Goshen Public Library & Historical Society | 203 Main St Goshen, NY 10924 | Phone: 845.294.6606 | Fax: 845.294.7158 | RCLS Member
Adult summer reading club returns!
By admin | June 20, 2008
Change Your World @ Your Library Adult Summer Reading Program
Goshen Public Library adult patrons, ages 17 and older, are invited to participate in the free 2008 Summer Reading Program – Change Your World @ Your Library. In-person registration is open to Goshen Public Library patrons only and is limited to 100 participants. Registration takes place from June 23-July 3.
Each participant will receive a club packet. A total of five report cards can be obtained by reading, watching or listening to different parts of the Library’s collection. We are asking you to:
- Read one fiction title.
- Read one nonfiction title.
- Read one biography
- Watch one DVD or video (fiction, nonfiction or biography).
- Listen to one audio book (fiction, nonfiction or biography).
When you’ve read, viewed or listened to each of these items, hand in your report cards at the Circulation Desk to receive incentives and be entered in our drawings for five grand prizes.
Participants have until Friday, August 8, to hand in their report cards. Be sure to read, watch and listen to all five required materials for more chances to win prizes. The reading contest begins July 7 and ends August 8. Winners will be notified on Monday, August 11.
Adult Programs
Admission is free to all programs. Registration begins June 23
and is limited to 13 participants per program.
Change Your World @ Your Library: Transforming Trash to Treasure Craft Program
Join Eileen Stelljes to transform a recycled glass jar by decorating it with a beaded ring or two of your own design. Add other decorative elements, then insert the provided tea-light, and get ready to add a decorative glow to your garden, patio or porch. Bring needled- nosed pliers and small wire cutters, if available. 6:30-7:45 p.m. July 9 in the Meeting Room.
Change Your World @ Your Library: Getting Out of the Stress Mess
Dr. Judith Rosner will teach you to identify the stress in your life and cut it down to size quickly. 7-8:30 p.m. July 23 in the Meeting Room.
Change Your World @ Your Library: Changing Technology - HDTV Conversion
On Feb. 17, federal law requires all full-power television broadcast stations stop broadcasting in analog format and broadcast only in digital format. Staff from Best Buy will discuss what you need to know for the conversion. 6:30-7:45 p.m. July 30 in the Meeting Room.
Change Your World @ Your Library: Changing Climate Part I - An Inconvenient Truth
Join us for a viewing of Al Gore’s controversial documentary about global warming, An Inconvenient Truth. 6-7:45 p.m. August 6 in the Meeting Room.
Change Your World @ Your Library: Changing Climate Part 2 - What Does It Mean?
Michele Scarano, meteorologist from Time Warner Cable 6, will talk about climate change and its effects. 6:30-7:45 p.m. August 7 in the Meeting Room.
Change Your World @ Your Library: Changing Your Community by Getting Involved
A community involvement fair will be held to give residents an idea of the volunteer opportunities available in Goshen. Meet representatives from municipal and nonprofit organizations to discuss what you can do to help. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. August 8 on the Library Lawn.
The Times They Are A-Changin’ Trivia Contest
Use Library resources to answer a 20-question quiz about “change.” The first 25 entry sheets with all the correct answers will win a prize. Pick up your entry sheet July 7, and return by August 6. Winners will be announced August 8.
Shutterbug Photography Contest
Grades K and up
Ongoing July 7-25
Shutterbugs, dig out your cameras and go on a photo safari! Beetles, spiders, ladybugs, and caterpillars are just waiting for you to find them and shoot their pictures. If you can’t find a live bug, well, take a picture of a fake one! Or dress up your baby brother or sister or family dog as one and catch them on film! Let your imagination soar - the possibilities are endless! See photography contest rules for details. Photos will be on display at the library July 28 through August 1. Judging will take place on August 4. Prizes will be awarded in four categories: Grades K-2, Grades 3-6, Grades 7-12, and ages 18 and up.
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It’s never too early … for summer reading!
By admin | March 3, 2008
It’s not quite spring (although goodness knows, I for one am ready for it) and Goshen Public Library and Historical Society is getting ready to host its second annual Summer Reading Club for adults. The theme is Metamorphosis @ Your Library, and we’re planning activities and prizes similar to those of last summer.
The Metamorphosis @ Your Library theme will focus on changes - changing inside, changing outside, changing things, changing technology, changing times, and more.
Keep an eye out for information here and in our newsletter.
