Holiday Closing

The Library will be closed Sunday, May 11th, in honor of Mother's Day.

Library Board Meeting

The May meeting of the Sodus Free Library's Board of Trustees will be held at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 8th, in the Library's meeting room. The public is always welcome to attend Board meetings.

Memoir Writing Workshop

Have you ever wanted to write about your life experiences – whether for family members, or with an aim to someday be published? Poet and memoirist Michael Czarnecki will return to our library at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7th, to present a Palm-of-the-Hand Memoir Workshop to help you make that desire a reality. The free two-hour workshop will be easy-going and informal, and is open to all levels of writing. Michael's "Stories & Poems from the Road" last week was very enjoyable, and we're all looking forward to hearing about his writing process and how we can put it to use to tell our stories. See you there!

This program is made possible by a grant from Poets & Writers, Inc., with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State agency, with matching funds from the Friends of the Sodus Free Library.

New & Improved

Have you checked out our new user friendly OWWL website?

New Service Started Today

I'm excited to share an improved service we're now offering: as of today, our OWWL hold notification process has been streamlined. When we receive a reserved item, a message will now be automatically sent to your email address, letting you know instantly when your materials are ready for pickup. We will, of course, continue to make phone calls to those customers without email and to those whose messages bounce back to us.

To streamline the new procedure, I suggest that the next time you stop by, you check at the desk to make sure that we have your current email address in our database. We are committed to continually improving our service to you, and hope that you enjoy receiving hold notifications by email.

Earth Day 2008

Click here for lots of ideas to help you celebrate Earth Day. You'll find crafts to do with children, "go green" ideas, coloring pages, recipes, lists of earth-friendly products, and more.

National Poetry Month Program

In celebration of National Poetry Month, Steuben County poet Michael Czarnecki will be presenting "Stories & Poems from the Road" at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23rd. Since 1985, Czarnecki has given hundreds of readings throughout the United States. In 1995, he decided to devote himself full time to his craft, and hasn't looked back. He now makes his living as a poet, publisher, oral memoirist, and a self-described "encourager." He will be returning to the Library on Wednesday, May 7th, to conduct a memoir writing workshop - more information on that later. The events are funded in part by Poets & Writers, Inc. with public funds from The New York State Council on the Arts, a State agency, with matching funds from the Friends of the Sodus Free Library. Stop by the Library or call 483-9292 for more information.

It's National Library Week

This week we're celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first National Library Week, an observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries across the country to promote library use and support. This year's honorary chair is entertainer Julie Andrews.

According to ALA, Americans check out more than 2 billion items each year from their public libraries, and every year an increasing number of people are making use of our educational and social resources. Our customers borrow books, audiobooks, and DVDs, learn computer skills, conduct job searches, and participate in the activities of community organizations. The average bill to American taxpayers is $31 per year, about the cost of one hardcover book. As stated on the cover of our 2008 Annual Report to the Community, libraries are truly "the best bargain in town." We hope to see you in the Library soon!

Library Board Meeting

The April meeting of the Library's Board of Trustees will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, in the meeting room. Board meetings are open to the public; please notice the change in date and time.

Books-Sandwiched-In

This month's Books-Sandwiched-In will feature Master Gardener John Baker; he'll be discussing Spring Garden Cleanup, and will also touch on some new "Victory Garden" ideas. The program will start at noon on Tuesday, April 15, in the Library's meeting room. Reservations are required, and there is a $3 charge for lunch, which includes a sandwich, beverage, and dessert. Stop by the Library or call 483-9292 to reserve your spot.

A meeting of the Friends of the Sodus Free Library will follow the luncheon at approximately 1:30. Come join us!

Looking For A Good Book?

New Videos Available

Some of the new videos we've recently added are:

Enchanted
In The Valley Of Elah
August Rush
Dan In Real Life (one of my favorites!)
I Am Legend
Meerkat Manor, Season 1
No Country For Old Men
Things We Lost In The Fire
Michael Clayton
Bee Movie

Call 483-9292 or stop by the Library to put any of these titles on hold.

2007 Annual Report to the Community

The math is done, and our 2007 Annual Report to the Community is now available at the Library. The statistical information will also be published in next week's Sun & Record, and in the following week's Sodus-Williamson Pennysaver. Some of the highlights from the report follow:

65,852 items were checked out
7,092 people logged onto our 4 public computers
1,065 people used our wifi
8,013 items were loaned to other libraries
6,383 items were borrowed from other libraries

276 children, parents, and siblings attended 40 Story Hours
1,251 children, parents, and siblings attended 38 additional programs
253 adults attended 32 programs

For the full report, stop by the Library (but not until Monday!)

