Guilderland Library Notes for Thursday, December 6, 2018
The next two Sundays, the Guilderland Public Library will host awesome free concerts in our acoustically perfect large Helderberg Community Room.
On Sunday, Dec. 9, at 2 p.m., enjoy warm and wonderful sounds from the Latin American Songbook, as Mundo Nuevo, featuring José Cruz, Walter Ramos, Fernando Gomes, and José Meléndez blend vocals with guitar, flute, bongó, and percussion.
The quartet will heat things up with their lively repertoire of Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Brazilian music — with a dash of what they call “SalSinatra.” Curious to know what that might be? Come find out!
The concert begins at 2 p.m. No tickets or registration is required, but come early to be assured of getting a seat.
On Saturday, Dec. 15, The Singing Anchors return for their third engagement at GPL in the last four years. News Channel 13 anchors Benita Zahn and Jerry Gretzinger, with accompanist Jay Kerr, will once again regale Guilderland with standards from the Great American Songbook.
The enormously popular trio is sure to “sell out” this free performance. Knowing that in advance, we ask you to call or visit our helpful reference desk at 518-456-2400, ext. 144 to register with our staff. We’ll take your name, and the names of your companions, and then we’ll check names off at the door as you arrive. The show is at 2 p.m.
Pine Bush photos
Before, during, and after the concerts, be sure to enjoy our December art exhibit in the same room, “Images from the Pine Bush,” curated by Richard Naylor, retired library director of the Sanford Public Library in Colonie, and president of the Friends of the Pine Bush Community.
The photos are of flora, fauna, and landscapes — all in the Pine Bush. They were all taken by local photographers. Each year for the last four years they have had a photo contest with the best 40 or so getting hung. This show features the best of the best over that time, and is on view in the Helderberg Room until Jan. 27.
“What Do Snowmen Do at Night?”
Have you ever built a snowman and discovered the next day that his grin has gotten a little crooked, or his tree-branch arms have moved? Have you wondered, “What do snowmen do at night?” We will explore this classic book and create our own magical snowmen to take home, along with Barbara Lukas of WMHT, whom many kids and parents have come to love through her monthly programs here at GPL.
If you can guess which page of this classic tale is our director’s favorite, stop by and point it out, and we’ll share a treat with you! Registration required and all children must be accompanied by an adult caregiver. Stop by one of our reference desks or call to register—you can also register online at our website calendar. The program takes place on Saturday, Dec. 8, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Better Books Sale
Our monthly Better Books Sale, coordinated by an uber-devoted group of volunteers, takes place on Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Every day, it seems, people drop off used books at GPL, and they are sorted and priced by these volunteers with a little help from our staff.
The best of these books are available in the very popular monthly sales. While you’re here, check out the Book nook in our lobby, where you’ll find other great books, movies, and cds. The proceeds help us to run your library!
Drop in Genealogy
Professional genealogist and Guilderland resident, Lisa Dougherty, is available for free family history consultations and advice on a drop-in basis from 6 to 8 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month, in this case, Wednesday, Dec. 12.
Bring your questions and “brick walls” for help finding solutions. Lisa is a former volunteer at the National Archives in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. She now devotes her time to lecturing around the area on family history, and assisting family researchers monthly at the Clifton Park Public Library, Crandall Library in Glens Falls, and the Irish-American Heritage Museum in Albany, where she is the genealogist-in-residence.
She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, as well as several other area genealogical groups. A subscriber to Ancestry.com for over 15 years, she specializes in online research and the effective use of websites to investigate family history. Visit her website at http://www.upstatenygenealogy.com
Holiday Cookie Swap!
You like to cook? We do, too! The Guilderland Cookbook Club will gather every month to sample dishes from a selection of books chosen by our staff.
Come to the information desk to look through the current cookbook and choose your recipes. This month we’ll be celebrating the holiday season with a cookie exchange. Two recipe books will be available at the Adult Reference Desk:
— “The Perfect Cookie”: your ultimate guide to foolproof cookies, brownies, and bars by America’s Test Kitchen; and
— “:Holiday Cookies”: show-stopping recipes to sweeten the season by Elisabet der Nederlanden.
On Wednesday, Dec. 12, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., bring a sample of the cookies you prepared for everyone to taste. We'll talk about the authors and their motivations (and maybe meet a few along the way!).
You can learn about cuisines from different cultures, or from different cooking genres. After each meeting someone will go home with a copy of the book of the month. Register in person at the adult information desk