Tag: upstate new york

August 21st Starting at 7pm…

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Free hot dogs (thanks to Stewart’s), and free ice cream (thanks to Stewart’s) starting at 7–come hungry!

We’re also grateful to have a free demonstration of a K9 unit (thanks to our amazing NY State Troopers)–if you want to know more about what it takes to be a police officer or state trooper, come and meet Trooper Jones and his furry partner, Semy! They’ll start their talk and demonstration at 7:30pm.

When they’re finished, you can meet Semy and then do some dinosaur- and dragon-themed activities while we wait for it to get dark enough to start the movies.

We’ll be watching RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON and then HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. It’s going to be a great night and a wonderful way to wrap up a summer filled with reading and learning and doing fun things related to our “Tails and Tales” animal theme!

Come get your free tickets now at the library!

Looking Back on the Start of Summer and the Meaning of Libraries

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This summer’s start has been like no other, with moments of remembrance and goodbye, of joy, of learning, creating, meeting, and planting good things with the faith that the future can always be brighter, that opportunities should not be missed, and life is sweetest when community comes together.

People accidentally pigeonhole libraries and what they mean to communities–people who have yet to find the joy in reading sometimes overlook the other ways libraries benefit citizens. Libraries are that often polite, frequently soft-spoken, too readily forgotten community resource.

Above: Well-loved volunteer Irma Ouimet’s library memorial.

Libraries offer education and entertainment, community and a sense of connection. Libraries provide resources and connections for everyone: a man calling from California looking for more clues to the branches of his family tree, a child who best communicates when creating art, the would-be author, the organization seeking new volunteers, a person seeking a meaningful job, the people who want to give back to their community, people who want to be more connected to the neighbors they’ve lived beside for decades but never really gotten to know.

“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”


-Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist 

Libraries offer something for everyone, regardless of age, creed, or other physical trappings or affiliations. Libraries are, by design, meant to encourage education and increase the understanding and strength of a democracy. Rich or poor, old or young, you can be a member of a library.

We want YOU to benefit from all the great things YOUR little but lively library offers. Give yourself that gift.

You deserve good things (and libraries ARE good things).


“Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve, and contribute to improving our quality of life.”

-Sidney Sheldon, author

Spend a Summer Saturday in Otego, New York

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❤️ Spend a Summer Saturday in Otego, NY…❤️


Head to Otsdawa Berry right after dawn for some early morning blueberry picking. It’s beautiful and the fruits of your labors are sure to be sweet!


Pop into the village and over to Muddy River Dairy at the far end of Main Street for raw milk, fresh eggs, produce, and baked goods.


Need canned goods, paper goods, or other staples? Maybe sunscreen or an umbrella–you never know right now what the weather’s fixin’ to do, but, luckily, Dollar General is right down the road!


Next in line is Trollbok Farm Store & Eatery –if you haven’t stopped in to check out their delicious baked goods and organic produce, or taken a look at the local artists and crafters’ work, you should! They’re even carrying bread from Five Kids Bakehouse !


Now head to the Harris Memorial Library (yes, that’s us!) for Coffee Klatsch on the porch. Say a friendly “hey” to your neighbors–make a friend or two and have some coffee and snacks. Borrow a book or some magazines–you’ll want them later. 😉 And if you’re reading this before August 21st, get your free movie tickets for library patrons.


But wait, there’s more! Looking for beautiful jewelry or needing a repair to something precious, give a call to the The Silversmith & Goldsmith out on Secor Road and make an appointment.


Head back into town and enjoy browsing the beautiful selection of crystals, stones, books, tarot cards, and other amazing gifts at Sun, Moon and Earth. Say hi to Melissa and Peter–they’re lovely!


Now, park your car somewhere along Main Street and head to the stoplight (yes, there’s only one in town), admire the old Elementary School (now Otsego Christian Academy), step across the street, and stroll along, reading the library’s StoryWalk and using your smartphone to access the extras with our QR codes!


If you’ve now worked up an appetite for lunch–great!–get ready for barbecue–head on down to The O at 112, then grab your car again and head out of the village towards Oneonta to get ice cream at Sprinkles n’ Cream while dreaming about a fresh tree for Christmas from Lundin’s Tree Farm –it’s always good to plan in advance!


If it’s still before 2pm, stop by the Otego Historical Association and learn a little about local history!


