Latest News

2009-02-03T14:41:00.002-05:00

The Mommy and Me Program that was scheduled for this Wednesday has been canceled due to the weather. Please check our website during inclement weather in case the library closes or call 758-6192.

2008-12-11T09:27:00.002-05:00

HELP WANTED

The Kinderhook Memorial Library is seeking an energetic, flexible and punctual person to fill an hourly library assistant position two weekends a month with the opportunity for more hours filling in for regular staff. Weekend shifts include Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 12:00 until 4:00 p.m. Salary is between $8.75 and $9.50 per hour, dependent on experience. Position starts in January 2009. Work involves basic support services and services to patrons and a responsibility for routine circulation, shelf maintenance and clerical functions using an automated circulation system. Duties include charging books in and out, shelving library materials, data entry, and answering the telephone. The work requires computer proficiency and that the employee has some knowledge, skill and ability in library clerical functions. A complete job description can be obtained at the circulation desk or by emailing the director.

Please send resumes and three references to: Julie H. Johnson, Director, Kinderhook Memorial Library, PO Box 293, Kinderhook, NY 12106; or oklibrary@berk.com. Deadline for applications is December 31, 2008.

2008-12-01T13:18:00.001-05:00

Who's Who at the Library?

Do you know who's who at the library? Could you pick them out of a crowd? How about their baby pictures? During December check out the glass case near the patron computers and see if you can identify the librarians, staff and volunteers at the library! We will display baby pictures and current pictures of all staff and give you an opportunity to match the person with their baby picture! A small prize will be awarded to those who correctly match them all!

2008-12-01T13:17:00.000-05:00

Library Holiday Hours

Closed
Wed., Dec. 24
Thurs., Dec. 25

Closing at 5 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 31

Closed
Thurs.,Jan. 1

No Stuyvesant Storytime
Fri., Dec. 26
Fri., Jan. 2

2008-12-01T13:16:00.003-05:00

Thank You For Your Support

Voters Approve Increase to Library Budget in Kinderhook and Stuyvesant

The Kinderhook Memorial Library board of trustees and staff would like to express heartfelt gratitude to everyone in the towns of Kinderhook and Stuyvesant who came out and voted "Yes" to support the library's budget in these financially difficult times. This support means that we can better serve our community with more of everything you love about the library, including expanded weekend hours. We will also be mailing quarterly newsletters to all households in the community and increasing the audio book collection. Thank you!

2008-12-01T13:16:00.001-05:00

Family Film Festival: Siren of Atlantis (1948)

Saturday, December 6 at 7:00 p.m.

Join us for the movie Siren of Atlantis on Saturday, December 6 at 7:00 p.m. Jean-Pierre Aumont and Dennis O'Keefe star as Foreign Legionnaires Andre and Jean, who while on a routine mission in the African desert stumble upon the sunken city of Atlantis. Once they've arrived in the subterranean metropolis, they are forbidden to leave by sultry Queen Antinea (Maria Montez). For her own perverse amusement, Antinea romances both Andre and Jean, then sits back and watches the two duke it out over her affections. One of the men survives to tell the tale--if he can find anyone to believe him, that is.-Answers.com

The films in the Family Film Festival are drawn from the collection of the late Raymond Schoonover of New York City. The screenings are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For more information call 758-7244.

2008-12-01T13:15:00.008-05:00

Poet Joan Murray at the Library

Sunday, December 7 at 3:30 p.m.

Joan Murray will read selections of her own poems as well as poems from the newly released The Pushcart Book of Poetry: Best Poems from 30 Years of the Pushcart Prize, edited by Ms. Murray and the Pushcart Prize editors. An award-winning poet, writer and playwright, her eight books include Dancing on the Edge and Queen of the Mist (both by Beacon Press) and Looking for the Parade (W.W. Norton). Her work has appeared in many journals and anthologies, including The Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, Ms., The Nation, The New York Times, and The Best American Poetry. Ms. Murray has won the National Poetry Series and Wesleyan New Poets Series competitions as well as awards from the Poetry Society of America, the Pushcart Prize, and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York Foundation of the Arts. She has also been a repeat guest on NPR's Morning Edition.

