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In Praise of Our Local Libraries & How they Continue to Serve Grateful, Returning Patrons

February 25, 2023 by Christine Pasqueralle

Libraries can often be seen as the heart of a community. A place to gain knowledge, gather and socialize with others right where we live. Over the years, library patrons needs have certainly changed and the community library has changed with them to help provide the best services possible.

Here in the Mount Pleasant area, we are fortunate enough to have two amazing public libraries–the Mount Pleasant Public Library in Pleasantville and its Branch location in Valhalla, and the Briarcliff Manor Public Library. Whether you’re a library regular, new to the area or haven’t been to a library in a long while, I encourage you to get to know these local gems and pay them a visit soon. You won’t be disappointed.

The history of both libraries is rich and varied. Mount Pleasant began serving its community in 1895 as the Pleasantville Library Association. In 1919 it was reincorporated as the Pleasantville Public Library and at one point, contracted with the Town of Mount Pleasant to create a branch library in town. In 1965, the Town and Village agreed to establish the Mount Pleasant Public Library to serve both the Mount Pleasant and Pleasantville communities. Interestingly enough, the charter Mount Pleasant received from the State of New York was signed by none other than Melvil Dewey, the inventor of the Dewey Decimal System.

The Briarcliff Manor Public Library’s first incarnation began in 1914 by the Briarcliff Manor Community Club. In 1924, the Village of Briarcliff Manor began providing financial services for the library. Over the years, the library moved through many locations and in 1958, the Briarcliff Free Library became one of the founding members of the newly created Westchester Library System. The next year, it moved to the former station of the Putnam Division of the New York Central Rail Road. And finally in 2009, the library found its current home–a new, two-story addition to its former home in the former train station.

I had the opportunity to speak with the directors of both the Mount Pleasant and Briarcliff Manor libraries to learn about new projects, programs to come and how both libraries keep up with the evolving needs of its patrons.

Donna Pesce, Director of the Briarcliff Manor Public Library
PHOTO BY MIA BROWN

In Mount Pleasant: Adapting to Change

John Fearon has been the Director of the Mount Pleasant Public Library for 20 years. In that time, he has seen a lot of evolution. When the current main branch of the library was built in the 1960’s, it was a state-of-the-art library. Its open-plan concept makes it feel bigger than it is. But at the same time, library usage was different 60 years ago. Noise wasn’t an issue since people used the library as a quiet space. Now, patrons are also using it as a gathering place so noise can be a challenge. Fearon says there’s been a general shift in how people use libraries. “When I was growing up, the library was quiet like a church. Now more and more see it as a place to get together and connect with each other. Before the pandemic, there was an informal feeling–people would come in to chat and browse. The noise is part and parcel of that.”

This is part of what will be addressed in the library’s Master Plan that is being created in conjunction with the Town and Village. The goal is to have more meeting rooms and spaces. “People’s needs have changed and more organizations need places to meet. If we had more rooms, we could accommodate more local organizations as well as people working from home who need private rooms to arrange meetings,” says Fearon. “We always want to have a bigger picture, a vision of where we want to go. We hope to work with the town and village in making that happen.” Plans also include the creation of a safe outdoor space for kids.

John Fearon, Director of the Mount Pleasant Public Library
PHOTO BY MIA BROWN

Books ‘Holding their Own’

Since the pandemic, people are still feeling their way back to normality. Fearon said that he definitely sees life coming back to the library. People are browsing more and not feeling they have to “get in and get out” as much. There is a greater demand for and enjoyment of children’s storytime now, as there is a popular draw!

“Miss Debbie is an institution in Pleasantville,” says Fearon. She has storytimes scheduled throughout the week at both the main and branch library locations.

People are coming back to the library. “It’s slow and steady but it’s happening more and more,” he said.

The library is also seeing a surge in different types of lending as well as program use. “I’ve seen video cassettes go, audio books go, CDs and DVDs come and go. ‘The book’ is hanging in there. But we saw a huge surge in e-Books, our lending more than doubled during the pandemic. eBooks have become about 1/3 of our lending but books are still holding their own.”

The library’s museum pass program has also found a new life, “Suddenly people discovered them and usage blew up. The pass program is funded by The Friends of the Mount Pleasant Public Library and our most popular passes are for MoMA, the Intrepid and the Guggenheim.”

This spring will see many of the library’s recurring adult programs taking place such as the PLY Knitting Circle, jewelry-making classes, craft socials, game nights and more. On March 30, Open Mic at the Library will host talented patrons sharing poetry, songs, artwork and more. Patrons can get ready for their spring gardens with the library’s program Proper Pruning on April 20. There are also many upcoming children’s events including STEM classes, chess workshops, a theater and improve program and jewelry-making classes.

