Off the Shelf: February events at Maxwell Library
Submitted by Rena Brower
Art exhibit
A Tour Through My Eyes
Paintings by George Mango
Now through 26
Using oils, watercolors, acrylics, and pastels, artist and realtor George Mango paints places and landscapes both near and far, expressing himself through color and medium.
New—Programs for homeschoolers.
Maxwell Library has teamed up with Liverpool Library to provide fun and educational programs for homeschool students and their families at Maxwell. New and existing participants are welcome. No registration required. For more information, go to maxwellmemoriallibrary.org or lpl.org.
Homeschool Creative Writing Club, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 1:30 to 3 p.m. Grades 7 thorugh 12. Have a passion for writing? Join other teens who are interested in writing fiction and/or poetry. The group will write, share, and develop creative writing skills in an encouraging atmosphere. Please bring your favorite writing utensil and notepad (or laptop, if that’s your thing) and your imagination!
Homeschool STEAM Club, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 1:30 to 3 p.m. Ages 5 to 11. Learn about science, technology, engineering, art and math through hands-on activities and experiments. Parents and siblings welcome.
Homeschool Tween Book Club, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 1:30 to 3 p.m. Ages 10 and up. Get together with other homeschool students grades 4 through 6 and discuss the book of the month. Books will be chosen by participants. February’s title is “The War that Saved My Life” by Kimberly Bradley.
Homeschool YA Book Club, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 1:30 to 3 p.m. Grades 7 through 12. Get together with other homeschool students and discuss the book of the month. Books will be chosen by participants. February’s title is “The Lines We Cross” by Randa Abdel-Fattah.
Homeschool Chess Club, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 1:30 to 3 p.m. All ages. Homeschool families can learn to play chess or just play each other.
TBL Peer-Based Suicide Support Group
Tuesdays, Feb. 12, 19, and 26, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Free. No registration.
Two Brothers’ Light is a non-profit organization that promotes suicide prevention and awareness. It holds peer-based support groups for individuals affected by suicide and other mental health issues. These meetings are free and open to anyone seeking information on suicide prevention and awareness, alternatives to suicide, or grief support for those affected by suicide. For more information, call 315-632-1996, or go to twobrotherslight.org.
Art Class for Kids—Watercolors
Saturday, Feb. 9, 11 to noon. Please bring $5 supply fee to class. Registration required. For ages 7 to 12. Presented by Kaley McHale.
In this fun class, kids will explore different watercolor techniques. All supplies provided.
Maxwell Matinee
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2 p.m. Call for title. 2018; PG-13; 141 minutes. Free. Registration preferred. For adults.
NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong rigorously trains to become the first man to walk on the moon. Licensing laws prevent us from publicizing certain details, but you may call the library or go to our website for the title. Seating is limited, so please reserve your place online or by calling 315-672-3661.
Unraveling Yarns Book Club
Thursday, Feb. 14, 10:30 to noon. Free. No registration.
All book selections have a mystery or suspense theme. Bring your needlework and unravel a different plot each month. Stop in at Maxwell for a copy of this month’s book, Elizabeth George Speare’s “The Witch of Blackbird Pond”, and a reading guide. Non-knitters are also welcome.
Craft Class—All-Occasion Cards
Thursday, Feb. 14, 5 to 6 p.m. Free. Registration required. For adults.
Tonya Wilson will share how to create up to four all-occasion cards. Learn stamping techniques and use of paper cutters, paper punches, tape, and scissors. All supplies are provided. Registration is required to ensure enough supplies are prepared. Class size is limited to fifteen participants.
Safe Place to Game
Tuesday, Feb. 19, 4 to 6 p.m. Free. Registration preferred. For ages 7 to 18.
Safe Place to Game is a community program where students and families can learn and play trading card games like Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, and Yu-Gi-Oh.
Kids and Teens Tech Time
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. Free. No registration. For ages 8 to 18.
Stop in for a hands-on experience with all the tech toys Maxwell has to offer.
Genealogy Roundtables
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 1 to 3 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 21, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Land and Property Records. Free. Registration preferred.
Join genealogist Amanda Perrine for Maxwell’s monthly Genealogy Roundtable. Library patrons interested in researching their own family histories get together to discuss problems in their research and share tips on sources and methodology. Both beginners and longtime researchers are welcome. Land records are the earliest, largest, and most complete type of record in the United States beginning when the colonists settled the land to show legal proof of ownership. With the opportunity of expansion west of the colonial states and because of the rural nature of America before 1850, as many as 90 percent of men owned land, making the possibility of finding an ancestor in land records very high. This month, learn what clues about your family you can find in these records.
Open Craft Day for Kids
Thursday, Feb. 21, noon to 2 p.m. Free. Registration preferred but not required. For ages 3 to 10.
Drop in at Maxwell and get crafty. Create your own craft or choose a craft kit to make. All supplies provided.
Between the Lines Book Club
Monday, Feb. 25, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Free. No registration.
The group reads a variety of genres, from literary fiction to suspenseful bestsellers. Copies of this month’s selection, Erik Larson’s “Dead Wake”, and reading guides are available at the desk. Everyone is welcome.
Vinyasa Flow Yoga Class for Adults
Monday, Feb. 25, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free. Registration required.
In Vinyasa Yoga, students learn to coordinate movement with breath to flow from one pose to the next. Steve Emery, a 200-hour YTT certified yoga instructor, will guide adults through the basics in this one-hour class. Open to all levels of yoga experience, from beginner to advanced. Class starts promptly at 6:30 p.m. Please bring a yoga mat and a water bottle.
PAWS of CNY Reading Dog Visit
Wednesday, Feb. 27, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Free. Registration preferred but not required. Best for ages up to 12.
