Friends

Library supporters all over the state are telling the NYS Legislature to reject the $2.4 million cut in Library Aid Governor David Paterson is proposing in the 2010-2011 Executive Budget.

This will be the fifth cut in less than two years and will bring statewide Library Aid down from $102 million in 2007 to $84.5 million in 2010. These cuts combined total an $18 million or 18% reduction in funding for library services. Libraries are part of the community safety net—they are essential to life-long learning, jobs and opportunity, quality of life and community empowerment.

If you agree, do your part and take action!

We had a great time on Sunday with blues-folk, singer-guitarists Eric Erkkinen and John Dermont.  Friends of the Library hosted this special event which followed their quarterly membership meeting. Thirty guests enjoyed the musicians and refreshments by the fire. Be sure to catch their next gig in Schenectady at the Moon and River Cafe on Friday, Feb 12 at 8:00 p.m.

While Friends of the Library are not accepting book donations at this time, Kinderhook Memorial Library is a drop-off site for gently used children's books to support The United through Reading Military Program book drive. This program provides a donated children's book and a DVD to a deployed service parent who reads the book while being filmed.

Many of the Friends of the Library are concerned about the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti and have been urging us to get involved.