Logo courtesy of National Novel Writing Month

Sunday, December 9th from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Join us on Sunday to discuss what's next in the year ahead in your writing life. We will be joined by the Fairfield County Writers who will talk a bit about how their group supports writers throughout the year. They will discuss their workshops, writing challenges, and more for 2013.  We will meet on the third floor in the Mezzanine Conference Room. Just take a left from the stairs or elevator and come to the last room on the right. 

Congratulations to all of the 2012 NaNoWriMo participants!

Disney's Landy and the Tramp will show in our Community Room at 10 a.m.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Join us in our Community Room for a movie marathon!

10 a.m. - Lady and the Tramp (1955) Rated G; 76 minutes.

That's amore! Disney's Beloved Classic, Lady And The Tramp tells the story of the adventures of Lady, a lovingly pampered cocker spaniel, and Tramp, a freewheeling mutt with a heart of gold. This is the night (or day!) to share a special bella notte with your family and introduce them to the film.

12 p.m. - The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) Rated G; 94 minutes.

The Clock family are four-inch-tall people who live anonymously in another family's residence, borrowing simple items to make their home. Life changes for the Clocks when their daughter, Arrietty, is discovered.

2 p.m. - Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) Rated PG; 93 minutes.

On a quest to find out what happened to his missing brother, a scientist, his nephew and their mountain guide discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth.

4 p.m. - Star Wars (1977) Rated PG; 121 minutes.

Luke Skywalker, a spirited farm boy, joins rebel forces to save Princess Leia from the evil Darth Vader, and the galaxy from the Empire's planet-destroying Death Star.

6 p.m. - Big Miracle (2011) Rated PG; 114 minutes.

Set in Cold War-era 1988, Big Miracle tells the true story of a small-town news reporter and a Greenpeace volunteer who enlist the help of rival superpowers to save three majestic gray whales trapped under the ice of the Arctic Circle.

8 p.m. - The Hunger Games (2012) Rated PG-13; 142 minutes.

In a not-too-distant future, North America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcast throughout Panem. The 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss' young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives.

This event will take place in our Community Room.

Wednesday, December 5 at 11 a.m.

Darien Library librarians share with you their recommendations for gifts that are fun, classic, memorable, and diverse - for any relative and any occasion.

Right before our weekly Meet Us On Main Street program takes a holiday hiatus, we'll bring you the best books, DVDs, games, and technology to help spread the holiday cheer this year. We'll offer up choices for adults, children, and teens, and provide handouts so that you can take notes.

Michael J. Mauboussin

Thursday, December 6 at 7 p.m.

Michael J. Mauboussin, author of The Success Equation, will be our featured speaker.

Much of what we experience in life results from a combination of skill and luck. A basketball player’s shot at the final buzzer bounces out of the basket and his team loses the national championship. An investor earns a windfall when he buys the stock of a company shortly before it gets acquired at a premium. A person wins a huge lottery using numbers they’d dreamt about. Different levels of skill and of luck (both good and bad) form the realities that shape our lives. And yet, we aren’t very good at distinguishing the two.

In The Success Equation: Untangling Skill and Luck in Business, Sports, and Investing, Michael Mauboussin deciphers the difference between skill and luck, and provides useful frameworks and concrete suggestions on how to use this understanding to your advantage.

About the Author

Michael J. Mauboussin is an investment strategist and has been in the financial services industry for more than twenty-five years. He has also taught at the Columbia Graduate School of Business since 1993, and is on the board of trustees at the Santa Fe Institute. He is the author of two previous books, Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition and More Than You Know: Finding Financial Wisdom in Unconventional Places, and is coauthor, with Alfred Rappaport, of Expectations Investing: Reading Stock Prices for Better Returns.

Books will be available for purchase at this event. Refreshments will be served.

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).

We're showing Moonrise Kingdom October 26 at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.

Friday, October 5 at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. – Bernie (2012) Starring Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Matthew McConaughey; Rated PG-13; 104 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.

In the tiny, rural town of Carthage, TX, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede was one of the town’s most beloved residents. He taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent, an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Marjorie quickly became fully dependent on Bernie and his generosity and Bernie struggled to meet her increasing demands. The people of Carthage were shocked when it was reported that Marjorie Nugent had been dead for some time, and Bernie Tiede was being charged with the murder.

For more information, please watch the film's trailer.

