Vol. 2 Issue 2 Spring 2025

"Without libraries what have we? We have no past and no future."

-Ray Bradbury

Welcome Spring Volunteer,

The Friends of Kingston Library (FoKL) were proud to support the Free People Read Freely event at the temporary location on Crown St. Saturday, March 8th. FoKL volunteer, Susan Ragusa collaborated with Margie Menard, Library Director, to curate a number of volunteer readers for this packed event.


"Attending the Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Books Awards last February," said Susan, "Margie and I were introduced to the Right to Read Network a project of the National Coalition Against Censorship."


The Right to Read Network (RTR) is a grassroots organization that fights book bans and defends free expression with a national network of affiliates in communities across the United States. As an affiliate of the RTR Network, the Kingston Library has access to authors, legal support, written and digital resources, and best practices to fight book banning.


Between January 1 and August 31, 2024, the American Library Association documented 1,128 unique book titles challenged, and 414 attempts to censor library materials. 


Last year, The Kingston Library joined the RTR Network, as the Mid- Hudson Free People Read Freely Affiliate. The Kingston Library plays a crucial role in our community. The library and its volunteers want you to know as an affiliate of RTR Network we intend to inoculate our community against censorship with education and advocacy and goals that align with the freedom to read, which encompasses the freedom to access information, explore diverse ideas and engage with literature without censorship or restriction.


The March 8th event brought a diverse audience to celebrate Free People Reading Freely. These folks from our community embrace diverse viewpoints and discuss the transformative power of literature they have experienced.

The readers were:

  • Manual Blas, Radio Kingston
  • Beetle Bailey, Radio Kingston
  • Sheriff Juan Figeroa
  • Richard Heyl de Ortiz, LGBTQ Center
  • Lisa Kelley, Midtown Kingston Arts District
  • Callie Mackenzi, artist
  • County Executive, Jen Metzger
  • Hayley Siolrski
  • Frank Waters, My Kingston Kids
  • Sarah Wenk, President, Kingston Library Board of Directors


The Kingston Library will continue to promote literary diversity to foster a rich tapestry of ideas and experiences for our communities.

Collaborative Opportunity:

The volunteers of the Friends of Kingston Library are always looking for event or messaging collaborations. Does your organization or 501c3 looking for collaborative opportunities or connections that benefit the City of Kingston? If so, we'd love the opportunity to collaborate! Please email us DIRECTLY to coordinate collaborations with our FoKL Executive Committee.

Personal Kingston Library Stories:

Susan J. Ragusa, Volunteer Friends of Kingston Library


Late Bloomer: How I Fell in Love with Books (and Libraries)


I didn’t grow up with a bookshelf in my bedroom. I wasn’t the kid staying up past

bedtime with a flashlight and a worn paperback. For most of my early life, books weren’t

something I reached for—they weren’t even on my radar. I didn’t not like reading. I

just… never really got the chance to fall in love.

Life kept moving—school, work, family, responsibilities. I always admired bookish

people, the way they could talk about characters as if they were friends, how they knew

obscure historical facts, could quote poetry without blinking. But I assumed that kind of

connection to books was something you had to build early, like learning a second

language as a kid.

Then, one day, something shifted. I don’t even remember the exact moment. Maybe it

was a recommendation from a friend. Maybe it was curiosity. Or maybe—like all the best

stories—it just found me when I needed it.

I picked up a book. I actually finished it. And then another. Suddenly, I was a reader.

And the library? That’s when the real magic began.

Walking into a library as an adult who had just discovered books felt like stepping into a

wonderland I hadn’t realized was mine all along. The hush of the aisles, the quiet buzz of

curiosity, the smell of old pages and new ideas—it was all electric to me. A treasure chest

with no gatekeeper, just open doors.

Libraries gave me what I didn’t know I’d been craving: freedom to explore, to wander, to

learn without pressure. They gave me joy. Discovery. Knowledge. And a community.

Libraries aren’t just places to borrow books—they are living, breathing testaments to

hope, generosity, and the power of story.

One my regrets about not reading at an earlier age is science shows reading fiction as

you age is like giving your brain a multivitamin—it’s all about combating the kind of

everyday memory troubles that plague most of us as we age. I am slowly migrating to

fiction from some of the other genres that are non-fiction

Libraries don’t care when you find your way to them—only that you do. Whatever your

age they welcome you like an old friend.

So yes, I came to books late. But I arrived.


We continue to collect patron experiences of 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.

Mobile Little Free Library Initiative


The FoKL was provided an award from the Rotary Club of Kingston for our upcoming Spring initiative!


To underscore our Kingston Library outreach and engagement efforts, your Friends of the Kingston Library (FoKL) is looking to design and create a Mobile Little Free Library as part of our 2025 plans. The Kingston Rotary Club has partnered toward this grassroots initiative to bring this “one-of-kind learning opportunity” to local community events, offering the same Little Free Library (LFL) services as our stand-alone boxes: take a book, leave a book.



As the Mobile Little Free Library moves throughout Kingston, our mission is to enrich many more lives by inspiring children to explore and discover the possibilities of the written word.


Please stay tuned to the development of this resource and when we officially launch our newest endeavor!


Hoopla Digital Announces BingePass Partnership with Creativebug, Expanding Crafting Content for Public Libraries


Creativebug provides users unlimited access to thousands of arts and crafts classes taught by experts, making crafting accessible at any time and any place. With no expiration dates on classes on the Creativebug platform, users can start and stop projects at their own pace. Creativebug encourages a creative lifestyle and is committed to making the world a more beautiful place.



