Upcoming Event: Sundays at Perrot with Jane Austen- Two Movie Screenings

Cozy up on a cold, winter Sunday afternoon at the library, and enjoy a movie based on novels by Jane Austen. Tea and scones will be served.

EMMA (1996)
Rated PG, 121 minutes
Sunday, February 22nd, 2015, at 2 PM
Starring Gwyneth Paltrow, James Cosmo, Greta Scacchi, Alan Cumming, and Denys Hawthorne
This delightfully fun and lighthearted comedy is based on Jane Austen's classic novel. Gwyneth Paltrow shines as Emma, a mischievous young beauty who sets up her single friends. Funny thing is. . . she's not very good at it! So when Emma tries to find a man for Harriet, she makes a hilariously tangled mess of everyone's lives. You'll enjoy all the coming confusion. . . until Emma herself falls in love, finally freeing everyone from her outrageously misguided attempts at matchmaking.

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995)
Rated PG, 131 minutes
Sunday, March 1st, 2015, at 2 PM
Starring Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant
The recipient of seven Oscar nominations, this film version of Jane Austen's classic 1811 novel stars Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood. Based on Jane Austen's classic novel, Sense and Sensibility tells of the Dashwood sisters, sensible Elinor and passionate Marianne (Winslet), whose chances at marriage seem doomed by their family's sudden loss of fortune. Rickman, Grant, and Greg Wise co-star as the well-intentioned suitors who are trapped by the strict rules of society and the conflicting laws of desire.

Free Tax Assistance

Free tax assistance is being offered by the AARP Foundation at both Greenwich Library and Greenwich Town Hall. Everyone is welcome to take advantage of this service, not just AARP eligible members.

Tax assistance from AARP will be offered every Saturday at Greenwich Library, from 9 AM until 4 PM, on the first floor Peterson Wing near the Foundation Center. Please bring a photo ID, along with all income information, any W-2s, and last year’s tax return.

The AARP Foundation will also offer tax assistance on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM in the Hayton Room on the third floor of Greenwich Town Hall.

Upcoming Event: Nina Sankovitch, Author of SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED: CELEBRATING THE JOYS OF LETTER WRITING

Upcoming Event at Perrot: Nina Sankovitch, Author of Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Celebrating the Joys of Letter Writing
Wednesday, February 4th, 2015
7:30 PM
Radcliffe Children's Wing


After discovering a trove of one hundred year old, hand-written letters from a college freshman to his mother, just as her own son was leaving home, acclaimed author Nina Sankovitch was inspired to go on a quest through the history of letter writing. Just what qualities make letter-writing so special? Witty, moving, enlightening, and inspiring, her book, Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Celebrating the Joys of Letter Writing, reminds us that letters offer proof and legacy of what is most important in life: love and connection.

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

Learning to Look: Family Art Program on Cubism

Saturday, February 7th, 2015, 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 Cubism, one of the most important art movements of the 20th century. After the presentation, children will have the opportunity to make their own geometric pictures based on what they have learned. This program is recommended for families with children ages 5 and up. This event is a wonderful introduction or follow-up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's exhibit, Cubism: The Leonard A. Lauder Collection [http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2014/cubism-leonard-a-lauder-collection], on view until February 16th, 2015.

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.

Children's Winter/Spring Program Lottery/Program Openings

Registration cards for our Winter/Spring 2015 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.

You Wrote a Book, Now What?-- EVENT CANCELLED

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the upcoming Perrot event, You Wrote a Book, Now What?, will NOT be held this coming Wednesday, January 14th. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Upcoming Event: Joel Klein, Author of LESSONS OF HOPE: HOW TO FIX OUR SCHOOLS

Upcoming Event at Perrot: Joel Klein, Former chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, and author of Lessons of Hope: How to Fix Our Schools
Wednesday, January 28th, 2015
7:30 PM
Radcliffe Children's Wing

Joel Klein served as chancellor of the New York City Department of Education from 2002 to 2011, and is the author of Lessons of Hope: How to Fix Our Schools. He will share the revealing and provocative behind-the-scenes story of the dramatic campaign to turn around public education in New York City, as well as provide a blueprint for national education reform. His critics argued, "You'll never fix education until you fix poverty." Mr. Klein, on the other hand, believes: "We'll never fix poverty until we fix education." This is sure to be an enlightening and informative evening for anyone concerned with improving education in the United States.

Upcoming Event: Learning to Look: Family Art Program on Matisse's Cut-Outs

Learning to Look: Family Art Program on Matisse's Cut-Outs

Saturday, January 10th, 2015, at 2 PM 

Perrot's Children's Wing

Perrot invites families to join Alice Scovell Coleman, a lecturer with the Learning to Look program, for a fun afternoon of art. This program will feature a presentation about artist Henri Matisse and his colorful compositions from cut paper. After the presentation, children will have the opportunity to make their own collages based on what they have learned. This program is recommended for families with children ages 5 and up. This event is a wonderful introduction or follow-up to the Museum of Modern Art's exhibit, Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs [http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/1469], on view until February 10th, 2015.

