Berne Library Notes for Wednesday, March 24, 2021

— Photo from Kathy Stempel

The Berne Library honors the memory and contributions of architect Nancy Lendrum with books and blocks donated in her name. She died last year at the age of 66.

Finding Time For a Rhyme”

By SLS

Library Books showing 811 on their spines 

Leads you to Poems

In books

From the stacks. 

There’s the one that shows a cast of creatures

Like Eagles, Roos, and Beaver features.

It’s title states in several words:

“Have You Ever Wished You Were Something Else?” 

The author earning his Ph.D 

Wrote 60 books of prose and verse.

His name you ask? It’s Richard Armour

And trying to rhyme here is getting worse.

Inside their pages in the stacks

Poetry fills from front to back

In Francesco Marciuliano’s

“I Could Pee on This and Other Poems by Cats” 

You’ll find some smiles but won’t find bats. 

Come inside 

Meet the 811’s

Find your poems

And then, relax.

This past Sunday, March 21, was World Poetry Day. Did you celebrate with song and verse? That’s OK if you didn’t. 

Coming up in April is National Poetry Month and you can celebrate all month long. Do you have a special celebratory poem you’d like to share on the library’s gratitude wall? Go for it. 

Remembering

Nancy Lendrum

In sync with the gratitude wall, the library celebrates and remembers a special lady. Nancy Lendrum took on a Berne Library Trustee role in 2011. Nancy came on board during a time when the library needed to expand its base of operations.

She received several awards during her life for her volunteering as well as part of her professional architect life. In 2013, she was awarded Library Trustee of the Year from the Upper Hudson Library System.

The award salutes Nancy as “one of the driving forces behind the collaboration between the Library and the Town, to purchase, plan and renovate a decommissioned Catholic Church …” and turn it into the Berne Library’s new headquarters. 

Nancy, using her expertise in building and design, helped transform the old church building into the library space you can visit today. After her death, at age 66, on Sept. 30, 2020, memorial contributions flooded into the library. Many came from her Berne-Knox Central School’s graduating classmates of 1972.

The generous donations purchased several books on architecture and a Keva building block set to honor her memory. Plus, at least two memorial plates to be installed.

One of the books, “Cool Architecture” by Simon Armstrong, is 111 pages “Filled with Fantastic Facts for Kids of All Ages.” You’ll read about many well known architectural wonders like the Empire State Building, India’s Taj Mahal, and the Ancient Roman Colosseum.

The Colosseum included 80 exits in its design to ensure quick departure of spectators after gladiator events. Built over 2,000 years ago, it remains a prominent tourist attraction. 

New York’s Chrysler building, built between 1928 and 1930, held the title of Tallest Building for about a year, at 1,046 feet tall. That is, until the Empire State Building opened in 1931 at 1,250 feet. 

Then there are flashes of structures still being worked on, but not complete, after many years. Like the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. Construction started in 1883. Estimated time of completion: 2026. 

Do you know what a squinch or a ziggurat is? You can find out in the “Cool Architecture” glossary wrap up. 

Remembering and honoring Nancy Lendrum’s footprint in the community and in the library.

Director’s note

Recently, the library added 50 new junior nonfiction books to the collection. Be the first one to check out a few new books.

Anyone can sign up for Minecraft Monday. The Java edition team meets virtually every Monday at 6:30 p.m. Call the library at 518-872-1246 for more information.