By Beth Totten, public relations
(Canastota, NY – Dec. 2015_ Have you made any resolutions for the New Year? Have you always wanted to be more creative? Have you decided to learn about local history or genealogy? If so, you will want to stop at the library for some great resources.
The Rebecca Eddy Memorial Writing Contest is back. The library is now accepting poetry and short stories for this contest. Entries will be received until March 31 at the close of business. This contest, organized by Joan and Doug Eddy, is a memorial to their daughter, Rebecca.
Ms. Eddy was a graduate of Canastota High School and John Hopkins University. The contest is to encourage creative works in writing for all ages. Entry forms are available at the Circulation Desk. Entry requirements indicate that one entry of a poem or short story (500 – 5,000 words) may be submitted.
There are four age categories for submission and entries of those age categories will be judged in both poetry and short stories. The age categories include: Age 10 and under, 11 – 14 years old; 15 – 18 years old and over 18 years old. Entries may be in any style, genre or subject and the contest is free to enter. There are no residential requirements. An awards ceremony will be held in April.
Are you interested in looking up information about your ancestors? Are you interested in the people, places and events that have made the Canastota area such a great place? We have interesting files of local history in our Archive Room that are from the year 1806 until today. Local historical resources housed here include information on early businesses, inventors, settlers and events in the area. The Archive Room is open to the entire community whenever the library is open. We hope you will take some time to browse our diverse and interesting files.
Throughout the month of January, we will be displaying the YWCA Mohawk Valley’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Survivor’s Art Exhibit. More than one dozen pieces of artwork and literature make up this display which tells a compelling story of survival shared by women, children and men who have experiences domestic and/or sexual violence. The story mirrors their individual journeys from fear, to rage, then relief and finally, elation. The Mohawk Valley Survivor Art Exhibit is a traveling exhibit which is scheduled to appear at a new location each month for awareness purposes.
On Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 11 a.m. Jean Ryan the Consumer Frauds Representative of the New York State Office for the Attorney General will talk about “Identity Theft & Ways to Protect Your Identity.” This informative talk will last about one hour. Please RSVP as a light lunch will be served to all who attend.
The Book Chat group invites you to join them in 2016 for a year of interesting reads. On Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 1 p.m. the group will be discussing “Bittersweet” by Miranda Beverly-Whitenmore. The book introduces us to Mabel Dagmar. On scholarship at a prestigious East Coast college, ordinary Mabel Dagmar is surprised to befriend her roommate, the beautiful, wild, blue-blooded Genevra Winslow. Ev invites Mabel to spend the summer at Bittersweet, her cottage on the Vermont estate where her family has been holding court for more than a century; it’s the kind of place where children twirl sparklers across the lawn during cocktail hour. We hope you will join us in reading the book and for the discussion.
During the months of January, February and March, Central New York communities are hosting a CNY Read. They have selected the book, “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee as the book everyone will be reading and talking about during that time period. At the Canastota Public Library, we will show the movie, “To Kill A Mockingbird.” This 1962 American Drama stars Gregory Peck in the role of Atticus Finch and Mary Badham in the role of Scout. Come and see the movie at no charge on Wednesday evening, Jan.27 at 6 p.m. in our Lawson Community Room.
If you want to try your hand at learning to knit you will want to consider joining one of our knitting groups. Join either our Thursday Evening Group which meets at 6pm each Thursday or our Morning Group which meets each Friday at 10am. We currently have about 30 members who meet in the morning and 15 who attend evening group meetings. Both groups meet in the Lawson Room. Members knit, crochet and there are even some loom workers in the groups.
The library is here to help you make a great start with all of your resolutions for 2016. Don’t have a library card? They are free…stop in and see us today. The library is located at 102 W. Center Street in Canastota.