Monday, December 26, 2011

Library ELF -- the elf that works for you all year round

It's the time of year for making resolutions, so here's an easy way to keep that annual resolution that you're going to keep better track of your family's library books and your books on reserve.

Sign up for the free Library ELF service to be reminded by email or text message when your library materials are coming due, or when you have holds ready to be picked up. You decide what kind of reminders you want to get and how often. The Library ELF is your servant!

Sign up with Library ELF to receive e-mail or text reminders:

  • Before items are due back at the library
  • For overdue items
  • When you have a hold available for pick-up from the library

How does Library ELF work?

  • Library ELF premium service is available to Stratford residents free of charge. Stratford Library subscribes to this service on your behalf.
  • Go to www.libraryelf.org to sign up. Enter your library card number without spaces. The Stratford Library does not require the use of a PIN—leave this field blank. Note: Your library card account(s) must be current to take advantage of this service.
  • You can select the frequency of notice delivery.
  • Library ELF will check your library account(s) each day and will send you an email, text message to alert you when items are due, past due or if holds are available for pick-up.
  • Library ELF is a third-party service, not affiliated with the Stratford Library. Please read the Library ELF privacy policy and FAQ before signing up for the service.

Monday, November 21, 2011

New dates scheduled for popular Technology Sandbox programs

Does your holiday shopping have you trying to choose between the Nook and the Kindle? Wondering if the new Amazon Kindle Fire really is a reasonable-priced alternative to the iPad? Come see for yourself at a "Library Technology Sandbox." We'll have e-readers like the Nook and the Kindle, the new Amazon "Fire" (a budget alternative to the iPad), tablet computers, iPads, MP3 players, and iPods for you to test drive and play with here at the library.

Our series of “Technology Sandbox" workshops will include an opportunity for patrons to try out these new products. The first series of workshops in November was so popular that we have scheduled a new series for December and January. They are free and open to the public.

If you already have have an e-reader, a laptop, a smartphone or a mobile device, bring it to a "Sandbox" and we'll show you how to download library materials for free.

"Sandboxes" will be held in the Library's Lovell room and are scheduled for:

Sandboxes are scheduled for:

  • Mon., Dec. 12, 10:00-12:00 noon
  • Mon., Dec. 13, 5:00-7:00 pm
  • Tues., Jan. 3, 5:00-7:00 pm
  • Mon., Jan. 9, 10:00-12:00 noon and 3:00-5:00 pm

Monday, October 31, 2011

Handle a Kindle, Look at a Nook, Eyeball an iPad at the Library

You're not the kind of person to go out and spend money on the latest thing until you're sure it's right for you. But how do you get your hands on a Kindle before you buy one? How do you test drive an iPad if the store can't keep them in stock?

Come to a "Library Technology Sandbox." We'll have e-readers like the Nook and the Kindle, tablet computers, iPads, MP3 players, and iPods for you to test drive and play with here at the library.

Our series of “Technology Sandbox" workshops will include an opportunity for patrons to try out these new products. The Library’s professional staff will conduct the workshops scheduled November 1-19th. They are free and open to the public.

If you already have have an e-reader, a laptop, a smartphone or a mobile device, bring it to a "Sandbox" and we'll show you how to download library materials for free.

"Sandboxes" will be held in the Library's Lovell room and are scheduled for:

  • Tue., Nov. 1, 5:30-7:30 pm
  • Mon., Nov. 7, 10:00-12:00 noon
  • Sun., Nov. 13, 1:00-3:00 pm
  • Mon., Nov. 14, 3:00-5:00 pm
  • Sat., Nov. 19, 10:00-12:00 noon

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Insidious" is free Friday night movie at the Library

The Library's free film series continues on Friday, October 28, with Insidious, a 2011 horror flick that is just the thing to get your Halloween weekend off to a spooktacular start.

Join us at 7 pm. And if you can't sleep later... don't say we didn't warn you.

Insidious Friday, October 28 at 7 pm Rated PG-13 103 minutes

After moving into a new home, Josh (Patrick Wilson) and his wife Renai (Rose Byrne) confront terrifying tribulations when their son falls into a coma and his body starts to attract malevolent forces from a mysterious netherworld. But when the family decides to move again, hoping to leave the evil spirits behind, they realize that their problems are just beginning. This nifty horror flick was one of this year’s surprise hits.

Movies are shown uncut on widescreen in the Stratford Library Lovell Room each month beginning at 7 pm. Complimentary snacks will be served. Join us! For further information call the library at 203.385.4164.