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National Endowment for the Arts Announces New Reading Study
By admin | November 20, 2007
Follow-up to Reading at Risk links declines in reading with poorer academic and social outcomes
November 19, 2007
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Washington, DC — Today, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announces the release of To Read or Not To Read: A Question of National Consequence, a new and comprehensive analysis of reading patterns in the United States. To Read or Not To Read gathers statistics from more than 40 studies on the reading habits and skills of children, teenagers, and adults. The compendium reveals recent declines in voluntary reading and test scores alike, exposing trends that have severe consequences for American society.
“The new NEA study is the first to bring together reliable, nationally representative data, including everything the federal government knows about reading,” said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia. “This study shows the startling declines, in how much and how well Americans read, that are adversely affecting this country’s culture, economy, and civic life as well as our children’s educational achievement.”
To Read or Not To Read expands the investigation of the NEA’s landmark 2004 report, Reading at Risk. While that report focused mainly on literary reading trends, To Read or Not To Read looks at all varieties of reading, including fiction and nonfiction genres in various formats such as books, magazines, newspapers, and online reading. Whereas the earlier report assessed reading among adults age 18 and older, To Read or Not To Read analyzes reading trends for youth and adults, and readers of various education levels. To Read or Not To Read is unique for its consideration of reading habits alongside other behaviors and related outcomes including academic achievement, employment, and community involvement.
Among the key findings:
Americans are reading less - teens and young adults read less often and for shorter amounts of time compared with other age groups and with Americans of previous years.
- Less than one-third of 13-year-olds are daily readers, a 14 percent decline from 20 years earlier. Among 17-year-olds, the percentage of non-readers doubled over a 20-year period, from nine percent in 1984 to 19 percent in 2004.1
- On average, Americans ages 15 to 24 spend almost two hours a day watching TV, and only seven minutes of their daily leisure time on reading.2
Americans are reading less well – reading scores continue to worsen, especially among teenagers and young males. By contrast, the average reading score of 9-year-olds has improved.
- Reading scores for 12th-grade readers fell significantly from 1992 to 2005, with the sharpest declines among lower-level readers.3
- 2005 reading scores for male 12th-graders are 13 points lower than for female 12th-graders, and that gender gap has widened since 1992.4
- Reading scores for American adults of almost all education levels have deteriorated, notably among the best-educated groups. From 1992 to 2003, the percentage of adults with graduate school experience who were rated proficient in prose reading dropped by 10 points, a 20 percent rate of decline.5
The declines in reading have civic, social, and economic implications – Advanced readers accrue personal, professional, and social advantages. Deficient readers run higher risks of failure in all three areas.
- Nearly two-thirds of employers ranked reading comprehension “very important” for high school graduates. Yet 38 percent consider most high school graduates deficient in this basic skill.6
- American 15-year-olds ranked fifteenth in average reading scores for 31 industrialized nations, behind Poland, Korea, France, and Canada, among others.7
- Literary readers are more likely than non-readers to engage in positive civic and individual activities – such as volunteering, attending sports or cultural events, and exercising.8
“This report shows striking statistical links between reading, advanced reading skills, and other individual and social benefits,” said Sunil Iyengar, NEA Director of Research and Analysis. “To Read or Not to Read compels us to consider more carefully how we spend our time, since those choices affect us individually and collectively.”
While no single government agency or entity can solve the problem of declining reading rates, the NEA national reading program, the Big Read, is one response to these findings. The Big Read is designed to restore reading to the center of American culture by providing citizens with the opportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities. In 2007, nearly 200 communities nationwide are participating in the Big Read, reading one of 12 classic American novels such as Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. For more information, visit www.neabigread.org.
To Read or Not To Read assembled data on reading trends from more than 40 sources, including federal agencies, universities, foundations, and associations. Primary sources include the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, the University of Indiana, Bloomington, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
NEA Office of Research and Analysis
The NEA Research Division issues periodic research reports and briefs on significant topics affecting artists and arts organizations. To Read or Not to Read is available in print and electronic form in the Publications section of the NEA website, www.arts.gov.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the largest national funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases.
