Author Visit HUGE Success

Over sixty (!) people crowded into the parlor and sitting room this morning to learn more about paranormal investigation from Cassidy O'Connor and her associate, Justin Chernogorec. Check out her book, Haunted Buffalo: Ghosts of the Queen City, at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com.

We ran out of time and we ran out of books for her to sign soooooooooooo....we are planning another visit in the near future. We'll keep you posted.

Thanks to all who came inside on a beautiful Saturday to support a local author!

LEGISLATORS IN ALBANY TODAY & TOMORROW!

OUR legislators are in Albany and need to hear from all of us. Scroll down to our Tuesday, 10/27, posting to find out why and how.

"GOT GHOSTS?" Only six days left until Cassidy O'Connor's visit!!!

On Saturday, November 14, local author Cassidy O'Connor will be here from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. A talk on the paranormal and her new book, Haunted Buffalo: Ghosts of the Queen City, along with a book signing time are on the docket for the day. Cassidy is featured on the front page of the Nov. 5 ARCADE HERALD and on the front page of the SPOTLIGHT section (F) of "The Buffalo News", Sunday, October 25. Come and meet her in person!


FOOD FOR FINES is alive and well - - we will collect food until November 21st. (see Monday, October 26 post)

On Our Minds Today

1. VOTE!

2. 2nd Annual FOOD for FINES: Oct 26 to Nov 21 (see Monday, October 26 post)

3. Long-Range Planning Meeting re-scheduled for Wednesday, November 4.

4. November 14: Local author Cassidy O'Connor will be here - 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.

5. November 21: TEENS and TWEENS Wearable Art Workshop - come in and sign up!

Wood Library's Veterans Day Tribute Online

You are invited to view Wood Library's online Veterans Day Tribute anytime anywhere during the month of November. Featuring author Nancy E. Lynch talking about her book "Vietnam Mailbag" recorded at Wood Library on October 14, 2009, the Tribute also includes a PBS documentary on the Medal of Honor. Arcade Free Library and twenty other OWWL libraries own copies of "Vietnam Mailbag". Click on the book's cover to view the video.

"Dispatches from a Public Librarian"

Click the image below for an interesting and well-written article on the state of public libraries.

Other News for Today

October 31: Teen Advisory Group (TAG) meeting at 11:00 A.M. Cider and doughnuts!

November 14: Local author Cassidy O'Connor will be here - 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. A talk on the paranormal and her new book, Haunted Buffalo, along with a book signing time are on the docket for the day. Cassidy is featured on the front page of the SPOTLIGHT section (F) of "The Buffalo News", Sunday, October 25. Come and meet her in person...more cider and doughnuts!

November 21: TEENS and TWEENS are invited to come and make jewelry for themselves or for gifts. Choose from duct tape, paper, o-rings, or nuts-and-bolts for cool, unique wearable art. Suitable for both boys and girls. Bring a friend and your Library Card. Sign-ups begin next week! Sponsored by TAG. (Patterns and assistance will be provided.)

Library Advocates ARISE!!!

Our funding is in jeopardy! The Governor has proposed 10% cut across the board (except for 4.5% for School Aid) to resolve a mid-year state budget deficit of almost $3 billion. This means an additional $3.3 million cut in Library Aid on top of the three cuts received over the past 18 months that have reduced Library Aid from $102 million in 2007 to $91 million as of April 2009.

If the proposed $3.3 million goes through, it would bring Library Aid down to $88 million a level not seen since 1998. Libraries have already contributed their fair share toward reducing the state's budget shortfalls. Library services are needed now more than ever. Please contact your state legislator to urge them to reject the proposed cuts.


The New York Library Association has already drafted a letter for you to send out to state policymakers. All you need to do is type in your name, address and zipcode and our software will identify your state elected officials for you. Now advocating for your library services can be quick, simple and timely, plus there is no cost to you. Click the banner below to lend your voice!

If you wish to personalize your letter, a list of OWWL system services can be found at http://www.pls-net.org/. We recommend that you insert your personal comments at the beginning of the form letter to ensure that your comments will be read.

Thank you for your support!

