Southeast Steuben County Library 300 Nasser Civic Center Plaza Corning, NY 14830 (607) 936-3713
Corning Inc. Headquarters, Corning, NY
The Hornby Museum & Hornby Historical Society
Campbell Central School
Lindley Community Church
The Conhocton River in Coopers Plains
The Caton Grange
The Depot Museum, Village of Painted Post, Town of Erwin |
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Concluding this year's Books Sandwiched In series, Michael Gilmartin (above) reviewed Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley and Ron Powers on February 28 in the Laura Beer Community Room. Friends of the Library President Kate Paterson expressed thanks to Anna Rice for organizing Books Sandwiched In talks by local notables this year and in years past. In the spirit of LBJ, Rice has firmly and resolutely decided to step down next year. Paterson said she tried, and failed to convince her otherwise. Books Sandwiched In has been immensely popular, always literate and well-received under Rice's tenure. ALL DAY BIRTHDAY PARTY: Celebrate the birthday of Dr. Seuss and Read Across America on March 2, starting at 10:30 am in the Children's Department. For details, see the Feb. 26 article below. February 28, 2007 Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org February 27, 2007 Our volunteers: Karen Davis Corning resident Karen Davis has been a Southeast Steuben County Library volunteer since November, 2005. She is an avid reader and singer. A member of the choir of St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church on Dodge Street, Davis also sings in the Resurrection Choir, which performs sacred music at funerals when requested. In her mid-30's, Davis devotes two hours each week to shelving and dusting books in the stacks. She doesn't find the work mundane. "I enjoy what I am doing," Davis said during an interview last week. "The Library always needs help, and it is a great opportunity to meet new people and make new friends." Davis agreed there is a side-benefit to spending time in the stacks. An avid reader of everything from Stephen King's novels to the Joshua series by Joseph F. Girzone, Davis said her volunteer work at the Library helps her find new books and authors. "I like to help people and I love to read," she said. What better reason is there for becoming a library volunteer? If you like to help people and love to read, we'd love to hear from you. Please contact Volunteer Coordinator Kathleen Richardson, at (607) 936-3713 ext 213 or email richardsonk@stls.orgg. Davis said she appreciates working with our "great" staff. "Everybody here is friendly." We appreciate the time and effort Karen Davis spends making our collection more accessible to browsers, young and old, and we count her among our valued friends! Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org Celebrate Dr. Seuss with us!
The fun begins on Friday, March 2 at 10:30 am. with a Storytime featuring live costumed Dr. Seuss characters. There will be all-day activity tables, a Green Eggs and Ham toss (Yech!), "pin the star on the Sneetch" and more zany action than an imaginary parade on Mulberry Street. Storytime repeats at 4 pm. No registration required. Click here for a map and driving directions. Or, for (limited) bus routes and schedules, click here. Read Across America is a nationwide initiative sponsored by the National Education Association to celebrate the joy of reading every day of the year, and on Dr. Seuss's Birthday in particular. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org Read it while it's hot! Click on the Scattered Leaves link box in the left-hand column of this page and you will be transported to a magical place, where young authors share their work with the community-at-large. Whether your interest is poetry, science fiction, fantasy, human drama or essays that touch the heart while they stir the mind, you are sure to find much to delight, challenge and divert you from the mundane in the online literary magazine of the Torn Page Writers Group. Scattered Leaves was launched last autumn and has grown each month since then. Currently, it features 36 literary works by 12 authors ranging in age from 12 to first year of college. Four new works from two fine authors were added today. Scattered Leaves is greatly enhanced by a wonderful essay, Lessons Not Learned In School, by Liz Burke, along with two inventive short stories, Fifth Time's the Charm, and Tales from Galapalapagos. Author Lindsey Mulholland has written a powerfully affecting poem about war, Tango to Baghdad, that makes a poignant statement while stirring deep emotion. [Update, March 1: New poems by Trevor Worthey and Edwin F. Kindler added today.] These new authors have joined a lively company of young writers who meet every other week in the Southeast Steuben County Library to strengthen their work through feedback from fellow writers in a workshop setting. The Library is privileged to publish some of their finished work in Scattered Leaves. Visit Scattered Leaves regularly. If you think you've read it all, look for the golden leaf icon that designates new work. