Canastota Public Library

Bombarded

2012-01-23T14:12:00.001-05:00

How do you stay up to date on current events? Do you read a newspaper? Listen to the evening news? Or, perhaps you read the news online? Today, we are bombarded by different media keeping us current with the latest in politics, science, entertainment, war, peace, religion and more. We are even able to play games online or via our cellular phones in real time! You can text anyone at anytime and generally reach them and receive an almost immediate response.

I find that lately, I am attached to my cell phone, my iPod, my kindle fire, my car radio, television and computer far more than I ever have been in my life. If my battery for any of these items runs low, I am in fear that people won’t be able to reach me in an emergency. I worry that I might miss something of national or international importance. I might not learn who won American Idol this year! As the onslaught of information bombards me daily, I feel more and more irritable and anxious.

Last week, a friend was telling me that her daughter was on a “silent” retreat. This experience, through her college, was one in which there was no verbal communication. There were no cell phones, televisions, radios or computers. Cell phones were checked at the door as were other forms of electronics. The students gathered several times a day for song and they could speak to the counselor who was assigned to them during this weeklong retreat.

As my friend was telling me about this experience, I kept thinking, “I want to be there!” I remember life without all these electronics. It seems simpler and a bit happier then. Life didn’t seem so complicated. I guess I miss those days.

EXTREME COUPONING RESCHEDULED

2012-01-09T09:56:00.000-05:00

Due to unseen circumstances, Jessica Jones of Extreme Couponing was not able to make our Extreme Couponing Session she was scheduled to teach earlier this month. We have been able to reschedule Jessica's presentation to February 22 (Wednesday) at 6:30pm in the Lawson Community Room.

If you have already signed up and paid your $10 fee and cannot make this date, please stop in at the library and we will refund your registration fee. If you were not able to make the January presentation, there is ample opportunity to sign up to attend the presentation in February.

As we mentioned previously, this session is a great way to learn how to organize coupons, learn store policies on couponing and review Jessica's methods for stockpiling and saving! Jessica Jones has been featured on local television and newspaper and has saved more than $1,700 with her extreme couponing methods.

Please continue to join us as we find ways to help you and your family in these difficult economic times! Call the library today to register for the February presentation at 315-697-7030.

New Groups & Presentations Bring Changes to CPL

2011-12-28T14:41:00.002-05:00

January is always a refreshing time…a time for perspective on our lives…a time for getting organized, trying new things and beginning anew! At the library, this January, we have several new organizations, some new presentations and a new artist exhibiting with us!

If you are interested in saving money, why not join our Canastota Coupon Clippers? The group meets the first and third Wednesday of every month at 6:30pm. The group clips coupons, shares coupons and information on store sales! To start the New Year out, the group is featuring a presentation by Jessica Jones of Extreme Couponing on Wednesday, January 4 at 6:30pm. For just $10, Jessica will provide handouts, a binder and information on store policies, stacking, and more. Jones, who has been featured in local television programs and newspaper articles has saved more than $1,700 since she began Extreme Couponing this past year.

Scrapbooking is a fun way to preserve photos and memories for yourself, your friends and relatives. A new Scrapbooking group will begin meeting at the library on Monday, January 9 beginning at 5:30pm. The group hopes you will bring all your own photos and supplies and come out to meet and work with other scrapbookers! Meetings will be held the second Monday of every month!

Also on Monday, January 9th, the Canastota Library and Canal Town Museum will present a Canalside Talk at 7pm in the Children’s Area of the library. Robert Arnold III, a retired Albany County Historian will speak about “1812: New York’s War, New York’s Impetus”. Much of the war was fought on our soil and on our waterways. New Yorkers responded to the military conflict and in doing so found serious inadequacies in the state’s infrastructure and the nation’s military capacity. This talk will be held with the support of the New York Council for Humanities.

January brings back the library’s Tech Tuesdays and new Computer Therapy Thursdays! During the months of January, February and March, the library, with the support of the Mid York Library System will provide free computer services to assist the unemployed, underemployed and other patrons interested in updating their computer skills! With five laptops and technology training staff available, patrons can receive individualized help or attend scheduled training programs. When the laptops are not in use during training, the computers will be available for use on the main floor of the library.

Shannon Crandall is the artist of the month for the library this month. Crandall’s mixed media paintings reflect the rhythm of life and nature. Layers, textures and vibrant colors play center stage in her creations. A graduate of the University of Maryland with a B.A. in Art History, Crandall considers herself to be a self taught artist. An artist’s reception will be held for Shannon Crandall on January 10 at 7pm. The public is invited to attend!

We hope you will stop into the library during January to visit with us and listen to a lecture or join one of our regular groups! May January bring you the changes that you are seeking in your life!

December At The Canastota Public Library

2011-11-21T14:44:00.001-05:00

December is a busy month for many of us as we plan for the holidays! The Canastota Public Library has some events going on this year which we hope will help you to enjoy this year’s festive season!

In December, the library will continue to accept non-perishable food items in place of library fines for Canastota Public Library late item fees only! We ask that the food donation be commensurate with the fine charged. This will not only help our patron who might be a bit late in returning items, it will also help those who are less fortunate in our community. All items donated will be given to the Opportunity Shop in Canastota to help keep their shelves full during the month of December.

The library welcomes back the Great Swamp Conservancy’s Swamp Snappers as the Artists of the Month for the month of December. The Swamp Snappers are a group of photography buffs that meet regularly to share their enthusiasm for outdoor photography. An open reception for the Swamp Snappers will be held on December 5 at 7pm in the Lawson Community Room.

The Book Chat group will meet on Wednesday afternoon, December 7tha t 1pm to talk about the book, “The Beach House” by Jane Green. Our book Chat group meets monthly for discussion on the book of the month and for refreshment. The book is available now and new members are encouraged to pick up the book and join us for the discussion.

On Wednesday, December 7 at 6:30pm, the library presents Gingerbread Houses with Natalie Gustafson. Back by popular demand, this holiday house construction project will allow you and your family to build your own Gingerbread House. The cost is $10 per family (one house per family). Children under the age of twelve must be accompanied by a parent or adult who will help them to work on their house. We are limited to twenty gingerbread houses so please sign up in advance for this popular workshop! Call 697-7030 to register!

The library will continue to provide our regular programming during the month including Baby and Me Lapsit, Storytime with Mrs. Liz, our two Writing Groups, our two Knitting Groups, the Thursday Afternoon Bridge Group and our Coupon Clippers. For more information on these programs, please visit our webpage at www.canastotalibrary.org. You can also friend us on Facebook! We hope that all of our patrons enjoy this wonderful holiday season!

Biggest Library Book Sale Ever!

2011-10-12T12:00:00.000-04:00

The Friends of the Canastota Public Library will hold their Annual Book Sale to benefit the library on October 20 -22, 2011. The doors for this event will open at 9am on Thursday, October 20th.

Last year, the queue for opening day snaked all the way out to the middle of the library's parking lot. In amazement, the staff watched the line lengthen and then remain at a constant for the better part of the morning. Everyone seemed happy to wait in line to get some wonderful gems at this sale!

I was able to purchase books for holiday gifts which looked brand new! My children and husband always get at least one new book from me as a Christmas present. If I recall correctly, my husband received some Sci Fi novels and at least one Dean Koontz novel that he hadn't read yet! My daughter's book was written by Jodi Picoult. I remember finding my sons books by authors that they enjoyed as well!

This year, we are hoping the annual sale will be an even bigger event than in the past. I already have my shopping list prepared. I have some book requests from family and some friends. My sister-in-law even gave me a list of some books she is looking to purchase.

With prices extremely low, everything at the sale is priced to go! The sale will include a great selection of books, both hard cover and paperback as well as fiction and non fiction. I know past years have revealed a large amount of cook books--everyone's favorite! The coffee table books always amaze me whether they are architectural or artsy, I love perusing these books at the annual sale. The sale will also include VHS tapes, DVDs, audio tapes and CDs. A highlight of this annual sale has always been the raffle baskets! The Friends prepare raffles for this event including theme baskets which will surely tickle someone's fancy! Library commemorative items, such as book bag totes and note cards will also be available at the sale.

As always, the last day of the sale, Saturday, will be Bag Day. For the cost of a tote or environmentally friendly sack, you can fill your tote with as many books as it will hold! Talk about a bargain!

I hope you will try to attend this event to support our Canastota Public Library. The money raised through this sale is used to benefit the library's ongoing programs and our collections. In previous years, some of the money has also been used to enhance the building itself! The Friends have been able to purchase new blinds and curtains for the Carnegie Room, a dishwasher for the Lawson Community Room and the group has assisted in the purchase of laptop computers that patrons may use throughout the library. A portion of the funds raised last year was donated by the Friends to the Library's Endowment Fund.

This is the ONE ANNUAL community fundraiser that supports the Canastota Public Library! READ ON!

Library Director Leads Rotary Cultural Exchange Team to England

2011-09-21T11:33:00.001-04:00

Liz Metzger, the Director of the Canastota Public Library is going to England this September. Metzger has been an active member of the Canastota Rotary since 1999. This year, she is representing the Central New York Rotary District 7150 and the United States of America as she leads a Rotary International Cultural Vocational Exchange Team.

Metzger’s team is comprised of non-Rotarians from the area who work in the medical field. The team includes a Physician’s Assistant, an Orthopedic Nurse, a Pharmacy Technician and a Massage Therapist. These medical professionals will meet with their counterparts in Manchester, England and the Isle of Man. The goal of this month-long trip is to exchange ideas and provide inspiration to both parties.

“Over the course of the years, my family life has been enriched by hosting three exchange students from Italy, Venezuela and Germany. We learned about the food, customs, politics, educational systems, and much more from these lovely young women.” Noted Metzger.

She is thrilled to be traveling to Manchester, England and the Isle of Man for this adult vocational and cultural exchange.

“It is the closest I will ever get to being an exchange student and I am really excited!” said Metzger.

The exchange groups will be living with British Rotarians, speaking at Rotary Club meetings and learning about how medicine is practiced in the UK. Liz will also have the opportunity to visit public libraries and exchange ideas with other librarians.

When the knitting groups at the Canastota Public Library learned of Metzger’s upcoming trip, the groups quickly began clicking their knitting needles to create beautiful Potato Chip Scarves. They created over thirty scarves for the Rotary Group. The Potato Chip Scarves will be used as gifts for the team to offer to their Host Families and other Rotarian Dignitaries in England.

“I am grateful for our Canastota Knitters who have produced some simply stunning scarves that I will be distributing as gifts,” said Metzger.

Metzger will be emailing regular updates and photos to her staff at the library, which will be posted on the Canastota Library’s Facebook page. If you’d like to share in her adventure, please visit the page!

September Exceptional Art At the Canastota Library

2011-09-07T12:15:00.001-04:00

Exceptional Artworks will be on display in the Lawson Community Room for the entire month of September. Exceptional Artworks are the creative expressions of artists with developmental disabilities. The mission of the Exceptional Artworks Program is to increase public awareness of the talents and creativity of people with developmental disabilites, and to provide the artists with opportunities to express their thoughts and feeling through the arts. Staet and voluntary agencies from Oneida, Herkimer and Madison Counties participate in the Exceptional Artworks Program.

The Exceptional Artworks commitee is comprised of 24 representatives from seven non-profit agencies including: The CNY DSO; Oneida-Lewis Chapter, NY-SARC; Madison-Cortland ARC; Herkimer Area Resource Center; Resource Center for Independent Living; Heritage Farm and Arise (Madison County).

There will be an Artist's Reception where the public is welcomed to attend and meet some of the artists. That event will be held on Thursday, September 10th beginning at 10am. There will be light refreshments served.

We hope you might be able to stop by!

Learning

2011-08-08T15:20:00.002-04:00

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. ~Chinese Proverb

When thinking about writing this blog, I came across the proverb listed above. The quote helped me to remember how important learning is to all of us. When we stop learning, we stop living! There are various ways that we “learn”. Our libraries are full of books on a variety of subjects and can help us to keep our minds humming. Additionally, our local libraries are able to offer new learning opportunities for many in the community.

The proverb also reminded me that school will be starting very soon! This time of year for many children and adults is a time of renewal. The summer is almost gone and we begin thinking about what we will do with our fall and winter free time. At the Canastota Public Library, we are doing the very same thing. This is the time of year when we plan our programming efforts, engage speakers, recruit volunteers to assist with programs and activities and motivate ourselves for a great fall and winter season at the library!

It is sometimes difficult to decide what types of programs and activities we should offer at the library. Would patrons be interested in joining our book club, hearing about a specific topic, learning a new craft or skill? With so many patrons and so many different ideas and avenues to explore, our late summer efforts can get crazy!

In past years, we have offered crafts for kids, various teen activities and our Lap Sit and Story Time programs. For adults, we have invited local authors to do book readings and signings and have had speakers on topics including The Underground Railroad, Hiking the Appalachian Trail, and Preparing for Community Emergencies. Our crafts for adults have included recycled crafts, holiday crafting, and decorating for the holidays.

While we will continue to offer our popular Lap Sit, Story Time and Libra-teen program, we are always looking for interesting topics and activities for adults. If you have any suggestions or ideas on what types of programming you would like to see the library offer this year or in future years, please comment on this blog. Your help will be greatly appreciated! At the Canastota Public Library, we want to be a conduit to the treasures of your life.

Angela Rigler Wins Award

2011-07-28T09:28:00.000-04:00

Angela Rigler, a Library Clerk with the Canastota Public Library has been awarded a Public Transcript of the Quarter Award from the Western New York Library Resources Council, for her work through the program, “Ask Us 24/7”.

Rigler’s award was for the April/May/June 2011 quarter. She was presented the award at the library this month. As a member of the Ask Us 24/7 library community, Rigler won the award for outstanding work in assisting library patrons through virtual reference.

Rigler has been employed at the Canastota Public Library for nearly 12 years. She began her career at the library as a Library Page. Currently, Rigler purchases materials for the children’s area of the library. She also coordinates the weekly program, “Baby & Me Lap Sit with Miss Angela” for babies and their caregivers. On Wednesdays, Rigler assists patrons who are interested in learning new computer skills during the Canastota Library’s Wired Wednesday program. Rigler began working with Ask Us 24/7 in May of 2010.

Ask Us 24/7 is a virtual chat service that connects people with reference librarians. Ask Us 24/7 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. The reference librarian may be from anywhere throughout the state. The librarian helps patrons with questions about their library and will help find answers to other questions by using a range of Internet sources and specialized databases. Ask Us 24/7 is a joint service of the following New York 3Rs Councils: Capital District Library Council ; Central New York Library Resources Council; Northern New York Library Network; South Central Regional Library Council and Western New York Library Resources Council.

About Our Artist

2011-07-14T11:02:00.000-04:00

Canastota artist, Erica Dale Strzepek is the featured artist at the Canastota Public Library during the months of July and August. Her summer exhibit in the Lawson Community Room on the lower level of the library features original works in watercolor and ink.

Erica's subjects capture emotion and memories such as a cold winter walk, simple collected treasures from the beach, or the reach of a rose hip cluster. She finds interest in the forgotten allure of a former treasure or the simple beauty of nature.

To learn more about Erica's work, you can connect with Erica through her art blog at ericadalestrezepek.com.

The Canastota Public Library is raffling an origianl 5X7 watercolor by Erica Dale Strzepek, "Blooms with Patience". Tickets can be purchased at the circulation desk at the library. All proceeds from this raffle will benefit the library.

In addition, for a limited time, patrons can save 30% on Erica's art prints, canvas prints and cards from her online store: erica-strzepek.artistwebsites.com. You will need to list Discount Code: HPLZCF. This offer ends on August 31, 2011.

Teens Explore India, Germany and Other Places!

2011-06-30T13:21:00.000-04:00

The Summer Reading Program at the Canastota Public Library is well underway! If you haven't signed your children up yet for some of the events, there is still time! Just stop by the second floor, children's area of the library!

The library will be closed on the 3rd and 4th of July! We will reopen on Tuesday, July 5th..

