Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Poem in Your Pocket Day
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Take a day for poetry this April, and join the Academy of American Poets in celebrating the third national “Poem in Your Pocket Day”, Thursday, April 14.

The idea is simple: select a poem, pocket it, carry it, and share it with family friends, and coworkers throughout the day. For more information or ideas on pocket poems, visit poets.org/pocket. Here are some easy ways to celebrate:
  • Keep a favorite poem in your pocket to read during the day at a local park.
  • Organize a lunch-time event at your workplace and invite your colleagues to share a meal and a poem.
  • Selecte a special poem from Poets.org and email it to a friend.
  • Put a poem in a loved one's lunchbox, backpack or briefcase.

For more ideas and free downloadable pocket poems, visit poets.org/pocket or, of course, visit us at the Stratford Library to enjoy the many books of poetry, classic and brand-new, that we have to lend you.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

The library helps your personal bottom line

Times are tough all over, and it's a good time for you to know all the different free services that are available at the public library. Here are some of our ideas for saving your pennies and getting the most out of Stratford's biggest bargain: your public library.

Budget buster: Pay Netflix $9.99 a month for their best deal on DVDs. Budget smart: Borrow as many movies as you want from the library for free -- on DVD or download from home. Savings: $9.99 a month.

Budget buster: Buy ten songs a week from iTunes. Budget smart: Borrow as many CDs as you want from the newest hits to old school -- or download songs from our library website. Savings: $9.99 per CD

Budget buster: Sign up for Internet access along with your phone so all your services are conveniently together - and your monthly bill is large, too. Budget smart: Use the library’s PCs with free Internet. Have a laptop? Our wifi is free too. Savings: $30 per month.

Budget buster: Spend $50 on a romantic dinner out in a restaurant for your sweetie. Budget smart: Use the library’s cookbooks to plan a meal, then shop for ingredients ($15.00) and make a romantic dinner at home. Savings: $35 on dinner for two.

Budget buster: Pick up Cosmo or Sports Illustrated when you see them at the grocery store. Budget smart: Read the latest magazines at the library for free. Savings: $5.00 per magazine.

Budget buster: You found a great airfare to Puerto Rico for spring break, so you buy a Spanish language CD at the airport bookstore to brush up on your Espanol on the plane. Budget smart: Borrow your travel guides and language CDs at the library for free. We have downloadable language tutorials too. Savings: $9.95 - $29.95 for travel guides and language CDs.

Budget buster: You always like to have the newest cell phone, the coolest car, and the biggest TV as soon as they come out. Budget smart: See what Consumer Reports has to say about the best cell phone plans, flat screen TVs, and credit cards before spending your hard-earned cash. The Library's subscription to Consumer Reports is available from home online as well as in the familiar magazine at the library. Savings: Tens or hundreds of dollars by choosing the best products for you and your budget.

If you'd like to learn about these or any other services offered by the Stratford Library, come pay us a visit, or call us at 203-385-4164. We'd love to tell you about Stratford's biggest bargain: your public library.