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.

Long Awaited Train Bridge Construction on Sound Beach and Tomac Avenues Begins... Now!

After noticing some work developing in the south station parking lot, the Old Greenwich Association reached out to town officials to find out if the long anticipated train bridges construction project was about to begin. In fact, the project has indeed begun.

Information from the Greenwich Department of Parking Services:

The State of Connecticut Department of Transportation has commenced work of "Rehabilitation of Metro-North Railroad Bridge(s)." In addition to to replacing the Sound Beach and Tomac Avenue bridges, CT DOT will make improvements to the Railroad Station and the South Commuter Parking lot at the Stamford Bound in Old Greenwich. The project is a joint effort between the CT DOT and Metro North which will take place over the course of four years.

As promised, a website has been created that will allow residents to check for anticipated delays, construction updates, traffic pattern changes and more. The website will also provide information on the specifics of the project, and give people a way to contact CT DOT directly with questions or concerns.

Go to www.oldgreenwich.org for more details, and click on the Train Bridge Construction banner which as of today will be a permanent feature on the Old Greenwich Association site.

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

What We're Reading at Perrot

THE BOSTON GIRL, BY ANITA DIAMONT

[Fiction] The author of this delightful book is known for her previous best sellers-- The Red Tent and Day After Night, among others. Without retelling this story, it begins with an 85-year-old grandmother talking to her 22-year-old granddaughter, answering the question, "How did you become the woman you are today?" The author has such a keen eye for historical detail and an ear for voices, both young and old. This is a great choice for book groups.

See the rest of our list of recommendations!

Winners of the Semi-Annual Y2C2 Jeopardy Tournament

Golden Y Award Winners, Winter 2014

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

The winning team, The Books (L-R): Darin, Rina, Ava, Pip, and Nicholas 

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!)

Upcoming Event: Local a cappella group, The Bows

Perrot is pleased to host host a musical performance of holiday tunes by local women's a cappella group, The Bows. 

Sunday, December 21st, 2014

2:00 PM

Perrot Library Children's Wing

Children's Program Registration Is Going on Now!

Registration for Youth Services' Winter/Spring 2015 Program Session is going on now through Sunday, January 11th, 2015. [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 (49¢)
•     Drop off your card at the Youth Services Desk by January 11th
•     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.

Elizabeth Owen

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Elizabeth Owen, Perrot's former Interlibrary Loan specialist and Adult Circulation staff member. Elizabeth spent many happy years at Perrot, until her retirement in 2011. Our thoughts and love are with Elizabeth's family at this difficult time.


ELIZABETH ANNE  MACFARLANE OWEN, born June 9th, 1946, died peacefully in Norwalk, CT on November 19th, 2014, surrounded by her loving family after a long and dignified battle with Lewy Body Dementia. The daughter of Charles and Margaret Grindlay and sister of Jenny, she was born in Lennoxtown, Scotland. She attended Oxford University where she and Jerry first met; she then moved to Connecticut with her husband and three children in October, 1986 where she lived for the remainder of her life. She had a life-long passion for language and the nuances and different meanings of words. She worked at Perrot Library in Old Greenwich for many years and she was an active member of several different church communities throughout her life (St. Mary's Church, Maidenhead, England; Greenwich Baptist Church, Greenwich, CT; and Black Rock Congregational Church, Fairfield, CT). Her spirit lives on in her family; her devoted husband, Jerry, her children, Kate, Isobel, and Edward, their spouses, Chris Morin, Jose Miguel Cuevas, and Caryn Owen, her seven beautiful grandchildren, Torie, Alistair, Emilia, Sofia, Lucas, Kai, and Beckett and her nephew, John. She will be dearly missed by her friends in both the US and the UK, with whom she shared many memories and many cups of tea. We will miss her grace, her quick, dry wit, and her kindness. We will also miss her eloquent, handwritten letters which she steadfastly wrote until she could no longer. Calling hours will be held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Sunday November 23rd, 2014 at the home of Jerry Owen on 44 Reichert Circle, Westport, CT, 06880. A Commemoration Service with reception to follow will be held at Greenwich Baptist Church, 10 Indian Rock Lane, Greenwich, Connecticut on Frida,y December 5th, 2014 at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either the Lewy Body Dementia Association at donate.lbda.org or Norwalk Younglife at norwalk.younglife.org. Our dearest Elizabeth, Mum, Mumma, Lizzie Anne, Lizzie, Auntie Lizzie, Grannie, we love you so much, your spirit will be with us always.

-Published in the Greenwich Time, November 21st, 2014

Annual Lions Club Grapefruit Sale

The Old Greenwich Lions Club is selling grapefruits and oranges, as part of its annual fund-raising effort to flight 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: $20 per case,  $10 per ½ case
Case of ½ grapefruit and ½ oranges: $20