Category Archives: Community

April is Autism Acceptance Month

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From our friends at the Autism Alliance of Northeastern NY:

In 2017, New Zealand officials added new words to the Maori language for mental health and disabilities. The word for Autism is “‘takiwatanga,” meaning “his or her own time and space.”

Autism is a bio-neurological developmental disability that commonly appears in children before the age of three. It is a disorder that impacts typical brain development in the areas of social interaction, communication, and cognitive function. As a spectrum disorder, autistic behaviors and traits are unique to each individual. That is why awareness, acceptance, and understanding are critical to helping people on the spectrum and their families.

This April, the Autism Alliance of Northeastern NY celebrates Autism Acceptance Month. We encourage our community to think about how we can make small changes to support and include people on the spectrum.

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Routes to Recovery Has a New Home

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Routes to Recovery Screenshot

Routes to Recovery, our guide to local and online resources for those needing services related to substance abuse as well as the professionals and loved ones providing support, has found a new home at routestorecovery.org. While we’ve discontinued support of the Routes to Recovery app on iOS and Android, the new website version hosts all of the same content and still features smart device compatibility, and we will continue to develop the website for the foreseeable future.

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Making Music With RiverJack Z

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Have some fun “Making Music with RiverJack Z” this summer! Sixteen area libraries will be hosting this free songwriting workshop for children and families. RiverJack Z (a.k.a. Jack Zucchini, the guitar-playing singer/songwriter from The Zucchini Brothers) will guide participants through the craft of songwriting by composing and recording a song that is uniquely their own. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to participate in this event that is fun for the whole family.

Each library will receive a high-quality audio file with the song to share. Participants will also be provided with an art activity that will be created at the event or sent home as a make-and-take project. The workshops will be held in outdoor spaces as an added precaution due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Gnoming Around Event

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We invite residents in Clinton, Essex, and Franklin Counties to participate in our “Gnoming Around” event for a chance to win a prize bag. Our bookish gnome will travel to 20 member libraries starting May 5th. He will visit each location for about a week, so watch for his appearance outside of your local library. To be entered for a chance to win a prize bag, just snap a picture with him and post it on one of our social media pages (facebook.com/cefls or @cef_librarysystem) or send it to info2@cefls.org and we’ll do it for you. One winner will be selected from each location.

The prize consists of a drawstring bag containing a variety of goodies including a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut for ages 12 and under, a single scoop of ice cream from Stewart’s, a decorative mini clipboard, and more! We would like to express our appreciation to Pizza Hut and Stewart’s Shops for their generous donations.

The gnome’s itinerary will be: Dannemora Free Library, Wead Library in Malone, Lake Placid Public Library, Keeseville Free Library, Paine Memorial Free Library in Willsboro, Belden Noble Memorial Library in Essex, Keene Public Library, Wilmington E.M. Cooper Memorial Library, Au Sable Forks Free Library, Peru Free Library, Rouses Point Dodge Memorial Library, Mooers Free Library, Akwesasne Library and Cultural Center, Plattsburgh Public Library, Saranac Lake Free Library, Wadhams Free Library, Hammond Library in Crown Point, Black Watch Memorial Library in Ticonderoga, Schroon Lake Public Library, Keene Valley Library Association, and Chazy Public Library.

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New Ebooks to Read When You’re Stuck Inside

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All of the local libraries are currently closed. Whether you’re stuck inside for physical distancing or just need an escape after finishing work since you’re an essential employee, we can help provide a slice of library experience to you. In order to provide additional support to area residents during this challenging time, CEFLS and Northern New York Library Network each contributed $3,000 to bolster the collection of ebooks and e-audiobooks available! We hope that these additional titles help you enjoy your downtime while staying safe and helping flatten the curve. Visit cefls.org/downloads to check one out today!

If you have any trouble accessing the online collection, you can email us at info2@cefls.org. We can take steps to either renew the card temporarily for the duration of the stay-at-home period or create a temporary account with the required information (your full name, date of birth, and a picture of a piece of mail sent to your local address as proof of residence). Of course, you can visit your local library once they’ve reopened to renew your card in full or grant you a new card.

To learn more about the COVID-19 coronavirus and what you can do to help stop it from spreading, check out our information guide at this link.

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Tale of 3 Book Benches

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In the tradition of the “Little Free Library,” and to support reading wherever we can, CEFLS has been placing some book benches around the area. The first one is at the Ted K. Center in Plattsburgh, and we recently restocked it! The second one is in Constable. One of our Bookmobile stops used to be right across the street. If you are in the area, be sure to stop by and borrow a book. The third and last book bench is … [CLICK TO READ MORE]

NY Reads: Join readers around the state in reading Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming By Paul Hawken

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Would you like to do something to help your community take meaningful action? Learn about a comprehensive plan to reverse global warming from Project Drawdown – a scientific study that identified 100 solutions that, together, could actually reverse global warming by 2050. The New York Library Association is inviting people around the state to read Drawdown, the bestselling book by Paul Hawken.  Courtesy of NYLA, Drawdown is available as an ebook at https://cefls.overdrive.com/ during the month of March 2019.  CEFLS … [CLICK TO READ MORE]

Library of Things, Kits, and Passes

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You might not expect to walk into your local library to find that they have a banjo you can check out, or pickle ball equipment, or VR headsets. But libraries and the System as a whole have been bucking traditions to house more than just books in their buildings. Take a look at some of the things you can check out at your library. More Library of Things and Kits may be available through libraries within the region. You can … [CLICK TO READ MORE]

Community Help Resources

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CEFLS has created a mobile app** and a resource booklet to help people connect with local and online resources related to substance abuse. Individuals  seeking services, as well as the loved ones and professionals supporting them will find helpful information on addiction and mental health services, housing, transportation, and more. The booklets will be available at local libraries in the tri-county area. (The booklet and mobile app were produced in association with Substance Abuse Prevention and Recovery of Clinton County … [CLICK TO READ MORE]