CALENDAR & BOOK SALES

CONTACT US Got a question? Send us an email or message! Select a topic Send Thanks for submitting! GET IN TOUCH! 607-754-4243 reference@vestalpubliclibrary.org 320 Vestal Parkway East Vestal, NY 13850

VPL Room Rentals and occupants are subject to all of the VPL conditions, rules, and regulations presented in the VPL Room / Space Rental Policy. ​ ​ Vestal Public Library reserves priority scheduling for all VPL meeting spaces. ​ Vestal Public Library reserves the right to deny any room rental application or cancel future bookings for groups or individuals in violation of the VPL Patron’s Standards of Conduct, VPL Room / Space Rental Policy, VPL Health & Safety Rules, and/or delinquent 4CLS fines/fees. ​ Rentable Library space includes: Conference Room, Front Patio & Garden, and Large Meeting Room. VPL MEETING SPACE RENTAL POLICY VPL MEETING SPACE RENTAL APPLICATION VERIFIED NON PROFIT & COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION PRICING ​ Rentable Library space includes: CONFERENCE ROOM PRICING (11 person capacity) - $10 PER HOUR ​ (1 hour increments only) **The use of the kitchen is free upon request** ​ ​ ​ ​ LARGE MEETING ROOM (94 person capacity) - $15 PER HOUR (1 hour increments only) **The use of the kitchen is free upon request** ​ ​ ​ ​ All meetings must be concluded and cleaned up by the end of a rental period. CONFERENCE ROOM CALENDAR LARGE MEETING ROOM CALENDAR FOR PROFIT & PRIVATE EVENT PRICING ​ Rentable Library space includes: CONFERENCE ROOM PRICING (11 person capacity) - $20 for the first hour, $10 for each hour beyond that (1 hour increments only) **The use of the kitchen is free upon request** ​ ​ ​ ​ LARGE MEETING ROOM (94 person capacity) - $35 for the first hour, $15 for each hour beyond that (1 hour increments only) **The use of the kitchen is free upon request** ​ ​ ​ All meetings must be concluded and cleaned up by the end of a rental period. CONFERENCE ROOM CALENDAR LARGE MEETING ROOM CALENDAR MEETING SPACES

VPL VIGNETTE NEWSLETTER Winter 2024 January - March 2024 View August 2023 Issue No. 8 View May 2023 Issue No. 5 View Feb 2023 Issue No. 2 View December 2023 End of Year Issue View July 2023 Issue No. 7 View Apr 2023 Issue No. 4 View Jan 2023 Issue No. 1 View September 2023 Issue No. 9 View June 2023 Issue No. 6 View Mar 2023 Issue No. 3 View Winter 2024 VIEW COMPLETE ISSUE HERE View previous issues below

CONTACT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Got a question for the VPL Board? Send us an email or message! Select a topic Send Thanks for submitting! If you don't feel comfortable using the form above you can email the Board of Trustees directly at vestalpubliclibraryfeedback@gmail.com VPL BOARD OF TRUSTEES ​ ​ OFFICERS ​Dianne Cappiello (2021-2024) President Dannielle Swart (2020-2023) Vice President Suzanne Johnson (2022-2025) Secretary Joe Kost (2020-2023) VP Finance TRUSTEES ​ ​ Shoba Agneshwar (2020-2023) Lorie Avery (2021-2024) Mary Ann Karre (2021-2024) Nicole Barnard (2022-2025) Barbara Morgan (2022-2025) ​ The Board shall consist of nine (9) Trustees. Board Trustees serve a three (3) year term and are elected by Vestal Central School District voters. Library Fiscal and Trustee Term year runs July through June.

