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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