Byron Bergen Public Library Board of Trustees issued the following statement yesterday:

The Trustees of the Byron Bergen Public Library are actively pursuing options to keep both the village location and the location at the Gillam-Grant Community Center open, in the interest of serving both communities.   We are currently seeking bridge funding from a variety of sources and have received a grant from Nioga Library System to start the process.

The Gillam-Grant Community Center will no longer providing funding for library staff at that location and the trustees hosted two public meetings last month seeking community input on options.  There was a good deal of support for each of the current locations remaining, and neither location appears suited to becoming the only library in the Byron-Bergen area.

Just a friendly reminder....

 Public forums in Bergen and Byron will be conducted for the residents to
voice their support or concerns about consolidating the two libraries will be held at the following locations and times....

Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 7:00pm at the Byron Town Hall
Thursday, June 18th - 7:00 pm at the Bergen Town Hall

For more information, you can go to either library and pick up an information packet

or it can be downloaded from the Byron-Bergen Public Library's website at  bbplibrary.wordpress.com/

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 at 2:00pm, join us for the 2009 Summer Reading Program Kick-off with The Wondermakers performing their show "World of Wonders.".   The theme this year is "Be Creative at Your Library".

"World of Wonders" is a 45 minute long, interactive story theatre show for children ages 3 - 10 and their families.  Travel with The Wondermakers and explore other cultures.  Join Captain Stormalong as he battles the Sea Monster on a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean!  Be creative as you help us act out an Eastern European folktale which reminds us to be happy with what we've got!  Learn Spanish words and a song with a funny folktale from Mexico. 

The Wondermakers have given over 4,000 performances in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Rochester, Syracuse, Corning, Cleveland, Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Orlando. 

For more information about this event, you can call the library at 494-1120.  We are located at 13 South Lake Avenue in Bergen.

This program is made possible with funds from the Decentralization program.  A regrant program of the New York State Council of the Arts, administered by the Genesee -Orleans Council of the Arts.

Recently the Gilliam-Grant Community Center Board presented information to the Byron-Bergen Public Library Board and to representative of the Towns of Bergen and Byron concerning their current financial situation.  Due to the economic impact on the Gilliam-Grant Community Center's endowment, the Gilliam-Grant Community Center is forced to severely cut their operating budget and reduce overhead costs to preserve their future within the community.  Gilliam-Grant Community Center  inquired whether the Byron-Bergen Public Library and the Towns would consider library consolidation as an option.

 The Library Board is, in concert with Board officials from Bergen and Byron, researching the financial aspects, location possibilities, and public support of options in response to this financial challenge as presented by the Gilliam-Grant Community Center.  Please contact Gilliam-Grant Community Center for further information about their financial situation.

Public forums in Bergen and Byron will be conducted for the residents to
voice their support or concerns will be held at the following locations and times....

Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 7:00pm at the Byron Town Hall
Thursday, June 18th - 7:00 pm at the Bergen Town Hall

For more information, you can go to either library and pick up an information packet.

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I work at the Byron Bergen Public Library, part time----now here is my opinion.

Keep the library in the village of Bergen. 

So many people enjoy walking to the village library, whether it's summer or winter, it makes no difference.  Where is the sense of taking our village library and moving it out to the boonies?  Not just that...but move our library out there, and it will loose it's identity.  People won't call it the Byron Bergen Public Library any more...  it will become, by nickname, the Gillliam Grant Library, even though we'd be paying rent and not funded by them.   And to move it to the Gilliam Grant will cost the tax payers even more money than to just move some book from the Gilliam Grant Library.  Not all of the Gilliam Grant Library books will be moved, some will be sold and the monies will go back to Byron.  The relationship betewen the two librearies is as such...

The Gilliam Grant Library is a contracting library under the auspices of the Byron Bergen Public Library.  This means that the charter to maintain and provide services for both libraries is held by the Byron Bergen Public Library.  Funds from the towns of Bergen and Byron and from Genesee County are used to pay the operating costs (saleries, rent, books, materials, etc.) of the library located in the Village of Bergen.  A portion of the Byron funds is designated to Gilliam Grant Library to purchase books and materials and provide programs.  Beyond that, the overhead and general operating costs of the contracting library, located at the Gilliam Grant, are included in the Gilliam Grant Library's budget

This is why people of Byron and Bergen NEED to come to these meetings.  They need to hear both sides.  So far, to me, the information packet is one sided... the Gilliam Grant Library's side.  Not once does it mention how the Library benefits from being where it is..... in the Village of Bergen

So people..... PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

Normal 0 “Music Sandwiched In,” a free lunchtime concert series will be held on Wednesday, June 10 at 12:10 p.m. at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross Street, Batavia.  LeRoy High School Select Instrumental Ensembles, under the direction of Bradley Meholick and Matthew Nordhausen, will perform.  The Friends of the Library sponsor this free program.  Bring your lunch; coffee, tea and cookies are provided.  All welcome.  For more information, call the library at (585) 343-9550, ext. 8 or log on to www.batavialibrary.org.