The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Copies of the new book will be available at a special publisher's discount. Cosponsored by Blackwood & Brouwer Booksellers LTD of Kinderhook and the Friends of the Kinderhook Memorial Library, this event was funded in part by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

2008-12-01T13:15:00.006-05:00

Book Clubs at the Library

Fiction or Nonfiction--We've Got You Covered!

The Circle of Readers will meet on Monday, December 8 at 1:00 p.m. to discuss the book Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. See's engrossing novel set in remote 19th-century China details the deeply affecting story of lifelong, intimate friends Lily and Snow Flower, their imprisonment by rigid codes of conduct for women and their betrayal by pride and love. Her in-depth research into women's ceremonies and duties in China's rural interior brings fascinating revelations about arranged marriages, women's inferior status in both their natal and married homes, and the Confucian proverbs and myriad superstitions that informed daily life. Beginning with a detailed and heartbreaking description of Lily and her sisters' foot binding the story widens to a vivid portrait of family and village life. -Publishers Weekly. The Circle of Readers will meet next on January 12 when they will discuss the book Rose by Martin Cruz Smith.

The Nonfiction Book Club will meet on Monday, December 15 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss Eastward to Tartary: Travels in the Balkans, the Middle East, and the Caucasus by Robert D. Kaplan. In 1993, as the blood-letting in Yugoslavia's ethnic civil war entered its fifth year, Kaplan, a foreign correspondent, wrote a history of that tragic region. Kaplan's intention is to introduce Tartary (known today as Central Asia) as a place that has more in common with the Western Balkan countries than with the Oriental images conjured up by its exotic name. In relating his travels through Syria, Israel and Lebanon, Kaplan focuses less on the effects of communism and more on the way Turkey remains a historical link between Arab and European powers. -Publishers Weekly. The Club will meet next on Monday, January 19 when they will discuss the book Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

The Next Page Book Club will meet on Wednesday, December 17 at 7:30 p.m. to discuss a variety of Christmas stories including The Gift by Pete Hamill, A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, and A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote. Next Pagers will meet next on Wednesday, January 14, 2009. Check the library's website for the January book selection.

2008-12-01T13:15:00.004-05:00

Mystery Writer Archer Mayor at the Library

Wednesday, December 10 at 7:00 p.m.

Mystery fans have a treat in store when Archer Mayor, author of the highly acclaimed, Vermont-based mystery series featuring detective Joe Gunther, appears at the library. Mayor will be reading from and autographing his new novel, The Catch (St. Martin's Minotaur, $24.95) on Wednesday, December 10 at 7:00 p.m. Copies of The Catch and Mayor's newest paperback release, Chat, as well as the newly released audiobook edition of Open Season, the first book in the series, will be available for purchase at the autographing as well as the rest of the series. The event is co-sponsored by Blackwood & Brouwer Booksellers.

Archer Mayor's Joe Gunther series has been described by the Chicago Tribune as "the best police procedurals being written in America." Mayor is also the 2004 winner of the New England Independent Booksellers Association Award for Best Fiction--the first time a writer of crime literature has been so honored. In addition, Mayor is a death investigator for Vermont's Chief Medical Examiner, and a Deputy Sheriff for Windham County, VT.

2008-12-01T13:15:00.001-05:00

Candlelight Night

Friday, December 12 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

While you're busy chatting with Santa and visiting the shops in Kinderhook during Candlelight Night on Friday, December 12, don't forget to visit the library! We have three events going on in the library plus a teen game night on the second floor of village hall (see below for more information on teen game night).

Enjoy cookies by the fire while listening to Ampersand Heritage music. Ampersand takes great delight in blending a modern group of voices and instruments to bring traditional and colonial-era American music to life. Ampersand starts with vocalist Beth Lawton, who plays guitar, and vocalist/storyteller, Tom Hanford, who plays fiddle and guitar. They then "add in" other musicians, including Gail Cashen on hammered dulcimer and concertina, and Ross Sterantino on mandolin and vocals. Audiences are always surprised to know how many tunes they still recognize today! Ampersand loves to share their music with the audience and singing-along or questions about the history of the music or our instruments are always welcome. Children and families are especially encouraged to come and join in!

