March events at Maxwell Memorial Library

Off the Shelf: March events at Maxwell Library

Submitted by Rena Brower

Art exhibit

Paintings by Ann Lee Yackel

March 7 through 26

Ann Lee Yackel was an accomplished and beloved artist in Central New York, a member of several local art associations. Her work graced the walls of Maxwell Library many times. Ms. Yackel passed away in 2012. Now her son Erik wants to reintroduce her art for the appreciation of both existing fans and new ones. He has curated an exhibit of some of his favorite works by his mother for display at Maxwell Memorial Library in Camillus in March.

Rotating art exhibits by West Genesee Central School District students:

West Genesee Middle School: March 3 through 12

Onondaga Road and Split Rock Elementary Schools: March 17 through 26

East Hill Elementary: March 31 through April 11

Stonehedge Elementary: April 14 through 23

Camillus Middle School: April 28 through May 6

West Genesee Senior High School: May 12 through 22

New-Digital Yearbook Collection

Patrons familiar with Maxwell’s Local History collection know that the library has amassed a good number of West Genesee school yearbooks for in-house reference. Thanks to a CLRC Access and Digitization Grant, and with the permission of the West Genesee Central School District, those yearbooks have been digitized and uploaded to New York Heritage Digital Collections, a project of the Empire State Library Network. This collection includes yearbooks from West Genesee High School in Camillus from 1958 to 2016, with some missing volumes. Also included are Camillus High School yearbooks from 1958 and 1959, West Genesee Junior High yearbooks from 1971 to 1987, and a West Genesee Central High School Graduation Program from 1958. We will continue to add yearbooks from 2017 on as current students graduate. Search all the fascinating archives at nyheritage.org/ or go directly to Maxwell’s page at nyheritage.org/contributors/maxwell-memorial-library. If you have a copy from one of the missing years and no longer need it, we would greatly appreciate your donation so the collection can be complete. Thank you, and happy exploring.

New-Revisiting the Founding Era: A Maxwell Library community event for adults held at the Camillus Senior Center

Fridays, March 20 and 27 and April 3, 1:30 to 3p.m. Free. Registration preferred. Sign up for any or all three sessions. All sessions will be held at the Camillus Senior Center at 27 First St. in the Village of Camillus.

With the recent impeachment of the President, there has been much discussion about what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they declared independence and then wrote not one but two systems of government in a relatively short period of about 35 years. This was the era of the American Revolution. Over three 90-minute sessions, local history teacher Charles Coon looks at some of the ideas presented during this time period as well as some of the actions taken by the colonists/Americans and relates some of them to 21st century America. Revisiting the Founding Era is a three-year national initiative of The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, presented in partnership with the American Library Association and the National Constitution Center, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The grant provides 100 public libraries across the country the opportunity to use historical documents to spark public conversations about the Founding Era’s enduring ideas and themes and how they continue to influence our lives today. Maxwell Library is the recipient of one of these grants and is offering several related programs this spring for adults and teens. Charles Coon has been a teacher and academic administrator for more than 50 years in the Baldwinsville and West Genesee school districts as well as at SUNY Oswego, Onondaga Community College, SUNY Cortland, and Elderhostel/Road Scholar. He currently offers courses at OASIS on a variety of American History subjects.

Part 1: Friday, March 20, 1:30 to 3p.m.

The Road to Independence – What happened in the 1760s and 1770s that led many “Americans” (but by no means all) to think that declaring independence was the only alternative?

Part 2: Friday, March 27, 1:30 to 3 p.m.

Fighting a War and Creating a Government – The new United States of America would have to prove itself against the most powerful nation in the world, and then create a system of governing that really had no precedence in world history.

Part 3: Friday, April 3, 1:30 to 3 p.m.

The Second Revolution – Patrick Henry said, “I smell a rat!” But the Constitutional Convention took place anyway and would establish a new system of government that still endures. But Ben Franklin had this admonition: “A republic, if you can keep it.”

TBL Peer-Based Suicide Support Group

Tuesdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31, 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.

CNY Reads One Book Discussion of “There There” with Alan NaPier

Monday, March 2, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Free. Registration preferred.

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, the CNY Reads selection is “There There,” the novel by Tommy Orange, an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. For more information on CNY Reads, go to cnyreads.org/. Today at Maxwell Library, Alan NaPier will facilitate a discussion of “There There.” The discussion is open to anyone who has read the book or is interested in its themes.

CNY Technology User Group

Monday, March 2, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free. No registration.

