Birds of Spring

Birds of Spring

           The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and everyone is sneezing!  Yes, boys and girls, I do believe that spring has finally arrived!  It is nice to see the robins and bluebirds back from their winter hiatus.  These two types of birds eat mostly fruits, berries, seeds, and insects.  The lack of these food sources in our region during the cold winter months is the main reason that they migrate south to the warmer temperatures. 

           If you are interested in finding out more about birds, we have a lot of great books available to you in our library system.  Roger Tory Peterson has published several field guides to the birds of North America.  These are great reference books that contain physical descriptions, range maps of where they live and travel, and illustrations of each type of bird to be found in North America. 

           The library system also has some wonderful children’s books about birds.  One of my favorites is an Eye Wonder book published by Dorling Kindersley (DK) titled Birds by Samantha Gray.   This book has beautiful full-color photographs of many different types of birds and information about different phases of their life cycles.  Check out all that we have to offer at www.adamslibrary.org, or visit a library branch near you!

At the Fairfield branch, we will be having a children’s movie night on Monday, May 13th at 6:00.  This family film is about Dracula's lavish five-stake resort hotel, where some of the world's most famous monsters and their families can live it up, free from meddling from the human world. Everything is going fine for Drac until one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to his teenage daughter, Mavis.  Drinks and popcorn will be provided.  Bring a pillow to sit on!

The Fairfield Library’s book club will be meeting on Thursday, May 16th at 7 p.m. May’s book selection is titled The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom.  This book is about a white servant girl who violates the order of plantation society and unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family.  If you’ve been interested in attending a book club, please consider joining us for some good company and conversation.

The Fairfield Area Library is located at 31 Wortz Drive.  Our phone number is 642-6009.  Hours of operation are:  Monday and Thursday 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.  Hope to see you soon!

Upcoming Events

Monday, April 22nd

Movie Night at 6 p.m.!  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy and the gang arrive in Atlantic City for a relaxing vacation and land center-stage in a three-ring mystery!  Drinks and popcorn will be provided.  Bring a pillow to sit on.

Thursday, April 25th

Fairfield's Book Club will be meeting to discuss the book titled The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon at 7 p.m.

Gluten-Free Dieting

Gluten-Free Dieting

           Many of us know someone who is on a gluten-free diet.  Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley, and rye.  This type of diet is used to treat celiac disease.  Celiac disease is an autoimmune digestive condition that causes inflammation and damage in the small intestines when gluten is consumed.  It also interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food.  Medical experts estimate that more than two million Americans have celiac disease.  There are also an additional 18 million Americans that have non-celiac gluten sensitivity.   People with non-celiac gluten sensitivity experience similar symptoms to those with celiac disease, but don’t have the degree of intestinal damage that occurs with celiac disease.

“No big deal,” you say, “eliminate the gluten, and eliminate the problems.”  This is easier said than done.  Gluten is found in a LOT of foods like breads, cakes, cookies, cereal, french fries, gravy, pastas, snack foods, salad dressings, sauces, etc.

           So, what’s left to eat?  These foods are okay for people with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity:  beans, seeds, and nuts in their natural, unprocessed form; fresh eggs; fresh meats, fish and poultry (not breaded, batter-coated or marinated); fruits and vegetables; and most dairy products.  Gluten-free products are available in stores, but they are typically more expensive to purchase.  Large brand name companies, like General Mills, are getting into the market and are labeling their products accordingly.  Sales are expected to exceed more than $5 billion by 2015.

           If you or someone you know is in need of gluten-free recipes, we have a lot of great cookbooks at the library.  "Gluten-free made simple: easy everyday meals that everyone can enjoy," "Allergy-friendly food for families," and "125 gluten-free vegetarian recipes" are just a few of the titles available to check out.  To get a complete list, visit our website at www.adamslibrary.org.

           Now, it’s time for the local news.  The Fairfield Library’s book club will be meeting on Thursday, January 17^th at 7 p.m. This month’s book is titled “What Alice Forgot” by Liane Moriarty.  If you’ve been interested in attending a book club, please consider joining us for some good company and conversation.

We will be having a children’s movie night on Monday, January 21st at 6:00.  In this family film, Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple and of course, King Julien, Maurice and the Penguins are all along for the comedic adventure. Their journey takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus.  Drinks and popcorn will be provided.  Bring a pillow to sit on!

After all of your holiday on-line shopping, you might want to consider attending our next free computer class.  This class will be “Cleaning Your PC for Better Performance”.  It will be offered at our branch on Thursday, January 24^th at 6:30 p.m.  Class size is limited to 8, so registration is required.

The Fairfield Library is located at 31 Wortz Drive.  Our phone number is 642-6009.  Hours of operation are:  Monday and Thursday 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.  Hope to see you soon!

Sherrie DeMartino

Fairfield Library

Summer Olympics

Summer Olympics

           I know it’s a bit early, but I wanted to get in a promo for the Summer Olympics.  I have a special interest in them because they will be held this year in London, England, which is my mom’s hometown.  My aunt, who lives in the suburbs of London, says that things are pretty crazy there right now with all of the building and preparations.  Hosting the Olympic Games is a major undertaking which costs billions of dollars.  London has hosted the Olympics twice before, once in 1908, and again in 1948.

There are some preliminary soccer matches held on July 25^th and 26^th, but Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh will officially open the games at the opening ceremony on July 27th.  The games run for a little over two weeks ending with the closing ceremonies on August 12^th.  Athletes from 204 nations will be competing in 26 sports and a total of 39 disciplines.  After the Olympic Games, London will also be hosting the 2012 Paralympic Games.  These games will run from August 29^th to September 9^th.  On September 10^th, I think the entire country will breathe a huge sigh of relief and have a well-deserved cup of tea!

You can find more information about the Olympic Games at your local library.  First, log on to our web page at www.adamslibrary.org.  Next, oooh and ahhh over our newly redesigned website!  Third, click on “find books” which will take you to our catalog.  We have fiction and non-fiction books about the Olympics for both children and adults.

           Here’s an update on our library programs here in Fairfield.  A free computer class will be offered at our branch on Monday, May 14^th at 6:30 p.m.  This class will be “How to clean your PC”.  Learn ways to clean your PC for longer life and better performance.  Class size is limited to 8, so registration is required.

The next meeting of the Fairfield Book Club will be Thursday, May 17th at 7:00 p.m.  May’s book selection is The Litigators described as, “a tremendously entertaining romp, filled with the kind of courtroom strategies, theatrics, and suspense that have made John Grisham America’s favorite storyteller.”  Join us for some good company and conversation.

We will also be having a children’s movie night on Thursday, May 24th at 6:00.  The movie is about an intrepid young reporter whose relentless pursuit of a good story thrusts him into a work of high adventure against the nefarious Red Rockham.  Drinks and popcorn will be provided.  Bring a pillow to sit on!

The Fairfield Library is located at 31 Wortz Drive.  Our phone number is 642-6009.  Hours of operation are:  Monday and Thursday 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.  Hope to see you soon!