Westerlo Library Notes for Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Meet a world traveler and art collector, Roberta Villanova Nunn, at the Westerlo Library.

You can chat with Roberta on Monday, July 22, from 5 to 7 p.m. Fourteen paintings and multimedia works collected from her journeys are currently on display in the Hannay Room gallery. She will also talk about her travels at 2:30 p.m., as part of our Summer Reading Program, A Universe of Stories.

Roberta has a passion for education and she has traveled to the ends of the Earth to learn about the geography, history, and culture of the peoples of the world. As she traveled, she collected representative examples of the arts and crafts of each country she visited. 

Most recently, she trekked to Ecuador and Peru (2014); Tanzania (2015); Australia and New Zealand (2018); Chile, Brazil and Argentina (2018); and Morocco (2019).  This exhibit is comprised of items collected from those three continents: Africa, Australia and South America.

“I’ve experienced how much all people have in common: family, beliefs, and living each day to the best of one’s ability,” she says of her travels. “There is so much beauty in the world both in geography and in the human spirit.”

The exhibit includes a Berber Rug from Morocco, Aboriginal paintings from Australia and multimedia works from Ecuador and Peru. Smaller items and memorabilia are exhibited in the display case. 

A long-time resident of Westerlo, Roberta Nunn is a retired teacher of Italian, Spanish, and French. Her exploration of the world began at age 6, when her mother took her on an ocean voyage to visit family in Italy. When she isn’t working in her garden, she serves as a trustee of the Westerlo Public Library.

The show will run through the end of August and can be seen during regular library hours. Our thanks to Peter Keitel, former President of the Bethlehem Art Association, for curating this series of exhibits. 

Summer Reading 

Our 2019 Summer Reading Program is underway!  With the theme “A Universe of Stories,” we will offer a range of activities for all ages that encourage us to explore our world and those beyond with books, art and craft projects, science experiments and special events.

In addition to our regular weekly programs, we will offer a drop-in STEAM Lab on Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Family Game Night is back on Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m .   

Stop in, sign up and get the calendar of programs and special events planned for July and August.  The calendar is also available at the Summer Reading link on our website.   

Lego Club 

Drop in on Monday afternoons from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. to play and create with Lego. Lego uses play to open up the world of math, science and cooperative problem-solving to young minds.

The colorful blocks ignite natural curiosity and build confidence as children bring their ideas to life.  Miss Lee is also available for homework help. 

Story time  

Join Miss Lee Wednesday mornings from 11 a.m.  to noon for stories, songs, and movement activities designed for infants to children up to five years old.  In addition to developing pre-reading skills, singing, moving to music, and playing instruments all help foster a sense of rhythm and timing that are essential elements in developing the part of a child’s brain that shapes math skills.  

Story times are also a great opportunity to meet other parents of small children in Westerlo. 

Technology Walk-In Wednesdays 

Do you have a new smartphone or tablet, but don’t know how to download digital materials?  Need to brush up on your computer skills – or obtain basic skills? See Amy on Wednesdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. for free, personalized, one-on-one instruction. 

More information 

All library programming is free (unless otherwise noted) and open to the public. For more information, contact the library during business hours at 518-797-3415, visit westerlolibrary.org or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/westerlolibrary.