July-August 2026 Newsletter

Closed for Holidays: July 3-4
Closed Sundays: July 5-September 6

Library Board Meetings:
Resuming September 16 at 6:00 PM

Summer Reading Challenge 2026

Get ready for a ROARING good time with this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, Unearth A Story! Registration for the six-week Reading Challenge opens June 29, and all ages are encouraged to participate and earn prizes! Our annual Kickoff Carnival is from 6-8 PM Friday evening, July 10 outside on the library grounds, and features a fantastic reptile show by Uncharted Wild, carnival games, a bounce house, and lots more!

Check our calendar for our full slate of exciting events throughout the summer, and be sure to sign up for our Jurassic Putt Finale on August 13, 14, 15, a glow-in-the-dark mini-golf adventure for all ages. You’ll putt your way through a prehistoric adventure filled with glowing dinosaurs, themed challenges, and dino-sized fun as we celebrate the end of summer reading in Jurassic style! It’s sure to be a T-Rexcellent time, so register your team for a one time slot to play, and stop in anytime during that session. See inside for details!

Dinosaur and decorative text Unearth a Story

Museum Passes

Planning a museum visit is easy with our convenient
digital museum pass system! Reserve your pass up to 30 days in advance. Once reserved, simply click the link in your confirmation email to print your pass. Don’t have a printer? No problem! Stop by the Information Desk and we’ll print your pass for you at no extra cost. Please note that we will only print passes for patrons present in the library. Not a Colonie resident? UHLS cardholders can still take advantage of our traditional museum passes on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visit the Book Nook!

Stop by the Friends of the Library’s Book Nook during the Town of Colonie Farmers Market at the Crossings Park; open Saturdays from 9:00 AM–1:00 PM. Browse a variety of books, discover your next great read, and support the Library. All proceeds from book sales benefit Library programs and services. While you’re there, enjoy the Farmers Market and pick up some local treats!

REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR ALL EVENTS

Skip to: Family & Youth Events | Teen Events | All Ages

Adults

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Adult Spotlight

Saving the USS Slater Saturday, 7/11 at 2:00 PM – This presentation shares the history of USS SLATER and why she was chosen to become the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum. Program supported by the Friends of the Library.

Film Classics: The Most Iconic Scenes in Movie History (Focus on the 70s) Saturday, 7/18 at 2:00 PM – Award-winning author and pop culture historian Marty Gitlin delves deeply into film history then travels forward to show videos of the most iconic scenes ever seen on the silver screen.

Second Battle of Gettysburg Wednesday, 8/19 at 10:30 AM – Join Ron Gabriele for discussion on the little known The Second Battle of Gettysburg. The Battle of Gettysburg took place on July 1st – 3rd in 1863. Fifty years later, a 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the great battle took place in Gettysburg. Program supported by the Friends of the Library.

Adult Series

Stay and Stitch (Wednesdays, 7/1, 7/15, 7/29, 8/12, 8/26 at 6:00 PM)
People and Prose (Saturdays, 7/11, 7/25, 8/8, 8/22 at 10:00 AM)
Tuesday Walking Club @ Crossings Park (Tuesdays, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4, 8/11, 8/18 at 9:30 AM)
Sahaja Meditation (Saturdays, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8, 8/15, 8/22, 8/29 at 10:30 AM)

Adult Book Clubs

Chilling Chapters Book Club (Wednesdays, 7/1 & 8/5 at 6:00 PM)
Noon Book Review: “I Don’t Want to be Mean or Anything: Said my Special Sister to the World” with Suzanne O’Connor (Wednesday, 7/8 at 12:00 PM)
Mystery Book Club (Mondays, 7/13 & 8/10 at 10:30 AM)
Laugh Out Loud Book Club: “Murder by Cheesecake” by Rachel Ekstrom Courage (Thursday, 7/16 at 7:00 PM)
50th Anniversary Book Discussion: “Sleeping Murder” by Agatha Christie (Monday, 7/20 at 6:30 PM)
Fiction Book Discussion Club (Tuesdays, 7/28 & 8/25 at 7:00 PM)
Laugh Out Loud Book Club: “In Gad We Trust” by Josh Gad (Thursday, 8/20 at 7:00 PM)

