Monday, December 12, 2016

Children's Program Registration Is Going on Now!


Registration for Youth Services' Winter/Spring 2017 Program Session is going on now through Sunday, January 8th, 2017. [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 (47¢)
  • Drop off your card at the Youth Services Desk by January 8th
  • 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!

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Winners of the Semi-Annual Y2C2 Jeopardy Tournament

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


The Winning Team, The Sabertooth Readers
(L-R) Gregory, Ellie, Amrutha, Cindy, Aeden, and Charlotte


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!)

Support Perrot on Giving Tuesday

Join Perrot- Your Neighborhood Library Depends on You!

  • Perrot is an independent institution. Although we share some resources with Greenwich Library, we depend on your membership donations
  • All of Perrot's fabulous programs for children and adults are free and supported entirely by membership contributions 
  • Having a library card allows you to borrow materials, but you join as a member of the Perrot Memorial Library Association by making a donation in any amount to the library
  • Perrot's building and grounds are owned by the Perrot Memorial Library Association and are largely maintained with membership funds 


Where you are renewing your membership or joining for the first time, we appreciate your contribution at any level. We depend on your generosity!

Watch for our Annual Appeal brochure in the mail, or donate online today:



Online payments will be processed via PayPal. A PayPal account is not required to donate.

Thank you for your support!

Monday, November 28, 2016

Upcoming Event: Book Talk with Wendy Walker, Author of ALL IS NOT FORGOTTEN

UPCOMING EVENT AT PERROT
Wendy Walker, Author of All Is Not Forgotten
Wednesday, December 7th, 2016, at 7:30 PM

Perrot welcomes local author Wendy Walker for a discussion about her new book, All Is Not Forgotten. The book, which is set in a fictional Fairfield County town, is a psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Wendy will discuss her experience writing the book as well as the book's hot topic of memory manipulation around PTSD.

About the Book
It begins in the small, affluent town of Fairview, Connecticut, where everything seems picture perfect. Until one night when young Jenny Kramer is attacked at a local party. In the hours immediately after, she is given a controversial drug to medically erase her memory of the violent assault. But, in the weeks and months that follow, as she heals from her physical wounds, and with no factual recall of the attack, Jenny struggles with her raging emotional memory. Her father, Tom, becomes obsessed with his inability to find her attacker and seek justice while her mother, Charlotte, struggles to pretend this horrific event did not touch her carefully constructed world. As Tom and Charlotte seek help for their daughter, the fault lines within their marriage and their close-knit community emerge from the shadows where they have been hidden for years, and the relentless quest to find the monster who invaded their town-- or perhaps lives among them-- drive this psychological thriller to a shocking and unexpected conclusion.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

2016 Annual Lions Club Grapefruit Sale

The Old Greenwich Lions Club is running its annual sale of grapefruits and oranges, as part of its fund-raising efforts to fight blindness worldwide.

Fruit is available for purchase at Perrot-- please ask at the Adult Circulation Desk.

Pricing:
Grapefruit: $20 per case,  $10 per ½ case
Oranges: $21 per case,  $11 per ½ case
Case of ½ grapefruit and ½ oranges: $21

Youth Services 2016 Gift Buying Guide


Each year our Youth Services Librarian puts together a list of books that make great holiday gifts!

The list features books for the youngest, for beginning readers, for middle graders, and for grades 6 and up.

See our brochure online-- Youth Services Holiday Gift Buying Guide for 2016 -- or pick up a paper copy in Youth Services.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Make It! @ Perrot



Join us next month for Make It! @ Perrot, our new art & craft program. 

Make It! is a drop-in program for kids in grades 2 and up. 
It is limited to the first 20 kids to sign in before each program. 


Make It! will be held on the following Wednesdays at 4 PM:

November 2nd

November 9th
November 16th



Upcoming Event: Tasting Rome, with Author Katie Parla

TASTING ROME, WITH AUTHOR KATIE PARLA
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9th, 2016
7:30 PM

In Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City, Rome-based food journalist and historian Katie Parla captures the city's unique character and evolved food culture- a culmination of 2,000 years of history. Part cookbook, part travel memoir, the book transports all the flavors of Rome into your home kitchen. Parla has written and edited more than 20 books, and her food criticism and travel writing have appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and Bon Appétit. Join us in welcoming Katie Parla for a mouthwatering tour of the Eternal City.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Upcoming Event: Talk and Book Signing with Diane B. Saxton

UPCOMING EVENT
Talk & Book Signing with Diane B. Saxton,
author of Peregrine Island
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2016, at 7:30 PM


In her debut novel, PEREGRINE ISLAND, former Fairfield County resident Diane B. Saxton explores the mysteries behind three generations of women, one valuable painting, the artist who created it, and those who would do anything to possess it-- even kill. In this engrossing work, that brings Long Island Sound to vibrant life, not even a painting can be taken at face value. "For what you see, or think you see, on Peregrine Island, is seldom what it seems..."