On July 5 at 6pm, the teens (grades 6 and up) will kick off their summer reading program with "A Nite In India". Teens will have the opportunity to obtain, with parental approval, a henna tattoo on their hand from artist Noel Frodelius. Additionally, Lori Peryer will be at the library to teach basic yoga skills and an Indian form of dance called Bhangra. A sampling of Indian cuisine, traditional Indian games and a craft will round out the evening.

The teens will also hold four Lunch Bunch Meetings in July on Fridays beginning at 12:30pm. The reading selection includes "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, "Persepolis: The Story of Childhood" by Marjane Satrapi, "Airborn" by Kenneth Oppel and "Ties that Bind; Ties that Break" by Lensey Namioka. The books take place in various settings including Germany, Iran, China and an alternate universe! Lunch will be served during these meetings while we discuss the books we've read that week.

Teen craft Days will be held on Three Wednesdays at the library beginning at 6pm. On Wednesday, July 13, we'll be making Dream Catchers. On Wednesday, July 20th, we'll be experimenting with hula hoop weaving using t-shirts and on July 27th, we'll be making Russian Dolls and Japanese Heroes using wooden eggs.

The teens will end their summer with a game seen around the world, "A Minute to Win It". They will vie for prizes like board games, candy bars, books, posters and more! "A Minute to Win It" will be held on Friday, August 5that 2pm.

Other events for the summer include:
On 7/6 at 2pm, we will have a Pet Mobile visiting the library to entertain our families!
On 7/12, Magician Leon Etienne will entertain us with his sleight of hand demonstrations at 7pm.
On 7/21 at 7pm, Dave Ruch will perform his "One World, Many Stories" which has us singing along to songs sung in different countries.
On 7/26 at 10am, Dan the Snake Man will appear at the Roberts Street School Auditorium , in cooperation with the Summer Enrichment Program
On 7/28 at 2pm, grab your Hogwarts gear and head to the library for Harry Potter's Birthday Party!

We hope to see you at the library! Happy Reading!

Summer Reading Program Sign-Ups--Don't Miss Out!

2011-06-21T14:17:00.000-04:00

Events for the entire family include the following:

Monday, June 27 at 10:30am: A Puppet Show with Nancy Sanders

Wednesday, July 6 at 2pm: The Pet Mobile Comes to the Library

Tuesday, July 12 at 7pm: Magician Leon Ettiene

Thursday, July 21, at 7pm: Music with Dave Rush

Tuesday, July 26: The Library welcomes Dan the Snake Man to a performance at the Roberts Street School Auditorium

Thursday, July 28: The Annual Harry Potter Birthday Party

Monday, August 1: The McCarthy Family performs at the Roberts Street School Auditorium

The library will also coordinate a special summer reading program for teens in grades six through twelve. The theme is “You Are Here”. “You Are Here” will kick off with a special Nite In India at the library on Tuesday, July 5 at 6pm. A variety of stations will be available for the teens to explore. There will be henna painting, bhangra dancing, and yoga as well as authentic games, crafts and food!

Teens will also be able to participate in a Reading Club and Teen Craft Days. The Lunch Bunch reading club will meet each Friday at 12:30 beginning on July 8 and ending on July 29. A list of books that the group will be reading can be picked up at the library. Lunch will be served on the days that the group meets at no cost to participants.

Teen Craft Days will be held on three Wednesdays in July at 6pm. The craft sessions will be held on July 13, July 20 and July 27. Some supplies will need to be purchased by participants. Sign-ups will be necessary for Teen Craft Days so that we are sure we have enough materials for all to participate. Crafts include Dream Catchers, Hula Hoop Weaving and Matryoshka Dolls and Japanese Hero Dolls.
The library notes that these programs can be made available due to the support that we receive from the Friends of the Library and in part by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute for Museum and Library Services!

These programs can be fun and informative for kids in grades kindergarten and up! And, the prices are definitely right at “free”. We hope that you will encourage your child to read this summer. Reading can take them to some very exciting places and help to prepare them for a successful school year in the fall!

Nancy Sander's Puppet Show

The Dedication of Pete's Place

2011-06-09T13:15:00.000-04:00

On Father's Day at 1pm, (Sunday, June 19th) we will dedicate "Pete's Place" at the Canastota Public Library. This celebration is open to everyone in the community.

Pete’s Place, which is on the first floor of the library, holds our collections of DVDs, books on CDs and Science Fiction. We are dedicating Pete's Place to the honor of our beloved colleague, Pete J. Leggett who passed away last year after more than 13 years of service to the library.

Anyone who knew Pete was impressed with his interests--from cooking to anthropology, films and science fiction, fishing and making or repairing books. Pete was also an artist. He sketched, airpainted, painted, made beautiful jewelry and knives and arrowheads. Pete was our fix-it man at the library. He repaired tables, chairs, our computers and even changed the lightbulbs. He was ingenious at some of the inventions he came up with to get things done in a more efficient way. One Christmas years ago, Pete invented a plant watering system that fed our live Christmas Tree in the lobby of the library. And, as many patrons know, Pete could repair audio tape that ripped and rewind it on the tape deck. He could repair pop up books and take scratches out of our DVDs. Book repair was another of Pete's skills.

When selecting what we wanted to put into Pete's Place, we chose collections that were near and dear to Pete Leggett’s heart. It was well known that Pete had a vast knowledge of current movies and could match a patron with the perfect movie! Pete was also a voracious Science Fiction fan! Pete always worked the afternoon/evening shift here at the library and I still catch myself looking towards the elevator at noon, awaiting his arrival. He would walk in listening to a bestseller that was just released on CD or he was listening to an eBook. That was our Pete! And, we hope that he would approve of Pete's Place.

Pete’s Place is a small area in the library and we have attempted to fill it with enormous memories of our colleague and all that he meant to the community and those he touched every day! We hope that you will stop by to take a look at Pete's Place and have some light refreshments with us!

The Canastota Public Library is located at 102 W. Center Street in Canastota.

Summer Reading at the Canastota Public Library

2011-06-08T14:48:00.001-04:00

If your children are like mine, they are already filling their summer days with lots of activities. And, like most parents, I’m looking for activities that are full of learning opportunities and that don’t break the family bank! The library is offering some great programs for area youth at no cost! Not surprisingly, research shows that students who read during the summer breaks go to school better prepared in the fall semester! This year’s Canastota Public Library Summer Reading Programs are geared for fun and learning.
Children aged kindergarten to sixth grade may participate in the “One World, Many Stories” at Your Library” Summer Reading Program. This year’s Summer Reading Program will run from June 27 through August 8. Activities and special events are scheduled on a weekly basis. While most events will take place at the Canastota Public Library, some of the events will be held at the Auditorium at the Roberts Street Elementary School. Calendars listing all events and activities are available at the Canastota Public Library. Registration for “One World, Many Stories” is scheduled all day (June 27) at the Canastota Public Library on the second floor.

Events for the entire family include the following:

Monday, June 27 at 10:30am: A Puppet Show with Nancy Sanders

Wednesday, July 6 at 2pm: The Pet Mobile Comes to the Library

Tuesday, July 12 at 7pm: Magician Leon Ettiene

Thursday, July 21, Music with Dave Rush

Tuesday, July 26: The Library welcomes Dan the Snake Man to a performance at the Roberts Street School Auditorium

Thursday, July 28: The Annual Harry Potter Birthday Party

Monday, August 1: The McCarthy Family performs at the Roberts Street School Auditorium

The library will also coordinate a special summer reading program for teens in grades six through twelve. The theme is “You Are Here”. “You Are Here” will kick off with a special Nite In India at the library on Tuesday, July 5 at 6pm. A variety of stations will be available for the teens to explore. There will be henna painting, bhangra dancing, and yoga as well as authentic games, crafts and food!

Teens will also be able to participate in a Reading Club and Teen Craft Days. The Lunch Bunch reading club will meet each Friday at 12:30 beginning on July 8 and ending on July 29. A list of books that the group will be reading can be picked up at the library. Lunch will be served on the days that the group meets at no cost to participants.
Teen Craft Days will be held on three Wednesdays in July at 6pm. The craft sessions will be held on July 13, July 20 and July 27. Some supplies will need to be purchased by participants. Sign-ups will be necessary for Teen Craft Days so that we are sure we have enough materials for all to participate. Crafts include Dream Catchers, Hula Hoop Weaving and Matryoshka Dolls and Japanese Hero Dolls.
The library notes that these programs can be made available due to the support that we receive from the Friends of the Library and in part by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute for Museum and Library Services!
These programs can be fun and informative for kids in grades kindergarten and up! And, the prices are definitely right at “free”. We hope that you will encourage your child to read this summer. Reading can take them to some very exciting places and help to prepare them for a successful school year in the fall!

Summer Hours

2011-06-03T12:02:00.000-04:00

The Summer is here or seems to be just around the corner! I alwasy think of summer as a time to slow down and enjoy the little things in life. Maybe it is because the weather is so beautiful...Maybe it is because the flowers are blooming but it is probably because for just a little while, the sun is shining in Central New York.

Beginning June 1, the Canastota Public Library has started their summer hours. What does that mean for our patrons? Actually, it means we are opened a little less during the summer. On Monday through Thursday, the library hours will be 9am - 8pm. Friday hours remain the same: 9am - 5pm. On Saturday, we'll open at 10am and close at 1pm. We are closed on Sunday! While it means we are opened a little less, this gives you more time to tend to other things in your world.

This month, the library has a great display of "testing" helps for all of our students who are preparing for final exams and Regents Exams. We know just how important these end of year tests are and we want to be able to provide you with the resources you need to make the "grade"! If there is something that you don't see, just ask us and we can undoubtably order from one of the other 42 libraries within our Mid-York System. And, if it isn't within our system, we do have means to look for the resources you may need worldwide!

June is also a great time to think about summer vacations and planning. Our travel section can be a huge benefit if you are planning a trip! We have information on exotic locales, area sightseeing and day-trips and can help you to brush up your language skills if you are planning a trip to Italy, Germany, France or any other location!

For me, summer is the time to read some of my favorite authors. For example, Janet Evanovich's "Smokin Seventeen" comes out this month as does James Patterson's new book, "Now You See Her". There are several new books that are so popular that my name has been added to a list to reserve them including Betty White and Steven Tyler's new books.

Summer reading is right around the corner so stay posted for great events for the kids and teens!
Happy Reading!

eBook/eReader Demo

2011-05-20T10:58:00.000-04:00

Did you get an eReader for your birthday or Mother's Day? Are you expecting to get one soon? You might want to sign up for the Canastota Public Library's demonstration of eBooks and eReaders. On Wednesday, May 25th from 7 - 8pm, Fritz Meeusen from the Mid-York Library System will be at the Canastota Public Library to show you what you need to know to download eBooks to your eReader!

This one hour demonstration show you all the steps involved in signing eBooks out of the library and copying them to your eReader! You will learn how to download and install a free software program and to create an Adobe ID. Fritz will then cover how to activiate your eReader, how to sign out your eBook and how to copy it to the eReader. The demonstartion also shows how to return signed out eBooks to the library! You'll be an expert!

Fritz Meeusen is a Technology Engineer/Trainer for the Broadband Technology Opportunities Project (BTOP) through the Mid-York Library System.

Participants should bring their own eBook device and a laptop to the presentation. Due to limited space, participants should RSVP to the library by calling 697-7030. To learn more, please contact the library.

Adirondack Artwork Displayed

2011-05-09T14:02:00.001-04:00

Every month, the Canastota Public Library displays original artwork from area artists. For the library, it is an opportunity to display local talent and for the artist, it is a chance to display and possibly sell their work.

Minoa artist, Marilyn Vona will display her work to the public in May at the Canastota Public Library. Vona's work focuses on Adirondack wildlife, lake scenes and sunsets. Her display this month will feature all oils on canvas. Marilyn has been drawing since she was 5 years old. During the war, she explains that her mother used to take paper that the meat was wrapped in and wash it, iron it and cut it into squares for drawing paper for Marilyn. One Christmas, Marilyn told an aunt and uncle that she would like oil paint and at about 8 years old, Marilyn began painting seriously. She describes her talent as "God-given" and explained that while she did take art in high school, she is mostly self-taught.

An artist's reception will be held for the public to meet with Marilyn and view her paintings. The reception will be held on Saturday, May 14 at 1pm at the library. The Canastota Public Library is located at 102 W. Center Street in Canastota. Light refreshments will be served at the reception. All are welcomed.

Microsoft Excel Basics

2011-05-02T10:52:00.000-04:00

          The Canastota Public Library in conjunction with Mid-York Library System will offer a Microsoft Excel Basics training on Friday May 6 from 2 – 4pm. The training session will focus on navigating the Excel interface, entering data into cells, formatting numbers, text and cells and learning to operate auto sum and perform basic formulas. The training session will be helpful for those using Microsoft Excel to create a personal budget.
          This training is offered through a grant through the New York State Library, a unit of the Office of Cultural Education within the New York State Education Department. The funds were received from the Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP). Jennifer Recht, from Mid-York Library System, will provide the training. Recht received her M.S. in Library and Information Science from Syracuse University and recently joined Mid-York’s staff as BTOP Digital Literacy Librarian and Trainer.
          This training will be offered free of charge. Due to limitations in space and computer access, reservations must be made by calling the library at 697-7030.

          The Canastota Public Library is a place of community pride and service and has been providing services since 1896. The library is located at 102 W. Center Street in Canastota.

Poetry Month Ends With Poetry Reading

2011-04-18T10:49:00.000-04:00

April is National Poetry Month and the Canastota Public Library will be holding a very special poetry reading to celebrate the national holiday! On Tuesday, April 26 at 7pm, poet Rachael Z. Ikins will provide select readings from her newly published book of poetry, "Transplanted."

Ikins was born and raised in Central New York's Fingerlakes Region. She is an accomplished poet and illustrator. Ikins is a member of the library's afternoon writing group. she has won eight poetry prizes, among them the National League of American Penwomen in 2006 and 2008.

"Transplanted" will be available for purchase and an author autograph. Light refreshments will be served.

Connecting to Canastota

2011-04-07T12:09:00.002-04:00

We make connections with others every day, don't we? We meet someone new and find out that they know someone that we know or they have worked somewhere that we have worked or visited. I find these connections very interesting.

Recently, I've been spending a lot of time emailing with a fiction author, Kate Racculia. Kate, who lives in Boston, wrote the book, "This Must Be The Place" and is hard at work at her second book. Kate wrote her book on weekends while holding down a full time job...she is my hero! I've come to realize that Kate and I have a little bit in common. I'm currently working on writing a book so we are both writers! We both love suspenseful murder mysteries--to read and to watch on tv or the big screen. We've also both held numerous jobs in life. Kate has been a has been a bassoonist, a planetarium operator, a coffee jerk, a designer, a proposal writer, and a karaoke god, so far in her life. I have been a pianist (for about two months), pretzel baker, a clothing buyer, a fundraiser, a coffee jerk, and a Scrabble queen!

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Kate also has ties to Central New York and Canastota, in particular! After reading her book, I visited Kate's website and asked her if she might consider coming to the Canastota Public Library to do an author talk and book signing. She contacted me within two days and said she would be delighted to speak here as she grew up in Central New York. She spent many summers vacationing on nearby Oneida Lake and some of her relatives lived in Canastota!

Kate's great grandfather, Leland Benjamin Cardner was the village butcher in the 1930's. Kate's grandmother, Marion Ruth Cardner (Van Skiver) graduated from Canastota High School in 1936. Her cousins--Virginia and Shirley Cardner also graduated from CHS a few years later. We even have a few patrons who attended school with Kate's grandmother!

Kate Racculia is a fresh voice in publishing! Her writing is thoughtful, uplifting and a bit quirky--right up my alley! I hope you stop by the library when she visits us on April 14th at 7pm for her author talk. If you, like me, are an aspiring writer, please consider signing up for our Writer's Workshop with Kate on Saturday, April 16th from 1 - 3pm. Both sessions are free and open to the public.

We hope you will come to the library and make a connection with Kate!

Rob Buyea Comes Home

2011-03-08T14:17:00.000-05:00

Rob Buyea, a 1995 graduate of Canastota Central Schools will come home on Friday, March 18th to speak at the Canastota Public Library! At 7pm on March 18th, the library will open for a special presentation and book reading by Rob. Rob's first published book, "Because of Mr. Terupt" is the story of a new teacher and six of his students. Told by the students, the story illustrates how one teacher can change the lives and thoughts of students!