SECOND ANNUAL FOOD FOR FINES STARTING

FOOD FOR FINES From Oct 26 to Nov 21

Again this year Arcade Free Library will accept non-perishable food items in lieu of overdue fines during these dates.

One item of food equals up to $1.00 in fines.

Suggestions:
Canned Veggies
Canned Fruit
Pasta
Cereal
Tuna
Peanut Butter

This program does not include lost or damaged books.

The first day has gotten off to a good start with donations.

June 9, 2009

First Annual Poetry Contest in Arcade!

Twenty-two poets participated in Arcade Free Library’s First Annual Poetry Contest! Held during April to highlight National Poetry Month, the contest was sponsored by the Teen Advisory Group (TAG) and designed for all ages and all levels of expertise. Poems were submitted in the following categories: Fantasy, Humor, Nature/Human Nature, Romance/Relationships, and Other and were judged by the teens, two English teachers, the newspaper editor, and a local writer.

TAG members held a reception on Tuesday May 19th to announce the winners, honor the participants, thank the judges and share the poetry! The Poetry Reception was very successful. Approximately 35 people attended (10/15 young people and 20/25 adults). A Certificate of Participation was given to each poet and Arcade Area Chamber of Commerce Gift Certificates were awarded to the first, second and third place winners. Several poets read their own work, while several others read other’s poems. Pink Lemonade Punch, Texas Sheet Cake and Peanut Butter Sugar Bombs were served (recipes available!).

CONGRATULATIONS TO

ARCADE FREE LIBRARY’S FIRST ANNUAL POETRY CONTEST WINNERS

FIRST PLACE: $20.00 Gift Certificate/Arcade Area Chamber of Commerce
Patricia M McGillivray for "In A Row"
SECOND PLACE: $15.00 Gift Certificate/Arcade Area Chamber of Commerce
Cyndel Weber for "Rare"
THIRD PLACE: $10.00 Gift Certificate/Arcade Area Chamber of Commerce (3-way tie)
Judy Feine for "Horse Thoughts"
Desiree Miller for "Teenagers Are Amazing"
Chelsey Smith for "My Mermaid Love"

CATEGORY WINNERS

FANTASY: "The Might of a Knight" by Brett Sanders
HUMOR: "Grandmother, Grandmother" by Julia Hartung
NATURE/HUMAN NATURE: "In a Row" by Patricia McGillivray
OTHER: "Basketball" by Gabrielle Darling
ROMANCE/RELATIONSHIP: "My Mermaid Love" by Chelsey Smith

WINNERS BY AGE GROUP

5 – 10 year olds: Julia Hartung
11 – 15 year olds: Gabrielle Darling
16 – 21 year olds: Cyndel Weber
22+ year olds: Patricia McGillivray

Two unexpected yet delightful long-term outcomes of the contest are the formation of a writers group to begin in July and three new teens recruited for TAG. Thank you to Dona and her teen group for all their hard work.

@ ARCADE FREE LIBRARY!!!

Come and join us for this year’s summer reading fun, "Be Creative @ the Library." Beginning June 29th children from preschool through sixth grade (Fall 2009) may participate in summer reading programs!

Register at the Library between June 15th and July 9th.

Call (585) 492 - 1297 for more information!

Good News re: 'Tweens and Books!

Read a recent article here: http://www.ypulse.com/checking-the-pulse-tweens-and-books

THIS YEAR'S WINNING POEMS

IN A ROW First place poem by Patricia Middaugh McGillivray

In a row the crosses stand,
Pristine white against the green
Evoking scenes from distant lands,
Of lives laid down upon command.
Proud to serve; afraid to die
Silent now in rows they lie
And Mothers come to kneel and pray
Remembering the long, gone days.
Of little boys, and little joys
Now silent in some foreign land
While proud the markers call us now
Remember me and take a vow.
To treasure dear this proud, great land
For which we fought and took a stand
And gave the ultimate sacrifice
By laying down our very lives.
For freedom now our crosses stand.