Upcoming Event: Family Storytelling Concert featuring Bil Lepp

Perrot Memorial Library is proud to present an afternoon of storytelling in memory of our beloved Children's Librarians, Kate McClelland ("Mrs. Mac") and Kathy Krasniewicz ("Mrs. K"). Those who knew Kate and Kathy know how much storytelling was a part of their lives and how they used it to enchant and educate the youth of our community.

We are delighted that storyteller Bil Lepp will be joining us for this special annual family event, which will be held in Perrot's Children's Wing on Sunday, November 6th, 2016, at 2 PM.

Growing up in a family where the truth was fluid, nationally renowned storyteller (and five-time winner of the West Virginia State Liars' Contest) Bil Lepp became adept at spinning tales and exaggerating circumstances at an early age. Bil's outrageous, humorous tall tales and witty stories have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages and from all walks of life.

This free family event is recommended for ages 5 and up. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more info on Bil Lepp, please visit his on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billeppisfunny/


Thursday, September 15, 2016

Come Join Perrot's New Teen Critics Club!



Are you a high school student that loves to read for fun? Enjoy talking about literature with your friends? Then come join the new Teen Critics Club and Advisory Board (TCC) at Perrot Library! You will have the opportunity to read and critique new and popular novels with a great group of fellow high-schoolers once every month! If you were in the Young Critics Club in middle school, then you definitely want to join TCC! 

Fall Meeting Times & Dates: 
Fridays from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM on:

September 23rd
October 21st
November 4th
December 9th 

Meetings will be held in the Youth Services Program Room

For more information, email teencriticsclub@gmail.com

Hope to see you there!

Wednesday, September 07, 2016

Upcoming Event: From Broadway to Wall Street, with Author Heather K. Terry

From Broadway to Wall Street

with Author Heather K. Terry
Wednesday, September 28th, at 7:30 PM
Perrot Memorial Library


Come join us for an evening with local author and entrepreneur Heather K. Terry, as she discusses her journey from struggling Broadway actress to CEO of a successful chocolate company, NibMor Chocolate. Heather will share her secrets to following her passion, taking risks, and the story of the rise of her booming business. Her book, From Broadway to Wall Street, is a collection of cautionary tales and a must read for any budding entrepreneur.

Tuesday, September 06, 2016

Fall 2016 Programs- Spaces still available!

Registration cards for our Fall 2016 children's programs were mailed back today! If you don't receive your card in the next few days, please call us.

We still have spaces available in the following programs:
-2s and 3s Together (for 2- and 3- year olds- all times except Thursdays at 10 AM)
-Fun for 4s and 5s (for 4- and 5-year olds- pre-kindergarten)
-Stuff & Nonsense (for Kindergarten and 1st-graders)
-Spotlight (for 2nd- and 3rd-graders)

View our program schedule for dates and times: http://perrotlibrary.org/fall_2016_programs.pdf

Please call us for further details on signing up (203-637-8802).

Upcoming Event: Late to the Ball, Book Discussion with Gerald Marzorati


LATE TO THE BALL
Book Discussion with Author Gerald Marzorati
Wednesday, October 12th, 2016, at 7:30 PM
Perrot Memorial Library



Learning to play tennis in your fifties is no small feat, but becoming a serious, competitive tennis player at the sage of sixty is a whole other matter. Gerald Marzorati, a former New York Times Magazine editor and award-winning author, shares the inspiring and entertaining account of his pursuit to become a nationally competitive tennis player-- at the age of 60. In his book, Late to the Ball, Marzorati takes on his quest with complete vigor and absolute determination to see it through, providing a rich, vicarious experience for the reader, involving the science of aging, his existential battle with time, and the beautiful, mysterious game of tennis.

