Guilderland Library Notes for Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Make GPL your April break headquarters! We’ve got a full slate of activities to keep kids and teens engaged, including:

— Drop-in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) Play — Monday, April 10, from 2 to 3 p.m. Elementary-aged kids can stop by with their families to play with Code-a-Pillars, marble runs, and other cool building toys. No registration is needed;

— Great Guilderland and Altamont Spell-Off — Tuesday, April 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. Ages 10 through adults are invited to compete in a classic spelling bee in teams of two (we’ll attempt to pair solo contestants with another participant.) One person on your team must be at least 18. This event is part of a larger Upper Hudson Library System program, “The Great Spell-Off.” The ultimate goal is to qualify for the final Spell-Off on Sunday, April 30, at 2:30 p.m. at the William K. Sanford Library in Colonie. Good luck! Please register on the Events tab of guilderlandlibrary.org;

— Paint & Dip for Teens — Wednesday, April 12, at 2 p.m. Get creative! Follow along
to recreate our instructor’s painting, or just let your own inspiration guide you. All skill levels are welcome, and all supplies will be provided. Please register online to reserve your spot;

— Project Picture Book: Save Jars — Thursday, April 13, at 3:30 p.m. Kids in kindergarten through second grade are invited to listen to a story and complete a related activity. This month, SEFCU bank will teach us about money management, and we’ll create our own “save jars” to take home. Please register in advance online; and

— The Puppet People Present: The Three Little Pigs — Friday, April 14, at 2 p.m. This family show for all ages uses beautifully-designed puppets, colorful sets, humor, and lots of audience participation for a classic retelling of the Big Bad Wolf’s attempts to huff, puff and blow the houses down! This event is sure to fill up fast — don’t delay, sign up on the Events tab of our website. 

Reads & Roasts

Book Challenge

The April “Reads & Roasts Beanstack Book Challenge” for teens and adults is on! Get in on the action by registering at guilderlandlibrary.beanstack.org. Look for our coffee-themed events throughout the month, where you can earn badges to win prizes. 

First up: “Cereal & Cartoons & Coffee,” for all ages, on Saturday, April 8 at 10 a.m. to noon. Remember when…we had to wait a whole week to get our cartoon fix on Saturday mornings - and then we binge-watched? In that spirit, the GPL presents a nostalgic tribute to the morning cartoons of yesteryear, complete with favorite sugary cereals, and of course—coffee! Please register on the Events Calendar of guilderlandlibrary.org.

Easter closure

Please note: the Library will be closed for Easter on Sunday, April 9. Digital resources, parking lot WiFi, car charging stations, the Little Free Library, and book donation bins in the side parking lot are always available.

Night Owls

Book Club

Let’s dig into some of the most talked-about fiction and nonfiction titles! For our next meetup on Monday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m., we’re reading “Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman,” by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert K. Massie. Copies of this book are available at the Information desk. Please register for the hybrid book discussion (choice of online or in-person).

Planet-Friendly

Gardens

This virtual presentation entitled “Remarkable Natives for Planet-Friendly Gardens,” on Saturday, April 15 at 10 a.m., will help dispel the false notion that native plants are not as showy as non-native plants in the flower garden.

Kerry Mendez, an award-winning garden educator, author, design consultant and proprietor of Perennially Yours, will open our eyes to dazzling specimens that attract accolades, as well as pollinators. The result: beautiful gardens that are beneficial for the planet! This Zoom presentation includes mail-order sources for natives (in addition to local garden centers). Please register in advance on our website.

Candidate packet

For our annual election on Tuesday, May 16, we have two open positions on our
eleven-member Board of Trustees, with an application deadline of Monday, April 17. GPL Board members serve a five-year term, requiring a significant time investment. Please request an information packet at the Circulation desk, or email Library Director Tim Wiles at for more information.

General info

Contact us at 518-456-2400 or . To set up a passport appointment, press option 2.

Overdue fines were eliminated; patrons will be billed for the replacement cost of lost items.