Category: Library News & Events

Library News & Events

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with books

Reading challenge alert! Have you read a book by a Latinx or Hispanic author this Hispanic Heritage Month? Check out these materials in our collection, as suggested by members of our staff. Hispanic Heritage Month 2020 runs September 15 – October 15   Picture Book Suggestions: Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away by Meg Medina ; illustrated by Sonia Sanchez Just Ask! : Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor ; illustrated by Rafael López (Also available digitally on Libby!) My Papi has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero ; illustrated by Zeke Peña Across the Bay written and illustrated by Carlos Aponte Freedom Soup  by Tami Charles ; illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara (Also available digitally on Hoopla!) Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle ; illustrated by Rafael López  (Also available digitally on Hoopla!) Te Quiero, Papa by Valenti Gubianas (Spanish language title) Islandborn by Junot Díaz ; illustrated by Leo Espinosa     Early and Middle Grade Chapter Books: Sofia Martinez Series including Lights out! by Jacqueline Jules ;...

Childrens' Programs / Library News & Events / Teen Programs

Submit for the President of the Library Contest now!

We are now accepting submissions for the President of the Library contest. Contestants will choose their favorite fictional literary character and write why they should be considered for the Presidency of the Library. The contest is open to children and teens grades K-12. Two competitions will be running simultaneously for kids ages 5-10 and for teens ages 11-18 and the top two entries will be voted in by the community as President of the Children’s Books and President of the YA Section, winning a top prize of a Kindle Fire! Before submitting please read our complete set of By clicking the link above. Submissions can be submitted online or picked up in person at the library during regular library hours.

Library News & Events

REVEAL! Fantasy Olympics

To finish off the Imagine Your Story Summer Reading Program, we let Pawling choose the end of one more great adventure. This time around, Dragon Phil, Unicorn Carla, and Fairy Neena gathered to compete in the Fantasy Olympics. The event–who can find the hidden object in the pie fastest? Thanks to everyone who read and completed social distancing challenges this summer–we hope you enjoyed participating in our stories! Want to see the results of our other stories from this summer? Head to our Summer Reading page for a links to each week’s story.

Library News & Events

Have You Seen Our New Picture Book Labels?

Big News! Our picture book section has reopened for browsing. Plus, we have a new system of organizing them that we hope will help kids browse through them more easily and independently. Now, books are organized by their topics instead of alphabetically by author’s last name. Books featuring high interest topics, like DINOSAURS, SCHOOL, and PETS are now all together in one place! Parents and educators will love the sections devoted to areas of child development and learning, like EMOTION and MATH! The “Topic” spine labels even feature easy to identify icons kids will recognize, even if they are not yet able to read.   As with many changes, this one is sure to take a while to adjust to. If you need help figuring how to find a book on the shelf with our new system, check out the links to our infographics, which help explain how items can be found. You can also checkout our hint list, for frequently searched for topics. Found a Book in our catalog? Not sure How to read...

Senator Harckham

Library News & Events

Senator Harckham Donates Supplies

State Senator Pete Harckham came bearing gifts for the Pawling Library, when he visited on Saturday afternoon, July 18th.  Bringing supplies of hand sanitizer and 100 face masks, he was greeted by Library Director, Brian Avery, and several board members, wearing masks and social distancing in order that his visit comply with all mandated safety protocols. Senator Harckham is an enthusiastic supporter of the Pawling Library, and his most recent grant to the library provided annex improvements, as well as support for a portion of 2019 programming expenses. Brian Avery, Library Director noted, “We were delighted to learn that Senator Harckham was able provide masks and hand sanitizer for the library. He has been a big supporter of Pawling and of libraries, so it should come as no surprise that he thought about our needs during this time. We were pleased that Senator Harckham could visit our library so soon after we reopened. He was able to see some of the long term projects we have been able to take on over the last couple years,...

Library News & Events

Online Superhero Escape the Room

It’s time! Our online Superhero Escape Room is ready and waiting to be solved. All ages welcome to play, though the reading level of this escape room may be difficult for developing readers, like those in Kindergarten-second grade. These ages may benefit from the help of a more advanced reader, like an older sibling or adult helper. The questions and challenges, though, they should all be able to manage on their own! Play this escape room any time online between now and the end of the summer. We hope you enjoy it! Quick play tips: We recommend opening each challenge in a new tab and filling out the answer form as you go OR making sure you leave the results of each challenge open after completing it, so you can answer all the questions to escape at the end with ease. Alternatively, you can write down the answers on a piece of paper as you go along and come back to your notes when finished and submitting the answer form. Follow the link to play: https://sites.google.com/pawlinglibrary.org/pawlinglibraryescapetheroom/home

Library News & Events

Book review: The Poet X, by Elizabeth Acevedo

Reviewed by Angie Webb, Library Clerk Oh, how I wish I had a book like this in my teen years growing up in Brooklyn, NY. The story tackles many pressing topics – love, questions of faith, sexuality, sexual harassment and body shaming, friendship, homophobia, self-acceptance – through Harlem native, Xiomara Batista, known as X. The novel’s epistolary-like structure makes the free-verse narration a gripping, quick read without making the verse gimmicky. And the compelling vulnerability and empowering passion of its young protagonist gives voice to the inner struggle of obedience to family and religious tradition with the anxiety of finding strength with self-discovery through the rebellion of young love and slam poetry. The relationships between X and her family and friends are authentic. I enjoyed how the story presented the Dominican culture of the Batista family through the eyes of someone unashamed of her heritage but wants to experience it differently from the tradition. X is relatable, I felt her struggles, I had her struggles, and like her, I wrote them down. Acevedo captured the...

Library News & Events

Circulation Status

We re-opened to the public on February 12th. Contactless checkout is available Tuesdays through Sundays. Contactless checkout can be scheduled using the myLibro app, the webform https://tinyurl.com/courtyardcheckout or by calling the library at (845) 855-3444 or emailing staff@pawlinglibrary.org Our laptop is available to checkout for up to 24 hours at a time. If you would like to schedule a contactless checkout of the laptop, you will need to schedule both a checkout time and a drop off time to return the laptop. You are encouraged to return any checked out items to the library’s two book drops. (One is in front of the library building, and the other is outside the Holmes Whaley Lake Civic Association.) For details about our re-opening policies and procedures, please visit our re-opening page: https://www.pawlingfreelibrary.org/re-opening-information/ If you have a large number of book donations to drop off, please text Karen at (845) 600-5031 to arrange a drop off time.  

Library News & Events

Phased Reopening

The Mid-Hudson region has begun the reopening process, and the library is eagerly getting things ready so that we can serve you in person once again. We hope to begin with contactless checkout, though we are still waiting for state approval for our library type. At this time, you are encouraged to return any checked out items to the library’s two book drops. (One is in front of the library building, and the other is outside the Holmes Whaley Lake Civic Association.) You can read about our re-opening plans, policies, and procedures by visiting https://www.pawlingfreelibrary.org/re-opening-information/

Library News & Events

School Thank You and Budget

This month we received two items of note from the Pawling Central School District. The first is a thank you letter for partnering with them to give out care packages to families participating in their meal distribution. You can read the letter here: https://www.pawlingfreelibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Letter-of-thanks-to-Brian-Avery-and-Pawling-Library-May-2020.pdf We also received a copy of their proposed 2020-2021 budget. You can read it here: https://www.pawlingfreelibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Pawling-CSD-Budget-Document-2020-2021-reduced-file.pdf