Our vision is to inform, educate, entertain and enrich our community.

The Darien Library Mission

The Library will provide access to a broad array of content, as well as training and assistance to help people successfully navigate and use information.
The Library will provide a broad array of programs and services to educate, entertain and enrich people.
The Library will be proactive and creative in anticipating and responding to community needs for resources, programs and services.
The Library will be accessible physically to people during convenient hours and electronically twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and three-hundred and sixty five days a year, and without charge to the individual user.
The Library will be the heart of the community, providing flexible and inviting environments within which to access and enjoy its resources.
The Library will be a customer-driven organization with friendly, professional staff dedicated to creating a positive and fun library experience.
The Library will attract, develop and sustain a highly professional staff in an environment where teamwork, high standards and esprit-de-corps support excellence.
The Library will collaborate with other town agencies and community groups to serve the needs of the community.
The Library will be a public-private partnership, funded annually by a combination of taxpayer dollars and individual donations sufficient to sustain a library of excellence.

Welcome to Darien Library's Website!

To get the most out of the site, you'll want to create an account. If you have a Darien Library card (or a card from another Connecticut library that you've registered with us), you can add your Library card number to your online account. If you don't have a Library card with us, you can still register for and use the website's new features.

Looking for more technical details?

New features

Signing in   

• Instead of using your 14-digit Library barcode as your username,  you can create your own username and password and add your barcode to your account once. You can also create a username without having a Library card at all!

Tags, Ratings, Reviews, Comments

• Once you've signed in, you can join the conversation. You can add tags (words that you think describe the book, movie, or CD) to an item, post reviews for other Library members to read, and comment on posts from Library staff. Your tags, ratings, and reviews will appear on the items in the catalog and you can see them in your account under the "My Library" link in the left side navigation box.
• Don't feel like writing a whole review? Just rate an item by clicking on the stars that appear under the title. You can change your mind and your rating whenever you'd like.
• On this site, tags are separated by spaces and multi-word tags are put in quotes. So green apples are two tags but "green apples" is one tag.

Searching from everywhere

• The search box is ubiquitous on the new site. You can search the Library's catalog for everything, meaning books, movies, and music, or you can search for just books, just movies, or just music. You can also search our website or the web from the box at the top of each page in the new darienlibrary.org.

RSS feeds

• Many sections of the new site have RSS feeds (what's that?) associated with them. For a complete list of feeds available from the site, take a look at our site map.
  

Old Favorites with a New Look

Magazines, Newspapers, and More

• Our new Research page has the articles that Google can't find. Click on a research area in the first column to begin looking for information by topic. New books are listed by subject area in the middle column.

Borrow a Gadget - Cameras, GPS, Laptops etc.

• Our gadgets are all listed in one place.

Classes

• Our popular Adult Technology Classes happen three times a year: Fall, Winter, and Spring

This site has a number of areas that you can subscribe to with RSS (Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Syndication). RSS delivers new articles from chosen blogs and news sites directly to your internet browser, inbox, or desktop. You no longer have to check your favorite blogs or news sites to get the latest news.

For more information, the Wikipedia entry on RSS starts with a good general explanation, then segues into more technical fare. Or, watch this video:

Our old website had three parts: the website itself, the blogs, and the catalog where you could search for materials in the Library's collection. Only the blogs allowed you to comment. On this site, you can comment on almost everything. We want to hear from you! Create an account and jump in.

The Library's new website is a collaboration between the Library staff and you, the Library's members. You can review books, movies, and music and you can comment on most of the stories on the site. We mean it when we say that the Darien Library is for you. For you, by you, and about you. Join the conversation.

image by flickr user FelipeArte

What is tagging?

Tagging lets you describe a book, movie, or CD in your own words. You can add your own tags to any item in our catalog. You can see all the tags for a book, movie, or CD or you can look at your own tags. Larger words have been used as tags (for an item or by you) more frequently than smaller tags.

On this site, tags are separated by spaces and multi-word tags are put in quotes. So green apples are two tags but  "green apples" is one tag.

