Richmond Memorial Library

Press Release:

Join the Richmond Memorial Library for summer reading programs for all ages with the theme of “All Together Now”! Visit batavialibrary.org/calendar to see all of the upcoming events for the summer. Summer Reading Programs are sponsored by the Friends of Richmond Memorial Library.

Children’s Summer Reading Program (June 26 - August 4, ages birth - 12)

This year’s children’s program includes:

• The Read & Bead reading challenge.
• Family Fun Fridays at 2 p.m. (beginning June 30).
• Monday Story Time at 10 a.m. for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. 
• Music and Movement on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. for ages 0 - 4 (please register in advance). 
• Summer Play Café on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. 
• Lunch Bunch on Thursdays at 12 p.m. for ages 6 and up who enjoy a longer story.
• NEW! Agriculture Wednesdays at 3 p.m., Celina Bartz from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County will be here to teach us something about agriculture. 

More info about all of our programs is available at batavialibrary.org.

Teen Summer Reading program (June 26 - August 19, ages 13 - 17) 

Summer reading programming for teens aged 13-17 at the library includes:

• Classes by Mandy Humphrey of Art of Mandy
• Tween Walk & Talk
• Resin Summer Camp
• Craft Classes
• And more! 

Sign up online or in the Teen Corner for Teen Summer Reading BINGO – complete 25 challenges like “Watch a documentary” or “Read a funny book” for a chance to win weekly prizes and a grand prize!

Adult Summer Reading Program (June 26 - August 19, ages 18 and up)

Adults are invited to participate in RML’s Adult Summer Reading BINGO Challenge! Complete library and reading challenges for a chance to win weekly and grand prizes. Participants in the adult summer reading challenge must have a valid library card in the NIOGA system to play for prizes. Register at the reference desk or at batavialibrary.org beginning June 26. Complete rules and information will be provided with registration and a sample BINGO board will be on display at the library. 

The three grand prizes are:

1. A book lover’s basket stuffed with bookish goodies valued over $100
2. A Kindle Paperwhite eReader
3. A $50 gift certificate to Lift Bridge Books in Brockport. 

Weekly prizes include gift certificates from local businesses! 

Challenges range from “read a book about friendship” to “watch a film adapted from a book or play” to “attend a library program.” Programs planned for this summer include book discussions, the Richmond Reads title reveal, craft classes, bookish trivia, concerts, film screenings, an author visit and more! Visit the library or batavialibrary.org/calendar for more information about programs.

For information about library programs, visit batavialibrary.org, call 585-343-9550, or stop by the library at 19 Ross St, Batavia. The library is open Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Summer Reading is sponsored by the Friends of Richmond Memorial Library.

Press Release:

Richmond Memorial Library will host its Spring program of History by the Hearth on Thursday, June 8 at 7 p.m. 

City Historian Larry Barnes will share his research as presented in a new monograph:  "Black Batavians: Who they are, their local history, and aspects of our larger culture that have especially shaped their experiences."

Deborah Wood, Special Collections Librarian at Richmond Memorial Library, will finish the evening with Within the Collective Memory: Why now? And a sneak peek at the exhibit Juneteenth: A Day of Celebration, on display June 15-21.

Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross Street in the City of Batavia. Find the library online at batavialibrary.org. 

Classical guitarist Peter Fletcher performed an afternoon concert at the Richmond Memorial Library on Saturday.

Fletcher has been recording and performing classical guitar music for more than 40 years. He holds a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester.  He has studied with David Leisner, David Russell, Oscar Ghiglia and Pepe Romero. He has performed recitals throughout the U.S., including two recitals at Carnegie Hall in New York.  He's also made numerous appearances on radio and television. 

He currently resides in Detroit and New York City.

His CD releases include The Art of Classical Guitar, A Peter Fletcher Recital and Federico Mompou: Guitar Works. In 2005, Centaur Records released Peter Fletcher plays Erik Satie.  Peter Fletcher Plays Baroque Music for Guitar was released in 2008 on the Tower Hill Recordings label.   His current release is 

For more information about Fletcher, click here.

Photos by Howard Owens.

The Richmond Memorial Library is a community center, and so a place where everybody should find a fun and friendly place to visit, said Beth Paine, the library's new director.

Paine started her job in February but has been busy the past several months getting settled into the job. On Saturday, community members were invited to the library to meet her and socialize.

