Two Towns - One Book Moves Successfully into Second Year   

Have you ever met someone or listened to a speaker and thought, "Boy, I would love to sit down and have coffee or tea with that person"? I had just that experience after hearing Markus Zusak, the author of The Book Thief and wanted to say to him, "Let's go to Moca Lisa afterward." On April 3rd, he spoke from his home in Australia and was viewed on the large screen - big as life - at the SKYPE event held at the Library. Markus described his background and how he came to write The Book Thief much of which is based loosely on his mother's and father's experiences growing up in Germany during World War II. He is a very humble man with a wonderful sense of humor that made the evening even more fun. Markus fielded questions from a multigenerational audience. Several teenagers had the courage to raise questions, which he graciously answered. This culminating event was a definite success and the use of SKYPE promotes a new venue to reach authors.  

On April 25th, the final event in the inauguration year of Two Towns-One Book community read program was a staged reading of The Book Thief by the Not So Common Players. The presentation was adapted from the book by Monica Cangero and Marty Egan who said their hardest task was picking out their favorite scenes. The first draft ran over twice the length of the evening's performance. Five actors (Sarah Moran, Linda Britt, Pat O'Donnell, William M. Sanderson and Stephen Henel) appeared on stage dressed in black. They portrayed the main characters of the book. Liesel, Death, Rosa, Hans, and Max came to life and seemed real - people to love or hate. Slides were projected onto the big screen depicting scenes that contributed to the feeling of being right there with the characters. Monica Cangero did a superb job directing the performance. This was community theater at its best.

Two-Towns-One Book thanks the community for choosing The Book Thief as the first community read book. The Book Thief appealed to people of many ages from teens to seniors, interested males and females, lent itself to a variety of events and programs and engendered thoughtful discussion. Many children were involved in reading the companion books, Wolf, Number the Stars and The Butterfly. The Butterfly Project sparked more participation from young and old. As a result, Two Towns-One Book mailed over 1,650 decorated butterflies to the Holocaust Museum of Houston to represent the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust.

Two Towns-One Book will be continuing the community read program for a second year. Book nominations will be accepted starting June 15th using ballot boxes at the Library, Clifton Park Town Hall and Halfmoon Town Hall. Nominations through the website - http://wwwtwotownsonebook.org - will be open on June 15th. People will be able to nominate up to 3 books using their e-mail address. Come up with a book or two that will make a good community read and nominate your favorites. It's an easy thing to do.

Save the Date - Thursday, September 13

Annual Library Budget Vote

Jo Anne Robbins

The next Clifton Park - Halfmoon Library Budget Vote is scheduled for Thursday, September 13th. The vote will take place in the Library Lobby from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM.   Registered voters residing in the Clifton Park - Halfmoon Public Library tax district who are registered voters (including renters and homeowners) and have resided in Clifton Park or Halfmoon for 30 days or more prior to September 13th are eligible to vote.

Our Annual Budget Vote is a critical day when the Library proposes the next year's budget to the voters. The tax dollars voted on annually provide over 90% of the Library's operating funds. Making voting a priority is every member's privilege and the best way to let our wonderful Library staff and Board of Trustees know that you appreciate the job they do each and every day.    

Please mark the date on your calendar today! If you will not be in town that day, you will be able to arrange for an absentee ballot. Applications for absentee ballots will be available August 1st at all Library public desks. Ballots will not be available until August 20thand will be mailed to applicants where time allows.

With your continued support, our Library will be able to provide the resources, services and programs we all enjoy and appreciate for another year.   

Vote Yes on Thursday, September 13th

A Passport to Infinite Possibilities

Ami Bhavsar, 2012 Community Scholarship Winner     

Transitioning from ages five to six, nothing was more exciting than my first library card. I could pick my books, line up at the desk with people two and three feet taller than me, and receive my first "receipts" for my temporary purchases. At the time, this new responsibility helped me develop my English skills and venture to fantasy lands. Little did I know that my creativity would bloom, and the resourcefulness of the library would be integral to my education.

I knew what I was conveying, yet communication seemed impossible with my kindergarten teacher. I was an English as a Second Language (ESL) student, persevering to understand a new language, while retaining one I already knew, Gujarati. Despite the difficulties of learning a new language, visiting the library taught me new words, grammar, and punctuation. Nothing was more desirable than sitting in a beanie bag on a ladybug rug, surrounded by shelves of thrilling stories. Soon, I reached the honors English courses by 2nd grade and became fully fluent. My innate sense of English grammar and spelling was created by the hours I spent at the library reading, and was demonstrated in my achievements in the spelling bee. However, my newfound fluency was only the beginning, as the library offered much more than developmental skills.