Holiday Closing

The Sodus Free Library will be closed this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for the Easter holiday. We will reopen Monday, March 24, at 10 a.m.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

What Others Are Reading

Want to know who's the hottest author and what's the hottest title in our OWWL catalog? Go to owwl.org, click on the "MORE" button in the What Others Are Reading box, and you'll get a list, with links, to the most popular authors, subjects, and titles checked out from OWWL libraries in the past three months.

Spring Books-Sandwiched-In

Join the Friends of the Sodus Free Library at their first Books-Sandwiched-In of 2008. Dennis Money will be presenting a talk on the white deer of the Seneca Army Depot at the luncheon, which will start at noon on Tuesday, March 18th. Reservations are required, and there is a $3.00 charge, which covers a sandwich, beverage, and dessert. Stop by the Library or call 483-9292 to reserve your spot.

Library Closed Wednesday

Because Sodus Central schools are closed due to the weather and nasty road conditions, we are closed also. Materials due today will now be due Thursday, and no fines will be assessed. See you at the Library tomorrow.

Sign Up For Emails

Want to keep up with best-selling fiction or nonfiction titles? Book Club suggestions? The hottest new mysteries? Los libros en espanol? Click here to sign up for our Rave Reads email newsletters, provided by BookSite.com, and tailored to your interests - there are over thirty available. Have fun!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Theodore Geisel was born on March 2, 1904. Click here for more information about the author and his books.

Congratulations!

The Sodus Chamber of Commerce has announced its Citizen of the Year, and it's our own Pauline Dodge! A lifelong Sodus resident and long-time Sodus Free Library clerk, Pauline is an active member of the Sodus Garden Club, the Council of Churches, Eastern Star, Sodus Rural Cemetery Board, and the Sodus Presbyterian Church. This year's award banquet will be held on April 4th at the Sodus Bay Heights Restaurant; if you'd like to attend, stop by the Library and speak to Christina Russell.

Congratulations, Pauline, on this well deserved honor!

Filing Taxes Online

Click here to file both Federal and New York State taxes online - at no charge.

Wow!

Our Friends of the Sodus Free Library made $496.90 at their Chocolate Sale! Valentine "hugs and kisses" to Shirley Patchett for chairing the event, and to all the Friends and contributors who helped make this event such a great (and tasty) success. We love our Friends!

If you think you might like to join this group, their next meeting will be this Tuesday at 4 p.m. I hope to see you there!

Library Closing

The Library will be closed Monday, February 18th, in honor of Presidents' Day. Our preschool Story Hour and knitting group will both resume Monday, February 25th.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Looking Forward To Wednesday & Thursday

Are you getting ready for the Friends' Chocolate Sale? I am!

Trustee Election Results

Tonight was our annual Association meeting and election of Trustees. Mike Madison, new to the Board, was elected to a five-year term. Tom Garlipp and Martha Miller tied for the two remaining positions; Tom will serve a five-year term, and Martha volunteered to serve for the four-year term.

At the meeting, the Board honored Martha for her three year tenure as President of the Board. Also honored was long-time Trustee Audrey Ferris, who retired from the Board effective this evening.

Officers elected to serve in 2008 are Carol Sergeant, President, Nancy Malchoff, Vice President, and Tracey Fox, Secretary.

Ash Wednesday

Doesn't it seem early for Ash Wednesday? The U.S. Naval Observatory site will explain why, and let you look up when it will fall next year and beyond (you can also enter past years). Click here.

Click on the Calendar Zone for a page of fun date-related sites.

Republican or Democrat?

Remember to

Ready to Rock

Shirley P. is ready to rock. She'll begin another session of her very popular rock painting classes again next Monday, February 4th, from 10 a.m. until noon (or so). Signup is almost to capacity, so stop by this weekend if you'd like us to squeeze you in.

Yes, It's Chocolate!

It's that time again - our Fifth Annual Valentine Chocolate Sale will be held from noon to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, February 13th, and on Thursday, February 14th. The Friends of the Sodus Free Library are now signing people up, both to make goodies and to work at the sale. If you have time to do either, please call or stop by the Library and add your name to the list. And be sure to mark your calendars so you don't miss the delicious fun.

Ask Us About ...

Knitting Group Resumes

Our knitters are at it again. They are now meeting every Friday from 10 a.m. until noon. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun. Don't know the difference between a knit and a purl? Drop by and we'll help you get started.

Cast Your Ballot

At the annual Association meeting of the Sodus Free Library, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 7th, we will elect three Trustees. The public is invited to come to this meeting, and to vote in the election. Two of the open positions are for five-year terms, expiring in 2013, while one position is to fill a mid-term vacancy, expiring in 2012.