For novices through professionals, the group explores the ever-changing world of technology, whether it involves laptops, cell phones, home security systems, or anything else that interests the inquisitive mind. Each meeting starts with a Q&A session, so bring those pesky problems that have been troubling you. For more information, go to the Central New York PC User Group website at cnypcug.org.

Weddings 101—Part 3—Modern Weddings, Manners and More – Technology and Etiquette for the 21st Century Wedding

Wednesday, March 4, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Free. Registration required.

Megan Hiltbrand, wedding and event planner with MLH Events of Syracuse, presents the third of a three-part series on wedding planning and etiquette for couples, parents, bridal party members, and guests. Each session covers a particular set of topics and includes a Q&A portion for review and general chat. MLH Events is a six-time winner of the WeddingWire.com Couple’s Choice Award, 2014 to 2019 and Winner of The Knot, Best of Weddings 2018, 2019, and 2020.

In Part 3, Megan will review the new “traditions” of the modern wedding and how technology including apps, online registries and social media can help in the planning process. She’ll also outline what you can expect as a bridal party member or wedding guest in 2020 and what is expected of you. She’ll discuss creating a wedding website and online registry, Pinterest, Canva, WeddingWire, The Knot and other platforms that help streamline planning, incorporating hashtags, snapchat filters and other tech into your big day, what to consider when asked to be a bridal party member – the average financial and time investment, how to be an ideal wedding invitee – advice on RSVPing, gifting and being a conscientious guest.

Financial Literacy for Teens

Monday, March 9, 1 to 2p.m. and Thursday, March 26, 6 to 7p.m. Free. Registration preferred. For students ages 13 to 18.

Learn about budgeting, bank accounts, saving money, and more during these monthly programs presented by Aerik Radley from SECNY Federal Credit Union.

Homeschool Family Fun

Monday, March 9, 1 to 2:30 p.m. All ages.

Connect with other members of the homeschool community at this fun, casual hangout for homeschooling parents and their kids. There will be games, crafts, and more. Bring your ideas for what you would like to see offered and look for more programs to start soon.

Understanding and Responding to Dementia-Related Behavior

Monday, March 9, 5 to 6:30 p.m. Free. Registration preferred.

Behavior is a powerful form of communication and is one of the primary ways for people with dementia to communicate their needs and feelings as the ability to use language is lost. However, some behaviors can present real challenges for caregivers to manage. At this educational program presented by the Alzheimer’s Association, learn to decode behavioral messages, identify common behavior triggers, and learn strategies to help intervene with some of the most common behavioral challenges of Alzheimer’s disease.

Maxwell Matinee

Tuesday, March 10, 2 p.m. Call for title. 2019; PG-13; 2 hours 5 minutes. Free. Registration preferred. For adults. Snacks provided.

The incredible true story of Harriet Tubman, played by Cynthia Erivo, and her quest to lead hundreds of slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Licensing laws prevent the publication of certain details, but you may call the library or go to the library website for the title. Seating is limited, so please reserve your place online or by calling 315-672-3661.

Unraveling Yarns Book Club

Thursday, March 12, 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, Robert B. Parker’s “Back Story.” Non-knitters and new members are also welcome.

Craft Class—Irish Paper Sampler

Thursday, March 12, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.Free. Registration required. For adults. Due to the popularity of this program, there are two sessions–sign up for either 4:30 or 5:30 p.m.

Celebrate your inner Irish with this green sampler. Alyson Esposito will help you make a 12 by 12- inch design on cardstock with nine smaller squares of patterned paper. Some squares will have stamps or textured embossing. The center square will be embellished with a green shamrock. All supplies provided. Each class is limited to eight participants.

Art Class for Kids—Printmaking

Saturday, March 14, 11 to noon. Please bring $5 supply fee to class. Registration required. For ages 7 to 12. Presented by Kaley McHale.

Explore printmaking through creating beautiful collagraph prints.

Homeschool Tech Class

Monday, March 16, 1 to 2p.m. Free. Registration preferred. For middle and high school students.

Tech Librarian Pete Schult covers a new topic each month, such as library databases, online research, internet safety, and more.

Maxwell Library Board Meeting

Monday, March 16, 6 p.m.

The Board of Trustees meets on the third Monday of each month unless stated otherwise. The public is welcome to attend. The agenda is posted online one week before. If you are interested in serving on Maxwell’s board, please fill out a simple form (available on the library’s website) and mail it to

Attention: Board of Trustees, Maxwell Memorial Library, 14 Genesee Street, Camillus, New York 13031. New members are welcome!

Genealogy Roundtable

Wednesday, March 18, 1 to 3p.m. Finding the FAN Club (Cluster Genealogy). Free. Registration preferred.

