RAMAPO CATSKILL LIBRARY SYSTEM NEWS

DECEMBER 1, 2025

Note: The RCLS offices will be closed the afternoon of Friday, December 5th for a staff event

Mock Caldecott Awards

Please contact Eileen Acosta, RCLS Outreach Services Assistant, for a copy of the spreadsheet listing all the titles that might be considered for the Award and more information concerning the criteria. We will have all the books that are on the spreadsheet at RCLS headquarters in Middletown for your perusing pleasure. Please call or email Eileen to make an appointment to come in from now until December 3rd. (845-243-3747, ext 221 or eacosta@rcls.org)

Image of round gold relief Caldecott medal

The deadline for votes is Monday, December 8th.

The top 40 books will be used for discussion and notice of the

final 40 will be distributed on or before December 19.

The Mock Caldecott, Mock Newbery and Mock Printz Award discussions will take place at RCLS Friday, January 9, 2026. (Snow date January 16th)

All three are in-person events and will not be recorded

Participants will receive 2 CE credits

Mock Caldecott 9am-11am

Mock Newbery 11:15am-1:15pm

Mock Printz 2:00pm-4:00pm

The busy, hectic, get-ready-for-the-holidays season is here.

Click on the picture below to see the RCLS Bookwerm's recommendations for some reads to

"spirit you away" from your busy schedule for a bit...

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Library Advocacy Day in Albany

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Why Participate in Library Advocacy Day?

Adding your voice will benefit...

- every New York library and citizen

- each library and system that receives direct state aid

- the libraries and systems which receive indirect state aid in the form of cooperative services and shared programs from their library system

- legislators who need to understand how libraries can help them

General Information & Bus transportation sign-up available on the RCLS Calendar

COMMUNITY NEWS

Promotional announcement for Shall we Dance program featuring image of Matthew Harrison and Vlada Yaneva doing an impromptu Irish jig under a stone arched brick walkway in front of a background of winter trees in the distance

An exhilarating Piano Concert that includes tangoes, waltzes and

other selections, featuring music by

Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Ravel and more

Sunday, December 7, 2025 ~ 2:00pm - 3:15pm

Suffern Free Library Large Meeting Room

REGISTER HERE

Flyer for Cragsmoor Library Winter Holiday Cookie and Craft event December 14, 2025 with snowflake and gingerbread border art. QR Code bottom right corner to donate cookies or reserve a craft table spot.

Music on McFarland presents

Harp & Holly:

Sounds of the Season

Sunday, December 14th ~ 2:00 pm

In this festive one-hour program at Albert Wisner Public Library in Warwick, harpist Erika Lieberman presents a unique blend of solo holiday harp music and engaging storytelling. She explores the harp’s role in helping people endure the winter season throughout history and around the world and reflects on why this instrument remains such a powerful and enchanting symbol of the winter holidays. (Registration is required)

Additional information HERE

Register HERE

Erika Lieberman

RCLS CONTINUING EDUCATION

To register, please click on the course name text in BLUE

Credit Hours earned per session are noted below. Please verify with the individual posting on the RCLS Calendar.

Overdrive 101Training (online)

OverDrive Best Practices: Tips to build,

maintain, and grow your digital collection

Thursday, December 11, 2025 ~ 10:00 - 11:15am

Presenter: Kristin Preyss, Account Manager III,

Public Libraries, OverDrive

Facilitator, Michelle Muller, RCLS Member & Youth Services Consultant

1 Hour Continuing Education credit

CIVICS EDUCATION COHORT

RCLS is pleased to announce a partnership with the League of Women Voters to provide in-depth informational sessions, workshops, and conversations surrounding Civics Education in a cohort setting. All sessions will take place virtually.

(Registration open only to RCLS and WLS member libraries.

More than one person per library may participate)

January 15 at 2p: Election security and integrity

Speaker: Kristen Stavisky, Co-Executive Director, NYS Board of Election

February 12 at 2p: Understanding absentee ballots

Speaker: Monica Ferguson, League of Women Voters

March 19 at 2p: Moderating/Hosting a non-partisan forum for candidates (best practices and logistics)

Speaker: Dare Thompson, League of Women Voters

April 9 at 2p: Combatting Mis-Dis-and Mal-information: Staying Aware and Activating Truth

Speaker: Chelsey Cartwright, Program Manager, Democracy Truth Project

May 7 at 2p: Civics programming for libraries

Facilitators: RCLS & League of Women Voters

Participants are expected to attend all sessions. If a session must be missed, participants are expected to watch the recording of the session. Further, it is expected that participants complete the program with the intention of hosting and/or supporting one or more voter registration events/programs.

To sign up to participate in this program, use the "Fill out form" link below

Library System Civic Engagement & Education Cohort – Fill out form

Questions should be addressed to Jen Park, RCLS Government Relations Specialist jen@rcls.org

PLEASE NOTE: If you sign up for one or more of the many

RCLS programs and/or continuing education opportunities,

save your registration confirmation email which will

contain the link for any ONLINE session.

You will also receive a reminder email 24-48 hours prior to the event.

RCLS SUSTAINABILITY CORNER

Did you know that the first national Thanksgiving was called for by George Washington in 1777? He saw it as a way to show gratitude and celebrate the end of the Revolutionary War. As everyone readies for the holidays, there's an opportunity to plan ahead & enjoy non-electronic activity that's interactive and suited to any age.

Go "retro" as a gift to the planet & ditch the tech... Here's a game that hearkens back to the 'good old days' that your family and friends can all enjoy together whether indoors or out in the fresh, crisp Fall air!

Giving Thanks from A to Z

A Thanksgiving celebration isn’t finished without everyone giving thanks. It’s in the name, after all. One person starts with "A", saying what they’re thankful for using a word that begins with that first letter, such as a beloved “Aunt.” The next person will use "B", and so on, until you reach the last letter of the alphabet. If someone can’t think of something, then they’re out. So that everyone can have a chance to win, you can play multiple rounds. Be sure to start with a different person each time so that some of the players get new letters. This game is great to play while the turkey’s cooking or even as everyone is enjoying their Thanksgiving meal.

Source: 12 Memorable Thanksgiving Games for the Outdoors | Greetings Island

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Orange County | Rockland County | Sullivan County | Ulster County

Follow us on Social Media graphic with QR codes for RCLS Instagram, Facebook and X accounts

RCLS Marketing Services LibGuide

Click the link above to view the Guide and schedule a meeting to talk about your marketing plans with Dave Cosco, RCLS Marketing Manager. Phone: 845-243-3747 ext. 245 or via email at marketing@rcls.org

A Closing Thought...

Tickle the funny-bone of your colleagues with a cartoon or share a

library-related quote that would resonate with the RCLS community...

Send your submissions to abaumann@rcls.org!

Ramapo Catskill Library System

619 Route 17M

Middletown, NY 10940

845-243-3747

www.rcls.org

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NOTE: Some images in this publication are AI assisted