"Because of Mr. Terupt" received a Starred Review from School Library Journal and was selected as a New Voices Pick by the Association of Booksellers.

Since the publication of "Because of Mr. Terupt", Buyea has sold the sequel to the same publisher. At this book reading, Barnes and Noble will be on hand to sell copies of the book and Buyea will stay to autograph books!

Read A Book; Get A Chance To Win A Movie!

2011-02-25T14:12:00.000-05:00

Only at the Canastota Public Library: During the month of March, every time you borrow a book that has been made into a movie, we’ll give you a raffle ticket to win a movie! The more books you read, the more chances you will have to win!
Movies to be given away include:

To Kill A Mockingbird

The Secret

The Stir of Echoes (Blu-Ray)

Up In The Air

August Rush (Blu-Ray)

The Last Waltz (Blu-Ray)

The Canastota Public Library is located at 102 W. Center Street in Canastota. Stop in today!

Sleepy Time Stories This Month!

2011-02-11T12:53:00.000-05:00

Please join Mrs. Jen for Sleepy Time Stories at the Library! Come in your pajamas, bring your blanket and favorite stuffed animal and enjoy some milk and cookies with us. Sleepy Time Stories will be held on Wednesday, February 16th beginning at 6:30pm at the Canastota Public Library.

The program will last about an hour and include giveaways for those in attendance. Children up to age 8 will enjoy "All About Animals" this month. What's your favorite animal? Do you love puppies, horses, aardvarks or elephants? Come and listen to some great stories about all kinds of silly and interesting animals. We'll be reading "A Giraffe and a Half" and "If You Give A Pig A Pancake."

In case of inclement weather, a snow date is planned for February 23. The Canastota Public Library is located at 102 W. Center Street in Canastota.

Water Media and Collage Classes with Artist/Teacher Therese Gena

2011-02-08T14:46:00.000-05:00

Water media and collage is an exciting way to create artwork. Collage, in its many forms, is versatile and user friendly. In this class, beginning students will have the opportunity to enjoy a process that is totally one of a kind. This is a process where there are no mistakes, only happy accidents that help you to create unique art.

According to Therese Gena, "My personal method of teaching will provide ample demonstrations, individualized instruction and lots of hands on experience."
Classes will be held each Tuesday in March (March 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29) at the Canastota Public Library from 5:30pm until 8pm. Due to the nature of this media, it will be necessary for students to attend each and every class. Class size is limited so enroll today by calling the library at 697-7030. A materials fee of $15 and the registration for this class must be made by February 22.

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Programs Begin Again at Canastota Public Library

2011-01-31T14:17:00.000-05:00

This week, several regular programs will begin at the Canastota Public Library! Baby & Me Lap Sit, Storytime with Mrs. Liz and the Librateens all resume this week after a January Break.
Baby & Me Lap Sit with Miss Angela will begin again on Wednesday, February 2 through Wednesday, May 25. This program for babies up to age 24 months and their caregivers is an excellent way to introduce your child to the library. Miss Angela prepares songs, finger plays and books around various themes. And, there is an opportunity for your child to socialize with other babies while you socialize with the other caregivers! Baby & Me Lap Sit is held every Wednesday morning at 10am in the Children's Area on the Second Floor of the Library.
Storytime with Mrs. Liz is scheduled to begin on Thursday, February 3 through Thursday, May 26. This group of pre-schoolers meets each Thursday at 10am in the Children's Area on the Second Floor of the Library. Your child will enjoy stories, games, crafts and a snack during this fun morning program.
The Canastota Libra-Teens is a group of students in grades 6 and up who meet at the library on Wednesdays after school. The group will begin again on Wednesday, February 2 and run through Wednesday, May 25. Speakers, games, crafts and speakers are planned for this spring session of the Libra-Teems. The group meets in the Lawson Community Room from 3pm until 4:30 pm whenever school is in session!
No sign-ups are necessary for these three regular program of the Canastota Public Library. The library is located at 102 W. Center Street in Canastota!

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February's Artist of the Month Named

2011-01-25T14:42:00.000-05:00

Amber Brown will be the Artist of the Month for the Canastota Public Library! Brown, a 2005 graduate of Canastota High School. She studied Art Education at Syracuse University with a concentration in painting. After graduating in 2009, Brown stayed on at SU and received her Masters in Art Education. She enjoys working with all mediums which is why art education is such an interest to her. Brown is currently working as a substitute teacher for the Canastota Central School System.

Brown's artwork will be on display for the entire month of February in the Lawson Community Room. Her display will include ceramics, paintings, prints and mixed media. An Artist's Reception will be held on Wednesday, February 9th at 7pm in the Lawson Community Room.. Light refreshments will be served and the reception is open to the public.

Friends of the Canastota Public Library Membership Drive

2011-01-20T11:59:00.000-05:00

January is Membership Month for the Friends of the Canastota Public Library. We hope that you will show your support for the library by joining the Friends Group! Forms are available at the circulation desk on the first floor of the library.
As well as organizing the Annual Autumn Book Sale and On-going Book Sale in the library, the Friends of the Library decorate the library for the holidays. They also work diligently tomaintain our library gardens. Each year, the Friends donate a portion of their proceeds to library programming and special needs.

Do you have ideas for Friend's activities? If you have suggestions or are interested in becoming more involved with the library, please talk to a staff member and we can connect you with a representative of the Friends of the Library group!

Sleepy Time Stories Begins This Month!

2011-01-12T10:16:00.001-05:00

Please join Mrs. Jen for monthly Sleepy Time Stories at the Canastota Public Library! Come in your pajamas, bring your blanket and pillow or your favorite stuffed animal and enjoy some milk and cookies along with some great stories! There will be fun giveaways each month! Sleepy Time Stories starts at 6:30pm and lasts approximately one hour for children. If school activities are canceled due to weather, Sleepy Time Stories will reschedule for the listed snow date! Mrs. Jennifer Milligan will be the librarian for this special series!

First Session:
January 19 - Enjoy The Weather (snow date January 26): We can have fun in all kinds of weather--rain, snow and sun!! Enjoy some great stories about experiencing the best of all season including: The Snowy Day and A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever!

Second Session:
February 16--All About Animals (snow date is February 23): What's your favorite animal? Do you love puppies, horses, aardvarks, elephants? Come and listen while we read about silly and interesting animals! We'll read some favorites like A Giraffe and a Half and If You Give A Pig A Pancake!

Third Session:
March 9--All About Dr. Seuss! (snow date is March 30): Everybody loved Dr. Seuss. Time for some silly rhyming stories that will make us all gigle and twist our tongue! Who likes Green Eggs and Ham? Or how about The Cat in the Hat?

Fourth Session:
April 13--Our Amazing Universe (snow date April 27): Celebrate Earth Day and the arrival of Spring with stories about our amazing Earth and the Universe beyond! Learn about saving our planet with The Lorax and follow the first trip to the moon with The Moon Over Star.

2010 and 2011 Nicaragua Medical Mission Talk

2011-01-05T10:06:00.000-05:00

          On Tuesday, January 18 at 7pm, members of the 2010 Nicaragua Medical Mission will provide a presentation on their journey to assist the poor of that country. The presentation will be held at the Canastota Public Library in the Lawson Community Room. It will include a slide show as well as questions and answers from members of last year’s team. The Nicaragua Medical Mission is looking for help in making this year’s mission a reality.
          The Away Team for the Nicaraguan Medical Mission in 2011 will be leaving for Nicaragua on February 11 and return on February 22. Greg Wright, a Physician Assistant will be the Medical Director of the team. The team will consist of twenty-two people from Central New York who will set up medical clinics in remote areas near Jinotega and Managua. Last year, the group served almost 1300 people in five treatment days. Each patient was given a three month supply of vitamins and women also received calcium and folic acid. According to the Medical Mission team leader, Sue LaBarre, patients were also treated for high blood pressure, diabetes, infections and musculoskeletal pain. At each clinic, the group strives to hand out shoes, school uniforms, toothbrushes, vegetable seeds and other needed items.
          “Patients walked for miles, often barefoot, to be seen at our clinics. They sometimes waited hours to be seen by one of our providers and then gave us handshakes, hugs and blessings for the help we brought,” LeBarre noted.
          A second part of the mission is to support Children of Destiny, Nicaragua, part of Globe International Nicaragua mission which includes three orphanages. The orphans and housemothers open their homes to allow the mission team to live safely while in Nicaragua and so the team tries to bring the school and orphanages donations as well.
          The Away Team roster for the 2011 trip has not been completely filled, nor has the goal to raise $13,000 for the trip been raised. All of the Away Team does not need to have medical training. There are needs for gatekeepers, people movers and donation clerks as well.
          If you are interested in learning more about the Medical Mission to Nicaragua, please plan to attend this presentation. Light refreshments will be served following the 45 minute slide show and talk. A question and answer period is also a part of the presentation.

New Music and Movement Starting Soon!

2010-12-29T11:18:00.000-05:00

Music and Movement with Julie Reksc will begin on January 15th for children age 4 and under. This special Saturday morning program will run from January 15 through February 19th. Each of the six sessions will begin at 10:15am. The program offers children a chance to dance and sing to some favorite tunes! Space is limited so please contact the library at 315-697-7030 to sign up today!

Madison County Literacy Coalition Seeks Volunteers

2010-11-29T10:15:00.001-05:00

Volunteers who are interested in getting involved with the Madison County Literacy Coalition are invited to attend the Literacy Planning Meeting on Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at 8:30 am – 11 am. The group will be meeting at the New Beginnings Church on Genesee Street in Wampsville.

The Madison County Literacy Coalition is committed to assist 100% of literacy providers to collaborate in achieving the vision of 100% access to literacy services in Madison County. The coalition was formed after results from a Literacy Needs Assessment for Madison County done by Kim Scott of Literacy Powerline. In the assessment, it was discovered that Madison County is challenged by a silent crisis: 5,520 of Madison County adult residents live with low literacy skill. This crisis severely limits Madison County's potential for future growth and prosperity.

The U.S. Census Bureau (2006) estimates the current Madison County population as 70,107. Sixteen percent of that population has not yet completed a high school diploma or its equivalent. The National Assessment of Adult Literacy Report (2009) estimates 10% of the Madison County adult population functions below the basic level, which indicates they have only the most simple and concrete literacy skills. These 5,520 individuals need adult literacy services. Thousands more individuals need continued skill development to advance in the workforce.

The Literacy Planning Meetings are being held the first Wednesday of every month through March 2nd of 2011. For further details or additional information on how you can become involved in this community movement, please plan to attend the meeting on December 1 or contact Carolyn Gerakopulos at the Oneida Public Library, 315-363-3050.

Rebecca Eddy Memorial Writing Contest Awards Ceremony

2010-11-22T18:05:00.000-05:00

More than fifty children and adult contestants entered their original poetry and short stories in the Canastota Public Library’s 10th Annual Rebecca Eddy Memorial Writing Contest this year. One surprise this year was the announcement of several drawings for all participants who attended the Annual Awards Ceremony. A laptop computer and various raffle basket winner’s names were drawn from those participants who attended the awards ceremony.

Drawing Winners
Dell Laptop: Donna Walrath
Raffle Baskets: Madelyn Milligan, Tricia Green, Marleah Roseman and Jeffery VanLiew
The contest was organized by Joan and Doug Eddy as a memorial to their daughter, Rebecca Eddy, a local Canastota woman who died at a young age in an automobile accident. Ms. Eddy was a graduate of Canastota High School as well as a graduate of John Hopkins University. She was an athlete, an artist, a thespian and a scholar. Eddy felt a passion towards writing and also towards her community. Joan and Doug Eddy were on hand to congratulate the winners and to encourage them to continue writing.

The winners of this year’s competition were named at a special awards ceremony at the library on Thursday, November 18.

The winners included the following:
10 and under Short Story
1st Place Kacey Cashel
2nd Place Megan Cretaro
Honorable Mention M. Loryn Wilcox
11-14 Poem:
1st Place Stephanie Seitz
2nd Place Harley Whitmeyer
Honorable Mention M. William Milligan

11-14 Short Story:
1st Place Sarah Cretaro
2nd Place Lydia Scheuermann
Honorable Mention Holly Popple
Honorable Mention Allie Cretaro

15-18 Poem:
1st Place Melissa McGovern
2nd Place Cassidy Backus
Honorable Mention Chris Bradley

15-18 Short Story:
1st Place Jessica McCallops
2nd Place Ryan McDowell
Honorable Mention Marleah Roseman

18 and over Poem:
1st Place Bernie Conklin
2nd Place Margaret LeBlanc
Honorable Mention Michael Seagriff
Honorable Mention Anne DeFrancisco

18 and Over Short Story:
1st Place Michael Seagriff
2nd Place Pam Maihafer
Honorable Mention Olin Davis
Honorable Mention Rachael Ikins
All contestants received a certificate for entering the competition. First and second place award winners also received a cash prize of $25 and $10 respectively. Every participant also received a bookmark of one of Rebecca’s poems. After the awards presentation, writers were encouraged to read a portion of their work to the audience.
The contest is coordinated each year by the Canastota Public Library at 102 W. Center Street in Canastota.

Swamp Snappers Display Work at Library

2010-11-12T13:31:00.002-05:00

November's Art Display at the Canastota Public Library is a new photography group organized for the purpose of enjoying nature while learning about their craft of photography!

The Great Swamp Conservancy "Swamp Snappers" are a group of photography buffs that regularly meet every second Saturday of the month at the Great Swamp Conservancy to share their enthusiasm about outdoor photography. There are workshops, speakers, field trips and experienced photographers mentoring beginners. The group offers an opportunity for experienced & beginning photographers to share and critique their images with the community.
The photos of the Swamp Snappers are available for viewing and purchase at the library in the lower level Lawson Community Room. The pictures are breathtaking and amazingly were taken in our own backyard of Canastota! Members of the newly formed group include Peter Cann, Mike Clouse, Nancy Grabow, Eleanor Jones, Barbara Lindsley, Hayley Patane, Rusty Patane, Cheri Sassman, Donna Ward and Sherry Wright.

BOOKS

2010-11-11T10:07:00.001-05:00

When I was growing up in Western Pennsylvania, I was one of the “middle” children in our neighborhood. Those older than me were five or ten years older than me. And, those who were younger than me, also seemed to be at least five years younger than me. I spent a lot of time by myself or with my Mom. I don’t remember playing with toys or dolls at all. I must have had a Barbie or two, but I just don’t remember them. I remember reading. I can remember Mom taking me to the Grants store and buying me coloring books and reading books. I was enchanted.

As I grew older, I continued reading Little Women, The Little House Series, Trixie Beldon and more. Books were friends. They took me places and allowed me to see more than the tree in my backyard. At about twelve, I discovered romance novels and I devoured them. How glorious, to always have a happy ending! I loved it that true love always won out. Then, I started reading Mary Stewart and Mary Higgins Clark. From Mary Higgins Clark, I learned that I loved a mystery and if there was a love interest involved, so much the better. Sometimes I wondered if I would have become a different person, if I had read non-fiction. I might have been a little more cynical, a glass half empty sort of girl.

The fiction novels allowed me to find a world were happy endings were always possible—no matter the odds. I could become the heroine and save the day, whether putting out a fire, assisting a homeless pet or loving a child that wasn’t my own. Those novels made me believe that reality could be what I wanted it to be.

Somewhere along the way, life can really get us feeling down. And, we think that we can’t reach our goals. We can’t find our way in the storm. We will NEVER be able to try something new with our lives. Every negative thought that comes our way stops us in our tracks. We settle for the lives we think we were meant to live.

I think that our lives should be more like those fiction novels. Where the evil is always triumphed against and the demons of life are slain. Like those books, we should be able to find our way in the storm. We should be able to change our lives in mid-stream, to find a better way for us and for our families. Books offers us hope and the challenge to overcome obstacles; we need to accept that challenge.

Make Potato Chip Scarves for the Holidays!

2010-11-09T13:43:00.000-05:00

There is still time to sign up for a special evening presentation of "Creating Potato Chip Scarves" at the Canastota Public Library! If you are planning to make some of your holiday gifts, why not consider learning to make these attractive scarves?

