Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Why librarians are needed more than ever in the 21st century

In a 2010 interview with The Book Page, Neil Gaiman neatly set out the case for libraries and librarians in the 21st century; the remarks are even more relevant today, as libraries fight for a fair deal from publisher for ebooks, and with austerity-maddened local governments for their very survival.

More from BoingBoing.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Albany public schools, city and libraries to offer 'cooling stations'

The City School District of Albany, in cooperation with Mayor Gerald D. Jennings and Albany Public Library, is providing "cooling stations" for community members through Friday.

The cooling stations are located at:

Giffen Memorial Elementary School, 274 South Pearl St.
North Albany Academy, 570 North Pearl St.
Schuyler Achievement Academy, 676 Clinton Ave.
Delaware Branch of the Albany Public Library, 331 Delaware Ave.
Bach Branch of the Albany Public Library, 455 New Scotland Ave.

Each location will be open from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. through Friday. Water will be provided, and an emergency medical technician also will be on hand at each location.

For more information, contact the school district's administrative offices at 475-6000.

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

School is out and summer reading is in at Albany Public Library

The Albany Public Library's Summer Reading Program encourages literacy by rewarding kids for reading from June 28 to August 23.

Prizes and special activities are designed to further engage youngsters in the world of books and reading. Participants register and record their reading in person at any of Albany Public Library's seven locations.

The APL Summer Reading Program has something for all ages:

For Kids Entering 1st through 12th Grade -- Kids and teens get a chance to earn prizes for reading and participating in reading-related activities. They can also visit their branch libraries for special activities, events, and parties.
For Babies and Toddlers -- In the Baby Bookworms program, parents read to their little ones for 15 minutes each day and fill out a reading record. Each child gets a new book in July and August.

For Adults -- Grownups can get in on the summer reading act too through Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Go to the Summer Reading Program Guide.