June 2012 Newsletter - Summer Preview

Adult Summer Reading Club

Chemung County Library District will be hosting an Adult Summer Reading Program this year using the New York State Nighttime theme “Between the Covers.” Interested patrons may register on our website or at any CCLD library beginning Monday, July 2nd. The intention of the program is for adults to share their love of reading with each other by reporting how many books they’ve read. The software will allow readers to rate books and write their own reviews as well. Participants will be eligible for weekly prize drawings and will be given a chance to win an Amazon Kindle.

The District-wide event will culminate on Monday, August 13th with a visit from author, Amy Dickinson. Amy is the author of The Mighty Queens of Freeville and writes the syndicated advice column “Dear Amy.” Copies of Amy’s book will be part of the weekly prize selection.

Join the club and stay tuned in July’s newsletter for a listing of special weekly programs centered on the Nighttime theme.

Youth Summer Reading Club

Summer Reading Club is a 6 week family program with free and entertaining events every week with a special rewards program for those who read throughout the summer. Those that participate in the reading portion of the Reading Club will be invited to an exclusive party at Eldridge Park at the end of the program.

Come join your local branch of CCLD for our Summer Reading Club events! We are happy to provide this list of events for all CCLD locations. This year's theme is "Dream Big - Read!". Mark your calendars and come on out!

Steele Memorial Library Events

Stop by the Steele Memorial Library for storytime every Friday in July at 10:30AM! (Ages 2-6)

Youth Summer Reading Events @ Steele

July 5, 6:30PM: Moreland the Magician's Show

July 12, 6:30PM: Madcap Puppets

July 17, 3PM: The Spoon Man

July 26, 6:30PM: Robert Roger’s Puppets, Turtle’s Big Dream

August 2, 6:30PM: Explore the Magic of Your Dreams! Arts & Crafts

August 9, 6:30PM: Wildlife Educators, the wonders of the natural world with live animals

Friends’ Summer Concerts Coming in July!

A series of special concerts will take place in July on the Elmira Promenade, outside of the Steele Memorial Library.

Concerts will begin at 7:00pm.

Featured performers are:

July 10th - Celtic Duo - traditional Celtic music with Mark & Kate Cushing

July 17th - Heart and Soul - classic rock

July 24th - Diamondback Rattlers - bluegrass

July 31st - Max & Nikolai - musical mix from Easter Europe & the Middle East

Bring your family, friends and comfortable chairs. There’s no better way to spend a warm summer evening. In case of inclement weather, the concerts will be held inside the library.  

These free programs are made possible through a generous contribution from the Friends of the Steele Memorial Library.

Genealogy Workshop Reminder

Just a reminder, there will be a Beginning Genealogy Workshop at the Steele Memorial Library on Thursday, June 14, 2012  from 1:30 - 3:30 pm. Genealogy is the third most popular U. S. hobby today and the second most searched topic online. We will show you how to begin researching your family and introduce you to material available at our library, including databases, recommended websites, microfilm including the NYS Vital Statistics Index, and where to find books you may take home on the subject. Registration is encouraged. Please call the library reference desk at 733-9175.

New Faces at Steele

There are a lot of new faces in the Circulation Department at Steele Library, so please stop by and say hello. We would also like to ask for your patience as training takes a lot of time, and our new people can get nervous, so please bear with us if your transaction takes a few minutes longer than usual. Thank you and happy reading!!

Upcoming Summer Events for Horseheads Library

Storytimes will take place at Horseheads every Thursday, July 5th through August 2nd, at 10:30am for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers.

CCLD Storystew will perform at Wisner Farmer’s Market in Elmira every Thursday, June 28th through August 30th, at 11am.

Horseheads Storytellers will be at the Arnot Mall the second Wednesday of every month for Kids’ Klub.

Youth Summer Reading Events @ Horseheads

July 2, 6:30PM: Kick-off summer with a backyard campout!

July 11, 3PM: MadCap Puppets at Teal Park

July 16, 6:30PM: The Spoon Man

July 25, 3PM: Dreams & Wishes

August 1, 6:30PM: Stuffed Animal Sleepover

August 8, 6:30PM: WEC - Wildlife Educators

Adult Summer Reading Events @ Horseheads

There will also be a separate Adult Summer Reading Club with weekly drawings and some special programs.

