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Last Updated: September
2, 2008
Library
‘Friends' Group Launched
People sometimes wonder how they can get involved in supporting
our library in all that it has to offer. The newly-formed
Friends of the William K. Sanford Town Library has been established
to help the library continue to provide valuable programs,
resources and services to all parts of the Town. Commitments
can range from simply paying a membership fee to taking on
a leadership role or anything in-between. (For example, the
Friends offer a variety of volunteer opportunities, including
helping on membership, outreach, fund-raising, hospitality
and publicity committees.)
The Friends group was launched this June when a group of residents
began meeting to form a not-for-profit organization to support
the library's diverse activities and its continued success
as a vital educational and cultural resource. After five meetings,
the group is in the process of incorporating and has a group
of interim officers and directors to continue moving through
the paperwork and legwork in getting established.
For more information about becoming a member, please contact
Library Director Richard Naylor at 458-9274 ( naylorr@uhls.lib.ny.us
) or Jonathan Walter, interim president of The Friends of
the William K. Sanford Town Library ( jmwalter@nycap.rr.com
).
Membership fees are $10 for individuals, $15 for families
and $8 for seniors over 60.
Let's
Talk About It: Jewish Literature Returns!
Join us this fall as the Let's Talk About It: Jewish Literature
book discussion series returns. Sponsored by Nextbook (an
organization which focuses on Jewish literature, culture,
and ideas; see their excellent website at www.nextbook.com)
and the American Library Association – with 100 discussion
series nationwide – this year's theme is A Mind of Her
Own: Fathers and Daughters in a Changing World. We are fortunate
to again have as discussion leader for all five books Joel
Berkowitz, Chair of UAlbany's Judaic Studies Department. (Those
of you who attended last year's discussion series know how
great he was!) Titles and dates: Monday, September 15th, Tevye
the Dairyman by Sholem Aleichem; Wednesday, September 24th,
Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska; Monday, October 27th, O My
America by Johanna Kaplan; Monday, November 10th, American
Pastoral by Philip Roth; Monday, November 24th, Bee Season
by Myla Goldberg. All discussions will begin at 7:30 PM in
the Stedman Room; books will be provided. To reserve a spot
sign up at the Information Desk or call the Information Desk
at 810-0314. For more information on the theme and the books,
pick up a flyer on one of the information tables by the entrance
to the library.
Knitting
Group Continues
The Library sponsored knitting group will meet in the Stedman
Room on the following Fridays this fall: September 5 and 19,
October 10 and 24, November 7 and 21, and December 5 and 19.
The knitters who attend have varying degrees of skill. While
more experienced knitters enjoy sharing their knowledge they
are always willing to help others. Some knitting experience
is helpful. There's always an interesting exchange of information
and experiences. The public is invited to attend. Just come,
bring your knitting and enjoy the group! For further information
you may call Gwen Gurien at 475-1470 or Cindy Kinch-Kemp at
783-9382.
Literacy
Volunteers Mohawk/ Hudson
Tutor Training Workshop Begins in October
A Basic Literacy Workshop will be held at the library on six
Tuesday afternoons from 12:30 to 3:00 PM, on October 7, 14,
21, 28; November 4, 18.
Participants in these workshops will be trained to tutor adults
in basic reading and writing. All potential tutors must:
* Read, write, and speak English well.
* Have at least a high school education.
* Be at least 21 years old.
* Complete our training workshop (either Basic Literacy or
English for Speakers of Other Languages). Trainees must participate
in discussions and activities, complete light homework assignments
between sessions, and attend all sessions. Matches will be
made only with trainees who demonstrate an understanding of
the material and techniques.
* Pay workshop materials fee of $35 (includes manual &
worksheets).
* Be available to tutor once or twice a week, 1 - 2 hours
per session, for at least one year.
* Be able to travel to tutoring locations.
* Report tutoring activities and student achievements regularly.
To sign up for this workshop, call 452-3382 or email: info@lvamohawkhudson.org
Individuals trained in these workshops can tutor in Albany
or Schenectady.
Direct
Phone Numbers Now Available
During regular business hours, in addition to the library's
General Information phone number (458-9274),
the following numbers will connect you directly to many of
the library's departments:
Programs: 810-0312
(for
adult Stedman Room program scheduling)
Information Desk: 810-0314
(for adult reference questions and adult program
reservations)
Youth Services Desk: 810-0315
(for youth program information and youth reference
questions)
Renewals/Overdues/Circulation Information: 810-0319
Art
Exhibit Web Page
In case you haven't yet discovered it, we have a web page
devoted to our monthly art exhibits called the "Artist's
Corner". There is a link on the library's main page or
you can view it directly at: www.colonie.org/library/artcorner.htm
The information changes monthly with each exhibit and includes
preview photos of selected artwork, reception dates and biographical
data about the artists.
