Tuesday June 6, 2023 
Take a Book (or Share One) with the Sand Lake Town Library Friends
SAND LAKE – Have you seen the “Little Library” that the Sand Lake Town Library Friends recently set up at the 43 Mall between NAPA and Doby’s? Stop by and take a donated book for you or someone else — it’s yours to keep! If you want to, you can always add a book to share with others. Thanks go out to Girl Scout Cadettes Olivia, Jasmine and Tannis (and their leader Meg Strickland) from Troop 1526 and Addison from Brownie Troop 1724 for decorating our re-purposed newspaper box to make it into a Little Library.
The SLTL Friends also recently held an “Unmask a Good Book” drawing. Library patrons wrote a book recommendation on a paper mask which was then displayed inside the public library. Elsa Rogers won a basket of books and Brian Sheldon won a print from local photographer Tom Chesnut. Find out more about this vibrant group of people dedicated to help our community library! You can pick up a brochure inside the Little Library (or the real library), contact jill@nullbonesteel.com or visit us at https://www.sandlaketownlibrary.org/friends/ to become a member or to donate to this nonprofit organization.
East Greenbush Community Library
EAST GREENBUSH – Hours (limited capacity/15-minute browsing): Mon, 11-2pm for Returns only; Tue/Thu/Fri 11-6pm; Wed 11-7 pm; Sat 10-2pm; Building closed Sundays; Virtual library is always open! To minimize wait time, please limit the number of visitors to 1-2 family members per household. Information is subject to change, for updates call 518-477-7476 or visit eglibrary.org. Visitors are required to wear a mask, covering both mouth and nose, at all times when in the library or using our drive thru.
To learn more about programs or to register go to: https://events.eglibrary.org. Registration is required for all programs unless noted otherwise.
Happening Now:
Winter Reading Challenge for all ages (ends 3/5); Pen to Pandemic Short Story Contest* for local authors in Rensselaer County (deadline 3/15).
Upcoming programs:
2/6: Quilt a Square for Project Linus, pick up kits at drive-thru starting 2/6.
2/8: Monday Night Book Chat, 7 pm on our Facebook channel. No registration required.
2/9: Virtual Storytime at 10 am
2/11: Virtual Hands-On Cooking with Felisha from Cornell Cooperative Extension, 6:30 pm
2/17: Trivia Night (TV Shows theme), 7 pm
2/22: Crafts & Conversation, 11 am
Visit kids blog “Check It Out with Charlie” at https://eglibrarykids.wordpress.com/. Readers Advisory Services https://eglibrary.org/adults/recommendations/ and Kids Book Bundles https://eglibrary.org/children/book-bundles/. Fill out the online form with your preferences, we’ll select books to match and put them on hold for you! You can also call 518-477-7476 for help.
Borrow Laptops and hotspots! Kids tablets, movies-on-the-go, and audiobooks from Playaway. No car stereo or DVD player required.
Free Webinars, Articles, Workshops & Resources with topics in technology (for beginners to advanced, go to https://bit.ly/egtechtalk), business, career skills, education, and more at https://eglibrary.org/popular-subjects/ee/.
Services & Events at Castleton Public Library, 2/7-2/13
CASTLETON – CPL is located at 85 S. Main St., Castleton, NY 12033. All events are free. Questions? Call 518-732-0879.
Castleton Public Library is open with limited capacity & services! Check www.castletonpubliclibrary.org or call 518-732-0879 for more information. We also offer curbside pick-up.
Our Events:
Castleton/Schodack Community Window Art Project: Snowflakes! – Pick up through 2/27 – A community-wide project! Make snowflake window art using materials in our kit, or use what you have at home.
Winter Break Week Fun Pack! – Pick up 2/1-2/20 – Includes a Cool Science experiment, coloring & puzzle sheets, craft, and toy!
Cool Science at Home: Lava Lamp Kit – Pick up 2/1-2/27 – Make a lava lamp & learn about density and polarity!
Take & Make Crafts: Valentine Craft Kit – Pick up 2/1-2/27 – Celebrate love & friendship with crafts!
Teen Time Origami Kit – Pick up 2/1-2/27 – For teens in 6th-12th grades.
Favorite Book Photo Challenge – Submit photos 2/1-2/22 to enter to win a prize! – Take a photo with your favorite book and email it to youthservices@nullcastletonpubliclibrary.org and you’ll be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card (3 winners drawn randomly). All ages. The deadline to send photos is 2/22.
Coffee & Conversation – Tue., 2/9, 1:00pm – Grab coffee or tea (or lunch!) and join us for friendly discussion. For adults. Email director@nullcastletonpubliclibrary.org for Zoom connection info.
Kids Cook: Peanut Butter & Jelly Tacos – Video posted Tues, 2/9 – Learn to make PB&J tacos! Full Kids Cook playlist: tinyurl.com/CPL-KidsCook
Virtual Storytime with Miss Joelle – Wed., 2/10 – Join Miss Joelle for a story and rhymes/songs that you can enjoy at home! A new video is posted every Wednesday. Full playlist: tinyurl.com/CPL-storytime
Brunswick Community Library
BRUNSWICK – STEAM – Weekly Take Home Activities; 2/1 – 2/6 Watercolor Cards; 2/8 – 2/13 Explore Circulation; 2/15 – 2/20 Engineering Challenge – Gluten Warning!; 2/22 – 2/27 Flashlight Reveal Art.