Coming up later in this free movie series:

  • The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo November 11
  • The King’s Speech December 9

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Book group meets October 26 for psychological thriller "Sister"

Do you like the idea of a book group, but you're not ready to start one yourself? Meet up with other readers at the library's book group and enjoy the easy-going camaderie created by experienced host and discussion leader Kathleen Faggella.

While most people do borrow the book for the month from the library and read it ahead of time, it's certainly not required. Newcomers may just drop by and find out if the format of the group appeals to them.

The Stratford Library “Books Over Coffee” discussion group will tackle Rosamund Lupton’s current bestseller, Sister, on Wednesday, October 26th at noon. Sister is a psychological thriller that turns on the complicated relationship between two sisters.

When her mom calls to tell her that Tess, her younger sister, is missing, Bee returns home to London on the first flight. She expects to find Tess and gives her the usual lecture, the bossy big sister scolding her flighty baby sister for taking off without letting anyone know her plans. Bee is used to watching out for her wayward sibling and is fiercely protective of Tess (and has always been a little stern about her antics). But then Tess is found dead, apparently by her own hand. That is just the beginning of the enthralling crime novel that is Sister, the debut work and instant bestseller from author Rosamund Lupton.

“Books Over Coffee” will be held in the Stratford Library’s Lovell Room beginning at noon on October 26th. Participants are invited to bring a bag lunch to the program and coffee and tea is also served. Limited reading copies of Sister are currently available for loan at the library’s Circulation Desk.

Books coming up later in the year include:

  • November 30: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
  • December 21: Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Monday, October 10, 2011

Free SAT Preparation Workshop Offered at the Library on October 18

Do the smart thing! Take advantage of the library's free SAT prep program on October 18.

What's the smartest way to prepare for the SAT? How can you maximize your chance of success? What makes the difference between an average performance and one that's outstanding?

The Stratford Library Teen Services Department will host a special program to help students with upcoming Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SATs) on Tuesday, October 18 from 6-8 pm. The seminar, which is free and open to the public, will be conducted by New Haven-based tutor Ellis Ratner.

Ratner will cover effective time management and optimum approaches to the Critical Reading, Sentence Improvement and Sentence Error Identification Sections. He will focus especially on effective and rapid vocabulary development and how to best address the Essay Writing Section. Ratner is a Cum Laude graduate of Trinity College, a Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the co–author of several published books. For the past several years he has tutored privately and specializes in SAT preparation.

The “Teen Tuesday” seminar is scheduled from 6-8 pm in the Lovell Room of the Stratford Library on October 18. For further information contact the Stratford Library Teen Services Department at 203.385.4167 or check out “TeenZone” on the library website at: www.stratfordlibrary.org.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Library ebooks are now available for the Amazon Kindle

Kindle ebooks are here! We're so excited about a long awaited addition to our ebook collection; ebooks are now available for Kindle users. You can borrow ebooks from the Library to read on any generation Kindle device, free Kindle app, or in your browser with Kindle Cloud Reader.

Kindle owners can finally join the owners of the Nook, the Sony Reader, the Kobo, the iPad and the iPhone (and many other devices) who have been happily borrowing ebooks from the Stratford Library for the past year. Our ebook service, called Overdrive, is the fastest growing part of our collection.

You'll need your Stratford Library card to check out ebooks. Find out more and check out ebooks here.

If you live in Stratford and you don't have a library card yet, you don't know what you've been missing! Pay us a visit today with your ID that shows that you live in Stratford and we'll sign you up. It's free, and it just takes five minutes. Your library card is a key that opens up the whole world of ideas to you.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Knitting Program to Benefit Local Children Starts Sept. 21

Knitting for Kids at the Stratford Library will meet for a six-week session on Wednesdays at 3:45 p.m. beginning Sept. 21. Boys and girls age 7 and up are welcome to attend. The classes are for new knitters or those wishing to refresh their skills. The fall project will be knitting scarves and hats for local children.

Knitters are asked to bring their own needles (US sizes 8-11 recommended). Class will be held in the Children’s Department’s Book Nook. Miss Tess and Miss Caitlin lead the group with the friendly assistance of volunteers Miss Martha and Miss Cynthia.

To register or for further information, call the Children’s Department at 203.385.4165 or visit: www.stratfordlibrary.org.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Library offers AARP Driver Safety Program

The Stratford Library, in conjunction with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), will offer another session of the “AARP Driver Safety Program”, a classroom driver retraining program designed to help older persons improve their driving skills on Tuesday, September 6 from 1-5 pm. The new one-day class program will be held in the Library’s Lovell Room. Developed by the AARP, the program is the first comprehensive driver retraining course geared to the specific needs of older motorists.