June 26, July 3, & July 10: Teen/ Adult Tom Sawyer Book Club

July 17, 6:30PM: An Evening with Mark Twain

We will also have an adult documentary showing every Tuesday at Noon from July 3 to August 7.

West Elmira Summer Events

West Elmira Library is looking forward to joining the Hendy School Blacktop Carnival June 6th from 5:30-8:00PM.  Instead of staff, we are sending tooth fairies to promote the summer reading club theme "Dream Big Read".

Youth Summer Reading Club Events @ West

July 2, 3PM: Sign up and enjoy the funbelievable magic of Greg Phillips

July 9, 3PM: Professor Klutzo's I Must Be Dreaming

July 16, 3PM: Spoon Man

July 23, 3PM: The music of Judy Stock

July 30, 3PM: A dreamy craft and count the sheep in the library

August 6, 3PM: "Mastodons, Cavemen and Bears - Oh My!" with Mike and Roberta Straka

Big Flats Summer Reading Club - A Guaranteed Good Time!

Summer is upon us and it is time for awesome adventures.

Youth Summer Reading Events @ Big Flats

July 3, 6PM:  Kickoff with The Magic and Comedy of Greg Phillips "Life is Funbelievable" - You will not stop laughing!

July 10, 6PM:  Dan the Snakeman - Snake and reptile entertainer and expert!

July 17, 6PM:  Spoonman! - Audience participation and fun for the whole family!

July 24, 6PM:  A Galaxy Far, Far Away!  Star Wars Adventures - Out of this world fun!

July 31, 6PM:  Finger Lakes Adopt a Grey - You can't help but love these gentle dogs!

August 7, 6PM:  "Mastodons, Cavemen and Bears - Oh My!" - Fun interactive game show!

Weather permitting most of our programs will be outside on our great lawn.  Bring your blankets and chairs!

Info on the Adult & Young Adult Summer Reading Club coming soon!

Recent and Future Events at Van Etten

On Friday, May 11, Van Etten Library hosted a Raised Bed Gardening Workshop with Terry Carling of Huddle Hill Farm (Van Etten, NY).  An enthusiastic crowd of 10 gardeners attended. Terry spoke on types of raised beds, considerations of location, soil, and types of plants.  A lively discussion and Q&A session followed. Terry also regaled us with tales of skunks, deer, dogs, and cats invading her gardens! Everyone who attended got a free lobelia bedding plant.  

Youth Summer Reading Events @ Van Etten

June 29, 1PM: Regina Carpenter, Storyteller

July 13, 3PM: Small Horses, Big Dreams - Meet a trotter horse and learn about care, the breed, and its use in harness racing (Real live horse at the library!)

July 16, 1PM: The Spoon Man

August 6, 12PM: Dinosaur Duo, "Mastodons, Cavemen & Bears, Oh My!"

August 8 (time TBA): NY Wildlife Educators with live exotic animals

Van Etten will continue to hold "Mother Goose on the Loose" (babies' storytime, 0-2 yrs) throughout the summer (2nd & 4th Wed of each month)

Bookmobile Events

The Bookmobile participated in the Headstart Carnival on May 19, 2012.  It was a great success with 200 visitors.  There were games with prizes, tattoos, coloring sheets and T-shirt giveaways.

Youth Summer Reading Events @ Bookmobile

July 10, 4PM: Madcap Puppets - Southside Community Center

July 14, 12PM: Family Days - Thorne St. Park in Horseheads

July 17, 9AM: Spoonman - Southport Parks

August 18, 10AM: Strong Kids, Safe Kids - Chemung County Fairgrounds

Floods of Chemung County

In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Flood of 1972, the Steele Memorial Library’s Reference Department in partnership with the Chemung County Historical Society and New York Heritage Digital Collections has published, “Floods of Chemung County.” This collection of scanned photographs from the floods that occurred in our community in years 1889, 1902, 1946, and of course 1972, can be found on the web at: http://tinyurl.com/chemungfloods.
For an exclusive list of images from the flood of 1972 go to: http://tinyurl.com/chemungfloods1972.

The photo above, by Viola Pooley, shows the view of flood waters during the 1946 flood on East Church Street looking east from the viaduct near the present location of the Steele Memorial Library. The old post office is the 3rd building on the right. (Republication prohibited)

For more information about these and other events, visit the CCLD Events Calendar: http://ccld.lib.ny.us/calendar.htm.