dignity, and strength. And she won. Unfortunately, that fight left her unprepared for the fight that followed. She left this world after 68 years surrounded by love and holding her children's hands. Wendy's love and support will be greatly missed by those fortunate enough to have received it throughout the years. She is survived by her children Michael Epstein and Marc and Quyen Epstein-Ngo along with her grandchildren Asher Meir and Samara Rose. A memorial service will be held at 11:30 AM on Friday, March 15th at Gallagher & Son Funeral Home, 2900 Summer Street, Stamford, CT 06905. In lieu of flowers or gifts, donations can be made in Wendy's name to the Perrot Memorial Library, 90 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich, CT 06870, www.perrotlibrary.org. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.leopgallagherstamford.com.

-Published in the Stamford Advocate, March 14, 2013. 

Upcoming Events at Perrot

Upcoming Events at the Library...

Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper
Wednesday, March 6th, 2013, at 7:30 PM
C. Marina Marchese will discuss her engaging and delightfully informative book, Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeper. The book recounts how Ms. Marchese overcame her initial trepidation of bees and learned everything there is to know about the art of beekeeping and the marvels of bee behavior. A "honey sommelier" and owner of Red Bee Artisanal Honey, Ms. Marchese will change the way you think about honey. She will offer a honey tasting as part of her presentation. Copies of Honeybee will be available for purchase and signing at the event.



An Uncommon Cape: Researching the Histories and Mysteries of a Property
Wednesday, March 20th, 2013, at 7:30 PM
Perrot welcomes author Eleanor Phillips Brackbill, whose book tells the story of her small Cape Cod house in Westchester-- a story with several mysteries, involving Sears, monkeys, and an unknown address. A wide-ranging investigation forms the basis of an eight-year research journey, not only to solve the mysteries but also to answer the question, "What came before?" Inspired by her mother and grandmother, avid genealogists who traced the myriad branches of their family back hundreds of years, Ms. Brackbill turned to her home to create a kind of genealogy of a piece of property. The book includes more than 60 images and instructive guidelines to help you find the story of your home.

Saturday Night Widows: The Adventures of Six Friends Remaking Their Lives
Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at 7:30 PM
Six marriages, six heartbreaks, one shared beginning. After being widowed in her forties, Becky Aikman struggled to find her place in an altered world. Ultimately, she formed a group with five other young widows, and discovered how people experience grief, transcend loss, summon humor, and strive to find the spirit essential for anyone to overcome adversity.

Perrot Newsletter

The Spring 2013 edition of Perrot's newsletter, Précis, is now available!

Watch for your copy in the mail, pick up a copy in the library, or read it online (in PDF format).

System Upgrade February 26th

The Greenwich Library System's Catalog and Account systems will be temporarily unavailable while we upgrade to a new system on Tuesday, February 26, 2013.

• While the system is down, patrons will not be able to access their accounts online, search the catalog, place holds or renew items.
• Staff will be able to check-out any item to a patron with the patron's library card (driver's licenses will not work).
• All items due on February 26 have been extended one day.

Thank you for your patience!

53rd Annual Lions Club Pancake Fry- March 9th

The Old Greenwich Lion's Club is holding its 53nd Annual Pancake Fry on Saturday, March 9th, 2013 from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Greenwich Civic Center at 90 Harding Road, Old Greenwich. Fun for the whole family! There will be door prizes, our delicious bake sale and entertainment for all. $7.00/per person in advance or $8.00 at the door, $6.00 for children ages 6-11 and FREE admission for kids 5 and under. Advance tickets may be purchased at Perrot's Adult Circulation Desk.

Spring Valley Puppets on Wednesday, 2/13

We still have tickets available for the Spring Valley Puppet Theater show on Wednesday, 2/13 at 2 PM. For families with children ages 5 and up. Give us a call (203-637-8802) or stop in to sign up!

3 Day Movies Coming in February

3 DAY MOVIES COMING IN FEBRUARY

These movies will soon be available as 3-day loan DVDs at Perrot (ho holds, no renewals):

ARGO - A dramatization of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran. Directed by and starring Ben Affleck, with Bryan Cranston.

FLIGHT - An airline pilot saves a flight from crashing, but an investigation into the malfunctions reveals something troubling.  Starring Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle.

THE SESSIONS - A man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest.  Starring Helen Hunt and John Hawkes.

