Veterans Day Tribute Online

Welcome to Wood Library's special Web Event -- Veterans Day Tribute Online. Hi, I'm Barbara Henry, Adult Services Librarian. Thank you for dropping by to honor and remember our veterans. Please. take the time to say "thank you" to a veteran this month. If you are a veteran, thank you for your service.

We are pleased to present two films online that you can watch anytime and anywhere you want during the month. The Vietnam Mailbag video was recorded at Wood Library on October 14, 2009. The Medal of Honor documentary is provided by PBS and Hulu.com. We live in a marvelous age of technology that allows us to share these films with you in your home.

After you watch the films, you may share your thoughts with others by clicking "the comments" link at the bottom of this post. Did you like the program? Take the poll in the upper right corner.

Author Nancy E. Lynch Talks about her book Vietnam Mailbag: Voices from the War, 1968-1972. (Wood Library Video|2009|45:54)



Medal of Honor (PBS Specials|2008|1:25:50)
The story of the Medal of Honor - the highest U.S. award for valor in combat - is told through personal accounts of bravery and daring.

Local Writer Discusses Book

Check out this new Wood Library YouTube video. Linda M. Holbrook, former Canandaigua resident, talks about her first novel, "You Wanna Go to Willard?-- a young girl's coming-of-age story set in the rural Finger Lakes. Laura's struggles and triumphs provide a message of inspiration for us all. Linda will be returning to Canandaigua to present a book talk and signing on April 29 at 7pm. Wood Library is a proud supporter of local writers. The Wood Library YouTube Channel features Read Locally -- video talks with five local authors including Kevin Andrew Cotter, Mason Winfield, Aaron Lazar, Writers for Literacy and Linda Holbrook. Click here to go there. Authors books are available for purchase at the Wood Library aStore, our special Amazon store that promotes books and DVDs featured at library programs.

Book Launch Big Success

On March 31, members of Writers for Literacy and about 55 invited guests and members of the public gathered to celebrate the launch of WFL's book Story Pot Luck, 16 stories and an audio CD aimed at adult learners. Here are some photos from the event. Thanks to Carol Creswell for the photos. It was a great evening!

WFL members. Front row, left to right: Annette Mrozak, Carol Creswell, Jewel Wink. Back row: Karen Mount, Steven Donner, Carmela Battaglia.











The book was awarded to 12 sites providing adult literacy services in the four counties served by the Pioneer Library System. Above: Barbara Henry, Adult Services Librarian with representatives from Literacy Volunteers of Ontario County and Literacy Volunteers of Livingston County.

Writers for Literacy in the News

Thanks to Dave Wheeler, editor of Steppin' Out section in the Canandaigua Daily Messenger, for the article about the Writers for Literacy book, Story Pot Luck. It appeared in the March 26 issue. We invite you to read the article Pages of Plenty and to attend the book launch party on Tuesday, March 31 at 7pm in the Community Room at Wood Library, 134 North Main Street, Canandaigua. Writers for Literacy is a volunteer project at Wood Library. The group consists of eight writers who wanted to make a difference in their community by writing easy-to-read stories for adult learners.

Writers for Literacy Book Launch

On Tuesday March 31, 2009 at 7:00 PM until 8:30 PM Writers for Literacy, a volunteer project at Wood Library, will celebrate the publication of Story Pot Luck, an anthology of sixteen stories written by local authors for adult literacy learners. The group hopes that the high interest, low vocabulary stories will encourage new adult readers to read for pleasure. The book launch event is open to the public as well as by invitation. Refreshments will be served. Drop by and meet the authors.

Members of Writers for Literacy are: Carmella Battaglia, Mazy Carson, Carol Creswell, Steve Donner, Karen Mount, Annette Mrozak, Jean Trost and Jewel Wink. The audio CD version is read by Michelle Caward and Kathy Morris. Steve Donner illustrated the book with cartoon style full color drawings. The anthology was funded by contributions from Wood Library Café, Bloomfield Rotary, and several anonymous donations.

