News

Thank You For Your Support!

Members of our community who care about promoting literacy and critical thinking skills to children are as generous as they are numerous.

Our community raised over $3,400 to finance the after school pilot program with Armstrong Elementary School. These funds will provide for equipment and activities that promote science, technology, literacy, and most importantly the unconstrained excitement of satisfying a child's curious mind! This first of its kind program in the Greater Rochester area will help school-aged children develop a sense of wonder and a lifelong love of learning that will help prevent the "summer slide."

We look forward to sharing the excitement and success of this innovative program with the individuals who donated funds, our supportive community members, parents, grandparents, and caregivers. Once Blastoff! to Literacy is in full effect we will invite the community, our benefactors, and the news media to attend an open house so that they can share in the excitement of an vibrant public library as it produces future innovators, leaders, artists, and educators.

Thank you again for your support and patronage. Your support changes lives.

Read More

Library users can now play the popular sandbox game Minecraft on the four computers located in the library's Teen Section. Games like Minecraft help children and teens build rudimentary computer coding skills through the immersive and highly adaptable video game environment.

Read More

What do you do at the Gates Public Library?

Hello, I am the library director. I am employed by the seven member Library Board of Trustees. I am responsible for hiring the library staff, working with the staff to create and adapt the workflow to ensure that the library operates efficiently. I propose library policy additions and revisions to the Library Board of Trustees. Additionally, I build strategic relationships with like-minded organizations in the Gates Community that may help the library operationally, or vice versa. I am tasked with guiding the creation of the library's strategic plan with the input of key stakeholders. Each month I report to the Library Board of Trustees on the progress of the strategic plan as well as the overall financial health of the library.

I also recently established a nonprofit organization called the Gates Public Library Foundation with the help of some community volunteers. The Gates Public Library Foundation is tasked with building an endowment to supplement the library's taxpayer finances to ensure long-term financial stability. I also report monthly to another nonprofit organization called the Friends of the Gates Public Library. The Friends of the Gates Public Library raise funds through their semi-annual book sales and charity golf tournament that is coordinated with help from the Chili Public Library and the Gates-Chili Chamber of Commerce. The proceeds from these fundraising activities finance materials, special events, and technology that the library would not otherwise be able to afford. Lastly, computer technology is a personal interest of mine, so I enjoy setting up the technology in the library.

In addition to my obligations at the library, I am also on the board of directors at the Gates-Chili Chamber of Commerce. I serve on the Westside Family YMCA Board of Management, the Gates-Chili Rotary Club, the Gates-Chili Central School District Foundation Steering Committee, and the Monroe County Library System's Emerging Technology Committee. I'm a busy person. I never sleep.

What book has changed your life and how?

"The Iron" by Henry Rollins. The short essay is from a book called "The Portable Henry Rollins." It is about Henry Rollins' personal physical and psychological transformation through rigorous weightlifting. When I was a teenager I was extremely skinny, and I was very self-conscious about my appearance. I used this short essay to keep me motivated to exercise during the early days of lifting weights. Back when I encountered this essay, I relied on a cheap K-Mart weight set; the kind where the weight plates are filled with sand. This book gave me the confidence to push myself beyond my comfort zone, and it is the single most important book that I have ever read. Everything I have in life I have because of the confidence I gained through the discipline of lifting weights.

What book made the biggest impact on you as a child?

This is a tough one, but I guess I would have to say, "Make Way for Ducklings." When I was very young with I visited Boston Commons after reading the "Make Way for Ducklings," and I saw sculptures of the ducks from the books. It blew my mind because it turned something fictional into something tangible. It's the closest thing to meeting a celebrity that I ever got to experience at a young age. 

You wake up to find your house is burning down. You only have time to save one object. What is it?

I probably wouldn't save anything. I would also use the opportunity to fake my death, change my name, and leave town forever. Three months later a mysterious man named Gregario Benito appears in Key West, Florida and sets up shop repairing outboard motors...

What is your spirit guide animal?

On a good day it is a three legged dog. Three legged dogs are tenacious animals, and they don't gripe about the troubles that beleaguer them. Be a three legged dog. However, if I am being honest, my spirit guide animal is probably Matthew McConaughey's character from HBO's "True Detective." I am only one personal tragedy away from being the true detective. 

All of the titles under "Staff Recommendations" were selected by Greg.

Read More

The Gates Public Library lost two important family members this past week. Both individuals have left a tremendous impact on the Gates Public Library and the Gates Community. They will both be missed terribly.

