Wall-E - showing Saturday, March 13 at 3 p.m.

Special Film Screening! Great for families!

Saturday, March 13 at 3 p.m. (A One Book, One Community Event)

WALL-E (2008) Animated feature voices by Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, and Ben Burtt. Rated G; 97 minutes

What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off? The year is 2700 and WALL-E is a robot still spending every day doing what he was made for. Soon he is visited by a sleek robot named EVE whom he chases across the galaxy with a pet cockroach and a heroic team of malfunctioning misfit robots.

"The first 40 minutes or so of Wall-E -- in which barely any dialogue is spoken, and almost no human figures appear on screen -- is a cinematic poem of such wit and beauty that its darker implications may take a while to sink in."  - A. O. Scott, The New York Times

"Once again, the Pixar wizards have pushed the animation envelope in unexpected directions and come up with a winner. Wondrously inventive, funny and poignant, WALL*E is part sci-fi adventure, part cautionary fable, part satire and part love story, which may be the best and most improbable part of all." -- David Anson, Newsweek

Please joins us for this special film event.

"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

One of our most-favorite books, by one of our most-favorite new authors is now slated to become a major motion picture! Dreamworks has acquired The Help. This is such big (and welcome) news!

Read all about it right here.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett has been on The New York Times Best Sellers list for 48 weeks. That speaks volumes about this volume from one of the most charming people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. (Congratulations Kathryn!)

You can reserve your copy of the bestselling book, by clicking here.

I love good book & movie news!! Don't you?

The men took over this week at Meet Us on Main Street! Alan and Kyle happily took over the Street and gave a really great presentation talking about their favorite books and films. We learned that Alan likes (LOVES!) series - highlighting the works of Patrick O'Brian, S. M. Stirling, W.E.B. Griffin, Robert Crais, and Robert B. Parker. He also talked about one of my (seriously) favorite series authors, Lee Child. Child's newest book, 61 Hours (his 14th Jack Reacher novel), comes out in May. (And just in case you missed the newest news about our Spring Author Series (speaking of series), Lee Child will be our featured speaker, on Sunday, June 6th at 5:30 p.m.!)

Children's Book Drive - March 17 through March 31

March 17 through March 31

Books can change lives. Along with improved literacy and education, they provide wonderful paths for discussion about truly anything, and they help us to better understand the world around us. Books inspire us to make changes, to try new things, to be active learners, to share ideas, and to come together as a community to help others in need.

Darien Library is holding a book drive in conjuction with Darien Book Aid. We are accepting donations of new or nearly new children's books, which will then be distributed to the local community, Peace Corps volunteers, libraries, and schools all over the world.

This is a One Book, One Community program.

Dr. Alexander Nemerov, Chair of the History of Art Department at Yale University

Wartime Kiss: Forgetting the Second World War
Guest Lecture by Dr. Alexander Nemerov, Yale University

Sunday, March 28 at 3 PM

The Second World War accelerated the worldwide recovery from the Great Depression of the 1930s, bringing about an extraordinary time period for American art. What was the visual culture of the American home front during that period, and how do we remember WWII today? The question seems strange, since WWII is vastly remembered in books and movies, maybe never more so than now. But the recollection of that time is also fading away, just like the memories of the Great Depression. What, then, is a memory of the war now?

Please join us for this special One Book, One Community event, as Dr. Alexander Nemerov, chair of the History of Art Department at Yale University, will look to the films and photographs on the home front to ponder what, if anything, still resonates from the war years. Dr. Nemerov is also the author of Icons of Grief: Val Lewton's Home Front Pictures and curator of the forthcoming Smithsonian Exhibition, "To Make A World: George Ault and 1940s America."

This program is co-sponsored by the Yale Club of Lower Fairfield County. Yale Clubs, run by volunteers within local communities, offer Yale University alumni a wide variety of activities, services, and opportunities for lifelong learning while reflecting Yale's core values of education, community, and service. 

(Photo courtesy of flickr user joe.moore)

On Wednesday, March 10 at 7 p.m., we will present An Evening of Storytelling for Adults, a storytelling event and workshop. Experienced and amateur storytellers are invited to share a historical tale, a family legend, personal remembrance, or anecdotes about the decade known as “The Dirty Thirties.” The theme of this event coincides with the our One Book, One Community town-wide reading program (the 2010 One Book, One Community selection is The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan).

Storytelling is considered an art form, a life skill, and a healing tool. It is also very entertaining. It predates written history and is still popular throughout the modern world. Many people may associate storytelling with children; however, storytelling for adults is a powerful and sometimes transforming art. It requires imagination, preparation, and practice (practice, practice). Tellers and listeners are welcome at this event.

