adult programming 2012- 2013 annual report
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AdultProgrammingAnnualReportJuly2012-June2013
To:LouiseBerry
From:ErinShea
Date:October1,2013
EvolvingAuthorPrograms
InDarien,weknowthatlibrariesaresomuchmorethanbooks.
Andinthesamevein,authoreventshaveevolvedtobesomuch
morethananauthorstandingatapodiumreadinghisopening
chapter.Thisyear,wevehadanauthorperformmagictricks
(AlexStone,FoolingHoudini:Magicians,Mentalists,MathGeeks,
andtheHiddenPowersoftheMind),introduceusinpersonto
thecharactersdescribedinhermemoir(BeckyAikman,Saturday
NightWidows),andeventoasttheaudienceashesippedhishand-selectedwinerecommendations(EricAsimov,HowtoLove
Wine).
NewSeries
Thisfiscalyearwelaunchedthreeuniqueseries,eachdesignedtoattractadifferenttypeof
libraryuser.Read,Ride,Imbibeisabookdiscussiondesignedtoappealtocommuterswhomay
nototherwisehavetimetovisittheLibrary.Forthisprogram,librariansbring14-Daycopiesof
acarefullyselectedtitletothetrainplatformduringrushhour.Aboutamonthafterthisin-
personpromotion,wehostadiscussionofthebookatTheGoose,Darienslocalwateringhole
locatedkitty-cornerfromthetrainstation.Someattendeesshowupstillintheirsuits,andour
discussionofSherylSandbergsLeanInattractedtheattentionofourFirstSelectmanJayme
Stevenson,whoattendedtheprogram.
OurmonthlyScienceCafSeriesbringsinhoststotalkabout
science-relatedtopicslikepredictingtheweather,3D
printing,andmicrocontrollers.ThisFridaynightprogram
attractsdifferentgenerationsandIveseenalotofnewfaces
sincetheserieshasstartedtogainmomentum.
WhenStephanieAndersoncameonboardatthebeginningofthisfiscalyear,sheandIworkedtogethertocreatea
seriesthatwouldsupportdebutnovelistswhohistoricallydonotbringoutahugeaudiencefor
theirevents.Fromourdiscussions,FirstLook:Darienwasborn.Threetimesayear,Librarystaff
memberschooseadebutnoveltohighlightinthisseries.Then,wepitchittolocalbookgroups,
promoteitwithadisplayonMainStreet,andencourageallofourstaffmemberstoreaditso
theycanbepoisedandreadytorecommendittointerestedpatrons.Finally,beforethe
authorstalk,weinviteuserswhohavereadthebookorareplanningtoreadittoaspecial
DrinkingwinewithEricAsimov
ScienceCafe:3DPrinters
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receptioninourconferenceroomwiththeauthor.Ourreadersintownhavelovedthisintimate
meetandgreetwiththeauthorandwevelovedseeingourattendancefordebutauthorevents
increasefromanaverageofabouttwentyattendeestowelloverfifty.
OneBook,OneCommunity
Thisyearwereallyputthecommunityin
ourOneBook,OneCommunityseriesby
invitingacommitteeofreadersintownto
helpselectthetown-wideread.Startingin
Fall2012,representativesfromlocal
organizationsmetinourconferenceroom
topitchideasforthenextcommunityreads
title.Aftermuchdeliberation,David
BenioffsCityofThieveswasclearlythebest
fit.HisnovelfollowstheadventuresoftwoadolescentsinLeningradastheytryto
locateadozeneggsinacitythatis
starving.Thebooklentitselftoalotoffunprogramminglikeacakebakingcontest,chess
competition,andmypersonalfavorite:atown-widescavengerhuntculminatingattheLibrary.
WeAretheHeartofDarien
Afterseeingandcatchingupwithsomeofmyfavoritepatrons,beingentertainedforanhouror
two,andperhapsevenmeetingafavoriteauthor,Ialmostalwaysleavelibraryprogramsina
reallygoodmood.Buttherearecertainprogramsthatgivemeaverydifferentfeeling,acertain
jenesaisquoi,adangitfeelsgoodtobealibrarianfeeling.Lastyear,inthemidstofHurricaneSandywhenpeoplewereevacuatingtheirhomes,desperateforelectricity,and
questioninghowtoevenaccessthelocalnews,GretchenCaserottisuggestedwehostaDarien
CommunityHurricanePotluckinourCommunityRoom.Thepurposeofthiswastwo-fold:one,
toprovideahotmealforthoseintownstillwithoutpower,andtwo,toprovidethosewith
powerawaytohelptheirneighbors.Theresultswereincomprehensible:withover300people
attending,thefoodjustkeptcomingandcomingandcoming.Atatimewhenourusersfelt
powerless(figurativelyandliterally)weweregratefultoplayhosttosuchanunforgettable
event.
DavidBenioff,authorofCityofThieves