Upcoming Event: Greenwich Reads Together Book Discussion of STATION ELEVEN at Perrot

The Perrot Memorial Library will host a discussion of the Greenwich Reads Together 2016 book selection, Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel, on Wednesday, October 19th, 2016, at 7:30 PM. The discussion will be led by a member of the Greenwich Pen Women.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Station Eleven is an audacious, darkly glittering novel about art, fame, and ambition set in the eerie days of civilization's collapse. Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we knew it came to an end. Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony, and they have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band's existence. And as the story takes off, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed.

WHAT IS GREENWICH READS TOGETHER?
Greenwich Reads Together is a community-wide reading experience which will engage all of Greenwich in exploring a single book. The goal of Greenwich Reads Together is to deepen engagement in literature through reading and discussion and to build community connections. The Steering Committee leading this effort includes Greenwich Library, Greenwich Alliance for Education, Greenwich Arts Council, Greenwich Historical Society, Greenwich Pen Women and the Greenwich Public and Independent Schools.Visit http://www.greenwichreadstogether.org/ to find book, film and music suggestions for further exploration, as well as discussion guides, links to interviews with the author and much more.


Thursday, August 25, 2016

What We're Reading at Perrot: Book Recommendations from our Reference Desk

What We're Reading at Perrot: Book Recommendations from our Reference Desk
August 2016
Click on each book cover image to see the item in our catalog and place a hold



Nine Women, One DressNine Women, One Dress
by Jane L. Rosen
[Fiction]
Come and read about the perfect little black dress and how it touches and changes the lives of the many people who come into contact with it. The action takes place mostly in Bloomingdale’s New York. This is truly a six degrees of  separation kind of story, from the first model who promenades the runway, to the unrequited love story of an assistant and her boss and everyone in between.  These are sweet scenarios, and Rosen definitely set this up as a chick lit story. It’s a fast-paced book and you will love it!





New YorkNew York
by Fabio Mollica
[Non-Fiction]
What a wonderful, well-illustrated collection of recipes, activities, places to stay in NYC! Each restaurant featured one of its tastiest dishes, and the book is presented both in English and Italian. The author of this collection is trying to get across the diversity and excitement of the city through beautiful pictures and alluring descriptions on how to prepare and present mouth-watering dishes. In his own words, Fabio says "New York isn’t America. It’s more, it’s magic, it’s exaggeration, it’s madness and desire." Lovely book to enjoy and be tempted by.




Black Rabbit HallBlack Rabbit Hall
by Eve Chase
[Fiction]
Picture a well-to-do London family, four children, late 1960’s, escaping to their second home for holiday. Black Rabbit Hall is a sprawling mansion, turrets and all, on a seaside estate in Cornwall. Amber and Toby are twins. They are in their early teens. Kitty and Barney are the "little" guys. Mother is beautiful, fun and much loved by father. Tragedy strikes and lives change. Enter a second story line, 30 years later, Lorna is looking for a wedding venue and is drawn to Black Rabbit Hall. She has a dim memory of visiting when she was very, very young. Now the plot really thickens! Wonderful, happy, sad story that goes back and forth over the 30 years. Worth the read.




The Bones of YouThe Bones of You
by Debbie Howells
[Mystery]
At first I thought this book was going to be a clone of Lovely Bones, which I did not like! It is not! Rosie is dying, being murdered in the opening chapter. What follows is a look behind the curtain at emotional and physical abuse, warped personalities, tempered by all too caring, well-meaning friends. This is so well done. The suspense keeps you guessing until almost the end. Rosie sums it up with this thought. "…I know, also, the consequences of what happens if you leave a heart unloved, un-nurtured, unimportant, destined never to reach its potential."




The LightkeepersThe Lightkeepers
by Abby Geni
[Fiction]
This is a very different, but mesmerizing novel. At the center of the novel is a young woman, Miranda, who is a nature photographer. She lost her mother while she was still a young girl, and this loss is what drives Miranda to restlessly travel the world, photographing the glories and horrors of nature. This new adventure of hers takes her to the Farallon Islands, a dangerous and isolated archipelago 30 miles off the coast of California. The living space is fairly primitive and is inhabited by a small group of scientists and biologists. A nasty turn of events takes place and the person behind this turn is found dead shortly after. To tell you more would be to reveal too much. Suffice it to say, the descriptions of the sea and bird life are stunning.