Now we’ve filled you up with good food and great information, head to the Otego Pool to burn some of those calories off (or revel in adding them) while sunbathing–your choice! You can also shoot some hoops nearby or take a walk–enjoy! Sit under a tree and read that book you borrowed from the library. Just enjoy letting the world pass you by.


If it’s dinner time, head on over to Rubera’s Restaurant, have some yummy Italian food and meet the charming owners, Franco and Rosie.


If it’s Saturday August 21st or earlier, bring those free double-feature movie tickets you got at Coffee Klatsch around to the library’s backyard at 8pm. Spread out a blanket or open your lawn chairs, play lawn games, do artsy activities, and watch two themed feature films (and enjoy some light refreshments). All free for library patrons. And becoming a patron is free, too. ❤️ Check out the movie listing link here.


At day’s end head on home, knowing you got to enjoy some of what makes small town America lovely: a beautiful setting, and wonderful, creative, and kind citizens.

Summer Saturday Movie Line-Up Announced!

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We just got our official permissions for our Summer Saturday Movie Nights!!! This year’s Summer Reading Program theme is “Tales and Tails”–so animals (real and imaginary) figure into a lot of the summer’s planning.

Movies will be shown in the library’s backyard, tickets will required (you can get them in advance at the library with your Harris Memorial Library card) and we suggest you bring a blanket to spread out, or lawn chairs, and probably some anti-mosquito stuff, too.

July 24th: Party Like a Princess, starting at 8pm

We are kicking things off with a “Princess” theme on July 24th. Before the first movie starts, we will have an activity or two that relate to the theme like decorating unicorn masks, paper crowns, and playing “Pin the Kiss on the Frog.” There will be snacks. If our Summer Saturday Movie Nights are beginning to sound a little bit like parties…that’s because they are. Last year was hard on everyone (we lost 3 patrons during the pandemic–and we’re a small library!) and because everyone’s doing their best to keep each other safe, healthy, and happy we want to celebrate the good things with our library patrons.

BUT. Seating is limited (yes, even outside) due to our movie contract, and activity supplies are limited, too, so please get your tickets from the library ASAP.

The 1st movie will be The Princess and the Frog (Disney, 2009, rated G), a fresh interpretation of the classic fairy tale. Watch the trailer here. “In this wondrous animated adventure, a prince is transformed into a frog and accidentally curses a beautiful princess with an amphibian form as well when he kisses her in an attempt to break the spell. The two then go on a wild journey through the bayous of Louisiana in hopes of finding a voodoo priestess who may be able to restore their true forms.”

The 2nd movie will be The Princess Bride (Twentieth Century Fox, 1987, rated PG), based on the novel by the same name. Watch the trailer here. “In this delightfully fractured tale, a grandfather reads a story about a beautiful young woman named Buttercup to his bored grandson. Then, the audience is magically transported into the tale, complete with villains, creepy creatures, and a love story.” This is a witty, snarky classic full of sword fights, friendships, and adventure. There are some darker themes (including death, loss, and revenge), so the PG rating is accurate.

If you don’t feel your young one(s) will do well with it, feel free to come for the activities, snacks, and the first movie, and then head home. We want you all to be comfy and happy!

July 31st: Embrace Strange Stories, starting at 8pm

We’ll be playing lawn games and will start the evening with Babe (Universal Pictures, 1995, G). Think of it as a differently-styled Charlotte’s Web. Watch the trailer here. “After being separated from his family, a young pig learns to herd sheep in an effort to save his own life.” This is a heartwarming story of how life can surprise you.

Over the Hedge (Universal Pictures, 2006, PG), “Delightful animated comedy about a crafty racoon who tricks his fellow forest creatures into helping him replace the food he stole from a mean bear.” Watch the trailer here.

August 7: Enjoy Some Silliness, starts at 8pm (Cancelled due to lack of ticket pick-up)

We’ll kick the night off with some activities including making construction paper Chinese lanterns, learning to use chopsticks, playing “Pin the Cookie on Po,” and maybe “Master Shifu Says.”

The 1st movie will be Kung Fu Panda (Universal Pictures, 2008, PG), “Jack Black voices Po, a portly panda who dreams of escaping the family noodle shop for a life of protecting the downtrodden with his paws of fury. Po’s chance comes when Master Oogway declares him the Dragon Warrior, destined to defeat the evil Tai Lung. Now he just has to learn to fight before Tai Lung arrives.” Watch the trailer here.

