By Pamela West-Finkle
Despite the cold and intermittent snow, the cozy library provides shelter from the storm and some much needed entertainment in the midst of our Catskill Mountain winter. Now is the perfect time to cuddle up with a good book or movie. We have lots to choose from on our shelves, and what we don’t have, we can usually order from the Four County Library System.
Using your library card and PIN # from home, you can visit www.4cls.org to browse the online collection of books, audio books, DVDs, CDs and other resources like Ancestry, online periodicals, access to research portals, and the Download Zone where you can borrow media to upload on your tablet or Kindle or any other device. Any physical media you order will be sent to the Andes Library each Thursday.
In addition to our regularly scheduled programming, we are now offering several new options. Computer and Internet tutoring; patrons and community members of all ages are welcomed to come for a walk-in session each week on Mondays at 2 pm (except for Federal Holidays) or it is available by appointment throughout the week. Learn about topics like internet navigation, email and security; easy diagnostics to help keep your computer running fast and clean; word-processing and formatting; basic Excel spreadsheets and databases; mail-merges; basic photo editing; flyer and promotional material creation; navigating the Four County Library system; using the new Kiosk to download media to your devices, etc. Resumé assistance is also available by appointment only. Walk-in workshops and private appointment tutoring will focus on your personal needs. Please be prepared to take notes and bring your own flash drive if you need help creating a document or template.
After school, on Mondays between 3-5 pm, all are welcome to join a new Unplugged Game and Creative Writing Club. Various board games, card games, chess, checkers, and backgammon are available for play, and inspiring writers of all levels are welcome to get feedback, guidance, and encouragement. The library is looking for a few volunteers to help facilitate this new club—high school or college students looking for community service credits, parents who home school, or retired members of our community would all be welcome.
Remember every Wednesday at 11 is our Story Hour for the tiny tots, including songs, chants, stories and instrument play. If there is interest in a mom’s group socialization hour where you can receive information and counseling about parenting and social support from other parents with young children in the community, please reach out to me at the library via email an.ill@4cls.org or by phone 845-676-3333. Our new redesigned website will be up soon, but currently our information can be found here: http://libraries.4cls.org/andes.
Stay warm and remember to come in and grab a good book or movie! We have a fantastic selection of Young Adult and Juvenile books as well. Remember to encourage your children to read outside of schoolwork. Today’s Common Core curriculum is very focused on information. Reading for fun helps to develop creative thinking, problem solving, and expands your world!~