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Meet Your Neighbors Series Continues Mike and Martha Smiles – June 5th 7:00 PM
Mike:
Mike now volunteers for the Essex Community Fund, St John’s Church, CATS, and has opened up Smiles Studio LLC at 1275 Main St. (adjacent to The Old Dock).
In addition to oil painting and driftwood sculpture, Mike builds retro camera smartphone devices for story telling and video booths with social impact.
Mike this year retired as a career nonprofit executive with a love for “the simple life” thanks to Martha and her family who grew up coming to the Crater Club as a 50-year family tradition. When we inherited the small Stepping Stones camp in 2011 overlooking Lake Champlain, Mike set out to intertwine his passion for social impact, maritime history and arts by leading the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in 2915, followed by the role of Director of Development for the Shelburne Museum in 2017 until 2019 when he joined his younger brother, remotely, in several national fundraising roles as part of a philanthropy collaborative and consulting firm Andrew Smiles led from Denver.
We are honored to be asked to share more about our love for Essex, and to get to know more people as they get to know us!
Martha:
I’m very blessed to have spent my childhood and young adult life at the Crater Club. My life was greatly defined by summers here so it was fitting that in 2010 I assumed ownership of the small camp owned by my parents. In 2015 we tore down the seasonal camp and built a year round home. The rock garden with its sea of springtime flowers remains and the glow of lights can be seen year round. Poppy, our Tibetan Terrier, keeps an eye on the chipmunks.
I recently retired from a career in executive recruitment. I’m really enjoying my second childhood! You may see me walking on the roads, picking up “discarded debris” on Lake Shore, planting daffodils, or volunteering with Essex Initiatives and the ADK garden club project at the quarry. I’m also a board member of CATS and serve on the Essex Comprehensive Planning Committee.
Upcoming Meet Your Neighbors programs:
July 3 – Celeste Kranz and Bill Feehely
August 7 -Hal and Laura Kennedy
September 4 Christine Burke and Johnny Gray
Light refreshments will be served following the program. There is a suggested doantion of $5.00 to help support the library.
Haunted Hamlet Activities at the Library Stories, Scavenger Hunt and Trivia Saturday, October 26 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
| Find the pumpkins that are hidden around the library! Rinda the Good Witch (no guarantees!) and her familiar, Petey the pet snake will be here to read spooky stories at selected intervals between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Halloween Trivia Saturday, October 26 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm Come with a pre-made team of 3-5 people or join a team once here. We need at least two teams of 2-4 adult contestants to play. Call the library at (518) 963-8079 or send send us an email for details. We’re racking our brains all week to come up with questions, so pre-registration is appreciated but not required. |
Friday Night Films. Fridays November 1 and 15 7:00 PM
| Friday Night Films will continue with two November showings on November 1 and November 15. “November Noir” will feature films by masters of the classic scare. |
| Rest assured assured, there will be an Alfred Hitchcock flick in the mix. For updates, watch our social media pages or stop in. As always, audience members are encouraged to bring their own cushion. The folding chairs can make your seat sore! All programs will get underway at 7:00 pm with a short introduction by David Tisdale. Free “concession stand type” snacks will be provided. See you at the movies! |
Short Story Book Club
| November’s short story book club pick is Night of the Living Rez (2022) by Morgan Talty. In 12 linked stories, all narrated by a character named David, Talty’s debut collection provides an unsparing perspective on the harsh reality of life in the Panawahpskek (Penobscot) Nation of Maine. Ranging from grim to tender, these stories reveal the hardships facing a young Native American in contemporary America. This collection has won awards that are too numerous to list, and was named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, NPR, Esquire, Oprah Daily, and more. |
| The short story book club is perfect for busy people, especially at this time of the year. There’s no need to attend a meeting or make snacks for anyone other than yourself. Stop in for a copy of the book and enjoy reading the chapter(s) you have time for. When you return the book, shareyour impressions and recommendations or December in a notebook at the desk if you choose.We would love to hear what you think! |
Join The Club – Help Celebrate our 125th Anniversary
2024 marks 125 years of service to the Essex community! Join the $125 Club and help us celebrate this milestone with your donation of $125. Your support will help launch us into another 125 years of service.
You’ll receive our thanks and a special tote bag, designed with a drawing of the library by Jim Van Hoven. This is an ongoing effort throughout our anniversary year. Donors will be gratefully acknowledged in our Fall newsletter.
New! Empire Pass available to borrow
| Fall is a great time to get outdoors and explore with our new Empire Parks Pass! The pass permits vehicle access to most facilities operated by the NY State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. |
| The pass may be borrowed for up to three days and must be presented upon entry to the facility. Without the pass, you will be required to pay the vehicle entry fee. The pass is good for free admission to the parks listed on the NYS Parks website and day use areas listed on the NYS DEC website. For more information and a list of our local borrowing rules, stop in or visit our web site. |
Loteria Scavenger Hunt, Hispanic Heritage Month, September 28 – October 12
This October, we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage with a Loteria themed scavenger hunt. Loteria, Spanish for lottery, is a traditional Mexican board game similar to Bingo.
We have hidden the Loteria card deck all over the first floor of the library. Search, find, and win a small prize. Children and caregivers are welcome to join us in this self-directed activity. The scavenger hunt will be available from September 28 – October 12.
Drop -In Lego Club for Kids Saturday, October 5 & 19 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Come in for brick-snapping fun! We’ll supply the Legos – you bring the creativity! Each session will include “free” and “themed” builds that will be announced during the program.
Kids age 6-12 can let their imaginations run wild on Saturday, October 5 and Saturday, October 19 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. A themed build will start at 3:30.
Duplos and/or The Lego movie will be available for children under six. Please note that adult supervision is required for children under six. All ages are welcome.
Note: Are you looking to lighten your Lego load? We can use a few new-to-us Legos, including people (“minifigs”) and parts (wheels, bases, etc.). Email us call (518) 963-8079, or stop in to arrange a time to bring them in.
Meet Libby – the Reading App Saturday, October 5 by appointment
Did You Know? Your library card is your golden ticket to thousands of ebooks, audiobooks, and now digital magazines. It’s easy to use the Libby free library reading app on a phone or tablet, access in a web browser (libbyapp.com), listen with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, transfer to an e-reader, and more.
Learn how to get started or get a refresher on Saturday, October 5. Individual appointments will be available from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. Call the library at (518) 963-8079 or send us an email (beldennoblelibrary@gmail.com) for more details and to book a spot.