Commissioners Dittus and Quigley have announced a new community initiative for Ulster County students. The “I Voted” Sticker contest was created to promote the voting process and give young people a platform for civic engagement. Print the flyer for your budding artists and illustrators!

“I Voted” Sticker Contest Rules

WHO: Any young person, age 13-18 that is a resident of Ulster County can participate. 
WHAT: Design a logo that we will use to create “I Voted” 2-inch stickers and digital graphics that can be used for sharing for the November 2, 2021 General Election. I Voted must appear somewhere in the design, but the rest is up to you. 
WHEN: Artwork will be collected between the period of April 1, 2021- June 1, 2021. The Ulster County Board of Elections Commissioners will select the top designs and then open the contest up to voting on the top designs at VoteUlster.com during the month of July. The winning designs will be selected from the top vote getters and posted on September 10, 2021 and the stickers will be distributed during the November 2nd General Election. 
HOW: Send your artwork – Photo, PDF, JPEG to Elections@co.ulster.ny.us For more information please contact: Jen Fuentes or Keri Williams at 845.334.5470.

The Highland Public Library

Do you want to sit down and read a book, but you don’t have the one you want? Or do you want to get comfortable and watch a movie, but you don’t have the DVD? Then, in my opinion, the Highland Public Library is the perfect place to go!

The Highland Public Library is in Highland N.Y. lt is a new building that is spacious and full of books, DVDs, games and more. The Highland Public Library gives you a feeling of coziness and calmness, so you are never rushed, and you feel as if there are no limits. They are kind librarians will help you with whatever you need.

Why should you go there? First of all, the Highland Public Library is a new building that is cozy and organized. The Highland Public Library has a larger parking lot, and there are many little nooks in the library where you can cuddle up and read.

Additionally, the Highland Public Library has very welcoming librarians. The librarians will help you with anything you need—finding, ordering, or checking out books included.

Also, you can even search for many different items online that the Mid-Hudson Library System owns—and you can search the items on a computer at the library! When you go online you can get any of the following: books, DVDs, Blue-rays, audiobooks, and games!

Still not Convinced? Another thing is the library does crafts and programs. They will do crafts made for a certain age, or just for anyone. The library will put up what and when the craft is, and you can sign up for it. (ln the case of COVID, then you can just pick up the craft or craft supplies. There is someone on Zoom doing it.)

Last, but not least, the Highland Public Library also takes COVID-19 very seriously. They are now having people book appointments, so they are the only people in the library besides the librarians—and even then, you have to wear a mask.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out and go to the Highland Public Library today!

Review by Molly
Mrs. Dudar and Mrs. Hallock’s 5th Grade Class
Highland Elementary School, Highland, NY

Author Walter Mosley is the first Black man to be awarded the 2020 lifetime achievement award by the National Book Foundation. Walter Mosley is an accomplished best-selling author who has penned more than 60 novels and is best known for his award-winning mysteries. His first novel, a mystery book titled Devil in a Blue Dress was adapted into the1995 film starring Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle. The National Book Awards are presented by the non-profit National Book Foundation.

Read Walter Mosley’s Latest Novel

Trouble is What I Do, a Lenoid McGill Mystery
Morally ambiguous P.I. Leonid McGill is back — and investigating crimes against society’s most downtrodden — in this installment of the beloved detective series from an Edgar Award-winning and bestselling crime novelist. Leonid McGill’s spent a lifetime building up his reputation in the New York investigative scene. His seemingly infallible instinct and inside knowledge of the crime world make him the ideal man to help when Phillip Worry comes knocking. Phillip “Catfish” Worry is a 92-year-old Mississippi bluesman who needs Leonid’s help with a simple task: deliver a letter revealing the black lineage of a wealthy heiress and her corrupt father. Unsurprisingly, the opportunity to do a simple favor while shocking the prevailing elite is too much for Leonid to resist. But when a famed and feared assassin puts a hit on Catfish, Leonid has no choice but to confront the ghost of his own felonious past. Working to protect his client and his own family, Leonid must reach the heiress on the eve of her wedding before her powerful father kills those who hold their family’s secret. Joined by a team of young and tough aspiring investigators, Leonid must gain the trust of wary socialites, outsmart vengeful thugs, and, above all, serve the truth — no matter the cost.

Place Trouble is What I Do on Hold
Search Library Catalog for All Books by Walter Mosley

Walter Mosley was born in Los Angeles, California on January 12, 1952. He graduated from Johnson State College in Vermont. His first book, Devil in a Blue Dress, was published in 1990, won a John Creasy Award for best first novel, and was made into a motion picture starring Denzel Washington in 1995. He is the author of the Easy Rawlins Mystery series, the Leonid McGill Mystery series, and the Fearless Jones series. His other works include Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned, 47, Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, and Twelve Steps toward Political Revelation. He has received numerous awards, including an O. Henry Award, the Carl Brandon Society Parallax Award, and PEN America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Curbside pickup begins this week. We are working with a limited number of staff in the building per CDC safety standards. Staff has been working though the hold list and getting your books reading for pickup.

In keeping with guidelines from the CDC and NYSDOH limited staff will be returning to the building on June 8. At that time we will be preparing for curbside pick up and making some adjustments to the staff and public areas.

Curbside pickup will begin the week of June 22. We will be limiting holds to our items at that time. To place a hold, you will be able to call the library, email or live chat. To pickup your items you must reserve a pickup time either by calling the library or using the reservation calendar. We will be staggering times to follow social distancing guidelines. One person or family at a time will be permitted access to the pickup lockers. Locks will be programmed and you will be supplied with a code. Once you take your items out of the locker, return the lock to the book return. There will be no public access to the building during this time. Face masks are required.

July 1 we will be allowing access to computers and other services by appointment only. Face masks will be required. Social distancing will be followed to keep staff and community members safe.

Mid- late July the library will be open for browsing and quick services. Number of people at one time will be limited. Face masks required.

All programs in the library will be cancelled for the remainder of the year. No large group gatherings will be permitted. We will continue with our online programs.

Clintondale Branch

The Clintondale Branch pickup schedule is as follows:

• Tuesday from 10:30am-11:30am
• Wednesday & Thursday from 4:30pm-6:30pm
• Friday 2:30pm-4:30pm
  

Please call (845) 883-5015 to make arrangements for pickup.

New York State has partnered with Bloomberg Philanthropies, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Vital Strategies to create the NYS Contact Tracing Program, a nation-leading initiative to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and make it safer to begin to return to normal again.

Contact Tracers work with people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to identify people they have had contact with and let them know they may have been exposed to the disease. 

If you get a call from “NYS Contact Tracing” (518-387-9993), PLEASE answer the phone. Answering the phone will keep your loved ones and community safe.

Learn more about NYS Contact Tracing

According to library policy in the effort to minimize risk to staff and community members. The library is now closed to the public. We will reassess our situation on April 1st.