President Barack Obama has had his hand in many issues of late — from healthcare reform to the war in Afghanistan, from corporate bailouts to trying to host the 2016 Olympics.  Now, he is emphasizing that American need to have the skills to effectively navigate the Information Age.

Translation of this: Libraries are essential to all Americans and their communities. Americans are seeking out information in printed materials and on the web. First, they  need help to  find resources, and second, they need help to evaluate what they have uncovered.  The first professional to call on this journey is the librarian. Communities in our Lower Hudson Valley have a wide variety of public libraries with open doors.

The American Library Association (ALA) is quite pleased with the president’s newest message. Here is an excerpt from today’s announcement from the Chicago-based library association:

“Yesterday, the president issued a statement proclaiming October 2009 as National Information Literacy Awareness Month and calling “upon the people of the United States to recognize the important role information plays in our daily lives, and appreciate the need for a greater understanding of its impact.

“The president’s statement also makes the key point that “though we may know how to find the information we need, we must also know how to evaluate it.

“’In libraries across the country, librarians are helping the public achieve this goal,’” ALA President Camila Alire said. “During this month of awareness, ALA encourages more Americans to visit their local libraries to take full advantage of the services they provide to help the public develop strong information literacy skills.

“Alire also said robust broadband is the critical underlying infrastructure needed to effectively navigate the Information Age. ALA commends the president on the $7.2 billion for broadband included in the stimulus and specific inclusion of libraries (public computer centers) as key hubs for information literacy.”

Celebrations of the Hudson River Quadricentennial are everywhere it seems, but the  Yonkers Public Library has a program  that will help put appreciation of this majestic river and its history into perspective.

The library hosts Frances F. Dunwell, author of “The Hudson: America’s River” (Columbia University Press)  and a conservationist with 30 years experience as a conservationist, in a talk at 3 p.m. Oct. 24.  The book tells about the Hudson and how it transformed American history, politics and culture. She also talks about the river’s scenic beauty and how it inspired people to be entrepreneurs and to be innovative.

The program is in the community  room at  the Yonkers Riverfront Library, One Larkin Center. Admission is fre. Books will be on sale with all royalties donated to the Natural Heritage Trust for the conservation of the river.

The Westchester Library System will be updating the software that runs the library catalog on Oct. 12 and 13. During that time the catalogs will be unavailable both online and in the member libraries. Many libraries will be closed Oct. 12 for Columbus Day.

“It’s kind of one of these necessary evils,” said Wayne Hay, the IT manager for the library system.

The upgrade will keep the software up to date and thus easier to maintain. For the user, the catalog will look much the same after the upgrade, he said. During the shutdown, downloadable audio books and ebooks will still be available.

We who have worked for a long, long (ok, very long) time here at The Journal News were pleasantly surprised recently to receive a package with a new novel written by an former colleague.

It’s called Pieces of Happily Ever After, and it’s written by Irene Zutell, who once covered the police beat and the usual community stuff in Scarsdale, Eastchester and Tuckahoe.

A Bronx native, Irene grew up in Eastchester.

(On the back cover, it gives a little bio on Irene: “She has written for People, Us Weekly, The New York Times, Read more of this entry »

Right about now State Sen. Vincent Leibell, R-Patterson, is scheduled to be in the Kent Public Library to help introduce the library’s new Website for children. (SEE UPDATE WITH PHOTO BELOW).

Wish we could be there for the launch, but for now Book by Book will spread the word about this new site in a most appropriate way—  online right here and now.

Kids’ Port comes to the community through a legislative funding from the senator. The site is a mix of fun and educational resources for children, pre-school to 10 years old. It has games, activities, reading links and stuff for parents. To the right is one of the icons on the site which leads users to a catalog of children’s books. Finding the right books can be fun and easy.

Mid-Hudson Library System is the administrator for Kids’ Port. It can be accessed from home computers so families can check it out most anywhere. The site was designed by librarians from Mid-Hudson, a cooperative system encompassing Putnam,  Dutchess,  Columbia, Green and Ulster counties.

UPDATE—  Here are photos of the event.

Ah fall is here with the cooler temperatures and falling leaves (at my house it is falling acorns). It’s also the time of lots of book events in the Lower Hudson Valley.

Get out your calendars:

Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. Harley Night at Warner Library, 121 N. Broadway, Tarrytown.  An unusual fundraising evening featuring  new and vintage bikes out front, a beer tasting of Captain Lawrence brews served by the women’s Suburbia Roller Derby Team, a full “Roadside Food” dinner by Culinary Institute of America graduate Michael Shanker, travel & motorcycle themed silent auction, readings from TheMotorcycle Diaries and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Temporary Tattoo station, and a showing of the 1953 Marlon Brando film, The Wild One, introduced by David Schwartz, director of the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. $50 per person.

