The Big Read

Take part in The Big Read, a city and region-wide program designed to encourage everyone to experience one book together, as a community. The Albany Public Library, along with all of the other public libraries in Albany and Rensselaer counties, is bringing the community together around the themes and ideas in Zora Neale Hurston’s classic novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. Read more here.

Events at the Albany Public Library: May 28-June 3, 2007

Monday, May 28
All locations closed for Memorial Day Weekend (0)
Tuesday, May 29
Bookmobile - Pine Hills Elementary School (Bookmobile)
Toddler Storytime (Pine Hills Branch)
Open Computer Lab (Howe Branch)
Book Review: Mirror to America (Main Library)
Read to me Storytime (Pine Hills Branch)
Delaware Dogs Program (Delaware Branch)
Wednesday, May 30
Big Read (Pine Hills Branch)
Pre-School Storytime (North Albany Branch)
Pre-School Storytime (Main Library)
Bookmobile - Crestwood Plaza (Bookmobile)
Pre-School Storytime (Delaware Branch)
Pre-School Storytime (Howe Branch)
Pre-School Storytime (New Scotland Branch)
Open Computer Lab (North Albany Branch)
Dance Dance Revolution (Pine Hills Branch)
Thursday, May 31
Albany Symphony Orchestra Prevue (Main Library)
Teen Bead & Read - Beading Design (Main Library)
Big Read Film Presentation (Main Library)
Friday, June 1
Bookmobile - Ida Yarborough (Bookmobile)
Bookmobile - South Mall Towers (Bookmobile)
Reading Dog (Main Library)
Saturday, June 2
Teen Bead & Read - Beading Design (Main Library)
Bookmobile - New Scotland farewell party (Bookmobile)

Events at the Albany Public Library: May 21-27, 2007

Monday, May 21
Bookmobile - Westview Senior Center (Bookmobile)
Bookmobile - Avila Retirement Community (Bookmobile)
Bookmobile - Daughters of Sarah (Bookmobile)
Bookmobile - Arbor Hill Elementary School (Bookmobile)
Tuesday, May 22
Seniors Connect (Main Library)
Intro. to Computers (Delaware Branch)
Toddler Storytime (Pine Hills Branch)
Open Computer Lab (Howe Branch)
Book Review: The Rapture (Main Library)
Bookmobile - Arbor Hill Community Center, Inc. (Bookmobile)
Read to me Storytime (Pine Hills Branch)
Delaware Dogs Program (Delaware Branch)
Wednesday, May 23
Pre-School Storytime (North Albany Branch)
Pre-School Storytime (Main Library)
Pre-School Storytime (Delaware Branch)
Pre-School Storytime (Howe Branch)
Pre-School Storytime (New Scotland Branch)
Intro. to Internet Searching (North Albany Branch)
Advanced E-mail (Main Library)
Book Tasting: Film Feastival (Main Library)
Thursday, May 24
Lapsit Storytime (Main Library)
Big Read Film Presentation (Main Library)
Friday, May 25
Intro. to Word--Part 2 (Pine Hills Branch)
Reading Dog (Main Library)
Connecting with America (Pine Hills Branch)
Saturday, May 26
All locations closed for Memorial Day Weekend (0)
Sunday, May 27
All locations closed for Memorial Day Weekend (0)

Vote May 15

I urge Albany residents to vote for the 4 open trustee positions (out of 9) on Tuesday, May 15, 7 am - 9 pm. Get details about polling locations and bios of all 17 candidates.

You can also check out the blog of the library's union, AFSCME Local 3933, here for a posting of each candidate's answers to a questionnaire compiled by the union.

There are actually three newly open positions (5-yr term) and one 3-yr remainder of a term. Also, there are two incumbents on the ballot, Deborah Williams-Muhammad and Mary Ellen O'Connor.

Please vote and thus participate in the future direction of the Albany Public Library!

