Thursday, March 14, 2013

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. 

Thursday, February 28, 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).

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

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!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

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.

Monday, February 11, 2013

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!

Tuesday, February 05, 2013

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

Monday, January 28, 2013

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
 

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

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.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

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!

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

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. 

Friday, January 04, 2013

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

Thursday, December 20, 2012

DVD Diva: Alfred Hitchcock



With the release of the new Hitchcock movie staring Anthony Hopkins as Alfred Hitchcock and Helen Mirren as his wife, why not take out some classic Hitchcock thrillers? Between Perrot and Greenwich we have them all. I especially like Dial M for Murder starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly and Robert Cummings and North by Northwest starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason. And of course, the ever famous Psycho starring Anthony Perkins and briefly, Janet Leigh.  

-The DVD Diva

New Book Recommendations from the Reference Desk



What We're Reading at Perrot

SOME KIND OF FAIRY TALE, BY GRAHAM JOYCE

[Fiction] Twenty years have passed since 16-year-old Tara Martin disappeared. On Christmas Day, she rings her parent’s doorbell. What happened? If you believe in fairy tales, you will believe her. This is a captivating tale. It is told with great appeal and some delightful humor. Graham Joyce draws you into his story. You are pleased with all the people involved. However, there is that lingering question… what if?

See the rest of our latest list of recommendations!


Monday, December 17, 2012

Newtown Tragedy: How to Talk with your Children + How You Can Help

Our thoughts are with those suffering in the wake of Friday's tragic shooting in Newtown, CT.

Resources:
Here is a listing of some articles that may be useful in discussing this difficult topic with your children.

Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event: A Guide for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Talking To Your Children About Violence Against Kids
University of Minnesota

Talking to Children About Violence: Information for Parents and Educators
National Association of School Psychologists

Tips for Talking to Children About the Shooting
The New York Times

Talking to Children About the Shooting
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Helping Children Deal with Tragic Events in the News
Family Communications/Fred Rogers

Helping Your Children Manage Distress in the Aftermath of a Shooting
American Psychological Association

How to Talk to Children about the Tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary
Bright Horizons Family Solutions

How to Help:
The Newtown Post Office has set up a PO Box especially for condolence letters. Those who wish to send expressions of comfort should mail them to:

Messages of Condolence for Newtown
PO Box 3700
Newtown CT 06470

The United Way of Western Connecticut has created the Sandy Hook School Support Fund that will be able to provide support services to the families and community that has been affected. Checks may be mailed to:


Sandy Hook School Support Fund
c/o Newtown Savings Bank
39 Main Street, Newtown CT 06470


Or donate online at:  https://newtown.uwwesternct.org/