Persons 50 years of age or older are eligible to participate in the library program and will receive a certificate of completion at the end of instruction. The course is limited to 24 participates only and there is a nominal fee of $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members charged by the AARP. Reservations are required and can be made by calling AARP Representative Michael Klein at 203.929.4851.

As of Friday afternoon, Mr. Klein noted that he still had about a dozen spaces available in the class. He explained that because his telephone service was only just restored after last week's storm, people who were unable to reach him earlier to make a reservation should now be able to get through.

The Library is located at 2203 Main St., Stratford.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Extra vacation, extra library programs for kids

The Stratford Library's Children's Department will offer two extra programs this week to keep kids busy during their extra week of summer vacation. Programs are free. Please register at the Children’s Desk, or call 203.385.4165.

Here are the new events just added to the library's schedule:

Book Cover Craft : Wednesday, Aug. 31 at 2:30 p.m.

Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to make book covers for their first day of school, which was pushed back to Sept. 6 yesterday. Bring your creativity, supplies provided.

School's Out Spelling Bee : Thursday, Sept. 1 at 2:30 p.m.

Kids are encouraged to practice their school skills with this lively, silly spelling bee for children ages 6 to 12. Words for all levels of spellers provided.

The Stratford Library has power, programs and plenty of items for kids and adults. Come in and charge your phone, pick up an audiobook to listen to as the sun goes down, check your email and visit with your neighbors.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Teen relationships on Teen Tuesday

This week our Teen Tuesday program deals with teen dating violence & healthy relationships. MYOthello will present a 3 act performance from "Othello" that will explore themes relating to teen dating violence. A discussion will follow the performance. Tuesday, August 2nd, 6:30 pm in the Lovell Room.

Friday, June 24, 2011

The day you were born: commemorated!

Not too long ago, the New York Times published a book that reproduces the front page of the newspaper for important events in history, like Monday, July 21, 1969 ("MEN WALK ON MOON") or Tuesday, December 8, 1941 ("U.S. DECLARES WAR, PACIFIC BATTLE WIDENS").

That's interesting enough, but that's not all... It also contained CD-ROMs with every single Times front page ever published up to 2008 -- over 50,000 front pages.

That means it's fairly easy to print out a reproduction of the front page of the newspaper for the day you were born -- a great prop for a birthday or anniversary parties.

Come by the library and ask a librarian to help you print out your special day from our copy of this fascinating volume.

Monday, June 6, 2011

The Internet vs. Encyclopedias: you don't have to choose

Remember how most families used to have an encyclopedia in their home, on a shelf in a place of honor? Usually it would be the World Book, or maybe the Britannica. Often it would be ten years old or older, because encyclopedias were a big investment and a family couldn't afford to get a new one very often. Kids would use the encyclopedia to do their schoolwork. The grown-ups would use it to settle a bet about how long it would take to drive from Detroit to Chicago.

Now, those same families probably have the internet in their home, and they'd use the computer when they once used the encyclopedia.

But as most people know, for all of its convenience and speed, the internet is not always the most reliable source of information. Let's say you want to know more about e. coli, the bacteria causing an outbreak of food poisoning in Europe. You can get the reliable, accurate information of a famous encyclopedia, at any of time of day or night, via the Internet, using the Stratford Library's subscription to the World Book Online.
The online World Book is updated constantly, so it doesn't go out of date like the set your parents may have had. And it refers you to information from many sources beyond the encyclopedia. But you can be sure it will all be reliable information from reputable sources, fact checked by the World Book editors.

How do you log on? Go to the Stratfordlibrary.org website, and click on the box that says "Get it online with your library card."

On the next page, you'll see the list of our most popular online resources, including The World Book Online.
Log on using your Stratford Library card number, and you'll be all set to get reliable, up to date information with the speed of the Internet.

Power user tip: The World Book Online offers different versions for different ages:

  • World Book for Kids for the youngest students
  • World Book Info Finder for middle school and high school students
  • World Book Online Reference Center for adults

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Up-and-Coming... Recommended Reads

New books that caught our eye! You may not have heard about them yet -- but you will enjoy reading them.


Shadows Bright as Glass: The Remarkable Story of One Man's Journey from Brain Trauma to Artistic Triumph, by Amy Ellis Nutt.

After a brain hemorrhage nearly killed him, Jon Sarkin awoke with an overwhelming desire to create art. Before the stroke, he was a calm chiropractor, a happily married family man. Now he devotes all his waking hours to furiously drawing and painting.

Journalist Amy Ellis Nutt interweaves Sarkin’s remarkable story with a fascinating look at how our "personality" arises from the brain's neurons and electrical pulses. Nutt brings to life the extraordinary stories of people whose personalities and abilities were dramatically altered by brain trauma, often in shocking ways.