Friends of the Kinderhook Memorial Library will host a book sale of high quality new, slightly used, and collectible books for sale at special prices. Friends of the library receive a 25% discount and can preview the books at 5:00 p.m. Not a Friend? Don't worry! Membership information will be available so you can join and receive your discount right away! Proceeds benefit the library through ongoing support of our collection and programs.

Author/artists Thomas Locker and Candace Christiansen will be at the library from 5:00-7:00 p.m. to sign copies of their books. See the two original Thomas Locker paintings that they donated to the library last fall! The pictures have been hung in the children's room. One was painted for the book The Ugly Duckling and the other for the book The First Thanksgiving by Jean Craighead George.

2008-12-01T13:14:00.003-05:00

Teen Game Night on Candlelight Night

Friday, December 12 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Kinderhook Village Hall

The Kinderhook Memorial Library's Teen Advisory Board will be hosting a Teen Game Night on the second floor of village hall during Candlelight Night. In addition to the old board games we all know and love, several video game systems will be available.

2008-12-01T13:14:00.001-05:00

Afternoon Discoveries

Sunday, December 21 at 3:15 p.m.

December's Discovery theme celebrates the Winter Solstice and Christmas around the world. Join us on Sunday, December 21 at 3:15 p.m. as we read various stories of the holiday season including stories about the Winter Solstice. Children will get an opportunity to decorate holiday treats to take home! Afternoon Discoveries is a program for school-age children ages 6 and up. Please register by calling or stopping by the library.

2008-11-17T11:53:00.002-05:00

URGENT ACTION NEEDED

November 17, 2008

Dear Patrons of the Kinderhook Memorial Library,

The Kinderhook and Stuyvesant communities gave our library an incredible vote of confidence on November 4 by approving our request for an increase in local funding. The Board of Trustees and I are extremely pleased with the results and we're now in the process of planning an expansion in our weekend hours, staffing, and collection. Thank you for all the support you have shown us this past year as we made our case for an increase in funding.

However, I want to make you aware of what is going on at the state level which, if approved, will affect our library services. Governor Patterson and the New York State Division of Budget have proposed cutting $20 million in Library Aid which is a 20% cut in funding. Library Aid has already been cut twice this year from $102 million to $99 million. No other educational institutions are being asked to bear such a cut to resolve the state's deficit.

This cut will have a significant impact on our library system. It is important to be clear in the relationship between our library and the system. The Mid-Hudson Library System is directly responsible for some of our most popular services.

They provide our online catalog including the ability to search for and request materials from home through Request-A-Title

They provide our delivery service which brings your requests right to Kinderhook, usually within a two-to-four-day window

They provide the Kinderhook Library with professional development opportunities so that our trustees are educated in proper library governance and our staff understands best practices of libraries around the world

They organize collective programs like Battle of the Books, a Jeopardy-style trivia competition based on books for kids

Many of our print materials are designed by library system staff for an incredible savings to our library

Perhaps most importantly, the Mid-Hudson Library System is responsible for bringing our 66 libraries together so that when you walk into the 2,100 square feet of the Kinderhook Library, you have access to over 370,000 square feet of libraries and 2,300,000 books, movies, audio books, magazines, and more.

What can you do to help right now? Two things:

Go to the New York Library Association's Online Advocacy Center immediately to send a letter to our legislators opposing the proposed cut that will be considered when the Legislature returns to Albany tomorrow for a special session. The letter is editable so you may include your own comments about how libraries are essential in our community and how library systems save money and provide vital services. Or call our legislators in person today. The phone numbers are at the bottom of this email.

Attend the rally organized by NYLA tomorrow, Tuesday, November 18 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. at the well of the Legislative Office Building. Information on the rally can be found here.