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1. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
2. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey (2006)
3. U.S. Department of Education, NCES, The Nation’s Report Card: Reading 2005
4. U.S. Department of Education, NCES, The Nation’s Report Card: Reading 2005
5. U.S Department of Education, NCES, National Assessment of Adult Literacy (2007)
6. The Conference Board, Are They Really Ready to Work? (2006)
7. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Learning for Tomorrow’s World: First Results from PISA 2003
8. National Endowment for the Arts, The Arts and Civic Engagement: Involved in Arts, Involved in Life (2006)
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Coming soon: Two new services at Goshen Public Library
By admin | September 11, 2007
The Goshen Public Library and Historical Society Support Services Department will offer a DVD/CD repair service to patrons and other libraries, starting September 17.
We will provide this service to patrons for their personal collections and other libraries. Patrons will drop off their discs at the Circulation Desk. Staff will clean them and have them ready for pickup within a week. Other libraries may send them through the RCLS transit system or by mail.
The Library assumes no responsibility for damage to the disc or for loss of content. The Library does not guarantee the disc cleaning will be able to repair all discs.
In October, the Library will offer a museum passes program to
For more information about these services, please call Lisa Hewel at 294-6606, Ext. 21.
Passes must be returned directly to Goshen Public Library. A $5 a day late fee will be assessed. Museum passes will not be available for renewal.
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The Smartest Card is @ your library®: Get it, use it at Goshen Public Library
By admin | August 29, 2007
September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and the (name of your library) wants to make sure that your child is among the two-thirds of Americans that carry the smartest card of all – a library card.
Studies show that children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are more likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifetime learning.
I say, “A library card has always been the most important school supply of all.
“Kids can come to the library to get homework help and check out books, but they can also check out free music, DVDs and use the Internet to make after school life a little more fun. There’s a lot happening at Goshen Public Library.”
A recent study by the American Library Association also showed that families use libraries to spend time together. Forty-four percent of survey respondents report taking their children to the library for this reason.
Library Card Sign–up Month began in 1987.
For more information on how you can sign up for your library card, visit Goshen Public Library at 203 Main Street, call 294-6606 or see the library’s Web site at goshenpubliclibrary.org.
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If one in four read no book last year, how many in four did?
By admin | August 21, 2007
According to today’s article by Associated Press writer Alan Fram (who wrote for the Times Herald-Record back in 1977-78):
“One in four adults read no books at all in the past year, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released Tuesday. Of those who did read, women and older people were most avid, and religious works and popular fiction were the top choices.
“The survey reveals a nation whose book readers, on the whole, can hardly be called ravenous. The typical person claimed to have read four books in the last year — half read more and half read fewer. Excluding those who hadn’t read any, the usual number read was seven.”
So I wonder, if one in four read no book last year, how many in four read at least one book? Wouldn’t it be three?
In his article, Fram tells how the publishing industry reports disappointing sales. However, does he realize how many people DON’T buy books, but rather obtain them for free by borrowing them from their local public library or library system? Also, there’s no accounting for the number of audio books or audio book downloads “listened” to and e-books read.
Goshen Public Library checked out thousands of books last year to people from all over the Ramapo Catskill Library System (Orange, Sullivan, Rockland and part of Ulster counties) who either came right to 203 Main Street to borrow or requested books be sent to them in their home libraries. Every other library in RCLS experienced the same phenomenon: People checked out books from Fallsburg to Florida to Finkelstein (Spring Valley) or requested books provided by Nyack, Newburgh and Narrowsburg. In fact, many books came from libraries all over the country.
I’m disappointed in the negative slant toward readers in this story. If only the newspaper industry were enjoying the popularity libraries in the United States continue to enjoy.
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Adult SRC results are in!
By admin | August 13, 2007
The Summer Sleuthing @ Your Library adult summer reading club officially ended Saturday, August 11.
Although 100 patrons registered for the program, only 39 people actively participated in the reading contest.
Those 39 people read a total of 133 books. The breakdown is as follows: 32 fiction, 30 nonfiction, 23 biography, 23 audio book, 25 DVD/video. Also, 16 people completed all five requests, two people completed four, 21 people completed three, 20 people completed two, and four people completed one.
The participants successfully completing all five requests are Holly Decker-Perry, Maureen Farrell, Debbie Fitzpatrick, Mary Ford, Nancy Frenette, Richard Graham, Heather Larsen, Kathy Kragh-McBride, Kristen Moses-Westphal, Linda Pedersen, Jennifer Simms, Marie Sullivan, Jane Tiller, Elizabeth Webers, Christina Weiss and Rachel Zirilli. Christine Banuls and Tiffany Milidantri completed four out of five requests.