Adult Art/Films/Music

Adult Movie Monday “Jurassic World: Rebirth” (Monday, 7/6 at 2:00 PM)
Colonie Library 50th Anniversary Movie Series: “Rocky” (1976) (Tuesday, 7/7 at 5:00 PM)
Earth Strata Paintings (Wednesday, 7/8 at 6:00 PM)
Film Noir Joan Crawford Movie Series: Sudden Fear (1952) (Thursday, 7/9 at 5:45 PM)
Adult Movie Monday “F1: The Movie” (Monday, 7/13 at 2:00 PM)
Adult Movie Monday “Marty Supreme” (Monday, 7/20 at 2:00 PM)
Schenectady Art Society Exhibit Reception (Saturday, 7/25 at 1:00 PM)
Adult Movie Monday “Project Hail Mary” (Monday, 7/27 at 2:00 PM)
Adult Movie Monday “Sentimental Value” (Monday, 8/3 at 2:00 PM)
Colonie Library 50th Anniversary Movie Series: “All the President’s Men” (1976) (Tuesday, 8/4 at 5:00 PM)
Adult Movie Monday “Uncharted” (Monday, 8/10 at 2:00 PM)
Film Noir Joan Crawford Movie Series: “Johnny Guitar” (1954) (Thursday, 8/13 at 5:45 PM)
Bob Blackmon Art Exhibit Reception (Saturday, 8/29, 2:00-4:00 PM)

Adult Crafts & Games

Mahjong with Friends & Neighbors (Wednesdays, 7/1, 7/15, 8/19, at 3:00 PM, 7/22, 8/26 at 6:00 PM)
Stay and Make (Tuesday, 7/7 at 2:00 PM or 6:00 PM – Choose one)
Bird Workshop (Tuesday, 7/14 at 1:00 PM)
Disco Bingo (Tuesday, 7/21 at 6:30 PM)
Puzzle Swap (Saturday, 8/1 at 10:00 AM, All ages)
Stay and Make (Tuesday, 8/4 at 2:00 PM or 6:00 PM – Choose one)
Trivia Tuesday (Tuesday, 8/18 at 6:00 PM)
Quickly Learn to Play Mahjong (Thursday & Friday, 8/20 & 8/21 at 1:00 PM – must attend both)

Adult General Interest

Monthly Personal Investment Group (Wednesday, 7/8 & 8/12 at 6:30 PM)
Medicare Tabling (Thursdays, 7/9, 7/23, 8/6, 8/20 at 10:00 AM)
Intro to Estate Planning Tools (Monday, 7/13 at 11:00 AM)
Getting Started with your Family History with Genealogist Lisa Dougherty (Tuesday, 7/14 at 2:00 PM
Pensive ‘N’ Playful Cowboy Poetry (Tuesday, 7/14 at 6:00 PM)
Photo Scanning (Saturday, 7/18, sessions from 10:30-11:45 AM – Choose one)
Genealogy 1 on 1 Appointments with the Capital District Genealogy Society Volunteers (Tuesday, 7/21, sessions from 12:00 PM-2:30 PM – Choose one)
Conversational French (Tuesdays, 7/21 & 8/18 at 1:30 PM)
Unearth Your Skills: Writing the Natural Way (Wednesday, 7/22 at 1:00 PM)
Italian Conversation Group (Tuesdays, 7/28 & 8/11 at 1:30 PM)
Emergency Preparedness (Tuesday, 7/28 at 6:00 PM)
Genealogy 1 on 1 Appointments with the Capital District Genealogy Society Volunteers (Saturday, 8/8, sessions from 12:00 PM-2:30 PM – Choose one)
Growing, Using and Storing Fresh Herbs (Tuesday, 8/11 at 6:30 PM)
Personal Investing (Wednesday, 8/19 at 6:30 PM)
Learn How to Make a Vietnamese Salad (Monday, 8/24 at 6:30 PM)
The Troubled WW II B-29 Bomber (Wednesday, 8/26 at 10:30 AM)

Families & Youth

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Youth Spotlight

The Playtime Players Family Concert Wednesday, 7/8 at 6:00 PM – Join Lucia and Levi of The Playtime Players for a fun and engaging performance your hole family will love! From jazz favorites to blues, reggae, popular songs, and fun originals, the Playtime Players offer a joyful musical experience for all ages!