1 on 1 TECH ASSISTANCE Technology and Reference Assistance is available by appointment. Fill out the form below to let us know how we can assist you and a librarian will contact you to schedule an appointment. REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT HERE HOW TO GUIDES These guides show the basics on either how to use a program or how to find information on a particular topic. Click on the boxes to open the document. HOW TO USE MICROSOFT WORD HOW TO USE MICROSOFT POWERPOINT RELIABLE HEALTH INFORMATION HOW TO DOWNLOAD EBOOKS AND AUDIO BOOKS

COMMUNITY BREW CAFE NOW OPEN! The Community Brew is a small-scale cafe that offers tea, cocoa, and hot coffee. ​ All proceeds from the cafe go towards funding VPL programming and projects. “I believe humans get a lot done, not because we’re smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee.” - Flash Rosenberg Now Open ​ 9am - 7:30PM

TEEN EVENTS & CLUBS BOOK CLUBS I'D RATHER READ YA Attention all fans of young adult lit! George F. Johnson Library, Your Home Public Library, and Vestal Public Library have joined together to create a book club dedicated to all readers and fans of YA books. You can pick up copies of this month's book at a library in different formats or on Libby! Join us every last Wednesday of the month at 6 PM on zoom for our book discussion, register by phone, online, or by visiting one of the three libraries to get zoom information. Last Wednesdays at 6 PM Virtual - by zoom SIGN UP HERE! EVENTS

Need a document notarised? Fill out the form below and we will schedule a time to meet with you! Send Thanks for submitting! The Vestal Public Library has a Notary Public available to all. Notary Public services are available Monday - Thursday 9AM - 3PM by appointment only. NOTARY SERVICES

KIDS Tiny Tot Storytime Tiny Tots Storytime and Playtimes are great for babies and toddlers ages 0-3 to practice listening, engaging, and socializing. Each six-week session will have three weeks of storytimes followed by three weeks of playtime. ** No Registration Required ** Thursdays at 10 AM Storytimes: May 2, 9, & 16 Playtimes: May 23, 30 & June 6 Tiny Tot Storytime Spring into a good book! Preschool Storytime (kids ages 4 - 6) starts on Tuesday, April 23 at 10:30 AM! The six-week session begins Tuesday, April 23. Tuesdays at 10:30 Themes: 4/23 - Wind 4/30 - Music 5/7 - Sharks 5/14 - Jungle ** 5/21 - Pirates 5/28 - Jobs ** This craft involves paint. Please, bring a smock or wear clothes that can get messy. Crafts are prioritized for kids ages 4 - 6. Kids outside the 4 - 6 age range are welcome to listen to the story and create any remaining crafts. Doors open ten minutes before each Storytime Session. Youth Servies Calendar LEGO CLUB Join us on the first Tuesday of each month for Lego Club! 4:00 - 6:00 PM open to ages 7-12. Each month we will build new lego creations based on a challenge. Creations will then be put on display on the library's website! All legos provided. Inclusive Storytime Inclusive and engaging story reading, arts & crafts, and movement activities designed to support augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) users and model communication strategies. Saturday, April 27 from 5:30 - 7:30 For all ages Registration Recommended. ​ SIGN UP HERE! Read It & Eat Read a book, get a snack, and join the discussion! Read It & Eat is a book club for middle grade readers (ages 10 - 13) looking to explore new worlds through a variety of books and genres. Book discussions are on the third Tuesday of the Month at 4PM in the Library . Book club books are available at the Youth Services Desk! **Currently FULL**. Bookaneers! Ahoy mateys! Vestal Public Library has a book club for kids ages 7 - 9 ! Become a Bookaneer by signing up and reading with us. Book discussions are on the third Tuesday of the month at 4 PM . Arrrr! There be snacks there too! Book club books are available at the Youth Services Desk. ** Currently FULL**.

HOURS REGULAR OPERATING HOURS: Monday – Thursday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Saturdays: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Sundays: CLOSED PHONE: 607-754-4243 Extension 1: Operating Hours Extens ion 2: Circulation Desk Extension 3: Youth Services Extension 4: Reference Desk Fax # : 607-754-7936 MAILING ADDRESS: 320 Vestal Parkway East Vestal, NY 13850 HOLIDAY HOURS Christmas Eve Observed December 23, 2023 ​ Christmas Day December 25, 2023 ​ New Year's Eve Observed December 30, 2023 ​ New Year's Day January 1, 2024 CLOSE at 12PM ​ ​ CLOSED ​ ​ CLOSE at 12PM ​ ​ CLOSED Memorial Day Last Monday in May ​ Juneteenth June 19 ​ Independence Day July 4 ​ Labor Day First Monday in September ​ Thanksgiving Eve Fourth Wednesday in November ​ Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November ​ Black Friday Fourth Friday in November ​ Christmas Eve December 24, 2024 ​ Christmas Day December 25, 2024 ​ New Year's Eve December 31, 2024 ​ New Year's Day January 1, 2025 CLOSED ​ ​ CLOSED ​ ​ CLOSED ​ ​ CLOSED ​ ​ CLOSE at 5PM ​ ​ CLOSED ​ ​ CLOSED ​ ​ CLOSED ​ ​ CLOSED ​ ​ CLOSED​ ​ ​ CLOSED