Lit upLit Up:  One Reporter, Three Schools, Twenty-Four Books That Can Change Lives
by David Denby
[Non-Fiction]
What a fascinating concept! Get 10th graders to read! Get them off their devices and on to the printed page. Let’s face it, nothing feels quite like a book. Oh what places you’ll go! David Denby worked with three different secondary schools: one in NYC, one in New Haven, and one in Westchester. The reading lists were diverse, Kite Runner, Slaughterhouse Five, Glass Castle, The Scarlet Letter. I did not notice one  Tess of the D’Urbervilles anywhere! Credit goes to the impassioned, dedicated teachers who had a bunch of doubting 15 year olds under their tutelage. Very interesting book– and it includes a complete bibliography.




Hostage TakerHostage Taker
by Stefanie Pintoff
[Fiction]
This thriller grabs you at the onset and just keeps going! It’s typical of this genre, since it is fast-paced and the action occurs in one day (for the most part).  The author uses the beloved St. Patrick’s Cathedral as the stage, and it’s during the Christmas holidays-- which is one of the busiest times of the year for that part of New York City. It is supposed to take place on the evening of the lighting of the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center. You can imagine how valuable St Patrick’s Cathedral is to all the parties concerned: NYPD, FBI and others as they all work together to try to save the hostages and the building.




UsUs
by David Nicholls
[Fiction]
Is divorce a sign of failure or is it a necessary step in some marriages? This is the question raised and haltingly answered in the latest novel from David Nicholls, the bestselling author of One Day. Douglas Petersen, husband and father, is a scientist who approaches life rationally. He is rich in quiet virtues: sincerity, honesty, and a muted but ever-present sense of self-deprecation. Connie, his wife of almost 30 years, is a still-beautiful artist. Initially attracted to Douglas’ steadiness and calm, she has begun to feel restless in their marriage and is considering leaving her husband once their 17 year-old son, Albie, leaves for university. Before anything irreversible happens, however, Douglas arranges a month-long European tour for all three. The plan is to give the family one last time to bond over shared experiences, or, with luck, to save the marriage. As with many of the best-laid plans, things go awry, but throughout the journey Douglas compensates with his powerful optimism. Funny, sad, and at times, achingly true, the cannily titled Us offers its readers a journey worth taking.

Monday, August 08, 2016

Youth Services Fall Program Registration Is Going on Now!

Registration for Fall 2016 programs in Youth Services is going on now through Friday, September 2nd, 2016. View the Fall 2016 Program Schedule.

Program registration is by lottery. Here's how to register:

  • Pick up a registration postcard for the program(s) of your choice at the Youth Services Desk
  • Please fill out ALL of the required information. Incomplete applications will not be considered
  • For preschool-age programs, your child must be the appropriate age for the program by October 1st, 2016
  • Twins may apply on the same registration card. Siblings who do not share a birthday must use separate registration cards, even if they are signing up for the same program
  • Address the reverse of the card to yourself
  • Affix a first-class stamp (47¢)
  • Drop the registration card(s) off at the Youth Services desk by 6 PM on Friday, September 2nd, 2016
  • Registration cards received after September 2nd will automatically be placed on the waiting list
  • Registration postcards will be mailed back to you shortly after the close of registration with your status (enrolled in a program or on the waiting list)
  • Please call us if you do not receive your card back in the mail within a few days of the close of registration


Questions? Give us a call at 203-637-8802.

Wednesday, August 03, 2016

Countdown to Kindergarten Storytime

Perrot is again 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 2016 ONLY. Children attend independently, but parents and caregivers should remain in the Library.

Wednesday, August 24th, 2016 at 1 PM

Sign up now at the Youth Services Desk!

2016 Summer Reading Wrap-Up

Thanks to everyone who participated in Youth Services's 2016 summer reading program and weekly contests! This year's theme was "ON YOUR MARK, GET SET... READ!"

305 kids signed up for our summer reading program this year and read 1,085 books in total-- hooray! This year, Perrot made a donation based on each book read to The Greenwich Alliance for Education. The Alliance helps foster educational success in needy Greenwich students. So thanks, readers-- each book you read helped support a great cause!

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 56 volunteers, who worked a combined total of 531 volunteer hours at Perrot. Thanks, guys!

And, please take a look at the happy winners of our summer contest! They had to guess how many candies were in the jar each week at our circulation desk.

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


Friday, July 29, 2016

WANTED: LEGO®!!