RARE Second Place Poem by Cyndel Weber


True friends are like diamonds,
They’re rare and can hardly be found.
I’m lucky I even found one –
sitting there so sound.
I just bumped into her one day, while skating
When I helped her up, I looked at her debating.
Can this be real?
Is this true?
Is she for me to hold on to?
At the first moment I saw you –
I was selfish.
I said to myself you are mine –
I’m not going to share you!
But, through the days you have been my friend,
I realized I’m, going to have to bend.
There are so many people in this world –
and keeping you from them;
is like keeping the rarest diamond from the world.
You are one of my best friends,
and a best friend to me –
is just like a rare diamond.
So to the world I’m giving this diamond, to share.
With one caution……. BE CAREFUL --- IT’S RARE



HORSE THOUGHTS Third Place Poem by Judy Feine


Morning and night
Hay, water, grain,
Pick, shovel, sweep
Morning and night
Horse eat and excrete
While I, tired, hurried, or sore
Pick, shovel, sweep
Morning and night.
Why the routine,
Why not the gym?
The trip to the mall?
The soap opera screen?
From the depths of their eyes,
From the warmth of their coats,
With soft nickers of welcome,
They answer:
"We give you our trust.
Handle with care."

MY MERMAID LOVE Third Place Poem by Chelsey Smith

Upon the deck I kneeled, a worn rag clutched in my sweaty, aching hand.
Working my hardest to scrub the deck free of grime and sand.
Down my chest did trickle a thousand beads of sweat.
And each knuckle upon my hand, each joint I had, in agony wept.
The skin on my neck gained pink as the sun rose high above me.
And no breeze blew by me to relieve my blistered skin from its harsh rays.
But minded I not, carrying these burdens and woes.
For I knew in mere minutes less, a sight I would see that would surely miss my rich foes.
And as I thought, I stared into the endless, mysterious sea,
Waiting to see the miraculous sight that would be bestowed upon only me.
And waited I not long when a dark head appeared above the water.
A quiet giggle emerged from her lips: her form of chatter.
Out onward I looked and mine eyes caught those of a brilliant aqua blue.
They dazzled like stars in the night, and dazzled ME too.
My pains numbed and clearer I could see.
All this because of this wondrous beauty before me.
And forward she swam, her beauty intoxicating me.
I smiled a lazy smile and inside my chest my heart beat wildly, struggling to get free.
I opened my mouth, ready to call to her, perhaps for once pronounce my love.
But a swish of a tail and gone was she, as invisible to me as was He above.
I returned to my work and my woes returned to lay upon me.
I worked on through the night and I dreamt but of the hour tomorrow that again my
beautiful mermaid love I would see.
I dreamt but of the hour tomorrow that again my beautiful mermaid love I would see.



TEENAGERS ARE AMAZING Third Place Poem by Desiree Miller

Teenagers are amazing,
I wish the world could see,
Just how beautiful we are,
How compassionate we can be.
Notice how we change,
Each and every day.
Wanting to leave childhood,
Yet desperately wanting to stay.
I wish they could remember,
How tough our lives can be,
The promises that are broken,
The violence that we see.
I hope the world will notice,
What some have already seen.
Teenagers are amazing people,
Striving to follow their dreams.

Greetings and salutations!

Much is happening here:

The Seuss-erific Family Read has flown by; many families now eagerly await their prizes and Seuss-tificates.

The Teen Advisory Group (TAG) is up and running. Three members attended the Teen Book Festival on Saturday, April 4th. What a great event!

TAG is sponsoring a Poetry Contest during April to highlight April as Poetry Month. Contact Dona at the Library for more information. She can be reached by email at droll@pls-net.org.

April marks the beginning of the "2009 Read With Kids Challenge" sponsored by Reading Is Fun (RIF) and USAirways. Click here to learn how to enter to win a Disney Vacation. http://www.readwithkidschallenge.com/

Teen Advisory Group to Begin

Hello All,

GREAT NEWS! Our Teen/Young Adult Advisory Group is having its very first meeting!!!

• Monday, March 16, 2009


• 2:45 PM


• Library Dining room

If you are between 13 and 20 years old, you are invited to "make a difference" at the Arcade Free Library. We want to better serve the teens/young adults in our area and we need your ideas and energy to accomplish our goal.

One of the first events for which we need to plan is the 4th Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival. Read about it at http://www.teenbookfestival.org/.

