Due to the snow storm, Maxwell is closed on Friday, January 16.
Library closed Friday
Tag: general library info
Thanksgiving
Maxwell Library will be closed from 3 PM on Wednesday, November 26 through Friday, November 28 for Thanksgiving.
Veterans Day
Maxwell Memorial Library will close Tuesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day.
Image credits:
Unified by Service
By Jeremy D. Carpenter
2025 National Veterans Day Poster Contest Winner
Theme: Service to Our Nation
License: Public Domain in the US as a work of the federal government
Thanksgiving
Maxwell Library will be closed from 3 PM on Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29 for Thanksgiving.
Veterans Day
Maxwell Memorial Library will close Monday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day.
Image credits:
2024 National Veterans Day Poster Contest Winner
Theme: A Legacy of Loyalty and Service
By Myisha Godette
License: Public Domain in the US as a work of the federal government
Bottle and Can Drive
Saturday, July 13
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Today’s the day to get rid of all those empties from your early summer celebrations! Bring your beverage bottles and cans to Maxwell’s parking lot on Saturday, July 13, from 10 AM to 3 PM. The Bottle and Can Retrieval Center will have a big trailer parked at the library, ready to haul them away for recycling. The proceeds will support Maxwell Memorial Library.
Can’t make it today? The Library has an account set up at the Fairmount bottle return center, so you can drop your empties off year-round and have them earmarked for Maxwell.
Thank you for your support!
Village Mile-Long Sale (and More)
Saturday, May 18
8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
The village will hold its Mile-Long Sale today.
Maxwell will be open our regular Saturday hours — 10 AM to 3 PM — but the village-wide event begins at 8.
We are holding several events that day:
Book Sale
Stop in at the Library for our special book sale with great selections for readers of all ages.
Cash or check only, please.
Cruisin’ Cones
The Cruisin’ Cones Ice Cream truck will also be at Maxwell to tempt you with their delicious frozen treats! They’ve generously offered to donate a portion of the day’s proceeds with the library, so please come support both this fine local business and your library.
Maxwell’s Book Lover’s Basket Drawing
And the drawing for the winner of Maxwell’s Book Lover’s Basket will be at close of business today, with the lucky person being contacted on May 20! More details on the contents of the basket here. If you love books (and of course you do!) you won’t want to miss this chance to win a large Barnes and Noble gift certificate plus many fun reading-related goodies.
Maxwell Library Is [no longer] Accepting Book Donations!
Our book sale is over, so we aren’t accepting donations now. We’ll post an update when we’re ready for donations again.
Thanks to all who contributed!
We are once again accepting new and gently-used books, DVDs, CDs, and other library-type materials!
Drop your items at the front desk today. Questions about our Donation Policy? Give us a call or check out our Website for more information.
1 box per person per visit!
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Maxwell Library is excited to be a drop-off location for donations of children’s bedding to Sleep in Heavenly Peace!
This group of volunteers is dedicated to building, assembling, and delivering beds to children ages 3 to 17 in need in the greater Syracuse area. Their motto is No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in Our Town!®.
How can you help? You can donate:
- New twin-size sheets
- Comforters
- Bed-in-a-bag
- Throw blankets
- Standard pillows
- Pillowcases
- Twin mattress protectors
These items must be brand new and in their store packaging. We have a donation bin inside the library—look for the little bed near the front door!
For more information on other ways to help or to become a volunteer, contact the Syracuse chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace on their Website.
Book Donations
Don’t Panic!
We’re not banning books, but our limited space means that we’re unable to take donations of books and similar material at the moment.
We are grateful for our patrons’ generosity and will let you know when we are able to accept donations again.
Thanksgiving
Veterans Day
Maxwell Memorial Library will close Saturday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day.
Image credits:
2023 Veterans Day Poster Contest winner
Theme: Service
The Bugler by Gene Russell
License: Public Domain in the US as a work of the federal government
Parking Lot Resealing & Repair
We will be closed this Saturday, August 19, so our parking lot can be repaired and resealed! 🚧 There will be no access to the book drop from Friday at 5 PM until Monday at 10 AM.
