Guilderland Library Notes for Thursday, December 27, 2018
Diane Cameron, a one-time Enterprise columnist, has written a book about her stepfather, Donald Watkins, a former Marine who served in China from 1937 to 1939 during the Japanese invasion. After returning home, hiss seemingly normal life took a sharp turn when he murdered his first wife and mother-in-law in 1953. As punishment for his crime, he spent 22 years at Fairview State Hospital for the criminally insane. The Guilderland library’s Great Books discussion group will talk about Cameron’s book on Jan. 3 at 7 p.m.
The Guilderland Public Library will close at 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec.31, for New Year’s Eve. We will be closed all day on Tuesday, Jan. 1, opening as normal at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 2. Happy New Year!
Our library is always open through our website, www.guilderlandlibrary.org. Among many other things, you can download e-books and page through dozens of magazines at no charge. Check it out!
Winter Reading Challenge!
Can we read 2,000 books during the month of January? Last year we blew our goal of 300 books out of the water by reading 1,577!
Let’s read even more this year! If we help reach the nationwide goal of 75,000 books, Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban will donate $35,000 to literacy programs and the top performing libraries (maybe even ours!).
Register online today: guilderlandlibrary.beanstack.org! Every book we log during the month of January counts towards the goal! If you are like me, you will get caught up in the challenge and the chase, and find yourself reading more!
That’s always a good thing. Share what you’re reading! Use the hashtag #WinterRead2019 on social media.
It’s Never Too Cold for an Ice Cream Party
Join us for our annual ice-cream-making party with the experts from Children’s Museum of Science and Technology on Thursday, Dec. 27, at 3 p.m. The party is for kids in first through fourth grades.
Itsy-bitsy playtime
Join us for a sensational sensory playtime ib Friday, Jan. 4, at 10:30 a.m. We will explore fun new activities like Ziploc finger paint, water table play, light table activities, a special sensory “pit,” musical instruments, baby building blocks and more.
Please dress baby — from newborn to 24 months — for active play!
Story times
Story times resume on Jan. 8! Both Baby Bookworms and Toddler Time restart on Tuesday, Jan. 8, which is something to look forward to. Remember, if the Guilderland Central School District is closed or delays classes, story times are not held that day.
Walk me to the moon!
Did you know that the moon is just about 239,000 miles away? From now until April, local libraries are participating in the first Library Moon Walk, a challenge designed to keep us moving over the dark, cold winter months.
We are trying to log our steps, miles, or minutes to collectively reach the moon! As of this writing, we’ve logged 31,879 miles!
Visit the website at https://library-moonwalk.sals.edu to join in the fun. The website collects no personal information — just your distance and your ZIP code. While there, you can see a list of health programs at local libraries, or go to Medline Plus, the National Library of Medicine’s reliable health information source, which is authoritative and free.
Great Books Discussion Group
Local writer, speaker, teacher, coach, and spiritual director Diane Cameron has spoken frequently here at GPL. Now her latest book, “Never Leave Your Dead,” will be the subject of the Great Books discussion group, which meets on Thursday, Jan. 3, at 7 p.m.
The book unravels the true story of Cameron’s stepfather, Donald Watkins, a former Marine who served in China from 1937 to 1939 during the Japanese invasion. After returning home, Donald’s seemingly normal life took a sharp turn when he murdered his first wife and mother-in-law in 1953. As punishment for his crime, he spent 22 years at Fairview State Hospital for the criminally insane.