At a time when library usage has increased across the state (across the nation!) it is imperative for all of us to take action immediately or we will begin to see deteriorating library services. Kinderhook and Stuyvesant residents have proven that they value public libraries with the results of our last referenda--please help ensure that we keep our state funding so that we can continue to provide you with the services you deserve.

Sincerely,

Julie Hamrah Johnson, Director
Kinderhook Memorial Library

PHONE OUR LEGISLATORS
Governor David Patterson
518-474-8390

Assemblyman Tim Gordon
518-479-0542

Senator Stephen Saland
518- 828-1529

2008-10-31T10:42:00.003-05:00

Afternoon Discoveries: If Color Was a Sound

Sunday, November 30 at 3:15 p.m.

If the color red could make a sound what would it sound like? On Sunday, November 30 at 3:15 p.m., local artist Lisa LaMonica will read the poem "I Asked the Little Boy Who Cannot See" and discuss color as a sound. Attendees will be given the opportunity to draw/paint what they think various colors sound like in their own book to take home! Attendees should bring a smock or old shirt to paint in.

Sunday Discoveries is a program for school-age children ages 6 and up. Please register by calling or stopping by the library. Registration is limited to 15 children.

2008-10-31T10:42:00.001-05:00

Making Ends Meet

Thursdays, November 13 and 20 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Family Resource Centers in Chatham

Family Resource Centers of Columbia County and the Kinderhook Memorial Library present a two-part workshop on family finances, starting on Thursday, November 13 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. The workshops will take place at the Morris Memorial Building in Chatham. Join family budget expert Theresa Mahew from the Cornell Cooperative Extension as she provides tips for economizing and maximizing the family budget during tough economic times. In addition to sharing tips on ways to save hard-earned dollars, she will provide guidance on creating a family budget and setting aside savings. Door prizes will be offered and a goody bag valued at $20 will be handed out to those attending both sessions. The second session will take place on Thursday, November 20 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Childcare will be provided.

2008-10-31T10:41:00.007-05:00

The Big Read Comes to Kinderhook!

Read The Call of the Wild by Jack London this month!

The Kinderhook Memorial Library is participating in The Big Read this fall and would like to invite you to join us! The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

The Big Read provides citizens with the opportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities. Nearly two hundred communities nationwide will participate in the Big Read for 2008. The Columbia County area is reading the book The Call of the Wild by Jack London and has planned a special book discussion on Wednesday, November 12 at 7:15 p.m. at the Spruce Building in Valatie. Join members of the Kinderhook Memorial Library's book clubs, the Valatie Free Library's book club, and neighbors in our community for the discussion and light snacks.

The Call of the Wild is about Buck, the magnificent cross-bred offspring of a St. Bernard and a Scottish Collie. Stolen from his pampered life on a Californian estate and shipped to the Klondike to work as a sledge dog, he triumphs over his circumstances and becomes the leader of a wolf pack. The story records the "decivilisation" of Buck as he answers "the call of the wild," an inherent memory of primeval origins to which he instinctively responds. The brutal world of the Klondike miners and their dogs is brilliantly evoked and Jack London's rendering of the sentient life of Buck as [he] confront[s] [his] destiny is enthralling and convincing. The deeper resonance of [this] stor[y] derives from the author's use of the myth of the hero who survives by strength and courage, a powerful myth that still appeals to our collective unconscious.--From the dust jacket.

Free copies of the book are available at the library (yours to keep)! Stop by and get yours soon!

2008-10-31T10:41:00.003-05:00

Book Clubs at the Library

Fiction or Nonfiction, We've Got You Covered!

The Circle of Readers will meet on Monday, November 10 at 1:00 p.m. to discuss the book Misery by Stephen King. King's novel, about a writer held hostage by his self-proclaimed "number-one fan,'' is unadulteratedly terrifying. Paul Sheldon, a writer of historical romances, is in a car accident; rescued by nurse Annie Wilkes, he slowly realizes that salvation can be worse than death. Sheldon has killed off Misery Chastain, the popular protagonist of his Misery series and Annie, who has a murderous past, wants her back. Keeping the paralyzed Sheldon prisoner, she forces him to revive the character in a continuation of the series, and she reads each page as it comes out of the typewriter.--Publishers Weekly The Circle of Readers will meet next on December 8 when they will discuss the book Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.

