There’s no need to convince me that libraries offer a lot to their patrons and the community. But, the South Salem Library in the town of Lewisboro has really gone way beyond customary services by offering a fishing equipment lending program.

The library says that “thanks to the generosity of the Sportsmen’s Club of Northern Westchester, the Library now has fishing poles and tackle boxes to loan out to library patrons! Patrons may sign out the equipment for up to one week. Please note that fishing licenses are required for those over the age of 16, and may be obtained at the Town Clerk’s office. Watershed permits are required for fishing in local reservoirs.”

Wonder how it is going and if anyone is taking out any books about fishing at the same time?

Cold Spring resident Flick Ford came out with a spectacular book, “FISH: 77 Great Fish of North America,” which was filled with copies of his watercolor paintings of the dimensions, scale patterns and fins of trout, bass and mackerel. It is published by Greenwich Workshop Books and worth a look. It has text by Dean Travis Clarke and I wrote about it for The Journal News on Dec. 2, 2006.

The library also has family museum passes for local patrons for short-term borrowing. Passes are available for the Museum of Natural History in NYC and the Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield, Conn. The free passes will admit a family of two adults and up to four children to these museums. Passes must be reserved in advance by calling the library at 914-763-3857. The pass to the Museum of Natural History is made possible by the family of Vi Nguyen and Howard Lee. The Aldrich Museum pass was donated by the museum itself. Please contact the library if you are interested in sponsoring a pass to a new museum to help expand our program.

The online network, MySpace is putting together a book — yes, a book with words on  pages — about living an eco-friendly life. It is even asking for public input to help fill the 160 pages.

The Associated Press said today that the popular network has entered into a partnership with HarperCollins to publish “My Space/Our Planet: Change Is Possible” on Earth Day in April 2008. It will be MySpace’s first book venture and will include a foreword by Tom Anderson, co-founder and president of MySpace.

The public is invited to share tips about how to make a difference in saving the environment and actually help write this book. Those interested can go to the MySpace page until Nov. 7 and share their ideas.

For my part, I have some simple, but daily, tip and though they aren’t so unique I will share them anyway — at least with you Book by Book readers.

I will remember to turn off electrical items not in use, especially lights where I am now also using those curly fluorescent bulbs, and I promise to print many fewer pages from my computer.

With an online mover and shaker like MySpace taking on a book project, I am encouraged that it points to the future of books.

Want to write a personal essay, memoir or stories for children but need some help and inspiration?
The Hudson Valley Writers’ Center in Sleepy Hollow has three upcoming workshops that might be just the right ticket.

Nov. 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “The Wheel of Ten: Essential Tools to Make Memoir and Fiction Come Alive� with Mary Carroll Moore. It includes writing exercises, short readings and discussions and is billed for all skill levels. Participants are asked to bring a piece of writing in progress and a bag lunch. Moore has published ten nonfiction books, including “How to Master Change in Your Life,� and has just come out with her first fiction book, “Breathing Room,� a collection of short stories. Fee is $120.

Six Tuesday beginning Nov. 6, 7 to 9 p.m. “Writing Children’s Books & Stories� with Elizabeth Sachs. Each session will focus on a different aspect of writing with information about how to get published. Sachs is the author of ten books for young adults including “The Boy Who Ate Dog Biscuits.� Fee is $200.

Nov. 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Telling our Stories: Exploring the Personal Essay� also with Mary Carroll Moore. The class is described as a way to learn how to craft and develop a personal or opinion essay. Fee is $120.

For complete information on these and other programs, go to HVWC web site or call them at 914-332-5953.

There’s still time to join in the The Big Read in Westchester, but you have to be a fast reader to get through a 240-page paperback by Sunday afternoon. This weekend in Greenburgh the town’s Arts and Culture Committee is hosting a public book forum.

The selected book is “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” by Zora Neale Hurston, a 1937 classic tale about a young woman’s journey through life beginning at a southern plantation. She learns all about love, life, happiness and sadness.

The National Endowment for the Arts hopes everyone in Westchester will be reading and discussing this book during The Big Read. There are book discussion events throughout November. Go to the Westchester Arts Council’s site to find out what is happening in your neighborhood.

Have you ever wanted to meet author Jacquelyn Mitchard? Well I have, and later this month there will be an opportunity for me and you. I just loved her book “The Rest of Us: Dispatches from the Mother Ship.”

The popular author, known for her suspenseful and moving stories, is the featured speaker at the second annual Breast Cancer Awareness luncheon, Friday, Oct. 26. The event is sponsored by the Support Connection, Inc. of Yorktown Heights and requires advance registration.

The luncheon commemorates National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And how appropriate that Mitchard, who speaks for women with her books, will be there. The luncheon will be from noon to 3 p.m. at Traveler’s Rest restaurant on Route 100 in Ossining.

I just got the news that Josh Cohen, executive director the Mid-Hudson Library System, which includes Putnam County libraries, has been elected to be the New York Library Association’s Vice-President/ President Elect.

Josh will assume the presidency in 2008-2009.

The New York Library Association (NYLA) was founded in 1890 to lead in the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning, quality of life, and equal opportunity for all New Yorkers. Today, NYLA is working to further promote its mission in support of libraries and information service and having Josh Cohen there will certainly help, according to the MHLS newsletter.

The position is unpaid and Cohen will continue as executive director of MHLS.

Though there have been other local librarians from our area who have led NYLA, it is nice again to see someone from our communities taking on a statewide library role.

My Rockland County reporter colleague, Suzan Clarke wrote a fascinating story Thursday about Rockland public libraries and how some are wrestling with the proper way to issue library cards to people who do not have photo IDs.

The issue was prompted by a request from the Ramapo-Catskill Library System, a cooperative system of libraries in Rockland, Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties. The system, it seems, began looking into the matter when the Rockland Immigration Coalition said library policies requiring full ID could prevent undocumented immigrants from obtaining library cards for themselves — and their children.

The state library folks ruled that it was OK for the public libraries to have what amounts to a two-tiered system: One type of card for those with photo identification allowing access to all materials at that library and within other system libraries, and another card allowing only limited access to an individual library.

Quite an interesting debate over a service that has always been based on providing equal access to all. I wonder where this will lead and if anyone will take this any further.

In Mount Kisco, an applicant is only required to show some mail with a local address. The New York Public Library does offer a nonresident card.

And just think, September was annual Get a Library Card month.

Libraries in the area have a lot going on this month.

The Suffern Free Library is hosting its 2nd annual author luncheon for teens from 12 to 2 p.m., this Saturday. Robert Lipsyte, author of “The Contender” and “One Fat Summer” will be there to speak and autograph books.

Tickets are available at the adult information desk. Space is limited and Ramapo Central School district students in grades 6 to 12 have first dibs. For information on this and other programs, call 845-357-1237, adult information desk.

The Field Library in Peekskill is holding its annual awards reception, a gala event, on Oct. 13. This year the Chester A. Smith award goes to Rev. Msg. Francis Ansbro, a former library board president. His first parochial assignment was at St. Margaret’s Parish in Pearl River. In 1966, he came to Assumption Parish in Peekskill and spent more than 40 years there. He also served as of the Peekskill Volunteer Ambulance Corps for four decades. For ticket information call the library at 914-737-1212. The price is $35 per person with proceeds benefiting the Field Library’s cultural programs.

The Patterson Library is hosting a 60th anniversary reception from 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 21. The library just purchased the building where it has rented space for more than ten years from the town of Patterson. Trustees have expansion plans in mind and a feasibility study is underway. For information, call the library at 845-878-6121.