Place a hold now on Shadows Bright as Glass-- we'll call you when it's ready for you.


The Sorcerer's Apprentices: A Season in the Kitchen at Ferran Adria's El Bulli, by Lisa Abend

Did you know there is a restaurant in Spain that gets more than two million requests for reservations each year.... the average cost of a meal is $500 and yet it operates at a loss.... and apprentices will work there for free to learn from the "mad genius" master chef, Ferran Adria.This is El Bulli, the most avant-garde and the most sought-after restaurant in the world.

In her lively new book, The Sorcerer's Apprentices Lisa Abend immerses herself in the heat, the anxiety, and the ingenuity of this pressurized little world.

Place a hold now on The Sorcerer's Apprentices--we'll call you when it's ready for you.


Final Jeopardy: Man vs. Machine and the Quest to Know Everything by Stephen Baker.

The recent competition between all-time Jeopardy champions Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter against a new IBM supercomputer was a bit of a let-down, since the computer easily trounced the two men. But the story of how IBM developed this computer to "answer questions like a human" is anything but predictable.

At its heart, Final Jeopardy is about the future of knowledge. What will Watson’s heirs be capable of in ten or twenty years? And where does that leave humans? As fast and fun as the game itself, Final Jeopardy shows how smart machines will fit into our world — and how they’ll disrupt it.

Place a hold now on Final Jeopardy-- we'll call you when it's ready for you.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

The New York Times -- for a fee, or for free?

If you've been keeping up with the New York Times through their website instead of as a newspaper, you've probably come across their announcement that they will no longer allow their online audience to read an unlimited number of articles for free. This could put a dent in your plan to save money while you stay informed with "all the news that's fit to print" on the web.

(Just a thought -- is the news still printed if it appears online?) But as a Stratford library card holder, you have other options. The Library has an electronic subscription to the New York Times with no limits on how often you can use it -- so that's available to you 24/7. There is no limit to how often a library user can read the entire newspaper (and the archive back to 1985) for free through our electronic subscription. Here's the step-by-step.

1) Go to the library's website, http://www.stratfordlibrary.org/.

2) Click on "Get it online with your library card"

3) Then click on "Search by subject" tab.

4) Choose "Current events and News."

5) Choose the New York Times -- or one of the other newspapers we subscribe to in that list, including the Christian Science Monitor or the Times of London.

6) You will be taken to the statewide iConn website, where you will enter the number on the back of your library card under the barcode. This logs you into the New York Times, provided by a service called InfoTrac.

So take advantage of your status as a library card holder, and read the New York Times online to your heart's content.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Caring for your car

With the price of gas breaking the $4 mark, there is every reason to keep your car running efficiently. The library can help. One of the useful services the library subscribes to is the "Automotive Repair Reference Center," which is available online (for free) to anyone with a Stratford library card-- in the library or from your home computer.

This service gives you access to Repair Procedures, Service Bulletins and Recalls, and Wiring Diagrams for most US and foreign cars and noncommercial trucks back to the 1970s.

You may be saying to yourself, "Oh, I would never fix my own car." But even so, this service contains high-priority info alerts called "service bulletins" which can help every car owner, whether they consider themselves handy or not.

Service Bulletins are reports from the car manufacturers about common problems cropping up with certain models. If you look up your own vehicle (say, a 2007 Honda Civic) you will find a list of problems that the manufacturer thought were serious enough to tell mechanics, but not serious enough to warrant a recall. For instance, if your 2007 Honda Civic car clock has been randomly flashing the wrong time, you are not alone! Honda has figured out what makes this happen and you can get that problem solved, pronto.

And for those of you who do like to put on the overalls and break out the wrenches, the repair procedures include step-by-step instructions for repairing the car from bumper to bumper, with helpful diagrams and photographs.

To try out the Automotive Repair Reference Center, go to the library's webpage at http://www.stratfordlibrary.org/ and click on "Get it Online with your library card."

The Automotive Repair Reference Center is one of the services listed on that first page of resources. Call us at 203-385-4164 if you have any questions about using this service!

Monday, April 11, 2011

Some things never change -- reading old newspapers

Everyone knows the thrill of opening up an old trunk in an attic, or pulling up floorboards in an old house, and finding an old newspaper tucked away. Every item in an old newspaper is fascinating once enough time has gone by, whether it's the ad for groceries that cost one-tenth of what they cost now, or the colorful language that reporters used to drum up interest in local crimes and scandals.