Youth Events

Kids Monday Morning Movie “Zootopia 2” (Monday, 7/6 at 10:15 AM, Families)
Family Storytime (Mondays, 7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 7/27, 8/3, 8/10 at 6:30 PM, Families)
Dino-ventures (Mondays, 7/6, 7/13, 7/20 at 2:30 PM, Grades 3–5)
Dinosaur Playtime (Tuesday, 7/7 at 10:15 AM, Ages 0–5)
K-1 Fun! Nail Salon Math Patterns (Wednesday, 7/8 at 10:30 AM, Grades K–1)
Rocket Science Workshop (Thursday, 7/9 at 1:30 PM or 2:45 PM – Choose one, Grades 1–4)
Farmers Market Storytime at The Crossings (Saturdays, 7/11 & 8/8 at 10:00 AM, Ages 0–5)
Stories on the Lawn (Tuesday, 7/14 at 10:15 AM, Ages 0–5)
K-1 Fun! Pizza Shop Shapes & Numbers (Wednesday, 7/15 at 10:30 AM, Grades K–1)
Family LEGO Night! (Wednesdays, 7/15 & 8/12 at 6:00 PM, Families)
Animal Track Printing (Thursday, 7/16 at 1:30 PM or 2:45 PM – Choose one, Grades 1-4)
Community Chess Club (Thursdays, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30 at 6:00 PM, Ages 8-12 with an adult)
Silent Wings: Raptors! (Thursday, 7/16 at 6:30 PM, Families)
Stay & Play (Fridays, 7/17, 7/24, 8/7, 8/21, 8/28 at 10:15 AM, Ages 0–3)
Kids Monday Morning Movie “Hoppers” (Monday, 7/20 at 10:15 AM, Families)
Preschool Picnic (Tuesday, 7/21 at 10:15 AM, Ages 0–5
K-1 Fun! Let’s Count with Unicorns! (Wednesday, 7/22 at 10:30 AM, Grades K–1)
Creative Art with an Artist (Thursday, 7/23 at 1:30 PM or 2:45 PM – Choose one, Grades 1–4)
Dinosaur Hunter Safari (Thursday, 7/23 at 6:30 PM, Families)
Music Together (Saturday, 7/25 at 10:15 AM or 11:15 AM – Choose one, Ages birth-4)
Kids Monday Morning Movie “GOAT” (Monday, 7/27 at 10:15 AM, Families)
Dinosaur Drive In (Tuesday, 7/28 at 10:15 AM, Ages 0–5)
Unicorn Paper Wallet (Wednesday, 7/29 at 10:30 AM, Grades 1-3)
SCAT: The Amazing Science of Wildlife Poop (Thursday, 7/30 at 1:30 PM or 2:45 PM – Choose one, Grades 1–4)
A Family Concert with River Jack Z (Thursday, 7/30 at 6:30 PM, Families)
Kids Monday Morning Movie “Lilo & Stitch” (2025) (Monday, 8/3 at 10:15 AM, Families)
Stories on the Lawn (Tuesday, 8/4 at 10:15 AM, Ages 0–5)
What is Paleontology? (Thursday, 8/6 at 1:30 PM or 2:45 PM – Choose one, Grades 1–4)
Dinosaurs Rock! (Thursday, 8/6 at 5:30 PM, Families)
Dino Bops (Tuesday, 8/11 at 10:15 AM, Ages 0–5)
Design Your Own Light Up Squeeze Circuit (Thursday, 8/13 at 1:30 PM or 2:45 PM – Choose one, Grades 1–4)
Tie Dye Fun! (Monday, 8/17 at 4:00 PM, Grades 3–5)

Teens

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Teen Spotlight

DIY Dice Tower Thursday, 7/16 at 2:00 PM – Dice rolling plays an important role in games of chance & choice. But why roll dice with your hands when you can make and use your very own dice tower?! Dice towers are great ways to ensure controlled and fair rolls of the dice. And in this workshop you will get to make and decorate one of your very own! Grades 6–12