"No one should ever feel they are not welcome here," Paine said. "We're a happy place. So much is going on in a world that is depressing and upsetting, and here we're happy, and we love our patrons, and we're an open source for any kind of information."

The previous director, Bob Conrad, took a new job downstate, and after an extensive search, New York native Paine was selected by the library board. 

Paine has held the director's position at three other libraries in New York -- Sydney, Watkins Glen, and Prattsburg.

She said she's impressed with the Richmond Memorial Library and its staff.

"The programming here is amazing," Paine said. "The staff is very good with the patrons."

There are a few things she would like to upgrade, she said.

"We're looking at getting more Wi-Fi access points and adding in a little bit of more security, and expanding the collections in certain areas that have been not used as much," Paine said. "Right now, there's really not a whole lot to improve. It's a great library, I'm really excited to be here."

She said she has an open-door policy for patrons and wants to hear from them when they have suggestions or issues to discuss.

Now that she's settled in, she plans to be out in the community more.  She is going to a Batavia Rotary Club meeting soon to make a presentation, and she also plans to start volunteering at the animal shelter.

"That's what I've done for many years," Paine said. "I volunteered at the Yates County shelter when I lived in Penn Yan, and then when I moved to Delaware County, I volunteered at the one there, and so now that I'm here, I plan on offering my dog walking services. That's usually what I do."

Previously: New director invites you to 'stop by and say hi' at RML

Press Release:

The Richmond Memorial Library would like to thank everyone who came out to vote in our library trustee election today. Richard Beatty received 160 votes, and there were three write-ins. Congratulations to Richard, and we are very excited to welcome him aboard on July 1.

Previous Story: Richmond Memorial Library’s annual trustee election is May 4

Press Release:

The Batavia Society of Artists is having its Spring Art Show at Richmond Memorial Library's Gallery Room, 19 Ross St., for the month of May.  

The FREE Opening Reception with light refreshments will be Tuesday, May 9 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The Judge for the show is artist Lori Longhany.  

At 7 p.m. we will be presenting the Virginia Carr Mumford Art Scholarship to GCC student Brittny Benjamin. Brittny will also have her artwork on display.  

This event is open to the Public and everyone is invited!

Press Release:

Richmond Memorial Library’s Annual Trustee Election will be held in the Library’s Gallery Room on Thursday, May 4  from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Any registered voter residing in the Batavia City School District is eligible to vote. There will only be a Trustee Election this year (not a Budget Vote), since an increase in the library budget is not being requested.

Mr. Richard Beatty is the sole candidate running unopposed for the seat. The term is for 3 years and runs from July 2023 through June 2026. Richard was born and raised on the west coast of Florida before setting off on a life and career path that eventually brought him to Batavia. Since the summer of 2000, Richard and RaeAnn Engler have called Summit Street home. Richard is active in the community volunteering for the Holland Land Company, the Batavia Community Garden, GO ART! and as a member of the Books Sandwiched In committee. He has been a docent at Buffalo’s Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece, the Darwin Martin House since 2004. Most every morning of the week you will find him at Pub Hub Coffee sorting out the world’s troubles with whomever may be there.

It seems as though Beth Paine, Richmond Memorial Library’s new director, slipped into her new role quietly more than a month ago, with little fanfare or public notice.

Paine replaces former director Bob Conrad, who led Batavia's library for nearly eight years and resigned in September to accept a position in Westchester County. The library’s Board of Trustees was excited to introduce Paine, Board President Gregg McAllister said in the recent newsletter.

“Beth has an extensive background in public and school library experience. She was most recently director of the public library in Sidney, near Binghamton. Her commitment to excellence and creative library programming will be an asset to our community,” McAllister said. “You may already have seen Beth walking her two dogs here in Batavia, where she plans to be an active resident. If you have not met Beth yet, please stop in and introduce yourself.”

One of her favorite sayings is from Albert Einstein: “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library,” and, as someone who has moved many times, it is more than a quote on a wall.

“This quote really has a special meaning for me. I have moved more than a few times, including moving from my hometown of Bloomfield, NY to Oswego for college, living in Rochester for two years after receiving my degree, on to Canandaigua, then Penn Yan, and then down to Sidney, NY in the Catskills region,” she said in a message from the director. “And with each new place where I have resided, one of the first things I would locate was the library. The library was always my happy place, the place where I knew I could relax and let my worries slip away. It was the place of amazing stories, knowledgeable people, and endless forms of entertainment.

