From the Library Director:
Need a Laugh?

(archived post - 2008)

Thanks to a generous contribution from the Friends of Middletown Thrall Library, we are now offering a new collection of standup comedy and comedians in DVD format.

The collection covers more than seventy years of comedy, from early vaudeville and movie teams to the top comedians of today. Pioneers of comedy, like Laurel & Hardy, and the Marx Brothers, from the early days of movies are represented. Jack Benny, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Sid Caesar, Milton Berle and others who moved comedy to television are also featured. Classic comedians like George Carlin, Bob Newhart, Rodney Dangerfield, George Kirby, Phyllis Diller, Bob Hope, Bill Cosby and early performances on The Tonight Show are available for your viewing. Younger comedy fans may want to borrow DVDs of Dave Chappelle, Ralphie May, Wanda Sykes, Lewis Black, Larry the Cable Guy, Eddie Izzard, Sandra Bernhard, Maria Bamford, or Kathy Griffin.

Please check the DVD area for a complete list of comedians featured in this new collection.

DVDs can be borrowed for a seven-day period.

From the Library Director:
Heating and Cooling Repairs Upcoming in 2008

(archived post - 2008)

We anticipate undertaking a number of heating and cooling system repairs during this year, following the receipt of an energy efficiency report funded, in part, by a grant from the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority.

An analysis of the entire building's heating, cooling, and ventilation systems was done in 2007 and reviewed by NYSERDA. A number of energy-saving measures and repairs were recommended in the final report.

Some of the repairs will be paid for through a grant obtained by Sen. John J. Bonacic.

From the Library Director:
Thrall Government Information Librarian Awarded

(archived post - 2007)

We have received confirmation from the New York Library Association (NYLA) that our very own Government Information Librarian, Karen Heil, has been selected as this year's recipient of the prestigious Mildred Lowe Award.

Please click here to read the complete press release in our Government information blog.

From the Library Director:
Approvals from the Friends

(archived post - 2007)

The Board of the Friends of Middletown Thrall Library recently approved funds for the purchase of The Dictionary of Medical Biography, a new five-volume set that will be added to the Adult Reference collection.

They also provided funds for some additional free public programs for children and young adults for this fall.

Please watch the library's website and check in the library for announcements about upcoming programs.

From the Library Director:
Library Hosts Visits by Lt. Governor Paterson and Assemblywoman Gunther

(archived post - 2007)

The library was pleased to host a visit by Lt. Governor David A. Paterson and Assemblywoman Aileen M. Gunther on Friday, September 21st.

This was the Lt. Governor's first visit to the library. Both officials have long been strong advocates for New York's public libraries.

He and the Assemblywoman met with local health care officials, as well as with constituents and local media. This visit helped to reaffirm the library's role as a resource center not only for the library district but also for a wider region in Orange and Sullivan Counties.

From the Library Director:
2008 Library Budget and Trustee Vote; Results of the October 2, 2007 Vote

(archived post - 2007)

The budget has passed 108 - 30. We thank you for your support of the library, and we look forward to continue serving the needs of our community.

The votes for the library trustees were as follows:

• Rosa Boyd - 117
• Marlena Lange - 113
• Carl Berkowitz - 95

More information about the library budget can be found at our website.

If you have any comments or questions, please contact the Library Director at 341-5485 or thrall7@warwick.net.

From the Library Director:
A Big Thanks to Gertrude Mokotoff

(archived post - 2007)

You will be more comfortable when you attend book discussions, film series, or other public programs thanks to the purchase of 40 new cushioned chairs for the Meeting Room.

This purchase was made possible thanks to a very generous donation from former Middletown Mayor, and library district trustee, Gertrude Mokotoff.

"Pre-Overdue" Notices

(archived post - 2007)

If you are a member of Middletown Thrall Library and are currently registered to receive e-mail notifications, a new service is now automatically being provided to you for free!

This new service automatically sends you e-mail reminders when one or more items are due to be returned soon to the library.

This service can help you avoid costly overdue fines. Another benefit is that materials returned on time can be made available to other patrons more promptly.

An example of the "pre-overdue notice" appears below:



These notices come from the same e-mail address as regular overdue/reserve e-mail.

If you have Internet access but are not already signed up for our free e-mail notification service, you can go to our library catalog page and click the "register for e-mail notices" button.

You can also come to the Reference Department and we'll be happy to show you how or to register you for e-mail notices.

Once registered, you will no longer receive postcards or be charged $ .35 for each item you request to be reserved for you.

If you have any questions, you can always speak with a librarian at Reference or use our free "Ask a Librarian" service on the web.

Thrall Blogs

(archived post - 2007)

As part of our ongoing mission to make new and notable information in all its forms easily available to you, we have created a blog section at our library's website.

What's a blog? The word "blog" is short for "web log," a place where information, arranged usually around a specific theme, is posted at a website. Each post contains information, and posts are usually listed in chronological order, often with the most recent item displayed first.

Some blogs on the web are casually conducted by their creators, especially those preferring to entertain their readers. Other blogs are used to air strong opinions and perspectives on any number of issues.

Some blogs can be biased, misleading, or misguided. As is true of websites, anyone can create a blog and talk about anything that comes to mind.

Thrall's own blogs span a variety of topics we believe you might find interesting and information. Subjects covered include technology, the environment, government, health, and of course reading and research! Our blogs highlight freely available information available both in the library and on the Internet.

Whenever appropriate we will provide direct links to items in the library catalog so you may check their availability and even request an item to be held for you. Our librarians are always on the lookout for new information, and our blogs are updated regularly.

To explore this new service, please click the "blogs" link on the "News" line on our home page or select "Blogs" from the drop-down menu also on that page. You can also click here to jump to our Blogs.