Our Library is an Open Book

Libraries change and evolve to meet the needs of their community and adapt to new technologies. At Phillips Free Library though, one thing is constant - we exist to create an equitable world. Our mission is to empower and inspire all people to grow and connect with one another to create a better world for all. Here are some ways to connect with your community at the library this month.

New This Month

Tech Explorers: Bristle Bots

Phillips Free Library will host a Tech Explorers activity on Friday, March 29th from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm. We invite students in 3rd-8th grade to join us to make bristle bots. These bots use brand new toothbrushes, a vibrating motor, and battery to move around. After assembling the bots we will have races and make art. The 3rd-5th grade and 6th-8th grade will meet at the same time but in separate areas. The two groups will come together at the end to discuss their results. Registration is required: office@phillipsfreelibrary.org

Featured Events

Sweet 60 and Up!

Join us for the last Sweet 60 and UP on Friday, March 22nd from 1-3 pm. The first hour of this program (1-2 pm) is for adults age 60 and up and requires registration. During this hour we will have a craft, games, a book talk, and food.

The second hour of the program (2-3 pm) is open to all ages. We will once again have live music, this time by a new group of musicians.

If anyone needs transportation to and from the event, please contact the library by Thursday, March 14th.

For registration or transportation email Office@phillipsfreelibrary.org

Women's Suffrage

In Celebration of Women's History month, Phillips Free Library will be hosting a traveling exhibit from South Central Regional Library Council. The display, Recognizing Women's Right to Vote in NYS, will be at the library for the month of March. Take a few minutes to read the panels when you are looking for books!

New Books

Adult Fiction

Neighbors and Other Stories

by Diane Oliver

place hold here

A remarkable talent far ahead of her time, Diane Oliver died in 1966 at the age of 22, leaving behind these crisply told and often chilling tales that explore race and racism in 1950s and 60s America. In this first and only collection by a masterful storyteller finally taking her rightful place in the canon, Oliver’s insightful stories reverberate into the present day.

There’s the nightmarish “The Closet on the Top Floor” in which Winifred, the first Black student at her newly integrated college, starts to physically disappear; “Mint Juleps not Served Here” where a couple living deep in a forest with their son go to bloody lengths to protect him; “Spiders Cry without Tears,” in which a couple, Meg and Walt, are confronted by prejudices and strains of interracial and extramarital love; and the high tension titular story that follows a nervous older sister the night before her little brother is set to desegregate his school.

These are incisive and intimate portraits of African American families in everyday moments of anxiety and crisis that look at how they use agency to navigate their predicaments. As much a social and historical document as it is a taut, engrossing collection, Neighbors is an exceptional literary feat from a crucial once-lost figure of letters.

Picture Book

Time to Make Art

by Jeff Mack

place hold here

Awed by the endless possibilities, a young girl begins asking meaningful questions about creating art. Her questions are answered by a diverse group of artists throughout time and history: from the earliest cave painters to the most recent digital illustrators. Rethinking the familiar Western European timeline of art history, this book introduces readers to diverse works from every era and continent in a playful and inspiring way.

Coming in March

Phillips Free Library Science Fair

The Science Fair Prep Group has been meeting at the library since the beginning of January. The group of 4th-8th grade students are preparing to present their projects at the Central New York Science and Engineering Fair. Come take a look at their projects and ask them questions on Thursday, April 4th from 6:30 - 8:00 pm. Light refreshments will be provided.

Solar Eclipse

There is a solar eclipse that will be visible in our area on Monday, April 8th in the afternoon. We want to let you know that we have glasses that will be available on a first come first served basis starting Monday, April 1st. We are making plans for a couple activities that afternoon related to the solar eclipse. Stay tuned for more details.

A Glimpse from February

The K-2 Library Zoo book club participants read stories about letters in the mail in February. One of the stories was How to Send a Hug by Hayley Rocco. The children made Valentines that we shared with our next door neighbors at the Elizabeth Brewster House.

Did You Know...

Did you know ...

One of the free databases available to patrons is Mango Languages. Go to our website www.phillipsfreelibrary.org and select library services and resources. In the drop down box select Mango Language Database. On the next screen select Mango Languages. This will take you to the database where you can make an account. Newly added, you can now learn American Sign Language (ASL)!