The event will take place in the Conference Room on the Mezzanine level.

Refreshments will be served. Please join us!

Film Screening: Monday, March 22 at 2 PM
Book Discussion: Thursday, March 25 at 3 PM

Our Spring Classics Discussion Series continues with a coming-of-age story for the ages! We're spending March with the March Family, reading and watching the beloved American classic, Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. Based loosely on her experiences growing up as the second of four daughters, Alcott's treasured novel follows the fictional March family sisters, from the forward-thinking Joe and the reserved Meg to the compassionate Beth and the dramatic Amy, through years of self-discovery as their father fights in the war.

First, join us for a screening of the 1994 film adaptation of Little Women, for which Winona Ryder gives an Academy Award-nominated performance. The film also boasts an A-list cast, including Susan Sarandon, Gabriel Byrne, Christian Bale, Kirsten Dunst, Eric Stoltz, and Trini Alvarado.

Then, come to our discussion of the book, the time period, and the author. There's so much to share, and we'll talk about it all over afternoon tea in our beautiful Classics Room.

This morning, at Meet Us on Main Street, Judy and Priscilla took a turn and spoke about their favorite books, movies, TV series, and more. As the weeks go on, more and more Library staff members are becoming involved in presenting at Meet Us on Main Street and it's more fun than ever!

Join us every Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. for this entertaining and informative program. We believe that you will not leave empty-handed.

To see a list of all of the titles that we discussed this morning, click below. To see a list of all of the Meet Us on Main Street books and movies that have been discussed (from the very first one back in the summer!), click on our Meet Us on Main Street tag. 

"Bound for Glory" - showing Wednesday, March 24 at 2 p.m.

Our Wednesday Matinee Film Series continues during March and will feature a little bit of this and a little bit of that - all the while packing a whole lot of entertainment! You could say (ahem)  that March will come in with some lamb (on the menu) and go out with a "Storm."

March's offerings include a couple of popular new features, a couple of films that reflect the era and the themes of our One Book, One Community town-wide read (The Worst Hard Time), and a foreign thriller (in English, German, Bosnian, and Serbian with English subtitles).

Wednesday, March 3 at 2 p.m.

JULIE & JULIA (2009) Starring Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci; Rated PG-13; 123 minutes

A woman verging on 30 and frustrated in her temp secretarial job, takes on a year-long culinary quest: cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." She chronicles her trials and tribulations in a blog that catches on with the food crowd. This film follows both women, who, while separated by time and space, discover that with the right combination of passion and fearlessness (and butter!), anything is possible.

Wednesday, March 10 at 2 p.m.  - A One Book, One Community Event

THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940) -  Starring Henry Fonda and John Carradine; Not rated; 129 minutes

A poor Midwestern family is forced off their land and travels to California, suffering the misfortunes of the homeless in the Great Depression. (Wow. Get a load of this early film trailer!)

Wednesday, March 17 at 2 p.m.

UP IN THE AIR (2009) Starring George Clooney Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman; Rated R; 109 minutes

Ryan Bingham is a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles. Leading an empty life lived out of a suitcase he thinks he may have finally met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams in this quirky comedy. 

Wednesday, March 24 at 2 p.m. - A One Book, One Community Event

BOUND FOR GLORY (1976) Starring David Carradine, Ronny Cox, and Melinda Dillon; Rated PG; 148 minutes

BOUND FOR GLORY is Hal Ashby's recreation of the life of one of America's most talented folk singers, Woody Guthrie. As portrayed by David Carradine, Guthrie is a complex character who strenuously fights for the rights of migrant workers he's never met. The film is breathtakingly photographed by Haskell Wexler and is beautifully fashioned by Ashby to be as much a ballad as Guthrie's songs.

Wednesday, March 31 at 2 p.m.

STORM (2009) Starring Anamaria Marinca and Kerry Fox; Not rated; 105 minutes (In English, German, Bosnian, and Serbian with English subtitles.)

Hannah Maynard, prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague, is leading a trial against a former commander of the Yugoslavian National Army who is accused of the deportation and later killing of dozens of Bosnian-Muslim civilians. When a key witness commits suicide, it looks like the case will unravel, however Hannah refuses to give in.

Hoping to uncover new findings, she travels to the witness' burial in Sarajevo and meets his sister Mira who she senses has much more to say than she is willing to admit.  Despite threats of violence, Mira reluctantly agrees to testify at The Hague. However, she and Hannah must both risk life and limb to make it to the court, only to discover that there are traitors among their own ranks.