Friday, October 12 at 7 p.m. – Weekend One-Acts at Darien Library
Darien Library is proud to present for the third time “Weekend One-Acts,” a theatrical weekend featuring free performances of one-act plays from two esteemed playwrights. The program of two works includes Agatha Christie’s "The Rats" and Susan Glaspell’s "Trifles." A reception will follow Friday evening’s performance. There will be an encore matinee on Sunday, October 14 at 2 p.m. Both performances are free and open to the public.

Friday, October 19 at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. – Monsieur Lazhar (2011) Starring Mohamed Fellag, Sophie Nelisse, and Emilien Neron; Rated PG-13; 94 minutes. In French with English subtitles.
At a Montréal public grade school, an Algerian immigrant is hired to replace a popular teacher who committed suicide in her classroom. While helping his students deal with their grief, his own recent loss is revealed.

For more information, please watch the film's trailer.

Friday, October 26 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – Moonrise Kingdom (2012) Starring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, and Bill Murray; Rated PG-13; 94 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, this film tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore -- and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle.

For more information, please watch the film's trailer.

All films are free and open to the public.

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).

"Bring Up the Bodies" will be the last title in our Fall Book Discussion Series.

Character Counts - 2012 Fall Book Discussion Series

Tuesday, November 27 at 7 p.m.

Bring Up the Bodies, the sequel to Hilary Mantel's 2009 Man Booker Prize winner and New York Times bestseller, Wolf Hall delves into the heart of Tudor history with the downfall of Anne Boleyn.

Though he battled for seven years to marry her, Henry is disenchanted with Anne Boleyn. She has failed to give him a son and her sharp intelligence and audacious will alienate his old friends and the noble families of England. When the discarded Katherine dies in exile from the court, Anne stands starkly exposed, the focus of gossip and malice.

At a word from Henry, Thomas Cromwell is ready to bring her down. Over three terrifying weeks, Anne is ensnared in a web of conspiracy, while the demure Jane Seymour stands waiting her turn for the poisoned wedding ring. But Anne and her powerful family will not yield without a ferocious struggle. Hilary Mantel's Bring Up the Bodies follows the dramatic trial of the queen and her suitors for adultery and treason. To defeat the Boleyns, Cromwell must ally with his natural enemies, the papist aristocracy. What price will he pay for Anne's head?

WINNER OF THE 2012 MAN BOOKER PRIZE

Library staff members will lead the discussions.

We have copies of the books available for patrons to borrow, but prior reading of the books is not necessary to attend the discussions.

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).

Saving for College

Tuesday, October 23 at 7 p.m.

Potentially one of the most important financial planning decisions your family will make, this presentation will cover various ways to plan for and pay for college education.

Presented by Chris Haidinger, Certified Financial Planner™. He has created investment and tax planning strategies for private and institutional clients, businesses, and credit unions for over 23 years.

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).

Terry Walter's "Clean Food, Revised Edition"

Wednesday, October 24 at 10 a.m.

A contest you can win from the comfort of your own couch!

In honor of Food Day, we're hosting an online produce identification contest. Log on to Twitter at 10 a.m. EST on Food Day and make sure you're following the Darien Library Twitter account (@darienibrary). We'll tweet photos of ten different types of produce for you to identify. The "tweep" with the most correct answers will win a copy of Terry Walter's Clean Food, Revised Edition. Simply reply to our Twitter account with your answer for each fruit or vegetable - be as specific as possible!

Food Day is a nationwide celebration and a movement for healthy, affordable, and sustainable food.

Playing in our Community Room October 26.

Friday, October 26 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. -- MOONRISE KINGDOM (2012) Starring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, and Bill Murray; Rated PG-13; 94 minutes. Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.

Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, this film tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore -- and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle.

"It's an adventure, a love story, a biblical allegory complete with approaching storm, a mash note to composer Benjamin Britten and a profoundly touching discourse on the needs of troubled children." -- Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle

For more information, please watch the film's trailer. Check out the rest of our Friday Night Features in October.

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).

image courtesy flickr user matt.hintsa

Monday, September 24, 7 a.m. - 9 a.m.

Tuesday, September 25, 7 a.m. - 9 a.m.

Wednesday, September 26, 7 a.m. - 9 a.m.

Friday, September 27, 7 a.m. - 9 a.m.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month and to celebrate, we're signing commuters up for library cards on their way into work in the city. You'll find Darien librarians on the Manhattan-bound side of the Darien Metro North platform during the last week in September. We're ready to set you up with eBooks, talk about our programs and events, and answer any questions you may have about our services. See you there!