Dear Libby and STARCAT Users

In the interest of security and protecting your information, STLS is implementing a new password securing method for your library cards. This will only affect those who use Libby and STARCAT. It is a simple change to help improve your safety. If you have any questions you can contact your library or STLS for help with this process.

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The Book of Patrons Project

            Stories are the foundations of our world, and many of them go untold to the masses. Small bits of wondrous knowledge, unique ideas of inspiration, and experiences that are lost to time. This project is an attempt to preserve those individual experiences and creative imaginations.

I am going to be creating a book for our library’s local history section to preserve and share the stories of the people who come to the library. Be creative and submit anything you envision wanting to share.

Examples:

  1. Family legends/stories
  2. Personal accounts of events
  3. Memories of historical events
  4. Creative fiction/fantasy writings
  5. Poetry
  6. Bits of knowledge and skills you have learned
  7. Philosophy and life advice
  8. Humor and satire
  9. And everything in between!

You can submit your works with your name or anonymously. I will do the editing, compiling, printing, and binding of the work for our collection. You can email your writings to me at:

deckerc@stls.org

Or, you can submit a hard copy at the library directly to me at: 2 Willets Avenue, Belmont Free Library, Belmont, NY 14813. This event is open to all ages and all peoples.

Help us preserve our unique life experiences and views of our beautiful world. No work is too small, no idea is invalid, let your creativity shine bright! Let us create a story of us, the people of the library, The Book of Patrons.

                        Sincerely,

                                 Curtis Decker, Director of the Belmont Free Library

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Fly Fishing Demonstration

June 29th

9 AM to 11AM

Belmont Free Library

(Image from Pintrest website)

          Tim Didas presents how to learn to tie effective summer fly patterns for the Genesee River and other great areas to fish in Western New York. Check out a fishing pole from the library and take a fishing pamphlet with relevant fishing information and locations.

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Friday Book Review (it has been a while)

Summer is on its way. A time of wildness and freedom. This is a book that makes me think of summer. The possibility of adventure humming in the air, that chaotic energy about to break loose.

“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” by Ransom Riggs is a fantastical book series about a hidden world of oddities that live alongside the world of “normals.” Jacob Portman is one of these normals, until his beloved grandfather dies under mysterious circumstances. At his psychiatrists advice to lay his past to rest, Jacob goes to the remote island of Cairnholm, where his grandfather lived in his childhood. However, once on the island, things become peculiar, and his grandfathers wild stories about children with strange powers and an old bird that watched over them become more than just stories. Get caught up in the world of peculiardom in this thrilling 6 book series with vintage photos that help tell the story of the peculiars.

Book List (In Order)

  1. “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”
  2. Hollow City
  3. Library of Souls
  4. A Map of Days
  5. The Conference of the Birds
  6. The Desolations of Devil’s Acre

I found this song “New World Coming” when the movie for this book series was first coming out. I was so enthralled by the enchanting beauty of the song that I decided to read the books. It turned out to be one of my all time favorite book series. The movie was a disappointment in my opinion, but the marvelous story in the books more than makes up for the movies failure.

(YouTube video of the song “New World Coming” sung by DISA)

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Worried About Winter?

Summer is here, but as any Western New Yorker knows our winters are nothing to sniff at. It is always a good idea to prepare for the cold months well ahead of time. Provided by Natalie Nicosia MA. PT., this is a link for helping the elderly with walking in winter conditions and preventing falling during the hazardous conditions the cold months bring.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fqgq1Rx6RxU9HV9IuBRcxyT8c9VbYRX_Av-X64hiUtM/edit

Click on the link above to access the 16 page Google document about the hazards of falling that winter brings.

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A Quote to Ruminate On

One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.” ~Buddha

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Tuesday May 9th

The library will be closing at 5pm today due to a budget meeting at Genesee Valley Central School. We are sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for understanding.

           Sincerely,

                Curtis Decker, Director of the Belmont Library

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Character Creating and Sketching

          Welcome to the land of stories, the happening world of characters from all genres! Today we will be creating our own characters! You can have a written character sheet, a sketch, or a combination of the two! Whatever your creative outlet, we can make it.

This can be as simple or as complex as you wish to create. There are no wrong answers! Let your imagination run wild!

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Name Our Spider Plant!

(clipart image of a plant from classroomclipart.com)

Our library has a spider plant that has been recovering nicely from being sun-starved. To help motivate them in getting better and continuing to be a bit of greenery here at the Belmont Library, I have decided to ask you patrons: what you think we should name our leafy friend?

Come to the library and leave your suggestions and I will make a decision, or, if we have a few names that are repeated, I will go with the most mentioned name. (Note: please be appropriate in naming our spider plant).

From Curtis Decker, Director of the Belmont Library

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What does Dracula have to do with Typewriters?

In Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula,” most readers would recall the terrifying vampire’s haunting image as he stalks the British country side. There have been countless retellings of Dracula, and vampire stories in general. But what about the typewriters?

In the story, the characters collect information in the form of written letters, telegrams, and typewritten notes. This may not seem like a big deal on the surface, but it was revolutionary. The typewriter was invented in 1868 according to the Library of Congress’s data base. “Dracula” was not written until 1897. Why is this important? Normalcy.

The usage of the typewriter in “Dracula” is an example of the normalization of new technology within the society of the time. Before the invention of the typewriter, communication in fiction was limited to letters written by hand. But as technology advances, how we tell stories changes.

The YouTube channel Overly Sarcastic Productions gives a good example for the modern age. Cell phones. At this point, most of American society cannot imagine life without being able to instantly call/text/message/contact anyone the know. This is reflected in modern fiction/fantasy writing. As technology and society changes, so do our stories. Most of the concepts and everyday devices we experience (and take for granted) may not be relevant 100 years from now. Perhaps the future will have flying cars, but for us that is still a fantasy that wows us.

What truly marvelous inventions do we consider “normal?” And how is this reflected in our stories? How does this shape our view of the world?

(YouTube video “Trope Talk: Those Dang Phones” by Overly Sarcastic Productions)

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How to become an Author

Becoming an author can seem like a daunting challenge, and that is just writing the book. What do you do after you have finished writing? How do you get published? Who is your target audience. One of the best ways to get help in this is from an author that has already faced these challenges and is willing to help new writers on their way.

Michael Frederick is the author of the “Fire of Grace” book series that we have available at the Belmont Library. Michael Frederick is from Arizona and takes the time and dedication to promote his works to libraries across the U.S. He has started a podcast to help new aspiring authors take flight. Below is a link to Frederick’s website where you can see his publications, contact him, and listen to his podcast. Taking the first steps into published authorhood does not have to be a solo journey.

https://www.michaelfrederick82.com/

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