Guilderland Library Notes for Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Join Guilderland Historical Society's photo archivist, Mary Ellen Johnson, at the Guilderland Public Library on Friday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m., for a slideshow tour of buildings that once lined the town's main roads but now exist only in memory and old photographs.

Using slides from the historical society's extensive collection, Johnson will share photos of a variety of long-gone structures. How and why these landmarks disappeared and what stands in their place will be discussed. Don't miss this local history event!  Please register for this program on-line, in person, or by phone at 456-2400, ext, 2.

Breast cancer detection and treatment

Dr. Valerie Brutus, an Albany Medical Center specialist in breast surgery and in the treatment of both benign and malignant breast tumors, will present an informative program on breast cancer – from prevention, to detection and treatment – at the library on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 6 p.m. This is an essential program for any woman who wants to be proactive about maintaining her health.

When actress Angelina Jolie announced her decision to have a preventive double mastectomy after learning she carried BRCA-1, the gene that greatly raises the risk of breast cancer, the news generated much discussion of the issue; Dr. Brutus appeared on WNYT Channel 13 News to provide some perspective on Jolie’s decision to have the risk-reducing surgery.  Please call 456-2400, ext. 2 to register for this consumer health event.

A breast-cancer survivor’s story

Local author Connie Bramer will tell how she triumphed over breast cancer at a special Breast Cancer Awareness Month program at the library on Friday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m.

Bramer will relate how she stayed sane by blogging about her breast-cancer treatment experience, and then gathered those thoughts in a book, How Connie Got Her Rack Back filled with laugh-out-loud humor. She will share some of the funny and poignant moments of self-discovery on her way to good health. The author will have copies of her book available for purchase.

 NYC bus trip

The Guilderland Chamber of Commerce and the library are again co-sponsoring the annual holiday bus trip to New York City, on Saturday, Dec. 7. The bus leaves the library parking lot precisely at 7:30 a.m., and will drop you off near the New York Public Library (42nd St. and 5th Ave.) about 10:30 a.m.; you’ll get to see the sights, lights, and heights of Manhattan all dressed up for the holiday season without the hassle of driving down and back.

You must reserve your seats by Nov. 1. Reserve by calling Erika at the Chamber at 456-6611, or e-mailing her at egauthier@guilderlandchamber.com. The cost is just $40 per person. You'd spend way more than that on gas and tolls just getting to the city.

The bus will not leave the city until 7 p.m., so you have the entire afternoon and early evening to enjoy shopping, sightseeing, eating, or just walking around. Barring traffic, you'll be back in the GPL parking lot about 9:30 p.m.

The authors are coming

 You can mingle with the two dozen Albany County authors who are coming to the library’s Local Author Book Fair on Saturday, Oct. 19.  No need to register, no need to sign up; just come to the fair and meet your soon-to-be favorite local writers.

While mingle time with the authors starts at 2 p.m., and lasts until 4 p.m., the event officially kicks off at 1 p.m. with a very special keynote interview with New York Times bestselling author and Guilderland’s own Joseph E. Persico, who’s crafted a wealth of historic works, notably his latest, Roosevelt's Centurions: FDR and the Commanders He Led to Victory in World War II.

Each author will bring copies of their works, a particularly opportune time for you to get in some early holiday shopping.

 Library info

 For more information about the library, call the library at 456-2400, or e-mail us at info@guilpl.org.  The library is located at 2228 Western Ave., Guilderland. Visit the library's website at www.guilpl.org. Check out the “unofficial” library stuff at facebook.com/Guilderland.Library, follow the library on Twitter @GuilderlandLib, and get music information and free downloads on the library’s Freegal page. It all starts at guilpl.org.