Guilderland Library Notes for Thursday, June 4, 2020

— Photo by Phil Berardi

Taking in the sweet smell of lilacs, Claire was captured by her father, Phil Berardi, head of Access Services and Circulation for the Guilderland Public Library. The library has been featuring spring photos submitted by patrons and staff on its Facebook and Instagram pages.

Voting on our annual budget and Board of Trustees candidates is being conducted solely by mail-in absentee ballot this year, per Executive Order. Guilderland Central School District mailed absentee ballots with a prepaid return envelope to all qualified voters on May 28. Completed ballots must be received by the school district by Tuesday, June 9 at 5 p.m. Please see www.guilderlandschools.org for questions regarding this year’s voting process.  

Guilderland Public Library has five candidates for three open Board of Trustees positions — three incumbents and two first-time candidates. They are, in ballot order:  Marcia Alazraki, Herbert Hennings, Mark Keeling, Philip Metzger, and Richard Rubin. More information on these candidates, and our proposed budget, which remains under the tax cap with modest adjustments, may be found by clicking on the last two links at the bottom of this web page:  www.guilderlandlibrary.org/get-to-know-us/people/board-of-trustees/.

Reopening Plans

We are diligently preparing to begin offering contactless curbside service for checking out and returning materials. We anticipate these services beginning in mid-June as the initial phase of our gradual reopening. At this juncture, only staff in staggered teams will be allowed into our building.  Appointments will be made in advance to check out materials at our parking lot, and materials returned will be quarantined for 72 hours, then sanitized. Please note — we are not yet ready to take such appointments at this time. More details will be communicated next week through various outlets, including local media, our website, Facebook and Instagram, and our electronic sign.  

Thank you for your patience as we navigate through unchartered territory, striving to serve you with utmost safety above all else.  Meanwhile, please continue to stay healthy and safe, and stay connected with us at:  

— Website:  www.guilderlandlibrary.org, Facebook page, and Instagram account;

     — The monthly newsletter (click “our newsletter” on www.guilderlandlibrary.org);  

     — The weekly e-news blasts (subscribe on our newsletter page); and 

— Call 518-285-0050 or .

Also, don’t forget to check out our GPL Kids and Families Facebook page for all kinds of fun and engaging activities! We’re taking our usual storytime summer break, but you’ll find archived storytimes, craft activities, and other education and entertaining content there.  

Summer Reading 

Children, teens and adults – literally everyone – is invited to join our literary journey to Imagine Your Story — our 2020 Summer Reading Program theme. It’s a great way to keep our minds active over the summer months. Participants can log their reading activities in Beanstack and earn chances to win prizes! Sign up at: guilderlandlibrary.beanstack.org and preregister for Imagine Your Story – Summer Reading Program 2020 now, then log your reading and activities starting Monday, June 22.  

In addition, teens are invited to Read it Forward again this summer with two books to enjoy and then "Read it Forward" to a friend: Croak, by Gina Damico, and Nimona, by Noelle Stevenson.  These titles may be downloaded as an eBook or audiobook from Libby or Hoopla. Copies will also be available once libraries reopen, with no due dates and no late fees on these titles.

Speaking of summer reading, our Little Free Library has gained quite a following! Come check out the assortment in front of our building. The idea is take a book and/or share a book. 

 If you have several books to donate, please use the green bin in our auxiliary parking lot. And as always, feel free to access our Wi-Fi from the main parking lot.

Night Owls Book Discussion Online

This month, we're reading “The Mountains Sing” by Nguyen Phan Que Mai, which is available for download as an eBook or audiobook on Hoopla. To participate in our video meeting on Monday, June 8 at 7:30 p.m., please register through the Events tab on our website, and include your email address. Another option is to join the GPL Night Owls Book Club on goodreads.com.

Employment Resources

Libraries are your natural go-to in a more robust climate, but become even more important during times of economic crisis. One of our areas of expertise is helping people find a job. As such, we’ve compiled a convenient Guide to Job Information Resources, posted here:  www.guilderlandlibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/Job-Information-Page-PDF.pdf.  You’ll find a slew of employment websites, links to essential businesses hiring now, downloadable books for career development and job hunting, and more.