Guilderland Library Notes for Friday, March 4, 2016

Jim Snack is returning to the Guilderland Public Library on Sunday, March 6, for two exciting, magical events.

The first  “You Can Do Magic!”  is a registered workshop that starts at 2 p.m. Jim will let children age 8 and older in on some of the secrets behind his very magic tricks. To register for this workshop, please call 456-2400, ext. 4.

Then at 3 p.m., Jim presents his wonderful “Magic Show” for children of all ages. Packed with audience participation, and full of fun, it’s a family-friendly event not to be missed. No registration required for the show; just walk in and witness the wonder in your children’s eyes.

Your vegetable garden

Join us for the second part of our gardening series, this one on vegetable gardens, on Saturday, March 5, at 10:30 a.m. This program is brought to you by the great folks from Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Do you want to have a vegetable garden, but don’t know where to start? Join CCE’s horticulture educator, Sue Pezzolla, for a class on all the basics to get you started in growing vegetables. This class will also be a good review for seasoned gardeners with questions about best practices for the home gardener regarding an organic approach to cultivating great veggies.  Please call 456-2400, ext. 2 to let us know you’re attending.

Then save March 12  for CCE’s “The Nitty Gritty of Soil.”

Drop-in genealogy

Professional genealogist and Guilderland resident Lisa Dougherty is available for free family-history consultations on a drop-in basis at GPL on Wednesday, March 9, from 6  to 8 p.m.

This is a regular program: Ms. Dougherty will be at GPL the second Wednesday of each month, from 6 to 8 p.m. Bring your questions and 'brick walls' for help finding solutions.

She is a former volunteer at the National Archives in Pittsfield, and now devotes her time to lecturing around the area on family history, and assisting family researchers. A whiz at Ancestry.com, she specializes in online research and the effective use of websites to investigate family history. Visit her website at www.upstatenygenealogy.com.

Be a community leader

If you want to have a voice in how the library serves its community, running for office to become one of the 11 library trustees who oversee library policy is the way to go.

Incumbents and new candidates may run for a board seat by obtaining an information packet at the library.  Everyone picking up a packet must sign their name, address, and phone number; this information is required by the school district. The election will be held on Tuesday, May 17; this election is concurrent with votes on the library budget, school district budget, and election of members of the school board.

Please call the library director Tim Wiles at 456-2400, ext. 113, or the school district clerk at 456-6200, with any questions.

Writing reception

All participants in the Teen Winter Writing Contest are invited to a reception on Friday, March 11, at 6 p.m. Winners will read selections from their entries, and honorable mentions will be announced.

Welcome spring

Kids, welcome spring at GPL on Saturday, March 12, at 10:30 a.m., with “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” and watch as he eats his way through lots of yummy foods. Act out the story, make a caterpillar hat, and get your very own copy of the book to take home. Please call 456-2400, ext.  4 to let the caterpillar know you’re coming.

Board meets

GPL’s board of trustees will hold its monthly business meeting on Thursday, March 10, at 7 pm. Among the items to be discussed is the proposed budget for GPL’s 2016-17 fiscal year. The public is encouraged to attend.