You can search the catalog by tag. If you want to edit your tags, you can change them from the list view of your tags.

A group of tags is called a tag cloud. This is the tag cloud for the books blog from the last website (artistically arranged by Wordle.net).

Because we understand how important it is that our patrons know what will happen to any personal information provided by them to us, the Darien Library is committed to policies intended to prevent the unauthorized use of our patrons’ personal information, and to protect the privacy of this information. The American Library Association’s Code of Ethics states: “We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.” Moreover, Section 11-25(b) of the Connecticut General Statutes protects the confidentiality of personally identifiable information contained in the circulation records of all public libraries.

The intent of this statement is to set forth our policy on our treatment of patrons’ personal information.

What information does the Darien Library collect and how is it used?

We attempt to collect and maintain only those records of our patrons necessary for us to provide services consistent with our mission statement.

Does the Darien Library disclose the information it collects to outside parties?

No! The Darien Library does not resell or disseminate any information obtained from our patrons to third parties.

Why does the Darien Library need my email address?

We may contact you by email to provide you with information concerning the Library’s services or to remind you that Library material, checked out by you, is overdue. Should you wish not to receive emails from us, please advise us by email. We will respect your wishes in regard to the methods we use to communicate with you.

How does the Darien Library protect personal information?

We use our technology to keep personal information secure from unauthorized access.

Do these same policies apply to non-Library Web sites that I access through the Darien Library?

We cannot be responsible for the privacy and security practices of non-Library Web sites. You will notice that our Web site may contain links to other sites such as Darien community services. While we believe these sites share a similar commitment to user privacy and security, you should review each site’s privacy and security policies as a precaution.

How does the USA Patriot Act of 2001 affect this Policy Statement?

The USA PATRIOT ACT expands the authority of the federal government to conduct investigations of individuals in the interests of national security. The enactment of this law increases the possibility that the activities of library patrons, including their use of computers to browse the Web or access email, could be under government surveillance without their knowledge or consent. Public libraries face the dilemma of seeking to protect the privacy of their patrons, on one hand, while responding to national security concerns and legal requirements, on the other. The Darien Library intends to do its best to balance these competing concerns.

The Library Director, and/or any person duly appointed by the Library Director or the Board of Trustees, shall be responsible for handling all law enforcement or similar requests for information concerning our patrons. In the event of a request for personal information, the Library Director shall immediately consult with legal counsel to determine if such request is in proper form and to formulate an appropriate response. Library staff shall immediately refer all law enforcement inquiries to the Library Director, or such other person appointed by the Board of Trustees, and shall not release any personal information until authorized by the Library Director or the duly appointed designee.

If the agent or officer requesting such information does not have a subpoena, warrant or court order compelling the production of the information, the Library Director shall explain the Library’s privacy policy and inform the agent or officer that the information is not available without the production of a valid subpoena, warrant or court order. If the agent or officer produces a subpoena, warrant or court order, the Library Director shall immediately refer it to legal counsel for review. Based upon advice of legal counsel, the Library Director will release the requested information if presented with a legally issued subpoena, warrant or court order.

How does the Darien Library update its Privacy and Security Policy?

The Darien Library Board of Trustees reserves the right to amend this Policy at any time. Any changes to our Privacy and Security Policy will be posted on this page so that you are always aware of what information we collect and how we use it.

Adopted by the Darien Library Board of Trustees May 19, 2003.

In an effort to provide a comfortable and safe environment for all Library patrons, the Board of Trustees of the Darien Library has established a Library Patron Behavior Policy (“The Policy”). The Policy is designed to provide clear and reasonable guidelines governing patron behavior within the Library and on the Library premises.