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org YEAR OF THE BOAR: Director of Children's Services Pauline Emery celebrated the Chinese New Year with preschoolers yesterday during Little Red Hen's Friends Story Time. Two youngsters ventured close to hear a fable about how the pig acquired its short snout. February 22, 2007 Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org Pipeline 4 Progress summit, 2/23 The Pipeline 4 Progress Network will hold an all-day conference at Elmira College Campus Center on Friday, February 23, starting at 9 am. Former Congressman Amo Houghton is a featured speaker. The P4P network seeks to "create the proper engine to harness and foster the energies of those in the creative class," and to engage this segment of the workforce, allowing it to realize its full potential in the Twin Tiers region of New York State and Pennsylvania. The conference is geared to address the needs and aspirations of those with creative talents and skills under age 40. To read the P4P 2006 Summit Report and Action Plan, click here. For this year's conference and registration information, click here. There is a $20 registration fee, which may be paid at the door. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org February 20, 2007 Bubble wrap sparks fun, not fire Pop, pop, POP! The sounds of fireworks celebrating the Chinese New Year filled the Laura Beer Community Room earlier today during Chicken Little's Story Time. There were no hazardous incendiaries; just bubble wrap. Toddlers jumped up and down on the nontoxic packaging material, or burst bubbles with their hands. If you closed your eyes you would have believed you were on Mott Street. Later on, under the watchful eyes of Children's Specialist Missy Knowles and parents & caregivers, toddlers participated in a dragon parade through the Children's Department. Join us for Chicken Little Story Time on Tuesdays at 10:30 am, repeating at 1 pm. Older preschool age children and adult caregivers are invited to attend Little Red Hen's Friends Story Time on Wednesdays at 10:30 am and 1 pm. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org Grants & how to get them: 2007 training series starts 3/15 If you work for a charitable or non-profit organization, you may benefit from attending our 2007 Non-Profit Training Series. The series, which is co-sponsored by the Southeast Steuben County Library and the Community Foundation of the Elmira-Corning Area, kicks off on March 15 with a communication skills workshop. Linda London will help you develop and communicate your vision to major donor prospects. With colorful examples and hands-on activities, you will learn how to identify, cultivate, solicit and retain top donors. The three-hour workshop will be held at Three Rivers Development Corp., 114 Pine Street in Corning, NY. It starts at 1:30 pm. There is a $5 charge for each session in the 2007 Non-Profit Training Series. To register for this session or for additional information, contact Matthew Hogan, Adult Programs Director at (607) 936-3713 ext. 502 or visit the Reference Desk at the Library, 300 Nasser Civic Center Plaza in Corning. You may also email hoganm@stls.org to register. A workshop on measuring outcomes will be held on April 12, from 1:30 pm to 4:30 at Three Rivers Development Corp. Measuring your organization’s outcomes is an important part of demonstrating effective program delivery. This workshop will help you select the appropriate criteria to gauge your organization's success and to present it fairly and in the best light. Outcome Measures: Selecting and Using the Right Criteria will discuss the relationship of outcomes to the program planning, implementation and evaluation cycle; the distinction between program evaluation and process evaluation; and the relationship between short-term, intermediate, and long-term outcomes. It will help you begin to identify measurable outcomes based on your program goals, funding, and staff capacity and resources. Participants are encouraged to bring a copy of their logic model, program description, or grant application for reference and discussion purposes. Future classes in the 2007 series include Sound Bite Marketing: Getting it Out in 10 Words or Less (August 14); and Strategic Planning: Creating Your Organization's Road Map (September 11). Other sessions will be announced as scheduled. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org Jenny Pope's woodcut print, Mackerel Cart. February 19, 2007 The arts: 171 features Ithaca printmakers 171 Cedar Arts Center will exhibit artwork by 28 artists from the Ink Shop Printmaking Center & Olive Branch Press in Ithaca, NY. The exhibition, at the Houghton Gallery, runs from February 23 through March 31, 2007. The public is invited to meet printmakers and be among the first to see these works during the opening reception, Friday, February 23, from 5:30 pm to 7:30. Refreshments will be served. This is a free event. 171 Cedar Arts Center is located (you guessed it) at 171 Cedar Street in Corning, NY. The Houghton Gallery is located in 171’s Drake House at 155 Cedar Street. To learn more about The Ink Shop, a nonprofit arts organization, click here.
