CHATHAM — The Chatham Public Library, 11 Woodbridge Ave., Chatham, announces the following programs and events during March. For information, visit chathampubliclibrary.org.
Houseplant Donation Drive March 1 through March 26. Do you have an extra indoor plant, a pretty pot or plant stand needing a new home? The library is collecting donations for its very first plant adopt/swap to be held on March 26. Contact Polly with any questions at engelp@chatham.k12.ny.us.
Special Programs for Kids
BYO Book Club for kids age 8-12 3-4 p.m. March 1. Made for kids who love talking about books with other book lovers. Try out this month’s pick The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. (Copies available at the library) or come ready to talk about your latest favorite read. Register at bit.ly/CPL_KidsBookClub22 (In-person program).
Draw Attention to Your Shelf for kids age 8-12 3:30-4:30 p.m. March 9. Help library patrons locate non fiction sections (dinosaurs, pets, space etc.) by decorating place holders for the children’s room. (In-person program).
Hack That Painting for kids age 6-12 3:30-4:30 p.m. March 23. Kids are given pre-painted canvases and get to add whatever they like to the image. Do they imagine fire breathing dragons flying down the mountain or an animal wearing clothes? Come join the fun! (In-person program).
Ongoing Programs for Kids
Virtual Storytime on Zoom 10:30 a.m. March 2, 9, 16 and 23. Join Becky for stories and songs from the comfort of home, every Wednesday morning on Zoom. Email kleinr@chatham.k12.ny.us for the weekly Zoom link.
Preschool Storytime 10:30 a.m. March 4, 11, 18. Story hour is moving indoors for the winter months. Join Miss Becky for stories, songs and a take home craft. Masks are required and space is limited. Register in advance for each session at bit.ly/CPL_Friday_StoryHour.
LEGO Club 4 p.m. March 7 and 21. Join the LEGO Club. For ages 5 and older. What will you build today? Perhaps something the library can show in its display case. LEGO Club has moved indoors to the children’s room for the winter months. Masks are required and space is limited. Register in advance at bit.ly/CPLLEGO.
Special Programs for Adults
Identifying Invasives Gardening Workshop 7 p.m. March 2 via Zoom. Advance registration required. Register at https://bit.ly/CPL_Invasives22 to receive the Zoom link. Whether you’re a green-thumb, a naturalist, or just want to know what on earth is taking over your backyard, come learn about common invasive plants in our region. The workshop will go over how to identify common species, how they grow and spread, and why they’re so detrimental to habitat. JJ Käthe has worked as a field technician for a few invasives management groups, including the Lower Hudson PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management), CRISP (Catskill Region Invasive Species Partnership), and Invasive Plant Control Inc. She is currently pursuing her master’s at UAlbany where she is researching the invasive Spotted Lanternfly and working with DEC’s Harmful Algal Blooms program. Email questions for JJ in advance to mccreeryj@chatham.k12.ny.us
Monday Book Club on Zoom. March 7 at 7 p.m. - Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer; April 4 at 7 p.m. - Red Island House by Andrea Lee. Email the library at chathampubliclibrary@chatham.k12.ny.us if you’re interested in joining this monthly Zoom meet up. Copies of each month’s title are available to checkout from the library’s circulation desk one month ahead of each meeting.
Chair Yoga 4 p.m. Tuesdays March 8 through April 12 via Zoom. Chair yoga is open to anyone who would like to support a healthy body and mind the only requirement is a chair. To sign up and receive the Zoom link, register at bit.ly/CPLChairYoga22.
Food for Thought Reading and Discussion Group: The Third Plate by Dan Barber 6:30-8:30 p.m. March 14. Advance Registration is required at https://bit.ly/CPL_RnD22. Scholar Karen Schoemer will lead a reading/discussion series on the Serious Side of Food. The group convenes at the library on the second Monday of each month to explore an aspect of our culture that is often taken for granted. Food provides both nourishment and pleasure yet each meal has its own broader implications for our personal health and well-being and global environmental and political landscapes. Working with histories, novels, and journalism, this series exposes some of the issues that lie on our plates. In the event that pandemic conditions worsen, this group may move online to Zoom.
March 14: The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food by Dan Barber. April 11: In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan. May 9: Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health by Marion Nestle. June 13: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.
Columbia-Greene Workforce NY Outreach Appointments 10 a.m.-2 p.m. March 15. Columbia-Greene Workforce NY Consultant Ellen Sullivan will be visiting the library to share information about Workforce NY’s employment training and career counseling resources. Sign up for a one on one consultation with Columbia-Greene Workforce NY at 518-697-6510.