“My first, and probably best, memory of the library was going with my mother to our small public library in Bloomfield. To walk into that sanctuary of books and records brought a calm to my young mind that I experienced nowhere else. I will forever be grateful to my mother for introducing me to that wonderful place,” she said. “And though it took me 43 years to realize that being a librarian was my true calling, I still get the same feeling of calm every time I walk into the building. And Richmond Library is my new happy place!”

Paine walked right into budget season, with the library vote set for May 4. She also took some time to sit down and chat with one of her employees, Lucine Kauffman, who has the Genesee Life program on WBTA and works at 19 Ross St., the Batavia library.

Favorite author? Jane Austen. First job? As a candy girl in a movie theater. Extracurriculars? Pets, volunteering at animal shelters. Your definition of a public library?

“Community Center. I mean, we do have kind of our hands in everything. We kind of, we’re trying to connect resources to people, you know, especially when it comes to a low-income area where people don't have Wi-Fi, people don't have their own computers, with our library visits,” she said. “I was really impressed with that when I came in for my budget.”

She has been adjusting to life in Batavia, with her two dogs and two cats, and is surprised that there are “a lot more restaurants and shops than I expected,” she said.

“And so my children think it's really funny when, before I actually started on the 22nd, I had moved in on the 19th of February. And one of my first days, I actually was driving around to find things. And I messaged my kids: I'm so excited, I'm eight minutes from Target. So I was very excited about that,” she said during the show.

She had last worked at a library in Sidney for four and a half years and wasn’t even looking for another job. “I loved my job,” she said, but a friend knew she wanted to move back to Rochester “to be near my family,” and the friend sent her the job posting for Richmond library.

And here she is.

“Though I did not actually experience the happenings at the Richmond Memorial Library in 2022, as I only arrived in late February, I did compile the 2022 Annual Report for NY State and have a good cache of knowledge regarding much of what occurred during the past year,” she said in the director’s message. “While the effects of the pandemic can still be seen in the fact that the library’s attendance still has not reached pre-COVID levels, there was an increase of about 30 percent in visitors to the library from 2021 to 2022. There was also a large increase in the number of items checked out, including all genres and formats. Programming has continued to show a huge uptick in attendance, 17 times what we had in 2021!”

She also noted that the Richmond Reads program had the highest attendance for adult programs, and Santa’s in-person visit in December was by far the best-attended Children’s program of 2022.

“Working diligently on the library budget with the Board of Trustees, we had many discussions regarding rising costs, not just for the library, but for our patrons, as well. With this in mind, the Board voted that the library would not raise the tax levy for the 2023-2024 fiscal year,” she said.

She and the trustees, per the library budget letter, opted to “hold steady at $1,381,469.” The board hired Paine for a yearly salary of $83,000 per board minutes.

“Though the pandemic still has some lingering negative effects on our library usage statistics, we are coming back strong, and I am so thrilled to be a part of this new chapter at the Richmond Library,” she said. “I have already come to love the library, and I am constantly impressed by the knowledgeable and motivated staff that I have the privilege to work with every day. And now that I’m caught up on learning the ins and outs of the library, you’ll see me out of my office more, so please feel free to stop me and say hi!”

Photo of Beth Paine from her online social media. 

Press release:

Richmond Memorial Library Announces 2023 Public Hearing, Voter Registration and Trustee Election

Richmond Memorial Library Trustee Position
Any qualified voter of the City School District of Batavia and a resident of the City School District for at least 1 year immediately preceding the date of the election (May 4, 2023) can run for the Richmond Memorial Library Board of Trustees seat being vacated by Trustee Gregg McAllister.  It is for a 3 year term which starts July 1, 2023.  Petitions for the position can be picked up at the Library circulation desk.  At least twenty-five (25) signatures are required from qualified voters of the School District.  The petition must be turned in at the circulation desk between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm on or before April 4, 2023.  

Public Hearing April 10
A Public Hearing on the 2023-24 Richmond Memorial Library Budget will be held in the Richmond Memorial Library Gallery Room on Monday, April 10, at 6:30 p.m.  Future plans for the Library will be presented along with the 2023-24 budget.  There will not be a Budget Vote (only a Trustee Election) this year since an increase is not being requested.  The proposed budget will remain the same at $1,381,469.  The regular monthly meeting of the library board of trustees for April will take place immediately following the public hearing. 

