Events
Special Documentary Screening and Q&A - "Escape Fire"
Written by Erin S on 10/20/2012
Wednesday, January 23 at 6:30 p.m. - Escape Fire (2012) Documentary Feature; Rated PG-13; 99 minutes.
Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare tackles one of the most pressing issues of our time: how can we save our badly broken healthcare system? American healthcare costs are rising so rapidly that they could reach $4.2 trillion annually, roughly 20% of our gross domestic product, within ten years. We spend $300 billion a year on pharmaceutical drugs – almost as much as the rest of the world combined. We pay more, yet our health outcomes are worse. About 65% of Americans are overweight and almost 75% of healthcare spending goes to preventable diseases that are the major causes of disability and death in our society.
It’s not surprising that healthcare is at the top of many Americans' concerns and at the center of an intense political firestorm in our nation's Capitol. But the current battle over cost and access does not ultimately address the root of the problem: we have a disease-care system, not a healthcare system. The film examines the powerful forces maintaining the status quo, a medical industry designed for quick fixes rather than prevention, for profit-driven care rather than patient-driven care.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
A Q&A led by Dr. Henri Roca, Medical Director of the Integrative Medicine Program at Greenwich Hospital, will follow the film. Dr. Roca is a Diplomat of both the American Board of Family Medicine and the American Board of Holistic Integrative Medicine. He currently provides both primary care and consultation services across all ages. Dr. Roca serves on behalf of Yale as a member of the Executive Board of the Consortia of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine. He received his M.D. from Louisiana State University, completing his internship and residency in Family Medicine through Marshall University.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Spring Book Discussion Series
Written by Erin S on 10/19/2012
SPRING 2013 BOOK DISCUSSION SERIES
Here's one of our most-anticipated annual announcements!
We are getting ready for our Spring Book Discussion Series! Below, are the book selections and discussion dates.
Please join us in our Conference Room this Spring as we read and discuss three carefully selected, critically-acclaimed, and discussion-worthy books. Library staff members will lead discussions. Prior reading of the books is not necessary to join the discussion.
Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity
by Andrew Solomon
Tuesday, March 12 at 7 p.m.
Chapters:
Son, pp. 1-49
Deaf, pp. 49-114
Dwarf, pp. 115-179
Transgender, pp. 599-679
The Round House
by Louise Erdrich
Tuesday, April 9 at 7 p.m.
Stitches
by David Small
Tuesday, May 14 at 7 p.m.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).
Friday Night Feature - "The Words"
Written by Erin S on 10/18/2012
Friday, January 25 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – The Words (2012) Starring Bradley Cooper, Zoe Zaldana, Dennis Quaid; Rated PG-13; 97 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
This layered romantic drama follows young writer Rory Jansen who finally achieves long sought after literary success after publishing the next great American novel. There’s only one catch – he didn’t write it. As the past comes back to haunt him and his literary star continues to rise, Jansen is forced to confront the steep price that must be paid for stealing another man’s work and for placing ambition and success above life’s most fundamental three words.
"This is a film that's thoughtful and elegant..." -- Tom Long, Detroit News
For more information, please watch the film's trailer. Check out the rest of our Friday Night Features in January.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Researching Military Records
Written by Sally on 10/17/2012
Darien Library and The Middlesex Genealogical Society Present
Military Records Research
Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 2 p.m.
Join Tony Lauriano as he explores an easy step-by-step approach to procuring military records, including draft registration cards, separation papers, certification of mili-tary service, serial number index, medal replacements and cold war certificates of recognition, and civil war enrollments and pension files.
Mr. Lauriano has been a genealogy instructor for five years and has published a number of articles in The Italian Genealogical Group Magazine. He is a regular lecturer on genealogical subjects throughout the tri-state area.
Meet the Author - Becky Aikman
Written by Erin S on 10/16/2012![Becky Aikman [Photo credit Nina Subin]](http://www.darienlibrary.org/sites/darienlibrary.org/files/users/user13438/AIKMAN.jpg)
Thursday, January 31 at 7 p.m.
Becky Aikman, author of Saturday Night Widows, will be our featured speaker.
