History Mysteries: Shaker Seeds
Sunday, March 30 at 2:15 p.m. at the Columbia County Historical Society and Museum

Please note change in start time and location.

In March the library will collaborate with Columbia County Historical Society to bring the community another History Mystery. The History Mysteries program was developed as a way for school age children, ages 7 and up, to explore topics from Columbia County's rich history. This month's theme invites participants to "think spring" by focusing on the Shaker seed industry.

The Shakers were among the first to prepackage garden seeds for sale to the general public. The products were shipped to general stores throughout the United States in "Seed Boxes" which were also used as counter displays. For nearly a century, Shaker Seed wagons were said to be "as familiar as the spring-time."

The Columbia County Historical Society is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the history and culture of Columbia County, New York. It is the hope of the CCHS that through collaborative efforts with the Kinderhook Memorial Library, the education programs developed together will foster community involvement and help teach the residents of Columbia County about it its past through reading, observing historic objects, and activities.

Registration is required for this program. Please register for this program by visiting the library or by calling 758-6192.

A Conversation with Author and Publisher Larry Ashmead
Saturday, March 29 at 2:00 p.m. at the Old Methodist Church in Stuyvesant

The Friends of the Kinderhook Memorial Library host publisher and author Larry Ashmead on Saturday, March 29 at 2:00 p.m. at John Morra's studio in the old Methodist Church in Stuyvesant. Mr. Ashmead,who retired from a 43-year career from HarperCollins in 2003, recently released his own book Bertha Venation: And Hundreds of Other Funny Names of Real People, a compilation of unusual true names inspired by John Train's two Most Remarkable Names publications. His book is a whimsical delight, containing such examples as "Ida Slaptor," "Roger Gotobed," and "Honeysuckle Weeds."

Mr. Ashmead received his PhD from Yale, having studied Geology for eight years. He landed his first editorial job at Doubleday where he spent 15 years before leaving to work briefly at Simon & Schuster. He then joined J.B.

Lippincott just before it was bought by Harper & Row (later becoming HarperCollins) where he remained for the next 25 years, working with such distinguished authors as Susan Isaacs, Isaac Asimov, Ruth Rendell, Tony Hillerman, Bill Bryson, Donna Leon, Simon Winchester, Jeffrey Archer, Jack Higgins, Olivia Goldsmith, Anne Rivers Siddons, and Michael Korda. In addition, he has edited a number of celebrity memoirs including Pola Negri, Ethel Merman, Molly Picon, Guy Lombardo, Jimmy Cagney, Laurel and Hardy, Vincente Minelli, Arlene Francis, Ann Miller, and Mickey Katz.

This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

From Founders to Farmers: An Archeologist's View of 19th Century Homes in the Hudson Valley
Thursday, March 27 at 7:00 p.m.

Dr. Eugene J. Boesch joins us at the library on Thursday, March 27 at 7:00 p.m. for a discussion of the archeology of nineteenth century dwellings using examples from the lower Hudson Valley. Sites discussed include residences of elites (Jay Mansion in Rye), dwellings of lower status landholders in White Plains, and farmsteads in Putnam County. The presentation discusses what archaeologists know, do not know, and want to know about such domestic sites and describes how historic archeology complements, frequently exceeds, and sometimes contradicts the documentary record for understanding past behavior. Methods employed to investigate dwelling sites, the types of finds and remains that may be encountered, and the kinds of insights that may be gained about past lifestyles will be discussed. An analysis of cultural patterns revealed by artifact data and other information recovered from site excavations, along with insights gleaned from research using census data, wills, probate inventories, maps, and other historic documents, provide an understanding of the ethnicity, occupations, status, subsistence practices, and other characteristics of those living in the dwellings. Such insights help interpret larger trends occurring within each site's community such as the rise of a consumer society and the transition from a rural life style to a suburban, middle class existence connected to a wider trade or distribution network. The nineteenth century was a time of rapid change that set the stage for twentieth century culture and our contemporary experiences. The archeology of domestic sites can help place those experiences in a historic context. The presentation also will discuss the process by which the National Register of Historic Places eligibility of historic house sites may be evaluated.

Dr. Boesch received a Ph.D. in Anthropology from New York University, specializing in Native American cultures and adaptations in the Eastern Woodlands of North America. He has operated a cultural resource firm in the Hudson Valley for over twenty years and has taught at various area colleges and universities. A concern for local historic preservation issues has led him to serve as a member of the Westchester County and Putnam County Historic Preservation Advisory Committees.

We would especially like to thank the New York Council for the Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, for sponsoring this program. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the New York Council for the Humanities or National Endowment for the Humanities.

Guest Chefs for Charity Dinner to Benefit Kinderhook Memorial Library
Tuesday, March 25 from 5:00-8:30 p.m.