RML Voter Registration Day April 11
Any person qualified to vote who is not currently registered under permanent personal registration in the election district in which he or she resides, or who has moved to another residence within that district following the date of such registration, or who has not voted at a general election at least once in the last four successive calendar years, should, in order to be entitled to vote, present himself or herself personally for the registration or otherwise register at the Genesee County Board of Elections.  Voter Registration will be held at Richmond Memorial Library on April 11 from 1 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. 

Richmond Memorial Library Trustee Election May 4
Richmond Memorial Library’s Annual Trustee Election will be held in the Library’s Gallery Room on Thursday, May 4, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.   Any registered voter residing in the Batavia City School District is eligible to vote.  There will only be a Trustee Election this year (not a Budget Vote), since an increase in the library budget is not being requested.

Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross Street in the City of Batavia. For more about the library, visit batavialibrary.org.

Photo: File photo.

Press Release:

Richmond Memorial Library invites you to attend the 2023 Spring Series of Books Sandwiched In!

Now in its 42nd year, this program is a familiar favorite for many RML patrons and new attendees are always welcome. Guest speakers will share book reviews, generally of non-fiction titles. This series will also include fiction and non-fiction reviews from the Books Sandwiched In Committee.

“We’ve got a wide variety of titles to hear about this series,” shares program coordinator and Community Adult Services Librarian Samantha Basile. “We’ve got bestsellers, timely reads and some titles that people may not be familiar with but will find really interesting. Both 'The Last Slave Ship' and 'The Escape Artist' are newer and share very important forgotten histories. 'Braiding Sweetgrass' has been on the NYT Paperback Non-Fiction list for 153 weeks now and was first published in 2013, so it is also really interesting to hear how these books stay relevant and their messages continue to resonate with readers.”

Sessions will take place at the library on Wednesdays in April from 12:10 – 1 p.m. Enjoy refreshments and enter for a chance to win a door prize at each program! Each session will feature a drawing for a $10 gift certificate to a local lunch spot. Attendees do not need to read the books prior to the program and copies of the chosen titles will be available for checkout. Each session will also be recorded and will be available to view on the library’s YouTube page .

Wednesday, April 5, 12:10 – 1 p.m.: Meet the Books Sandwiched In Committee as they share short fiction and non-fiction reviews! Committee members include Stacey Anderson, Richard Beatty, Christina Mortellaro Frank, Cathy Uhly and program coordinator Samantha Basile. Titles to be discussed include "Louise Blanchard Bethune: Every Woman Her Own Architect" by Kelly Hayes McAlonie, "The Librarian Spy" by Madeline Martin, "Chasing the Boogeyman" by Richard Chizmar, "Of Women and Salt" by Gabriela Garcia and "How to Sell a Haunted House" by Grady Hendrix.

Wednesday, April 12, 12:10 - 1 p.m.: Retired attorney and community volunteer Julia Garver reviews "Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom," "Scientific Knowledge" and the "Teachings of Plants" by Robin Wall Kimmerer (2013)

“In reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, Robin Wall Kimmerer circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.” (from publisher summary)

Wednesday, April 19, 12:10 – 1 p.m.: Retired history teacher and community volunteer Ron Chrzanowski reviews: "The Escape Artist: The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Warn the World" by Jonathan Freedland (2022)

“In April 1944, Rudolf Vrba became one of the very first Jews to break out of Auschwitz and make his way to freedom--one of only a tiny handful who ever pulled off that near-impossible feat. He did it to reveal the truth of the death camp to the world -and to warn the last Jews of Europe what fate awaited them at the end of the railway line. Against all odds, he and his fellow escapee, Fred Wetzler, climbed mountains, crossed rivers and narrowly missed German bullets until they had smuggled out the first full account of Auschwitz the world had ever seen.” (from publisher summary)

Wednesday, April 26, 12:10 - 1 p.m.: Rev. Dr. Roula Alkhouri and Rev. Dr. Shiela McCullough review: "The Last Slave Ship: The True Story of How Clotilda Was Found, Her Descendants, and an Extraordinary Reckoning" by Ben Raines

“The complex history behind the recent discovery of the last known slave ship to convey Africans to the U.S. before the Civil War. In 2019, environmental journalist Raines, who lives in Alabama, helped unearth from the muddy delta outside Mobile the sunken remains of the schooner Clotilda, which made its infamous run to the west coast of Africa in July 1860 and returned carrying 110 slaves…A highly readable, elucidating narrative that investigates all the layers of a traumatic history.” (from Kirkus starred review)

Books Sandwiched In is generously sponsored by The Friends of Richmond Memorial Library. Support of the Friends is always welcomed through donations and memberships! Visit the library to learn more. Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross St. in the City of Batavia. For more information about the library and its programs, visit batavialibrary.org.

