April 11, 2005
National Library Week: Libraries are for all the people, all the time
SYRACUSE --- It's National Library Week, a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions of libraries, librarians, and library workers to their communities. Onondaga County Public Libraries will use the week, April 10 to 16, to roll out a new campaign theme, "For all the people, all the time."
OCPL libraries are truly accessible all the time, thanks to the 24/7 Chat Reference service, available through the Web site at www.onlib.org. Libraries also offer phone and e-mail reference help – as well as face-to-face, personal services at OCPL's Central Library, eight city branches, two community center satellites, and 20 suburban libraries.
The extent to which libraries reach out to all in the community can be seen from a sampling of programs available during National Library Week.
On Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Baldwinsville Public Library hosts a hard-hitting examination of the Patriot Act's chilling effect on civil liberties in "Documentia: Unconsitituional." Fayetteville Free Library presents a "Sunday Musicale with Too Human: Ellen Schwartz and Roger Bruno," at 2 p.m.
On Monday, April 11, from 10 to 5, the Southwest Community Center library holds a "Teach-In" to show patrons how to use the Internet, including e-mail, surfing the Web, and using the libraries online databases, while at Mundy Branch, children will work together to create their own book in a special craft program called "Mundy Masterpiece," at 3:30 p.m. Liverpool Public Library presents "The History of Local Radio Broadcasting," on Monday, at 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, April 12, besides the usual AARP tax preparation help and children's story times, a registered nurse will offer free blood pressure screening at White Branch at 11 a.m. At 7 p.m., the Baldwinsville Public Library presents "The Bill of Rights Defense Campaign" with lawyer Michael Forsyth and Carol Folley of the CNY Bill of Rights Defense Campaign, who will discuss the Patriot Act and other legislation enacted or proposed after 9/11 that threatens the Constitutional rights of ordinary citizens.
On Wednesday, April 13, at 12:15 p.m. Soule Branch's popular Midday Medley lunchtime lecture series welcomes OCPL Executive Director Joyce Latham, presenting "Closed Stacks to Open Shelves: The Background of the Modern Library." Also on Wednesday is Liverpool Public Library's family Game Night, with refreshments.
On Thursday, April 14, Director Latham visits the children's room at Mundy Branch (10:30 a.m.) and Betts Branch (3:30 p.m.), accompanied by her dog, Arrow, to tell the story of "How the Dog Got a Cold Wet Nose." At 10 a.m. Solvay Public Library hosts Kiddie Koffee Klatch, a play group and story time for toddlers while parents and grandparents enjoy a coffee social hour. At 1:30 p.m. at the Liverpool Public Library, Armchair Travelers ride the cog railroad to Pike's Peak and raft the Gunnison River in Colorado. School-age children play Library Detectives with a scavenger hunt to locate hidden information at Petit Branch at 4 p.m. Meet local author Barbara Block, creator of the Robin Light mystery series, at the DeWitt Community Library, at 7 p.m. Block, who writes under the pseudonym of Isis Crawford, has written two new murder mysteries with recipes.
On Friday, April 15, at 3:30 p.m. , local author Linda Slifka signs copies of "Where's My Puppy?" at Paine Branch. Slifka is the aunt of Brittany Fish, the 5-year-old Onondaga County girl kidnapped and found unharmed a year ago; her book teaches children about safety.
Saturday wraps up National Library Week with a spring book sale (9 to 5) and Ukrainian Dance performance (2 p.m.) at Hazard Library, while OCPL director Latham and her dog Arrow tell the story of "How the Dog Got a Cold Wet Nose" for children at Central Library at 11 a.m.
All events are free and open to the public.
This year is another critical year for public libraries. The battle over funding one of the most popular public services began in 2004 when the Governor's budget cut library funding 15%. The legislature overturned those cuts. However, when the Governor's 2005 budget included a 5% cut, the legislature failed to restore the funding. Those cuts are carried through the 2006 budget. The fight to address the steady erosion of library funding by the state of New York continues. Members of the Mid-York Library System, Onondaga County Public Library System, and the Central New York Library Resource Council coordinated efforts to alert Gov. Pataki to the damage of the cuts and urge a return to legislated funding levels. Over 1,740 letters were hand carried to
Albany and delivered to the Governor's office on March 15, during Library Day, which is sponsored annually by the New York Library Association.
National Library Week, April 10 to 16, is a great time to visit your public libraries often and remind your legislators that Onondaga County Public Library is "For all the people, all the time."
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