Dear Volunteer,

On behalf of the Friends of the Kingston Library (FoKL) we wish you all a safe and

healthy holiday season!

As the year draws to a close, FoKL looks back at a transitional year for the

Kingston Library. We want to share with you how we mobilized to enhance our beloved

community center, thanks to your dedication, commitment and contributions.

This year:

In our temporary space at the Cioni Building on Crown Street we connected with

diverse audiences and patrons, and THANKS TO YOU were able to offer these

important opportunities to the community.

⇒ Funded the Lego Club: a popular, ongoing program with Children’s Librarian Mr.

Alex for 5-12 year old patrons! They were the youngest designers and engineers to

build whatever they imagined. What a delightful STEM* program!

⇒ Supported teens participating in TAG (The Teen Action Group): working together

this summer, shaping services and community initiatives to benefit themselves and

peers, and contributing to causes important to them.

⇒ Sponsored adult and community events: A Night at the Library, a wildly successful

program with Full Moon Paranormal, Movies with Spirit, and the grand opening

celebration at our temporary space in the Cioni Building.

⇒ Paid for training and development opportunities for staff members and staff

appreciation events.

FoKL is delighted to forge relationships with our neighbors, like the Kingston Uptown

Business Association (KUBA) and others; ensuring commitment to our community

and highlighting the mission of Kingston Library.

As we look ahead to 2025:

The Kingston Library is dedicated to meeting the dynamic needs of our community.

Through innovative programming for children and adults, vital resources for students,

job seekers, and researchers, efforts to reach underserved populations and expanding

our library collections. Friends of Kingston Library remains steadfast in its role to

enhance and support this vision. Before long, we’ll return home to Franklin Street to

embark on the next chapter of our evolving mission.

The Kingston Library is more than just a collection of books; it’s a hub of

opportunity.

As we approach the end of this remarkable year, we invite you to be part of the next

chapter of Kingston Library’s story. Your support will continue our mission of providing a

world- class library for our community. 

Here are some ways you can contribute:

• Make a Generous Donation: Your financial support is crucial for ensuring our library’s ongoing success. Click here to donate online or send a check directly to the Friends of Kingston Library.

• Volunteer: Your time and skills can make a meaningful impact. We need your skills and community dedication!

• Join the Friends: If you are not already a member, consider joining the Friends of Kingston Library to stay informed and play an active role in shaping the library’s future. Click here to join.

• Tell your friends, family, and neighbors about the transformation at the Kingston Library. Follow on Facebook and share our quarterly newsletter.

With the support of the Friends of Kingston Library and our incredible community, we are building a library that will inspire pride and provide knowledge for generations to come. We’re excited to share more updates with you in the coming year as the library renovation moves forward.

Thank you for your ongoing generosity and dedication!

Best wishes this holiday season,

Heather Ohlson

President, Friends of Kingston Library

P.S. The Friends of Kingston Library (FoKL) are just as the name says – friends of

the Kingston Library! We welcome you to join us to assist and enhance our work at

the Library. This 501 (C)(3) non-profit organization organizes events in support of

the library throughout the year.

To learn more about us please visit our website page.

Like and follow us on Facebook

Donation checks: Attn: FoKL 61 Crown St Kingston, NY 12401

*STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, is more than just a group of subjects. It’s a way of integrating these crucial areas into a wholistic approach to learning and problem-solving.

Personal Kingston Library Stories:

Arlene Puentes, Library Patron

I am a lifetime frequent library patron. I can't imagine who I'd be if it wasn't for public libraries.

So, onto my Kingston Library story. Before moving to Kingston my husband and I lived a block away from the 67th Street Library in Manhattan. We lived there for 8 years. Although I was a frequent patron nobody at the 67th Street Library ever noticed me or knew my name. When I moved to Kingston everyone at the Kingston Library greeted me with a smile and by name within two months. Within 8 months, I was on the library board.

Another story: About 30 years ago the Kingston Library desk clerk kindly waived my late fees when she noticed that I had a baby with me and was no longer pregnant. "Oh," she said, "I think that's a good enough excuse." This baby, Nicholas, grew up to work as a Kingston Library clerk.

=>Personal Kingston Library Stories: See YOUR name here!

We are still collecting people's experiences with the Kingston Library. It's such a personal relationship, and we want to celebrate it, with your help. Please send us an (up to) 300-word story on why you love your library, or an experience you had at the Kingston Library, and we'll feature as many as we can in our online edition! Libraries are meant to be shared, and so are your stories. Email your stories to fokl@friendsofkingstonlibrary.org Attn: My Story about Kingston Library.