Complimentary copies of the book and audio CD will be placed at Literacy Volunteer sites in Ontario, Wayne, Wyoming and Livingston counties and in eight libraries in the Pioneer Library System that provide literacy services, materials, and tutoring rooms. Libraries receiving copies are: Bloomfield (compliments of Bloomfield Rotary), Geneva, Macedon, Pioneer Library System Headquarters, Wadsworth, Warsaw, Williamson, and Wood Library. Story Pot Luck will be available to readers and tutors at other libraries by interlibrary loan. Copies of the book will be presented at book launch party.

Writers for Literacy members were recently interviewed for Read Locally, a local writers series on Wood Library's YouTube channel. You can watch it here or go to the Wood Library YouTube site.

Local Authors at Books Sandwiched In

Books Sandwiched In is held eight Mondays from Noon to 1:00 PM during February and March. Last fall we interviewed two of the BSI presenters for Read Locally, our online local author video series. Here are the videos again. Take a look, read their books and attend for live author talk. You can borrow their books at Wood Library.

February 9: Kevin Cotter discusses his book, The Lurking Devil of Murder.



March 2: Aaron Lazar talks about his LeGarde mystery series.

PowerPoint Class Coming Up

The two-part PowerPoint class still has openings. Call 394-1381 to register for an affordable $10 and show up on February 4 and 11 from 6:30 to 8:30pm. Learn the basics of Microsoft PowerPoint presentation software and create a project. Great for businesses and non-profits when you need to get your message across.

While you are waiting for the class take a look at this quick video on creating a great presentation. Slide:ology by Nancy Duarte is provided by Business Book Briefs. The book is being added to the Wood Library collection. Ask about it. You can also purchase a copy from the Wood Library aStore where your purchase earns a commission for the library. If you don't see the video player below, try this link.

Tax Season Begins!

Tax season begins! And Wood Library is ready to help you get to the deadline on April 15.

Many of the commonly used federal and state tax forms are now available at Wood Library. They are located at the Ground Floor near the elevator. The library has the largest tax form selection in the area.

Ask at the main floor reference desk for help hunting down less common tax forms.

The AARP Tax Aide service will return again this year to do free tax preparation, especially for those with simple returns and moderate incomes who are 55 and older. Call during the last week of January for appointments which will begin in February and run through the end of tax season in April.

Get tax tips and information online. Visit the library's reference web page for useful tax links.

Register for Oprah's Book Club Webcast

Have you noticed--everybody seems to be reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. Now you can discuss it at the world's biggest book club discussion on January 26! Join Oprah and The Story of Edgar Sawtelle author David Wroblewski for a live, one-night-only webcast Monday, January 26, at 9 p.m. From the characters' tangled relationships to your own amazing dog story, anything and everything is up for discussion. Don't miss out on joining the world's biggest book discussion—register for this Oprah's Book Club event today! Barbara Henry, Adult Services Librarian at Wood Library, says "I registered already and I hope you will join in. Call 394-1381 to put a hold on a copy or purchase your own copy at Wood Library aStore where your purchase earns the library a commission."

Get Computer Skills @ the Library

Need to upgrade your computer skills?

Wood Library is offering a series of computer classes in January and February to help you start off the new year right. Our Microsoft Office series (compatible with version 2002-2003) is very affordable at $10 per four hours of instruction: Word (word processing), Excel (spreadsheet), and PowerPoint (presentation). A Windows Vista class will be held February 18 from 6pm to 9pm. Call Wood Library at 585-394-1381 for more information. Register in person at the Main Floor Desk.

Above: Wood Library's computer lab in action.

We are also offering two hands-on computer labs:


Computer Lab for Rochester Virtual Job Fair. Drop by the Small Meeting Room on Monday, January 19 from 6pm to 8:30pm to register, upload your resume, get an email address, and job hunt online. Computer tutors will be available to assist. FREE, no registration required. NOTE: The library closes at 5pm for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day but you will still be able to enter at the Ground Floor Door for this program.