Library
Theatre of Colonie presents
"All the World's a Stage"
(Photo Gallery)
BookLetters
Online
The William K. Sanford Town Library is pleased to offer our
library patrons BookLetters Online, a new
service which allows you to subscribe to any of 20 custom
newsletters on the following topics: Art & Architecture,
Audio, Biography, Books You May Have Missed, Business, Computers,
Cooking, Current Events, History, Home and Garden, Medicine
and Health, Performing Arts and Library Theatre of Colonie,
Poetry, Programs at the Library, Sports, Staff Picks, Tech
Valley, Teen Scene, Travel, Youth Services.
Our librarians will e-mail you information about recently
ordered books, relevant Web links and upcoming programs on
the topics that interest you most. You will receive a page
which includes a list of recently ordered items, including
images of the book jacket, summaries and reviews of the books,
and a link directly to the items in our catalog, should you
wish to request a copy. To subscribe to this new service,
please visit our Web page at http://www.colonie.org/library
for directions, or send an e-mail to: wkslibry@uhls.lib.ny.us
You'll also find the following new additions to our Web Page:
Author Directory
A nice service for anyone running a book club, or for those
simply interested in learning more about an author. You'll
find interviews with and work summaries for hundreds of the
best read authors.
Best Sellers Links
Fiction and nonfiction hardcover as well as trade paperback
and mass market bestsellers are listed for your information.
Book Awards Links -Adult and Children
Fiction ALA Notable Books
Nonfiction ALA Notable Books
ALA Black Caucus Selections
Audie Awards
James Beard KitchenAid Book Awards
Christy
Awards
Hugo
Edgar
Nebula
National Book Awards for Fiction
National Book Awards for Nonfiction
National Book Awards for Poetry
Oprah Book Club Selections
PEN/Faulkner Awards
Printz Awards
Pulitzer Award for Biography
Pulitzer Award for Fiction
Pulitzer Award for History
Pulitzer Award for Nonfiction
Pulitzer Award for Poetry
Popular Religion Selections - Hardcover
Popular Religion Selections - Paperback
Using
Our New Catalog
Regular
visitors to our library will certainly have noticed many changes
in recent months. By the time you read this, our main stacks will
be back in order and most items will be accessible once again.
Another big, but not so obvious change is our recently updated
library catalog.
In
1996 our paper card catalog which allowed searching only by author,
title, or subject was replaced with an electronic catalog called
the Online Public Access System, or OPAC. The OPAC allowed users
to search not only our collection, but the holdings of all libraries
in the Upper Hudson Library System, and enabled more complex methods
of searching, such as by keyword. It also was the introduction
of the Virtual Library. For the first time, you were able to search
our holdings, place reserves and renew books from the comfort
of your own home, even when the library was not open.
As
amazing as those features may have seemed in 1996, the OPAC quickly
became outdated and after exploring various options, we have selected,
and are now ready to introduce you to, our new Internet Public
Access Catalog (IPAC).
IPAC
FEATURES
If you have ever visited an online bookstore, such as Amazon.com,
or Borders.com, you have already experienced an environment similar
to the IPAC. Both have what is called a graphical user interface,
meaning images, as well as text, are displayed, and that, for
the most part, information is manipulated via the computer mouse,
rather than the keyboard.
One nice feature our new catalog shares with these online bookstores
is the ability to view book covers. Contrary to the old saying,
you often can judge a book by its cover. If you are browsing through
craft books for instance, you can usually tell from the cover
if the projects inside will interest you. If you've ever tried
to find a book that you've read before, and know the author, but
can't remember the title, viewing the covers may spark your memory.
Another nice feature of the new catalog is the inclusion of professional
reviews for some items. Although not every item has a review,
newer books will include review entries by Publishers' Weekly,
and Library Journal.
Many
readers enjoy roving the library stacks, opening a book, reading
a few pages to get the feel of the item before deciding whether
or not to borrow it. Perhaps the most exciting feature of the
new catalog is the ability to browse virtually, to read excerpts
and even full chapters from selected items online, either at the
library, or from the comfort of home. For instance a search for
Katherine Graham's Pulitzer Prize winning biography, Personal
History, reveals the first chapter of the book in its entirety.
The catalog also allows you, without returning to the search page,
to find other titles by the same author or to find other items
on the same topic.
SEARCHING
THE IPAC
You may access the IPAC from our library's Web page at:
http://www.colonie.org/library/index.html
or directly by going to:
http://uhls.org/uhls/catalog.cfm
As mentioned above, your library card allows you access, not just
to our library, but to the holdings of all libraries in the Upper
Hudson Library System. You are able to search, reserve, and even
renew items including books, videos, DVDs, CDs, and books-on-
tape.
To
Search The Web Catalog:
When you visit the Web Catalog, a drop-down box allows you to
choose the member library whose holdings you wish to search. Select
either an individual library, or all libraries and click BEGIN.
You will then be taken to the Search page. Here you are able to
search using keyword, title, author, or subject. If you feel a
more detailed search would be helpful, click on the SEARCH tab
at the top of the page and you then have the option of a BASIC
or ADVANCED search, both of which allow more options than the
original search page.