THE MASTER - A Naval veteran arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader.  Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix.

*Plot summaries provided by IMDB.com

Remembering

 

"If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together. . . there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart. . . I'll always be with you."

-Winnie the Pooh

 

Mrs. K and Mrs. Mac

Kathy Krasniewicz and Kate McClelland

Remembering you today and always

 

February Events in Youth Services

Take Your Child to the Library Day
Saturday, February 2nd, 2013, all day

Stop by the Youth Services Wing all day for free giveaways-- books, toys, and more!

Now in its second year, Take Your Child to the Library Day is the brainchild of Nadine Lipman, retired head of children's services at Waterford Public Library in Waterford, CT. With the help of Caitlin Augusta, from the Stratford Public Library, and the support of many others, Nadine launched this initiative on February 4, 2012. Over 120 libraries participated, with more than 15,000 attendees — a tremendous success for a grass roots initiative in its first year.

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Learning to Look: A Family Program on Pop Art
Saturday, February 2nd, 2013 at 2 PM

Join Alice Scovell Coleman, a lecturer with the Learning to Look program, for a fun hour of studying and making art. The program will feature an interactive lesson about Pop Art, featuring the works of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Claes Oldenburg. After the lesson, children will be invited to create a Pop Art project of their own. This program is recommended for families with children ages 5 and up.

Learning to Look, an art history and appreciation program for students from kindergarten through high school, was created buy Greenwich residents Diane Darst and Sue Ann Williamson. It has been taught by Learning to Look-trained teachers to over 75,000 students at nearly 100 schools in the tri-state area alone.

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Spring Valley Puppet Theater: The Three Wishes and The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013 at 2 PM

What would YOU do if a magical elf gave you three wishes? An interesting thought! Well, that's just what happened to Gretchen and Henry in Michael Graham's SPRING VALLEY PUPPET THEATER production of "The Three Wishes." The program also includes the Aesop fable "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing." This popular tale is enlivened with a colorful Mexican setting, a humorous communication gap and a surprise ending! The program is recommended for families with children ages 5 and up.

Free tickets will be available at the Youth Services Desk on January 28th.

Michael Graham, Director of the SPRING VALLEY PUPPET THEATER has been performing since 1966 throughout New England primarily for schools and libraries. He designs and makes his puppets, writes scripts, creates the scenery and does a number of the voices. His production of "Jack and the Beanstalk" was awarded the 1994 "Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry" from UNIMA-USA, the American Center for the Uníon International de la Marionette.

Children's Winter/Spring Program Lottery/Program Openings

Registration cards for our Winter/Spring 2013 children's programs were mailed back yesterday! Expect to receive your card in the next day or two. If you don't receive your card in the next few days, please don't hesitate to call (203-637-8802) and we can check the rosters for you.

Also, we still have room in our Spotlight program (for 2nd & 3rd graders). The theme for Spotlight this session is Magic, and it will meet on 1/30, 2/6, 2/27, and 3/6 (Wednesdays) at 4 PM. Please give us a call if you would like to sign up your child for Spotlight!

Upcoming Event: Q & A with Diane Fox, Director of Planning and Zoning

Diane Fox

Director of Planning and Zoning for the Town of Greenwich

to discuss

Issues of Interest to Local Residents

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013, at 7:30 PM

Radcliffe Children's Wing, Perrot Memorial Library

Perrot is pleased to host Diane Fox, Director of Planning and Zoning for Greenwich, who will speak on planning issues of interest to Old Greenwich and Riverside Residents. She will give a brief, informal presentation, followed by a question and answer session with the audience. This is the community's opportunity to find out more about the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the planned repair of the railroad bridges on Sound Beach and Tomac Avenues, development of Old Greenwich and Riverside retail areas, and other topics related to land planning and development. 

Upcoming Event: Book Discussion with Eric Kahn Gale

Author Eric Kahn Gale will discuss his book, The Bully Book, which Kirkus Reviews calls "a meticulous anatomy of a bullying victim... a compelling and unusual look at a complex and intractable problem that succeeds admirably as story as well." The book, based loosely on Kahn Gale's own experience as a victim of bullying, is written for middle school age readers, but is also a must-read for parents and educators.

Wednesday, January 16th, 2013, at 7:30 PM in the Library