The Nonfiction Book Club will meet on Monday, November 17 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss Blink! The Power of Thinking Without Thinking By Malcolm Gladwell. As Gladwell looks at how we make snap judgments-about people's intentions, the authenticity of a work of art, even military strategy-he can parse for general readers the intricacies of fascinating but little-known fields like professional food tasting (why does Coke taste different from Pepsi?). Gladwell's conclusion, after studying how people make instant decisions in a wide range of fields from psychology to police work, is that we can make better instant judgments by training our mind and senses to focus on the most relevant facts-and that less input (as long as it's the right input) is better than more.--Publishers Weekly The Club will meet next on Monday, December 15 when they will discuss the book Eastward to Tartary: Travels in the Balkans, the Middle East, and the Caucasus by Robert D. Kaplan.

The Next Page Book Club's regular November meeting has been rescheduled so that members can participate in the Big Read book discussion on The Call of the Wild by Jack London. See further details regarding the Big Read below.

2008-10-31T10:41:00.001-05:00

Family Film Festival: Dr. Strangelove

Saturday, November 8 at 7:00 p.m.

Dan Schoonover begins his ever-popular family film series on Saturday, November 8 at 7:00 p.m. with the movie Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (USA, 1964).

U.S. Air Force General Jack Ripper goes completely and utterly mad, and sends his bomber wing to destroy the U.S.S.R. He suspects that the communists are conspiring to pollute the "precious bodily fluids" of the American people. The U.S. president meets with his advisors, where the Soviet ambassador tells him that if the U.S.S.R. is hit by nuclear weapons, it will trigger a "Doomsday Machine" which will destroy all plant and animal life on Earth. Peter Sellers portrays the three men who might avert this tragedy: British Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, the only person with access to the demented Gen. Ripper; U.S. President Merkin Muffley, whose best attempts to divert disaster depend on placating a drunken Soviet Premier and the former Nazi genius Dr. Strangelove, who concludes that "such a device would not be a practical deterrent for reasons which at this moment must be all too obvious". Will the bombers be stopped in time, or will General Jack Ripper succeed in destroying the world ? --Colin Tinto

Subsequent movies in the series will be Siren of Atlantis (1949) on December 6, You Were Never Lovlier (1942) on January 3, Pygmalion (1938) on February 7, and Ulysses (1967) on March 7, and You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939) on April 4.

The films are drawn from the collection of the late Raymond Schoonover of New York City. Screenings begin at 7:00 p.m. and are free of charge. Refreshments will be served. For more information call 758-7244.

2008-10-31T10:40:00.002-05:00

Library Yard Cleanup

Saturday, November 8 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

The Friends of the Kinderhook Memorial Library will host a library yard clean up on Saturday, November 8 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Roll up your sleeves and join them! Dress appropriately for the weather and bring your own rake and gloves. Refreshments and fun will be provided! All ages are welcome, but parents, please accompany your children if under 10 years old.

2008-10-31T10:40:00.001-05:00

Teen Events

Movie Night and Anime Club

Teen Movie Night
Friday, November 7 at 6:30 p.m.
Now Showing: Iron Man (Rated PG-13) 126 minutes

Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, a billionaire playboy and genius who puts as much effort into chasing skirts as he puts into chasing his next big idea. A trip to Afghanistan to sell weapons quickly devolves into chaos, and Stark finds himself at the mercy of a warlord who wants him to build a missile. Instead, Stark creates a powerful suit of armor, turning him into Iron Man and allowing him to escape. When he returns to America, his assistant Pepper Pots (Gwyneth Paltrow), friend Rhodey (Terrence Howard), and right-hand man Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) all marvel at the change in the man they knew.--Rotten Tomatoes. Soda and popcorn will be served.

Click here for more information about this movie.