For example, if you wanted a list of all National Geographic videos
in the collection and you wanted to sort them by publication date,
the ADVANCED search allows you to do this quickly.
This system, like the last, allows you to reserve items. After
you complete your search, and would like to place a request, choose
the REQUEST ITEM box. You will then be prompted for your Borrower
ID number (your library card number - use all digits - and $ sign
if it is present on your card - but do not use letters,) and a
PIN number (the last 4 digits of your home phone number). You
will then get a request confirmation at which point you may choose
the library to which you'd like the item sent.
To
Check Your Account
Information about items you have checked out, due dates of those
items, how much money you may owe in fines, as well as a list
of items you may have placed on reserve are all available by choosing
MY ACCOUNT. If you wish to renew items, you are offered that option
as well. When you choose the MY ACCOUNT tab at the top of the
screen, you will be prompted for you Borrower ID number and PIN
number (see above). To renew, put a check in the box on the left
of items that are renewable and then click on RENEW ITEMS at the
bottom of the page. Please note that some items may NOT be renewable.
If you have questions, please call the Circulation department
at 458-9274.
Everything
new requires a bit of adjustment and we realize you may have questions
about the new IPAC. If so, or if you have any problems accessing
the holdings or your account online, please do not hesitate to
call the Information Desk at 458-927 or e-mail us at wkslibry@uhls.lib.ny.us
Cell
Phone Use
Cell phones have greatly improved our
ability to communicate with others. However, in order to avoid interfering
with other library patrons' use of the library, it is prohibited to
carry on a conversation via cell phone in public use areas of the
library. Patrons receiving calls may continue their conversation in
the lobby area of the library.
Local Preschool
and Day Care Information
Parents looking for information about
local preschool or daycare programs may want to check out our Preschool
Possibilities listing. The catalog is available in print form, either
as a reference item for use in the library, or for check out. Copies
of the catalog may be checked out for three weeks. The catalog is
also available at our libraries Web site. The URL is http://www.colonie.org/library/preschool.html
Listings were recently updated and include day care centers, home
day care providers, and preschools in the area. Contact information,
details about meals, ages, and programs offered are provided. There
is also a Parent's Guide To Choosing Daycare, a checklist for parents
looking for day care for their children. Topics considered on the
checklist are: First Impressions, Caregivers/ Teachers, Health and
Safety, Activities And Equipment, Overall Program. The information
in Preschool Possibilities is based on information collected from
the providers themselves. Caregivers are responsible for confirming
the accuracy of the information.
Community
Contacts Directory
The library's Community Contacts Directory
contains names, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and web
page addresses for many organizations which are typically not found
in the telephone book. The listings concentrate on groups located
in the Town of Colonie, although organizations throughout the Capital
Region are included.
The directory (based on the 2000 print edition) with all current updates
is posted on the
library's web page with all e-mail and web sites linked. The address
is http://www.colonie.org/library/ccdir.html
or follow the link from our Virtual Information Desk under "Capital
District Information."
The web edition will always be kept current with updated or new information.
Let us know if you wish to be added or if there are changes to your
posted information.
Copies of the 2000 edition
are available at the Circulation
Desk for $3.00 per copy.
In the past we have addressed the issue
of unattended minors left at the library after the library has closed.
Our policy states that if a minor is left outside the building after
closing, a library staff member will make sure the minor has called
for a ride. The staff member will wait with the minor for a maximum
of 15 minutes, then, if the minor has not been picked up, staff is
required to notify the police.
In keeping with our concern for the
safety of minors, our library board of trustees has instituted a policy
for those minors left unattended at the library during the day. For
the protection of preschool children, a parent, guardian, or authorized
caregiver (for example, nanny, au pair, child care professional) must
stay with any preschool child anywhere on library property. An older
sibling or peer is not considered an authorized caregiver.
We are also concerned about the safety
of those minors who have started school, but are under 18. Should
we need to contact a parent or guardian or authorized caregiver for
any reason, and if they are not on site or cannot be reached, we will
notify the police. The same holds true with any preschool child left
unattended on library property. As always, should you have any questions
about this policy or any other policy, please do not hesitate to contact
us.
Book
Donations Welcome
The library will gladly accept book
donations to stock our on-going "Book Nook" sale tables.
Listed below are a few guidelines to help you help us.
ITEMS NEEDED: Books published in the
last ten years
Recent best sellers
Clean copies of "classic" titles
Current magazines
Audiovisual materials (videos, CD's, tapes)
Children's books
ITEMS NOT NEEDED (and not saleable):
Books in poor condition (yellowed or torn pages, broken bindings,
musty)
Textbooks
Reader's Digest condensed books
Encyclopedias and other dated information
PLEASE:
Bring donations to the library's back door.
Place donations in boxes or bags.
Limit donations to one or two boxes at a time.
Schedule large donations in advance.
If you would like a receipt for tax
purposes, we provide signed dated acknowledgment letters for the items
but cannot assess their value.
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