We are pleased to be the next recipient of Pi Cafe's quickly growing program, Guest Chefs for Charity on Tuesday, March 25 from 5:00-8:30 p.m. Herminio Ramirez, co-proprieter of the Van Schaak House Bed and Breakfast and Culinary Institute of America graduate, will be the chef for a wonderful three-course meal that includes soup, salad, and entree. Partial proceeds from the evening will be donated to the Kinderhook Memorial Library.

Maria Ruggiero, the owner of Pi Cafe, started Guest Chefs for Charity in January with a dinner cooked by Barry Herbold, owner of Empire State Appraisal Consultants (ESAC), benefitting the Columbia County Historical Society. In February, the dinner was cooked by Michael Castellano, owner of Kinderhook Wine and Spirits, and the Columbia Greene Humane Society was the beneficiary. Now it's our chance!

Three separate entrees will be offered with full meal prices between $18 and $25. Desserts will be available for an additional charge. Reservations are necessary. Pi Cafe is located right next to the library at 16 Hudson Street in the village of Kinderhook. Please call Pi Cafe at 758-9355 for more information and to make your reservation.

Building Blocks for Early Childhood Literacy (Birth to Age 3)
Sunday, March 16 from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Recent studies on brain and early literacy development indicate that preparing children for success as readers can begin as early as infancy. Such research places increased emphasis on the critical role of parents and caregivers as a child's first teacher.

Your local library can be a wonderful resource for families seeking to nurture future readers. In addition to the regular infant/toddler and preschool story times, Kinderhook Memorial Library strives to provide supportive resources for parents and caregivers. We are proud to partner with the Family Resources Centers of Columbia County to present a parent/caregiver early literacy workshop on Sunday, March 16 from 3:00-4:00 p.m.

This fun and informative session will focus on simple and enjoyable activities that families can use to enhance their child's early language development skills. During the workshop participants will learn about six very important literacy skills that children can start learning at an early age (birth to 3). Youth services librarian Alanna Almstead will also suggest some great books, nursery rhymes and songs that can help children learn these pre-reading skills.

This program has been designed as an informative session for parents and caregivers and as a result may not engage younger children. Childcare will be provided for the children of participants in the children's room.

The workshop is free and open to all. Light refreshments will be served. Please call 758-6192 to register for this program or to receive more information.

Library Lobby Day
Tuesday, March 11

Governor Spitzer released his proposed 2008-2009 budget at the end of January. There is both good news and bad news for libraries:

• GOOD NEWS: $14 million for library construction included!

• BAD NEWS: $5 million less than last year in library aid!

How can you, one single public library patron help? We need you to speak up and ask that the cut be restored!

We are encouraging all of our patrons to travel to Albany on Tuesday, March 11 to attend Library Lobby Day which is sponsored by the New York Library Association (NYLA). The goal is to show legislators how much people care about libraries by packing the offices at every appointment. This is a great opportunity to introduce your children to the workings of state government!

With thirteen legislators to meet with we need lots of people to show their support. Come with your personal anecdotes about what the Kinderhook Memorial Library means to you!

This year our message is simple:

• Restore the $5 million missing from the Governor's budget
• Make the library and construction aid increases from last year permanent.

The Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS) makes the day as easy as possible by coordinating all the appointments with our legislators and leading participants through the day:

1. Register online at http://calendar.midhudson.org/
2. Appointments with all MHLS area legislators are made by MHLS. The day starts in Meeting Room 6 where you can familiarize yourself with the schedule for the day. Don't worry, there will be plenty of people just like you there to support our libraries!
   
3. Directions & Parking Information are available on NYLA's web site:http://www.nyla.org/index.php?page_id=150
4. Plan for airport like security measures in place in the New York State Capitol, the Legislative Office Building and its surrounding buildings. Please be prepared to pass through a metal detector and have your belongings go through an X-ray machine to enter. All adults (16+) must show a photo ID to enter, it is recommended that attendees carry a photo ID at all times. In addition, items that are sharp or may be construed as weapons are not allowed in any of the Empire State Plaza buildings. (Including "sticks" attached to Rally signs.)
5. Due to the security measures and the number of people expected in Albany on Lobby Day, please leave yourself plenty of time to travel between Meeting Room 6 and meetings with legislators.

Let your voice be heard! Help our library, our wonderful library system, and New York State libraries in general! If you can't make it to Albany on March 11, think about writing a letter or calling our legislators with your message. The more people they hear from, the more they will listen.

Book Clubs at the Library
Fiction or Non-Fiction, We've Got You Covered!

