Author: Maureen Meltzer-McGrath

The Library After Hours program scheduled for today, June 24th, will be cancelled. The theme for this month, Pajama Party, will be postponed until next month’s Library After Hours event. We apologize for the last minute cancellation. Library After Hours is a teen program which takes place on the last Saturday of every month. More information about Library After Hours can be found here.

The Pawling Library received a mini-grant from the Ezra Jackson Keats Foundation, an organization which supports literacy and creative expression in children.  Out of hundreds of applicants, 64 teachers and librarians across the country, including Kate, our Young Adult Program Coordinator, were awarded a mini-grant to fund a unique and creative program for students this year. With the grant, the library is able to offer a Teen Zine Publishing program this summer. Teens will learn about the history of zines and self-publishing, and will create their own zine containing original art and creative writing. By the end of the summer they will have a finished product to bring home and to distribute to the community.  

With the end of the school year approaching, Project Do Something, a program in which teens do small but impactful projects to benefit the community, will be taking a brief recess so that students can focus on end of the year exams. Project Do Something will begin meeting again this summer. Don’t worry, though. There are still volunteer opportunities for teens in 7th grade and up at the Pawling Library. Contact Kate about becoming a Library Legion and volunteering at the library on your own schedule. We are also seeking teen volunteers for our annual Book Sale. Volunteers are needed Wednesday, May 10 thru Wednesday, May 17. Contact Kate for more information or to sign up as a volunteer.

The spring schedule is out for teen programs! Teens in 5th thru 12th grade are invited to call or stop by the library to register. Programs will start on April 10 and go until June 16. You can check out the full schedule here. Don’t forget that we are also still recruiting for Battle of the Books!

Battle of the Books is back again! The Pawling Library will be participating in both the Middle School and the High School Battles. Anyone interested in joining a team is invited to attend an interest meeting this Saturday, March 18. The Middle School interest meeting will be from 3:00-4:00 PM, and the High School interest meeting from 4:30-5:30 PM. Refreshments will be provided. We will talk about this year’s books, the rules of the battle, and practice with a pop culture trivia battle. For more information on Battle of the Books, click here.

This month you can stop by the library and see artwork done by teens at the Pawling High School hanging on the wall in the Young Adult area.  These teens have done an amazing job, and the Pawling High School was kind enough to lend us their work for a short period of time.  Please come see these incredible works and admire the beauty and talent within our own community.  

  Project Do Something, is a group created and completely run by the teens of this community to help others.  These amazing teens want to make an impact. Now, they are coming back together to keep the movement going on Friday, November 18th from 6:30-8:30 pm at the library annex.  This week are making friendship bracelets to sell at our Holiday Book Sale.  The money collected will go towards their blanket making project that benefits Project Linus.  Friday’s project is open to all teens from 7th grade to 12th grade.   Please consider purchasing one of their bracelets from the book sale or donating to the library, so we may be able to purchase the materials to make the blankets.  Any extra money will also be given to Project Linus.

So happy to see our teens making a difference in our community!  Last week, a man came in to express his gratitude for one of the Inspirational Cards made by the Project Do Something Teens. He regularly attends gatherings at The Friendship Center and he was thrilled to receive his card.  Our Young Adult Coordinator Nicole and the Project Do Something Teens made the cards and they were distributed by Evelina Simoes, the library’s Homebound Delivery Services Coordinator, on her visits to the Friendship Center and The Grand Rehabilitation Center last month. This man was so touched that the teens took the time to think of the seniors in the community that he had to come in and express his gratitude. He and his friends really appreciate the time and effort that the young adults put into making the cards for the seniors in our community.   Thank you to all our Project Do Something Teens for taking you time to make a difference!