Submitted Photo.

Press release:

The Richmond Memorial Library is pleased to offer HP Chromebooks, which will be available for patrons to check out beginning this week.

The Chromebooks were received through the Emergency Connectivity Fund Grant as part of the FCC American Rescue Plan Act. The Chromebooks can be checked out for a period of three weeks with a valid NIOGA library card in good standing. They include a power cord and all instructions.

The NIOGA Library System includes public libraries in Niagara, Orleans and Genesee Counties. Chromebooks can only be checked out at the Richmond Memorial Library and must also be returned to the Richmond Memorial Library. 

The Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross St in the City of Batavia. Find us online at batavialibrary.org. 

Press Release:

Richmond Memorial Library will host an author and book talk on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Reading Room. Dr. Miriam Thaggert will present her 2022 book, "Riding Jane Crow: African American Women on the American Railroad."

About the book: As Jim Crow laws became more prevalent and forced black Americans to "ride Jim Crow" on the rails, the train compartment became a contested space of leisure and work. Riding Jane Crow examines four instances of black female railroad travel: the travel narratives of black female intellectuals such as Anna Julia Cooper and Mary Church Terrell; black middle-class women who sued to ride in first class and ladies’ cars and black women railroad food vendors; and black maids on Pullman trains.

Thaggert argues that the railroad represented a technological advancement that was entwined with African American attempts to secure social progress. Black women's experiences on or near the railroad illustrate how American technological progress has often meant their ejection or displacement; thus, it is the Black woman who most fully measures the success of American freedom and privilege, or "progress," through her travel experiences.

About the presenter: Professor Miriam Thaggert is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Buffalo. She is the author of "Riding Jane Crow and Images of Black Modernism: Verbal and Visual Strategies of the Harlem Renaissance." She also co-edited two volumes, A History of the Harlem Renaissance and African American Literature in Transition, 1920-30, both published by Cambridge University Press. For more information, visit miriamthaggert.com

Copies are available to borrow through the library and a limited number of copies will be for sale at the event. Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross St., Batavia. For more about the library, visit batavialibrary.org or call 585-343-9550.

Submitted Photo of Miriam Thaggert.

Press release:

The  2022-2023  Richmond Memorial Library "History by the Hearth" Lecture series continues on Thursday, February 16th at 7:00 pm in the Reading Room with a presentation on "The President's Lady, Martha Dandridge Custis Washington."

This lecture in the series is a Presidents Day collaboration between the Richmond Memorial Library and the Anna Ingasbe Lovell Chapter NSDAR.   Special Collections Librarian, Deborah Wood will be presenting on the life of this fascinating first "First Lady" of the United States of America.  Chapter Constitution Committee Chair, Robin Laney Ettinger, will discuss Mrs. Washington's activities to support General Washington during the American Revolution.  Librarian Wood has planned several lectures for the year 2023 as well as special events in which the local DAR will collaborate and support the library's efforts to bring unique history programs to the area.  The library will have a presidential book display and has a large collection of books about the U.S. presidency for check out. For more information on the lecture series, please call Deborah Wood at (585) 343-9550.

Press release:

Attend a library program- from home! To register for either of these programs, visit batavialibrary.org/calendar

Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. on Zoom: James Herriot- The Simple Life of the World’s Most Famous Veterinarian
Join Anglophile and former UK resident Claire Evans as she recounts the life and times of Alf Wight, an unassuming country veterinarian who practiced for 50 years in one of England’s most beautiful places, the Yorkshire Dales. He rose to international fame later in life under the pen name James Herriot as he recounted the heartwarming animal stories and colorful characters of a bygone era, inspiring a film and multiple television series. Of the latest TV adaptation of “All Creatures Great and Small,” shown on PBS’ Masterpiece, The Guardian said, “Switching it on was the television equivalent of taking your brain out and dunking it into a bucket of warm tea (Yorkshire, obviously).” Bask in the visual beauty of Claire’s recent Yorkshire Dales visit and learn the surprising story of the vet whose books still entertain millions.

