Hammond Library is a community staple

CROWN POINT | Hammond Library has a long history of providing resources to the Crown Point area, serving not only as a literary destination but also a center for children, families, and those who have a passion for reading, and an oasis where residents may immerse themselves in its diverse offerings. "The library and its services are free and open to anybody," said Wendy Terbeek, Hammond Library's Director for the past 21 years. "I wish more people would take more advantage of it." In 1811, fifty serious and forward-thinking men gathered together in the Town of Crown Point (which was one of the largest towns in the area in the infantile United States of America) with the mutual purpose of establishing a library. Establishing themselves as the "Crown Point Library Society," these gentlemen procured 74 books for the first initial librarian's bookcase, which was a remarkable feat at the time. Books were on loan for a startling two months at a time, candlelight being the only light source to read by other than the sun at the time. For many years, the Crown Point Library was quartered in the Hammond home (Hammond Chapel). When the absolute charter was granted in 1899, the name was changed to Hammond Library. It then moved to the central school in 1929 where it remained for 59 more years. In present-day, the library has over 5,000 books available to the public, with 400-500 news books added every year. Funded by taxes, the library operates on a budget of roughly $61,000, and Terbeek makes it her mission to ensure that money is well spent and utilized wisely. "We really try to meet the needs of the people," Terbeek assured. "If someone is looking for something and it's not in the system, I will purchase it." The Hammond Library is a member of the Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System, which is based in Plattsburgh and is part of the New York State Library. This allows for library users to make requests from an almost unlimited number of books, as well as other audio and visual resources. In addition to the literature collection, Hammond Library harbors a DVD collection that rivals the inventory of an old Blockbuster Video. "It's important for people who live in the outer area who can't get cable or can't afford satellite that we offer movie options," Terbeek noted. The library has been housed in its 2732 Main Street location since 1990 when, through the Housing Assistance Program of Essex County, the former Crown Point Garage building was renovated (a requirement for state funding) and transformed into the spacious, welcoming center it is today. With cheerful periwinkle purple walls and a magnificent wall mural depicting Adirondack wildlife and referencing Crown Point landmarks by artist Cindy Vickers, the interior is inviting, to say the least. It is a place that appeals to children, and with the summer programming, it's no wonder why. This year's program is a celebration of… celebrations! During the Fourth of July week, patriotic festivities were explored, with Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day up for discussion last week. Children go home with a little book, stuffies, crafts, and stickers. "We are working in conjunction with the Crown Point Youth Commission, those children are coming to the library once a week for story time and a craft, we had 16 come down yesterday, which is a large group, and we had a great time. We are also doing a story and a craft open to the public Thursday afternoons at 1:30." And throughout the year, the library also runs that same program, offering a little reprieve and entertainment in the colder months. Terbeek would love to see the library's basement, a massive space waiting to be utilized to its fullest, renovated into a children's space where community youngsters may come and hang out and immerse themselves in reading, and all of the imaginative pathways it allows for. According to Terbeek, it's a great space with high ceilings and more than ample room for her vision, but unfortunately, the funding just isn't there currently. The director said, however, that construction loans are available for small libraries, and now that Hammond has brought another staff member on board, exploring options could now be feasible. "If anyone in town has any interest in something like that happening, I think the first step would be getting an architect to look at the space and finding out where we should begin," she said. Unlike other libraries in neighboring towns, Hammond Library does not have a Friends of the Library Program, which can be a monumental benefit in discovering pathways for projects such as a renovation, or bringing other assets and projects to the forefront and get off the ground. Friends organizations act as an auxiliary branch to library institutions; however, directors do not handle those organizations like that- it is up to community members to step forward and create the niche program. "No one has asked to have one and nobody has volunteered or expressed interest," Terbeek said. Like other libraries in the Clinton-Essex-Franklin system, Hammond chooses its area of concentration, and the library makes homeschooling supplementation its primary focus. "The homeschool families love the resources we have; there is a lot of information here we can use in the homeschooling curriculum," Terbeek said, explaining that in New York State, homeschool families cannot utilize anything in the public school system. Hammond Library has textbooks, and numerous supplemental materials for assignments and projects at-home students tackle. "I think that information is critical to being a good citizen and knowing what is going on in our country and the world is so important," Terbeek observed. "The library provides services like copying and faxing, and we are in the process of upgrading our computer system. We have purchased new computers and will be rewiring them in. We also have free 24/7 WiFi- in a community that has people that don't have or are still not wired to the internet, we are place that provides them reliable access." For Terbeek, Hammond Library represents dependability and follows a motto of being there for the town in any way it can be, especially in a fast-paced world where technology has contributed to a slight decline in the number of users that enter the library's doors. "We have one woman who is 91 years old, she just had a birthday, and she calls me every two weeks for three books," Terbeek cited as an example. "Her husband comes and picks them up for her. We really want to be service-oriented and help people as much as we can." Hammond Library of Crown Point is open Wednesdays through Saturdays. Follow their Facebook page for programming and updates. Contact the library at 518-597-3616 or hammondlibrary@nycap.rr.com.

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Hammond Library is a community staple

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