Berne Library Notes for Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Libraries are often wrongly prejudged as quiet and boring places with old books. A visit to the Berne Public Library will shatter this preconceived notion. Take your children to the library on Saturday, Feb. 1; to show them how exciting libraries are with new books, movies, computers, digital collections, magazines, and programs. Make a craft between noon and 2 p.m., to earn a chance on a gift basket. Tickets will also be given to children who take out an item with their own library card between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Don’t miss this special day.
Library card
A library card gives you access to many databases including Grolier Online. If you look up snakes in The New Book of Popular Science, you will find that the prevailing notion of snakes is also incorrect. “Most people think snakes are slimy, ugly, dangerous creatures. But snakes are not slimy. Few are dangerous. Most are not ugly. In fact, many are strikingly handsome, with stripes, bands, and blotches of brilliant colors.” Snakes are valuable allies since they prey on mice, insects, and slugs.
Book club
Recovering from tragic events can be as challenging as fighting snakes. The book club for adults meets on Sunday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m., to discuss The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb. New members are welcome to join this conversation about hope in the midst of a messy life.
Story time
Scaly snakes will be the focus of story time on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 11 a.m. Preschool children and their caregivers will explore the letter S with Kathy.
Stories, activities, and painting a beautiful, wooden snake are all part of this program.
Friends meet
Solutions proposed by the Friends of the Library are not like snake oil; they are truly helpful. Currently the group is working on raising money to purchase air conditioning for the new library. Supporters of the library are invited to attend the monthly meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 7:30 p.m. The next fund-raiser is a book sale on March 29.
Movie night
If a snake were made into a foodimal, what would it be? Join the shrimpanzees and the cheespiders during Family Movie Night at the Library on Friday, Feb. 7, at 6:30 p.m. The film is animated and rated PG. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.
Workshop
There are still openings for the e-book workshop on Tuesday, February 11. The program Ipads, Kindles, and Nooks, Oh My will be held at 6:30 p.m. Learn how to download free e-books and e-audios from the library on to your digital device. For example, you can download the e-book The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog by Elizabeth Peters or the e-audio How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill by James Patterson. Registration is requested by calling the library at 872-1246 or e-mailing .
According to SUNY ESF, there are only three poisonous snakes in New York State. These are the timber rattlesnake, the massasauga, and the copperhead. Because snakes are ecothermic, there are fewer species in the colder regions. That’s one good reason to like the winter. Visit the library to learn more about snakes.