Interested in helping to plan future teen nights?
Come to the T.A.B. (Teen Advisory Board) @ 6:00 p.m., right before the start of Teen Movie Night. Come with ideas to share!

Anime Club
Mondays 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Now Showing: Great Teacher Onizuka

Meet Eikichi Onizuka, a 22-year-old college karate champ and ex-biker. He's crude, foul-mouthed, and has a hair-trigger temper. His goal: to be the Greatest High School Teacher in the World! Join the club to see why the combination of innovative designs, a compelling story, and heart-pumping action has enthralled so many anime fans. The club will meet at the Kinderhook Library on most Mondays to watch and discuss Japanese animation (The club does not meet when school is not in session). New members are always welcome!

2008-10-31T10:39:00.003-05:00

Library Closed for November Holidays

Veterans' Day and Thanksgiving Weekend Schedule

The library will be closed on Tuesday, November 11 for Veterans' Day.

The library will close at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26 for the Thanksgiving holiday. There will be no open hours on Thursday, November 27. The library will reopen on Friday, November 28 at 10:00 a.m.

There will be no Stuyvesant Storytime on Friday, November 28.

2008-10-31T10:39:00.001-05:00

Look Up For Our Libraries!

Don't forget to vote on Tuesday, November 4

On November 4, 2008, town of Kinderhook and town of Stuyvesant residents have the opportunity to vote on a referendum that will increase funding for their libraries. Town of Kinderhook residents will vote on an increase for both the Kinderhook Memorial Library and the Valatie Free Library budgets; Stuyvesant residents will vote on increasing their contribution to just the Kinderhook Memorial Library's budget. Both libraries will use the money to expand services to the public.

The libraries' budgets are not automatically increased each year. The last request for additional funding was in 2005. The skyrocketing costs of fuel oil and books and other materials have had a dramatic impact on the libraries.

In Kinderhook, the town is being asked to increase its annual contribution to a total of $205,000. This would give the Valatie Free Library an increase from $50,000 to $65,000 and the Kinderhook Memorial Library an increase from $103,000 to $140,000.

In Stuyvesant, the increase request for the Kinderhook Memorial Library is for a total of $20,000 which augments the current amount by $5,000.

How much will the library referendum cost me?
Considering the assessed taxable values available on June 5, 2008, the total cost per thousand dollars in Kinderhook would be $0.22. The increase itself is less than 6 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value. In Stuyvesant the total amount would be $0.12 per thousand dollars or an increase of 3 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value. More plainly put, for a house assessed at $200,000, that translates to a total household contribution of $44 per year ($11.31 increase) in Kinderhook and $24 ($5.97 increase) in Stuyvesant.

What will the Kinderhook Memorial Library's new budget provide?
Expanded weekend hours and additional staff for more efficiency; downloadable audio books for patrons in the Kinderhook Library service area; greater selection of current books; and more audio books, CDs, and DVDs.

What will the Valatie Free Library's new budget provide?
Greater accessibility for patrons through an increase in hours and staffing, and the continued expansion of quality programming for children and adults.

The referendum is at the top of the ballot on election day. Look up for our libraries!

2008-09-27T12:19:00.003-05:00

Let Them Eat Cake!
Saturday, October 18 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
In honor of the library's 80th birthday, we've invited guest bakers from the community to make birthday cakes for the library! The cakes will be on display at the library and may be purchased for $20 each. Come early and reserve your first choice!

2008-09-26T19:44:00.001-05:00

Are You Registered to Vote?

Voting is an essential civic responsibility of each American adult. Many feel that this presidential election is a crucial one. Are you registered to vote? If not, there is still time. We have voter registration forms available at the library. It must be postmarked by October 10 in order to vote on Tuesday, November 4.

2008-09-26T19:43:00.004-05:00

Yes, We Now Have the Sunday New York Times!

Now in addition to reading the New York Times Tuesday through Saturday at the library, the Friends of the Kinderhook Memorial Library have generously funded the Sunday New York Times! Didn't know we carry newspapers? We also have subscriptions to The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, The Times Union, The Independent, and The Register Star.