Linda Tribotte served on the Library Board of Trustees from 2000 until 2012. She was an expert in analyzing finances and created financial reports and budget projection analysis templates that we still use to this day. She was instrumental in getting the new library built at 902 Elmgrove Road. Linda also played an integral role at the Gates Fire District and the Gates Ambulance.

Joan Bawden was a member of the Friends of the Gates Public Library board for twenty years, serving as president for one year, and treasurer for eighteen years. During her time with the Friends of the Gates Public Library she raised tens of thousands of dollars to provide library users with equipment and programs that the library would have otherwise not had. Joan was also a member of the Gates Historical Society and an usher at the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

Read More

Last spring, our children's librarians visited students at Neil Armstrong Elementary School to promote the library's summer reading program. They were so inspired by the students' excitement and enthusiasm for reading and learning. But that inspiration turned to concern when one of the teachers told us more than half his class said they couldn't get transportation to our public library.

This spring, the Friends of the Gates Public Library are partnering with the library and the Gates Chili Central School District to make our beautiful, new, program-rich library accessible to these eager learners. And we're doing it through the launch of a new after school pilot program for Neil Armstrong elementary students.

And best of all, this program is totally free to families - and even includes transportation from the school, overcoming the barrier we heard about last spring.

But it won't happen without your support. The library is committed to developing and delivering this all-new program, but it does come at a cost. Your tax-deductible contribution will help fill that gap, and cover the cost of art supplies, learning materials, and staff for the program

Your support will make this program possible!

• $25 will fund one month of the program for a child
• $50 will provide for art supplies for an entire class to use in the program
• $250 will fund an iPad for students to use to improve their technological literacy
• $500 will allow an entire Neil Armstrong class to participate in the program
• Your contribution in any amount makes a difference

Donate online or by mailing a check made out to the Friends of the Gates Public Library to Friends of the Gates Public Library, 902 Elmgrove Road, Rochester, NY 14624. Your donation is tax-deductible.

Read More

The Friends of the Gates Public Library will be hosting a book sale in the library's atrium and meeting room on Friday, December 4th and Saturday, December 5th. It will feature like new books, DVDs, and CDs that are perfect stocking stuffers for any book lover. All proceeds will go to support and fund library programs, crafts, and guest speakers for people users of all ages.

The sale will run from 9:00 Am to 5:00 PM on Friday, December 4th and from 10:00 AM 0 5:00 PM on Saturday, December 5th. For more email Jen Eation at books4gatesfriends@yahoo.com.

Read More

What do you do at the Gates Public Library?

I'm here to help you. Need to learn how to download an ebook? Want to know which paranormal romance novel to read next? Planning a trip and want to know the weird roadside attractions along the way? Just ask. If I can't find the answer, I'll direct you to someone who can.

What book has changed your life and how?

It's hard to narrow it down to one book, but the first book that I recall changing my life was Cherry by Mary Karr. Karr says it was her response to the lack of female coming-of-age novels. And that's how it read to me. In this book I found the female counterpart to Holden Caulfield. And it was the first time I saw myself and other young women around me represented in literature in an authentic way.

What book made the biggest impact on you as a child?

The Lonely Doll series by Dare Wright. It's the perfect amount of creepy and absurd.

You wake up to find your house is burning down. You only have time to save one object. What is it?

My signed copy of Richard Hell's I Dreamed I Was A Very Clean Tramp. Or my hat. It's a great hat.

What is your spirit guide animal?

I throw around the term "spirit animal" more than I should. Anyone from Jem to Patti Smith to Joan Didion has been hash tagged spirit animal. But I think my true spirit guide animal would be a crow.

All of the titles under "Staff Recommendations" were selected by Ashley.

Read More

Help the Gates-Chili Rotary Help Libraries and Others!
Rotary Club Italian Pasta Dinner - Sunday, November 15, 2015
at the Italian American Community Center, 150 Frank DiMinio Way.
Continuous serving: 1:00pm - 5:00pm - $7 adults, $4 children 10 and under.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Chili Public Library and the Gates Public Library checkout desks. The Gates-Chili Rotary Club will donate $1 to the libraries for each ticket sold in advance at the libraries. Each year the Gates-Chili Rotary provide financial support to local organizations like Chili Public Library and Gates Public Library, as well give high school students college scholarships, and fund initiatives to provide developing nations with Polio vaccines and clean drinking water.

Read More