Greenwich Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day

The Town of Greenwich's Household Hazardous Waste Collection will be held this Saturday, May 12th, 2012, from 8 A.M. until 1 P.M. in the parking lot of Greenwich High School.

At the Collection, all Fairfield County residents can properly and safely dispose of many toxic products that can’t go into the general waste system.

ITEMS THAT WILL BE ACCEPTED

HOME

Bug spray

Floor care products

Furniture polish

Insecticide

Metal polish in solvent
Lighter fluid
Mothballs

Residential alkaline batteries

GARDEN & YARD

Fungicide

Herbicide/weed killer

Insecticide

Rat poison

Swimming pool acid

GARAGE
Automatic transmission fluid
Car wax in solvent
Diesel fuel

Fuel oil
Gasoline
Kerosene
Other oils

Antifreeze and brake fluid

WORKSHOP

Cutting oil

Glue- solvent based

Paint- oil based

Paint cleaner in solvent

Paint primer, varnish, stripper

Turpentine

Wood preservative

Photographic chemicals

Please take advantage of this opportunity! Toxic chemicals that are not disposed of properly can leak from hazardous products and eventually find their way into our water sources and soil. For more information, call the Greenwich Department of Health at 203-987-1001.

Golden Y Award Winners, Spring 2012

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

The winning team, You'll Like Us, Everybody Does (L-R): Jack, Fiona, and Serelle

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!)

YCC's Favorite Book of 2011/2012 Is...

The Young Critics' Club (YCC), Perrot's book club for 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-graders, has declared that its favorite book of 2011/2012 is....

WONDERSTRUCK
by Brian Selznick

Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room, and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing. Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories-- Ben's told in words, Rose's in pictures-- weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder.

See the rest of YCC's favorite books from 2011/2012!

Youth Services Summer Program Schedule Now Available

The Youth Services Summer 2012 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 29th, 2012. Don't forget to bring a stamp! The registration period closes at 5 PM on Saturday, June 16th, 2012. 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!

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 22nd to July 27th, 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 203-637-8802.

Upcoming Event: Author Talk with Patti Callahan Henry

Patti Callahan Henry, the bestselling author of eight novels, will discuss her latest book, Coming Up for Air, at Perrot on Wednesday, May 16th, 2012, at 7:30 P.M. Coming Up for Air reveals the link between a mother's secret past and a daughter's hope for a new future. This is an affecting tale about second chances and banishing the ghosts of regret. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing at the event.

Upcoming Event: Greenwich Reads Together Discussion of Zeitoun at Perrot

This year, Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers, has been selected for Greenwich Reads Together, a community-wide reading experience which engages the entire town in exploring a single book through discussions, programs, and lectures. Zeitoun is the true story of one family, caught between America's two biggest policy disasters: the war on terror and the response to Hurricane Katrina. Perrot is pleased to host a discussion of Zeitoun on Wednesday, April 18th, 2012, at 7:30 PM. The discussion will be facilitated by Kathleen D. DiGiovanna, a recognized artist, photographer, and a recent recipient of the Greenwich Pen Women's Owl Award, honoring her outstanding talent and achievements.

How to Clean DVDs

If a DVD you've checked out from the library does not play properly (and is not scratched) it may just need a quick cleaning. If you do decide to clean a DVD, please do so in the proper manner: How to Properly Clean a DVD.

Upcoming Event: Cupcakes, Cookies, & Pie, Oh My! with Author Karen Tack

Perrot Library is pleased to host author Karen Tack on Saturday, March 31st, 2012, at 2:00 PM. Playing with your food has never been so much fun! Karen Tack, food stylist and best-selling co-author of Hello, Cupcake! and What's New, Cupcake? will be at Perrot applying an over-sized imagination not just to cupcakes but to cookies, pies, cakes, and other treats. With the easy-to-follow techniques in her new book, Cupcakes, Cookies, & Pie, Oh My!, even the most kitchen-challenged among us can create masterpieces using just a zipper lock bag and common candies and snack items. Come join the fun!

First Sunday Science: Free educational programs for children at Greenwich Point

The first Sunday of each month this year The Bruce Museum, and other non-profit organizations in the area, will be holding FREE fun educational programs for children and families at the Seaside Center at Greenwich Point! Check out the list below for the First Sunday Science activities for the next few months. If you would like more information on these programs, please call 203-413-6742.