Tim Merrick's Six Mile Creek is part of the 171 Cedar exhibition. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org Benefit dance-concert, March 5 Last week, some of us were disappointed in Valentine's Day event cancellations due to weather. Others were just snowed in. Either way, take heart, because a gala dance-concert, a benefit for the Salvation Army and a community favorite, has been rescheduled. The Sam Pallet Band and the Corning Area Community Concert Band will play music for dancing and listening at The Corning Museum of Glass auditorium, from 7 pm to 10 on Monday, March 5. A raffle will take place during the evening. All proceeds will be given to The Salvation Army. Beverages and snack food will be available for purchase. Seating will be at tables, and there will be a spacious dance floor, according to organizers. Music will include classic rock/pop, swing, Latin, waltzes and polkas. Tickets are $7.50, available at the door or, in advance, at Brown's Cigar Store in Corning and Tallman's Department Store in Painted Post. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org New library events next week We were closed Wednesday and Thursday due to the weather. Today, as Southeast Steuben County gets back into the swing of things, our doors are open to the public and we have (optimistically) scheduled several new and exciting events for next week. For adults: We have added an additional film to Friday's Free Films @ the Library. At 7 pm on Friday, February 23, Babel, a thriller with Brad Pitt, will be shown in the Laura Beer Community Room. Doors open at 6:45. This film, released in 2006, runs 142 minutes and is rated R. Free popcorn! Free soda or bottled water! (Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont will be shown tonight at 7 pm.) Friday's Free Films in March: The Prestige on March 2; Marie Antoinette on March 16; Quinceanera on March 30. For children: On Monday, Feb. 19 from 1 pm to 2, the Children's Department will present Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? For children age 2 - 6. Stories, crafts and cookies! No registration required. For more information call (607) 936-3713 ext 503. On Thursday, Feb. 22 from 4 pm to 5, the Children's Department will present a program celebrating Black History Month. Sun, Sky, Lullaby will feature West African poetry and craft. Please call (607) 936-3713 ext 503 for additional information. And ... don't forget our free children's matinee film on Tuesday, February 20 at 2 pm. See our Coming Events calendar at right for details. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org Winter's Big Dig ABOVE: The Southeast Steuben County Library was closed today due to the heavy snowfall. The Library's 24/7 WiFi hotspot extends beyond building walls into Nasser Civic Center Plaza, but no one was sitting here this morning with a laptop computer. BELOW: This railroad car near the Chemung River was in use recently, but seemed orphaned this morning.
ABOVE: A snow pile on Wall Street in Corning makes a fine playground for a happy child. February 15, 2007 Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org GOING DOWN: Corning Incorporated's Fallbrook Plant is undergoing demolition. The plant appeared intact when viewed from Tioga Avenue today, but little remained of the interior of one of its wings. This photo was taken looking South, toward Spencer Hill. The Library is visible through the plant's windows. For images of the plant under construction and in its heyday, click here. February 13, 2007 What's happening: Down & up What's going down: So far, this season, Southeast Steuben County has avoided heavy snowfall, even though non-local media reports have left the impression that all of upstate New York has been buried under eight-feet. For the record, the last few weeks have featured frigid temperatures and relentless wind. It hasn't been pleasant. Nevertheless, in the City of Corning, tufts of grass or bare earth compete with sparse snow cover. If you have walked through Nasser Civic Center Plaza recently, you may have seen a few large piles of snow. This snow did not fall from the sky. These snow-like piles are in fact ice shavings from the Zamboni machine, deposited in the skating rink staging area before being hauled away. However, the situation is about to change, according to the National Weather Service. We may be in for two feet, give or take, between this evening and Valentine's Day. For Library inclement weather closure information, listen to WENY radio (AM 1230 or AM 1450), call (607) 936-3713 or visit the library Home Page at ssclibrary.org. What's coming up: Books Sandwiched In, the last in the Friends of the Library's 2007 series of book reviews by local notables is scheduled for noon on Wednesday February 14. If need be, please check for inclement weather closure information, as above. Open House: 300 Nasser Civic Center Plaza is not just home to the Southeast Steuben County Library. Organizations with offices here include include Health Ministry of the Southern Tier, CASA, Catholic Charities, Center for Dispute Settlement, Faith in Action, Steuben Arc, United Way of the Southern Tier and the Nonnie Hood Parent Resource Center. Visit the library and it neighbors on Thursday, February 15 from 6 pm to 8 for an Open House. There will be building tours, door prizes, free blood pressure screening, make & take arts & crafts and much more. You can even get your taxes prepared for free. Bring your family. Please join us! Free movie matinee: On Tuesday, February 20 at 2 pm, the Children's Department will present Open Season on the big screen in the Laura Beer Community Room. (2006) Animated. Rated PG. Children younger than 8 must be accompanied by an adult caregiver. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org Celebrate the Year of the Boar
