Category Archives: Public

New Traveling Exhibit Featuring Americans Who Tell the Truth Portraits by Robert Shetterly

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Picture of Americans Who Tell the Truth portrait unveiling and Zoom Q&A with the artist Robert Shetterly. Thursday, March 5th at 6:00 PM at the Saranac Lake Free Library.

We are pleased to announce a new partnership with John Brown Lives! to bring a traveling exhibit of Americans Who Tell the Truth portraits to member libraries and community organizations across the region. The exhibit features laminated reproductions of selected portraits from artist Robert Shetterly’s series, which has been traveling the country since 2003.

Shetterly’s portraits celebrate individuals whose courage, activism, and imagination have shaped American democracy. Over the past two decades, he has collaborated with many of the people he has painted, deepening the project’s connection to contemporary social and humanitarian movements.

The traveling exhibit includes an interactive component: each portrait features a QR code linking to a short biography of the subject, inviting viewers to reflect on their life stories and the issues they championed. In partnership with OurStoryBridge, additional QR codes will soon connect viewers to audio interviews with some of the portrait subjects.

The exhibit will officially launch at the Saranac Lake Free Library on March 5 at 6:00 p.m. The event will include the unveiling of the portraits and a live Zoom Q&A with Robert Shetterly. Community members, educators, and local organizations are invited to attend.

We are proud to collaborate with John Brown Lives!, Northern New York Library Network, and OurStoryBridge to make this project possible. 

For more information about borrowing the exhibit or attending the launch event, please contact us at info@cefls.org.

CEFLS Wants You to Join Our Board

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Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System wants you to join our board. Contact bmooney@cefls.org or 518-563-5190 for more information.

Who we’re looking for:

  • Someone with passion for the library and the role it plays in the community
  • Strong leadership and teamwork skills
  • Great communication skills

Requirements:

  • Attend a monthly board meeting
  • Complete two hours of annual training
  • Be a resident of Clinton, Essex, or Franklin County

Your role as a trustee:

  • Assist setting policy for the CEFLS
  • Approve and monitor library’s annual budget and ongoing fiscal health

Benefits:

  • Opportunity for professional development and networking
  • Develop and gain leadership skills
  • Chance to make a positive impact

Contact us for more information:

bmooney@cefls.org or 518-563-5190

Job Opportunity: Library Page – Rouses Point Dodge Memorial Library

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The Rouses Point Dodge Memorial Library is seeking a Page to fill in on select Saturdays from 10 am to 1 pm.

This is a flexible schedule where you can select which Saturdays you are available for, usually 1-3 days out of the month. This is an entry level position.

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#ReadAllTheComics with Comics Plus

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Introducing our latest online resource, Comics Plus! Looking for comics? Graphic novels? Manga? Manhwa? Comics Plus has plenty to choose from including titles from Dark Horse Comics, Oni Press, Image Comics, Tokyopop, and plenty more. Get unlimited access using just your library card by going to cefls.org/comics-kids to get age-appropriate titles or cefls.org/comics-full for the full collection. You can also download the app for iOS or Android smart devices!

Community Canvas at the Library

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Community Canvas at the Library For more information, contact the library!

We are pleased to introduce the ‘Community Canvas at the Library’ project, a county-wide initiative inviting residents of Essex County to come together and create collaborative art at their local libraries. No prior art experience is needed to participate, as the programs are designed to offer opportunities for individuals to express themselves through the use of color, patterns, designs, or poetry. The projects are suitable for a wide range of participants, from age 7 to seniors, offering a unique opportunity for all generations to connect and create together. Contact your local library to learn more!

This project was made possible, in part, by the Essex County Arts Council’s Cultural Assistance Program Grant with funding provided by Essex County. We greatly appreciate their support!

Communication Boards at Your Library

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Communication Board with Icons
Communication Board with Text

The Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System is thrilled to announce a new initiative aimed at enhancing communication accessibility throughout our service area. Our goal is to support libraries and reading centers in creating inclusive and welcoming environments for diverse communication needs, while also raising awareness in the wider community. This project has been made possible through generous funding from the Autism Alliance of Northeastern NY. Thanks to this support, we partnered with Trish Friedlander, M.S., Ed., CCC-SLP, to develop custom laminated communication boards. These boards feature a core set of symbols related to common library experiences and are designed to support nonspeaking children and adults. Each board includes simple tips on how to use it to assist someone in need of communication support. Member libraries also received a set of individual symbol cards to post near corresponding areas. For example, a picture of a book drop to display near the actual book drop.

Additionally, the funding allowed us to offer training sessions with Ms. Friedlander at the summer reading workshops for member library staff earlier this year. Attendees had the opportunity to explore the materials and gain insights into how these tools can foster inclusive library interactions.

By promoting communication accessibility, the CEFLS member libraries play a vital role in fostering inclusion, understanding, and connection for all families in our region. 

Executive Order Targeting the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

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The NYS Library and Division of Library Development receives $8.1 million from the IMLS. This money is used to administer the state aid to libraries, manage the State Aid for Library Construction, administer discretionary grant programs, and provide technical assistance to public libraries with guidance on library chartering, funding, governance, and accountability. If the NYS Library and the Division of Library Development do not receive this federal aid, it will impact all of the 7,000 libraries, 72 library systems, and the NYS Library.

Visit Here to Learn More and Support Your Libraries

Explore a World of Cinema with Free Streaming Video from Kanopy

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Just in time for the holidays, we’ve added the video streaming service Kanopy to the resources you can access free of charge using your library card! With an extensive collection of narrative and documentary films, as well as TV series and kids content, we’re pleased to bring this streaming service to the community. Kanopy can be enjoyed on your computer, on the go with a smartphone or tablet, and even on a smart TV! Go to cefls.kanopy.com to get started today!

Magazines in the Palm of Your Hand

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We’re happy to announce that magazines are now available in the Libby app!

From recipes and advice to the latest news and trends, there’s a magazine for every subject, hobby and interest. Readers love flipping through for inspiration or to learn something new, and they can take the experience digital by swiping to their heart’s content in the Libby app. With thousands to choose from, digital magazines are free in Libby and there’s never any holds or waiting on your favorite subscriptions.

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Library Crawl

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A Great Fall Library Crawl

Organized by the Champlain Memorial Library

Deadline to turn in passports and scavenger hunt sheets: November 6th, 2026!

  • Visit any participating library in the Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System to pick up your official library crawl passport and scavenger hunt packet.
  • Visit libraries throughout the month to get your passport stamped and find the answer to each library’s scavenger hunt question.
  • Once you’ve collected 5 or more stamps, turn your passport in to any participating library to be automatically entered into the raffle drawing.
  • Turn in your scavenger hunt packet for extra entries into the raffles. The more correct answers, the more bonus entries you earn.
  • Raffle winners receive an assortment of books or other prizes!

Library Crawl Flyer

Library Crawl Passport

Library Crawl Scavenger Hunt