News and Events

The Town of Berne Public Library, Berne, NY, a member of the Upper Hudson Library System, is currently seeking a part-time Library Manager. The position is 10-12 hours a week (evenings and alternating Saturdays). Salary is $13.00/hr.

A 2 year college degree or 60 credit hours is required. Applicant should have good interpersonal and organizational skills. Previous library experience and computer skills are desirable.

Duties include: selection and purchase of books, DVDs and library supplies; attending library-related meetings; preparing monthly and annual reports; writing news articles for local and Town newspapers, and arranging library programs.

A resume and names of 2 references (with their telephone numbers and addresses) can be mailed by Aug. 14, 2009 to :

Mary Kinnaird, Ed.D.
Town of Berne Public Library
1656 Helderberg Trail
Berne, NY 12023

Annual Awards

At the Upper Hudson Library System Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 10th, the following awards were announced:

LIBRARY PROGRAM OF THE YEAR (urban/suburban libraries): to the William K. Sanford Town Library for their FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS. This program was presented in December 2008 to a large multi-ethnic, multi-generational audience. The library’s Youth Services Department invited members of the Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Jewish and African American communities to show how they celebrated the holidays. Participants shared stories, offered ethnic foods, created handicrafts and explained the origins of their traditions, some of which have been passed down for millennia.

The Upper Hudson Library System commends the William K. Sanford Town Library for an innovative program that enhanced its services to the whole community.

LIBRARY PROGRAM OF THE YEAR (rural libraries): to the Berne Public Library for their LITERARY LUNCH. This program was presented in partnership with the Berne-Knox-Westerlo School and was designed to promote a positive reading environment for students during their lunch period. Books were selected and the students either read aloud or had chapters read to them and then discussed them. The participants were invited to a special movie night at the library as well as an evening art and drama event related to the book they read. This program brought many first-time users and their families into the library and opened a wonderful cooperative relationship with the school.

The Upper Hudson Library System commends the Berne Public Library for a creative program that involved a new community partner and reached many new patrons.

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR: Stephanie Sampsen of the Berne Public Library. The Upper Hudson Library System commends Stephanie Sampsen for her volunteer work at the Berne Public Library. Her initial foray into volunteering grew out of curiosity as to the reason for the steady stream of parents and toddlers going into the library on Tuesday mornings. She discovered that it was Story Time and that the one-person staff was overwhelmed with children, parents, books and crafts, along with all of the other library work. She offered to help and soon became skilled at many aspects of running a small rural library: shelving books, answering the telephone, checking out materials, assisting with the public computers, answering reference questions, and rounding up enthusiastic toddlers. She became an integral part of the library’s services on Tuesdays.

The Upper Hudson Library System honors Stephanie Sampsen for all she has done to help the Berne Public Library, its staff and patrons.

LIBRARY TRUSTEE OF THE YEAR: Robert E. Ganz of the Guilderland Library. The Upper Hudson Library System salutes Robert E. Ganz for his work as a Trustee at the Guilderland Public Library. He has been both innovative and tireless in his work on behalf of the library and its projects. He convinced the Board of the value of the establishment of a Foundation to provide financial support for the library, was the initiator of the program to allow a student representative to serve on the Board of Trustees, and was the chair of the library’s Long Range Planning Committee.

It is Robert’s leadership during a very challenging 2008 that deserves special recognition. He served as Board spokesperson during a series of contentious meetings with Town officials regarding commercial development of an area adjacent to the library. His expertise and personal commitment to the library and the community kept the discussions both civil and productive. He is an exemplary Trustee and is recognized as such by the Upper Hudson Library System.