As for its evolution, Fearon sees that as a constant. “We have a really good staff at the moment, some younger librarians and that’s exciting. Adapting the facility to support new demand is a challenge but we will do our best.”

In Briarcliff Manor: A Cherished Routine

Donna Pesce has served as Director of the Briarcliff Manor Public Library since 2018. In her time at the library, she has also seen many changes for how patrons use services. “I read recently that libraries are not buildings, they are communities and that rings true here,” says Pesce.

A weekly visit to the library is part of the routine for so many of Briarcliff’s patrons, whether it is to take out print books or DVD’s, attend family activities or join book groups (geared towards a variety of ages). “While our website and eBook collection are well-used, stopping in to browse, chat with the staff or connect with other patrons at a regular program are essential.

We know most patrons by name and know their reading and other service preferences. Staff often have a patron’s book ‘holds’ in hand before the patron gets through the door.” The library certainly presents itself as a warm and welcoming environment to all who step through.

Library usage runs the gamut. Briarcliff sees an average of 70 visitors per day with 1/3 using its enclosed children’s room where kids are free to select items from a variety of collections as well as seasonal displays. Some patrons prefer to head up to the second floor for its peaceful feel. It attracts those looking for a quiet space to work, read or just look out of the expansive windows onto a relaxing view of Law Memorial Park. Pesce points out that while children’s programs and adult book groups have always been a staple at Briarcliff, the library is adding more community-based programming such as poetry cafes, small performances, and local author visits.

“Having close relationships with our patrons means we get feedback and suggestions that we try our best to incorporate into services”, says Pesce. Library staff stays up-to-date with patron needs by participating in training sessions, attending user meeting and of course, by reading a lot. “Needless to say, we have many ideas.”

The Long-Term Strategy

The library has a state-required strategic plan which it is currently working on called‘The Branching Out Project.’ Residents and patrons will be invited to share their ideas through surveys, activities and committees and the final plan should be completed by May 2023.

The library has a full event schedule for spring including its Cookbook Club (March 21) in which attendees bring a dish to share and a copy of the recipe. Run by Library volunteers Andrea Vladimir and Cindy Healey, the club is always a popular meetup. On March 25 there will be a performance, Trial for Treason, enacting the fateful meeting between Major John Andre and Benedict Arnold. April brings another performance of the Poetry Cafe, featuring readings by area poets, followed by an open mic. Children’s programs will include a graphic novel and a “Who Was” book group. Adult book groups such as the Brown Bag Tuesday lunchtime group continue to flourish.

As for its future, Pesce sees a lot of positive changes for the library as she notes that both patron needs and the library environment have changed over the last few years. “I would like for policies, legislation and funding to support sustaining library services for the future. I see our services becoming even more streamlined and tailored to the specific needs of the local community, while still leveraging the resources of the Westchester Library System.

“We can offer in-house programs in-person and partner on regional programs via Zoom, offer copies of popular books in multiple formats and take advantage of inter-library loans and also look for increased partnerships with local organizations and donors for our programs and special collections.”

Perhaps the most important aspect of the library is one that hopefully never changes. “What I hope will stay the same is the wonderful relationships that we have with both our long-time and new patrons.”

Visit your local libraries. There is something for everyone and everyone is always welcome.

Naava Katz: Creating Love Letters of Art

February 25, 2023 by Ronni Diamondstein

Naava’s drawing of her daughters, Talya and Shira

In Hebrew the name Naava means lovely and Naava Katz truly lives up to her name. The expression of love is a theme for Katz who has a passion for creating emotional and inspiring art about children and motherhood.

Katz has been drawing since she was a child. After attending art school, she spent a decade as a graphic designer. Katz went back to graduate school with a goal to work in media for children. She then worked as a website producer for Scholastic and one day had an epiphany and became an art teacher.

“Never in a million years did I think I would stay home,” says Katz. The entire time she was pregnant and after the birth of her children, she found she was more creative than ever. “I had always drawn things in the moment I’m in. When I was a teen, I drew a lot of cartoons about teens. When I became a mother, I drew about being a mother.” Katz took photographs of herself with her daughters and then drew them. “It helped me process the experience in a much better way,” says Katz. She then posted those drawings on Instagram and people started noticing and she received requests for commissions.

When both girls were in school Katz had the time to learn more about women in business and the world of licensing. She started submitting art to Minted.com and sold a greeting card to Target. She now has a line of greeting cards at Trader Joe’s.