Three people have applied for these positions: Tom Garlipp, Michael Madison, and Martha Miller. The two candidates with the highest number of votes will fill the full term open positions, and the candidate with the least votes will fill the mid-term vacancy.

If you would like to cast your ballot but will be unable to attend the meeting, stop by our circulation desk and ask for an absentee ballot. To be eligible to vote, you must be at least 16 years of age, live within the Town of Sodus, and have an active Pioneer Library System library card.

Holiday Closing

The Sodus Free Library will be closed Monday, January 21st, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Awards Announced

Congratulations to the award-winning authors and illustrators named by the American Library Association this morning! Laura Amy Schlitz won the 2008 Newbery Medal for the year's most outstanding contribution to children's literature, "Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village." Brian Selznick won the Caldecott Medal for "The Invention of Hugo Cabret;" this award just made my day. In the teen category, Geraldine McCaughrean won the Michael L. Printz Award for "The White Darkness." Click here for the entire list of medal and honor books. There are some great titles listed, and you can place an OWWL Hold on any of them.

Friends Meeting

The January meeting of the Friends of the Sodus Free Library will be held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, January 15th. (Please note the change of time from 4 to 3.)

Tax Forms Available

January brings tax forms to the Library. If you're getting ready to file, stop by or call to see if we have the forms you need. We can help you download any that are not yet available.

"Sometimes Books Are Better"

Click here for the Library Ninja's take on books vs. computers.

Recognition

I was just looking through the November 30, 2007, issue of Entertainment Weekly. In every issue of the magazine, Jessica Shaw compares what's "in," "five minutes ago," and "out." According to this issues Shaw Report, buying books online is out, reading in the bookstore is five minutes ago, and ... drum roll ... getting a library card is in. It made my day!

As seen here, the issue also named J. K. Rowling as EW's 2007 Entertainer of the Year. Citing her ability to inspire countless numbers of children to read, the article states, "In an era of tinier-is-better mobisodes, minisodes, and webisodes, she got people to tote around her big, fat old-fashioned printed-on-paper books as if they were the hottest new entertainment devices on the planet." It's great to see books, reading, and libraries discussed in such a positive light - and twice in the same issue. Thanks for the recognition, EW.

A reminder: the current issues of our magazines are for in-library use only, while all past issues check out for a three week loan.

Library Board Meets Thursday

The January meeting of the Sodus Free Library Board of Trustees will be held at 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 10th. Library Board meetings are open to the public.

Receive Holds Faster

Spending an extra minute to check the "Full Details" of an OWWL record can shorten your wait for that book you can't wait to read, or that movie you're just dying to see. Follow these tips to receive those Holds faster.

You've probably noticed that some titles show up more than once in the online catalog. When placing a Hold at home, check to see if Sodus is listed on that specific record before you place your Hold. Did you know that OWWL Holds placed by Sodus Free Library cardholders rise to the top of the list for our library's copy of that title? So, click on "Full Details" to see if we're listed - if we are, place your Hold on that record. You'll then bypass the Holds of cardholders from other libraries and receive that book or DVD much faster. If we're not listed as holding the title you're requesting, place your Hold on the record which shows the greatest number of libraries owning the title; that will also speed up your journey through the reserve list.

Applications Due

If you are interested in serving as a Trustee on the Sodus Free Library Board, stop by after noon tomorrow to pick up an application at our circulation desk. Thursday, January 3rd, is the last day to submit an application. Trustees meet at 4 p.m. on the second Thursday of every month, and are responsible for policy making, building maintenance, funding, and advocacy.

Three Trustee positions will be voted on at the February 7th Annual Association meeting. Trustees Tom Garlipp and Martha Miller have stated their intention to run for reelection. After several terms of service, Trustee Audrey Ferris is retiring from the Board (and will be sorely missed!).

If you would like more information, stop by tomorrow, or give me a call at 483-9292.

OWWL2GO

Did you "Gear up for the New Year" as I suggested in an earlier post? If you did, you'll soon be able to check out and download audiobooks to your computer through our Library's site. All of the titles will then be transferrable to your MP3 player; some will be able to be burned to CD. There will be no charge to you, and while the startup collection is rather small, new titles will be added throughout the year as a cooperative effort between the Pioneer Library System and its member OWWL libraries. Continue to watch our blog for much more information about this exciting new service which will hopefully be unveiled before the end of January.

