Join the Genealogy Society and library staff on Saturday, May 19 starting at 10:30. First you will meet author and genealogist Greta Nettelton who talks about how she researched her family. She found Cora Keck was a piano prodigy from Davenport, Iowa whose coming-of-age story turns all our stereotypes about Victorian gender relationships upside down. Cora’s mother was a self-taught itinerant physician and the proprietor of Mrs. Dr. Keck’s Palatial Infirmary for All Chronic Diseases, and her father was a bankrupted farm mechanic who kept house for the couple’s six children. Mrs. Dr. Keck sent her daughter to Vassar’s School of Music in 1884 to keep out of trouble and find a proper Ivy League husband but Cora defied everyone’s plans, first enjoying a series of romantic affairs with her classmates and later eloping with one of her mother’s business partners, a 63-year old banker. Greta found Coras's diaries and papers and began piecing her family history.

Dear Friends and neighbors,  I will be leaving soon and I want to thank each and every one of you for the honor and privilege of serving as Director of the New City Library.  It has been an exciting time and I take comfort in knowing that I leave a stronger and better library. 

Customer service has been the hallmark of my tenure.   A thorough review of procedures was undertaken and completed to ensure it was a customer friendly library.   Customer Service was highlighted at every staff meeting with many staff development efforts to ensure staff is prepared to go beyond customer expectations.  The Library has become known in the region to have the best and most responsive staff. 

Can you believe it's been a year already?  Yesterday marked the first anniversary of Britain's Prince William and his bride Kate (now known as Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn, Baroness Carrickfergus).  America may not have celebrated with a bank holiday (though you're welcome to pretend, since our banks were closed on Sunday anyway), but I'm certain there were plenty of royal-watching Americans who raised a glass in their honor yesterday.

The Library Association of Rockland County is hosting a visit with Barry Lyga, noted author of teen books.  His schedule will include three stops at area libraries on Saturday, April 28.  He will be at Haverstraw Kings Daughters Library at the Rosman Center in Garnerville at 12 noon, at the Valley Cottage Library at 2 pm and Suffern Library at 4 pm.  He will give a talk at each library and the public will be able to purchase autographed books.  Barry Lyga is a graduate of Yale University and his books for teens have received outstanding reviews in all the critical journals including VOYA, School Library Journal, Booklist, Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.  His newest book is a thriller for Teens, I Hunt Killers.

After 10 long years, the 1940 federal census was released online in early April. For all those who need to find lost relatives and document findings, here is a chance to begin searching. By law, the federal census is withheld for 72 years so all who want to view the 1950 records will have to wait  another 10 years.

The Genealogy Society of Rockland will be meeting Tuesday, April 24 at 7 PM. At this meeting, members will be viewing the new census and making comments and observations. Should you have questions, plan to attend. Interested persons are always welcomed.