Guilderland Library Notes for Friday, February 21, 2014
Join author David Fiske at Guilderland Public Library on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m., for a presentation about Solomon Northup, a free black man living in Saratoga Springs who was lured away from home and sold into slavery.
Enslaved in Louisiana for nearly 12 years, Northup was eventually able to get word to friends in New York and then return home as a free man. In 1853, Northup published a book about his harrowing experiences entitled Twelve Years a Slave – now a major motion picture – and traveled around the Northeast giving speeches and helping fugitive slaves get to Canada.
David Fiske is co-author of the new book Solomon Northup: The Complete Story of the Author of Twelve Years a Slave, as well as author of Solomon Northup: His Life Before and After Slavery and numerous local history articles. He is a lecturer, professional librarian, and professional genealogist.
LEGO
Tweens, spend some of your expanded vacation time at the library on Friday, Feb. 21, at 2 p.m., at this session of the Tween LEGO Club, which features LEGO gaming.
What better time to show off your mad LEGO-building skills with friends? Bring your own bricks, or create with ours. As usual, creations that you bring to show off will be kept separate from the library supplies. You can also take a turn on the Wii system to play a LEGO videogame. We meet in the Helderberg Room. LEGO fiends in grades 3 through 6 are welcome to drop in.
Read, build, play
Preschoolers aged 3 through 5 years are invited to Read, Build, and Play at the library on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 6:30 p.m.
This evening playtime is full of fun read-alouds and time building a story element with Lego DUPLO blocks. Children will also have free playtime with DUPLOs, Lincoln Logs, and building blocks.
In addition to being just plain fun, playing with building toys increases a child’s school-readiness by developing math, science, and engineering skills.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please call 456-2400, ext. 4 to let us know you’re coming.
Classic film
Most movies just don’t get to you on a TV screen as they do in the movies, and for raw grit and emotion there is arguably no better example than the classic film showing at the library on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 6:30 p.m. That’s why we’re showing it on the Helderberg’s big screen, so you get the full effect.
Director Sidney Lumet crafted this gem about 12 angry men serving in a sweltering Manhattan jury room. If you have not seen this movie on the big screen, now’s the time. You’re not likely to see it as large as this anywhere else.
Library info
The Guilderland Public Library is located at 2228 Western Avenue. Visit the library’s website at www.guilpl.org. Check out the unofficial library updates at facebook.com/Guilderland.Library, and follow the library on Twitter (@GuilderlandLib). It all starts at guilpl.org.