Thanks to the Corning Chinese Association (CCA), you can learn more about Chinese New Year by visiting our display area in the Library lobby at 300 Nasser Civic Center Plaza. CCA has set up an exhibit featuring Chinese artwork, photos and books, plus posters highlighting CCA activities and Chinese language classes offered locally. CCA was founded, informally, in the 1960s, when "five or six" Chinese families - whose members worked for Corning Glassworks (now Corning Incorporated) - held dinners. Since then, the group has expanded to 120 families. CCA launched its own website in 2005. To learn more about its history and activities, click here. CCA's mission is to "promote fellowship and to facilitate networking amongst the Chinese community and those who are interested in the Chinese ethnicity." The organization strives to "foster awareness, understanding and appreciation of the Chinese culture in the Twin Tiers." We hope you will visit CCA's exhibit here at the Library and join together in celebrating Chinese New Year. To learn more about character traits associated with the boar of Chinese mythology, click here. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org
February 9, 2007 CPR training benefits public The Southeast Steuben County Library opened at noon today. None of our staff members slept late. Shown above, the public service staff undergoes recertification training in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and in use of the Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Red Cross Health & Safety Instructor William D. Benson, (bottom photo), instructs the staff in the latest approved techniques. Above, left, staff member Linda Clayman practices the CPR method. Above, right, Zach Kotowski administers a "rescue breath" as Marcia Stewart looks on. Library public service staff members must be recertified in CPR/AED each year. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org Educational resources: African American History online February is Black History Month, a time for public officials, educators, and all the people of the United States to participate in its observance. One way to do that is to take some time to learn more about America’s struggle with slavery and racism, and about the contributions of African Americans to our national heritage and humane civilization. You can start that process right now by following this link to the federal government's most extensive collection of Web-based resources related to Black history and the struggle for civil rights in America. You will be directed to a page with 62 links to free authoritative educational resources from the Library of Congress and many other institutions. Each of these resources is made available to the public in whole or in part through federal funding. You will find textual, audio and visual materials, source documents, maps, arts resources, biographies, court documents, sports-related resources, milestones in science ... the list goes on. To begin your exploration, start here. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org Civic Center Open House, 2/15 Extra! Join the fun of discovery on Thursday, February 15 from 6 pm to 8 at 300 Nasser Civic Center Plaza's Open House. This family friendly event highlights "make & take" crafts, a free book with a new library card, balloons, free tax preparation, face painting, games, blood pressure readings, tours, refreshments, information, and more! Participating organizations include the Southeast Steuben County Library, Health Ministry of the Southern Tier, CASA, Catholic Charities, Center for Dispute Settlement, Faith in Action, Steuben Arc, United Way of the Southern Tier and the Nonnie Hood Parent Resource Center. For driving directions and a link to public transportation information, click here. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org Notice: The Library will open at noon on Friday, February 9 (2007) due to staff CPR/AED recertification training. February 7, 2007 To our readers ... The Circulator will be updated sporadically this week due to a special projects time commitment. Look for photo coverage of today's Books Sandwiched In, in the "Spotlight" feature box, and a new article on Friday, Feb. 9. Regular coverage of Library programs, events, reference resources and more will resume at that time. Please visit The Circulator Archives for articles, photos and special features you may have missed. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org