Normal 0 “Music Sandwiched In,” a free lunchtime concert series will be held on Wednesday, June 3 at 12:10 p.m. at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross Street, Batavia.  Soprano Brittany Mruczek, a junior music major at SUNY Potsdam, will perform.  The Friends of the Library sponsor this free program.  Bring your lunch; coffee, tea and cookies are provided.  All welcome.  For more information, call the library at (585) 343-9550, ext. 8 or log on to www.batavialibrary.org.

The topic of the May 13 "Books Sandwiched In" presentation will be 1970s forgotten bestsellers.

Reviews will be given by Betsy Dexheimer and Richard Beatty who will discuss Graham Green's "The Honorary Consul" and Charles A. Reich's "The Greening of America."

It takes place from 12:10 to 1 p.m in the Gallery Room at Richmond Memorial Library, located at 19 Ross St. in Batavia. Friends of the Library sponsors the free program. All are welcome to bring their lunch. Coffee, tea and cookies are provided. For more information call 343-9550, ext. 8, or log on to www.batavialibrary.org.

This week's “Books Sandwiched In” will focus on a couple of forgotten bestsellers from the 1960s. Mary Ellen Casey and William Hayes will review John LeCarre's "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" and "Profiles in Courage" by John F. Kennedy.

The free program is from 12:10 to 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 6 in the Gallery Room of Richmond Memorial Library. It's located at 19 Ross St. in Batavia.

The Friends of the Library are the sponsors. Bring your lunch; coffee, tea and cookies are provided.  All welcome.  For more information, call the library at (585) 343-9550, ext. 8 or log on to www.batavialibrary.org.

The Adult Book Discussion Group will meet at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday May 13 at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St. in Batavia.

The discussion will be about "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," written by Mary Ann Shaffer. The books are available at the front desk. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call the library at 343-9550 ext. 8 or log onto www.batavialibrary.org.

An ongoing series called "Books Sandwiched In" will be held from 12:10 to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 in the Gallery Room at Richmond Memorial Library.

The theme is "forgotten bestsellers through the decades." This week's focus will be the 1940s with reviews by John Holder and Mike Carragher. They will talk about Irwin Shaw's "Young Lions" and William L. White's "They Were Expendable," respectively.

The series is sponsored by Friends of the Library. It's free. Bring lunch if you like. Coffee, tea and cookies will be provided.

All are welcome. The library is located at 19 Ross St. in Batavia. Phone is 343-9550 ext. 8, or log on to www.batavialibrary.org.

From Richmond Memorial Library:

The National Education Association is once again sponsoring Read Across America. This is a nationwide reading celebration held annually in conjunction with Dr. Seuss’ Birthday. Now in its twelfth year, the program focuses on the importance of motivating children to read and helping them master the skills necessary for reading literacy.

Dr. Seuss is turning 105 this year! Join Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia as we celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Richmond Memorial Library will be joining thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers across the nation on March 2^nd to promote the importance of reading across America.

Please join us at the library to celebrate this exciting event. Special visitor, the Cat in the Hat will be visiting the library for stories, games, crafts and fun. We will be celebrating with a birthday cake and beverages. The library will also be giving away treat bags for every child in attendance. Please RSVP for this exciting event being held in the children’s room at Richmond Memorial Library March 2^nd at 6:30 P.M. To register call the library at 343-9550 extension 4.

*On March 2, the National Education Association is calling for every child to be reading in the company of a caring adult. We hope you can join us!*

From Richmond Memorial Library:

Celebrate Women’s History Month with the American Girls at the Richmond Memorial Library. Every Saturday in March we will explore the era of a different American Girl through games, skits, crafts, and snacks. We will discuss the character’s book and time period, so be sure to start reading or re-read the series. 3/7 @ 10:30am *Meet Molly, *3/14 @ 10:30am *Meet Addy, *3/21 @ 10:30am *Meet Kirsten, *3/28 @ 10:30am *Meet Felicity.* Recommended for ages 7 and up. Please be sure to register early 585-343-9550 x4.

Betty Lane recently retired from her post as archivist at Genesee Community College, where she worked as a librarian for more than 40 years. In fact, Betty started work the very day the college opened its doors in August of 1967.

Officially, Betty was the assistant dean of the library at GCC up until 1990 when she (sort of) retired only to return to work part-time as the archivist until her recent (really this time) retirement. She initially came back on staff to compile the history of the college.

"As a brand new institution, you don't necessarily think about those things," she said, "but I had been saving materials from 'day one' and other departments within the college had their own records as well."

We caught up with Betty in of all places the archive room at the library—"bursting at the seams," she told me—to talk about that first day on the job at a college that was so young, they barely had books to fill the shelves, which they didn't have yet anyway!

You can visit the college site for a brief bio of Betty. Here's some of what is included there:

Aside from her part-time work at Genesee, Betty is an avid reader, she enjoys sewing and knitting, and with 10 grandchildren and three great grandchildren she keeps very busy. She has served on the Board of Trustees for Woodward Memorial Library in LeRoy since 1991, and she is a long term member of the Batavia-Genesee County Zonta Club. Betty and her husband reside in LeRoy.

Voters passed the Richmond Memorial Library budget tonight. The results were: 245 votes in favor, 54 against. The total budget is about $1.15 million — about $40,000 more than last year. Also, library Board member Tracy Stokes was elected to a five-year term with a total of 284 votes.