Bethlehem Library Notes for Thursday, May 7, 2020
The Bethlehem Public Library remains closed based on state and local guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Visit our website (www.bethlehempubliclibrary.org) for updates.
Please know that the library has been working hard to craft a phased reopening plan that is mindful of the health and safety of our community as we look ahead to a time when we can once again serve you in person.
Share a recipe
Have you been stress baking or spending a lot more time in the kitchen than usual? Share your favorite recipe (with photos, if you can) for the Upper Hudson Library System Community Cookbook challenge.
Please include your name and your home library. Recipes will be collected through July 1 and compiled in a free downloadable cookbook. Send your recipe submissions to Librarian Cathy Brenner at .
Zoom story time
Check out our Zoom Family Story Time every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. through May 26. Enjoy stories, songs, and activities for children up to age 6 with a caregiver. To participate, go to: bit.ly/3eIaek5 (password is 562837) at the scheduled time.
Please note: Zoom story times require you to sign in using the password provided above. Your email and video will not be visible to other participants and your sound will be muted.
Trustees meet
The Library Board of Trustees will meet virtually Monday, May 11, at 6 p.m. You can watch the meeting live on the library’s YouTube channel or website. Public questions or comments may be directed to Library Director Geoffrey Kirkpatrick at . A draft of the minutes will be available within 10 days of the meeting.
Our commitment to organizational transparency continues, even as group gathering guidelines and building closures pose a challenge to holding our monthly board of trustees meetings. Please visit our board of trustees webpage (www.bethlehempubliclibrary.org/about-us/board-of-trustees) for more information.
Research and learn
Visit our Research webpage (bethlehempubliclibrary.org/webapps/research.asp) for access to a robust collection of online local history materials, newspaper archives, encyclopedias, Consumer Reports, Chilton’s Auto Repair, and more. You’ll also find academic resources and health and medicine databases as well as business and investment tools like Morningstar, Value Line, and ReferenceUSA.
Ready to learn a new language? Choose from 163, including American Sign Language, with Pronunciator.
Are you thinking about researching your family tree? We’ve got the tools to help you get started. Ancestry.com, one of the biggest names in do-it-yourself genealogy, is temporarily available to use offsite with your library card.
HeritageQuest gives you access to United States census data and over 1 million genealogy and local history articles. Click through to our Local History webpage and find even more resources, including our Spotlight newspaper archive and the New York Heritage digital collections.
Need some help getting started? E-mail us at with your genealogy research questions so we can point you in the right direction.
Got questions?
Reach out by email at and staff will assist you. You can also call the library at 518-439-9314 and leave a message. We will get back to you as soon as we are able, but please allow additional time for questions asked via voicemail.