image courtesy of Flickr user aehenton

Saturday, November 10, at 2 PM in the Community Room

Probate records are a valuable resource for genealogists, providing a link from children to parents, details about how land and property were passed down in a family, and in some cases, simply establishing an approximate date of death. Well-documented and filled with details, learn how to get the most from these records to track down elusive ancestors and further fill in your family tree!

Instructor: Virginia Banerjee

Virginia Banerjee is an experienced family historian whose interest in genealogy began when she was a teenager but became more focused for the past 40 years.  She has published articles, taught and lectured widely and is a trustee of the Middlesex Genealogy Society. 

Hurricane Sandy, October 29, 2012, 1:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time. Image courtesy of NASA.

Now that the storm has passed, what do you do next? Check out our Guide to Storm Recovery Information.

Get help!

Every Friday, 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., February 1 through April 12

Tax-Aide, a FREE tax preparation and e-filing program administered by the AARP Foundation in conjunction with and under the auspices of the IRS, is coming to Darien Library. Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest volunteer-run tax assistance and preparation service and is available to all individual filers regardless of income or age.

This service will be available every Friday, February 1 through April 12, from 9:30-1:30. Appointments are optional but can be made by calling 203-669-5236. There is no charge for the Tax-Aide service. Individuals should bring all 2012 tax forms (W-2s, 1099s, brokerage statements, etc.) Social Security and other official identification, and their 2011 return, if possible.

image courtesy of magikalgraphics

So. Funny things are happening in your house and you're not sure what's causing them. You hear tapping or knocking on the walls. The doorbell rings with no one on the doorstep. The television goes on and off all by itself. You feel a cold spot in the room but there isn't a draft or an open window nearby. Books are thrown off your shelves. You have a feeling that someone  is sitting on your couch. Worst of all, cards spontaneously leap out of the card catalog at your library! 

Actually, except for the card catalog episode, all of the signs point to the possibility you might be sharing your house with a ghost. According to Echo Bodine, author of Relax, it's Only a Ghost and professional ghostbuster, not all ghosts are evil spirits to be feared.  Rather most are simply stuck on the earthbound side of the living, not yet able to move to "the other side." Bodine specializes in de-ghosting spaces, and offers a slew of personally witnessed facts about ghosts. Hint: if you don't want to become a ghost yourself, make amends with friends and family now so you won't be afraid of facing them in the next world.

For those who like a real ghost story, check out our selection of books, all great reading on a dark and stormy night!

As for the card catalog incident, there are some things that make every librarian's blood run cold...

Image used courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Saturday, October 6, at 2 p.m., Conference Room

This event is co-sponsored by the Middlesex Genealogical Society.

The eagerly awaited 1940 Census made its public debut on April 2, 2012, but early users were challenged by the lack of an index. What a difference four months and thousands of volunteers can make! The Census is now completely indexed and ready to be explored. Most researchers find it helpful to begin with the 1940 Census and work backwards to locate people in earlier generations. Toni McKeen will share tips and tricks developed over the years to help locate difficult relatives who don’t seem to want to be found.

Census records can provide the building blocks of genealogical research, both confirming information and offering leads to expand a family tree. Taken at the end of the Great Depression and on the brink of U.S. involvement in World War II, the 1940 Census documents Americans during a time of national struggle. The first Federal Population Census was taken in 1790, and has been taken every ten years since. However, data from recent censuses are not available after 1940 because of a 72-year restriction on access to the Census.

Toni McKeen has been doing genealogy research on her own extensive Italian and her husband’s Irish family for the last 27 years. She now has more than 8,000 of her closest family members entered in her Family Tree Maker program.  Toni has identified relatives on extended branches who married into the family include those from various immigrant ethnic groups as well as others who have been here long enough to practically have greeted George Washington when he arrived.  She is a member of several genealogical organizations.

For the last 7 years, while not doing continuing research on her own family, Toni has been teaching several levels of genealogy in her home town of Ridgefield, CT. Toni is on a mission to expose as many people as possible to the fun, excitement, and importance of tracing their own genealogy. She believes documenting your family history is important for yourself and for future generations, even if they are not interested or have the time now.

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

If you liked The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson and/or In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, you definitely need to put one of these titles on your list! 

Stop by the 2nd Floor display or Ask Us and we'll put a copy on hold for you.

Thinking of starting your own business, here is a list of web sites and books that will get you started on the right path.

ctsbdc.org

www.smallbusiness3.com/pdf/english/connecticut.pdf

 www.ct-clic.com

www.sba.gov

www.sba.gov/content/all-sbic-licensees-state

www.cbia.com/home.php

Need help navigating the college admissions process? Let us be your guide!

We've put together a list of our favorite resources. We have books on rankings, insider secrets from the pros, choosing the best majors and even interview tips and early admissions help.

Make sure to stop by our display on the second floor and also check out these online resources before booking that next college tour!

U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2012

College Board

Student Aid

New York Times Topics: Colleges and Universities

Princeton Review: The College Essay

10 Tips for Writing the College Application Essay

Finding the Right School

Department of Education College Prep Checklist

Planning on hitting the stage this summer?  Make sure to check out the theatre section on the second floor, where you'll find a great collection of sheet music, monologues, and acting books ranging from classics to the newest audition strategies and techniques. 

Is there something that you don't see in our collection?  Let us know about it, and we'll be happy to get you anything you need.