ABOUT OUR LIBRARY:
Franklin and Ellen Pember gave the Pember Library & Museum of Natural History to the people of the village of Granville, in 1909. It consists of a Library on the first floor and a Museum of Natural History on the second floor. The Pember was built as a Library-Museum and was never used as a private home, although many people think so. It has beautiful woodwork and a wide staircase, as well as an extraordinary fireplace. The fireplace is made of slate, which has been made to look like marble, and is one of the few examples of this art form that can be seen in the area. The Library has a Victorian air about it that we emphasize at our Holiday Open House, in December.
In the beginning, patrons needed to ask the librarian for the book they wanted and were never permitted behind the gate to the stacks. (You can still see where the gate was!) Today, patrons are welcome to browse the shelves to select books, videos, audio books, computer programs, and kits for children, independently.
The Pember Library and Museum was chartered as a library on May 1, 1909 by New York State to serve the village of Granville but actually serves the Village of Granville, the Town of Granville, and many patrons from Hartford, Hampton, Whitehall, Fort Ann, Hebron, other parts of Washington county, and several local Vermont towns.
Although we are one of the smaller libraries in the Southern Adirondack Library System, we have a large circulation because we serve a large area with few libraries.
WHAT WE DO AND WHAT MATERIALS WE HAVE:
The Pember Library has a wide variety of materials for patrons to borrow.
Children:
Young children have a Children's Room to enjoy. Here you will find board books, picture books, puzzles, big books; paperbacks and kits, including: Puppets and Books, Science and Books, and Math Kits. Older elementary children will find a wealth of current fiction and non-fiction books in the large reading room where there are tables for browsing or writing reports. Our selection of videos geared towards children are also quite popular. Young adults (those in junior and senior high school) will find a wide range of fiction geared to their interests in the young adult (YA) section in the stacks. In addition, we have a tremendous selection of reading list materials based on curriculum from local schools. Audio books on tape and CD are also available.
Adults:
Adults will find most current fiction best sellers in addition to a wide range of non-fiction materials. We have a continually growing large print collection as well as hundreds of audio books for those who like to listen while they drive.
PROGRAMMING
Currently, the Pember Library provides programming to children of all ages. Infants up to age two enjoy Book Babies- a program that involves reading, song, and movement, as well as the opportunity for caregivers to experience communication with their peers. Our seniors participate in computer courses aimed at providing beginner and intermediate instruction including email and the Internet. During the summer, we encourage school-aged children to continue reading by offering a NYS sponsored reading program. Throughout the summer, by reading books, children earn rewards including more books, in addition to making crafts and sharing time together. The Pember also welcomes various performers and presenters, most recently heralding best-selling author, Archer Mayor; first-time children’s novelist Ann Rich Duncan; and humorous singer/songwriter, Tom Sieling. In addition, the Pember sponsors book groups for adults and teens, monthly.SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
The Pember Library has a small local history collection and a wonderful set of microfilm of the Granville Sentinel from 1875. A microfilm reader-printer is available. We have two boxes of DAR materials and three cabinets of local history materials including photographs. Unfortunately, we do not have staff to assist with the local history materials so patrons need to be prepared to work independently. The microfilms are not indexed, so searching is a time consuming task. We have yearbooks for Granville High School from 1949 to 1988. We would like to have more so if you have a yearbook that you would be willing to give to the Pember Library, we'd love to have it. If you live out of the area, we can often point you in the direction of a person who will do research for you for a nominal fee or a donation to the library.FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY
The Friends of Pember Library is being revitalized and we hope you will help the Library by joining. In each of the past three years the Friends have contributed over $3,000 worth of library materials. The Friends have contributed part of the cost of the computer set-up so we can go on the Internet this year, helped fund the Book Drop Box, prepare the Library for the Holiday Open House, bought extra tables and in many other ways helped support the activities in the library. These projects are all funded through our Annual Book Sale in July and membership dues. Please join! Stop at the library to join the Friends and pick up a copy of scheduled meetings for the year.JUNIOR FRIENDS
The Junior Friends have fun discussing what we want to do to help the Pember Library and learn more about how the library works. We meet the last weekend of every month, and it is a $2.00 membership for the year. It is not just reading and sorting books. To find out more information, view the "What's New!" section of the library's website.
FUNDRAISERS
In the past, we have sold bracelets that said "Libraries Matter." Over the
summer we sold flower and vegetable seeds. Currently we are selling bookmarks. The proceeds go towards purchasing items for the library...possibly to buy a shelf for the New Young Adult books.
EVENTS
At the moment, we are planning to do a murder mystery for people to solve.
There will be more information when it we learn more about it.
New members are always welcome.
VOLUNTEERS
We have active volunteers who help each week in the library. They shelve books, stamp date cards, read shelves, help patrons and present special programs. If you have at least 3 hours a month and would like to volunteer on a regular basis, come in the library and talk with us about how you might help.MEMORIALS AND GIFTS:
The Pember Library greatly appreciates memorials and gifts. Recently, we have been very fortunate to have a donor who has given almost $2,000 a year for audio books in memory of her husband! Over the past four years this memorial has given the Pember Library the opportunity to build a wonderful audio collection. Other gifts have permitted the Library to purchase new Windsor chairs for our reading room. Our next goal is to replace the shelving which was purchased in 1949 and which is too narrow for today's books.THE PEMBER LIBRARY
33 WEST MAIN STREET GRANVILLE, NY 12832 518-642-2525
This page last modified: Thursday March 29 2007