Source: https://library.hoopladigital.com/news/press-releases/hoopla-digital-announces-bingepass-partnership-with-creativebug-expanding-crafting-content-for-public-libraries/

New York State Talking Book and Braille Library


The New York State Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL) is a free service for New

Yorkers (outside of New York City and Long Island) who are unable to use standard

print materials. You may be eligible for TBBL if you are someone with a visual, physical,

or reading disability. BARD is changing the way you use your library. Learn about

books, magazines, and more in formats that work for you.


Source: https://www.nysl.nysed.gov/tbbl/

Attorney General James Sues Trump Administration to Protect Libraries and Museums


New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with a coalition of 20 other state attorneys general, is suing the Trump administration to block an Executive Order that dismantles three key federal agencies: the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). These agencies provide critical funding and support for public libraries, museums, minority-owned businesses, and labor rights.


The lawsuit argues the Executive Order violates the Constitution and federal law bypassing Congress to eliminate programs that serve millions, particularly in underserved communities. The action threatens over $180 million in nationwide library funding—including $8 million for New York—and would lead to massive staff and program cuts. Attorney General James calls the move an unlawful attack on education, small businesses, and workers' rights.


This is part of a broader legal effort by James to challenge the Trump administration's cuts to essential public services.




MSN.Com article: New York Attorney General Sues Trump Administration Over Museum and Library Funding Cuts

Library Advocacy Day 2025 #LAD25


Volunteers and library staff from every corner of New York State converged on Albany February 5th for Advocacy Day: in specific support of our community libraries, the resources we provide and the need for maintaining legislative priorities and funding.



New York Library Association (NYLA) Library Advocacy Day brings together library advocates from across New York State to converge on Albany to voice their support for funding and policies that benefit libraries. Your attendance can make a BIG impact. Join us for meetings with your NYS representatives to make the case that libraries should receive funding increases and infrastructure investments that respect our role in the community.


FoKL President, Heather Ohlson & a few hundred friends at Library Advocacy Day 2025

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

-FoKL President, Heather Ohlson


If you’re a fan of libraries, history, and strong women finding their voices, The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis is a must-read. Set within the iconic New York Public Library, this dual-timeline novel beautifully weaves the stories of Laura Lyons in 1913 and her granddaughter Sadie Donovan in 1993.

As a library supporter, I was completely captivated by the behind-the-scenes glimpse into the grand library building and its hidden apartment. It’s a love letter to libraries as places not just of knowledge, but of mystery, ambition, and personal growth.

Fiona Davis masterfully explores themes of women’s rights, family legacies, and the power of storytelling, all set against a backdrop of rare books and literary intrigue. If you’ve ever walked past the lions at the NYPL and wondered about the secrets within, this novel will take you on that journey—and make you fall in love with libraries all over again.

Are you a NEW Volunteer of the Friends?


The Friends of Kingston Library is in need of volunteers who can help support our mission to support the Kingston Library and the community it serves.


We are in need of key volunteers who can assist with event planning, outreach and promotion as well as general administrative tasks- especially social media and our quarterly newsletter.


Our volunteers average 2-3 hours a month in supporting the FoKL and the Kingston Library: our monthly meeting, committee efforts and individual efforts on behalf on the Friends.


We are 100% volunteer driven, so we all know how hard it is to carve time from work, friends and hobbies. By just giving an hour or two a month, you can make a HUGE difference in how FoKL can impact the City of Kingston and the library community we are dedicated to serve.

What skills can you contribute to FoKL?

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

April

  • 4/6-12 National Libaray Week
  • 4/8 6-7 Monthly FoKL Meeting
  • 4/9 Library Staff Appreciation
  • April: Events Committee-planning (email to find out date/time of Virtual Meeting)

May

  • 5/13 6-7 Monthly FoKL Meeting
  • 5/18 Community Engagement Day- Old Dutch Church



Check out the Kingston Library Events Page by Clicking here!



The monthly Friends of Kingston Library is schedule for the SECOND TUESDAY of the month from 6-7pm.


Can't attend in person? Here is the ZOOM option. It's the SAME every month:


Friends of Kingston Library

Join Zoom Meeting:

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!

Movies With Spirit


Saturday, April 26, 7-9P

Church of the Messiah, 6436 Montgomery St. Rhinebeck



This British comedy drama about a real-life art heist and an unlikely hero’s battle for justice is “charming, understated and completely enjoyable,” Rex Reed writes in The New York Observer.

“Clever from the title on down,” Deborah Young says in The Hollywood Reporter.

“Will steal your affections from under your nose,” adds John Nugent in Empire Magazine.

The story unfolds on Aug. 21, 1961, when London’s National Gallery is stunned by a shocking theft — Francisco de Goya’s priceless Portrait of the Duke of Wellington vanished overnight.

Get Ready for the MHLS Library Road Trip


The Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS) is holding their first ever Library Road Trip, beginning in June. This initiative encourages community members to visit the 70 library buildings of our member libraries during the program timeframe, from June 6 through October 18, 2025.


The MHLS Road Trip aims to achieve several key goals:

  • Community Engagement
  • Connecting People with Resources
  • Spreading the Word


Stay Tuned!

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

and Heather O.

FoKL: Friends of Kingston Library

Temporary Address: 61 Crown St Kingston, NY 12401

FOLLOW US:

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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!

BECOME A FRIEND!

Make sure you complete the Membership Form application!

DONATE TODAY!

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

CURRENT OFFICERS:

Heather Ohlson- President

Erica Fox-Boyd- Vice President

Peter LaVangia- Treasurer

Heather Atterbury- Secretary

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!