On Thursday, November 11th at 7pm, the Library Knitters will host a special instructional program on knitting potato chip scarves. If you are interested, you will need to bring 8 oz of a sport yarn as well as #4 knitting needles. Please call the library at 697-7030 to let them know that you will be attending so we can be sure that we have enough instructors available!

The First of November

2010-11-01T10:15:00.000-04:00

I'm still not sure how November got here so quickly but I know it is here. We had some of the white stuff blowing around in my yard last night and this morning and there is definitely a November chill in the air! I guess just due to the chill, I am already thinking about getting my holiday shopping started this week. I do have my wreath out and ready to go on the front door, but I've hesitated to put it up. My husband won't be in the holiday spirit until December 1st or so! I guess I've always felt the holiday spirit about a month earlier than him--probably because the holiday shopping is done by me. If we waited for hubby to get it done, we would have our gifts purchased on Christmas Eve just as the mall is getting ready to close! This year, I'm trying to get some gifts made and am trying to find really unique gifts for family and friends! And, I am looking for warm, indoor activities to keep me busy! This week at the library, we've got two very warm evenings planned for patrons!

This Wednesday, November 3 at 7pm, The Great Swamp Conservancy Photographers will open their November Show in the Lawson Community Room. We invite the entire community out to view this great photography show. This group of photographers is a newly formed group and is sure to be a great treasure to our community! Light refreshments will be served!

On Thursday, November 4 at 7pm, the library will host Julie Rimmel for a wonderfully warm presentation of "Holiday ABC Books". Mrs. Rimmel has a collection of alphabet groups through the ages and she will share some of her favorites. While children are welcomed, this program is designed for an adult audience.

If you have been thinking about making some of your holiday gifts this year, there is still time to sign up for our special evening presentation of "Creating Potato Chip Scarves." On Thursday, November 11 at 7pm, the Canastota Library Knitters would be honored to help you! You will need to bring 8 oz of a sport yarn, as well as #4 knitting needles. Please RSVP by calling 697-7030 so the Knitters will know how many people to expect!

We hope to see you this week at the Library!

The Annual Rebecca Eddy Memorial Writing Contest Underway Now

2010-10-25T14:09:00.000-04:00

The 10th Annual Rebecca Eddy Memorial Writing Contest is coming back to the Canastota Public Library! This year's contest has an additional surprise! As well as being eligible to win 1st and 2nd place for each division, entrants who attend the awards ceremony in November will have the chance to win a laptop! Stop back soon to see the details on this great prize!

Entry forms should be available when school starts next week! Short stories and poems may be any style and/or subject and should be submitted to the library by October 31, 2010.
Entry requirements indicate that original poems should be 20 lines or fewer and original short stories should be between 500 – 5,000 words. Submissions should be made in only one category (poetry or short story) and will be judged by a panel of judges from the community. The following age divisions will be used in determining awards:
· Ages 10 and under

· Ages 11 – 14

· Ages 15 – 18
· Over Age 18
The contest was organized by Joan and Doug Eddy of Canastota as a memorial to their daughter, Rebecca Eddy. Ms. Eddy was a graduate of Canastota High School, as well as a graduate of John Hopkins University. She was an athlete, an artist, a thespian and a scholar. Eddy felt a passion towards writing and also towards her community. Joan and Doug Eddy read each entry that is received into the contest.

The contest is free to enter and there are no residential requirements or limits. Entry Forms, available at the library, should be submitted with each entry.
An awards ceremony will be held in November (Date To Be Announced Soon) on the second floor of the library for all participants. All participants will receive a certificate for entering the competition. First and second place award winners in each age category will also receive a cash prize of $25 and $10, respectively.
The contest is coordinated each year by the Canastota Public Library at 102 W. Center Street in Canastota. For additional information, please contact the library at (315) 697-7030.

Biggest Book Sale EVER!

2010-10-13T12:21:00.000-04:00

The Friends of the Canastota Library will be holding their Annual Book Sale on October 21, 22 and 23 in the entire lower level of the library. Gently used paperbacks and hard cover books, VHS tapes, audio tapes and CDs will be available at great prices during the sale. While the Friends have an ongoing book sale at this library, this book sale is where the Friends pull out all the stops! There will be raffles and library commemorative items also on sale.

The hours for the sale are Thursday, October 21: 9am - 8pm; Friday, October 22: 9am - 5pm and Saturday, October 23 from 10am - 4pm. The Friends of the Library group is a great help to the library, offering volunteer services, fundraising events and assistance at community programs on behalf of the library.

Membership dues for Friends of the Library are available on an annual basis. The memberships are reasonable at $3 per individual and $10 per family. Both membership dues and profits from the annual book sale go towards the purchase of special library supplies and programs. During past years, the Friends have purchased new window treatments for the Carnegie Room, a dishwasher for the library's Community Kitchen, a speaker's podium and a much needed bicycle rack and garden bench. The Friends also made a donation to match the grant offered by the Gates Foundation to purchase laptops and desktop computers for public use.

We hope that you might stop out to support the annual book sale! We are sure you will find a few good books!

October brings back Storytime and Baby & Me Lap Sit

2010-10-04T10:36:00.002-04:00

Happy October! In October, we're very excited to see the babies and preschoolers come back to the library to enjoy fun library time!

Storytime with Mrs. Liz begins Thursday, October 7 at 10am. Habits begin at a young age and trips to the library to read is a very healthy habit. Your preschool child will enjoy stories, songs, a craft and a healthy snack at each session! No reservations are necessary...just come and have some fun! Storytime is held every Thursday from 10am until 11am beginning October 7 through December 16.
Miss Angela invites you and your baby to the fall/winter session of the Baby and Me Lapsit Program. The group of babies and caregivers meets each Wednesday at 10am in the Children's Area on the second floor of the library. The first session will be held on Wednesday, October 6 and for each Wednesday through December 15 at 10am. Bring your baby and come to learn about numbers, letters, colors, animals, and the farm! We promise lots of smiles and playtime with other babies. Baby and Me Lapsit is geared towards babies from birth through 24 months.
Hope you can start your child's life out right with countless trips to the Canastota Public Library.

Thank You!

2010-09-27T11:41:00.000-04:00

The staff of the Canastota Public Library thanks you for your support as we grieve the loss of our beloved collegue, Pete Leggett.

We were overwhelmed by the many of you who attended Pete's calling hours and funeral services.

We will continue to have our first floor cabinet dedicated to Pete and some of his work. This display will remain up at the library for several more weeks. Additionally, at our circulation desk, you may stop by and post your memories of Pete in a special notebook. This notebook will be given to Pete's family in October.

Pete Leggett

2010-09-20T11:33:00.001-04:00

Pete Leggett

1958 - 2010

Our Beloved Friend and Colleague

Unforgettable and Irreplaceable

Your Library Family Will Miss You Always

Upcoming October, November and December Events

2010-09-16T11:05:00.001-04:00

On three Thursday evenings at 7pm in October (October 7, 14 and 21), Aimee Walrath of Scientific Paranormal will discuss Paranormal Activities. Her three weekly talks will include “Understand the Paranormal”, “Evidence Collection” and “Debunking or Finding Natural Explanations for Paranormal Events”. Founded in Syracuse in 2007, Scientific Paranormal is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing scientific answers to unexplained phenomena to alleviate the fear and misunderstanding associated with this. The group uses the latest in audio, visual, and other specialty equipment in order to locate natural sources for claims of paranormal activity.

Thursday, November 4th at 7pm, the library will host Julie Rimmel for a wonderful presentation on “Holiday ABC Books”. Mrs. Rimmel has a collection of alphabet books from throughout the ages and she will share some of her favorites. While children are welcomed, this program is designed for an adult audience.

If you have been thinking about creating your holiday gifts this year, join the Canastota Library Knitters for a special evening presentation on “Creating Potato Chip Scarves.” On Thursday, November 11th at 7pm, the Library Knitters would be honored to instruct you! You will need to bring 8 oz. of a sport yarn as well as #4 Knitting Needles. Please RSVP by calling 697-7030 so the Knitters will know how many people to expect.

The Fourth Annual Victorian Holiday Tea will be held on Sunday, December 5th beginning at 1:30 pm in the Lawson Community Room. Hostess Kathy Bruno has a craft, games, teas and desserts planned for this special day. Bring your daughter, mother, grandmother, favorite aunt or special friend to this fun holiday event! Tickets are $5 per person and should be reserved prior to the date of the tea. Please contact the library at 697-7030 for reservations.

On Friday, December 17th, join us for a presentation on “A Century of Hats”. The presenter, Marlene Miner of Morrisville will be showing us fashionable hats from the last 100 years. This free presentation will be held on December 17th at 10:30 am in the Lawson Community Room.

Paranormal Investigation Series at the Canastota Public Library

2010-09-13T10:37:00.003-04:00

Are you interested in the paranormal? Love watching Ghost Hunters? Feel that you may have experienced Paranormal Activities? Interested in hearing more about Paranormal Investigations locally?

On three Thursday evenings at 7pm in October (October 7, 14 and 21), Aimee Walrath of Scientific Paranormal will discuss Paranormal Activities. Her three weekly talks will include:

Oct 7: “Understand the Paranormal”
Oct 14: “Evidence Collection”
Oct 21: “Debunking or Finding Natural Explanations for Paranormal Events”.

Founded in Syracuse in 2007, Scientific Paranormal is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing scientific answers to unexplained phenomena to alleviate the fear and misunderstanding associated with this. The group uses the latest in audio, visual, and other specialty equipment in order to locate natural sources for claims of paranormal activity.

Refreshments will be served at this free event, compliments of Scientific Paranormal!

Chair Caning at the Canastota Public Library

2010-09-08T13:55:00.000-04:00

Canastota resident and long time caner, Justine Mulford will provide chair caning instructions at the Canastota Public Library this fall. Beginning in late September, Mulford will offer two classes for chair caning. One group of caners will meet on Monday afternoons from 1 pm until 3pm. A second group of caners will meet on Tuesday evenings at 5:30pm. Both groups will begin meeting in late September and continue meeting through October and November.

While there are no fees to participate, caners will be required to obtain a list of caning supplies and a chair which will be recaned or caned during the sessions. Participants should pre register as both sessions have a limited number of open slots. Please contact the library at 697-7030 for a list of materials needed, dates of classes and reserve your space to participate!

Bridge Lessons Sponsored by Friends of the Canastota Public Library

2010-08-30T14:31:00.001-04:00

Beginning September 30, the Canastota Public Library will offer Beginner Bridge Lessons with Mary Walsh from the “Bridge Studio” in Syracuse. The class is for new Bridge players only.

The class size is limited to students who have never played Bridge. The series will be held in the Lawson Community Room, located on the lower level of the Canastota Public Library for eight consecutive Thursday mornings beginning September 30. The classes will be held from 10 am until noon on September 30, October 7, 14, 21, 28 and November 4, 11 and 18.

The cost for this eight week program is $25 per person and the fee must be paid by Friday, September 24 to participate in the program. Space is limited on a first come basis. Checks should be made payable to The Canastota Public Library. You can call the library to reserve your spot at (315) 697-7030.

Please feel free to contact the library with any questions. This program is being sponsored by the Friends of the Library, Canastota Public Library, at 102 E. Center Street.

2010-08-26T13:09:00.001-04:00

Dear Library Friends,

I hope you had a chance to see the stunning garden at the library this summer. It was planted, weeded, watered and pruned by a group of dedicated volunteers. The volunteers worked in the heat and sun to produce an outstanding array of long lasting blooms that brightened the days of each individual who happened upon it. From hosta to hydrangea, peony to purple coneflower, the library garden has been a joy to behold from May through September. The flowers will soon be gone but the memory of them will linger in our minds through the coming winter months. And with spring they will return, once again to lift our spirits.

On behalf of the Library and our Board of Trustees, I wish to thank the volunteers for their labors because as Nineteenth century poet Augusta Carter said, “You don't have a garden just for yourself. You have it to share.”

Liz Metzger
Library Director

It's All About Learning

2010-08-20T10:25:00.002-04:00

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. ~Chinese Proverb

When thinking about writing this blog, I came across the proverb listed above. The quote helped me to remember how important learning is to all of us. When we stop learning, we stop living! There are various ways that we “learn”. Our libraries are full of books on a variety of subjects and can help us to keep our minds humming. Additionally, our local libraries are able to offer new learning opportunities for many in the community.

The proverb also reminded me that school will be starting very soon! This time of year for many children and adults is a time of renewal. The summer is almost gone and we begin thinking about what we will do with our fall and winter free time. At the Canastota Public Library, we are doing the very same thing. This is the time of year when we plan our programming efforts, engage speakers, recruit volunteers to assist with programs and activities and motivate ourselves for a great fall and winter season at the library!

It is sometimes difficult to decide what types of programs and activities we should offer at the library. Would patrons be interested in joining our book club, hearing about a specific topic, learning a new craft or skill? With so many patrons and so many different ideas and avenues to explore, our late summer efforts can get crazy!

In past years, we have offered crafts for kids, various teen activities and our Lap Sit and Story Time programs. For adults, we have invited local authors to do book readings and signings and have had speakers on topics including The Underground Railroad, Hiking the Appalachian Trail, and Preparing for Community Emergencies. Our crafts for adults have included recycled crafts, holiday crafting, and decorating for the holidays.

While we will continue to offer our popular Lap Sit, Story Time and Libra-teen program, we are always looking for interesting topics and activities for adults. If you have any suggestions or ideas on what types of programming you would like to see the library offer this year or in future years, please comment on this blog. Your help will be greatly appreciated! At the Canastota Public Library, we want to be a conduit to the treasures of your life.

Got Books?

2010-08-05T14:01:00.000-04:00

The Friends of the Canastota Public Library are looking for a few good books! If you have books that you are interested in donating to the library, just bag them up and drop them off at the library during regular library hours.

Right now, the group is preparing for their annual Friends of the Canastota Public Library Book Sale. The sale is scheduled about a month earlier than previous years. This year’s sale will be held from October 21 through October 23.

The Friends of the Canastota Public Library can accept gently used hard and soft cover books, books on CD and audio cassette, DVDs, CDs, and VHS Tapes. Books should be in good condition, without any rips or tears. Books should also be clean or free from any writing, mold or mildew. Unfortunately, the Friends cannot accept encyclopedias, text books or Reader’s Digest Condensed books as they have found that there is no market for the resale of these books.

This annual fundraiser for the Canastota Public Library through the Friends of the Library allows the library to continue to provide needed services and programs to the community. In previous years, these Friends of the Library funds have been used as a match to purchase additional public access computers for use, to provide specific programs and other needed resources to the library.

To volunteer your time to the Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale, feel free to leave your name at the library and a member of the Friends Group will contact you. If you have any questions about book donations, please contact the library at (315) 697-7030. The Canastota Public Library is located at 102 W. Center Street.

Happy Harvesting!

2010-07-26T15:45:00.000-04:00

It’s hard to believe that it is already the end of July. I had great intentions and lots of energy planning out a garden this year. It really didn’t happen the way that I planned it.

I was able to plant a nice three tiered strawberry garden in my side lawn. I can’t take much more credit for them than the actual planting. My husband and I planted about sixty strawberry plants. The plants are thriving and I’m sure that this is due to the long, hot and humid days and my husband’s evening watering. To date, we have picked two large bowls of strawberries and enjoy them just as quickly as we pick them. New shoots are sprouting out every day.

Although I had plans for a large garden, it never happened. We did plant four tomato plants in upside down containers that are hanging from my side deck. The tomatoes are growing but nothing is red yet! We also planted a jalapeno plant in a container. It is on the back deck and my son tells me that the peppers taste delicious. He is putting them on just about everything that he is eating! We also planted bell peppers. They are coming along nicely. We purchased a bag planter and planted potatoes this year for the first time. I am really looking forward to some home grown potatoes. Finally, I bought some seed strips to try. I planted radishes and hope that they are able to harvest within the next few weeks.

So, in spite of the fact that my plan was downsized, we should still have some tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and radishes this year. After our vacation, I’m hoping to make tomato sauces and salsas so that we can enjoy them through the winter!