Mary Anne Sprague reviewed Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell, by Janet Wallach, at the Friends of the Library's Books Sandwiched In on February 7 in the Laura Beer Community Room. Sprague said Gertrude Bell would never be seen without a hat. Concluding this year's Books Sandwiched In series, Michael Gilmartin will review Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley and Ron Powers on February 14. New study: Libraries fuel healthy economies We all know that public libraries are essential components in the cultural life of healthy communities. Libraries provide "free and open access to books, materials and services that enable personal enrichment and lifelong learning." That's the core of our mission statement here at the Southeast Steuben County Library. Libraries are fuel for the life of the mind. Now, a major study indicates that libraries are developing a complementary role. Libraries help build a community’s capacity for economic activity and resiliency. By facilitating lifelong learning and personal enrichment, libraries fuel economic development. According to The Urban Institute in its study, Making Cities Stronger: Public Library Contributions to Local Economic Development, libraries are positioned to build technology skills, entrepreneurial activity, and vibrant, livable places. Commissioned by the Urban Libraries Council and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the study explores how urban libraries help sustain and grow local economies through both traditional and innovative services and programs. While the study focuses on libraries in cities with populations of 100,000 or more, its lessons apply to libraries in smaller cities as well. Researchers explored specific ways local governments, agencies, and libraries work together in cities across the nation in four areas. Here is what they found: 1) Early Literacy Services are contributing to long-term economic success by building "the educated workforce that ensures local competitiveness in the knowledge economy." 2) Libraries are a first point of entry for many new technology users. "Library employment and career resources are preparing workers with ... an array of public computers, Internet access, and media products." 3) "Researchers find that when libraries work with local and state agencies to provide business development workshops and research, market entry costs to prospective and existing small businesses are reduced and new jobs are created." 4) Libraries are people magnets. They "attract tremendous foot traffic, provide long-term tenancy, and complement neighboring retail and cultural destinations." These findings underscore the importance of ongoing programs and services here at the Southeast Steuben County Library. According to Library Development Director Dale Wexell, "In our long-range plan, our library is committed to develop and support literacy for ages birth to five, and further supports reading with our outreach programs to schools and day care centers. Additionally the library continues to supply key website training in job related skills and hopes to expand these opportunities in the future. Making our library a center for small business development and training to support local economic development is in the exploration stage. Most importantly, the library is a full service center in the community for information, research and all types of learning experiences for all ages." If you would like to learn more about Making Cities Stronger: Public Library Contributions to Local Economic Development, please click here. Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org The Booklover's Quilt: Guild offers new way to give
The Quilter's Guild will create a bookcase quilt with 100 quilted books. For a contribution of $75, the name of your choice will be embroidered on the spine of one of the books. For $500, you may reserve the bookshelf with a name attached. Our Booklover's Quilt will be displayed prominently in the Library as an enduring symbol of support for the Library and as a way to honor the person you designate. Donation Information forms may be obtained at the Circulation Desk, at our bookcase quilt display in the Library lobby, or by calling (607) 936-3713 ext. 208. You may also email wexelld@stls.org to obtain a form. "The library is most grateful to the Quilter's Guild for their willingness to create the bookcase quilt and embroider the names on the various books," said Dale Wexell, Director of Development. "The completed quilt will be displayed in the fall. With a donation to the library, it is a great opportunity for members of the community to memorialize or honor special people in their lives in a unique way." Comments & Questions email: turnerb@stls.org Visit the Library Home Page Read the latest Library news in The Circulator |
Join the Southeast Steuben County Library in celebrating
'
This year - 2007, or by traditional Chinese
reckoning, 4705 - Chinese new year falls on February 18. It is the year
of the Boar, the last in the Chinese 12-year cycle, where a designated
Thanks
to the Quilter's Guild, the Southeast Steuben County Library is offering
a new way to honor or memorialize family members and others.