Holiday Closing

The Sodus Free Library will be closed December 24th, 25th, and 26th, plus December 31st and January 1st. Everyone here at the Library wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

PJ Storytime

Is Winter really the warmest season? How did Santa get his job? Put on your pajamas, and join us at our first Christmas PJ Storytime this Wednesday, December 19, from 7-7:30 p.m. We'll "light" the fireplace and answer those questions. Children of all ages are welcome.

Library Closed Monday

Because the Sodus Central Schools are closed today due to hazardous road conditions, we are also closed. Bundle up before you go out to shovel, and don't worry about your library materials. Everything that was due today, is now due tomorrow. If you do have to travel in the area, click here for resources on road conditions, etc.

Library Closing

Due to unsafe conditions on the roads, the Sodus Free Library will NOT be open today from 2-4 p.m. With all the weathermen predicting several more inches of blowing snow and blizzard conditions, I suggest you stay inside, brew up something hot, and curl up in a comfy chair to read a good book (or, like me, finally get around to decorating your Christmas tree!).

Don't worry about any overdues. No fines will be placed on any materials due today.

A decision concerning Monday's hours will be made Monday morning. Remember - if the Sodus Central School District closes, we are also closed. I hope to see you in the Library soon!

Favorite Things

Christmas cookies, fudge, cupcakes, pie, thumbprint cookies - these are a few of my favorite things. And there are still plenty of these goodies to choose from at our Friends Bake Sale. Friday's hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. - make time to stop by the Library to pick up a few of your favorite things.

December Board Meeting

The December meeting of the Sodus Free Library Board of Trustees will be held at 4 p.m. this Thursday, December 13th. Board meetings are open to the public.

Coming Soon

Shhhh. OWWL2go is coming soon!

Hint: You may want to "Gear up for the New Year" by asking Santa for an MP3 player so that you will be able to take advantage of this exciting new service. When you ask, remind him - in case he's forgotten - that OWWL2go will be compatible with all players except Apple iPods and Microsoft Zunes, and will also work with PCs but not MACs.

Check back soon for more information.

Upcoming Friends Sale

Busy cleaning, shopping, and decorating for the holidays? Let the Friends of the Sodus Free Library help relieve some of your stress. They'll be holding their annual Holiday Bake Sale from noon until 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 13th, and from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday, December 14th. All kinds of delicious holiday goodies will be available: cakes, pies, muffins, cookies, breads, coffee cakes, candy, etc. Everything will be wrapped and ready to give as gifts, or to use as a treat for you and your family. See you there!

Winter Closings

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful ..." Well, not yet, but it might be soon! Remember that when the Sodus Central School District closes schools due to stormy weather and/or slippery roads, the Sodus Free Library is also closed. If you have any doubt about whether or not we're open, just call us at 483-9292 before you head out into the ice and snow. (But mainly, just keep hoping for a mild winter!)

Holiday Closing

The Library will be closing at 5 p.m. Wednesday, November 21st, and will remain closed through Friday, November 23rd. We will reopen at 10 a.m. Saturday, November 24th. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families.

Wow!

This year's book sale brought in a bit over $1,200! Thanks to head lady Shirley Patchett and all her wonderful volunteers for their hours and hours of work. Your dedication is truly appreciated.

Bargain Days

If you love bargains, drop by the Library Saturday or Monday (we're closed Sunday for Veterans Day) for two $1/bag days. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Monday hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. We've got the bags and the books, you just need to bring the $$$!

Sale Continues

Wow! The book-buying crowd really did descend upon our Library today. But don't worry - there are still plenty of good titles left, including videos and audiobooks. Friday's sale hours are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Reminder

Our Friends' Used Book Sale runs from noon until 8 p.m. Thursday, November 8th. Come early for the best selection (later if you want to avoid the crowds!)

Library Closing

The Library will be closed Sunday, November 11th, in honor of Veterans Day.

Election Day

Be sure to take the time to vote today. Click here to see a sample ballot for each town and village in Wayne County.

November Board Meeting

The November meeting of the Library's Board of Trustees will be held this Thursday, November 8th, at 4 p.m. All Board meetings are open to the public.

A Smile For Your Friday

The Warsaw librarian directed me to this site: Why dogs hate Halloween!

Dates to Remember

What's all the excitement? The Friends of the Sodus Free Library are holding their annual Used Book Sale next week! Thousands of books will be available at the sale - most for 50 cents each. Children's books will sell for 25 cents each. Audiobook and video sections will also be full of a variety of titles.

Sale hours are:

Thursday, November 8, noon to 8
Friday, November 9, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, November 10, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ($1/bag sale)
Monday, November 12, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ($1/bag continues)

The line forms early on Thursday, so go mark your calendar now!