July Stories
Holiday Schedule
Our Museum Pass program is Back
Assemblyman Reilly Grant Supports Reading Program
Fiction Book Group Plans for New Season
Photography Contest Announced
Youth Services Wins UHLS Program of the Year Award

Other News

2008 Annual Report (.pdf format)  
You will need a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader on
your computer. This is a free program you can download from
http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html.
The Adobe reader allows you to view and print (.pdf) files.
 
Overdue Fees Increase Effective November 1, 2008
Direct Phone Numbers Now Available

Art Exhibit Web Page

Library Theatre of Colonie presents "All the World's a Stage"
ccc ccccc (Click here for Photos)
Using Our New Catalog

Cell Phone Use

AARP Safe Driving Class Schedule
Local Preschool and Day Care Information
Community Contacts Directory
Keeping Minors Safe
Book Donations Welcome 

Last Updated: July 1, 2009


JULY STORIES

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.


OTHER NEWS

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.


Keeping Minors Safe

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.