Cranky Dino Machines Thursday, 7/30 at 2:00 PM – Learn about simple machines, cams, and cranks as you build a paper dinosaur automaton that moves when you turn the handle! Kathy Ceceri is the author of over a dozen books for kids featuring hands-on STEAM activities. Her titles include Paper Inventions, Making Simple Robots, and BOTS. Grades 6–12

Paint a Signature Plate Monday, 8/10 at 6:30 PM – Each painter will design and paint a 6″ round plate. No experience necessary. All you need to bring is your creativity, all supplies and materials are included. Pieces will be glazed and fired to be functional. Attendees will need to pick up their pieces at a designated time after the event. Grades 6–12

Tween & Teen Events

Read it Forward (all summer starting 6/25 while supplies last, Grades 6–12)
Teen Retro Craft: Shrinky Dinks (Monday, 7/6 at 6:30 PM, Grades 6–12)
Adopt a Dino (all summer starting 7/7 while supplies last, Grades 6–12)
Out of the Blue : Exploring the Magic of UV Light (Thursday, 7/9 at 2:00 PM, Grades 6–12)
Tween Retro Game Time (Monday, 7/13 at 6:30 PM, Grades 6–8)
Teen Lock-In: Retro Game Night (Friday, 7/17 at 7:00 PM, Grades 9-12)
Dinosaur Rock Resin Keychain (Monday, 7/20 at 6:30 PM, Grades 6-12)
Summer Anime Club (Wednesdays, 7/22, 7/29, 8/5, 8/12 at 3:00 PM, Grades 6–12)
Dirt and Worms Dessert (Thursday, 7/23 at 2:00 PM, Grades 6–12)
Dinosaur Sunset Painting (Monday, 7/27 at 6:30 PM, Grades 6–12)
Paint a Planter (Saturday, 8/1 at 2:00 PM, Grades 9–12)
Cupcake Decorating with Bash Parties (Monday, 8/3 at 6:30 PM, Grades 6–12)
DIY Volcanos (Thursday, 8/6 at 2:00 PM or 3:00 PM – Choose one, Grades 6–12)
Teen Retro Craft: Tie-Dye (Monday, 8/17 at 6:00 PM, Grades 6–12)

Adult Computer and Maker Classes

Stop the Noise: Turn Off Unwanted AI Today (Tech-Talk Webinar) (Wednesday, 7/8 at 3:00 PM)
iPhone Intermediate (Monday, 7/20 at 2:00 PM)
Organize Your Digital Life… Reduce Stress (Tech-Talk Webinar) (Wednesday, 7/22 at 3:00 PM)
iPad Basics (Thursday, 7/30 at 2:00 PM)
iPhone Basics (Thursday, 8/13 at 2:00 PM)
Mobile Health Apps (Monday, 8/17 at 1:00 PM)
In Case of Emergency: The Basics of the iPhone Medical ID App and Health App (Thursday, 8/27 at 2:00 PM)
Intro to Apple Watch (by appointment)

Help Appointments

One-on-one help is available for assistance with the Library’s digital collections, technology questions, and information searches. Maker Lab topics by appointment: photo scanning, slide/negative scanning, VHS to digital conversion, DVD/CD duplicator, DVD/CD burner, and Cricut. Call our Information Desk at 518-810-0314 or fill out a help request form.

Senior Resources Visits

The Town of Colonie Senior Resources Department will be visiting the library on Mondays, 7/6 and 8/3, from 1:00 – 4:00 PM, with information about services and programs. Drop in with your questions!

News from the Friends of the Library

Hoffmans Car Wash tickets to support the Friends: purchase tickets online

Upcoming Friends Meetings Tuesdays, 7/14 & 8/11 at 6:00 PM

Thank you for your continuing support. Please consider renewing your Membership. Your support is needed to continue our efforts to serve the Library.

Town of Colonie Historian

The office of the Town of Colonie Historian is located at the library. The historian can be contacted by phone at 518-782-2601 or by email at historian@townofcolonie.gov.

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