Unacceptable behavior includes behavior within the Library or on Library premises that interferes with the use of the Library by other patrons, creates a risk of injury to other patrons or Library personnel, interferes with the work of Library personnel, or creates a risk of damage to Library property. Unacceptable behavior includes, but is not limited to:

1. Use of profanity, abusive or threatening language
2. Threatening gestures or unwanted physical contact
3. Possession of weapons of any kind, except by law enforcement officers
4. Damaging, defacing or theft of any Library property or materials; the Library staff may ask to examine users’ handbags, briefcases, or other packages to help assure compliance with checkout procedures; the Library reserves the right to confiscate unattended backpacks, duffle bags, etc.
5. Possession or use of alcohol except at authorized Library functions
6. Possession or use of illegal drugs, narcotics or controlled substances
7. Use of tobacco products
8. Roller blading, roller skating, or skate boarding on Library premises
9. Unreasonable noise levels including shouting, loud talking or disruptive conversation, allowing ringing cell phones or engaging in loud cell phone conversation
10. Consuming food except in designated areas or at authorized Library functions
11. Lack of personal hygiene that interferes with the use and enjoyment of the Library by other patrons or interferes with the work of Library personnel
12. Bringing animals into the Library except those who are part of a program or are registered service animals

Violation of the Policy may result in escalating responses ranging from limitation or revocation of the patron’s Library privilege(s) to removal from the premises or criminal prosecution if the conduct constitutes a violation of local, state or federal law.

The Director or her authorized designee, upon staff recommendation, may limit or revoke the patron’s Library privilege(s). Such limitation or revocation shall be in writing and shall be effective upon being sent to the patron’s address on file with the Library. A patron whose privilege(s) has been limited or revoked may appeal the limitation or revocation of the privilege(s) by filing a written appeal with the Director within ten (10) days from the date of the issuance of the written revocation. The appeal will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees whose decision is final. The patron whose privilege(s) has been limited or revoked shall attend a meeting with the Director to review this Library Patron Behavior Policy before his privilege(s) may be reinstated.

Adopted by the Darien Library Board of Trustees on May 17, 2004.

The Internet provides access to a wealth of information that is personally, professionally, and culturally enriching to individuals of all ages. Internet access to material of a controversial or mature nature, as well as to material that is not accurate, complete, or current, is unavoidable.

Darien Library does not filter information on the Internet, except in the Children’s Library. The computers located in the Children’s Library are reserved for the use of children under the supervision of a parent or guardian. Public computers in the Children’s Library are filtered at the network level, however the Library recognizes that filtering is not a completely reliable means of protection from materials that may be offensive, controversial or illegal. Parents are expected to monitor and supervise their children's Internet sessions.

Use of Darien Library's Internet connection for illegal, inappropriate, or obscene purposes or in support of such activities is prohibited and may be reported to law enforcement authorities.

Materials obtained or copied on the Internet may be subject to copyright laws which govern the making of reproductions of copyrighted works.

Library patrons use the public computers and the Internet at their own risk.

• Internet users may log in to an internet workstation using their library barcode. A limited number of guest passes are available at the information desks.
• Internet workstations may be used for one hour per day. Sessions can be extended in one hour increments as workstations are available.
• Only two persons at a time may use an internet workstation.
• Printing of information should be accomplished within the current session.
• The Library reserves the right to terminate an Internet session at any time for inappropriate use.
• Misuse of the Internet will result in suspension of Library privileges.
• Library cards are not transferrable. If you do not have a card, please ask for assistance at the Help Desk or Reference Desk.

View the Darien Library’s Policy on Privacy and Security.

From I-95 north: Exit 11. Right at end of ramp. Library is on the right at the corner of Post Road and Hecker.
From I-95 south: Exit 11. Left at light at end of exit ramp onto Post Rd. Library is on the right at the corner of Post Road and Hecker.
From Merritt Parkway north or south: Exit 37. Turn right onto Route 124. Follow it to the end at Rt. 1 (Post Road). Turn right onto Post Road. Follow Rt. 1 under the I-95 overpass. Library is on the right at the corner of Post Road and Hecker.

Get directions from Google Maps.

The Darien Library is less than 1/4 mile from the Darien Metro North Railroad Station stop. Walk down to Post Road from the train station and then make a right. Follow Post Road downhill, under the bridge, and the Library is the red brick building on the right just a bit further down the road.