Donate your unwanted  LEGO® pieces to Perrot! We are in search of bricks, minifigures, miscellaneous parts and pieces of any persuasion, and, most especially, baseplates. We are  looking to expand our collection for our new LEGO®! building program.

Drop your pieces off in the donation box near the Youth Services Desk whenever the library is open!

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Movies in the Park 2016

Perrot is pleased to present our tenth annual series of Movies in the Park in Binney Park. Bring your picnic, your chairs, and enjoy!



ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN (1976, Rated PG, 138 minutes)
Saturday, July 16th, 2016 at 8:30 PM
[No Rain Date]

In the run-up to the 1972 elections, Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) covers what seems to be a minor break-in at the Democratic Party National headquarters. He is surprised to find top lawyers already on the defense case, and the discovery of names and addresses of Republican fund organizers on the accused further arouses his suspicions. The editor of the Post is prepared to run with the story and assigns Woodward and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) to it. They find the trail leading higher and higher in the Republican Party, and eventually into the White House itself. (Plot summary from IMDb.com)

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

RIO (2011, Rated G, 96 minutes)
Saturday, August 13th, 2016 at 8:30 PM
[No Rain Date]


From the makers of the hit Ice Age series comes Rio, an animated comedy adventure about taking a walk on the wild side. Blu is a domesticated Macaw who never learned to fly, living a comfortable life with his owner and best friend Linda in the small town of Moose Lake, Minnesota. Blu and Linda think he's the last of his kind, but when they learn about another Macaw who lives in Rio de Janeiro, they head to the faraway and exotic land to find Jewel, Blu's female counterpart.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Upcoming Family Event: Magic by George

MAGIC BY GEORGE
Thursday, July 28th, 2016 
at 4 PM
For families with children ages 5 and up
Watch for free tickets at the Youth Services Desk



George's fun-filled shows will keep you on the edge of your seat with exciting magic and lots of audience participation. Marvel at the appearance of live doves, and watch in amazement as a member of the audience actually floats in midair!

George continually travels throughout New England entertaining audiences large and small with his unique blend of award-winning magic. He has appeared on the "CBS Early Show", at Sesame Street's "Fun to be One" celebration, and performs regularly at Universal Studios' City Walk. His reputation has not only earned him some of Magic's highest awards and honors, George has also been voted "Boston's Favorite Family Entertainer" two years in a row by The Boston Parents' Paper!


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!) starting today, June 22nd, through July 29th. Our Summer Reading theme this year is ON YOUR MARK, GET SET... READ!

To sign up for our summer reading club, simply visit 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 our bulletin board! We'll keep your reading record here in the library. When you've read a book, 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 the Greenwich Alliance for Education, to help get books in the hands of needy kids.

Parents, you can take home a reading record for children who are not yet reading independently. We have special sheets to record books you have 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. During the last 4 weeks in July, you will have to guess how many candies are in the jar! Each week, we will have a new jar of candy at the desk. Guess how many candies are in the jar, and fill out a guess slip. Whoever's guess is closest wins the whole jar! (If more than one person guesses correctly, we will draw randomly from among all correct answers.)

Monday, June 13, 2016

Children's Summer Program Openings

We still have spaces available in our story-and-craft programs for school-age kids, Stuff & Nonsense and Spotlight.

Stuff & Nonsense is for kids entering Kindergarten and Grade 1, and will meet Mondays at 4 PM on July 11th, July 18th, July 25th, and August 1st.

Spotlight (on Go for the Gold!) is for kids entering Grades 2, 3, and 4, and will meet Wednesdays at 4 PM on July 6th, July 13th, July 20th, and July 27th.

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

Wednesday, June 01, 2016

Upcoming Event: Reading as a Family Affair, An Evening with Diane Garrett of Diane's Books



Perrot Library invites you to an evening with Greenwich's Own Diane Garrett of Diane's Books, to celebrate her 25 years in business. Diane will speak on the topic of "Reading as a Family Affair," and will give her top picks for summer reads for children, adults, and families. Books will be available for purchase.

Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 at 7:30 PM

Radcliffe Children's Wing
Perrot Memorial Library

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Healthyville: Traveling Exhibit from Stepping Stones Museum in Youth Services

Perrot's Youth Services Department is excited to host a traveling exhibit from The Stepping Stones Museum for Children. The interactive exhibit is called "Healthyville®—a Place for Every Body" and is home to residents of all ages who try every day to live active, healthy lifestyles. This exhibit provides children and adults with hands-on opportunities to explore nutrition and fitness in ways that help them understand their bodies, understand the importance of making healthy choices, and apply these concepts in everyday situations.

