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A Book Brigade led by the Wild Thing from Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are" carried the last few books from the shelves of the temporary facility to the new library. This was followed by the presentation of the Phyllis Paccadolmi Awards to the Friends of the Ridgefield Library and to Christine and Philip Lodewick. After a ribbon cutting, the community was allowed in to get its first sneak peek at the new library.
Peter Coffin, chair of the Ridgefield Library Board, credited all the donors who contributed to the project. He also praised the dedicated staff of the library.
"They're amazing, they deserve this facility. This town now has a facility that matches the caliber of the library staff that we have here," Coffin said.
The $20 million facility is larger, and features spaces for children, teens and adults. The three-story building has rooms for quiet study, as well as more community rooms to allow the library to run more activities simultaneously. The new library also has the latest technology, with computer stations, new self-check stations and a 3D printer.
"This library is a true center of excellence," said Philip Lodewick, chair of the Campaign for the New Ridgefield Library. "It is a place of continuing education and lifelong learning. Libraries have never been all about books, they've been about community, and everybody here has supported that effort and the town has supported the effort, and we really appreciate it."
"For this community, this is a wonderful asset, and it will be for generations to come," said First Selectman Rudy Marconi.
The library will celebrate the opening of the new facility with an entire weekend of events, including storytimes, Alex the Jester, live music, children's crafts, raffles, guided tours, scavenger hunts and technology demonstrations. Click here to see a full schedule of the weekend's events.
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