Library Board Meets Thursday

The Sodus Free Library Board of Trustees will hold their monthly meeting at 6 p.m. this Thursday, February 5th, in the Library's meeting room. This meeting will be followed by the Annual Association meeting and Trustee election at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend all Board meetings. Sodus residents who are 16 years of age or older, and who are OWWL cardholders, may vote in the Trustee election; absentee ballots are available at the check-out desk.

Time to Advocate for Libraries

The proposed 2009-10 State budget cuts library aid by $18 million, or 18% on top of the cuts imposed in April and August of 2008. This would reduce Library Aid to $80.5 million - a level not seen since 1993. This proposed cut comes at a time when all of our libraries are busier than ever, offering free access to computers and the Internet and providing educational and recreational materials and programming. The ever-expanding services required by our patrons call for more funding, not less! Please click on the image below to send a fax or email to your state legislators and the Governor protesting the proposed cut. You can make a difference by letting them know that you value libraries and the services they provide.

Knitting/Crocheting Group Resumes

Come join our Sit & Knit group starting this Friday, January 30th, from 10 a.m. until noon. While this is not a class, basic instruction is available to get you started if you're new to either craft. We're not taking reservations - just bring your knitting needles or crochet hooks, some yarn, and an idea of what you'd like to make (how about a nice warm scarf to help you get through the rest of this cold, snowy winter?)

Newbery and Caldecott Winners Announced

Today was the day when the American Library Association announced the top books, videos, and audiobooks of 2009 for children and young adults. Receiving the John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to children's literature was The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Illustrator Beth Krommes won the Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distingished American picture book for children for The House in the Night, written by Susan Marie Swanson.

The Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature was presented to Melina Marchetta for Jellicoe Road. The Coretta Scott King Author Book Award was given to We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. The Blacker the Berry, illustrated by Floyd Cooper and written by Joyce Carol Thomas, is the King Illustrator Book winner.

Click here to read about the other awards presented in Denver today. No matter your age, there are some great titles here that you're sure to enjoy, and all are available for holds at owwl.org.

Rock Painting Classes Scheduled

This just in from Shirley Patchett:

"Want to paint rocks? It's that time of the year to try new things, get out of the house and enjoy the company of others. If you'd like to learn to paint whimsical rock houses, we have just the solution. Join our rock painting group. Paints and brushes are provided; you simply need to provide the rock that you can turn into a house. Flat rocks will do or, in a pinch, a brick. We'll meet on Wednesday afternoons starting January 28th from 1:00 until 3:00."

To register for these classes or for more information, stop by or call the Library.

Book Club Date Changed

Our Book Club will be meeting January 29th at 7 p.m. in the Library's sitting room to discuss Barbara Hambly's Patriot Hearts. I hope you can make it!

New Presidential Site

The link I recommended in this blog earlier in the week is no longer available because of a major update to the White House site. Instead, click here to access the biographical information on all of our U. S. Presidents.

Postponed Program Tonight

Tonight at 7 p.m. we'll have Michael Czarnecki's postponed Palm-of-the-Hand Memoir Writing workshop. I hope to see you there!

Friends Meeting

The monthly meeting of the Friends of the Sodus Free Library will be held Tuesday, January 20th, at 4 p.m. in the Library's meeting room. Come join us!

U.S. Presidents

If, when watching the Presidential inauguration news, you'd like more information on our previous Presidents, click here. This site is directly from the White House, and is cited by the Democrat & Chronicle for the daily series they've been running.

Holiday Closing

The Sodus Free Library will be closed Monday, January 19th, for Martin Luther King Day. We will reopen at noon on Tuesday, January 20th. The OWWL and OWWL2go sites are available 24/7.

Brrrrr!

The weathermen are all predicting record cold temperatures for the next few days, and we've been getting questions about our policy of closing when the Sodus Central schools are closed. If the schools close because of frigid temperatures, we will still be open. If, however, they close because the weather makes road conditions dangerous, we will also be closed. If you're in doubt, give us a call at 483-9292. And don't worry about overdues - no materials are ever due on days when we are closed.

