2:00-4:00 PM: A Life in Paintings: Susan Bon, A Retrospective Opening Reception- Susan Bon (1951-2010) was a graduate of the Museum School in Boston and a career artist, first in Pepperell, MA, later in New Ipswich, NH and finally toward the end of her life, in Loudonville, NY. Although disabled from birth with severe congenital heart defect, she was none-the less a world traveler, avid naturalist and talented artist. She painted, drew, sewed, made rugs, clothes, dolls and stuffed animals, but her primary medium was oils. Her paintings are exhibited in locations from New York to Washington state, Switzerland to Australia and portray the landscapes and subjects she knew and loved - fields, farms, mountains, animals and her beloved cats. An exhibit of Susan's paintings will be on display at the library from February 1-28.

7:00 PM: Hudson Mohawk Bird Club: On Safari in Namibia- In this travelogue program, Gregg Recer will share photos from self-guided travels he, along with his wife Cathy and son Bryce, took through northern Namibia in 2010. Namibia, in southwestern Africa, is predominantly an arid country, famous for the skeleton coast and the huge sand dunes of the Namib Desert. However, the northern part of the country includes extensive savanna and riparian corridors that abound with not only "charismatic megafauna" similar to east Africa, but a tremendous variety of birds, including many southern-Africa endemics and old-world families such as ostrich, rollers, hornbills, bee-eaters, guineafowl, babblers, weavers and waxbills. The program will explore several of Namibia's excellent national parks, including the Namib-Naukluft, Etosha, Mahango and Mudumu. Gregg Recer is a former HMBC president. He and his wife Cathy have been birding for nearly 25 years. They have travelled and birded over much of North America and have recently focused on exploring tropical birding locations.

6:00 PM: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Albany Great Strides Kick-off- Discussion of the Albany Great Strides Walk to be held at The Crossings on May 19, 2012.

12:15 PM: Noon Author Talk- East Greenbush author James Breig has written a new nonfiction book, Searching for Sergeant Bailey: Saluting an Ordinary Soldier of World War II. On Thursday February 9th in our Noon Book timeslot he will share how a visit to an antique shop led to uncovering the fascinating history of a true 'unknown soldier.' Highlighting history from rural Virginia to wartime in New Guinea, Breig's talk should be of interest to history buffs, WWII enthusiasts and genealogists alike. From a review: "Drawing on military records and [41] V-Mail letters that Sgt. Bailey sent to his mother and others, numerous interviews with those who knew him and other sources, award-winning author Breig skillfully reclaims one forgotten serviceman from obscurity. And in doing so he captures life in an Army training camp, time aboard troop transports heading overseas, New Guinea's significance in the string of fierce battles to reclaim the Pacific, the battle in the skies and the battle with weather and disease, the importance of support troops (quartermasters, engineers, mechanics) who made victory possible, the clever creation of V-Mail, and the massive demobilization at the end of the war." The book, says Mr. Breig, is a way of "trying to pay attention to the millions who went overseas in World War II, then came home and went on with their lives and never talked about what happened to them." Jim spent 37 years at the Evangelist newspaper in Albany and currently freelances on American History.

2:00 PM: Hearing Loss Association of America-Albany Chapter: An Afternoon at the Movies- Come join us to watch the captioned version of the movie Temple Grandin, a true story about a woman who did not let her autism limit her. It recounts her amazing life and achievements, as well as her perception of her world practically through her own eyes. The movie stars Claire Danes. Movie reviewer, Jason Buchanan says: "The story of autistic icon Temple Grandin, a woman who refused to let her disorder limit her true potential. Adapted from Grandin's own writings, the film allows the audience to experience the world much like she does while recounting her colorful life and remarkable achievements from childhood to adulthood." Popcorn and refreshments will be served. Sponsored by the Hearing Loss Association of America - Albany Chapter. All are welcome.

