By Beth Totten, public relations
(Canastota, NY – June 2015) July is jam-packed with events for the entire family at the Canastota Public Library. Our Summer Reading Program is in full swing this month with reading, activities and fun events. We’ve planned two Dr. Seuss fun-filled evenings starring Vince Doty, a former Canastota School District teacher that many of our parents may remember. As well, we’ve scheduled jugglers, a magician, teen craft events and so much more.
Our highlighted artists for the month of July are our library art clubs: The Canastota Creates group, Tangles Club and two Knitting Groups. All clubs meet here on a regular monthly basis to create and share their artwork. We hope that you will stop by to see the creations and learn about these art groups. New members are accepted to all of our groups regularly.
Every Monday night, in July and August, we are scheduling Block Parties for parents and children. The parties will begin at 5:30 and end at 7pm. In this time, parent and child can build items with our Lego Blocks. Let your imagination take you away or take part in our Block Party Challenges. This fun, drop in event will be held in the Lawson Community Room.
Twenty-four students between the ages of 10 and 15 have signed up to be a part of the library’s Ready, Set Robotics program. Every Wednesday evening beginning July 1, the group will meet to work cooperatively on building and programming NXT Lego Robots. There is a waiting list for this program. The program was made possible with the help of 4H of Madison County and Cornell Cooperative Extension as well as a grant from the Madison County Youth Bureau.
The library’s regular programming for children, including Baby Lapsit with Miss Angela and Pre-school Storytime with Mrs. Liz will begin again in July. Baby Lapsit, for babies up to age 24 months and their caregivers will meet on Wednesdays beginning July 1 and running through August 5. Storytime with Mrs. Liz will be held on Thursdays for pre-school aged children. In this program, students will hear stories, play games, and make a craft. Both programs will begin at 10 am.
Family friendly events include the following:
Tuesday, July 7: Gravitational Bull Jugglers at 7pm. Dave and Kyle Fultz are a father-and–son team of professional jugglers that have been performing in the Western and Central New York areas for the past several years.
Monday, July 20: Moreland the Magician at 7pm. Join David Moreland the Magician as he searches for heroes – everyday heroes, famous heroes, and superheroes — in our library. His high-energy 45-minute show blends magic, puppetry, comedy, and audience participation, and culminates in a musical melodrama skit starring children from the audience.
Thursday, July 30: Super Hero BINGO Party at 2pm. Join Mrs. Liz in this special BINGO party where we’ll have lots of SUPER HERO surprises.
You will want to bring the whole family to our Seuss Celebrations with Vince Doty. On July 14 at 7pm, we’ll hear Mr. Vincent Doty tell the story of “Horton Hatches an Egg” followed by crafts and a snack. On the next Tuesday, July 21 at 7pm, Mr. Doty will recite “Horton Hears a Who.” A craft and snack will again follow that presentation. Doty has 47 years of experience in Elementary, Secondary and College classrooms. He began his teaching career in Canastota teaching and coaching there from 1968-1973. He spent the next 29 years in the same capacity at Hampton Bays Public Schools on the east end of Long Island. After retiring from the classroom in 2001 he became a National Consultant for Texas Instruments helping educate teachers across the nation on the use of graphics calculator technology. He was named Long Island Mathematics teacher of the year in 1983 by the Long Island Society of Professional Engineers. He was also named National Teacher of the year by Kentucky Educational Television in 1991.
The teens (grades 6 – 12) will meet on Thursdays, beginning July 9 at 11am for a Lunchtime Book Club. Students will discuss the assigned books and have lunch at the library. This group meets in the Lawson Room weekly, July 9 through August 13.
The teen program also has activities planned for the month including a Superhero Trivia Night, a Superhero Photo Booth, a Scavenger Hunt and Library Clue. The group will also have two separate craft days and have planned a visit to the Canal Museum to learn about local heroes in our own community.
The Book Chat of the Canastota Library will meet on Tuesday, July 28 at 1pm to discuss, “An Italian Wife” by Ann Hood. “An Italian Wife” is the extraordinary story of Josephine Rimaldi—her joys, sorrows, and passions, spanning more than seven decades. The novel begins in turn-of-the-century Italy, when fourteen-year-old Josephine, sheltered and naive, is forced into an arranged marriage to a man she doesn’t know or love who is about to depart for America, where she later joins him. Bound by tradition, Josephine gives birth to seven children. The last, Valentina, is conceived in passion, born in secret, and given up for adoption.
The library is located at102 W. Center St. in Canastota.
Please note that the library will be closed on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 for Independence Day. We will reopen on Monday, July 6 at 9am.
Calendars on Summer Reading Program events can be found on our webpage at www.canastotalibrary.org or by calling the library at 697-7030.