One moment I was in the children's section of the library, the next I was at Hogwarts going to a Transfiguration class. Reading provided a plethora of getaways to fictional places. Regardless of the day or time, I could solve mysteries with the Boxcar Children, or cause trouble with Junie B. Jones. My imagination governed the lands of infinite stories available at the library. Additionally, my appreciation for classics increased through middle school, as I placed myself in the time of To Kill A Mockingbird, Romeo and Juliet, and Of Mice and Men. These experiences from my youth set the foundation for an accepting and enthusiastic high school experience with reading and research responsibilities.

Throughout high school, I've completed numerous essays, research papers, and group assignments, all of which could not be achieved without library assistance. While I could search on Google, nothing compared to the reliable, original sources of information found in the reference, literary criticism, or science encyclopedia areas of the library. Not only were the best resources provided, but a solitude environment was also available. I could immerse myself in the intricacies of Jane Austen's writing or meet my peers to write an art history research paper with the comfort of a focused environment. My sophistication as a young woman in high school is attributed to hours at the library kneeling to find reference books, concentrating in a cubicle for an exam, and appreciating the splendor of knowledge around me.

While some may find the Internet a solitary resource, they have forgotten that libraries hold a plethora of information that is not always available online. Not only do libraries provide free access to material, but also an area for development, concentration, serenity, and community relations - qualities that are never things of the past. If libraries faded, I could not find peaceful isolation to study, access to new worlds, or the sense of scholarly motivation and community elsewhere. While receiving my first library card was initially a pass to my favorite stories, it became a wide open door to a vast land of infinite possibilities to shape my future - an experience each library and community member can never replace.

Our 2012 Scholarship Winners

Lori Bennett   

At our Annual Meeting on May 23rd, the Friends of the Library awarded two $1,000 scholarships to local graduating seniors. This year's recipients are Ami Bhavsar and Rebekah Bissett.

Ami, a senior at Shenendehowa High School, is the daughter of Nita and Sanat Bhavsar of Halfmoon. She is a member of the National Honor Society, the Speech and Debate Club, the Tri-Music Honor Society, Science Club and International Service

Ami Bhavsar and Rebekah Bissett

Club.  Additionally, she volunteers for several organizations, including CAPTAIN'S Teen Talk program, the Roanoke Hindu Temple, Albany Medical Center and the National Honor Society. She has also played Varsity Tennis and Track and Field. Ami will be attending the State University at Binghamton in the fall.

Rebekah, the daughter of David and Laurel Bissett of Clifton Park, has been home-schooled her entire life. She is an active member of the Clifton Park Community Church, where she serves as a student leader in the Youth Group Ministry, volunteer in the infant nursery, Vacation Bible School teacher and a participant in various missions organized by the church. She is also very involved in the Interact Club of Southern Saratoga, which is affiliated with Rotary International. Rebekah has participated in theater, show choir, and a mock trial team. In 2011, she received the Rotary Youth  Leadership Award. This fall, Rebekah will be attending Houghton College

Both recipients wrote outstanding essays in response to the question, "What would it mean to you personally if there were no libraries?" Since English is not her first language, Ami shared the importance of the library in developing her sense of the language as a young child. As she matured, the library became a place where she could lose herself in books, complete research, and meet with peers to complete assignments. Rebekah began going to the library weekly as a little girl and participated in many of the programs. Her essay highlighted the importance of libraries over technology because of all that libraries can offer - knowledge, programs, and most importantly, people.

One of the highlights of this year's Annual Meeting was meeting these amazing young women. We are thrilled to award these scholarships to such worthy students to assist them in pursuing their educational goals.

Almost 50 students applied for the scholarships, which were established in 2008.   Selection of the winners was based primarily on a personal essay about the library, although the committee reviewed a variety of criteria, including academic achievement, activities, awards, work experience and letters of recommendation.

Two scholarships are available annually for students who are either graduating from Shenendehowa High School or who reside within our Library tax district who may or may not be Shenendehowa students. We look forward to the continued success of these scholarships.