Computer Lab for Business Writing. Learn how to create business writing formats such as memos, reports, business letters and e-mails, fax covers, agendas, proposals and more. You will use a laptop computer and eCourse at LearningExpress to practice using these standard business formats. Each student will receive a free digital copy of the text book Getting Down to Business: Successful Writing at Work. You will need typing, basic computer skills, and how to use files and folders. Please reigster at the Main Floor Desk. There is a $5 registration fee. The lab convenes on Saturday, February 28 from 10am to 2pm.

Residents in Wayne, Ontario, Seneca and Yates counties age 18 or over may be eligible for help with the course fee from Finger Lakes Works. Call Finger Lakes Works Geneva at 315-789-1771 or Finger Lakes Lyons 315-946-7270.

Click here for a printable schedule and description of classes.

How to Protect Yourself from Holiday Scams

Not everyone is filled with goodwill during the holiday season! Find out how to protect yourself against holiday scams and frauds on Tuesday December 16 from 1:30 PM until 3:30 PM at Wood Library. Carlos Rodriguez, Rochester regional assistant attorney general and Robert O'Connor, Senior Consumer Fraud Representative, will present a consumer protection presentation especially for senior citizens that is free and open to the public. No registration required. Location: Community Room, 2nd Floor. Read a recent article about the workshop in the Daily Messenger.

Cafe Sing Along

Here are some video highlights from Wood Library Cafe Sing Along with music man Geoff Clough. The Cafe traveled out into the community to Wilcox Lane Senior Apartments on Wednesday, November 19. We met up with old friends and made some new ones. Thanks to Terry, her staff and her residents at Wilcox Lane Apartments for letting us visit. Just a reminder--the cafe will not be held in December, but it will return for a 6th Birthday Celebration on January 28, 2009. Drop by the Community Room at Wood Library between 10am and Noon. Call 394-1381 for details.

'S Wonderful Cafe Coming Up

Someone to Watch Over Me? Love Is Here to Stay? What's your favorite Gershwin song? Sing it out at the special Wood Library Cafe on November 19 from 10am to noon at Wilcox Lane Apartments. Geoff Clough on the keyboard will lead us in a George Gershwin Sing Along beginning at 10:30am. The public is invited to attend this final cafe of the season at Wilcox Lane Apartments dining hall. You may drop-off at Wilcox Lane Apartments but parking ONLY at Wood Library parking lot. Drop by to enjoy homemade cafe fare, coffee and a fun, community sing. Wood Library Cafe has been meeting the 4th Wednesday of the month (except July and December) since its founding in January 2003. The cafe is operated by volunteers. Donations to the cafe have been used to support other projects such as the cafe cookbook and adult literacy services.

Got French? Get it now!

November 2 - 8 is French Conversation Week. What better time to reactivate your French skills or get started for the first time. There's lots of options for plugging in.

** French Conversation Cafe starts tonight 6pm to 8pm at Wood Library. Meets four Mondays in November. There is still time to register by calling Wood Library at 394-1381. $20 registration fee due at the first class.

** French in Action is an online video learning series at Annenberg.com's Learner.org site. You can learn from home on your internet connected computer. Just register--it's free. Learn to speak French with the "Capretz method" -- immersing yourself in the language -- in French in Action.

** Get downloadable French language learning audio programs at OWWL2go.org. Search "french" in Quick Search to bring up a list of four programs to choose from. Download to your computer and transfer to a mobile device. Some programs can be burned to CDs.