Holds that would’ve gone unclaimed on Saturday will be held until Monday. A reminder that we are fine free and no longer charge overdue fees! Books and other basic library media can also be returned at other libraries within the OCPL system. 📚
Thank you for your cooperation!
Bottle and Can Drive
Saturday, July 8
10 AM to 3 PM
Today’s the day to get rid of all those empties from your early summer celebrations! Bring your beverage bottles and cans to Maxwell’s parking lot on Saturday, July 8, from 10 AM to 3 PM.
The Bottle and Can Retrieval Center will have a big trailer parked at the library, ready to haul them away for recycling. The proceeds will support Maxwell Memorial Library.
Can’t make it today? The Library has an account set up at the Fairmount bottle return center, so you can drop your empties off year-round and have them earmarked for Maxwell.
Thank you for your support!
We’re Taking Book Donations Again!
We’re again able to accept donations of new or gently used books (and other library-type material)!
Many donated items get sold in the library’s book sales—our ongoing, inhouse sale or our occasional bigger events—to support library programs and services. Select items may get added to the collection if they comply with our Collection Development Policy and needs.
Please see our Materials Donation Policy for details about the types and quantities of material we can accept.
Village Mile-Long Sale (and More)
Saturday, May 20
8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
The village will hold its Mile-Long Sale today.
Be sure to check out all the community sales and stop in at Maxwell, too! We are holding several events that day:
Book Sale
Stop by during the Village Mile-Long Sale for Maxwell’s annual Big Book Sale!
We’ve saved many of our best gently-used books for all ages for today’s special event.
Cash or check only, please.
Cruisin’ Cones
Make sure you visit the Cruisin’ Cones ice cream truck from that will be parked at the library from 11 AM to 2:30 PM.
They have generously offered to donate 20% of the proceeds to Maxwell, so please come hungry and support both this fine local business and your library at the same time! We’ll have the menu with prices posted at the library ahead of time.
Sticker Palooza
Bring your kids in for a fun activity with collecting stickers!
Library closed Tuesday
Due to the weather forecast, and Governor Hochul’s state of emergency declaration, Maxwell Memorial Library will be closed on Tuesday, March 14.
Image credit:
Snowflake macro photography 1
by Alexey Kljatov
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
Early Closing
Due to the snow storm, Maxwell will close early at 4 PM on Wednesday, January 25.
Group/Class Visit Requests
Maxwell Memorial Library is a fun, free, and educational place to visit. Our library welcomes families, school classes, daycares, clubs, and other groups to schedule a time for a staff member to present a tour of the library’s resources and services for children and adults. Visits may also include a special program designed for your group such as a special story time, book talks, library skills (how to search the online library catalog, online database review, etc.), assistance with technology, and special assistance with using the library in a desired area of study.
How to Schedule a Group Visit
- Email us at maxwell@maxwellmemoriallibrary.org
- When emailing, please provide several dates and times that work best. We will do our best to accommodate one of your requested dates.
Your request must be submitted at least two weeks prior to your desired visit date. Groups can schedule a visit Monday–Thursday between the hours of 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Please be aware that your visit may have to be rescheduled if the librarian in charge of the visit calls out sick or if the library closes due to inclement weather or any other unforeseen reason.
If your group members need library cards and you want them to be able to use them at the time of the visit, please submit library card applications prior to your desired visit date. Please Note: Children between the ages of 5 and 14 will need a parent/guardian present in order to obtain a library card. Children 14 and older can obtain their own library card if they have a photo ID and proof of their current address.
Thanksgiving
Veterans Day
Maxwell Memorial Library will close Friday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day.
Image credits:
2022 Veterans Day Poster Contest winner
Theme: Honor
by Briana Cummings
License: Public Domain in the US as a work of the federal government
Coffee Fundraiser Featuring Salt City Coffee
Time for coffee! Maxwell Memorial Library is selling Salt City Coffee!
Choose from Syracuse Blend (their signature medium roast) or Decaf. Both varieties are available in 12-ounce bags, your choice of ground or whole bean.