About the presenter: Claire Evans is a former journalist, attorney, and college lecturer who started her love of most things British as she and her mother watched countless Britcoms on PBS.  She went on to study abroad in London and, against the odds, she married a Brit she met in Peoria, Illinois.  They moved to England, where they lived for a number of years.  Outside of her work for a legal advice charity, Claire became a student of historical sights, pub dining, and tea shops.  Her business, Tea with Claire, grew from friends asking for travel and relocation advice. For more, visit teawithclaire.com

Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. on Zoom: Meet Belle Greene
Art historian Dr. Daria Rose Foner will introduce Belle da Costa Greene (1879-1950), one of the most prominent librarians in American history. Belle was hired as J. Pierpont Morgan’s personal librarian in 1905, eventually becoming the director of what was then known as the Pierpont Morgan Library. Born to Black parents, Belle spent her adult life passing as white. Belle’s life is the inspiration for several fiction books, notably The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.

About the presenter: Dr. Daria Rose Foner is an art historian and native New Yorker. She is currently a member of the Old Master Paintings department at Sotheby’s, New York. Prior to joining Sotheby's, she was the Research Associate to the Director at the Morgan Library & Museum. She completed her Ph.D. at Columbia University and is a Fulbright Award Recipient. She received her B.A. from Princeton University and her M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge.

Press release:

The Richmond Library Gallery Room is hosting the Museum Quilt Guild's annual challenge show. It is on display now through February 28, 2023. 

Their "I Thought I Would Never..." 2023 contest challenged members to try using uncommon fabrics such as denim and silk and new techniques such as printing from a fish, to revisiting old ideas like embroidery or finally finishing a project started years ago, to unexpected experiences such as visiting the Pacific Ocean, discovering Hallmark holiday movies or having a vintage Singer featherweight sewing machine.  Two pieces even explore trying to get in touch with one's creativity during the early days of the covid pandemic.  

Also displayed are some of the 2021 Red and White challenge quilts current members had made, which weren't able to be displayed at the library during MQG's usual February time slot in 2021 due to covid restrictions at that time.  Red and white quilts are a traditional quilting theme that goes as far back as the colonial period in America.  Red and white quilts are also reminiscent of Valentine's Day and the cheeriness that their color brings to our usual dark and gloomy February weather.  

Museum Quilt Guild began at the Holland Land Office in 1979 and is where guild meetings were for many years, until there were so many new members and interest that the Batavia VA is their new meeting place.  Themed guild challenges go back to 1990, and the earlier challenge shows were held at HLOM until Richmond Library graciously welcomed the shows as one of their many artist shows held throughout the year.  The themes have ranged from traditional techniques to concepts such as Carnival, Architecture and Modern Solids, and the chosen challenge theme for 2024 will be Music.

The public is invited to vote for their favorites with a Viewer's Choice ballot for both the 2023 and 2021 challenge groupings, and guild members also vote for the favorites for various techniques.  The  two challenges will be on opposite walls, and there will be a different colored ballot and different ID system for each to make voting easier.  Member ballots will be pink for the Red and White challenge and green for the "I Thought I Would Never..." challenge; one will use numbers and the other letters to avoid confusion!  There will also be 2 different colors of Viewer's Choice ballots for the public to choose their favorites.  Voting continues throughout the month, with winners announced at the March Museum Quilt guild meeting.

The quilters gather at the VA every 3rd Saturday of each month, weather permitting, at 9:30 a.m. with various speakers, workshops, community service activities and "show and tell" of new quilts members are making.  Guests may come to visit and check out the guild, and new members are always welcomed, with current annual dues at $20.00.  For more information, contact Martha Lorshbaugh, MQG President at lorshbaugh@gmail.com.  You can also check out the guild's activities online at www.themuseumquiltguild.com, museumquiltguild.blogspot.com, or on Facebook at Museum Quilt Guild.

Submitted photos.

Press release:

The Richmond Memorial Library is pleased to offer T-Mobile Hotspots, which will be available for patrons to check out beginning February 1, 2023. The hotspots were received through the Emergency Connectivity Fund Grant as part of the FCC American Rescue Plan Act. The hotspots can be checked out for a period of three weeks with a valid NIOGA library card in good standing. They include a power cord and all instructions. The NIOGA Library System includes public libraries in Niagara, Orleans and Genesee Counties. Hotspots can only be checked out at the Richmond Memorial Library and must also be returned to the Richmond Memorial Library. 