Another Happy Patron

Knowing that many would miss a blog comment about our new pre-due email notices, I'm taking the liberty of republishing it here:

"This morning I had an email from the library robot clerk ( that's what I call it) reminding me that I had two items due back on Sunday. Wow! That is so cool! No more late DVDs, books or audio books for me! If you want that kind of service, make sure the library has your email address. You can select all kinds of reminders by going to www.pls-net.org, selecting My Account and going from there. Come on. Do it right now! You will be thrilled! Regards, Antje - totally plugged into the digital world."

We're so pleased to be able to offer this service to our patrons. Take Antje's advice, and check to be sure we have your correct email address. It's a really painless (and free!) way to simplify this area of your life.

Library Closing Early

We will be closing at 6 p.m. this evening due to deteriorating road conditions. Please stay home where it's warm and safe. I promise we'll be lenient with you if items due today are not returned until tomorrow afternoon.

Workshop Postponed

Because of a personal loss and predicted icy weather, Michael Czarnecki's Palm-of-the-Hand Memoir Writing workshop has been postponed until Wednesday, January 21st, at 7 p.m. The second in the series is still scheduled for Wednesday, February 4th.

Library Board Meets Thursday

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

Upcoming Workshops

The Library will be presenting two Palm-of-the-Hand Memoir Writing Workshops with memoirist/poet Michael Czarnecki at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 7th, and Wednesday, February 4th. The workshops are open to all levels of writing, and are funded by the Friends of the Sodus Free Library. Don't let your stories be lost!

New Year's Closing

The Library will be closed on Wednesday, December 31st, and Thursday, January 1st, for the New Year's holiday. We will reopen on Friday, January 2nd, at 10 a.m.

I hope that Christmas was merry at your house (it certainly was at mine), and that I'll see you in the Library soon.

Want To Track Santa's Trip?

Click here to visit NORAD (North American Air Defense Command). This site also has lots of activities and games for children. Have fun :)

Holiday Closing

The Sodus Free Library will be closed Wednesday, December 24th through Friday, December 26th for the Christmas holiday. We will reopen at 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 27th. Click here for a short explanation of many of our Christmas traditions from "All Things Christmas."

We're Closing

Wow, the weathermen certainly knew what they were talking about this time - the snow is really starting to come down out there! Sodus schools will be closing at 10:30 for grades 6-12 and 11:30 for grades Pre-K-5. We will be closing the Library between 11:30 and noon, so stay home where it's warm and safe. As always, you can renew materials online at owwl.org, your 24/7 library.

Quote For The Day

"Today a reader, tomorrow a leader."
~Margaret Fuller

Merry Story Hour Families

Speaking of sharing stories, we continue to offer preschool Story Hour every Monday morning at 10:45. This week we heard Christmas tales from Miss Valerie and a new (and rapidly improving!) reader, made wreaths, enjoyed snacks, and gathered around the tree.

Share The Joy Of Reading

The Wood Library's blogger has pointed out an interesting NPR article about sharing the joy of reading. Click here to read or listen to one family's Christmas tradition. I hope that you'll spend some time during this holiday season reading with someone you love. Let me know the titles you choose!

Brian Williams on Libraries

Did you catch this on the Nightly News Wednesday evening?

Friends Bake Sale

One of my favorite library happenings (after the Chocolate Sale, of course!) is just around the corner. Our Friends' Holiday Bake Sale will be held this Thursday, from noon until 8 p.m., and Friday, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. This is a perfect time to pick up gifts for teachers, bus drivers, hairdressers, etc., so be sure to set aside time to stop by to shop the sale.

If you would like to help by donating baked goods, stop by or call us and we'll add your name to the sign-up sheet. I'm especially looking forward to Jean's delicious kuchen!

Monthly Board Meeting

The Library's Board of Trustees will hold their monthly meeting this Thursday, December 11th, at 4 p.m. Because of the Friends' Bake Sale, the Board will be meeting in the Ruth Mills Room. Board meetings are open to the public.

The Latest "Harry"

Today's the day: J. K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard has been published - with commentary and footnotes by Professor Albus Dumbledore! Our three copies have already been checked out, but the list of reserves is still quite short; go online to place your OWWL Hold, or give us a call and we'll do it for you.

February 17, 2009

Does that date sound familiar? You've been hearing it between television programs for some time now. If you use rabbit ears or a rooftop antenna with your TV, you need to purchase a converter box before 2/17/09, or you'll be missing all of your favorite programs.