Events at the Albany Public Library: May 14-20, 2007

Monday, May 14
Computer Camp Registration (Main Library)
Bookmobile - Atria Shaker (Bookmobile)
Bookmobile - Atria Crossgates (Bookmobile)
Bookmobile - Harriman Campus (Bookmobile)
Teen Bead & Read - Beginning Beads (Pine Hills Branch)
Public Meeting: Pine Hills Renovation (Pine Hills Branch)
Tuesday, May 15
Seniors Connect (Main Library)
Toddler Storytime (Pine Hills Branch)
Open Computer Lab (Howe Branch)
Book Review: Alice (Main Library)
Read to me Storytime (Pine Hills Branch)
Delaware Dogs Program (Delaware Branch)
Wednesday, May 16
Pre-School Storytime (North Albany Branch)
Pre-School Storytime (Main Library)
Bookmobile - Crestwood Plaza (Bookmobile)
Pre-School Storytime (Delaware Branch)
Pre-School Storytime (Howe Branch)
Pre-School Storytime (New Scotland Branch)
Intro. to Internet (North Albany Branch)
Bookmobile - Albany Community Charter School (Bookmobile)
Intro. to Online Research & Databases (Main Library)
Dance, Dance, Revolution (Delaware Branch)
Public Meeting: Delaware Renovation (Delaware Branch)
Thursday, May 17
Writers Group (Main Library)
Bookmobile - Center for Disability Services (Bookmobile)
Lapsit Storytime (Main Library)
Bookmobile - CAP Block Party (Bookmobile)
Public Meeting: Howe Renovation (Howe Branch)
Book Discussion Group (Main Library)
Intro. to E-mail (Main Library)
Big Read Film Presentation (Main Library)
Friday, May 18
Bookmobile - Ida Yarborough (Bookmobile)
Bookmobile - South Mall Towers (Bookmobile)
Connecting with America (Pine Hills Branch)
Saturday, May 19
Animal Awareness Day (Main Library)
Teen Bead & Read - Beading Design (Pine Hills Branch)
Heritage Stories with Eshu Bumpus (Delaware Branch)
Big Read: Eshu Bumpus (Main Library)
Big Read: Eshu Bumpus (Main Library)
Sunday, May 20
Sunday Cinema (Main Library)

Events at the Albany Public Library: May 7-13, 2007

Monday, May 7
Bookmobile - Off the Road for Routine Maintenance (Bookmobile)
Dance Dance Revolution (Howe Branch)
Big Read: Reading & Storytelling (Main Library)
Tuesday, May 8
Bookmobile - Off the Road for Routine Maintenance (Bookmobile)
Seniors Connect (Main Library)
Intro. to Computers (Delaware Branch)
Toddler Storytime (Pine Hills Branch)
Open Computer Lab (Howe Branch)
Big Read Book Review: Their Eyes Were Watching God (Main Library)
Read to me Storytime (Pine Hills Branch)
Delaware Dogs Program (Delaware Branch)
Library Board of Trustees Meeting (Main Library)
Wednesday, May 9
Bookmobile - Off the Road for Routine Maintenance (Bookmobile)
Pre-School Storytime (Main Library)
Pre-School Storytime (Delaware Branch)
Pre-School Storytime (Howe Branch)
Pre-School Literacy Fair (North Albany Branch)
Recycled Purse Workshop (Pine Hills Branch)
Big Read: Their Eyes Were Watching God in African American Literature. (Main Library)
Thursday, May 10
Bookmobile - Off the Road for Routine Maintenance (Bookmobile)
Lapsit Storytime (Main Library)
Teen Bead & Read - Beginning Beads (Main Library)
Meet the Library Trustee Candidates (Main Library)
Big Read Film Presentation (Main Library)
Friday, May 11
Bookmobile - Off the Road for Routine Maintenance (Bookmobile)
Intro. to Word--Part 1 (Pine Hills Branch)
Reading Dog (Main Library)
Connecting with America (Pine Hills Branch)
Saturday, May 12
Albany Tennis Club (Pine Hills Branch)
Mother's Day Craft (Main Library)
Teen Bead & Read - Beginning Beads (Main Library)
Sunday, May 13
Mother's Day Craft (Main Library)

Albany Public Library seeks public input on Renovation Designs

Library customers and neighbors are welcome to public meetings on three library renovation projects. The schedule for these meetings is below. Each community design meeting will concentrate specifically on the renovation at that particular library. Questions and input on other aspects of the Branch Improvement Plan are always welcome. For more information please contact Tim Burke at 427-4379, or visit
www.albanypubliclibrary.org.

Monday, May 14th, 6:30pm Pine Hills Branch Library, 517 Western Avenue
Wednesday, May 16th, 6:30pm Delaware Branch Library, 485 Delaware Avenue
Thursday, May 17th, 6:30pm Howe Branch Library, Schuyler and Broad Streets

The Library's $29.1 million Branch Improvement Plan won voter approval in February precisely because it reflected the input of so many library users, neighbors, community organizations, employees, experts and the library staff. Now it's time for community members and staff to provide more detailed input into the specific designs for the renovations of Howe, Pine Hills and Delaware. The architects of Collins + Scoville are just beginning the 6-9 month process of developing the final designs for each branch library. The final design documents are tentatively scheduled to be ready for bid by early 2008 with construction to begin in the spring of 2008.