Ghost Author Visits "Read Locally"

Ghosts and the supernatural are popular topics for books, TV shows and movies. Mason Winfield, "the supernatural historian of western New York", says that ghost stories happen wherever people live--and that's right here in our own backyard. Barbara Henry, Adult Services Librarian and host of Wood Library's series Read Locally, recently talked with Winfield about his newest book Haunted Rochester: The Supernatural History of the Lower Genesee. Watch the video below. Want to read the book? Click here to go to Haunted Rochester in the OWWL catalog and place a hold. By the way, you can see a list of contents in the details. If you missed earlier espisodes of Read Locally, watch them on the Wood Library YouTube Channel.

French Conversation Cafe

Starts Monday November 3, 2008 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Ginny Blackwell is back with the French Conversation Cafe! Learn, talk, socialize over a pot-luck meal. Four Mondays, November 3, 10, 17, and 24. Open to all levels and ages -- adults and highschoolers. Limited to 10. $20 holds your place in the class. Call 585-394-1381 to register or drop by the Main Floor Desk. Send your check to "Wood Library" c/o Barbara Henry, 134 N. Main St., Canandaigua, NY 14424.

Ginny says, "I have always loved foreign languages, especially the 'French spoken word'. For some reason I cared little about grammar or proficiency and just carried on as if I knew my “p’s & q’s”. French Conversation Café is a continuation of this attitude that if we remove the fear factor and combine it with fun, food, and practice, you will emerge with a new found love for the spoken word and perhaps, the sense that the joy of the language outweighs any anxiety to speak perfectly! Alors, amusez-vous bien!"

Facilitator Ginny Blackwell has a BA in French Education and an MBA in International Business. She currently owns a web-based business where she networks with clients worldwide to offer affordable vacation ownership options in France. She visits France often.

Read Locally with Aaron Paul Lazar

"Read Locally" is back for October. The monthly series features local authors talking about their books. Here is the second episode with Aaron Paul Lazar and his Gus LeGarde Mystery Series and the latest installment Tremolo: Cry of the Loon.

Watch for future episodes--October 31: Mason Winfield and his new book Haunted Rochester and December 1: Julie Cummins and her children's book Women Daredevils. Wood Library videos are posted on the Wood Library YouTube Channel.

American Politics and Media Film Series

"American Politics in Film: Media and Public Perception" series will screen Tuesdays from 6 to 9pm in the Community Room at Wood Library from September 16 through October 21. Learn about politics by watching movies. Discussion follows. Hosted by John Michalko and Tom White. Free and open to high schoolers and adults. Here's the schedule. Please note that it has changed from the original schedule. Being There was shown Sept. 16 not Sept. 30.

Being There - Sept. 16
All the President's Men - Sept. 23
Wag the Dog - Sept. 30
The Candidate - Oct. 7
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - Oct. 14
Slacker Uprising - Oct. 21

Free Investment Classes Online

Gas prices got you down? Worried about the economy? Stay home and get informed. Take a free financial class online. On Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time, you are invited to take a free online class "Smart Investing @ Your Library: Planning Decade by Decade." A second online class, "Smart Investing @ Your Library: Risks and Rewards (Asset Allocation)" will be held Thursday, September 25, 2008 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The classes are free at OPAL (Online Programming for All Libaries). Click the OPAL link above, scroll to the program, and click "OPAL Online Auditorium." First time users will need to install the tcConference plug-in.

Paul Santos, the Director of Finance, Facilities, and Human Resources at the Alliance Library System will make the presentations and lead an informal discussion. The discussions are part of Smart Investing @ Your Library, a series of events and resources (in person, on the web, and in Second Life) to help inform individual investors.

Host: Alliance Library System, with support from the American Library Association and FINRA Investor Education Foundation. All OPAL (Online Programming for All Libraries) public events are free of charge and open to everyone worldwide. Most OPAL online programs last about an hour.

Read Locally Author Series Begins

Wood Library has launched a new video series called "Read Locally" featuring local authors talking about their books. Here is the first episode with Kevin Andrew Cotter on his new local history The Lurking Devil of Murder. Library videos are posted on the Wood Library YouTube Channel.