Press release:

Get in-person tax help and e-file for free at Richmond Memorial Library this tax season

Richmond Memorial Library is pleased to partner with volunteers from the New York State Department of Tax and Finance to offer income-eligible citizens assistance with filing their taxes online this tax season.

Tax Department employees will walk you through your income tax returns, step-by-step, as you complete and e-file your tax return for free.

Sessions will be offered on Thursdays –February 2, February 9, February 16, February 23, March 2, March 9, March 23, March 30, April 6 and April 13.

• If you earned $73,000 or less in 2022, you qualify.
• Safe and secure online tax software.
• Use on-site computers, or your own laptop, tablet, or mobile device.
• You only need basic computer skills and an active email account.

Those interested must schedule an appointment. Sessions are available from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information or to make an appointment, contact the library at 585-343-9550 x3 or visit the reference desk. Richmond Memorial Library is located at 19 Ross Street in the City of Batavia. Find the library online at batavialibrary.org.

Press release:

Join the Richmond Memorial Library on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. for an intriguing virtual program from art historian Mallory Mortillaro. Watch from home on Zoom or screen the virtual program in person at the library!

While cataloging the artwork housed inside of the Hartley Dodge Memorial, Mallory uncovered a masterpiece that had been lost to the art world since the 1930s.  After a year of research, the piece was authenticated as an official work by Auguste Rodin. Mallory will share the story of how a simple art cataloging project evolved into a search for a mysterious piece’s provenance and became one of the biggest art finds in recent history.

To watch from home on Zoom, visit batavialibrary.org/calendar. You must be registered to receive the Zoom link. To watch in person at the library, visit the circulation desk or call 585-343-9550.

Mallory Mortillaro is an art historian and educator.  She has ten years of teaching experience, and has worked on various art research projects for museums and organizations in the New York metropolitan area.  She studied at Drew University.  Mallory resides in New Jersey with her husband.

Press Release

Batavia Society of Artists is having its Winter Art Exhibit at the Richmond Memorial Library's Gallery Room for the month of December.  All are welcome to the Free Opening Reception Thursday, Dec. 8 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., with light refreshments.

Every Winter Show we highlight one of our members. This show's "Featured Artist" is David Burke.  We are having a monetary prize for the People's Choice Award that night.  So please come to the Opening Reception and vote for your favorite piece of art!

The hanging date for entries is this coming Saturday, Dec. 4. Entry forms are due soon, and artists are asked to email your artwork information and attach payment to the back of your artwork when you drop it off starting Thursday and Friday.

The entry fee is $15, checks payable to Batavia Society of Artists.  Entry fees may also be sent to: Teresa Tamfer, 157 Hutchins St., Batavia, NY, 14020.

Artwork may be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the library, 19 Ross St., Batavia.

Click here For more information about BSA.

File photo of BSA Winter Show, by Howard Owens.

A group of poll workers was surprised Tuesday evening by a voter who brought them doughnuts at Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia.

He wasn’t just any voter, though: it was a first-time occurrence for Eric Waldmiller, he said.

“At first I thought that it’s too late and I’m not going to vote,” the 22-year-old said outside of the polling site on Ross Street. “I haven’t been into it too much. I was working and one of the customers told me the polls close at 9, so I thought I have some time to do it for once.”

In the past, his work schedule seemed too busy for Waldmiller of Batavia to take time to vote, he said. He has been keeping up on election candidates — for better or worse — through ads on social media and television, he said.

Admittedly, he has possibly taken this right to vote for granted, he said, but found it was worth the effort. He plans to vote regularly from now on, he said.

“It was definitely moving, for sure,” he said. “It was my first time, I was kind of nervous. Everyone was nice and kind, they showed me what to do. It was easier than I thought.”

He figured it had been a long day for the workers, so he decided to bring them some doughnuts. His job at a local doughnut shop made it an obvious choice, he said.

“I thought it would be a nice treat for them,” he said.

The poll workers were pleasantly surprised by the sweets toward the end of their long shift. Voting had been steady throughout the day, one worker said.

Photo of Eric Waldmiller outside of a polling site Tuesday evening at Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia. Photo by Joanne Beck.