Why go fine-free? It's good for our community. The library's mission is to connect people, build community and transform lives. Eliminating overdue fines will further that mission by removing barriers to the Library's resources. Increasing access to the Library benefits our entire community. ​ Overdue fines are not effective. Our own experience during the Coronavirus pandemic and multiple studies have shown that small fines have no impact on return rates and may work against that goal. ​ I t's good for our relationships. Going fine-free makes a trip to the Library more pleasant for both you and our staff. What does fine-free mean exactly? You will no longer receive a fine on overdue items. You are, of course, still responsible for returning items. ​ The Library will send you courtesy reminders to return items. Materials that are seven days overdue are assumed lost, and you will be billed a replacement cost. If you return the items, the replacement cost is waived. If the item has been lost and/or damaged, you are responsible for the replacement cost. What led to this decision? It's good for our community. The library's mission is to connect people, build community and transform lives. Eliminating overdue fines will further that mission by removing barriers to the Library's resources. Increasing access to the Library benefits our entire community. ​ Overdue fines are not effective. Our own experience during the Coronavirus pandemic and multiple studies have shown that small fines have no impact on return rates and may work against that goal. ​ I t's good for our relationships. Going fine-free makes a trip to the Library more pleasant for both you and our staff. Have other libraries eliminated fines? YES! Visit https://endlibraryfines.info/fine-free-library-map/ to see how many libraries around the world have adopted fine-free policies. ​ ​ ​ ​ Won’t removing fines prevent people from ever returning the items? No! Return rates are higher when fines are eliminated. We know this from our experience of being fine-free in 2020. Of course, we will continue to monitor how this change will affect patrons and will make improvements as we see necessary. Do any items have late fees? Yes, there are a few exceptions, such as materials that are owned by other libraries and borrowed through Interlibrary Loan. ​ ​ What do I have to do to have fines forgiven and removed from my account? If you have outstanding fines accrued on Vestal Public Library items that have been returned, we will waive them. No questions asked. If you are still in possession of overdue materials, return them in our book drop or in person and we'll remove the fines. ​ However, if you have fines from lost or damaged material, you are still responsible for those charges. You can always speak with us, and we will work with you to find an equitable solution. I haven't been to the Library in years. Will my card still work? Four County Library cards need to be renewed every three years, so your card may be expired and need to be reactivated. There is also a chance it may have been purged from our circulation system. You can always call us at 607-754-4243 to discuss your card status. I thought I cleared up my late fines, so why do I still have a balance? While we are doing away with fines, fees for lost or damaged materials remain. How will this affect the Library's budget? While the Library is always mindful of its bottom line watching funding, any loss of overdue fine revenue is minuscule compared to the good this new policy will do for our community. The increased use of our digital materials (ex. Overdrive, Libby, hoopla) and other factors have made fines an unsustainable form of revenue. Also, overdue fines account for less than .4% of the Library's budget; going fine-free will not significantly impact the budget moving forward. What is the difference between a fine and a fee? Fines are punitive. Fees are for library services and products such as copying, printing, and material replacement costs. I have always thought of paying my fines as a donation to the Library. Can I still donate? Yes! Donations are always appreciated and can be made at the library or online here . ​ We can always improve our services and programming, and donations greatly help! FINE FREE FAQs Are there any fines/fees that will still be charged to my account? If an item is overdue for seven days, it will be considered lost, and fees for replacing the item will be billed to your account. ​ Any accrual of fees totaling more than $5.00 will result in your library card being blocked, meaning, you will be unable to use your card.