If you have a garden or are buying local produce to put up for the winter, we hope you will stop by the library for some great books on preserving your harvest! I would suggest that you take a look at "Canning & Preserving Your Own Harvest" by Carla Emery and "The Farmer’s Wife Guide to Growing a Great Garden and Eating From it too: Storing, Freezing and Cooking Your Own Vegetables" by Barbara Doyen. We also have some magazines that will help with some great tips and advice like Mother Earth News, Mary Jane’s Farm and Hobby Farms.

Happy Harvesting!

Libra-teens Earn Madison County's Promise Mini Grant

2010-07-19T10:05:00.000-04:00

The Canastota Libra-teen Group has recently been awarded a 2010 Madison County's Promise, The Alliance for Youth Mini Grant in the amount of $200. The teens, who meet at the library once weekly during the regular academic year, will be working on a project geared towards bringing awareness to the goal of reducing substance abuse and building a safe and healthy community.

The teen’s project is entitled “The Power of Knowledge.” Each of the teens in the program plans to create a poster showing why knowledge is such an important issue in understanding the dangers of drugs and other substances. The teens hope to show that there are resources available at the Canastota Public Library to educate both teens and their parents about drug and substance abuse issues. The posters will be on display at the library’s Lawson Community Room during the month of December 2010 for public viewing. The teens also plan to write a script for a sixty second video as well as sixty and thirty second public service announcements for local radio stations to air. The video will be posted on YouTube, the library’s website and Facebook site as well as on PAC99. The radio commercials will be given to the local radio station, WMCR for use. The scripts and commercials will be created in the fall.

“We hope that the community will look at the library as a resource to find information about drug, alcohol and other substance abuse,” said Abby, one of teens working on the project. She also noted that the group hopes that other teens will find the library to be a safe and fun place where they can hang out with friends.

There are about fifteen members of the group who will participate in this project. The library will provide a safe meeting place, resources, various supplies needed and a team leader for the project. Madison County’s Promise mini-grant will allow the teens to purchase supplies needed for poster creation and video creation.

The teens will be working on this project during September, October and November. For additional information regarding the Canastota Libra-teens, please contact Beth Totten at the library. You can also visit the library’s website at www.canastotalibrary.org. For information regarding Madison County’s Promise, The Alliance for Youth, contact Sarah Johnson, Coordinator for the program or visit www.madisoncountynypromise.org.

Bored With Book by Beth Totten

2010-07-16T11:53:00.001-04:00

I have always enjoyed James Patterson’s books. So, I was very excited to see another book, co-written with Maxine Paetro, called Private come into the library recently. I saw the book marketed just about everywhere—from the internet to the television and radio. There has been and continues to be a lot of hype for this book! And, the ‘buzz” about the book made it sound mysterious, high profile and kind of sexy. On Patterson’s website, I read the following intro for Private: “Former CIA agent Jack Morgan runs Private, a renowned investigation company with branches around the globe. It is where you go when you need maximum force and maximum discretion. The secrets of the most influential men and women on the planet come to Jack daily—and his staff of investigators use the world's most advanced forensic tools to make and break their cases.”

Since Private is a new book, I was able to check it out for two weeks. It has never taken me more than a few days to scream through a Patterson novel though so I wasn’t worried. I was looking forward to secrets, a sexy private investigator and a thoroughly good read. This book, as with all of Patterson’s books, was a fast read. The chapters were tight and short. As I read before bed one night, I kept thinking that the chapters were so short that I could just “read one more” before sleeping. Unfortunately, when I finished the book, I didn’t feel like Patterson and Paetro delivered what they were advertising!

The book, while filled with a few “secrets” was too easy to figure out—no hidden mysteries or complications for our hero, Jack Morgan. The main character seems to have difficult relationships with family and unbinding relationships with women. The reader learns that Jack really loves his friends and would do anything for them, but I would have liked more depth to his character. As a reader, I never warmed up to him.

The cases that the private agency took on left me a lukewarm, as well. There were basically three investigations that the agency took on during the course of this book. The first that we’re introduced to is the murder of a former girlfriend of Jack’s. The girlfriend recently married Jack’s best friend and the best friend is accused of the wife’s murder. The second investigation involves multi-million dollar NFL gambling ring which also involves Jack’s twin brother and an uncle. The third investigation is with the local police and involves finding the maniac who is killing young school girls—eighteen in all. All of these investigations are done by the agency pro-bono. The investigations were predictable, short on details and lackluster. I never got enough information to get excited.

The marketing for the book touts the fact that the agency is world-wide. This reader was expecting travels to these various locations with secrets, murder and mayhem happening all over the place. After all, the cover lists New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris as places where the agency has a presence. The book takes place in and near Los Angeles but Jack only takes phone calls from the other branches around the world. The reader really doesn’t learn too much about these other offices, or how or why Jack opened offices in these other cities.

Running through all the investigations are Jack’s issues with committal…he previously dated the recently murdered wife of his friend. Things didn’t work out. There is also another forensic psychologist on the staff of Private who Jack had a relationship with for many years. He couldn’t commit and she moved on to the district attorney on the case of the murdered school girls. Now, he’s dating his secretary but poor old Jack can’t warm up to her either. Frankly, Jack’s love life bored me as much as the investigations.

I’m not exactly sure what happened with this book and that has been bothering me since I finished it last week. Was it me? Was I expecting too much? Was it the writing? Was there not enough information? Did the authors try to “shove” too much into one book? Was there not enough depth? I’m still not sure.

All I am sure about is that I didn’t enjoy this book. It didn’t make me feel involved in the investigations or the characters as other Patterson books have made me feel. Instead, I felt like I really didn’t care. I felt like I was reading a script for a ‘made for television movie’ that I was watching just because there wasn’t anything else on the other channels. The only thing I can say for sure is that the chapters were short and I read the book in two evenings. It was not memorable. I may try another James Patterson book in the future—he has four more books being published between now and March of 2011—but I’m not sure that I will be waiting in great anticipation!

The Dark Side of Tanning by Dale Boyd

2010-07-01T15:12:00.000-04:00

“GTL” is the unofficial catch phrase for the hit reality show “Jersey Shore”. It stands for “Gym, Tan, and Laundry” which from what I have gathered from watching the show are three of the most important things in life for Ronnie D and “The Situation” (yes that is what they really call themselves). What they apparently didn’t consider when they formed this motto is that excess tanning is dangerous and unhealthy; nearly doubling the risk for melanoma. A few months ago, a “Tan-tervention” was held on the show to show them all the risks of tanning and to convert them to safer spray tans. However, millions of Americans still go to the tanning beds to get the perfect look despite the risks.

Teens and young adults are the group that is most likely to use tanning beds. Melanoma is the second most common type of cancer for 15-25 year olds. Girls frequent them more often than guys, probably because girls usually put more emphasis on their appearances than males. This is not to say that men won’t overexpose themselves to either sunlight or tanning beds. In fact, tanning can become habit forming and for many people, even compulsive in ways that are akin to anorexia and body dysmorphic disorder.

July 1 is the date when Obama’s Tanning bed tax went into effect. Starting now, there will be a 10 percent tax on indoor tanning. One of the justifications for this tax was to offset the healthcare costs brought about by the dermatological illnesses caused by tanning. Of course, there are not currently any proposed taxes on sunlight, but it is clear that the problem of over-tanning is significant enough that it would garner the attention of the highest level of the Federal government.

So why would so many people be willing to risk their health and spend money on darkening their skin anyway? What do they believe that their skin color says about them? There was once a time in the United States when milky-white skin was fashionable and coveted. One of the reasons for this was that white skin was a symbol of wealth and class. Even as far back as Victorian England, women would wear makeup that made them look as white as possible. This makeup often contained toxic substances like lead, thus posing a major health risk.

Skin tone is a genetic trait. Unlike shoes or clothes, which can be changed with the times, there is only so much that one can do to change ones skin color. There was certainly an Anglo-centric bias embedded within the antiquated standard of pale skin color, in that not everyone could attain that standard without outrageously unhealthy means. This was a time when any skin color other than white was considered ugly.

This same phenomenon is still going on, yet now the desired skin color has darkened a bit. Now people are lying half naked underneath powerful UV lights and damaging their skin until they achieve the skin color that they desire. Not only is this unhealthy, but there are many people who no matter how many times they sunburn, they will not get a dark tan. Many people of northern European and Scandinavian descent simply do not have the ability to significantly darken their skin by tanning. They are also more susceptible to skin damage from prolonged UV exposure. Unless they feel like pouring brownish-orange goop on their skin, their skin will never compare to those who are fortunate enough to be genetically “beyond the pale”.
While tanning to the extreme is surely dangerous, there are some health benefits to a moderate amount of sun exposure. Sunlight helps the body produce Vitamin D, and a lack of sunlight can contribute to mental conditions such as depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Moderation is the key.

Cell Phony: When Technology Betrays Us by Dale Boyd, Summer Intern at CPL

2010-06-22T13:30:00.000-04:00

A Commentary on the book, Cell by Stephen King:

What if cell phones destroyed our minds and turned us all into brain-dead zombies? Leave it to Stephen King to write a book based on this idea. His 2006 book “Cell”, which is now being made into a televised movie, is the story of how one afternoon, everyone who answered his or her ringing cell phone instantly became a mindless, savage version of a human being. Ironically, many of those who saw this crazed behavior going on in the streets turned to their cell phones to call 911, thus turning themselves into brain-dead savages. These “phoners” would go on to form insect-like colonies with unusual psychic powers, leaving only the lucky few who either did not own cell phones or did not answer cell phones to try and survive the collective hives that now ruled the Earth. What an apocalyptic take on how we have come to rely on our electronic devices for information, and how the predictability of our reliance on these devices can leave us open to threats.

I send about five to ten text messages a day and almost never am without my cell phone, and as I was reading the book, the idea of my cell phone turning me into a mindless zombie made me want to take the battery out of it and lock all my doors and windows against King’s imaginary impending zombie doom. However, even as a cell phone user, I get annoyed when people put their cell phones ahead of what is physically going on around them. This is part of the dark appeal of this book, in that those stereotypical cell phone users who clog up supermarket checkout lines and swerve absent-mindedly in and out of their lane when they are texting seem to get punished by a divine act of vengeance. This is the sentiment that I perceived from the author, who specifically includes in the preface to “Cell” that he does not own a cell phone.

But why the dark appeal, Mr. King, for such a cellular social upheaval, and why is it also so terrifying? Technology has rapidly changed the way in which people communicate and socialize. It has expanded far beyond cell phones, into social networking sites like Facebook accessible by computer, and smart phones which now blur the line between phone and computer. A change in social communication also leads to changes in society. Words like “wall”, “profile”, “text”, “friend”, “tagged” and “like” now have different meanings than even a few years ago when the book was written. If King had written the book in 2010, he would have had a whole new slew of ways in which to terrify us with technology gone wrong.

Part of what makes “Cell” scary is the prominent role of electronic communication in our lives. I felt fine in the days before I had a cell phone, but once I got one, I felt almost naked without it. My phone conjoined with my wallet and keys to form a sort of Holy Trinity of my pants pockets; things I would never dream of leaving the house without. I was also fine before I got a Facebook, now that I have one, I feel uncomfortable going one day without checking it to see what messages friends and family have left for me. Things in our pockets and in our homes with screens, keys, and buttons open up many doors for us, but as soon as we become complacent and adjusted to them we can only feel deprived when we are left without them. The fact that so many people including myself rely on them for maintaining professional, personal and familial relationships makes it very disconcerting that they would ever betray us, leaving ourselves and those on our contact lists vulnerable.

Of course, it is possible and actually quite common for such betrayal to happen. While we don’t have to worry about our iPhones turning us into iZombies (I hope), human beings can get inside our cell phones and computers and try to sell us things that we do not want, pretend to be people who they aren’t, hack in to our devices and profiles to get our personal information, and even hijack our names to send viruses to our friends and families.

This happened to me once when I clicked on a Facebook message that looked like a YouTube forward from an old friend. After I that, I got an ingeniously evil virus that was designed to look like an antivirus program, and only got worse when you tried to remove it. I ended up spending $85 dollars to get it repaired, and I was left wondering if the cost of the Internet was worth the benefits.

Of course, I still use my computer, Facebook, and cell phone all the time, perhaps more than before. When I’m home from school, my computer and my phone are where my friends and family “live”. When we go without our computers and phones, we don’t miss them because we enjoy them as possessions, we miss them because we miss our social connections. Most of us do lead lives where all of our friends and family are under the same roof or in the same town. Rather, we have loved ones and professional contacts all over the nation and sometimes all over the globe. By far the most convenient way to reach them is electronically. The best thing that we can do is to be cautious and aware that other people and programs may be listening in on our electronic conversations.

SUMMER EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING BY DALE BOYD

2010-06-17T13:34:00.002-04:00

Today's Guest Blogger for the library is Dale Boyd. Dale, a student from Keuka College will be with us at the library for six weeks this summer!!!

As the month of June progresses, many college students caught halfway between the world of education and the real world find themselves in summer stupors. Lying listless on couches in front of televisions and air conditioners, they count the days until the next semester begins. Still others find themselves working in fast-food restaurants and supermarkets, driven by the desire for a few extra bucks and also to assuage their parents nagging them to “Get a job!” However, Keuka College students such as I often have a much different summer experience than others. Keuka’s focus on “Experiential Learning” demands that students go the extra mile over their breaks to get real world learning experience. I have chosen the Canastota Public Library as my learning site for the next five weeks, and I am very happy that I did.

Keuka College requires all of its students to complete four of what they refer to as “Field Periods”. This consists of four to five weeks spent out in the real world to attain a valuable learning experience. Students can go to foreign countries to do volunteer work, work in Fortune 500 companies, or do something right in their own hometowns. The idea is to gain skills and develop work ethic that lasts for a lifetime. I chose the Canastota Public Library because of my proximity of my home in Oneida to their location, my appreciation of the value of volunteer work, my appreciation of the value of education and my desire to help them develop more effective communication with the public.

As a communications major, I hope that I can learn a lot from the people working at the library. I look forward to witnessing how the library as an organization communicates with patrons, other libraries, and how individuals within the library communicate with one another. I also hope that I can help them to achieve their social media goals this summer. The library currently has its own Facebook and MySpace pages, and I hope to increase the number of people that visit these sites as well as to submit interesting content to enrich the viewing experience of those who visit the sites.

I am only in my third week, and yet I have been afforded the opportunity to contribute to the library in many different ways. So far, I have had to opportunity to redesign the library’s bookmark. The updated version includes a picture of the front of the building facing Center Street. The information concerning the services provided by the library as well as the library’s policies have also been updated. I have also had the opportunity to create the aquatic-themed children’s display on the second floor, following the suggestions of Liz Metzger, who is the director of the library and also my supervisor. Each kid gets their own cutout fish that he or she can color in according to his or her own creative vision, and each shape will be unique.

I was also entrusted with the task of hosting the library’s annual “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader” game at the Roberts Street School Carnival. This year, we were lucky enough to dodge the downpours and we got a big turnout from the kids. They ranged from 4th to 8th grade, but it turns out that pretty much everyone was smarter than a fifth grader. I’ll admit, there were actually a few questions that I myself wouldn’t have known without the answer key. I have also created fliers that have been put up around the library to advertise the various events hosted by the library. This has familiarized me with the program Microsoft Publisher, as it is very useful for creating attention grabbing fliers in a short amount of time.

I look forward to the second half of my time here at the library and I hope that by the end of my experience here I will have helped them as much as they have helped me.

Canastota Author Book Talk At Library

2010-06-14T13:20:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, June 24th at 6:30pm, Canastota resident Margaret Ann LeBlanc will be at the Canastota Public Library to talk about her book, “The Mexico Adventure, Book Three of the Ms. Maddy Series.” This presentation is for parents and children!

All of the Ms. Maddy books tell stories involving Ms. Maddy, her dog, Gertie, and their friends, Chloe, Kate and Pete. In the Mexico Adventure, Ms. Maddy, Gertie and the children take a surprising trip with the aid of a magical purse and handkerchief!

LeBlanc, who is originally from Canastota, NY, has worked in the restaurant business for all of her life. She enjoys meeting new people and traveling to faraway places. She has also been a personal chef, doggie biscuit maker, and recipe collector. For several years, LeBlanc lived in the small village of Canaan, Maine. She and her husband moved back to Canastota within the last year to be closer to family.

