Blount Library: A Year in Review-2025
January- The Library began the New Year with a new fire panel. The updated panel will now use its own line and ensure less outages when it was ran through the old fax line. The Library will continue to work with Intandem clients every Wednesday; they clean, organize, sort items at the directors request. There had a small leak in the new basement bathroom and Zuech’s was able to solve the problem quickly. Craig Malinowski installed a new light in the basement bathroom as well. Craig Malinowski installed a Wi-Fi timer in the foyer to allow the light to be on more often. At the request of our police chief, the Library Wi-Fi will only be available from 6am-9pm, in hopes of discouraging trouble. The Green Thumb Garden Club did not meet in January. Tech Time is still offered Weekly from Don Watkins 4pm-6pm. Don continues to help many members of our community. For the Love of Yarn is still meeting weekly. Bridge Lessons continue to meet on Mondays. Lisa Swaciak continues to offer Tai Chi on Saturdays and Chair Stretch on Wednesdays. The library has established a Sunshine Committee to send cards to our patrons who are in need of brightening up.
February- Take your Child to the Library Day 2/1- Lisa Swaciak read a Groundhog book, did a craft and had snacks for our youth. The Library ran a month of Food for Fines, very slow but all items collected were donated to the Food Pantry. An array of activates during Winter Break including the Scholastic Book Fair. The Blount Library was approved for a host site of the FeedMore WNY produce truck. Our February Green Thumb Gardening Group has a discussion and then painting our own bird houses.
March- The Library celebrated Dr.Seuss’s Birthday with cupcakes and a story. The Library hosted the Friends of Cash Park meeting, trying to make a connection from the Library and Cash Park. Green Thumb Gardening Lecture on Seed Planting and also make “seed paper” and “seed Bombs”
April-Preparations are going strong for the Annual Maple Fest Book Sale. A group of 5 BOCES students helped haul stored books from the basement of the library upstairs for the book sale, this was a huge help to all. Spring Break Activities were offered, we had a special guest, Matt Bucholz; the kids planted seeds to take home and watch grow. Mike Morton brought Hedgehogs for the kids to learn about and touch. The First Produce Truck was on 4/25 and will continue weekly throughout the year(weather permitting). The table and computers have been removed from the kids room in order to make more room for book shelves. Computer use at the library is very low. Green Thumb Gardening Club met and held a discussion on Container Gardening.
May- Green Thumb Garden Club held a perennial plant exchange and soil testing class for the Green Thumb Gardening for the Month of May. The Library hosted the Cattaraugus County Youth Bureau for their annual Summer Employment sign up twice in May.
June-The BOCES students carried all remaining books left from the Maple Fest Book Sale back to the basement for next years sale. Green Thumb Gardening had a discussion on gardening for a changing climate and make bead fairy stakes.
July- Summer Reading will take place Monday-Thursday for six weeks. Alfred State College will be offering a Tween/Teen program. The Students had presentations on Thermal shock and making “glass”. Beth Chase manned the table at the Farmersville Community Days. AARP Smart Driver class took place 7/14 & 7/17. Green Thumb Gardening Club learned a lesson on Geocaching. The instructor is an avid Geocacher and established 2 caches here at the library one inside and 1 outside. This increased our visits for people searching for them. Patti Sage and Martha Thorne offered a Saturday Storytime.
August-Summer Reading still underway. Green Thumb Gardening met at The Heart of Franklinville to make concrete sculptures. Barry will finish them and deliver for participants to pick up at another date.
September-Toddler time to return to the library. Bonnie Beechler taught an acrylic pumpkin painting class and a watercolor painting class. AARP smart driver class was offered 9/15 & 9/18. A 6 week after school art program with generous donations from Cleon and Lesa Easton. Annette Gill met with many individuals to discuss Medicare Insurance issues to community members.
October-It has been confirmed we will be breaking ground on the new sunroom in the spring with a generous donation in Memory of Carol Lucia. After school art classes included, Halloween ceramics, watercolor paintings, scarecrow canvas paintings, and each child received an art kit that included supplies for watercolor, crayon and colored pencil art. Children are encouraged to be creative and share with other members. Beth Chase offered a Pumpkin sweater making class 10/16, participants were thrilled with the results. Green Thumb Gardening hosted Matt Bucholz who taught the group with instructions on various ways to store seeds, they made pumpkin seed packets and carved a pumpkin to obtain fresh pumpkin seeds.
November-Bonnie Beechler offered a watercolor Birch Tree painting class. Mrs. Vernon donated 30 meal kits given to needy members of our community, some were given out directly some were placed in the free book library. All board members completed sexual harassment training.
December- IOOB’s made a generous donation to the library which will be used to purchase new nonfiction books for the collection. Melissa and Lisa attended to the Tree lighting craft night, very small turn out. Aimee Stanbro held a Gingerbread paint night with 23 attendees. The Library received a mini grant from CCLS which will be used to provide self-care packets to members of the community during the FeedMore WNY produce truck in the spring. The produce Truck has been cancelled sporadically due to the weather.