News
February 25, 2016Schenectady County Public Library – 2016 One County, One Book Kickoff
Schenectady County Public Library’s 2016 One County, One Book program kicks off on Monday, February 29, at 12 noon in the McChesney Room of the Central Library (99 Clinton St.), with a book review of this year’s selection, Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming. The book will be reviewed by Eileen Abrahams, assistant professor at Schenectady County Community College. Ten years ago the first One County, One Book program was launched with the recently deceased, Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird.
“Library staff spent many months working with publishers and publicists, and speaking with key library stakeholders, including local educators, in search of the right choice for our 2016 OCOB program,” states library Trustee and Co-Chair of One County, One Book, Carmel Patrick. “We wanted to tie in with Schenectady’s upcoming community-wide initiative focusing on youth, poverty and literacy, as well as celebrate the opening of the Phyllis Bornt Branch Library and Literacy Center on February 27.”
The following will be offered as part of the 2016 One County, One Book:
Poetry Contest
Students in grades 2-12 must use five words in the body of their poem, in any order. The poem does not have to be about any of the words, but all five must appear in the poem.
The words, taken from chapter headings in our community read, Brown Girl Dreaming are:
home fresh believe listen blanket
Entries must be accompanied by an entry form. Entries will be accepted at any SCPL branch until March 26. Please use 8.5 x 11 inch sized paper for your poems. For questions, email sbutch@mvls.info. Those 18 years of age and up may also participate in the contest using the same five words. Questions about adult entries can be emailed to kbradley@mvls.info.
Grow A Reader: The annual community service project is a children’s book drive as part of the library literacy initiative. The library is in need of new or gently used board books, picture books and easy readers to give away at early literacy programs. There is a particular need for culturally diverse books. Book donation boxes will be located at all branch libraries, the Whitney Book Corner, and the Open Door Bookstore, and to any organization or group of people who would like to have one. Questions? Please contact Lauren Bendall at lbendall@mvls.info.
March 7, 14, 21 at 6 to 7:30 p.m. – The History of Me: A Three-Part Memoir Workshop with Bob Miner, novelist, and Elaine Handley, poet and English professor, Empire State College. This will be held in the McChesney Room of the Central Library. Register by calling 388-4511 or by going online at www.scpl.org.
April 2 – Book discussion of Brown Girl Dreaming at the Bornt Branch library, 948 State St., at 2:00 pm, facilitated by Professor Eileen Abrahams.
April 4 – Author Jacqueline Woodson will present a program at 7:00 pm in the GE Theater at Proctors, 432 State St. Doors open at 6:30 with seating on a first-come basis. Registration is not required. This program is free and open to the public. There will be a book sale and signing, conducted by The Open Door Bookstore, after the program. The Open Door is offering a 20% discount on the book, prior to the day of the program. This program is being funded by The Friends of the Library.
Book Kits for Brown Girl Dreaming may be requested for groups or organizations participating in the One County, One Book program which runs through April 22. The kits may be borrowed for 4 weeks. To reserve a kit, contact Lauren Bendall at lbendall@mvls.info.
Library Director, Karen Bradley, said “We are grateful to the Friends of Library – who will celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2016 – for their generous support of One County, One Book over the years and are excited about our upcoming author visit and all the related programming that will be a part of our community read.”
