Guilderland Library Notes for Wednesday, February 3, 2021
— Photo from Luanne Nicholson
Homemade or repurposed Valentine cards up to 5 by 7 inches in size (no envelope needed) may be dropped off in Guilderland Public Library’s Normanskill Room during curbside hours through Friday, Feb. 5. All cards collected will go to Community Caregivers for distribution to their clients.
The first Saturday in February is traditionally Take Your Child to the Library Day, a national initiative marking its 10th year. However, during the pandemic, we’re taking the library to your child!
We’ll have curbside goodie bags chock-full of booklets, coloring pages, and fun surprises for kids in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade to enjoy. No registration is needed; simply stop by to take one per child on Saturday, Feb. 6, from 1 to 3 p.m.
Tax help
Unfortunately, none of the AARP TaxAide sites, including ours, will be providing services during this tax season. However, we’ve compiled a list of handy resources to assist you at: https://bit.ly/GPLTaxes and will update this page as needed. Federal (IRS) tax forms and instructions are available to pick up during curbside hours inside our Normanskill Room. New York State tax forms are expected mid-February.
Curbside kits
Preschoolers can benefit from our fun and educational Grab & Go Storytime Kits, intended for ages 2-5. No registration needed; simply pick up one kit per child every other Monday during curbside hours. On Feb. 8, the theme is winter; on Feb. 22 it’s Drive & Ride.
Tweens and teens: celebrate the year's sweetest holiday with a “Love is All Around” homemade craft guaranteed to win hearts! Using the materials and directions provided, you'll create a lovely garland for someone special. Register on the Events tab of our website, then pick up your kit during curbside hours starting Monday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m.
Teens: beat the winter doldrums with a Snowed-In Winter Art Kit! This creative collection contains art activities, treats, and fun surprises. Register on the Events tab of our website, then pick up your kit during curbside hours starting Monday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m.
Adults: Pick up a fun Fortune Cookie kit with ingredients and instructions to celebrate Chinese New Year, or to give as a special Valentine's Day gift! Register on the Events tab of our website, then pick up your kit during curbside hours starting Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 10 a.m.
Great Backyard
Bird Count
From Feb. 12 to 15, the Audubon Society and Cornell Lab of Ornithology invites us to watch and count as many birds as we can find and report the numbers. Visit birdcount.org and sign up for a free eBird account. Then, venture out on the designated dates and start counting!
We’d like to know what you observed outdoors! Email us at with a photo of yourself and/or your family birdwatching—or better still, a photo of a bird you observed—along with a list of the birds you saw. We'll choose a random winner for a prize of a 10-pound bag of quality birdseed!
New GPL podcast
Check out our new GPL Podcast: "How Did You Find It?" This monthly podcast, produced by Librarian Kathleen Tyrrell, explores books, libraries, information, entertainment and everything in between.
It’s currently on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Breaker and RadioPublic, and hopefully soon on Apple Podcasts too. We welcome your feedback at: . Also, check out our list of recommended podcasts at: http://bit.ly/GPLPodcastList.
Résumé help
Get customized assistance on using an Apple Watch, iPhone, MacBook, iPad or Apple TV, or navigating the Learning Express tool on our website to craft your résumé. Schedule your 1:1 virtual appointment Tuesday evenings starting at 6:30 p.m., and Thursday mornings starting at 10:00 a.m. on the Events tab of our website, indicating the topic of interest in the Notes field.
Curbside hours
Pick up requested materials via the side entrance of our Normanskill Room on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 7 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.
Borrowed items may be returned to the quarantine sheds in our main parking lot anytime, except holidays. See our website for details.
Updates
You can track the progress of our building project at: https://bit.ly/GPLbuildingproject.
Updates on construction, programs and other library news are provided on Facebook and Instagram, and by subscribing to weekly eNews and monthly newsletters at: https://bit.ly/GPLeNews.