First Jewish Americans: Freedom and Culture in the New World (A New York Historical Society Lecture) 6 p.m. March 16. This captivating story—explored in the New-York Historical Society’s exhibition The First Jewish Americans: Freedom and Culture in the New World features archival documents, maps, ritual objects, rare portraits, and the 16th-century diary — lost for 80 years — of a Mexican Jewish man persecuted for his faith. To register and receive the Zoom link to attend, visit bit.ly/CCLA_NYHS.
Adult Craft Night - Hack that Painting 6-7:30 p.m. March 21. Choose one of the winter themed paintings, donated by Berkshire Paint and Sip, and make it into something different. Do you see spring flowers, a summer beach or outer space? Be creative, the possibilities are endless! This program will be held in person at the library and space is limited. Please register in advance at https://bit.ly/CPL_AdultCraftNight.
Houseplant Adopt/Swap noon-2 p.m. March 26. Have a houseplant? Share a houseplant! Need a houseplant? Take a houseplant! Stop by the library’s first ever houseplant adopt/swap event and bring home some new friends to brighten up your indoor garden.
Narcan Training with the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties 5 p.m. March 28. Advance registration required at https://www.signupgenius.com. Learn how to save a life at this free Naloxone (Narcan) training offered by the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties. Each participant will receive an Opioid Overdose Prevention Training and a free take home Narcan® nasal kit. Space is limited for this indoor program at the library. Masks and advance registration are required to attend. For more information email: clubhouse@mhacg.org or call 518-751-8001.
Intro to Google Tools: Get Organized with Google Calendar 1 p.m. March 29. This monthly program series is designed to help participants gain basic computer skills and access free online tools designed by Google. The interactive workshops will be held indoors at the library. Space is limited and masks are required for all program participants. Advance registration is required at bit.ly/CPL_ComputerBasics. Note a gmail account is required to participate in the March - July workshops. Please contact the library at chathampubliclibrary@chatham.k12.ny.us or 518-392-3666 for assistance setting up a gmail account ahead of this workshop if you don’t have one already.
Get Organized with Google Calendar March 29; Create and Edit Documents with Google Docs April 26; Create and Edit Spreadsheets with Google Sheets May 31; Create and Edit Visual Presentations with Google Slides June 28; Create and Edit Questionnaires and Surveys with Google Forms July 26.
Ongoing Programs for Adults
Mah Jongg Club 10:30 a.m. Mondays and 2 p.m. Wednesdays March 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28 and 30. Fully-vaccinated players are welcome to meet upstairs at the library every Monday and Wednesday. Masks are required inside the library building. Absolute beginners, please email the library at chathampubliclibrary@chatham.k12.ny.us for more information about scheduling a 90-minute lesson.
Chatham Roots Genealogy 3 p.m. March 3 via Zoom. Space for this online program is limited. For information and the Zoom link, please contact Michelle LeClair at michelle@leclairdesign.com.
Ukulele Jam 10:30 a.m. March 5, 12, 19, 26 at the Valatie Senior Center, 3302 Williams St., Valatie. Winter Ukulele Jams are open to all ages and led by Carmen Borgia. This program series is moving indoors to the Valatie Senior Center for the winter months. Ukes are still available to borrow from the library. Masks and social distancing are required. Email chathampubliclibrary@chatham.k12.ny.us for more information.
Memoir Group 10:30 a.m. March 8 and March 22 via Zoom. The Memoir Writers come from a wide range of life experience, and gather online to share and hone their work. Fiction and poetry writers are welcome, too. Contact the library for more information.
Health Care Navigator 1-4 p.m. March 10. Navigators assist individuals, families, small businesses and small business employees in Columbia and Greene Counties with shopping for, comparing, and enrolling in quality affordable health insurance, including Medicaid and Child Health Plus, through New York State of Health: the Official Health Plan Marketplace. Navigators can also assist with applying for financial assistance to help pay for coverage. Navigator services are free of charge. For more information, or to make an appointment, call 518-822-9600.
Tech Help with Lloyd the Geek (Online or In-Person) 2:45-5 p.m. March 15. Do you need help with your laptop, smartphone, tablet, or other device? Sign up for a one-on-one online session with tech expert Heather Lloyd. Call the library to schedule an in-person or virtual appointment, 518-392-3666.