1:30 PM: English Speaking Union's National High School Shakespeare Competition-Albany Area Branch- The English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition is a school-based program designed to help high school students develop their speaking and critical thinking skills and their appreciation of literature as they explore the beauty of the language and the timeless themes in Shakespeare's works. In the Competition, students read, interpret and perform monologues and sonnets in three qualifying stages-at the school, community (Branch) and national levels. Approximately 20 area high schools participate in the Albany Branch's National Shakespeare Competition. The winner from each participating high school competes by delivering a soliloquy and sonnet of their choice to a panel of three well-known discerning judges. The winner of the Albany competition will advance to compete at Nationals in New York City. The public is encouraged to attend. (Snowdate: Monday, February 13, 5:00 PM).

1:00 PM: AARP of Colonie-Chapter 2873- Program to be announced.

2:00 PM: Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? Discussion Series- "Putting a Price Tag on Life" Can one put a price on a human life as done in utilitarian logic? And, is seeking "the greatest good for the greatest number" compatible with protecting individual rights? Sandel tests utilitarian theory by playing video clips from three very different forms of entertainment: Shakespeare's Hamlet, the reality show Fear Factor, and The Simpsons.

6:30 PM: Basic Home Evaluation and Selection for First Time Home Buyers- This class is designed to provide first time buyers with practical information so they will be better equipped to use age and condition, along with other factors, to wisely shop for a home. For example, what red flags might you expect in a 20-year old house versus a 50-year old house? What does the presence of mold mean to a buyer? Does roof leakage require roof replacement? All too often, a basic lack of understanding about house components leads first time home buyers to make decisions based on emotional decisions or cosmetic features. Presented by Peter Schaming of Excelsior Home Inspection Co. Inc. Reservations are required; call the Information desk at 810-0314.

7:00 PM: Colonie Tuesday Night Live Poets' Corner- Local poets and writers of all ages are invited to present six to ten minutes of their original work at this open reading forum. The public is encouraged to stop in and listen. Hosted by William Robert Foltin (785-1252). (Training/Conference Room)

12:15 PM: Noon Book Review- Republic of Noise: The Loss of Solitude in Schools and Culture by Diana Senechal will be reviewed by Brian Rhode, fifth grade teacher at Poestenkill Elementary School.

5:30 PM: Turning Your Retirement Assets into Income for Life- Learn to understand how to invest in different products to receive income for as long as you live; to grow your income in order to keep pace with inflation and to protect your income from market volatility. Presented by representatives of MetLife Financial Services. Reservations are required and seating is limited; call the Information desk at 810-0314. (Youth Services Activity Room)

1:00 PM: Capital District Genealogical Society: The Victorian Era: When Life Changed Faster Than Any Other Time- The speaker is Hollis Palmer, a noted Saratoga Springs Historian, who made the front page of the local section of four of the five regional newspapers this year (he was relegated to page 2 of the fifth newspaper). The reason for his success is that he has learned that when you take people back in time it makes history enjoyable (of course his humor helps). Hollis Palmer has researched eight generations of his family in Saratoga County, and is a great storyteller. He has written quite a few books and will bring them for sale. German and Irish Special Interest Groups at Noon. The Computer Group begins at 1:00 PM followed by social time at 2:00 PM. The speaker/program begins at 2:30 PM.

2:00 PM: U. S./China Peoples Friendship Association- Larry Wang, Ph.D. presents "Chinese History through Coins." Coins from the speaker's collection will be displayed.

6:00 PM: Spotlight on Turkey- The International Center of the Capital Region received a grant to send three local educators to Turkey in the summer of 2012. All educators interested in applying for the spots are invited to attend this overview of the program.

7:00 PM: Fiction Book Discussion Group- This month the group discusses I, Claudius (1st half of book) by Robert Graves at in the Youth Services Activity Room.

Introduction to Computers: Gateway to the World Wide Web
Date: February 23 @ 2:00 PM
Are you a computer novice? This hands-on computer course is designed for individuals with little or no previous experience. The course will focus on developing skills in the following areas: 1) Basic understanding of the Windows environment. 2) Ability to use the computer mouse. 3) Ability to use the computer keyboard. 4) Ability to access computer programs and files. This 2-1/2 hour class is limited to 6 participants.