One night in 2010, Becky Aikman convened the first meeting of what she called the “Saturday Night Widows”—a group of six women (she among them) shocked to find themselves widowed in the middle of their lives. Becky’s idea was to create an amateur support group to help one another not only past the toughest transition they’d ever made, but to reinvent themselves in the face of grief and build their lives anew.
When they first made a pact to spend their Saturday nights together, the women didn’t know what to expect. They did, however, know that even in their sadness, they shared a desire to find happiness again; to reengage with work, friends, children, and pleasure; and perhaps to find new love. The friendships and adventures that evolved among these women with little in common other than young widowhood are at the heart of Saturday Night Widows.
About the Author
A graduate of the School of Journalism at Columbia University, Becky Aikman was a writer and editor for Businessweek and a reporter for Newsday. She lives in New York City.
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).
Book Discussion - City of Thieves
Written by Erin S on 10/16/2012
Tuesday, April 16 at 7 p.m.
Join in on the discussion and share your thoughts about Lev, Kolya, and Vika’s journey through Leningrad to obtain the coveted dozen eggs.
Library staff members will lead the discussion.
This program is part of our One Book, One Community series. The book selected for the town-wide read is City of Thieves by David Benioff, who will be speaking at the Library Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. The book selected for young readers is Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Wednesday Matinee - "Liberal Arts"
Written by Erin S on 10/14/2012
Wednesday, January 16 at 1:30 p.m. - Liberal Arts (2012); Starring Josh Radnor, Elizabeth Olson, and Zac Efron; Rated PG-13; 97 minutes. Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
When 30-something Jesse returns to his alma mater for a professor's retirement party, he falls for Zibby, a college student, and is faced with a powerful attraction that springs up between them.
"An artful blend of tenderness and sharp, clear-eyed observations. Its characters talk like real people -- who also happen to be smart, appealing and thoughtful." -- Claudia Puig, USA Today
For more information, please view the film's trailer.
Register for Spring 2013 Technology Classes
Written by Erin S on 10/14/2012
March 18, 2013 - March 29, 2013
This Spring, why not try your hand at Evernote, MailChimp, Pixlr, or Vine? Or, better yet, refresh and refine your Excel, Photoshop, or InDesign skills. Registration for our Spring 2013 curriculum starts this Monday.
Friday Night Feature - "Robot and Frank"
Written by Erin S on 10/13/2012
Friday, March 15 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – Robot and Frank (2012) Starring Frank Langella, James Marsden, and Susan Sarandon; Rated PG-13; 89 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Set in the near future, Frank, a retired cat burglar, has two grown kids who are concerned he can no longer live alone. They are tempted to place him in a nursing home until Frank’s son chooses a different option: against the old man’s wishes, he buys Frank a walking, talking humanoid robot programmed to improve his physical and mental health. What follows is an often hilarious and heartwarming story about finding friends and family in the most unexpected places.
"'Robot & Frank' hits all the right notes - romantic, fantastic, tragic and sweet." -- Tom Long Detroit News
For more information, please watch the film's trailer. Check out the rest of our Friday Night Features in March.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Cake Baking Competition with Food Blogger Guest Judges
Written by Erin S on 10/13/2012
Thursday, April 18 at 7 p.m.
In City of Thieves, Colonel Grechko tells Lev and Kolya that he will give them their freedom if they bring him a dozen eggs for his daughter’s wedding cake. Well, we are hosting our very own cake challenge. Bring a homemade cake to our Darien Library Cake Baking Competition for a chance to win $100. Special guest judges will rate cakes based on taste, appearance, texture, creativity, and name.
In the end, we are all winners though, as participants are invited to sample the entries.
The contest will be judged by representatives from OmNomCT.com and CTBites.com.
This program is part of our One Book, One Community series. The book selected for the town-wide read is City of Thieves by David Benioff. The book selected for young readers is Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s).
Darien Library, 1441 Post Road, Darien, Connecticut, 06820-5419 · 203-655-1234Directions and Contact Information. Twitter: darienlibrary. AIM & Y!M: deweydarien.