The Readers Circle will meet on Monday, March 10 at 1:00 p.m. to discuss the book The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler. In California's Central Valley, five women and one man join together to discuss Jane Austen's novels. Over the six months they meet, marriages are tested, affairs begin, unsuitable arrangements become suitable, and love happens...Dedicated Austen readers will delight in unearthing the echoes of Austen that run through this novel, but many readers will simply enjoy the vision and voice that, despite two centuries of separation, unite two writers of social comedy. --Book Jacket. The Circle will next meet on April 14 to discuss the book The Life of Pi by Yann Martel.

Postponed because of snow, the Next Page Book Club will meet on Wednesday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the book The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. One of the greatest mystery thrillers ever written, Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White was a phenomenal bestseller in the 1860s, achieving even greater success than works by Dickens, Collins's friend and mentor. Full of surprise, intrigue, and suspense, this vastly entertaining novel continues to enthrall readers today.--Camille Cauti Next Pagers will be reading Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier for their next meeting on Wednesday, April 9.

The Non-Fiction Book Club will meet on Monday, March 17 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss the book The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell, a writer for The New Yorker, looks at why major changes in our society so often happen suddenly and unexpectedly. Ideas, behavior, messages, and products, he argues, often spread like outbreaks of infectious disease. These are social epidemics, and the moment they take off, they reach their critical mass, or, the Tipping Point. Gladwell introduces us to the particular personality types who are natural pollinators of new ideas and trends and the people who create the phenomenon of the word of mouth. The club will next meet on April 21 to discuss the book Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandella.

Family Film: La Strada
Saturday, March 8 at 7:00 p.m.
Dan Schoonover continues his ever-popular family film series on Saturday, March 8 at 7:00 p.m. with the classic Federico Fellini movie La Strada (Italy, 1954) starring Giulietta Masina, Anthony Quinn, Richard Basehart, and Aldo Silvani.

In this award winning Italian neo-realist film a slow-witted innocent is sold to an abusive strong man in a traveling sideshow. She falls in love with him, but her love is not reciprocated, until it is too late.

The last movie in the series will be My Sister Eileen (1955) on April 5. The films are drawn from the collection of the late Raymond Schoonover of New York City. Screenings are free of charge and refreshments will be served. In the event of inclement weather the program will be postponed one week. For more information call 758-7244.

Teen Events at the Library
Game Night on March 7 and Teen Book Club on March 11

The Library's Teen Advisory Board will host a game night on Friday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. In addition to the old standby board games we all know and love, several video game systems will be available for those looking for a bit more action. If you'd like to donate your game system or games for use during the night, please contact Alanna at am389952@albany.edu.

Interested in helping to plan future teen nights?
Come to the T.A.B. (Teen Advisory Board) @ 6:00 p.m., right before the start of Teen Game Night. Come with ideas to share!

Teen Book Club
Winter weather may have spoiled our plans to meet last month, but after a long break our teen book club is back! The book club will meet second Tuesday of each month and is open to all teens (ages 13 and up). New members are always welcome!

On Tuesday, March 11 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. the group will meet to discuss Eragon by Christopher Paolini. Fifteen-year-old Eragon believes that he is merely a poor farm boy-until his destiny as a Dragon Rider is revealed. Gifted with only an ancient sword, a loyal dragon, and sage advice from an old storyteller, Eragon is soon swept into a dangerous tapestry of magic, glory, and power. Now his choices could save-or destroy-the Empire (CIP). The New York Times Book Review praised Eragon as "An authentic work of great talent". Do you agree? Come speak you mind at our next meeting!

Together: Book Talk for Kids and Parents
Six sessions beginning March 2 from 4:00-5:30 p.m.

It's not too late to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity for children and their parents or caregivers to join a book discussion group together! Thanks to the New York Council for the Humanities, we have been chosen as a host site for an exciting new reading program developed to bring parents and children together to read.

The goal of this family-orientated book club is to bring parents and their nine-to-eleven year olds together to explore and debate important humanities themes through shared reading. At the heart of the program is the belief that complex issues in the humanities are best understood through an open exchange of ideas and opinions, and that the shared context of a book can stimulate such exchanges.

The Together program helps both kids and parents build their love of reading and discussion, although it is not meant to be a literacy program. Children and adults who are able to read comfortably will benefit most from these discussion groups. Together is a great program for kids who may need extra support and encouragement to talk about books and for parents who want to make reading an important part of their home lives. Studies show that there are crucial links between this type of activity and future student success.

All of the books selected for this program center around the theme of American life and are related to big themes like "courage" and "freedom." Each session will be run by two facilitators who work together to get everyone involved in fun activities and engaged in talking about ideas found within the books. The program will meet 6 times for 90 minutes each session on Sundays March 2, 9, 16, 30, April 6 and 13 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Books will be provided to participants, and each child will be able to select their favorite title to keep at the conclusion of the program. For more information or to register please contact the library.