Guilderland Library Notes for Wednesday, March 15, 2023

March is Women’s History Month! We’re celebrating with these upcoming events:

— Monday, March 20, at 6 p.m. — Movie Night: “The Woman King” (2022), starring Viola Davis, based on the remarkable true story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey for nearly 300 years, between the 18th and early 20th centuries. This film is rated PG-13; no registration is required;

— Tuesday, March 28 at 1 p.m. — “Art Pioneers: Women of Abstract Expressionism,” led by Joyce Raimondo via Zoom. Discover the women who pioneered abstract art — Lee Krasner, Elaine DeKooning, and Helen Frankenthaler, among others. We’ll learn about their lives as well as their groundbreaking creativity, then experience a bonus virtual tour of the home and studio shared by Lee Krasner and her husband, Jackson Pollock. Our leader for this program, Joyce Raimondo, is the author of seven children's art books, a widely-published illustrator, and a leading expert in museum education who formerly served as family programs coordinator at The Museum of Modern Art. Please register on the Events calendar of our website to receive the link; and

— Wednesday, March 29, at 6 p.m. — “Ladies’ Day at the Capitol” with author Lauren Kozakiewicz, examining the contributions of New York’s women politicians from 1919 to 1992 as a distinct group, followed by a question-and-answer session. No registration is required for this special event.

New afternoon

preschool program

You asked for an afternoon program for preschoolers - here it is! Children ages 2-5 and their caregivers are invited to “Music, Movement and Mindfulness,” every Tuesday at 1:15 p.m. throughout March. We’ll build literacy skills through singing and rhyming, get our wiggles out with active songs, explore various rhythm instruments, and relax with child-friendly meditation sequences. Space is still available for the March 21 and 28 sessions. Please register for each session individually on our Events calendar.

Hearing assistance

technology meeting

The Hearing Loss Association of America-Albany Chapter invites the public to showcase GPL’s new state of the art hearing assistance technologies on Thursday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m. in our Helderberg Room. Tips will be provided for those who require hearing assistance in the community. HLAA-Albany has been serving the local community for 40 years. All are welcome! 

Sunday Concert:

The Music of Burt Bacharach

Embark on a sentimental musical journey with us on Sunday, March 26 at 2 p.m. with veteran musicians Christine and Elliot Spero through composer Burt Bacharach's greatest songs! Bacharach created hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, mostly in collaboration with lyricist Hal David.

A six-time Grammy Award winner and three-time Academy Award winner, Bacharach's songs have been recorded by more than 1,000 different artists, including “Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head,” “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” “That's What Friends are For,” and “Alfie,” to name just a few.

Memoirs in the Morning

Every other month, you’re invited to read a select memoir with us, then meet via Zoom to talk about it. This month, we’re reading the bestseller “Lost & Found: A Memoir,” by Pulitzer Prize winner Kathryn Schulz, a New York Times Editors’ Choice.

This book is described as a profound and beautiful account of joy and sorrow, from one of the great writers of our time. This title is available in print and digitally on Overdrive (ebook & audiobook). We’ll meet via Zoom on Wednesday, March 29 at 10:30 a.m. to discuss it – please register on our Events Calendar.  

Board candidates

For our annual election on Tuesday, May 16, we have two open positions on our 11-member Board of Trustees, with an application deadline of Monday, April 17. GPL Board members serve a five-year term, meeting monthly and serving on various committees.

Board service is vital to the operation of the library, and requires a significant time investment. Please request an information packet at the Circulation desk, or email Library Director Tim Wiles at for more information.

New Event

Calendar Software

Our new event calendar software upgrade, Library Calendar, provides a more intuitive interface for searching and registering for programs. It also allows patrons to make meeting or study room reservations online, in accordance with our policies. Please see our Events Calendar by clicking on the Events tab at guilderlandlibrary.org, or by clicking on “See All” under the “Upcoming Events” column. You’ll see “Reserve a Room” at the top right.

General info

Contact us at 518-456-2400 or . To set up a passport appointment, press option 2. Overdue fines were eliminated; patrons will be billed for the replacement cost of lost items. Masks are encouraged.