Albany Public Library discussion

Hello everyone!

Kate and I would like to thank all of you for making this 2019 Adult SRC so successful. We had over 50 participants this year, with a good amount of you finishing the program; and most everyone collecting at least two prizes, if not more!

We do have some participants who need to collect prizes from their local branches, and I will put the list at the bottom of this post. Friday, August 30 concludes our 2019 SRC, and will be the last day to submit books read and collect prizes. You still have this week to add your finished books to this post!

Please let us know if you have suggestions on what we can improve on for next year: how did you feel about the prizes and prize levels? Did you like the weekly themes with book suggestions? Did you use the BINGO sheet, and if so, do you have any thoughts on how we can improve for next year? We perceive success in our programs by feedback from our patrons, so please let us know how we can make next year's program more successful for you.

Until next year, see you at the library!

Reminder for Prize Pick Up:
@Alana A - Level 1 and Level 2 prizes for pick up
@Alicia P - Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 and Reach prize for pick up
@Alicia R - Level 1 prize for pick up
@Christine S - Level 3 prize for pick up
@Diane B - Level 4 prize and Reach prize for pick up
@Diana H - Level 4 prize for pick up
@Emily S - Level 1 and 2 prizes for pick up
@Evee - Level 1, 2, 3, 4 and Reach prize for pick up
@Jacqueline K - Level 1, 2, 3, 4 prizes for pick up
@Jane R - Level 1, 2, 3, 4 prizes for pick up
@Jaybee - Level 1, 2, 3, 4 and Reach prize for pick up
@Jen (irisira) - Level 1 prize for pick up
@Jen B (jenb_jb_jb) - Level 1 prize for pick up
@Judi W - Level 2 and 3 prizes for pick up
@Jessica M - Level 1 prize for pick up
@Kelly L - Level 2, 3, 4 prizes for pick up
@Kyle K - Level 1 prize for pick up
@Laura T - Level 1, 2, 3 prizes for pick up
@Mayra - Level 1, 2, 3, 4 prizes for pick up
@Molly D - Reach prize for pick up
@Nicole R - Level 3, 4 and Reach prize for pick up
@Paul - Level 3, 4, and Reach prize for pick up
@Rich P - Level 1, 2 prizes for pick up
@Susan DE - Reach prize for pick up

Reminder of Prize Levels:
Level 1 (3 Books Read) - Chapstick
Level 2 (6 Books Read) - Memo Cube
Level 3 (9 Books Read) - Metal Bookmark
Level 4 (12 Books Read) - APL Zipper Pouch
Reach Prize (20 Books Read) - APL 2019 SRC Shirt

I finished The Fever King yesterday, which was very hyped but a little disappointing.

As always, this was a great summer for reading! Thanks, Albany PL :)

I love the T-shirts, but I miss the Stewart's gift cards. I think I'd like an opportunity to win the prizes from the kids' program sometimes, as they get those cool badge hangers!

My favorite SRC event was when there was an end-of-program gathering at Iron Gate Cafe.

Julia and Kate, thank you so much for this reading event. It is so much fun to have a goal in mind. I should also note that I already did pick up my prizes at Bach branch. I'm not sure how it's recorded back to you.

The prizes were fun. While I like the idea of the weekly themes and the bingo card in theory, when it comes down to it, I just want to read what I want to read and for me they are a distraction.

Finished The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property yesterday evening. Two Lewis Hyde books this summer--a new-to-me favorite nonfiction writer!

I did not expect to read as many books as I have over the past two months; the structure of a library summer reading program is very encouraging although, like Jaybee, I usually don't manage to read items inspired by the bingo card.

@Diana, I have added your books. You are at 16 read! You can do it!

Thank you everyone for your input so far!

I snuck in one last book:

#12- Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

This was my first SRC and I definitely read more this summer than in years past. It was a little tricky for me to remember which books I had recorded here in the comments, and I imagine it might have been tricky for you all to keep track too? Not sure of another way to do it though.

I did pick up my Level 3 prize at the Bach branch, though twice when I've stopped in the person I spoke with didn't seem to know how to find my name/record that I had picked up.

Thanks for putting this together! Maybe next summer I'll get to the t-shirt level :)

I always love a challenge. At first I thought I would ignore the weekly themes, but I'm glad I didn't. I read several books this summer that I enjoyed and would not otherwise have read.

Finished The Mueller Report: Presented with Related Materials by The Washington Post last night. Book #16. Will probably also finish book #17 today, but no chance I'll finish another three after that--so no t-shirt. Need a better strategy next year!

I was able to sneak in two more books before the end of the challenge, The Kingdom of the Subjunctive by Suzanne and Wise and Ironweed by William Kennedy. I agree with other readers about the suggested themes/books, I didn't follow them, but it was good to see suggestions from the librarians. Which branch can we pick our prizes at? Hoping to pick up today before 6pm. Thank you APL for encouraging us all to read this summer! I definitely wouldn't have read 9 books this summer if it weren't for the challenge!

Book #17 completed: The Graveyard Book, Volume 1 .

I have some final books to add:
Sounds Like Titanic by Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss
A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Walking on the Ceiling by Aysegul Savas

I finished 'Sometimes A Great Notion' by Ken Kesey.

I have added all the books above. Thank you all for participating in this year's Summer Reading Challenge.

To answer your questions:
@Christine, I am so sorry you had a hard time collecting your prize at Bach! We will work on better communication with staff on how to check for your prizes to pick up for next year. You are also at 12 books read, so if you wanted to stop by and pick up your final prize, they should still have some in stock this week!

@Alana, you can pick up your prizes from any of the 7 Albany Public Library locations. Prizes should be available for just this week. Here are the addresses of our branches:
Arbor Hill/West Hill: 148 Henry Johnson Boulevard
Bach: 455 New Scotland Avenue
Delaware: 331 Delaware Avenue
Howe: 105 Schuyler Street
North Albany: 616 North Pearl Street
Pine Hills: 517 Western Avenue
Washington Avenue: 161 Washington Avenue

Thank you everyone!