Winners of the grand prize drawing are as follows: fiction book tote bag - Kelly O’Toole; nonfiction games box - Elma Siljhovic; biography book/DVD tote - Louise Ennesser; audio book relaxation basket - Kristin Moses-Westphal; and DVD movie bucket - Jennifer Simms.
Also, Marie Sullivan was the winner of a calculator in the Goshen Public Library Magical Mystery Tour.
Thank you to all the participants in our reading contest, and to those who attended our lectures and programs.
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State of the library facts and figures
By admin | August 1, 2007
In a time when we continue to hear the future of libraries is in jeopardy because of the Internet, it’s nice to know the so-called experts who make these predictions can eat their words.
Here are the facts:
How many libraries are there in the
All together, there are an estimated 117,378 libraries of all kinds in the
What are the biggest libraries in the
Public and academic libraries have certainly been getting larger in size, multiplying in square footage in both new buildings and renovations. However, the size ranking takes into account the number of volumes in these libraries. A volume is similar in meaning to a book, in that it means a single unit of work. Listed below are the Top Ten Libraries in the
10.
9. Public Library of
8.
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1. Library of Congress – 30,011,748 volumes
How many people visit libraries?
Libraries are used now more than ever in this age of Internet. Ten years after some experts predicted the demise of the nation’s system of libraries as a result of the Internet explosion, the most current national data on library use shows that the exact opposite has happened. Data indicates the number of visits to public libraries in the
How man people work in libraries in the
There are an estimated 150,000 professional librarians in the
How much does it cost to run a library? How are public libraries funded?
There is a widespread belief public libraries are funded mostly by the
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Don’t plan your summer vacation without GPLHS!
By admin | July 30, 2007
For those of you lucky enough to head to the beach this summer … I’m jealous! Whether you’re heading to the Jersey Shore, the Hamptons or Montauk, Ocean City, or beyond, be sure to bring along your favorite reading material.
Children’s Services has a treat for all of you parents who want to keep the kids occupied if rainy weather turns a trip to the sand sour. The Book a Trip service lets you tell us when you’re going on vacation and for how long. The staff will pack up a bag of reading materials, DVDs or videos to keep your family vacation from becoming boring.
Adults tend to be a little bit more finicky when it comes to our reading choices, but have you ever tried to concentrate on reading a juicy novel when there is too much sun or too many people around your beach blanket? If so, try listening to an audio book - we have many of the current best sellers available on CD or cassette, and even on Playaway.
What is a Playaway? Playaways are the first self-playing digital audio books. Each Playaway contains the entire book, no matter what the length. If you have a headset and a AAA battery, you’re good to go.
Goshen Public Library has a great collection of Playaways for you to check out and take on vacation, or listen to at any time.
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Adult summer reading: It’s not over ’til it’s over
By admin | July 23, 2007
The Summer Sleuthing @ Your Library adult summer reading club still has a few weeks of activities left. Check out our online event calendar for the remaining Wednesday lectures and Thursday night movies.
The Goshen Public Library Magical Mystery Tour continues through August 8. Come in and register for the contest. You’ll need to use our Web site to answer the 20 questions. For those guessing the most correct answers, there will be a prize.
If you’re one of the lucky 100 Goshen Public Library patrons who registered for the reading contest, you have until August 10 to turn in your “evidence” cards and grab some small prizes. When you turn in your “evidence” cards, you’ll also be entered into drawings for five themed baskets.
The smaller prizes include a Summer Sleuthing @ Your Library bookmark (designed by our very own Jaemi Kehoe) for fiction, a Goshen Public Library logo notepad for nonfiction, a twin pack of delicious
We’ve been very fortunate to get prize donations from local merchants, including Harmony Salon, Ask Tamara, Chester 6 Cinemas and the New York Renaissance Festival. Gift certificates and free tickets from these area businesses are among the items you’ll find if you win one of the baskets. The more you read, the better chances you have at winning a fabulous prize.
Some of the prizes in our themed baskets are:
Fiction – Mystery best-seller bag: a tote bag and five current best sellers
Nonfiction – Mystery games set: games, candy and four student admissions to the New York Renaissance Festival
Biography – Agatha Christie bag: a book, DVDs and an Ask Tamara gift certificate
Audio books – Relaxation basket: chocolates, books and a gift certificate for a manicure from Harmony Salon
DVD/Video – Mystery movie basket: DVD, candy, popcorn and two free admissions to Chester 6 Cinemas
Who will win the baskets is a mystery to us, but we’ll announce our winners on Monday, August 13.
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