Following the presentation, LeBlanc will be available to autograph books for those in attendance. The cost of the book, “The Mexico Adventure” is $16.95. Light refreshments will follow. The event will be held in the library’s Lawson Community Room on the lower level of the library.

THOSE LAZY, HAZY, CRAZY DAYS OF SUMMER

2010-06-02T14:59:00.000-04:00

     When Nat King Cole sings “roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer”, it sure gets me thinking about all the summer days when I would curl up on the chaise lounge on our front porch. That was my favorite place to go to read a book! The porch was shaded and even on the warmest day; I could feel a slight breeze.

     If you are having a lazy day this summer, or thinking about going on vacation, you could probably use a good book to read. I hope you will remember that the Canastota Friends of the Library has an on-going book sale! The books and other materials for sale are set up in the computer area and the adjacent space at the library. Stop by any day that we are opened to check out the selection of paperbacks (Just 5 for $1) or hardcover books (either $1 or $3). We also have a selection of cds, dvds and videos that you can peruse. These are great for taking on vacation to the beach or just for some light reading after dinner.

     Some of us seem too crazy busy to stop and read a book. It that is you, you’ll want to check out MYaudio2go from the Mid-York Library System and the public libraries of Oneida, Madison and Herkimer Counties. MYaudio2go allows you to access hundreds of audio books from your home computer, twenty-four hours a day, seven days each week! MYaudio2go allows you the freedom to enjoy audio books, anytime, anywhere. It allows you to borrow audio books even when your library is closed and there is no need to worry about fines because the file becomes unplayable on the computer when the loan period ends. The service gives you access to bestsellers and classic literature and is jointly funded by the Mid-York Library System and its forty-three member libraries.

     To try out the service, go to midyork.org and click on the link for digital audio. Go to the web site and install the free software. Browse for a book or search for a favorite author. Check the audio book out using your library card. Download the file and enjoy listening to the book on your PC or transfer the file to a compatible device to enjoy on the go.

     With all of us so busy these days, even during lazy, hazy and the crazy days of summer, the Canastota Library is here to meet our needs. Whether you are like me, and enjoy having the book physically in your hand; like my husband who enjoys audio tapes or like the kids who are really interested in using the MYaudio2go, the library is a great resource in the community! I’ll see you there. And, if I’m not working, you’ll find me on the porch at home, reading.

SUMMER SIZZLES AT THE CANASTOTA PUBLIC LIBRARY

2010-05-26T13:49:00.002-04:00

If your children are like mine, they are already filling their summer days with lots of activities. And, like most parents, I’m looking for activities that are full of learning opportunities and that don’t break the family bank! The library is offering some great reading and writing programs for area youth at no cost! Not surprisingly, research shows that students who read during the summer breaks go to school better prepared in the fall semester! This year’s Canastota Public Library Summer Reading Programs are geared for fun and learning.

Children aged kindergarten to sixth grade may participate in the “Make a Splash at Your Library” Summer Reading Program. The “Make a Splash” program will run from June 28th through August 9th. Activities and special events are scheduled on a weekly basis. While most events will take place at the Canastota Public Library, some of the events will be held at the Auditorium at the Roberts Street Elementary School. Calendars listing all events and activities are available at the Canastota Public Library. Registration for “Make a Splash” is scheduled all day on Monday, June 28th at the Canastota Public Library on the second floor. Parents can also register children online through the Library’s website.

The library will also coordinate a special summer reading program for teens in grades six through twelve. Sign up is also schedule for all day, June 28th at the library on the second floor and through the library's website. The theme is “Make Waves @ The Canastota Public Library”. Events, which all will have a water or beach theme, include a Battleship kick-off tournament at 2 pm on Monday, June 28th. The teens will also be able to participate in craft programs, a journal writing course and a reading club.

The Lunch Bunch reading club will meet each Tuesday at 12:30 beginning on July 6 and ending on July 27. A list of books that the group will be reading can be picked up at the library. Lunch will be served on the days that the group meets at no cost to participants.
The Write Stuff, the Library’s summer writing program for teens will meet each Wednesday beginning June 30 and ending July 28th. This year will feature journal writing including prompts and exercises! A journal and pen/pencil will be provided.

Teen Craft Days will be held on Thursdays at the library beginning at 1pm. Some supplies will need to be purchased by participants. Sign-ups will be necessary for Teen Craft Days so that we are sure we have enough materials for all to participate. Crafts include t-shirt decorating, flip flops enhancements and drink coaster sets.
The library notes that these programs can be made available due to the support that we receive from the Friends of the Library and in part by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute for Museum and Library Services!

These programs can be fun and informative for kids in grades kindergarten and up! And, the prices are definitely right at “free”. We hope that you will encourage your child to read this summer. Reading can take them to some very exciting places and help to prepare them for a successful school year in the fall!

TWEETING IS FOR THE BIRDS

2010-05-24T14:22:00.003-04:00

I am becoming increasingly annoyed at new technology. In the past, my husband has indicated that I am the most technologically challenged person that he knows. And, although he is absolutely correct about my affliction that is not why I am annoyed with every new fangled gadget that comes down the pike.

I realize that there is a learning curve for everything that is new and different. I know how to basically use my email, my cell phone, and my iPod. My annoyance comes from the constant bombardment of communication. We have email, snail mail, telephones, cell phones, pagers, tweets, and blogs. Our information comes from the internet, television, radio, newspapers and magazines. While this is all very nice and sometimes even immediate, I think it is the immediacy that is most troubling and yet at the same time, helpful.

Tweeting, when I was young, was something that birds did. And, it made sense. Birds communicated with other birds by tweeting or chirping. Tweeting today, allows an infinite number of people around the planet, and perhaps beyond our planet, to know what a person is doing or thinking at the exact instant that they are doing and thinking whatever it is they are doing or thinking. Do we need to know that a particular person thinks that salespeople in the metropolis where they are shopping are rude and disgusting? Some things might better be kept to yourself!
I like my cell phone. A cell phone is particularly helpful in emergencies. I like to travel with a cell phone and have one with me in the event that a family member or coworker can reach me in an emergency. I do not like to chat. My college aged daughter communicates almost exclusively through chatting. The main reason I don’t like to chat is that when chatting, a person can’t see your emotions or hear your tone of voice. The second reason that I don’t like chatting is that I don’t understand most of it. Chatting seems to use a lot of slang. Often, my daughter will pepper her chats with little coded messages like “LOL” and “bc” and “GTG”. There are actually manuals online that list many, many different ways to “say” different things when chatting. For instance, the following all have to do with laughing: LOL, ROFL, FOFL, LIS, LMHO, LMSO, LOLA, LOLZ, and LOOL, to name just a few. Why can’t people just say, that made me laugh? Or, that is funny? Or simply—funny!

There are times in my life when I actually want to be alone. I crave the quiet. My best thinking moments are those spent on the deck listening to nature. I am able to focus more on important issues.

My undivided attention allows me to think through a problem and create solutions. I think that more of us should find that type of quiet and alone time. It should be time without a radio, a cell phone or any of those modern gadgets that shake or rattle or roll.
In this case, I believe there is more value in life in watching the birds and hearing them “tweet.” I have no interest in “tweeting” myself.

Canastota Native, Joan Cerio, to Speak at Canastota Public Library

2010-05-10T13:44:00.001-04:00

On Tuesday, May 18 at 7pm, Canastota native, Joan Cerio, will speak about how she wrote her book, “In the Key of Life, An Activational Journey to the Soul”. The talk will take place at the Canastota Public Library in the Lawson Community Room. In her talk, Cerio will provide tips on how to allow your writing to flow.

Cerio, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and a Master of Science degree in science education, has also studied the metaphysical and spiritual aspects of life. She began this study as a massage therapist and then became a Reiki Master Teacher, Advanced Level Integrated Energy Therapy Practitioner and studied Healing Touch and Ortho-Bionomy. In addition to being a healer, Cerio is an author, mystic, teacher and speaker.

Cerio’s book, “In the Key of Life, An Activational Journey to the Soul” provides nine keys for opening to the truth of who you are and your life's purpose. This book is not a typical self-help, new age, metaphysical, or spiritual book. The book really is an extension of Cerio’s healing work and is a way to bring energetic support to more people.

Ms. Cerio will hold a book signing immediately after the presentation. The cost of her book is $13.95 plus tax. She can accept cash or checks only. Light refreshments will be served following the presentation.

Spring Has Sprung

2010-04-12T09:14:00.001-04:00

I love to sleep. Sleeping in and sipping a steaming cup 'o joe on my deck is a spring and summer ritual for me. This time of year it is especially wonderful. My husband filled all the bird feeders during a warm spell last week and the bluejays, cardinals, wrens and finches are visiting us in droves!

This morning, alas, I was not able to sleep leisurely. A friend, who also happens to be a library patron, decided that spring brings with it a new physically fit Beth. Although I didn't want to admit it, she is right. All of the health magazines and women's magazines that I am reading tell me that I need to get in shape. Exercising will help me to decrease my blood pressure. Eating healthier portions with more fruits and vegetables will help my cholesterol numbers to drop. But, most of all, the winter blues that I get should diminish as I begin to exercise more both at the gym and outside.

Today, my regiment began. I was ordered to be up, walking, dressed for the gym and waiting in my driveway at 5:10am. At that time, a blue van with my chaffeur and exercise partner, Lisa, would pick me up for our appointment. Holy Toledo! I didn't realize that anyone actually got up at that hour, let alone exercised. Are people really that crazy, I thought? Yes, they are. My alarm jarred me at 5am. I was up, dressed, walking but definitely not awake! We made it to the gym and had to look for a parking place!!!! I was amazed at all the other folks who are up, exercising and SMILING. I did about 25 minutes on the treadmill and another 20 on various weights to tone what once was a size 2 body. And, although I will never admit it to my friend Lisa, I rather enjoyed getting up and going early. My day started so much more productively than usual.

I guess some of my spring mornings will now be spent at the gym. So, that leaves the deck and all those wonderful birds for my evenings, after dinner. I bet the birds are still feeding then. You'll find me there with a new bestseller and my cinnamon scented coffee.

Happy Spring everyone!

Change

2010-03-31T13:58:00.002-04:00

In the small community in Western Pennsylvania where I grew up, I can remember how “adult” I felt when I was permitted to ride the bus or walk downtown to the public library. For me, the library outing soon became a regular event. Every Saturday, I would find a project that needed me to check out the card catalog on the first floor of the library. Hours were spent pouring through the catalog and various books to ensure that I would create a good research paper. I would sit in one of the reference rooms and work on term papers, read books and giggle with friends who had also gone to the library to hang out! For me, that was heaven!

Today, much has changed. The card catalog has been replaced by a computer program. The internet has replaced many of our book resources. But, much hasn’t changed. I am still drawn to peruse new books. I love to check the shelves for books on subjects of interest—from planting a summer garden to organizing my house and on genealogy. Sitting in the magazine room and flipping through the current issues is an enjoyable afternoon or evening pastime. And, the library staff is still friendly and helpful. If I can’t find a particular book, the library has the resources of more than 40 other libraries in its system and countless other libraries, world-wide.

The Canastota Public Library is a great community center for our area. Monthly, the public is invited to art exhibits showcasing artisans from the area. On Sundays, we’ve been showing “Oscar’s Best Picture” films, alternating between early and more recent winners. This spring, we’ve held two free concerts for the public on Sunday afternoons. Every Friday morning, the area’s knitters descend on the Lawson Community Room to knit, sew and talk technique with others. Mothers and their babies and tots arrive every Wednesday and Thursday mornings for our Children’s programs on the second floor of the building. As well, seniors have been able to obtain help in completing their taxes with a volunteer since January. We’ve also featured programs on breast cancer awareness, surviving a money crunch and hiking the Appalachian Trail. Over 100 local community groups meet at the library on a regular basis including girl scout troops, tutors, public service groups such as the Rotary and Lions Clubs, a Bridge playing group, The Canastota Community Chest and more.

Change is inevitable in life. And, while change has happened in the library, I’m so glad that the library hasn’t changed too much! It is still a haven for me and so many other readers, researchers and members of the community. The Canastota Public Library touches many lives in our area!

Is Our Library Essential?

2010-02-18T12:52:00.000-05:00

Did you know that Governor David Paterson is proposing a $2.4 million cut in Library Aid in the NYS 2010-2011 Executive Budget? This will be the fifth cut in less than two years and will bring Library Aid down from $102 million in 2007 to $84.5 million in 2010. These cuts combined total an $18 million or 18% reduction in funding for library services. Libraries are part of our safety net—they are essential to life long learning, jobs and opportunity, quality of life and community empowerment.

Here at the Canastota Public Library, we have seen an increase in the number of people using services here. From our regular programming like StoryTime for Toddlers and Baby & Me Lap Sit to our Teen Group and evening programs, we see more people walking through our doors. We have also seen a rise in computer usage here at the library. With so many locally out of work, we've had people coming in to fill out on-line applications, search job opportunities on the internet and take out books on starting a business or writing a resume! Our DVD collection seems to see a lot of action, too. Many families can't afford to take the whole gang to the movies but they can borrow a DVD for two nights at no charge, make popcorn at home and have a great time!

Last year, when my husband was out of work, we looked to the library for resources on cutting our household expenses, living on a budget and for entertainment purposes. The library had those resources for us! Our children use library resources for educational learning and for reading entertainment. The library is our second home.

We asked some of our patrons why the library is essential in their lives...here are some of the answers!

My library is essential because: "My son couldn't live without the library. He has a great love for the library!"
My library is essential because: "It is the touchstone of Canastota and life!"
My library is essential because: "Without it, I would be lost."
My library is essential because: "It offers many hours of peaceful entertainment."
My library is essential because: " We couldn't afford to buy books for our children. We don't have a computer at home. My children use the library to get information for school like the computers and books that the library has."

If the library is essential in your life, you can provide support. Stop into the library at 102 W. Center Street and sign our petition which will be delivered to Albany politicians in March. Or, visit http://www.protectnylibraries.org/. There, you can sign the online petition as well as see what a typical day at a library looks like. We have submitted a Wednesday Video from our library and statistics for a typical day here at the Canastota Public Library. We used statistics from Wednesday, Feb 2, 2010.

When we, as a people, seem to have less resources, the libraries are the first place we turn. Why would we allow Albany to cut aid to libraries again? Please offer your support!

Calling All Teens! Learn To Knit @ The Library!

2010-02-08T10:49:00.002-05:00

Have you ever wanted to learn to knit? If you are a teen, in grades 6 and up, this is your chance! The Canastota Library Knitters are offering free knitting classes for teens during the month of March!

The Canastota Public Library Knitters will provide a pattern and plenty of assistance during this free program. The knitting lessons will be provided every Thursday evening during the month of March from 7 – 8 pm. Classes will be held on March 4, March 11, March 18 and March 25. Teens need only provide a set of single pointed knitting needles, size 7 or higher and one skein of worsted yarn. Teens should also bring their enthusiasm for learning something new.

To register for the Teen Knitting lessons, contact the Canastota Public Library at (315) 697-7030. Or, stop by the circulation desk to register with your name and telephone number.

The Canastota Public Library knitters meet every Friday morning at the library. Their goal is to offer friendship, knitting lessons and knitted items to local non-profit agencies and those in the area who might be in need of knitted items. The group is open to anyone who knits or would like to learn to knit.

Chase Away the February Blues @ The Library

2010-01-27T13:57:00.000-05:00

February is the shortest month of the calendar but I still find that it is one of the hardest months of the year for me. Perhaps I feel that way because I am tired of the cold, windy, snowy weather that keeps me housebound. I find that I develop cabin fever and start looking for new hobbies or new places to visit just to get me out of the house.

In February, we have a lot going on at the Canastota Public Library! Several of our regular programs such as Baby & Me LapSit, Preschool Storytime and our Librateen programs gear back up during February. As well, we have some special programs that you might want to check out.