Let’s explore our love for books, the library and our community together.

A Special "Thank You" to our Library Director

It was a lovely gathering at the Kingston Library on Friday, November 15th for friends, patrons, staff, board and Friends to gather for an informal recognition event sponsored by FoKL for the 20 years of service our library director, Margie Menard has provided to the community of Kingston.

Thank you, Margie!!!

New York lawmakers mull more protections for library, public workers

State lawmakers said ... they will work to draft a bill to strengthen privacy and protections for library and other public workers after a reported increase in threats or acts of aggression toward public servants. 

Watch the Spectrum Local News coverage here: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/politics/2024/10/21/

Author Kirsten Miller Has Some Advice for Fighting Book Bans: ‘Find Your Posse’

PEOPLE Magazine spoke with the author at the New York Celebration of Reading on November 20th, who published her latest novel Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books in June, noted that the book’s subject matter is on many people’s minds right now.

Read the full article:

Source: https://people.com/author-kirsten-miller-book-banning

Fellowship Point

Alice Elliott Dark’s Fellowship Point is a stunning and expansive novel that explores themes of land, stewardship, nature, and conservation. At its heart, however, it is a profound story of friendship spanning decades and the intricate complexities of women’s lives. Through the voices of two extraordinary narrators, the novel captures nearly a century of experience and change.

Agnes Lee and Polly Wister, now in their eighties, have been lifelong friends, their bond forged during childhood summers on the picturesque coast of Maine in the close-knit community of Fellowship Point. Despite their shared history, they are starkly different—Agnes, a fiercely independent and successful author who chose a life of solitude, and Polly, a devoted mother of three and a self-sacrificing wife to her demanding husband, Dick. As the story begins, the two friends come together to confront the future of Fellowship Point, grappling with questions of legacy, preservation, and the ties that bind them to their beloved community.

Expert perspectives on what kids need now



"Though librarians, educators, and other professionals who serve children and teens continuously strive towards equitable outcomes that help kids heal, grow, and flourish, it can be a challenge to settle upon small, actionable steps for moving forward. “Wonder Libraries: 20 Expert Perspectives on What Kids Need Now,” published by ALA Editions, shares a rainbow of ideas, initiatives, and activities for promoting joyful, supportive learning for every child. Editor Elizabeth M. McChesney gathers contributions from thought-leaders and advocates working with youth outside the realm of the public library, collecting their expertise, best practices, and recent research."

American Library Association

SOURCE: Expert perspectives on what kids need now | ALA

TIME Magazine: 100 Must Read Books of 2024



SOURCE: The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024 e 100Must-Read Books of 202

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

The monthly Friends of Kingston Library is scheduled every 2nd Tuesday December 10th, 6-7pm.

In person at the library or remote vis Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85020236289 

Meeting ID: 850 2023 6289

Passcode: 515727

FoKL volunteers are happy to present to community groups and businesses our message and mission in an effort to explore collaborative opportunities and underwriting opportunities for Kingston Library and FoKL events and efforts!

THANK YOU to the volunteers who compiled the information in this newsletter: Susan R., Erica F., Heather A., Denise H., and Heather O.

FoKL: Friends of Kingston Library

Temporary Address: 61 Crown St Kingston, NY 12401

FOLLOW US:

Your membership at any level ensures the mission of the Friends of the Kingston Library (FoKL) to “generate support for Library programs, to increase community awareness of the library, to encourage greater use of the library and its resources and to join with other Library advocacy groups for Library support in this region.”

As a member of the Kingston Library Friends Group, you directly impact our efforts and the positive benefits to our community. Your additional support by becoming involved with the Used Book Sale, fundraising projects, special events, helping with administrative efforts will aid in making sure we run smoothly. Our mission is possible only with the support of our community and dedicated contributors like you.

You make all the difference in making sure Kingston Library is so much more than books!

Make sure you complete the Membership Form application!

Perhaps your organization wants to underwrite or collaborate? Respond to this email!

CURRENT OFFICERS:

The Friends of the Kingston Library is an organization dedicated to improving library services in Kingston. Members of the Friends also promote public use of the Kingston Library and appreciation of its value as a cultural and educational asset to the community.

THANKS FOR FORWARDING THIS EMAIL TO A NEIGHBOR!