Stop by Youth Services to take a look-- the exhibit will be at will be at Perrot through June 14th.


School Visit Books-- Get some great recommendations!

During the month of May 2016, 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 summer reading program and book clubs for kids.

Check out the full list for some great book recommendations!

Monday, May 23, 2016

Register Now for Summer Programs in Youth Services

Registration for Youth Services' Summer 2016 Program Session is going on now through Sunday, June 12th. [View the summer program schedule]


  • Our preschool programs are drop-in during the summer, but registration is still required for our Stuff & Nonsense (for kids entering 1st grade), and Spotlight (for kids entering 2nd/3rd/4th grade) programs
  • 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 (49¢)
  • Drop off your card at the Youth Services Desk by June 12th
  • Registration cards will be mailed back to you a few days after the close of registration with your registration status

Questions? Please give us a call at 203-637-8802.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Upcoming Event: Learning to Look: Family Art Program on Impressionism

Learning to Look: Family Art Program on American Impressionism
Sunday, May 22nd, 2016, at 2 PM 
Perrot's Children's Wing



Perrot Library is pleased to welcome back Alice Scovell Coleman, a lecturer with the Learning to Look program, for another afternoon of art. This program will focus on American Impressionism, particularly artists Childe Hassam and John Singer Sargent. After the presentation, children will have the opportunity to create their own Impressionist garden on paper. This program is recommended for families with children ages 5 and up. This event is a wonderful introduction or follow-up to the New York Botanical Garden's exhibit, Impressionism: American Gardens on Canvas, on view from May 14th through September 11th. More info: http://www.nybg.org/impressionism/ 

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.

Wednesday, May 04, 2016

Greenwich Reads Together 2016: Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel

Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel, has been chosen as the Greenwich Reads Together selection for 2016. Greenwich Reads Together is a community-wide reading experience which engages all of Greenwich in exploring a single book, culminating in a month-long series of special events and programs in the fall.

One snowy night, a famous Hollywood actor slumps over and dies onstage during a production of King Lear. Hours later, the world as we know it begins to dissolve. Moving back and forth in time-- from the actor's early days as a film star to fifteen years in the future, when a theater troupe known as the Traveling Symphony roams the wasteland of what remains-- this suspenseful, elegiac, spellbinding novel charts the strange twists of fate that connect five people: the actor, the man who tried to save him, the actor's first wife, his oldest friend, and a young actress with the Traveling Symphony, caught in the crosshairs of a dangerous self-proclaimed prophet. Sometimes terrifying, sometimes tender, Station Eleven tells a story about the relationships that sustain us, the ephemeral nature of fame, and the beauty of the world as we know it.

Companion Selections for Children:
For middle grade readers: The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau
For younger readers: Blackout, by John Rocco

Visit Greenwich Library's website for more information on Greenwich Reads Together.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

The Young Critics' Club's Favorite Book of 2015/2016 Is...

The Young Critics' Club (YCC), Perrot's book club for 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-graders, has declared that its favorite book of 2015/2016 is...


I AM PRINCESS X, by Cherie Priest

Once upon a time, two best friends created a princess together. Libby drew the pictures, May wrote the tales, and their heroine, Princess X, slayed all the dragons their imaginations could conjure. A few years later, Libby was in the car with her mom, driving across the Ballard Bridge on a rainy night. When the car went over the side, Libby passed away, and Princess X died with her. Now May is sixteen and lonely, wandering the streets of Seattle, when she sees a sticker slapped in a corner window. Princess X? When May looks around, she sees the Princess everywhere-- there's an entire underground culture, focused around a webcomic at IAmPrincessX.com. The more May explores the webcomic, the more she sees disturbing similarities between Libby's story and Princess X online. And that means that only one person could have started this phenomenon--- her best friend, Libby, who lives.

See the rest of YCC's favorite books for some great picks!

Friday, April 29, 2016

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 who is going into Grades 7 and up, and who can volunteer at least 5 hours during the summer.

When do volunteers work?
From June 22nd to July 29th, whenever the library is open. You can set your own schedule and sign up for shifts during mornings, afternoons, or 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- PDF), have a parent or guardian sign it, and drop it off.