Baby & Me Lap Sit With Miss Angela will begin February 3 through May 19. The program will run every Wednesday morning for parents and/or caregivers and their babies to age twenty-four months. This spring session will include numbers, letters, colors, zoo animals and the farm. Baby and Me Lap Sit begins at 10 am and includes story reading, fingerplays, songs, rhymes and more to stimulate your baby!
Thursdays at 10am is our Preschool Story Time. Bring your preschooler for stories, games, crafts and a snack. This hour-long program is definitely a favorite of children and parents who attend. This program will be held Thursday mornings beginning on Thursday, February 4 and will continue through Thursday, May 20.

The Canastota Libra-Teens will begin meeting every Wednesday afternoon after school. This group (grades 6 and up only) will create fiction, hear speakers, make crafts and a whole lot more! The group meets from February 3 through May 19 each Wednesday afternoon until 4:30pm. If school is not in session( for vacation or for weather reasons), there is no librateen meeting. All are welcomed.

If you love beautiful artwork, you'll want to stop by the library during February to discover the art of M. Santiago Pavone. Ms. Pavone was born in Puerto Rico, raised in Connecticut and now lives in Canastota with her husband, Mike, her dog, Gala and a beta fish named Rojo. Pavone enjoys working in oils, ceramics, color pencil, pen and ink and pencil. Currently a graduate student, Pavone would love to someday be a Children’s Book Illustrator. Her work is whimsical and can brighten up a dark February day!
For the movie lover, nothing goes better than Sunday afternoons and movies! We’re showing the Best Picture Oscar Winning Films on the first and last Sundays of each month. Our Sunday Cinema shows begin at 1pm in the Lawson Community Room on the lower level of the library. We will be alternating between early and more recent winners. Light refreshments will also be served during the movies. Movies for February are:

February 7: American Beauty (1999)

February 28: You Can’t Take It With You (1938)

The last Wednesday of every month is the library’s Book Chat. The book discussion begins at 1pm in the Lawson Community Room. February’s meeting will be on February 24. The discussion will be featuring, “The First 48,” by Tim Green. Books are available at the library.

“Surviving A Money Crunch” will be the topic of a presentation by Consumer Credit Counseling Services on Tuesday, February 9 at 7pm. The talk is open to the public and will be held in the Lawson Community Group. We ask that you call the library to confirm that you will be attending so that we have enough handouts for everyone!

On Monday, February 15, the Canastota Public Library will be closed in honor of President’s Day.

For more information on these events and our regular weekly programming, go to www.canastotalibrary.org and click on the Mid-York Calendar of Events.

Keep Smiling! February is a very short month!

Learn How to Survive a Money Crunch @ The Library

2010-01-25T15:40:00.001-05:00

When the economy gets tough, many of us have trouble staying current with our creditors. Wouldn't it be nice to learn how to create a family household budget and survive these difficult times?

Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Central New York will provide a free one hour session at the Canastota Public Library on Tuesday, February 9 at 7pm. The session will be held in the library’s Lawson Community Room.
This workshop, “Surviving A Money Crunch” is designed for anyone facing a financial crisis such as a loss of income or major unexpected expense. Participants learn how to prioritize their obligations and gain control of the situation. A Consumer Credit Counselor will talk about recognizing your money personality, developing a spending plan and will teach you the Six Steps to Gaining Financial Control.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central New York ®, Inc. (CCCS) provides solutions to budgeting, credit and debt problems. Since 1972, the agency has helped individuals and families gain control of their money and get on the right track to financial stability. CCCS is a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) agency, licensed by the New York State Banking Department as a Budget Planner. CCCS is a member-affiliate of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and maintains accreditation through the Council on Accreditation. There are no income qualifying guidelines for the agency’s free financial counseling.

This program is free but to ensure that there are sufficient materials for all who plan to attend, reservations are requested. To reserve your space, call the library at (315) 697-7030. Located at 102 W. Center Street in Canastota, the Canastota Public Library is a timeless community resource for you and your family.

Potato Chip Scarves

2010-01-11T18:02:00.003-05:00

Potato Chip Scarves?

What can be better in the winter than a nice warm colorful scarf to keep the wind from swooping down into your coat? I can't think of anything, personally. And, if you like knitting, you'll love Potato Chip Scarves. The Canastota Public Library Knitters recently completed their latest project, “Potato Chip Scarves.”

          “They just look like the chips that come out of those cans and they are really delightful,” noted Eleanor Bajohr of the Knitters Group.

          With an average of fifteen to twenty knitters attending meetings to knit every Friday morning at the Canastota Public Library, the knitters are just coming up to their second anniversary! They are very proud of their donations to various organizations in the community. During this past year, the knitters created preemie hats, hats and booties for the newborns at the Oneida HealthCare Center. They also knitted caps, scarves, mittens and slipper socks that were donated to the Opportunity Shop in Canastota. This year, sixteen lap robes were donated to area shut-ins.

          The Canastota Library Knitters meet every Friday morning at the Canastota Public Library at 102 W. Center Street in Canastota. The meetings run from 10am until noon. Everyone is welcomed to attend. If you are interested in learning to knit or an accomplished knitter, feel free to stop in for one of the Friday meetings. Additionally, the knitters group always appreciates donations for their projects.

TEEN ACTIVITIES AT CANASTOTA PUBLIC LIBRARY

2010-01-06T10:54:00.000-05:00

The Canastota Public Library has a group of teens who meet at the library every Wednesday after school. The Libra-teens range in age from 11 to 16. Generally, fifteen to twenty teens attend the weekly programs.

The first event for the fall was redecorating the teen room. That project, which actually began as a part of the Summer Reading Program, allowed the teens to create a new brick and graffiti look to the teen room. Once the new wall hangings were in place, colorful stars were added to the ceiling. New lounge chairs and pillows help to give the teens a place to sit and read or to talk quietly with friends. A bulletin board displays artwork of the students and a calendar of events is posted in the room to allow the teens to know what events will be coming up!

This year, the group has listened to several guest speakers. A workshop on Healthy Relationships was provided by Liberty Resources staff. The group also heard a presentation regarding World Hunger. After this talk, the group donated non-perishable food items to the Opportunity Shop. Recently, teens met with Amanda Hewitt, Product Development Manager at Nelson Farms. Hewitt brought recipes and demonstrated how to make holiday gifts from the kitchen. The group also held a “Survivor Day” at the library where they used library skills to win the game.

Plans for the rest of the year include speakers from Operation Wildcat and Bridges Prevention Program. The teens have planned a movie afternoon, a Valentine’s Party and a recycled craft day.

For more information, call us or stop by our teen room and check out the schedule. You just might realize that the library is a fun place to meet!

An Opportunity for the New Year

2010-01-04T10:00:00.002-05:00

We rang in the New Year, like many families, at home watching the ball drop at Times Square. We sat in the living room, eating junk food and drinking soda and were entertained. We hollered and whooped and there were hugs and kisses all around. My husband turned to me at midnight and said, “Well, we made it through another one.”

I’ve been thinking about that comment for a few days now and I have to admit that while I agreed with him, I’ve decided that I am troubled.. With our current economy, the news focused on terrorism, unemployment rates at an all time high, high snowfall and cold weather and more, a person has to feel great frustration in the day to day routine. I’m sure there are many of us thinking the same as my husband. But, “Making it through another one” just doesn’t do it for me. I want to do more than just survive. Don’t you?

In spite of our tribulations, we have countless opportunities available to us. This is a great time to look at our goals, lifestyles, pastimes and be able to make changes. Not resolutions to change but change itself. Change, while sometimes frightening, can be a good thing!

Since my husband lost his job several months ago, the family budget has diminished significantly. Mealtime planning has become very interesting. I now make a weekly “menu” before I leave for the grocery store. How do I decide on the meals? I’ve got a list of family favorites and I’ve been experimenting by checking out cookbooks and cooking magazines from the library. Some of my favorites are The Frugal Gourmet by Jeff Smith, Once A Month Cooking by Mimi Wilson and The Freezer Cooking Manual: From 30 Day Gourmet: A Month of Meals Made Easy by Tara Wohlenhaus. I look for ways that I can save and still provide a healthy, nutritious diet for the family.

From that menu, I only add to the grocery list those things that we absolutely need. By using a grocery list, I find that I don’t spend extra by impulse shopping. Clipping coupons and checking store circulars while I am working on my menu for the week also help me in keeping the costs down. I buy what is on sale and use that in my menu options. And, if it is possible, I may buy extras of those items that are on sale to use in a future week’s menu cycle.

This past weekend, I took our youngest son with me on the menu planning and weekly shopping trip. He has started to make some of our meals and help in meal preparation so I thought this was a good idea. Since he can be a picky eater, it was helpful to have him with me to support the menu/food changes that we are making.

It also gave us some great quality time to spend together. While he wasn’t ‘feeling the love’ for some of the items that we bought, he understands that change is important. I was surprised to note him checking the prices on some of our old “staples” like name brand cereals and breakfast items. He quickly checked coupons and then decided on ‘store brand’ if coupons weren’t available.

We’re living changes—not making resolutions to change. And, it is due to our family’s economy. This is a great opportunity! The dietary changes are healthier for us. We are spending less, experimenting in the kitchen together and having fun creating and eating improved meals.

Madison County Reads Ahead Student Passes GED Test

2009-11-18T15:02:00.000-05:00

CANASTOTA, November 18, 2009 – When Jeffrey Huss was fifteen years old, he quit school. It is a decision he says he has regretted every day since the day he left school. Huss, a Canastota village native, knew he had to get his G.E.D. Certificate if he wanted to get a job.

“I’ve got a son and daughter and knew I needed to do something to help myself.” Huss said.

He met Kathy Stagnitti, coordinator for the Madison County Reads Ahead program at the Canastota Public Library. He wasn’t sure if he’d need additional help to prepare for the upcoming test or not. After taking a pre-test and spending some time with Stagnitti, he decided to take the test.

“I passed. I’m just trying to make a better life for myself and my family,” Huss said.

Huss is hoping to go to college and further his education during the next few years. A football and basketball enthusiast, Huss also enjoys working with computers and would like to eventually find a job where he can do that.

General Educational Development (or GED) tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American high school-level academic skills. The GED is sometimes referred to as a General Equivalency Diploma or General Education Diploma. To pass the GED Tests and earn a GED credential, test takers must score higher than 60 percent of graduating high school seniors nationwide.

The Madison County Reads Ahead program is a free program which assists individuals needing help with reading skills, English as a second language and with GED Preparation. Madison County Reads Ahead tutors are volunteers who provide one on one lessons with flexible scheduling. All materials are provided at no charge and the service is completely confidential. For more information, call Kathy Stagnitti at the Canastota Public Library at 697-7030.

Hello from the Stacks!

2009-11-11T14:40:00.000-05:00

Hello from the Stacks!

The library is quiet this week as we recover from our best ever Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale. Friends Representatives tell us that they raised nearly $3,000 in this three day event! The library welcomed many new people to the library during the sale as well! Our thanks go out to everyone who made this a memorable Annual Book Sale. There were many new volunteers and buyers who stopped by the circulation desk to visit and we had an increase in patrons who filled out applications for their library cards.

This week, I always find myself borrowing more magazines than usual. The November and December issues have great ideas for the holidays. My favorites seem to be Martha Stewart’s LIVING, Woman’s Day, Family Circle and any of the cooking magazines. I have found some wonderful side dishes and desserts to try out on the family as we celebrate Thanksgiving.

My family is planning a quiet time at home during Thanksgiving this year. The library is going to be the greatest resource for us! Traditionally, we make cinnamon rolls on Thanksgiving morning. I found a new recipe for those, as well and am very excited about trying them! Cinnamon rolls are especially delicious as we sip cocoa or coffee and wait for Santa to make his appearance at the end of the Macy’s Parade.

I’m looking for new ways to make the celebration special and plan to create a centerpiece from different materials that I have at home. The craft books, holiday books and magazine articles have offered unique ideas that look fun and easy. The china dishes that my mother handed down to me last month will set a beautiful backdrop for our meal of turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, acorn squash and homemade dinner rolls. We’ll begin the meal by talking about what we’ve been thankful for in the past year.

After dinner, we will all gather around the living room as we watch one or two movies that we have borrowed from the Canastota Public Library! This is a tradition for us as well and we always try to find something that everyone will like. A comedy like “The Proposal” or an older action flick will be sure to be showing at our house on Thanksgiving night.

The Pumpkin Pie comes right after the movies with another cup of coffee or cocoa! I will probably be reading a book, borrowed from the library while my husband puts on a CD borrowed from the library to entertain us. As night nears, we’ll all head for bed, drifting asleep with visions of Thanksgiving still in our hearts!

My special thanks this year will be for the Canastota Public Library. I work here with fantastic people on our staff. The patrons who visit us are such great folks that my job here is very easy. And, I save tons of money by using the library’s vast resources…on Thanksgiving and every day of the year!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

Food for Fines

2009-11-02T12:02:00.001-05:00

Recent months have seen area residents laid off or out of work as companies struggle with losses and impending closures. The Canastota Public Library does offer help in the way of researching job options, providing entertainment by borrowing books, movies and magazines. The library also has many books on different topics that may help in times of financial crisis including books on financial planning and saving money!

At the library, there is now more that we can do to help local families and individuals in need. During the months of November and December, the Canastota Public Library will be accepting non-perishable food items in place of regular library fines. If you return an item to the library which has a late fee attached to it, please feel free to offer a food donation commensurate with the fine charged. For example, if a patron owes $2.00 for a late DVD charge, an acceptable food donation might be a $2.00 box of rice. If several books are overdue, an acceptable donation might be a can of soup or vegetables. The library can only accept Food for Fines for Canastota Public Library items and not for items that have been borrowed from other area libraries!

This Food For Fines program will not only help patrons who might be a bit late returning items to the library, but it will help those in need in our community. The non-perishable food items will be donated to The Opportunity Shop in Canastota to help keep their shelves stocked during this coming holiday season.

Canastota Library Gears Up For Annual Book Sale in November

2009-10-22T13:31:00.000-04:00

The Friends of the Canastota Library will be holding their Annual Book Sale on November 5, 6 and 7 in the entire lower level at the library. This year, the group is offering some exceptional titles and prices on hard cover and paperback books as well as VHS Tapes. Gently used paperbacks and hard cover books, VHS tapes, audio tapes and CDs are all available at the sale. Raffle baskets will also be available and will go home with lucky winners after the sale.

Although the library has an ongoing book sale, this annual book sale offers shoppers a chance to meet with old friends and purchase from a great selection of items. Library commemorative items will also be on sale. Raffle baskets, designed by Friends of the Library, will be donated and sold. Ralston Supply Company will provide the tables that are needed to make this sale happen.

Hours of the Annual Book Sale are Nov. 5: 9 am until 8:30 pm; Nov. 6: 9 am until 5 pm; and Nov. 7: 10 am until 4 pm.

The Friends of the Library group is a great help to the library, offering volunteer services, fundraising events and assistance at community programs. Annual memberships are available year-round at $3 for adults and $10 for the entire family. Membership dues for Friends of the Library, and profits from the annual book sale go toward the purchase of special library supplies and programs. The money raised through this sale is always used to benefit the library’s programs, collection or to enhance the building and services that the library offers. Last year’s book sale revenues were used as a matching funds donation towards the four Gates Foundation laptop computers that the library received this past summer. Those computers are now part of the library’s larger bank of community accessible computers and will be used in group training programs. A portion of the funds raised during last year’s book sale was also donated by the Friends of the Library to the library’s endowment fund.
The event is operated and fully staffed by volunteers of the Friends of the Canastota Public Library. Volunteers make this event a special one for the library. The group is currently looking for volunteers to help with set-up for the event on Wednesday, November 4th and throughout the entire sale period. If you are interested in helping, please call the library at 697-7030.

Increase Use to Learn How to Reduce

2009-10-09T13:34:00.001-04:00

By Liz Metzger, Director; Canastota Public Library

Aldous Huxley once said, "Most human beings have an infinite capacity for taking things for granted." I am ashamed to admit this is sometimes true of me but my eyes were opened once again during my summer vacation.

