The Field Library in Peekskill continues its monthly tradition of Poetry Slam this Wednesday when they present “Mighty” Mike McGee, a well-known and spirited poet.

He is a touring American spoken word performer and comedian. In 2003, he topped the Individual category at the National Poetry Slam. The same year, McGee co-founded the Vancouver, B.C. –based “talked-rock” trio Tons of Fun University, which debuted before a crowd of 15,000 at the Vancouver Folk Music festival in July 2004. The trio has since toured extensively throughout Canada, performing primarily in music festivals.

In 2005, he performed in one of the episodes of Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry on HBO, and in 2006, he won the Individual World Poetry Slam Championship (he is the first slam poet to win both a national and an international championship). McGee will hold a series of workshops and performances at Peekskill’s middle and high schools with a culminating public performance –followed by open mike for all ages at 3:00 p.m. in the Field Library.

McGee is visiting Westchester at the invitation of Eric “Zork” Alan,  the host of Poetry Slams at the White Plains’ Barnes & Noble, the White Plains Public Library and the Yonkers Public Library.

  The Field Library is at 4 Nelson Ave., Peekskill  and all are welcome. 

Public libraries need greater state funding, say the librarians who run these institutions,  and these professionals hope library users help them convince state officials to restore $5 million in library aid.

Librarians throughout the state are emphasizing that public library use jumps during tough economic times — and that trend of increased library use has already begun. People are coming in to renew their cards, check out what the library offers and try out some services, librarians in the lower Hudson Valley report.

The librarians have joined forces through the New York Library Association in urging, basically pleading, the State Legislature and the new Governor to restore $5 million in library aid. The point is to keep libraries open the same number of hours and to be able to offer the services and reading materials to the neediest in their communities.

“When the public’s buying power shrinks and household expenses grow, people tend to rely more on their public libraries for free reading materials and services, like literacy programs and computer training,” Michael Borges, NYLA’s Executive Director said in a release. “That’s why restoring the critical state Library Aid is so important this year.”

Borges continued: “We understand that times are tough for everyone, including state and local government, but a mere $5 million in the state budget will have many positive ripple effects including helping public libraries meet an increasing demand and allowing library districts to keep potential property tax increases down, something local taxpayers can certainly appreciate.”

Borges also said that a January Zogby poll showed that a majority of New Yorkers support continued increases in state aid for libraries despite uncertain economic times. “In fact, 82 percent of New Yorkers support more state funding for purchasing more and updated library books,” he said.

Let your librarians know you support them and let your elected state officials know that you want their help.

Earlier this month I talked with Carmel High Student Caroline Diaz about the school’s Human Rights Club and some activities she and her fellow students are planning for next month. You’ll hear more about their film series and letter-writing campaign in an upcoming story, but I couldn’t resist asking her for her reading list because I was curious about what teenagers are indeed reading. She tipped me onto some books I would be interested in reading.

Diaz said she plans to attend American University in Washington, D.C. and major in international relations.

Yes, my reading friends, book sales for January rose by 7. 2 percent. The largest jump was in adult paperback at nearly 40 percent and the smallest was in religious books at close to 1 percent.
This comes from the Association of American Publishers. With reports of closing bookstores and sluggish sales at Borders and Barnes& Noble, I guess people are buying books at independent bookstores (??) or from online retailers.

Could be that the trade group’s promotion, Get Caught Reading, is working. Above is a poster showing Alicia Keys checking out a book. Others celebrities in the posters are Rosie O’Donnell, Marlo Thomas, George Foreman and Queen Latifah.

Here is what the AAP said in full about January sales — and it shouldn’t go unnoticed that January is often a slow month for sales.

“The adult hardcover category was up by 4.2 percent in January with sales of $94.4 million. Adult Paperback sales rose 37.6 percent for the month ($135.2 million). The adult mass market category rose by 17.3 percent for January with sales totaling $65.3 million. The children’s/YA hardcover category saw a decrease of 21.9 percent for the month with sales of $33.6 million. The children’s/YA paperback category was up by 28.2 percent in January with sales totaling $34.0 million.

The Gottlocks are on the library circuit.

Get an historical overview of the Palisades Interstate Park system from authors Wesley and Barbara H. Gottlock, authors of “New York’s Palisades Interstate Park,” part of the Images of America series from Arcadia Publishing. There will be a special emphasis on Bear Mountain and Harriman State Parks.

The event is a t 7:30 p.m. April 7 at Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library, 10 W.
Ramapo Road, Garnerville.  The book was published by Arcadia in 2007 and is sstill available at its Web site at www.arcadiapublishing.com and also at local retailers.

Information, call 845-786-3800 or go to www.HKDPL.org

The Chief Administrative Judge of the state of New York has appointed Judge John W. Sweeny, Jr., Putnam County Senior Resident Justice, as chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Putnam County Supreme Court Law Library.

No small task, this library operation is charged with providing professional legal resources to attorneys and the public — a unique library that serves a vital and distinct function for professionals and the general public. This facility in the new Putnam County Courthouse on Gleneida Avenue in Carmel is an update of the what was housed in the previous courthouse. There are expanded services and Internet access for lawyers, as well as new programs to help litigants who are self-represented.

In a release announcing his appointment, Sweeny said he is looking forward to the improved library.

He is also an Associate Justice of the Appellate Division of the New York State Supeme Court.