North Greenbush Public Library Update
NORTH GREENBUSH – While the library will be closed in observation of Presidents’ Day, Monday, Feb. 15, don’t miss this opportunity to find out all about this holiday and the history of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln by requesting the DVD “Presidents Day.”
Reopening on Tuesday, Feb. 16, we have scheduled a discussion of “The Gown”, by Jennifer Robson, at our monthly Virtual Book Club meeting, at 6:30 PM. Coinciding with our fashion fascination at January’s presidential inauguration, “The Gown” will not disappoint, as it unveils in this post-WW II novel the creation of Princess Elizabeth’s wedding gown, through the friendship of two women. Call the library to reserve a copy, request the Zoom link, and then add this book to your growing list of completed bingo sheets in our Winter Reading Challenge! Our challenge continues to the end of February. Raffle winners in three categories-children, teens, and adult-will be announced March 1.
We haven’t forgotten the sweetest day of the year- Valentine’s Day! Celebrate with our craft kits beginning Monday, Feb. 8, available by calling the library and using our Grab ‘N’ Go feature.
Library hours remain 10 AM to 2 PM, Mon, Wed, Fri, and Sat; 3-7 PM Tues/Thurs. Requests for 20-minute appointments and Grab ‘N’ Go may be made by calling the library at 518-283-0303. Patrons are required to wear masks when entering the building.
Russell Sage: The Money King – Local History Lecture
TROY – On Tuesday, February 16th at 6:30PM, Michael Barrett, Executive Director of the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway will discuss Russell Sage, The Money King for the Troy Public Library.
Born into poverty, Russell Sage was a self-made man, although the man he made himself into was the quintessential Robber Baron of the Gilded Age. After leaving his home in Troy for the richer pickings of NYC, his financial manipulations of the Wall Street stock market, the banking industry, railroads and other major corporations became the stuff of financial legend. Along with his primary partner Jay Gould, Sage pillaged and plundered the American economic marketplace for almost forty years. He was probably the wealthiest American at the time of his death in 1906, and his wife’s reaction to his passing is one of the greatest stories of philanthropic retaliation in American history.
This program will be conducted via zoom. Please register using your email address so that we can send you a link to the presentation. This program is free and open to the public. Registration is necessary. For more information and to register call the library at 274-7071 or online at www.thetroylibrary.org. The Troy Public Library is located at 100 2nd Street, Troy, NY
Life After Deaf – A Memoir – Come Zoom with the Author
ALBANY – Come Zoom with the author, Noel Holston, of “Life After Deaf”, a memoir about loss and recovery. Noel Holston is a journalist, musician and poet, who got up one day and discovered that he was completely deaf. This is the story of what happened next. Let him tell you about it! Sponsored by the Hearing Loss Association of America Albany Chapter and the Albany Public Library, it will be held at 6:30 on Wednesday Feb 17, 2021. Preregister to get the link at https://albanypubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/7443072
Short Story Cafe at The Troy Public Library
TROY – On Wednesdays, February 24th – April 7th at 6PM (no meeting March 31st), Short Story writer David Sylvester will lead a reading and discussion group at the Troy Public Library.
Local short-story writer Dave Sylvester hosts The Short Story Café, an informal discussion of the short story form that examines how writers handle structural elements such as plot, character and theme in their writing. Each week we will read and discuss two stories by well-known (and some lesser-known!) masters of the form.
Copies of the stories will be available in advance and should be read before the discussions. This program will be presented using Zoom. Joining the presentation will require the installation of the Zoom client on your computer (microphone and speakers required for audio, camera for video) or the Zoom app on your mobile device.
The first set of stories will be emailed to you one week prior to the first class and will be available at the information desk of the main library.
For more information and to register call the library at 518-274-7071 or online at www.thetroylibrary.org. The Troy Public Library is located at 100 Second Street, Troy, NY.
Attention Local Authors! Enter Our Short Story Competition “Pen to Pandemic”
East Greenbush – At the East Greenbush Community Library, we love our local authors! In support of our home-grown talent, the Library, in partnership with the Town of East Greenbush and the Hart Cluett Museum, is hosting a short story competition. The theme is “Pen to Pandemic.” This work of fiction will be set in Rensselaer County during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Any genre is welcome. The word count must be between 1500 to 2000 words. The contest is open to adults 18+ who reside in Rensselaer County. Participants must provide a name for their story when registering for the contest. All stories must be previously unpublished, original stories. Registration begins online January 15th at https://eglibrary.org/pen-to-pandemic/. Submissions must be received by March 15, 2021 (.doc or .pdf format). See eglibrary.org for more information. For questions, contact Jody Squadere, Adult Services Librarian at 518-477-7476 ext, 107.
Stories will be judged anonymously by a joint committee. The judges are Roberta (Bobbie) Reno, East Greenbush Town Historian, Kathy T. Sheehan, County & City Historian at the Hart Cluett Museum, and Frankie Y. Bailey, Professor at the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Albany (SUNY) and published author. Fifty (50) entries will be accepted. One entry per person. Two winners will be chosen (one from each age group; 18-49 and 50+). Winners will be notified by May 1, 2021. The Library will host a public reading for the winners to read their stories and publish their work.