Sunday, March 18th, 2012, 1:30 – 4:00 PM: Living on the Edge: Surviving the Intertidal Zone Family Day. Presented by the Bruce Museum and co-sponsored by Greenwich Shellfish Commission. Join us for an exciting hands-on day of activities at the Innis Arden Cottage. Spend some time at the marine touch tank, join in guided beach explorations, and create environmentally sustainable crafts! A presentation will be held at 3 p.m. by Dr. Frank Cantelmo of St. John’s University, Department of Biological Sciences. All activities are free and suitable for people of all abilities and ages. Remember to dress warmly: optional segments of the day will be held outside!

Sunday, April 1st, 2012, 1:30-3:00 PM: Earth Month Kick-off.
Greenwich launches Earth Month with an Open House at the Floren Family Environmental Center at Innis Arden Cottage in Greenwich Point Park. The official Earth Day proclamation by First Selectman Peter Tesei will be made at 2 pm. Stop by for an afternoon full of fun family activities and meet local environmental organizations such as the Greenwich Conservation Commission, Shellfish Commission, Bruce Museum and more.

Sunday, May 6th, 2012, 1:30 – 4:00 PM: Greenwich Point– an International Crossroads of Bird Migration
Join us at the Innis Arden Cottage and discover how many different types of songbirds, hawks, and waterbirds use the habitats of Greenwich Point for nesting, wintering, or a migration rest and refueling stop.

Sunday, June 3rd, 2012, 1:30-4:00 PM: Tag a Horsehoe Crab: Project Limulus
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. Presented by the Friends of Greenwich Point, Town of Greenwich, Sacred Heart University, and the Bruce Museum.

Perrot Newsletter

The Spring 2012 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).

Upcoming Event: Have an Idea For a Website?: With Co-Founders of BabyNameWizard.com

BabyNameWizard.com Founders Laura Wattenberg and Jennie Baird

Perrot Library is pleased to host “Have an Idea for A Website?” on Thursday, March 22nd, 2012, at 7:30 PM. Find out how two moms turned a typical parenting conflict into a multi-platform media business, starting the popular baby naming website BabyNameWizard.com. Laura Wattenberg, best-selling author of The Baby Name Wizard: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby, and her business partner, Jennie Baird, will discuss the origins of their business, including tips and tactics for turning an idea into a successful website. Ms. Wattenberg is a writer, researcher, and software designer who developed the name analysis software after becoming frustrated in her search for names for her two daughters. Co-founder Jennie Baird spent 15 years as a digital media executive working for companies like Dow Jones, AOL and NBC.

52nd Annual Lions Club Pancake Fry- March 10th

The Old Greenwich Lion's Club is holding its 52nd Annual Pancake Fry on Saturday, March 10th, 2012 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, $1.00 discount for children ages 6-11 and FREE admission for kids 5 & under. Advance tickets can be purchase at Perrot, or call 203-918-8666 to inquire.

New Book Recommendations from the Reference Desk

What We're Reading at Perrot- New Book Recommendations from Our Reference Desk

ON CANAAN'S SIDE, BY SEBASTIAN BARRY
[Fiction] As the story opens, 89-year-old Lilly Beve sits in the guest cottage of a Bridgehampton estate, desolate after receiving the news that her grandson, Bill, is dead. She has nothing left to live for. Her life is over and lonely. She decides to end it all, but only after going back and looking at what brought her to this place. In Ireland, during "the troubles," Lilly’s father was identified as an informer with a price on his head. Together they fled to New York and then on to Chicago. The tale unfolds from this hopeful start. How beautifully written this book is. The language is so thick with Irish lyricism that it winds and weaves its way around the reader. Ultimately, we come to a rather surprising ending. Enjoy the fabulous prose and fascinating plot.

Read the rest of our list of recommendations!

Bargain Magazines

Beginning this week, we will be discarding all 2010 magazines. They will be available for sale for 25 cents each (please pay at the Adult Circulation Desk) on Perrot's For Sale shelf, located to the right of the bulletin board in the main building. We also have discarded books available for 25 cents; all other items are $1.00.