(Photo by Stuart Bayer/The Journal News, Dec. 27, 2007)

Now, it’s Friday and one of my favorites times. The weekend is beginning and I can sit back and hopefully get some time to relax and read something really good.

While covering the Cold Spring election I ran into candidate Karen Dunn’s husband, John Dunn. He is a longtime bookstore fan and someone who is very well read. We shared stories of many former lower Hudson Valley bookstores — anyone remember the wonderful Books and Things in Briarcliff Manor? — and had quite a nice talk, some of it online.

When I asked him what he was reading, here’s what he said:

“I tend to switch between very focused reading, where I’m working on one, maybe two books, and more diffuse reading, where I may be working at five or six at a time. When the latter happens, it’s unlikely that I’ll finish any one of the books. More than likely it means that I’m looking for something the nature of which I’m not even sure about. The present is a bit of an in-between time, just to make it even more complicated.

I’m spending a lot of time reading about and thinking about architecture and art, two long-time favorites that I’ve neglected for some time. In the art category I would put THE WRITER’S BRUSH: PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS AND SCULPTURE BY WRITERS, edit by Donald Friedman, with essays by William Gass and John Updike. Friedman has taken the time to gather together examples from writers as diverse as Friedrich Durrenmatt, the poet Elizabeth Bishop, Edward Lear and Gunter Grass, to name just four of the almost two 200 writers selected for the book. Each gets two facing pages, one talking about the writer and one illustrating his or her art. At $40 it’s expensive, but considering the prices of the big biographies you see these days, it’s a bargain. Warning: it’s big and it’s heavy, so don’t plan on reading it in bed, unless you want to risk a concussion.

Another that I’m reading is about poetry: THE FRIENDSHIP: WORDSWORTH AND COLERIDGE, by Adam Sisman. It’s just out in paperback, which is how I happened to notice it. (But I got my copy through the library!) A wonderful study of the early years of these two important English poets and of their collaboration, which resulted in many of their great poems that are still read today. Well written, informative, not at all academic.

Bookstores? We all know the independents are harder and harder to find. Three that stand out in my mind are Oblong Books in Rhinebeck (their mother store is in Millerton), Brookline Booksmith in Brookline, Massachusettes, next to Boston and Boulder Books in Boulder, Colorado, where my younger daughter lives. All are on the internet. I try to support indie stores by buying from them through the internet. You don’t get the deep Amazon discounts, but you’re keeping the indies alive. And speaking of bookstores, did you know that two large B&N stores in New York City are closed or closing. Astor Place is shuttered and the store at 6th and 22nd is closing at the end of March. Now that they’ve helped to drive the indies out of business, the chains are beginning to suffer the consequences of over expansion.”

Check out John Dunn’s neat new blog described as “The free voice of a small Hudson River community, focusing not only on local stories, but regional, national and even international stories of interest. ” (I admit I’m having computer issues, so in case the link doesn’t work the address to John’s blog is www.http://radio-free-cold-spring.blogspot.com/

Happy weekend and happy reading.

I’ve written about small independent bookstores closing down in the lower Hudson Valley, like Merritt Bookstore in Cold Spring and Good Yarns in Hastings, but now I hear that Borders,  the publicly-traded bookstore conglomerate is  talking about major overhauls to cut its costs.

Borders Books, it seems is really looking to shut down some stores and work on e-commerce.  What ever  happened to flipping through the pages of a book and finding a great read because the book jacket just drew you in?

Reuters says that Borders suspended dividends today and its stock shares fell 30 percent. Clearly, foot traffic to get books along with the selection of music, cards and sidelines isn’t what it used to be.

According to its Web site Borders has more than 1,100 stores around the world under the name plates of  Borders, Borders International and Waldenbooks/Brentano’s. Stores in Mt. Kisco, Rye Ridge, Scarsdale besides ones ones in Manhattan, Paramus (NJ),  Danbury (Conn) and Dutchess County that draw customers from the lower Hudson Valley. Wondering what will happen to these.

Who has some good Borders finds to talk about?

The British science fiction writer, Arthur C. Clarke has died at the age of 90 in Sri Lanka reports British media including the BBC.

He had lived for many years on the island of Sri Lanka for many years.

Clarke is best known for his tale about the future which was the genesis for the 1968-Stanley Kubrik film, “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

In 1982, he wrote a sequel to this story with “2010: Odyssey Two,” which was also made into a film, but not with the same fanfare.
In his career, Clarke wrote stories, essays and was the namesake to a prestigious science fiction writing award, the Sir Arthur Clarke Awards.

The White Plains Public Library is opening up its spring book series, Family Drama tomorrow and is eager for new participants.

Professor Lee Schlesinger of Purchase College returns to discuss four compelling plays starting with the timeless classic and Pulitzer-prize winner, “Our Town,” by Thornton Wilder, reports adult services/program librarian Barbara Wenglin. The next meeting will take place on April 9 with “Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Sessions are from 2:30-4:30 pm and 7-9 pm in the library’s auditorium. The address is 100 Martine Ave.Registration is not required and switching times is fine, she explains.

The plays are available at the Reference Desk on reserve for reading in the Library,
with limited copies to check out. You may also purchase copies at a discount at the City Center Barnes & Noble, just mention you are part of the library’s book group.

Schlesinger, recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, returns as
scholar-in-residence for spring term with a free course and no exams!
The program flyer is at the Library or on its homepage.

The series is made possible with the support of the Friends of the White Plains Library. Refreshments will be served and all are welcome!