One of the newspapers you have access to online (with your Stratford Library card) is the historical Hartford Courant newspaper, which literally includes article beginning in 1764 and goes to 1922. While today the Hartford Courant focuses on the Hartford region, in the first 100 years of its life the Courant was "the" major newspaper for Connecticut, and covered all regions, including Stratford.

Searching for the keyword "Stratford" in the historical Courant database brings up some very interesting old items.
In this 1768 letter to the editor (shown at the top of this post), a resident of New Milford is complaining that a recent story in the paper about a gang of counterfeiters had falsely identified the criminals as coming from New Milford. Not so, says the letter-writer -- they were arrested in New Milford, but the miscreants were actually residents of Stratford.

If you'd like to explore the historical Hartford Courant yourself, click on this "Get it online" logo at the library's website and then choose "Search by subject." The historical Hartford Courant is listed under "Current events and news," and also under "Genealogy."

Monday, April 4, 2011

Support the Stratford Library

The Mayor's proposed budget for the Stratford Library will be discussed at several public meetings next week. If the proposed cuts are not altered by the Town Council, the reduced library budget will result in cuts to library hours, cancellation of programs for all ages, reduction of staff, and fewer new materials to borrow.

Library supporters will have an opportunity to show their enthusiasm for the services, programs and materials the library has always provided, free of charge, to all residents, at three public meetings. The times and locations are shown below.

Even if you do not wish to speak, simply attending a meeting and wearing a red shirt or jacket helps support the library. Wear red to show = I am a library supporter.

Opportunities to address Town Council
  • Monday, April 11, 6 pm at Town Hall
  • Wednesday, April 13, 6:30 pm at Bunnell High School
  • Thursday, April. 14, 6:30 pm at Stratford High School

Friday, April 1, 2011

Poem of the Day: Ogden Nash

April is Poetry Month! And our "Poem a day" display is up and running. To fit in with today's April Fool's theme, we feature three poems by Ogden Nash.

The Duck

Behold the duck.
It does not cluck.
A cluck it lacks.
It quacks.
It is specially fond
Of a puddle or pond.
When it dines or sups,
It bottoms ups.

The Ostrich

The ostrich roams the great Sahara
Its mouth is wide, its neck is narra.
It has such long and lofty legs
I’m glad it sits to lay its eggs.

The Fly

God in his wisdom made the fly
And then forgot to tell us why.

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.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

More help for job-seekers at the Stratford Library

You heard it here first! The library has scheduled three free workshops for job-seekers in March 2011: Resume Basics, Interview Skills, and Who's in Your Network?

All three workshops will be on a Mondays from 10AM to noon in the library's Lovell Room. The workshops will be led by the Bridgeport Department of Labor jobs counselors. Participants may attend any one or all workshops. No sign-up is necessary. All are welcome to attend.

March 7: Resume Basics - Learn the do's and don'ts for creating an eye-catching resume. The workshop will be led by a DOL nationally certifed resume writer. Examples will be discussed and there will be plenty of time for questions! For individual one-on-one help, participants will be encouraged to follow-up by scheduling a consultation with a certified resume writer at the Bridgeport DOL office.

March 14: Interview Skills - The best resume in the world won't land that job unless you can ace the interview! Assess your ability to ask and answer common interview questions and improve interview techniques.

March 28: Who's in Your Network? - Experts agree that networking is critical to a successful job search. Discuss the importance of networking as well as its challenges. Learn how-to develop a list of contacts who can lead to your next job interview.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Visit the Download Dock

Do you have an e-reader? If so, you should check out the eBooks available free through Stratford Library’s website. Visit the Download Dock to get started.

Ebooks, audiobooks and movies are available through the library’s subscription to Overdrive. Overdrive emphasizes popular fiction and nonfiction in downloadable audio and e-Books, which can be transferred to personal devices. Overdrive does not work with Kindles. However, it does work with the Nook (Barnes and Noble), several Sony MP3 players and readers, iPods, iPhones, and iPads. The complete list of compatible devices can be found at the Overdrive site.

It takes a few steps to get everything set up. You need a valid Stratford Library card, a compatible device, and a computer. Additional software must be downloaded to the computer and an account set up. All the instructions are on the Download Dock page.

Give it a try- we are getting new titles all the time. If you have questions, call us at 203-385-4164.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Snow closing

Stratford Library will be closed Wednesday, January 12th due to the snow storm. The library will reopen on Thursday, January 13th at 10am. Any items due on 1/12 will now be due on 1/13, so don't worry about late fees. If you are looking for something to read or listen to while you are stuck at home, be sure to check our "Download Dock" for ebooks, audiobooks and more.