At the beginning of August, I visited my college aged daughter in Spain after she had finished classes at the University of Barcelona. We had a whirlwind week of 18 hour days, trying to cram in as much sightseeing as humanly possible in 95 degree heat. We were surrounded by history, fabulous art and architecture, the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea, delicious food, great music and scads of people (and their pet dogs!). But, you couldn't drink the water! Even the locals buy ALL their water in giant sized plastic bottles. We found no working public drinking fountains and there were no water glasses at restaurants because you have to buy bottled water there, too! And 16 ounces of water could cost as much as 3 Euros (about $4.50 in American money).

My daughter's host family asked her to limit shower length, not to shower daily and to reduce her dirty laundry and toilet flushes to conserve water. Hotels and hostels had signage about doing the same. I realized that I took fresh, potable water for granted. I bet many of us in the United States do not consider water to be a scarce resource. But, less than 1% of the world's fresh water (or about 0.007% of all water on earth) is readily accessible for direct human use. An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the typical person living in a developing country's slum uses in a whole day.

So, now I am much more conscious of how I use water in my personal effort to waste less and appreciate more. You can learn more about this and similar issues from books and from the internet.

Visit us at the library. We can help you find the resources to reduce your capacity for taking our resources for granted.

The Loomis Gang

2009-10-05T16:21:00.000-04:00

As we get older, the past seems to become so important to us. On a recent visit to my parent's home in West Virginia, I had the opportunity to talk to my cousin who has been working on the geneology of our family. He told me that my father's maternal ancestors hailed from Holland. My father's paternal ancestors can't be traced back much further than my great-grandfather. On my mother's side, everyone was Irish!

On the wall in my bedroom hangs a Marriage License for Louis Loomis and Carrie Mumpton. This beautiful piece of art was given to me from my grandmother-in-law soon after my husband and I married. Louis and Carrie were her parents. I always wondered if the surname Loomis was any relation to those famous horse theives who ruled Central New York in the early 1800s. Gram never said. If the subject came up, she would tactfully change gears to talk about something that happened at church or in the neighborhood. Several years ago, when Gram went into a nursing home, I found a letter and application to the Daughters of the American Revolution. Gram could trace her family back to Joseph Loomis of Hartford, CT. When I found that letter, I quickly searched the internet for information on the CNY Loomis Gang. My quick search told me that Gram was indeed a relative of the renown clan.

At the Canastota Public Library, we are pleased to present a talk on the Wednesday, October 21 at 7pm, the library will hold a special presentation on "The Loomis Gang." Learn about this notorius family of outlaws and horse thieves that operated in Central New York from local descendent, Robert Loomis. This event will be held on the second floor of the library. I'm planning to be there to learn more about my husband's ancestors. I hope that you will be able to attend as well.

October is Busy at the Library!

2009-09-29T15:56:00.000-04:00

October is a busy month at the Canastota Public Library. As we fall into the autumn and winter routine, we begin to schedule concerts, regular children and teen activities and various workshops for the community.

Children and Teen Activities:
Our Baby & Me Lapsit with Miss Angela returns to the library on Wednesday mornings at 10am on October 7. The program is an early literacy program involving babies up to age 24 months and their parents/caregivers. Our staff provides songs, stories, rhymes and fingerplays to help you work with your baby! This is also an excellent way for babies to learn to interact with other babies! Baby & Me will be held every Tuesday morning through December 16 in the Children's Area on the second floor of the library.

Pre-School Storytime with Mrs. Liz begins on Thursday mornings at 10 am . Beginning on October 1 and runs through December 17, this program is for children aged 3 and older. The program includes stories, songs, games, crafts and a snack. The program is held in the Children's area on the second floor of the library.

With the return of school comes the return of the Librateens to the library! Our librateen group is a teen program for students in grades 6 and higher. The group meets every Wednesday afternoon that school is in session. The librateens first organizational meeting for the school year will be held on Wednesday, October 7. Various activities such as game days, movie days, speakers, books and crafts are scheduled for the fall sessions. Meetings are open to every student from grades 6 through grade 12 from 3pm until 4:15pm. This group has been diligently working to redecorate the teen space on the second floor of the library. An open house reception for the newly decorated room will be held on Monday, October 19th at 3pm. The reception is open to the public!

Workshops & Concerts:
The month will begin with an October 4 concert by "The Excelsior Cornet Band." "The Excelsior Cornet Band" is New York State's only authentic Civil War brass band. Founded in 2001, the band consisrts of a group of upstate New York musicians who are dedicated to the performance of original Civil War music on actual antique brass band instruments of the 1860's period. The band will be performing their Abraham Licoln Program on Sunday, Oct 4 on the second floor of the library.

The Canal Town Quilters quilts will be featured on display at the library during the month of October. The Lawson Community on the library's lower level will feature wall hangings as well as traditional quilts and table runners. A reception for the Canal Town Quilters will be held on Saturday, October 3 from 1 - 3 pm in the Lawson Community Room.

A four week workshop, Job Hunting 101, will be offered on Tuesday mornings during the month of October. In this program our staff will show you library and online resources available as well as help participants create a resume, search for jobs online and apply for online opportunities. The program will begin on Tuesday, October 6 and end on October 27. Particpants should contact the library to sign up as spaces are limited! The program will be held in the Lawson Community Room beginning at 9:30am until 11 am.

On Wednesday, October 21 at 7pm, the library will hold a special presentation on "The Loomis Gang." Learn about this notorius family of outlaws and horse thieves that operated in Central New York from local descendent, Robert Loomis. This event will be held on the second floor of the library.

Thursday Theatre Returns this autumn! Continuing with our theme of showing an Oscar Winning Film for Best Picture, the library will be showing movies on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month beginning at 6pm in our Lawson Community Room. We will alternate between recent winners and early winners. Join us on Thursday, October 1 to view, "Chicago." This 2002 Oscar Best Picture features Murderesses Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart. The pair find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920's Chicago. This is a musical starring Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones. On Thursday, October 15, we will show the 1934 Best Picture, "It Happened One Night." A spoiled heiress, running away from her family, is helped by a man who is actually a reporter looking for a story. But then, he falls for her! Starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert.

We hope that you will join us for one or all of these great programs at the library! See you between the stacks soon!

The Ninth Annual Rebecca Eddy Memorial Contest

2009-09-18T15:39:00.000-04:00

Entries are now being accepted at the Canastota Public Library for the 9th Annual Rebecca Eddy Memorial Writing Contest. Short stories and poems may be any style and/or subject and should be submitted to the library by October 31, 2009.

Entry requirements indicate that original poems should be 20 lines or fewer and original short stories should be between 500 – 5,000 words. Submissions should be made in only one category (poetry or short story) and will be judged by a panel of judges from the community. The following age divisions will be used in determining awards:

• Ages 10 and under

• Ages 11 – 14

• Ages 15 – 18

• Over Age 18

The contest was organized by Joan and Doug Eddy of Canastota as a memorial to their daughter, Rebecca Eddy. Ms. Eddy was a graduate of Canastota High School as well as a graduate of John Hopkins University. She was an athlete, an artist, a thespian and a scholar. Eddy felt a passion towards writing and also towards her community. Joan and Doug Eddy read each entry that is received into the contest.

The contest is free to enter and there are no residential requirements or limits. Entry Forms, available at the library, should be submitted with each entry.

An awards ceremony will be held Wed, Nov 18th at 7pm on the second floor of the library for all participants. All participants will receive a certificate for entering the competition. First and second place award winners in each age category will also receive a cash prize of $25 and $10, respectively.

The contest is coordinated each year by the Canastota Public Library at 102 W. Center Street in Canastota. For additional information, please contact the library at (315) 697-7030.

Puppy Love

2009-09-16T13:02:00.004-04:00

I work at the Canastota Library and am always amazed at the resources that are available to the community here. Those resources proved to be invaluable to me several weeks ago.

It has always been my dream to breed small dogs and when I received a female Cairn Terrier for a birthday a few years ago, I was delighted. I named her Maggie and soon we were also the owners of her mate, Argus. Gus and Maggie were getting along well and before we knew it, Maggie was expecting. As we left the vet’s office after confirming her pregnancy, I knew I was going to need to prepare for the upcoming blessed event.

I had already used the library to find books on the Cairn Terrier breed when I was deciding what kind of dog I would like to own. Some of the best books I found were “Cairn Terriers” by Patricia Lehman and “The Complete Dog Book” by the American Kennel Club. Online resources were also helpful during this research! As well, we found local breeders and talked to them about the breed including health issues, training, feeding and more. Our vet was a wealth of information and offered suggestions along the way. And, so, now knowing that Maggie was expecting, I stopped at the library to search for books on birthing puppies.

“Breeding A Litter” by J.M. Evans seemed to be the most comprehensive book on the subject of doggie pregnancy and delivery and I left the library prepared to read every page! I thought I would be prepared for just about anything we encountered during Maggie’s pregnancy and delivery. Our vet indicated that Maggie would probably deliver four to six puppies and indicated that the breed were very good “whelpers” so we shouldn’t have many problems. The book, I thought, would do just the trick. While I skimmed the books on a couple of occations, I never did get around to reading it before the puppies came.

Early one Saturday morning, I went to Maggie’s kennel to take her out for her morning constitution. As I opened the crate, I noticed something wasn’t quite right. Maggie had her back to me and wouldn’t come out of her crate. As I reached in to get her, I quickly realized that puppy number two was on her way into the world and puppy one was already here! I grabbed the book and started reading…I figured better late than never! As it turned out, Maggie instinctively knew what to do but the book helped me to understand what to look for, what would come next and how to help if Maggie had any problems with delivery. Three hours later, Maggie and Gus were parents to four healthy Cairn Terrier pups—two baby boys and two baby girls.

Today, I am looking for books on puppies and their nutritional needs during the first few weeks of life! This is so much fun and the library is able to offer help at every turn. From books on housetraining, to medical needs, natural health tips and obedience training tips, the library can assist anyone who has questions about owning a dog.

The Bark is a new magazine that the library carries. I’ve been reading this monthly since the library purchased it. This month, we’ve received two new books that dog owners will find helpful. They are:

• “Green Dog, Good Dog. Reducing your Dog’s Carbon Footprint” by Dominique DeVito

• “The Everything New Puppy Book” by Carlo DeVito

I don’t know if the DeVitos are related but both books are great!

I've posted two pictures here. The first picture shows the puppies during their first week and the second is a picture of the first born last Saturday at 3 weeks old!

Job Hunting 101

2009-09-09T14:10:00.000-04:00

Here in Canastota, we have been helping patrons to use the internet for many things. Most recently, we have found an increase in requests to help people find and apply for jobs on line. In light of those requests, the Canastota Public Library will begin a four week workshop, Job Hunting 101 in October. In this program, our staff will show participants resources that are available through the library and online to help them create a resume, search for jobs online and apply for on-line opportunities. The program will be held Tuesday mornings in October from 9:30am until 11am, beginning Oct. 6th and ending Oct. 27.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation supports efforts to supply and sustain free public access computers and the internet through local public libraries. In the past several years, the Canastota Public Library has been able to upgrade and increase the number of public access computers to six due to the generosity of the foundation and matching funds made available by our local Friends of the Library group. This past summer, the library received four laptop computers to add to the bank of public use computers from the Friends support and the Gates Foundation. Those computers are now a part of the library’s larger bank of community accessible computers and will be used in the Job Hunting 101 group training workshop.

According to the Gate's Foundation website, more than 70% of folks who use public library computers to access the internet indicate that the library is their primary and often only source for internet services. The internet gives these patrons access to valuable information like health facts, financial planning and online banking, job services and job banks, research information and it also provides people with the ability to keep in touch with family and friends across the state or across the world. The Gates foundation notes that "in the United States, where Internet access has been more widely available, going online also enables people to participate more fully in the social and economic fabric of their communities and make meaningful contributions to society."

Due to the number of laptop computers on hand, we will need to limit the number of folks participating in Job Hunting 101. Computer skills, while helpful, are not necessary for this workshop. You can sign-up by calling the library at 315-697-7030. If enough interest is generated from Job Hunting 101, a second session will be offered in November.

Thanks to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this and other laptop workshops will be available at the Canastota Public Library in the coming months and years!

You Can Download Audio Books to your iPod/iPhone/MP3

2009-09-02T15:46:00.001-04:00

The Canastota Public Library has great news for iPod© and iPhone© users who love audio books. With the free OverDrive Media Console v3.2© for Windows, most audio books including Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight," Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers," and John Grisham's "The Appeal" are compatible with the Windows formatted iPod and iPhone. These and hundreds of other titles can be downloaded free and transferred to these and other popular players.

In addition, MP3 titles are being added to the site on a regular basis. MP3 titles can be downloaded to MACs and transferred to any Mac formatted iPods and iPhones . Even more good news: now that the collection has increased in size, customers may now check out up to 5 titles at a time!

This increasingly popular service is called MYaudio2go. You can access the service by clicking on the “Digital Audio” link from Mid York’s homepage. This new software provides access to Mid York’s collection of audio books for Windows formatted iPhone and iPod users. With a few clicks and using the built-in Transfer Wizard!, audio books can be sent to a iPod, a Zune, many smart phones, and most other portable players.

MYaudio2go allows you the freedom to enjoy audio books, anytime, anywhere. You can borrow audio books even when your library is closed and there is no need to worry about fines because the file becomes unplayable on the computer when the loan period ends. All you need is your Mid York Library System card.

“I travel for work and was happy to learn that I can download audio books to my IPod. It makes traveling a bit more enjoyable,” noted Jerry Mc Dowell, a patron of the Canastota Library.

The service is jointly funded by the Mid-York Library System and its forty-three member libraries. “This is a great example of how cooperation can expand the services available to every library customer in our service area”, said Darlene Ford, Mid York Library System Director.

For help or information, direct email to: myaudio2go@midyork.org

Enjoy listening!

Knitting at the Canastota Library

2009-08-28T11:18:00.000-04:00

The Canastota Public Library is always bustling on Friday morning. We have our regular patrons in and out of the library to select new books for the weekend ahead or to pick out a new video or two. In these late days of summer, we have children stopping in to get that last book to read before school starts! We also have regulars who come to the library to read the local newspapers!

But, Friday is busy for another reason also. That's when about 15 - 20 area women meet in our Lawson Community Room to knit. The Canastota Public Library knitters began meeting a little over a year ago at the library. The group works on specific projects together and often bring in sweaters, socks or other items that they are knitting for themselves or to be given away as gifts. The group is dedicated to helping each other learn new techniques and loves to teach others to knit. The group is open to anyone each Friday from 10am until around noon.

With yarn, needles, breakfast goodies, coffee, tea and enthusiasm, the knitters arrive at the library in a boisterous, happy mood! As well as having fun and good conversation, the knitters work tirelessly for the community. They have knitted cat's blankets and donated them to the Wanderer's Rest Humane Society in Canastota. Patients at the Veteran's Hospital in Syracuse and local shut-ins have received lap blankets made with love from the group. The knitters have also made baby hats for the Oneida HealthCare Center for newborns and helmet inserts for soldiers serving in the military.

The Canastota Knitters would love to welcome you to the group---whether you are an accomplished knitter or someone who is interested in learning the craft! No appointment is necessary if you are interested in joining, just grab your yarn, needles and enthusiasm and come to the library any Friday morning at 10am. The knitters meet on the lower level of the library in the Lawson Community Room!

Canastota Public Library Bountiful Harvest Time

2009-08-26T13:54:00.000-04:00

It's the end of the summer here at the library. The summer reading program has come to an end and we are gearing up for a wonderful autumn and back to school season.

Although it has been a wet summer, several patrons have started to stop by with gifts from their gardens. The staff at the library has been blessed with zucchini, tomatoes and cabbage. We're all looking for great recipes and new ways to use these fabulous harvest bounties. Angela recently took home a zucchini and came back with a mock apple pie using zucchini rather than apples. It was a wonderful apple pie!!!!

If you are looking for new ways to serve your garden favorites, check out our recipe book section on the main level of the library. We have a great selection of books on preserving your harvest including canning, smoking and freezing. Our recipe books also include different variations of recipes.

If you can't find anything you are looking for in that section, let your feet carry you to the periodical room where we have over 150 subscriptions to magazines and newspapers. We carry a wide range of cooking magazines including Cooking Light, Cooking for Two, Cook's Country and more!

We hope to see you this week....Among The Stacks...at the Canastota Public Library