The Doors to Learning

Rebekah Bissett, 2012 Scholarship Winner     

Growing up, I went on weekly excursions to the library with my family. Enthralled by books and eager to read, I embraced these outings wholeheartedly. Every week I'd pile up all the books that I aspired to read and managed to haul them over to my Mom who would remind me that I could only take a few books and that I had far too many. Deciding which book I'd have to leave behind for another day was a monumental decision, but the expectation of next week's visit enabled me to make the choice and go home content. But what if the week came that I couldn't go back to the library? What if technology took over, suddenly making libraries irrelevant to a modern, progressive world full of e-readers and the Internet? What would it mean to a little girl who simply wanted reading to be limitless? If libraries ceased to be because of the expansion of technology, significant opportunities to learn and connect with the community would be lost, and that would be a dreadful thing indeed.

As I grew older, I continued not only to visit my local library, but also to participate in a variety of programs that they offered. I exhibited a photo in an art contest, joined a summer reading club, and represented a service club at a volunteer fair. Slowly, I began to understand what libraries are really about, and they aren't just about books. Libraries are about community. Reaching out to all ages, libraries bridge the age gap of generations. Rare is the place that interests both adults and children. One of my favorite places in the library is the children's section because it is so welcoming. Laura Bush once said, "Libraries allow children to ask questions about the world and find the answers. And the wonderful thing is that once a child learns to use a library, the doors to learning are always open." It's refreshing to see a safe place for students to come and learn or "find answers." These educational resources, however, are not simply for youth. Offering classes and resources for all ages, including seniors and other adults, the library promotes the idea that "you're never too old to learn."  Despite these positives some people still view the library simply as a database, for research or facts. With the speed of the Internet and the amount of information available at our fingertips, some don't see the need to commute to the library.  There is, however, a major difference between the library and Google: libraries are personal. An internet search engine cannot be equated to a physical library because the library is a place, not a computer screen, where people can come together to work, study, and be helped by other people. 

Rather than dreading the effects of technology on the library, we should use technology to make it better and more effectual. Libraries should be about people and what they need to learn. So why not provide the community with e-readers or laptops to borrow? Or offer e-books to read? (Our Library does that!) Adding to the resources of the library doesn't mean getting rid of well-loved books; it simply gives us the chance to reach out to more people. We need libraries because they shape both the community and individuals. I spent a good amount of my childhood wandering the aisles, looking up titles and diving into new plot lines. Books I checked out with my library card have inspired me to become the person I am today. My first theatre production took place in the library and since then I've been in many other theatre productions. Libraries give people opportunities to grow, to engage, and to connect to other people right here in our community. Who would want to miss out on that?

Starting Downhill

(Raging against the dying of the light) 

Dan Riley 

My wife mentioned recently that she thinks I'm heading downhill; I checked my dictionary. One of several definitions for the word downhill, is "progressively worse". I know what she meant; I recently celebrated my 87th birthday and the thought of having lived for over 31,800 days is a bit sobering. But hey, compared to others my age, I'm in pretty good shape, and in the time that remains, I'm trying to enrich my life and the lives of those around me. It's turning out that the two are not mutually exclusive.

The patients whom I visit in a local nursing home: stroke and heart attack victims, those suffering from dementia, Parkinson's, and kidney problems are remindful that we all share a common humanity and that I have a moral obligation to try to brighten their day . This weekly experience tells me that I'm a pretty lucky fellow, and yet as Elaine points out, I'm not wholly devoid of age-related symptoms myself.

A look in the mirror reveals a visage that no longer resembles the photo on my driver's license taken only five years ago. Alighting from my bed each morning is a reminder that arthritic pain goes with the territory.

I know that my night vision, driving skills and reflexes have deteriorated over the past few years. And I've arrived at that stage of forgetfulness that the senior publications say is normal for one my age, but nonetheless causes me some concern. The desire for a short nap in the afternoon - another hint that I'm not as young as I used to be. Interestingly though, an invitation to play golf will quickly nullify this need for a siesta. The concentration and physical coordination that golf requires keeps me alert and focused.

My daily regimen of pills - a blood thinner, two for the heart, a cholesterol buster, and a pain killer for my arthritis, along with my Pacemaker --- life-prolonging assistance provided by modern medicine giving me hope for the future. So I'm trying to accept the infirmities that come with aging; arise each morning with a plan for the day, then set about to accomplish 

It. Always wear a big smile! This summer once again I'll be pursuing my 75-year obsession with golf, and looking forward to partnering with my son for the 25th consecutive year in my club's Member-Guest tournament.

Next week I'll visit my orthopedic surgeon for the annual cortisone shot in my shoulder --- whatever it takes!