Come meet and read stories to Lily, a friendly dog volunteer from PAWS of CNY. This program allows children to practice reading aloud without the fear of being criticized or corrected. Books are provided, or you can bring a special favorite one from home.
Tech Class—Fanfiction, Story Sharing Sites, and Online Samizdat
Thursday, Feb. 28, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Free. Registration preferred. You may bring your personal laptop, tablet, or phone.
This month’s tech program with tech librarian Pete Schult explores sites and apps for those who want to read literature that might not yet be ready for primetime but that still might be just the thing they were looking for.
Maxwell Library Board Meeting
No meeting this month.
AARP will not conduct tax return preparation at Maxwell Library this year. The library will have limited state and federal forms, as they are received, available for free. Forms will not arrive before mid-February. Many forms are now available only online; those forms may be printed from the library’s public computers for a per-page fee. AARP representatives will be available for individual tax return preparation, by appointment only, at the Camillus Senior Center starting Feb. 5. You may call the Center at 315-672-3163 or 315-672-5820 for more information.
The Central New York Reads One Book (CNY Reads) program, launched in 2001, is a reading initiative designed to build community through reading. Each year, a single book is designated the CNY Reads title, and the public is encouraged to read it and participate in programs related to the book and its themes. This year, CNY Reads, Syracuse University, and a consortium of community partners will share “Born a Crime”, the memoir by South African actor, comedian, writer, TV host, and political commentator Trevor Noah. Thanks to the generosity of Syracuse University, many copies of “Born a Crime” are now available at Maxwell Library. Some of these may be checked out with your OCPL library card; others may be freely borrowed, read, and then either returned to Maxwell or passed on to a friend. For more information on CNY Reads, including book tie-ins and events, go to cnyreads.org/.
Ongoing programs for kids and teens (all free; no registration unless otherwise noted):
Stories with Sally, for the under-3 crowd and a participating adult.
Mondays and Wednesdays, Feb. 6, 11, 13, 20, 25, and 27, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.
Sally’s Story Time, for preschoolers ages 3 to 5.
Tuesdays, Feb. 5, 12, 19, and 26, 10:30 to 11 a.m.
Preschool Story Time with Ms. Melissa
Thursdays, Feb. 7, 14, 21, and 28, 10:30 to 11 a.m. Registration preferred. For children ages 3 to 5 with a parent or guardian.
This fun story time helps preschoolers develop early literacy skills and fosters curiosity. Come and enjoy stories followed by a simple craft. Younger (and older) siblings are welcome. Feb. 7—Groundhog Day story and craft; Feb. 14—Valentine’s Day story and craft; Feb. 21—ABC stories; Feb. 28—“Pigeon Needs a Bath”, other Pigeon stories and a Pigeon craft.
Monday Fundays with Ms. Melissa
Mondays, Feb. 11, and 25, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Simple crafts for children ages 5 to 10.
Feb. 11—Valentine’s Day crafts; Feb. 25—Name snowmen.
Between Friends Book Club
Wednesday, Feb. 6, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. For grades 6 to 12. Registration preferred. Snacks provided.
Come share what you’re reading and why others should read it too. Make new friends and get great book suggestions from Ms. Melissa and the rest of the group.
Family Fun Time; held on the second Saturday of the month.
Saturday, Feb. 9, 10 to 2:30 p.m. For all ages.
Come in with your family to read, play board games, make a craft, practice your mini golf, put on a puppet show, and more.
Kids Only Book Club
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. For grades 2 to 5. Registration preferred. Snacks provided.
Come share what you’re reading and why others should read it too. Make new friends and get great book suggestions from Ms. Melissa and the rest of the group.
1000 Books Before Kindergarten
To promote reading to newborns, infants, and toddlers as well as to encourage parent and child bonding through reading, the 1000 Books Foundation has issued a challenge to parents to read 1000 books to their children before kindergarten. Stop in at Maxwell Library to get your first reading log and informational materials, and start reading!
With OverDrive and Hoopla, great entertainment is only a click away on your computer or mobile device. We have ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, music and videos, with new titles added daily. It’s easy, fun, and free! Call to set up a help session.
Get tech savvy by attending Tech Librarian Pete’s monthly classes. Catch up on what you missed with Handouts and Other Resources through the Digital tab on our website.
Your library card is the key to amazing free online encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, archives, tutorials, and courses. Go to the Digital tab on Maxwell’s website, or to onlib.org/research/databases.
Ask about the variety of digital devices available for borrowing or in-library use.
Sign up for Maxwell’s monthly e-newsletter through our website, Facebook page, or at the circulation desk. See upcoming events and register as needed through our online events calendar. You can support Maxwell Library online through the PayPal Donate feature on our website.
Being a Friend of Maxwell is a great way to support the library. The group sponsors library programs and fundraising events. Click the Friends tab on maxwellmemoriallibrary.org for news and updates of meetings and special events.
Are you planning on visiting a New York State or an Onondaga County park? Borrow a NYS Empire Pass or an Onondaga County Park Pass from Maxwell Library before your trip. Both passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis to patrons over the age of 18 with OCPL library accounts in good standing. They may be checked out for three days, and must be returned in person at Maxwell. Call or stop in for more details.
Maxwell Memorial Library is located at 14 Genesee St., Camillus. The library is open Monday through Thursday, 10 to 8 p.m.; Friday, 10 to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 to 3 p.m.; closed Sundays. Closed Monday Feb. 18 for Presidents’ Day. Please call 315-672-3661 for additional information about any of our programs, visit our website at maxwellmemoriallibrary.org, like us on Facebook, or find us on Instagram and Twitter @maxmemlib.
