The Tech Book book collection is being updated with new titles! Below are the ones that have come in so far. Do you have a request? Let Amanda know!

This collection is intended to cover basics like Windows, Macs, iPads, Microsoft Word, etc. If you need a speciality program, please ask the Help Desk about using Lynda.com.

Whether you're a job seeker looking for openings or an amateur investor tracking hot stocks, bonds, and/or commodities, the Bloomberg Terminal has something to offer.The Bloomberg Terminal, located in the Cheswick Finance Center on the Library's second level, is funded by contributions to the Friends of the Darien Library and is a tremendous addition to the Library's electronic resources.

All Library patrons may use the terminal, but only Darien residents, those who work in Town or non-resident Contributors to the Library at the $300 annual level may reserve it in advance. If you would like to place a reservation, please contact our Knowledge and Learning Services staff at 669-5236 or at askus@darienlibrary.org.

Are you new to the world of Bloomberg? Help is only a click away! Sign up for a tutorial at Bloomberg U, a series of online classes designed to help the new user get the most from the resources at hand.

A large print book

The Library has recently expanded its offering of large-print books, thanks to the Anne R. Ferguson Large Print Book Fund, a generous endowment given to the capital fund by Eric Ferguson.

With the help of this gift, the number of volumes in the large-print collection has more than tripled.

"Patrons saw the difference almost immediately," said Sally Ijams, head of Knowledge & Learning Services at the Library.

"We went at it with the intent of adding depth to the collection. Before we had some good titles, but not everything by a long shot," Ijams said. "And this also allowed us to replace worn copies of popular books, like our Agatha Christies, which are perennially popular."

Large-print versions of some of the Library's most popular books, such as Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson and Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks  are now available.

In addition to increasing the size of the collection, the Library has added new technology to serve readers with vision impairments, and the Knowledge & Learning Services staff recently made large-print books more accessible to patrons in other ways. 

"The books have also been moved to more accessible shelving on the second floor, instead of on the lower shelving in the non-fiction area," said Darien Library Chief Administrative Officer Alan Gray. In addition, the newest parts of the collection have been put on display on Main Street, making the large-print titles more accessible to everyone, Gray said. 

The gift was an important one for the Library and patrons, said Library Director Louise Berry.

"Large-print titles are so expensive to purchase that a lot of people don't buy them on their own, and therefore users of that collection rely even more heavily on access to a library collection," Berry said. "And because Mr. Ferguson's gift was made as an endowment, it will continue to benefit our users who need that format forever."

All equipment checkouts are limited to Darien residents, those who work in Darien, and non-resident Friends to the Library at the $300 level. Please contact the Help Desk at 203-669-5238 if you have questions. 

Digital Cameras

14 day checkout

The Darien Library has four Olympus D-560 Zoom digital cameras available for checkout. Each camera comes with a 64-MB xD-Picture Card, USB cable, video cable, Camedia Master 4.1 CD (for printing pictures on your home computer), an operating manual, and two AA batteries.

Drawing Tablets

Library Use only

Two drawing tablets are available for use in the Library: a Wacom CTE-630 and an Aiptek HP 12000U. The tablets can be connected to the computers via USB.

eBook eReaders

21 day checkout

The Library has five types of ebook readers available for checkout: Amazon Kindle, Nook, Nook Color, Touchscreen Nook, and Sony Reader Daily Edition. Each eReader comes in a tote bag with: a USB cable, a power plug, a case, and a Quick Start Guide. You can also borrow a 3M eReader from the Welcome Desk to access the 3M Cloud Library eBooks.

GPS Devices

14 day checkout

The Library has two TomTom One XL S GPS devices. The units come with a USB cable, a car charger, and a Quick Start Guide. Also included with the device is a Nav-Mat, a padded dashboard mount, which will keep the unit safe and steady inside a moving vehicle.

iPad

7 day checkout

The iPad comes with a USB cable, power plug, black leather case, iPad dock, and a tote bag. 

Kill-a-Watt Meters

14 day checkout

The Kill-a-Watt Meters measure the energy consumption of electrical appliances. The meters circulate in a protective carry case, along with detailed instructions for their use, with or without a power strip. The meters measure energy consumption in volts, amps, watts, Hz, or kWh.

LCD Projector

4 day checkout

The Library has a Dell 1100MP LCD Projector available for use by local non-profit organizations. The projector is designed for use with a PC-compatible laptop and comes with a VGA cable, power cord, and remote control. Mac users must supply a VGA adapter. 

USB Drives

14 day checkout

USB drives (aka "flash drives" or "thumb drives") provide extra, portable disk space to use for saving your files. These small auxiliary drives will plug into almost any new computer. The capacities of the Library's USB drives range from 512mb to 1GB. 

Video Camcorders

14 day checkout

The Library has two types of camcorders: Point and Shoot and  MinoHD. The camcorders come in a handy carry case and are equipped with a video cable, quick start guide, and 2 extra AA batteries. The camcorders take a 30-minute video and are equipped with a USB connector for quick and easy transfer of videos to your computer.

Start learning now!

Since October 5, 2009 Darien Library has offered lynda.com as a technology education resources. The service is available to residents, those who work full-time in Darien, and non-resident Contributors to the Library at the $300 annual level, lynda.com currently provides 1,612 online subscribers with instruction in a wide range of Mac and PC software programs. 

With Lynda, you can set your own training schedule. The site includes practice exercises and a helpful feature that keeps track of where you left off each time you end a session. In addition, upon completion of the video training, you can take part in lynda.com’s Certificate of Completion program.

How to Gain Access

Come to the Help Desk in the Power Library (aka computer room) on the Lower Level or call the Help Desk at 203-669-5238 to get started. Give us your name and email address so we can register your account. You will receive an email from lynda.com to active your account. We will then assign you to either an in-library access for a couple hours or you can access lynda.com from home for seven days. If no one is waiting, you can ask for your access to be renewed. 

by Flickr user Gelatobaby

Tired of Google being unable to find you the correct answer? Darien Library's reference librarians are here to help while you are on the go!

Monday - Thursday: 9 am - 9 pm  

Friday: 9 am - 5 pm  

Saturday: 9 am - 5 pm

Sunday: 1 pm - 5 pm

Ever been in this situation?  You've found some great information, but left your flash drive at home?  You're short on time and don't want the hassle of email or CD burning.  Well, you're in luck.  Now you can buy flash drives right here at the Darien Library.  We're pleased to announce the arrival of our own Darien Library Flash Drives!  With a capacity of 2 GB, these sleek, stylish drives can hold multiple documents, digital photos, and video clips.  Equipped with a keychain attachment, the drives are small enough to add to your car keys.  They don't require any additional software; you just plug them in to the computer, and you're good to go. Each drive costs $10 and is available for sale at our Help Desk in the Power Library on the Library's Lower Level. They also make thoughtful gifts (that won't break the bank!).  Stop by and pick up yours today.

See you @ the Library!