Don't panic! There's still time to get $40 coupons to cover most or all of the cost of your box; click here to apply online, or call 1-888-388-2009. For more information, click here. Now is a good time to take care of this, before December flies past (it's picking up steam already, isn't it?).

Reminder

Don't miss Michael Czarnecki's Stories From a Life, 7 p.m. in the Library's meeting room.

Sisters (and brothers!) Welcome

Bring your preschooler to our Story Hour, held every Monday from 10:45-11:30 a.m. for weekly stories, crafts, and fun with Miss Valerie. At a recent Story Hour, two of our children were accompanied by their baby sisters - you're never too young for a good story!

Be Informed

December 1st is World AIDS Day. Click here for more information.

Get Out Your Calendars

Poet and memoirist Michael Czarnecki will return to the Library at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 3, to present Stories From a Life, a memoir storytelling program. Czarnecki has said that his program is going to be “a mostly spontaneous creative nonfiction storytelling program that draws on experiences from all stages of my life.” And what a life! Along the way he has “hitchhiked 30,000 miles, backpacked in the mountains, made several cross-country journeys, raised a family, quit other work to make my living as a poet, homesteaded, etc.” Registration is not required for this free program; for more information, stop by the Library or call (315) 483-9292. This memoir program will be followed by two of Czarnecki's Palm-of-the-Hand Memoir Writing workshops in January and February, 2009. All three evenings are made possible with funding from the Friends of the Sodus Free Library.

Holiday Closing

The Library will close for the Thanksgiving holiday at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26th, and remain closed Thursday, November 27th, and Friday, November 28th. We will reopen at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 29th.

Some Recent Visitors

What a joy to have all these young people in our library!

Friends Meeting

The Friends of the Sodus Free Library will meet at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, November 18th, in the Library's meeting room. The main item of business will be the final planning of our Holiday Bake Sale. I hope you can join us!

Please Help Our Libraries

Governor Paterson recommends an immediate $20 million dollar cut in library funding. This cut will be devastating to library services throughout the state.

• Learn More
• Show your support for libraries by fax
• Send a letter today to the legislature

Click on the links above or join us as we rally on November 18th in Albany. Libraries need your support!

Monthly Board Meeting

The monthly meeting of the Sodus Free Library Board will held at 4 p.m. on Thursday, November 13th, in the Library's meeting room. The public is always welcome to attend Board meetings.

Veterans Day Closing

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

Book Sale Leftovers

Our sale was amazingly busy, but there are still some good titles left. Stop by on Monday, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. - we'll be selling leftovers for $1/bag.

Busy Saturday

Although we've already sold over 2,000 books and plenty of AV materials, there are still some really good buys waiting for you at our book sale. The savings will increase tomorrow, November 8th, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., when you can fill a bag for $2! Plan on filling more than one :)

When you're done shopping the sale, head to Monroe Community College for the Rochester Children's Book Festival. Children of all ages will be able to meet 44 authors and illustrators, purchase their books and get their signatures, attend readings, and do fun crafts. Teens are offered an exciting program on Writing Fantasy, which will be presented by popular authors Bruce Coville and Tamora Pierce. Festival times are 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Have a fun day!

Book Sale Countdown

Monday:

Tuesday:













Wednesday:












The sale starts at noon on Thursday, November 6th. See you there!

Exercise Your Right

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Be Informed

We've all heard plenty about most of the candidates running for various offices tomorrow. With the ad blitzes, the judicial vote can be forgotten until we're standing in the voting booth. To be informed about judicial candidates, click here. Wayne County information can be found here. Also remember that FactCheck.org researches the truth behind all those political ads.

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and never will be."
~ Thomas Jefferson

Are You Ready?

The members of our Friends group are working hard to prepare the best used book sale we've ever had at the Library. Starting on Monday, they'll be sorting through thousands of donated and discarded books, separating them into genres, and alphabetizing by author to save your time. The bargains start selling at noon on Thursday, November 6th, and continue until 4 p.m. Sunday, November 9th. Sale hours are:

Thursday - noon to 8 p.m.
Friday - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (everything will be reduced to $2/bag)
Sunday - 2-4 p.m. (all leftovers will sell for $1/bag)

Go mark your calendar now!