On Wednesday, May 9th, we held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new library.

We were fortunate to be joined by First Selectman Tom Vincent, Library Board Chairwoman Charmaine Glew, Friends of the Library Board President Eunice Kelly, incoming President of the Friends Board Sarah Hart as well as distinguished members of the Public Building Committee, the Design Review Board, the Board of Education, the Friends of the Library and Library staff.

For those of you not able to join us please enjoy these pictures of the event.

Click here to see groundbreaking photos on Flickr.

As computers and Internet connections get faster and faster, more and more people are using their computers to watch videos and TV. Services like iTunes and web sites like YouTube offer movies and TV programming right on your computer screen.

Simsbury Library now offers movies and TV shows that you can watch on your computer. All you need is a library card number and a high-speed Internet connection.

MyLibraryDV has classic films, cooking shows, travel shows and hits like "Antiques Roadshow."

I have used the service myself and found it very easy. The site is beautifully laid out and I had no trouble navigating to the shows I was interested in.

There are dozens of episodes of cooking shows like "Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello", "American's Test Kitchen" and "Julia Child's Kitchen Wisdom."

The movie collection is very interesting. They are all black and white classics or independent and foreign films. Many of the black and white classics are hard to find on DVD or regular TV so MyLibraryDV represents a unique way to get rare or obscure movies.

Stop by www.simsburylibrary.info and click the link for MyLibraryDV. And if you need any help or have any questions just let me (James) know.

The Simsbury Library is collecting e-mail addresses. This spring we began sending out overdue, almost due and other notices on e-mail instead of postal mail.

Recipients of The Next Chapter will begin receiving these e-mail notifications. If you do not want to receive these notifications just write to jmiller@simsburylibrary.info and ask to be removed from the list.

Feng Shui with Ned Farrell
Thursday, June 7th, the Library welcomes Ned Farrell's Feeling Fantastic with Feng Shui. Farrell will walk participants through two important concepts: the Elements and the bagua. You will also work with a hand-drawn floor plan of your own home.

Seating is limited so please call in your reservation to the Library at (860) 658-7663 or sign up through the Library's website www.simsburylibrary.info by clicking CALENDAR.

TRAVELS WITH CHARLIE: From Coast to Coast on Motorbikes
Tuesday, May 15 at 7 p.m.
Charlie Moret is a resident of Simsbury for 20 years, member of the Simsbury Board of Education and Certified Motorcycle Safety Instructor.

Charlie and his son Andrew spent 23 days traveling by motorcycle from Simsbury to California. They covered 3,800 miles, without reservations, and avoided modern day amenities - to the extent that was possible. They discovered a different America and a better appreciation for each other.

Charlie plans to cover topics such as his version of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", planning the bike trip, travel necessities, clothing, weather buying your first motorcycle, and mortorcycle safety. He will also discuss the lore and lure of Old Route 66.

Seating is limited so please call in your reservation to the Library at (860) 658-7663 or sign up through the Library's website www.simsburylibrary.info by clicking CALENDAR.

Our address may be different but our summer reading programs are the same. Starting June 18 we will start the children's, teen and adult reading programs.

For those of you who are new to them the summer reading programs offer prizes for reading. The more you read the more prizes you get or the more chances you get to win a big prize.

And once you are signed up for your program you can keep track of your reading and redeem your prizes through the Library web site.

See you June 18.

Jan Madrak, Head of the Simsbury Public Library's Children's Department for 11 years, is the 2007 recipient of the Faith Hektoen Award for Career Achievement to children in libraries.

The Faith Hektoen Award is given annually by the Children's Section of the Connecticut Library Association to recognize the efforts of an individual or group that has made an impact on library services to children in Connecticut at the local, regional or state level. Ms. Madrak's nomination was based upon her "significant impact on library service to children in Connecticut at the local level, "and upon "on-going programs that have made a significant impact on the children of Connecticut at the local level."

Ms. Madrak's nomination mentioned three major achievements: starting the America's Reading Corps project in Simsbury to tutor children who are having difficulty learning to read; opening a children's branch at the Tariffville School during the summers, and working with the Simsbury Schools to provide a jointly supported summer reading program to the children of Simsbury.

Last year, this program was recognized by Governor Rell as one of the top school-library cooperation projects in the State.

Jan Madrak received her award during the Connecticut Library Association's Annual Conference on Tuesday, April 17 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.