If you want to help out but that day/time does not work for you, please let Dona know at droll@pls-net.org or call the Library and leave a message.

EDIBLE BOOKS???? Check this out...

The Western New York Book Arts Collaborative is pleased to be taking part in the International Edible Book Festival! Read about it at http://wnybookarts.org/ediblebooks.php.

"From the festival website (http://www.diffusionadage.com/livremangeable/): "April 1st is the birthday of French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), famous for his book Physiologie du goût, a witty meditation on food. April fools' day is also the perfect day to eat your words and play with them as the "books" are consumed on the day of the event. "

The WNY event will take place on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at 6PM at the WNY Book Arts Center, 468 Washington Street in downtown Buffalo.

LOVE DR. SEUSS?!?!?!?

YOU are invited to participate in
A SEUSS-ERRIFIC FAMILY READ
sponsored by the Arcade Free Library.

WHO? YOU! Families in our area…
WHAT? …reading together from…
WHEN? …March 1 – 31, 2009…
WHERE? …at home, in the car, waiting for appointments, at the library…. wherever…
WHY? …to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday month!
HOW?

Read together every day.
Earn points in a fun-filled way.
Ask us how a prize is won.
Collect prizes when you’re done.
Have fun. Have fun. Have fun. Have fun!

REACH out and READ!!!

Happy Monday!

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR WINTERFEST BOOK SALE!!!!!

Hundreds of happy readers made off with bags full of books the second weekend in February. We are still selling books-by-the-bag. Stop by and see.

"WOMAN'S DAY" SEEKS LIBRARY STORIES

Has the library helped you save money?$?$?$?$?

Have you tapped in to free Internet access, financial literacy skills development information, assistance with job searches, or resources to help small businesses?$?$?$?$?

"Woman’s Day" magazine has announced a call for entries on this timely topic: using the library to help save money. From February 17 through May 18, women ages 18 and up are invited to send in stories in 700 words or less for a chance to be profiled in the March 2010 issue. Up to four women’s stories will be featured . Visit: http://www.womansday.com/Content/Family-Lifestyle/ALA-Contest-Info-Rules

TEENS - - STOP, LOOK, AND LISTEN!

TEENS - - STOP, LOOK, AND LISTEN!

...for news about our Teen Advisory Group starting this Spring...
...for news about our Teen Advisory Group starting this Spring...

Happy Monday Morning!

A few items of note this morning:

1. The website to learn about the U.S. Presidents has moved here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/

2. We are still accepting book donations for the Winterfest Book Sale.

3. The Newbery and Caldecott Award winners were announced last week.

The 2009 Newbery Medal winner is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKean, and published by HarperCollins Children's Books. More information can be found at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberymedal.cfm
The 2009 Caldecott Medal winner is The House in the Night, illustrated by Beth Krommes, written by Susan Marie Swanson (Houghton Mifflin Company). More information can be found at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal.cfm

Read on!

Winterfest Book Sale!

Good Monday Morning!

Hurray! The Arcade Winterfest is up and running...

...which means that our Annual Winterfest Book Sale is fast approaching...

...which means that we are accepting donations of your "certified", "previously owned" (a.k.a. "used") books for "reprocessing"...

...which means that you can get a jump start on Spring cleaning
and get those books* that need a new home into bags or boxes and
drop them off @ 365 West Main Street anytime we are open... -> -> ->

*Sorry. We cannot accept textbooks, encyclopedias, Reader's Digest Condensed books, or damaged items.

Stay tuned for more information about the sale (gifts and goodies...fun festivities...) and plan on coming!

Winterfest Book Sale

Friday, February 13th 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

Saturday, February 14th 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

MLK Jr. Day - Inauguration

Yes, we are open today! Come in from the cold and enjoy a winter read.

Here are a couple of resources for you. The Sodus Free Library News has a link to information about all of our Presidents. Find it at http://soduslibrary.blogspot.com/2009/01/us-presidents.html

A second, synch-ro-ni-zing (http://ruthie822.blogspot.com/), has an article called "Inauguration Day: for the eyes" ...visually appealing... I love the photos (ruthie's opinions are ruthie's, not ours...)

What does this mean? "...synch-ro-ni-zing got Blog of Note Friday."