Blog Entries

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Last year, throughout Black History Month (BHM), Ferguson Library staff members shared with their colleagues the stories of Black Americans, their stories of struggle and pain, but also of a people who throughout American history experienced unparalleled triumph and excellence changing the world. A video compiling the presentations can be viewed here.

The Stamford Food Scrap Recycling Initiative, an effort to reduce the amount of garbage the city sends to landfills and incinerators by turning food scraps into compost, is asking Stamford residents to complete the attached survey to gauge public interest in the program and potentially expanding it with additional drop-off sites.

Looking for materials covering Stamford history? The Ferguson Library Digital Archive is worth checking out for its trove of historical documents covering daily life going back to the early 19th century. No library card needed.

Horizons at New Canaan Country School (NCCS) will be hosting admission nights Tuesday, January 24 from 4 to 6 p.m., and Wednesday, February 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Lower Level Makerspace of the Ferguson Library. During the admissions evenings, staff will be on hand to screen for eligibility and to assist families in completing applications which are available online in English, Spanish and Creole.

The Stamford Literary Competition, which celebrates excellence in student writing, is now open to students who live or attend school in Stamford, and are in grades 3 to 12. Entries in original fiction, nonfiction and poetry are welcome. All entries must be submitted by February 10.

For entrance guidelines and rules, including required length and format, and the entry form, click here.

Local health departments from Fairfield County, together known as Region 1 Health Departments, will host a series of mental health webinars beginning with "Mental Health in a Post COVID World" on January 26 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The panel discussion will focus on the state of the current mental health crisis, information on available resources, regional trends, signs of distress, and tips for seeking help. Register here.

In a lead-up to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a number of area organizations will host special events to commemorate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Horizons at New Canaan Country School, a year-round academic and enrichment program serving more than 400 Kindergarten through post-secondary students attending public schools in Stamford and Norwalk, is now accepting applications. Qualification requirements and application guidelines can be found here.

The Ferguson Library now offers Gale LegalForms, a helpful resource that contains hundreds of free forms that can be downloaded and printed. You can find the database here.

Stamford’s Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) Design Team, in partnership with the Stamford Public Education Foundation (SPEF), will lead an in-depth leadership training class starting January to 20 to 25 selected parents, grandparents, guardians and other adults who wish to advocate for children and improve the lives of families and communities. Candidates will be selected from a pool of diverse applicants. Apply here.

With winter upon us and the threat of severe cold in the forecast, the City of Stamford announced the names of participating daytime warming centers for residents who need a safe indoor space to escape the cold.

The Stamford IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Strategies) Committee wants to know how the City of Stamford can be more responsive to the needs of Stamford residents. This survey will help the IDEAS Committee better understand and determine what you feel is most important for you, your household and your community, and how city services can best be accessed.

The survey only takes two minutes and all responses are anonymous. No one will be able to identify you or your answers.

The newly launched Stamford Youth Mental Health Alliance (SYMHA), a coalition of more than two dozen Stamford civic, faith-based and non-profit organizations, hosted a panel discussion about the mental health challenges young people often face and the support they need to achieve wellness. This event, co-sponsored by the Bank of America, was held at the Ferguson Library in November. You can view the discussion here, on the library's YouTube channel.

To support families and help them stay warm this winter, the Ferguson Library is currently collecting new and clean, gently-used gloves, mittens, scarves and hats for children of all ages and adults. You can help us by dropping off your donations at any branch of the library. Donations will be distributed to our neighbors through Person to Person and will be accepted until Friday, January 6.