Introduction to the Internet
Date: February 13 @ 1:00 PM
This class is designed for library patrons who have little or no experience with the Internet, but who are basically competent with using a computer. Learn Internet terminology and how to access the Internet from home, work, and at the library. Emphasis will be on browsing the Internet using an Internet browser’s toolbars, menus, and hypertext links. The class lasts approximately two hours and is limited to 8 participants.

Intermediate Internet: Using Search Engines
Date: February 23 @ 10:00 AM
This class is designed for library patrons who have experience using the Internet, and are very familiar with using the computer mouse, keyboard and the Windows environment. Learn the best methods of searching the Internet. We will explore the many search engines and directories available to aid you in your informational quest. WARNING: This is not an Introduction to the Internet. We ask that you have already spent time online and have a modest understanding of the Internet. Each class lasts 2-1/2 hours and is limited to 8 participants.

Basic Word Processing and File Management
Date: February 29 @ 10:00 AM
This class explores the basic features of the Microsoft Word 2007 Screen from top to bottom. The purpose of this class is to encourage students to perform basic editing functions on a prepared document, to create a folder in Windows Explorer, and to save the document to the folder. Students should have dexterity with the mouse, keyboard experience, familiarity with the Windows environment, and a sense of humor. The 2-1/2 hour class is limited to six students.

Introduction to Microsoft Excel 2007
Date: February 9 @ 6:30 PM
This class will explore the basic features of Excel. Students will learn how to create a worksheet and perform simple calculations and manipulations with data. Students should be familiar with the Windows environment, the keyboard and be able to use a mouse. Students may take this more than once if they feel they need more practice with the basics. This class will be 90 minutes and is limited to eight students.

Microsoft Excel 2007 II
Date: February 16 @ 6:30 PM
This class is designed for library patrons who have completed the Introduction to Excel class or are already familiar with the basics of entering and manipulating data in an Excel worksheet. Topics such as sorting data, customizing tables and creating graphs and charts will be explored. This 90 minute class is limited to eight students.

Overdrive Downloadable Audiobooks (Stedman Room)
Date: Friday, February 10 @ 2:00 PM
Come in and learn the basics of downloading digital audiobooks from our free Overdrive service. You will learn the basics of the MP3 and WMA formats and how to search for and check out audio titles from our digital catalog (digitalcollection.uhls.org). In general, if you have an MP3 player, a PC, an Ipod or a smartphone you can download audiobooks free of charge using your library card number. We will then transfer the digital title to an MP3 device. The Overdrive service is free of charge to use, as long as you have a valid library card number. Feel free to bring your laptop and/or players so that we can practice after class. Class size is limited.

Overdrive Downloadable Ebooks (Stedman Room)
Date: Saturday, February 18 @ 10:00 AM
Learn the basics of downloading digital ebooks from our free Overdrive service. You will learn the basics of the .pdf and .epub formats for digital ebooks and how to search for and check out titles from our digital catalog (digitalcollection.uhls.org). Downloadable Ebooks from our free Overdrive service can be transferred to PC's, Ipad's, and select eReaders, such as the Nook or Sony readers, as long as you have a valid library card number. Please note, the Kindle eReader is now compatible with the Overdrive downloadable service. Feel free to bring your laptop and/or eReader so that we can practice after class. Class size is limited.

Facebook for Beginners
Date: Thursday, February 23 @ 7:00 PM
This class is designed for library patrons who have experience using the Internet, and are very familiar with using the computer mouse, keyboard and the Windows environment. We ask that you have a moderate familiarity with browsers and Internet navigation skills. What is Facebook? Why do I need it? Once I have it, how do I use it? Once I start using it, how do I keep myself safe? Basic survival tools for navigating the hazards and joys of Facebook. WARNING: This is not an Introduction to the Internet. Class size is limited to eight students.

Coming Soon

URL: http://www.colonie.org/library/calendar.html
Last updated February1, 2012