Join genealogist Amanda Perrine for Maxwell’s monthly Genealogy Roundtable. People 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. This month, learn how to use the historical records of friends, associates, and neighbors of your research target to fill in knowledge gaps when no other documents can be found.

PAWS of CNY Reading Dog Visit

Wednesday, March 18, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Free. 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.

Revisiting the Founding Era: The Musical

Thursday, March 19, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Free. Registration preferred. For teens in grades 8-12.

Join Sarah Stegeman, Doctoral Candidate of History from SU, in this interactive program about our history. Loved Hamilton? How would you create the next big hit based on the early years of our country? Working from original sources (provided), pitch your idea for a play, musical, song, dance routine, even video game! Sarah will do a short, 20 minutes or less, talk about why we declared our independence and discuss some original source documents. Working in small groups, the teens will pick a document that stands out to them. Each group will discuss how they would sell the document to a modern audience and how they would create the next big hit. The groups will then pitch their ideas to Sarah, the entire group, and a library staff member.

Revisiting the Founding Era is a three-year national initiative of The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, presented in partnership with the American Library Association and the National Constitution Center, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The grant provides 100 public libraries across the country the opportunity to use historical documents to spark public conversations about the Founding Era’s enduring ideas and themes and how they continue to influence our lives today. Maxwell Library is the recipient of one of these grants and is offering several related programs this spring for adults and teens.

Between the Lines Book Club

Monday, March 23, 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, Affinity Konar’s “Mischling,” and reading guides are available at the desk. Everyone is welcome.

Safe Place to Game

Wednesday, March 25, 4 to 6 p.m. Free. Registration preferred. For ages 7 to 18.

Safe Place to Game is a community program presented by TCGplayer where students and families can learn and play trading card games like Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering.

Junior Journaling Club

Wednesday, March 25, 5 to 6p.m. Free. Registration preferred. For ages 10-13.

Maxwell’s journaling club for tweens provides the time and space for young writers to collect and express their thoughts, feelings, and creativity in a written format. Youth Services Librarian Melissa leads the group from 5 to 6 PM on the fourth Wednesday of the month and sets aside a quiet area from 6 to 7:30 p.m. for journalers to drop in or stay later. Bring your own writing materials or use those provided by the library.

Tech Class—Ebooks, Eaudio, Emedia

Thursday, March 26, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Free. Registration preferred. You may bring your personal laptop, tablet, or phone.

Maxwell subscribes to two services for ebooks and other electronic media that patrons can check out. Come to March’s technology program with Tech Librarian Pete Schult to learn how to use them and get them onto your devices.

Dungeons and Dragons

Saturday, March 28, noon to 2:30 p.m.Free. Registration required as space is limited. For ages 13 and up.

Play the fantasy tabletop role-playing game. Beginners to experts are welcome, and you may bring your own game supplies.

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, March 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, and 30, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.

Babies and young children learn through a variety of language and social experiences (reading, talking, singing and playing). Children birth to 3 years old and their favorite adult are invited to come for this fun story time filled with stories, songs, nursery rhymes, and child-centered socializing designed to develop early literacy and learning skills.

Sally’s Story Time, for preschoolers ages 3 to 5.

Tuesdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31, 10:30 to 11 a.m.

Children ages 3 to 5 are invited to share stories and social experiences that support the development of early literacy/learning skills and help prepare for learning school appropriate behavior.

Tuesday Crafternoons

Tuesdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31, 3:30 to 7 p.m. For children ages 3 to 10.

Drop in at Maxwell to make the week’s planned craft or one of your own choosing. March 3— Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday with a fun Thing 1 and Thing 2 craft; March 10—End-of-the-rainbow craft; March 17—shamrock wreath; March 24—welcome spring with a paper plate flower craft; March 31—superhero paper bag puppet.

LEGO Free Play

Thursdays, March 5, 12, 19, and 26, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free. No registration. For ages 3-18.

Spark your creativity using the thousands of LEGO bricks at the library. Build from your own imagination or show what you can do with a suggested theme. Creations will be displayed in the children’s section until it’s time for the bricks to be used for another masterpiece.

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!

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. 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 as space permits. You may call the Center at 315-672-3163 or 315-672-5820 for more information.

Library patrons may now borrow one of three OCPL Tech Backpacks from Maxwell. Each kit contains an HP Chromebook and charger, a Verizon hotspot and charger, and a quick start guide for using the equipment. For more information on lending procedures and equipment specifications, see Maxwell’s website or ask at the circulation desk.

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.

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. 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.

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