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Last Updated: July 1,
2009
Youth
Services Wins
UHLS Program of the Year Award
At the recent annual banquet of the Upper Hudson Library
System, the William K. Sanford Town Library's Youth Services
Department was presented with the "Program of the Year"
award for their "Festivals of Lights" program presented
here last December.
Youth Services Librarian David Cole accepts the UHLS award.
The
program description from our newsletter:
The spirit of celebration crosses languages, oceans, continents
and cultures, as people keep their heritages alive. We would
like to invite you to the library to explore how people celebrate
5 different festivals… Ramadan, Hanukkah, Diwali, Christmas,
& Kwanzaa. There will be an explanation of the festival,
crafts to make, food to eat, and games to play. You will learn
how people celebrate the different festivals and what makes
them so special!
Also,
our Youth Services Department just won "Best Children's
Library" in the Times Union's "Best of the
Capital Region" survey for the eighth straight year!!!!
Holiday
Schedule
The Library will be CLOSED Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July
4 in observance of Independence Day.
The Library will remain CLOSED Sunday, July 5 as part of our
usual summer schedule.
Our
Museum Pass program is Back
Free passes to several area museums are available for loan
to William K. Sanford Town Library cardholders as well as
members of the Upper Hudson Library System. We currently have
a pass to admit two adults and two children to the following
museums:
*
Clark Art Institute
* Cedar Grove, Thomas Cole Historic Site
* Iroquois Indian Museum
Passes
may be borrowed for three days. Passes may be reserved in
advance by calling the Information Desk at 810-0314. Passes
may only be returned to the William K. Sanford Town Library.
We anticipate adding more museum passes so check at the Information
Desk.
Assemblyman
Reilly Grant Supports Reading Program
The Library has been notified that we will be receiving a
grant for $3,000 to conduct a Reading / Book Discussion Series
in the fall. Program details will be forthcoming; but, we
can tell you now that there will be Book Discussions, and
a Special Noon and Evening Presentation on the chosen book/topic.
Also, plans are developing for an excursion, and other creative
events. Members of the Friends of the Library will be helping
to develop and support programs and of course our librarians
will all be involved.
We very much thank Assemblyman Reilly for his support.
Fiction
Book Group Plans for New Season
The first two titles have been chosen for the upcoming season
of the Adult Fiction Book Group: The Elegance of the Hedgehog
by Muriel Barbery which will be discussed on 9/29/09, and
The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham which will be discussed
on 10/27/09. The remaining six titles will be chosen by the
end of August.
Photography
Contest Announced
The Library Board invites amateur photographers to submit
up to three framed photos into the "On-Location in Colonie
Photography Contest" taking place this summer. Up to
30 photos will be selected for hanging in our Library Exhibit
and of those, eight photos will be singled out for either
First Place or Honorable Mention in each of four categories:
Adult Color, Adult Black and White, Teen Color and Teen Black
and White.
Help us celebrate Colonie and enjoy your photography skills
by capturing interesting photos from around Colonie. Photos
will be judged for: Impact, Creativity, Style, Composition,
Print Presentation, Color Harmony, Center of Interest, Lighting,
and Subject Matter.
All entries must be framed, between 8x10 and 11x14 (not counting
the frame), and received at the William K. Sanford Town Library
by 5:00 PM on July 15, 2009. The Judging will take place from
July 16 to July 23, 2009. There will be an opening reception
for the exhibit on Saturday, August 1, at 1:00 PM at the library.
The exhibit will run through August 31, 2009.
For further information visit our website and click on Photo
Contest, pick up a flyer at the library, or call the Library
at 458-9274.
Overdue
Fees Increase
As of November 1, 2008 the minimum overdue fee will go from
10 cents to 20 cents per day. However, video late fees will
stay at $1 per day -- as will other items up to a maximum
of $5.
Historically, on July 4, 1976 the late fee for books went
from 3 cents per day to 5 cents. Seventeen years later, on
July 1, 1993, the fee was raised to 10 cents per day. Now,
a little over fifteen years further on, it goes to 20 cents
per day. This is just about in line with the consumer price
index. Using the CPI since 1976 we would raise the fine to
19 cents.
Remember, to avoid late fees, you can always renew items (as
long as there are no reserves on them) online or by calling
the library at 458-9274.
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)
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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