Oct. 4 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Big Book Sale at the Mahopac Public Library, 668 Route 6, Mahopac.  Paperbacks are 50 cents each or three for $1; hardcover books are $1 each.  If it rains the sale will be held from noon to 4:30 p.. in the third floor community room, otherwise it is in the midst of the very popular Greater Mahopac Chamber street fair at routes 6 and 6N.

Oct. 5 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. A  reading and introduction to Gogyohka Poetry  by Peter Fiore at the Katonah Village Library. Fiore will read from his new chapbook, “Text Messages.”  Gogyohka is a new form of Japanese short poetry. The idea was developed by taking the traditional form of Tanka poetry which is written in five lines. Each line represents one phrase and by liberating its structure, creating a freer form of verse. This program is for adults and is free.

Oct. 6: 7 p.m. Manhattanville College’s Master of Arts in Writing Program’s  Meet the Writers Fall 2009 Series will feature readings by National Book Award  winner,  poet Mark Doty  on  Oct. 6  and Pulitzer Prize winner-author Elizabeth Strout,  Nov. 3  at 7:00 pm. A reception, Q& A and book signing are included in each program. Readings are free and open to the public at Manhattanville’s College Reid Castle, 2900 Purchase St., Purchase.

Oct. 7 (and Oct. 14) at 7 p.m. Bill Bongiorno, co-author of Building Customer Relationships Through Public Relations and president of Blue Chip Public Relations, a South Salem-based agency that helps global financial companies grow through global media campaigns and strategic communications, will speak twice at the North Castle Public Library, 19 Whippoorwill Road East in Armonk. His topics include  getting the word out, media and the press kits, and social networking.

The American Library Association announced last week that it had become a sponsor of  Make It Matter Day. The Chicago-based library trade group described the promotion as “an effort to encourage Americans to participate in literacy and education activities,” and it’s organized by Reader’s Digest.

The actual day is Oct.3 .

“The ALA supports Reader’s Digest in its commitment to literacy and education, which matter to the librarians who help foster the literacy skills Americans need to participate fully in a global information society,” ALA President Camila Alire said in a press release.

The editors at Reader’s Digest asked readers to identify a cause that mattered most to them. The winner was literacy and education.

Readers are invited to share their stories about books and reading together at the Readers Digest site.

Sunnyside hosts its annual Children’s Book Day this Sunday from 11 a.m to 6 p.m.  Washington Irving’s estate is  really a storybook setting for a festival featuring authors, illustrators and fans of children’s books. Check out the brochure at Historic Hudson Valley for the complete details. Katie David, Lloyd Moss and Pam Allyn are among the writers in the first session. Others include Jean Marzollo, Susan Jeffers, Jean Craighead, Howard Fine and Bernard Most.

If you haven’t seen the new renovations at the Katonah Village Library then this Saturday is the perfect time. Come to think of it, even if you have checked out the new areas of the wonderful library, Saturday’s fall celebration will be a fun fall event. And the library is looking for a name for its new teen section—a visit might give you some inspiration.

The library trustees and staff are inviting everyone to celebrate the  renovations and a public way to thank the donors and sponsors.

Here is the lowdown of activities:

•The celebration will begin in the Garden Room with live music by “Front Porch”, an Irish Bluegrass band that includes local musicians Michael Dwyer, Tom Dwyer and Jesse Raiford.

•The Katonah Historical Society will open a new exhibit introducing the Katonah Walking Tour.

•Children’s Room activities start at 11 am with reading, crafts and a kid’s Library Map.

•Tours of the building will point out new renovation features that include our new teen area, small conference room and energy efficient lighting.

•Visit the Meeting Room and watch a Katonah 1930s video and reminisce.

•Refreshments will be served and door prizes presented.

It’s from 10:30 to  12 pm. The library is at 26 Bedford Road.

Just received this press relese from the American Library Association:

“Nominations are still open for the 2009 Carnegie
Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award.

“The award invites library users to recognize the accomplishments of librarians in public, school, college, community college and university libraries for their efforts to improve the lives of people in their community.  Nominations will run through October 9 and are being accepted online at
www.ilovelibraries.org/ilovemylibrarian.

“Up to 10 librarians will be selected.  Each will receive a $5,000 cash award, a
plaque and a $500 travel stipend to attend an awards ceremony and
reception in New York, hosted by The New York Times in December.  In
addition, a plaque will be given to each award winner’s library.