By Pamela West-Finkle
It’s July and that means it is time for the Andes Public Library Views and Vistas Garden Tour! We are excited to showcase nine amazing properties this year. The tour will be held on Saturday, July 13th from 11 am to 4 pm. There is a suggested donation of $10, and children are free. Tour maps will be available at the library the day of the tour. For more information, call 845-676-3333.
A wholehearted thank you goes to all those members of the community who came out to our annual party on Sunday, June 2nd and to everyone who brought delicious treats to eat. It was great to see everyone who was able to join us. A big thank you to everyone who has made a donation toward this year’s annual fund drive. In case you didn’t receive a 2018 report and photo collage, extra copies are available at the library. Your tax deductible contributions make it possible to provide quality programming and services like computer and high speed internet access, computer tutoring, and a steady flow of new book and movie additions to our library collection.
As we head into the busy season during the Summer, I expect to be seeing many of our snowbirds and second homeowners flocking to the library. I now have our newest movie additions on their own rack near the DVD section, and as always, anything we don’t have, I am happy to order for you from 4cls.org. I can also show you how you can order and browse from the comfort of your own home in case you’re interested. We offer the newest fiction (last six months) on the top three shelves next to the circulation desk, and many non-fiction titles released over the last year are found on the bottom three shelves. Books written by locally based authors can be found in the glass case across from the circulation desk.
Our book sale is ongoing and currently we are working to get a large amount of children’s, juvenile, and young adult books out on the front porch to help encourage the young people in our community to continue to read over the Summer. All youth books in the sale are FREE, so please stop by and take a selection home. Also, we are signing up for our Summer Reading Program “Universe of Stories.” We will be offering incentives for youth and adults who accomplish their summer reading goals!
Our youth programs will begin Wednesday, July 10th and continue through the beginning of August. This year, one group, ages 4-14, will attend from 11:15 to 12:15. We will be creating edible DNA with gummy bears, learn about constellations and the life cycle of stars, make straw rockets, and will hold a Build-Your-Own-Stuffed-Alien workshop while the kids listen to stories about space.
Our construction project start date is fast approaching and we are happy to announce that it looks like we will be occupying the Blink Gallery space from September 2019 to June 2020 while the library undergoes a transformation into a handicap accessible space. Although we are not doing the flood mitigation, the work is quite extensive and will take place over the winter, so we will have a pilot library operating right in the center of town. We will be looking for some help in August and September to begin moving books, cleaning out storage areas in the library, and dismantling shelves. Extra storage will most likely be at the CitiHope building.
Lastly, many people have come to the library the last few weeks and asked about my arm in a sling. Since I have to tell what happened a lot, I thought I might save some time and explain it in my Library Notes. I am a disabled veteran with a left shoulder service connected disability and have had two prior shoulder surgeries on my left arm. About five years ago, my right shoulder started coming out from overuse and has dislocated four times in the last six months for ridiculous reasons like getting dressed. The last dislocation required an ER trip to Albany to have it put back in and they now suspect I have some unfortunate tears that will most likely require surgical repair.
I hope you have a fantastic July and let’s hope for some amazing sunny summer weather coming our way. It’s been a rather wet year, so I am personally looking forward to some hot summer days!~