Ice Age (Twentieth Century Fox, 2002, PG) will be our 2nd movie of the night. “Prehistoric animals find a baby and attempt to reunite him with his tribe. Best Animated Feature nominee.”

August 14: Go Seaside during Shark Week!, starting 8pm

It’s Shark Week and we’re doing some fun and fishy activities before the night’s movies start! Our 1st movie will be Finding Nemo (Disney Pixar, 2003, G), “A clown fish searches for his missing son in this animated adventure, the winner of an Oscar for Best Animated Feature.” Watch the trailer here.

Our 2nd movie will be Moana (Walt Disney Pictures, 2016, PG), “From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping CG-animated feature about an adventurous teenager who is inspired to leave the safety and security of her island on a daring journey to save her people.” Watch the trailer here.

August 21st: Dragon and Dinosaur Blast!, starting at 8pm

We started the summer partying like princesses, so we felt it was only right to wrap things up with some dragon tails…erm…tales. We’re going to do some great dinosaur- and dragon-related activities before the 1st movie starts, so make sure you’re on time and ready for fun!

Our 1st movie will be the recent release Raya and the Last Dragon (Walt Disney Pictures, 2021, PG), “A warrior named Raya is eager to discover the last dragon living in a realm called Lumandra.” Watch the trailer here.

Our 2nd movie will be How to Train Your Dragon (Universal Pictures, 2010, PG), “The son of a viking chief must capture a dragon in order to mark his passage into manhood and prove his worthiness to the tribe.” Watch the trailer here. Based on the popular series of novels.

If we get good turnout for these events, we’ll strongly consider doing similar things next summer, too.

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Santa Visits for the 2nd Annual Stuffed Animal Slumber Party!

That’s right, Santa Claus is coming to town! He’s let his beard grow out a bit and has rested up since this picture–he looks much younger, but he’s going to be coming for story and cookies, and PICTURES! Children can bring a favorite stuffed animal to join in the celebration and then leave their stuffed animal for a stuffed animals-only sleepover party in the library! Shannon and Anne will get photos of their adventures to share when children come back to the library Saturday to pick up their stuffed animals. You must RSVP by either reaching out on Facebook or leaving a message at 988-6661.

Saturday’s the Annual Otego Tree Lighting!

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Everyone’s invited to this wonderful Otego tradition!

Saturday evening, December 7th at 6pm, bring a canned good for the food pantry and  join other members of our community at the Firehouse for hot cocoa and cookies (cookies are again thanks to Rubera’s) and then walk down to the library via our historic Main Street for the tree lighting ceremony and caroling in the neighborhood. This is just one more of the many things that makes communities like ours so special–don’t miss out! Special thanks to Chad Angellotti and all of the Otego Community Engagement Committee members for all the hard work they do to help keep Otego awesome!

Do you want to help Otego build a continuing sense of kindness and community? Find Chad or the group on Facebook and see how YOU can give back and help make memories in our little bit of classic small town America!

Local Author Panel this Saturday 1-3pm!

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This Saturday–November 16th–from 1pm-3pm we are hosting a great panel of local authors!

We’ll have Alice Lichtenstein (The Genius of the World, Lost, and The Crime of Being), Deborah Blake (The Baba Yaga series, The Broken Rider series, and 11 books on modern witchcraft), and Dennis Fowler (Earth’s Song).

Audience members will be able to ask authors questions about the writing and publishing process and purchase books directly from the authors–and have them signed! A great event for readers, would-be writers and other creatives, and right on time for the holiday shopping season!

                           

Deborah Blake                                           Alice Lichtenstein                                                         Dennis Fowler

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NY Shadow Chasers Lecture on the Paranormal

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to investigate the paranormal? With books, television shows, movies and the like covering paranormal stories there’s obviously a lot of curiosity. Come get your questions answered as the New York Shadow Chasers team talks about how they do what they do and teach you the basics (and show you some of their cool technology)! You MUST get your tickets in advance for BOTH the lecture (starting at $6) AND the investigation IF you want to be part of the investigation. Lecture tickets are for a donation of $5, and investigation tickets are for a donation of $15. Tickets are limited and available on a first-come-first-serve basis.