How do I learn what to do?
All volunteers must attend a 30-minute training session in June where we’ll teach you everything you need to know. (Even if you volunteered last summer, you must attend this year's training session.)

Have more questions?
Please call Kathy Jarombek, Director of Youth Services, at 203-637-8802.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Upcoming Event: Journalist Will Stolzenburg on his book, HEART OF A LION

Journalist Will Stolzenburg on his new book,
Wednesday, May 25th, 2016
7:30 PM
Radcliffe Children's Wing



Late one June night in 2011, a large animal collided with an SUV cruising down a Connecticut parkway. The creature appeared as something out of New England's forgotten past. Beside the road lay a 140-pound mountain lion. Speculations ran wild, the wildest of which figured him a ghostly survivor from a bygone century when lions last roamed the eastern United States. But a more fantastic scenario of facts soon unfolded. The lion was three years old, with a DNA trail embarking from the Black Hills of South Dakota on a cross-country odyssey eventually passing within thirty miles of New York City. It was the farthest land-bound trek ever recorded for a wild animal in America, by a barely weaned teenager venturing solo through hostile terrain.

Stolzenburg retraces the lion's two-year journey-- from his embattled birthplace in the Black Hills, across the Great Plains and the Mississippi River, through Midwest metropolises and remote northern forests, to his tragic finale upon Connecticut's Gold Coast. Along the way, the lion traverses lands with people gunning for his kind, as well as those championing his cause. This is a story of one heroic creature pitting instinct against towering odds, coming home to a society deeply divided over his return. It is a testament to the resilience of nature, and a test of humanity's willingness to live again beside the ultimate symbol of wildness.

Will Stolzenburg has written hundreds of magazine articles about the science and spirit of saving wild creatures. A 2010 Alicia Patterson Journalism Fellow, he is the author of the books Where the Wild Things Were and Rat Island. He is also the screenwriter of the documentaries Lords of Nature: Life in a Land of Great Predators and Ocean Frontiers: The Dawn of a New Era in Ocean Stewardship


PerrotYouthServices- check us out on Bibliocommons!

Follow Perrot's Youth Services Department on Bibliocommons! We have a growing collection of useful booklists, including lists of picture books on various themes, book club picks, and read-alikes.

Some recent additions:



Have an idea for a booklist you'd like to see? Please share your thoughts with us!

Y2C2's Favorite Book of 2015/2016 Is...

The Young Young Critics' Club (Y2C2), Perrot's book club for 4th- and 5th-graders, has declared that its favorite book of 2015/2016 is...

THE BLACKTHORN KEY, by Kevin Sands

Tell no one what I’ve given you. Until he got that cryptic warning, Christopher Rowe was happy, learning how to solve complex codes and puzzles and creating powerful medicines, potions, and weapons as an apprentice to Master Benedict Blackthorn— with maybe an explosion or two along the way. But when a mysterious cult begins to prey on London’s apothecaries, the trail of murders grows closer and closer to Blackthorn’s shop. With time running out, Christopher must use every skill he’s learned to discover the key to a terrible secret with the power to tear the world apart.

See the rest of Y2C2's favorite books for some great picks!

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Youth Services Summer Program Schedule Now Available

The Youth Services Summer 2016 Program Schedule is now available!

Please note that during our summer program session, all of our preschool programs are 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 be by registration only.

Pick up a registration postcard for the program of your choice from the Youth Services Circulation Desk, beginning on Monday, May 23rd, 2016. Don't forget to bring a stamp! The registration period closes at 5 PM on Sunday, June 12th, 2016. Our programs are selected by lottery. You will receive your card back in the mail a few days after the close of regitration.

If you have questions about our programs or registration process, please call us at 203-637-8802.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Winners of the Semi-Annual Y2C2 Jeopardy Tournament

Winners of the Semi-Annual Y2C2 Jeopardy Tournament
Golden Y Award Winners, Spring 2016

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



The winning team, Team Kyle (L-R):  Leo, Elliot, Henry, Amrutha, and Ellie

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!)

Monday, March 07, 2016

Mobile Printing Is Now Available at Perrot

With our new mobile printing service, you can now send documents to our public printer directly
from your laptop or mobile device!

How to print from a laptop or desktop computer:

  • Visit the following website: http://www.printeron.net/pml/soundbeachavenue
  • Select the printer and enter your email address
  • Browse your computer to find and select the file you wish to print
  • Click the green print icon (you will see the status of your print job and a reference number)
  • Provide your email address at the Reference Desk or Youth Services Desk to identify your print job
  • Pay for your print job (cost is 10¢/page)

Your print job will be printed!