Then she started taking commissions from families. “I fall in love with every family that I get to draw. The stories these families tell me are so profound,” says Katz.

Social media helped Katz spread her art. Instagram posts of her portraits have caught the attention of people like Rachel Zoe, Mena Suvari and Nancy Pelosi as well as countless others. “Someone said this is the best time to be an artist because of social media. I have been drawing my entire life and in the past you would put it on your refrigerator or under your bed. Now within seconds you can share it with the entire world,” says Katz.

Katz has started taking commissions for holiday cards. “It was a way for me to do something I love,” says Katz. “It’s not something they just keep in their homes. They send them out to their friends and family and now all those people get to hold my art in their hands in a very personal, sentimental way. It’s always about deep emotional connections and relationships.” From the experience of putting the cards together, this led her to a new avenue she’s pursuing of custom stationery that includes portraits of people. Katz has already done this as gifts for her children’s friends and new babies. “Handwritten notes are so personal. I especially love the idea of putting a portrait of the child on the stationery.”

Katz’s father, a professional artist and photographer who worked in the fashion district had a great influence on her creative life. After he passed away, Katz imagined what it would be like if he were alive now and how he would interact with her girls, Talya and Shira. She drew it and that gave birth to her idea for “In Memoriam Portraits,” another commission option.

Katz has learned a lot from her experience on her creative journey and has advice for artists of all types. “The most important thing to do is to find your voice and it’s also the hardest thing. Just be yourself so deeply with your art so there is no denying who you are. Trust what you are here to say.”

“I can’t believe that I have created a job where I get to draw every day–that was my childhood dream–and for my daughters to see their mother doing this,” says Katz. She is grateful for the support of her husband Ariel Simon, a teacher. “Artists are inherently insecure and second guess ourselves. I owe a tremendous amount to him.”

Katz isn’t sure of what comes next, but she is excited about taking on larger projects in the future.

It comes as no surprise that “love” is Katz’s favorite word. “I put the word love in the name of my business,” says Katz. “I felt that all the art that I do now are love letters to people from me and for people to give to other people.”

For more information and to view her work go to her website lovenaava.com.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON! Byram Hills High School’s Theater Community Thrives in the Wake of the Pandemic

February 25, 2023 by Illeana Baquero

When Kyle Banks took over the Byram Hills High School theatre department in 2021, he was stepping into a whole new world in more ways than one.

Aside from adjusting to his new roles as choir director at the high school, co-teacher of the H. C. Crittenden Middle School choir, and director of the Varley Players, the BHHS Jazz Choir, and the Byram Beat a cappella club, Banks was also adjusting to the world of the performing arts at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was completely uncharted territory,” he said. “We always did things a certain way, and then suddenly we just couldn’t do them that way anymore, and we had to come up with completely new strategies.”

As the pandemic surged, forcing students into at-home learning, those new strategies included virtual rehearsals, maintaining 12 feet of social distance during in-person rehearsals, and masking during performances. The adjustments made putting together collaborative performances even more complicated. It left the company struggling to find their familiar groove.

Despite the challenges they were facing, the Varley Players persisted.

The Varley Players Persevere

“It speaks to how badly the arts are needed in a time like that,” Banks explains. “We as the production team and the students were all still so committed to making it happen, and I think it was really appreciated by everybody in the community both on-stage, behind the scenes, and in the audience.”

Banks was thankful to have the support of multiple previous leaders within the department, such as former director John Anthony Lopez, who he worked with for a year prior to Lopez’s retirement from the district in 2021. He also credits former assistant director James Gulick and other Varley Players leaders who remained on board through the pandemic, including Susan Pieratti and Danielle Brooks, for guiding him through the transition. Banks’ background as a music director at other school districts and as a theatre performer himself further prepared him to tackle this new challenge.

Some of the changes implemented, such as the extended rehearsal period allotted to the company during the production of their Winter 2021 musical Fiddler on the Roof, did allow them to put on a fantastic show despite COVID restrictions.

However, for the students who had regularly taken part in theatrical productions and other extracurricular activities at Byram Hills, not being able to see their peers in-person or come together as a group without masks and social distance was yet another obstacle. Across the board, Banks describes, it was tough for the kids to acclimate to a COVID-era social world. He notes that having the theatre department up and running, in whatever capacity they could, helped students find a sense of belonging, a consistent social circle, and alleviate some of the stress and uncertainty of the time.

Now, the company has been able to return to normal rehearsals without social distancing and masking. Banks says that the change has been a breath of fresh air, and has made everyone involved in the production process even more grateful for the opportunity to perform together for the first time in nearly two years.

“It was huge,” he said. “The energy that it brought to the production and to everybody involved was really incredible, and since then it’s been a lot of the same; everybody’s super grateful to be back to normal, to feel like we can do these things again without having to worry too much.”

Returning to full performances after a nearly two-year break didn’t come without an adjustment period of its own. Both the students and the production team had to re-acclimate to demanding, in-person rehearsal schedules and working together as a group once again, as many in the cast, crew, and production team felt “out of practice.”

On Meeting the Challenges

Regardless, Banks says, each member was more than willing to put in the work required to get back into the swing of things.

“We all realize how much we were missing because of the pandemic, so to be back doing that again, whether it’s a bit challenging or not, it’s worth it,” he said.“It is such a community and it provides such an outlet, and it can be a huge stress reliever, even though sometimes it gets stressful.”

Whether it be getting involved on the production side to sing, dance, act, work together as a team, and step outside oneself for a few hours, or on the viewers’ side to escape the day’s worries and enjoy a live show, the arts played a powerful role in getting people through the height of the pandemic.

“There’s something indescribable about the feeling you get when you put on a show with the people that you care about so much in the company. I think it’s really helping everybody, on my side, on the production team side, for the cast, and providing these artistic experiences for audiences as well,” Banks explained.

In the future, Banks looks forward to welcoming new faces to the Varley Players and expanding the program even more. He looks forward to students becoming more involved in the process of putting on a show and taking ownership of more of the aspects that make it up, both on the cast and crew side.

He describes a slight dip in participation during the COVID years, as many were out of school, unavailable, or uncomfortable participating in certain group activities, but also finds that numbers have been steadily increasing in the time since.

“If I ask any number of people who do theatre at Byram Hills what the most important thing is to them, the first thing that comes up is the sense of community and family that comes with it,” Banks said.

That family persists beyond students’ four years at the school, as evidenced by their upcoming spring production of Freaky Friday: The Musical, with music and lyrics by Byram Hills High School alumnus Tom Kitt.

“It’s a really fun show, the cast is really excited about it and so is the production team. The energy has been really electric since we started the process,” Banks said.

Audiences can come enjoy the show on March 9th, 10th, and 11th.

At Briarcliff High, Meet ‘Unsung Hero’ Zoe Ivler, Volunteer at Animal Sanctuaries Worldwide

February 25, 2023 by Irene Unger

This is the time when many high school students are deciding how to spend the upcoming summer. The good news is that the options are endless and range from working and making money to pushing physical limits with an outdoor adventure tour. There are so many options for attending a college campus to take classes or find an internship to explore passions. However, there are also numerous unique programs available that may offer a chance to experience something you love, while also making a difference, even leading you to be seen as heroic. As is the case with Briarcliff High School Junior, Zoe Ivler.

When I spoke with Briarcliff High School Principal Diana Blank and asked her for the name of a student who does something unique with their summers, Ms. Blank gave me Zoe’s name, describing her as “an unsung hero who loves to do community service and help others.” As I would find out when I sat down with Zoe, the “others” in this case are all types of animals. Zoe said, “I’ve always loved dogs, I’ve always wanted a dog”, however since she never got a dog of her own, she always found ways to always be around dogs. Zoe’s earliest dog memories came from the Briarcliff Manor Library’s program Reading to Rover. She said, “l loved to read to the therapy dogs at the library when I was younger.”

She found additional ways to be around dogs by taking advantage of local opportunities such as volunteering at the Briarcliff SPCA and Montrose’s Canine Kindergarten. However, since she started high school, she has taken this desire to care for animals one step further and has been spending the summers nursing sick animals back to health in some of the most remote places on the planet.

Zoe’s awareness of places where she could go during the summer and get hands-on experience with animals came two years ago. Zoe’s grandparents offered her an opportunity to go anywhere in the world to have an experience with animals. She said, “at first my grandparents were encouraging me to choose Africa.” However, her grandparents also showed her other options including living and working at an animal sanctuary called The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in a remote area in Utah. This made Zoe extremely excited because she did not just want to see animals, she wanted to help them, especially the ones who have been wounded, whether at the hands of humans or through acts of nature.