How to print from tablet or smartphone app:


  • Visit your device’s store for apps. Search for and install the (free) PrinterOn App
  • Open the app
  • Click “No printer selected”
  • Click “Search”. Search for “perrot”
  • Click on “PML Sound Beach Avenue- Black and White Printer
  • To Print Documents: when viewing the document, click in the upper right corner and upload the document to the PrinterOn App 
  • To print Photos: open the app, click on “photo” and select a photo to print 
  • Select the printer and click the print icon 
  • Enter an email address and click on the check mark (you will receive a notice that the job started, and shortly after another message stating “Job Success”) 
  • Provide your email address at the Reference Desk or Youth Services Desk to identify your print job 
  • Pay for your print job (cost is 10¢/page)

Your print job will be printed!


How to use email to send something directly to library print system:

  • Email from any device directly to the library’s print system at pml-soundbeachavenue-bw@printspots.com
  • Provide your email address AND the name of the file that you wish to print at the Reference Desk or Youth Services Desk to identify your print job
  • Pay for your print job (cost is 10¢/page)
Your print job will be printed!

What We're Reading at Perrot: Book Recommendations from our Reference Desk

DID YOU EVER HAVE A FAMILY, BY BILL CLEGG

[Fiction] This is a story of extremes: happiness and sadness; marriage and divorce; forgiveness and resentment; youth and middle age. It is the story of a previously loosely connected group of individuals who are dealing with an unimaginable tragedy: a catastrophic accident that kills an entire family. This well-received debut novel, longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, is the very model of a page-turner, drawing readers in and holding on to them through its completion. Set initially in a small town in northwestern Connecticut, the story expands and concludes in Washington State. We learn the story from the viewpoints of its participants, coming eventually to understand the many different factors that contributed to the tragedy at the heart of the novel. Ultimately a tribute to the human spirit, this is a great read and a perfect choice for book groups.

See the rest of our list of recommendations!

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Upcoming Event: No Parent Left Behind: What's Really on the Minds of Middle School Girls?

The Perrot Memorial Library, in collaboration with the Junior League of Greenwich, proudly present the panel discussion: "No Parent Left Behind: What's Really on the Minds of Middle School Girls?"

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016
7:30 PM-9:00 PM
Perrot Memorial Library

Experts in the field of counseling and social media held full-day sessions with over 200 girls ages 11 and 12 concerning friendship, self-esteem, morality, decision-making, and social media. Hear what the girls had to say, and learn how you can partner with your middle-schooler as she embarks upon a new, and sometimes challenging, phase in her life. 

Featuring:

Meredith Gold
Domestic Abuse Services at the YWCA

Sara W. Rawson
Occupational Therapist

Beth O'Malley
LCSW/Psychotherapist

Jenny Byxbee
Youth Services Coordinator at the United Way



This event is part of the Junior League of Greenwich’s project, "Positively More," which aims to give preteen girls the tools to avoid questionable situations, lessen the consequences of potential conflicts, and identify lessons learned by those challenges.

For more info, visit: 
http://www.jlgreenwich.org/

Tuesday, February 09, 2016

Sunday Afternoon Movie at Perrot: Anna Karenina (2012)

Sunday Afternoon Movie at Perrot

Cozy up on a winter Sunday afternoon at the library and enjoy a movie! 
Russian snacks will be served.




ANNA KARENINA (2012)
Rated R, 130 minutes
Sunday, February 21st, 2016
2 PM

The third collaboration of Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley with acclaimed director Joe Wright, following the award-winning box office successes Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, is a bold, theatrical new vision of the epic story of love, adapted from Leo Tolstoy's timeless novel by Academy Award winner Tom Stoppard. The story powerfully explores the capacity for love that surges through the human heart. As Anna (Ms. Knightley) questions her happiness and marriage, change comes to all around her.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Children's Winter/Spring Program Lottery/Program Openings

Registration cards for our Winter/Spring 2016 children's programs were mailed back today! If you don't receive your card in the next few days, please call us (203-637-8802)

Also, we still have room in our Stuff & Nonsense (for Kindergarten and 1st-graders) and Spotlight programs (for 2nd- and 3rd-graders). Please call us if you are interested in signing your child up for one of these programs.