Zoe at home with her cats, Moose and Munch

According to their website, The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is the largest sanctuary of its kind and on any given day is the healing home for up to 1,600 dogs, cats, birds, bunnies, horses, and pigs. Being a part of nursing these animals back to health is exactly the way Zoe wanted to spend her summer. At Best Friends, Zoe explained, “I was too young to work with the dogs, so I worked in a place called Catworld and I loved it.” Zoe went on to say, “Catworld was broken up into houses depending on what was wrong with the cat and most of them were there because they were sick, many with cancer.” She said her favorite part was “that I was able to take the cats back to the room and care for them overnight.” The time in Utah had a huge effect on Zoe and she knew that this is how she would spend her summers going forward.

Last summer Zoe decided to pick a Teen Tour to Costa Rica where she spent three weeks working at animal sanctuaries. She said, “The sanctuaries are more like shelters, and they’re not like here. They are outside and dirty, and the dogs were all from the streets and needed a lot to get back to their healthy selves.” Unfortunately, she witnessed, “Dogs coming in with chains wrapped around them, some with missing fur and cuts, and a lot of malnourished ones.” While it was sad to see, she knew that the help she and other volunteers were doing to nurse these dogs back to health was making a difference.

The past two summers have been so fulfilling that it left Zoe knowing she wanted to pick another place to go to continue helping to heal sick animals. She is currently deciding between a few possible programs for this summer, including potentially one in Alaska where she could help huskies regain their former strength, or another one in Hawaii working at a dog and cat sanctuary. Finally, the one that she seems most excited about is a program in Australia where she can work in a koala sanctuary. Zoe hopes through sharing her story, she will inspire some of her peers to spend their summers getting out there into the world, while also helping to make the world a better place.

A Magical, Musical 30 Years at Music in Chappaqua!

February 25, 2023 by Megan Klein

Thirty years and 7,500 students later, Music in Chappaqua has set the bar high in town. With pupils ranging from toddlers in early childhood development music classes to a man in his 90s wanting to learn how to sing, it just goes to show there is no time stamp on when to start.

As for how the music school itself came to be, it all started when owner Angie Angier was 27 years old. She had six years of touring all over four continents with an orchestra under her belt when she decided that her next step would be to settle down.

After moving to New York City, she soon realized that the music scene downtown was nothing like the music scene in Italy–it was much more competitive and difficult to make a living. She started to consider other careers.

Some family members suggested she try law school, as they had done. Despite scoring well on the LSAT, Angier decided that returning to music was what she was meant to do.

“Let’s be real, most parents have all told you, be a doctor, not a musician,” she said. “People who have gotten into music love music. And they love to impart that.” Angier loves music, and she wanted to share her knowledge and passion with anyone willing to learn.

Music in Chappaqua today is not what Music in Chappaqua was in 1993. It started out as private piano lessons, seven days a week, all day long. As word of mouth spread, the teachings soon expanded to orchestral instruments, singing and more, and the business that was once a classical based program has continued to evolve with the times and the demand ever since.

Today, the school offers programs ranging from audition preparation to music production, private lessons in all instruments and genres ranging from drums to saxophone to songwriting and even DJing courses.

New teachers offered new ways of instruction that didn’t necessarily involve learning to read music off the page, but by ear. Students were suddenly learning and getting better faster.

Rock and roll and the electric guitar became popular, so much so that they even have multiple bands meeting weekly and a five-week summer day camp dedicated to learning the genre through the decades.

Angier is excited about it because students will learn rock history through playing the instruments. For questions regarding registration, call 914-238-3123.

With the digital age, people can teach themselves to play an instrument simply by mastering a YouTube tutorial. To Angier, this has totally changed the potential of becoming a musician. No matter what phenomenon or new style comes up, Music in Chappaqua is ready and willing to teach you. “We really, really care. The business is secondary,” Angier said. “We really love what we do.”

In fact, one of Angier’s favorite things about running the music school is finding out the goals and dreams of each student and doing whatever she can to make them come true.

When it comes to how the school operates, Angier bases it off of everything she wishes she had from a teacher growing up. Instructors make it known that you are allowed to make mistakes. They can identify the needs of their students, whether it’s confidence or fine-tuning a technique. Angier likes to call her teachers “teacher intuitives” because they understand what their students need and give them that through music.

Decades’ worth of students have carried their teachings with them even after they leave Chappaqua and have found success. Whether it’s being accepted into a prestigious acapella group in college or winning a Grammy, Angier is proud of all her students and has kept in touch with many.

To her, music is invaluable. It’s fundamental. It’s healing.

Whether you haven’t played an instrument since middle school or you’ve never played an instrument at all or whether you like to sing in the shower or you like to sing for people, Music in Chappaqua has been here ready to hear you, and will continue to do so.

Visit www.musicinchappaqua.com

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