Orders can be placed October 1 through 15, at the library or online. We accept:
- Cash (exact amount)
- Checks payable to Maxwell Memorial Library
- PayPal (for online orders only)
We anticipate coffee will be ready for you to pick-up at the library the week of October 24, but we’ll notify you when it’s ready. Unfortunately, we are unable to ship orders.
Thank you for your support of the library and a Syracuse small business!
About Salt City Coffee
Here at Salt City Coffee, we are on a mission to create craft coffee and participate in long-term neighborhood impact. We hope you’ll enjoy our coffee. Follow us @saltcitycoffee and @saltcitybar.
National Grid’s Environmental Compatibility Certificate
Maxwell has received a copy of National Grid’s Petition to Amend the Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need (“Petition”) issued by the Public Service Commission in Case 26251.1
The petition is available in the Local History room as hard copy or at the Circulation Desk in electronic form.
1 Case 22-T-__: Application of Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation d/b/a National Grid for Amendments to Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need Authorizing Removal and Installation of H-Frame Structures from Applicant’s Existing 345 kV Overhead Electrical Transmission Facility Located in the Town of Granby, Oswego County, State of New York And The Towns of Lysander, Van Buren, Elbridge, Camillus, Marcellus, and Onondaga, Onondaga County, State of New York
Image credits:
345 kV Transmission Lines in Brookfield, Connecticut
by Liam Enea
License: CC BY-SA 2.0
I-81 Viaduct Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Maxwell is a repository for the I-81 Viaduct Project Draft Environmental Impact Statements.
The Final Design Report/Final Environmental Impact Statement/Final Section 4(f) Evaluation is now available for review in the library.
The report’s 30-day public review period goes through Monday, May 16.
Martin Luther King Day
Maxwell Memorial Library will be closed for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 17.
Image credit:
Martin Luther King Jr NYWTS 6 by Dick DeMarsico (New York World-Telegram and Sun staff photographer)
License: Donated to the Public Domain
Thanksgiving
Winter hours
Maxwell Library will be on winter hours through March 31.
That means that Mondays through Thursdays we’ll close 1 hour earlier—at 7 instead of 8.
Here’s a table with the complete set of current hours:
Hours
| Monday–Thursday | 10 AM–7 PM |
|---|---|
| Friday | 10 AM–5 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM–3 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
Book drop
The book drop will be locked from 3 PM Saturday, October 30 to 10 AM Monday, November 1.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
Overdue fines will not accrue during this time.
Please do not leave library materials on the porch! Thank you.
Veterans Day
Maxwell Memorial Library will close Thursday, November 11 in observance of Veterans Day.
Image credits:
2021 National Veterans Day Poster Contest Winner
License: Public Domain in the US as a work of the federal government
The theme for Veterans Day 2021 is centered on the centennial commemoration of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
More information available at the VA’s Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs site
Some fun statistics
From Alyssa’s annual Director’s Report to the Board:
| Circulation | 59,461 |
| Reference questions | 3,863 |
| New patrons | 174 |
| Computer assistance | 521 |
| Technology help | 542 |
| Children’s programs | 162 |
| Children’s program attendance | 3,940 |
| Adult programs | 80 |
| Adult program attendance | 1,150 |
| Hoopla downloads | 3,264 |
| OverDrive/Libby downloads | 16,222 |
Image credits:
The Standard Normal Probability Distribution with shaded regions by D Wells
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
Holiday Photo Shoot
Saturday, November 6
Maxwell Community Room
Registration required
We’re excited to offer our patrons an opportunity to have a keepsake photo taken by Maxwell’s own Michelle C.—a photojournalist by training—just in time for the holidays!
We have 12 sessions available for small groups of 1 to 8 people (sorry, no pets 🙁). Each session is listed as a separate event on our calendar for November 6. We’re allowing 15 minutes for each session since Michelle will need 5 minutes to get ready for the next group.
Michelle will take several shots for each group and will email you the best images (up to 3 shots). You’ll be able to use the photos however you like including printing, sharing, and holiday greetings and gifts. The photographer and Maxwell Library will not retain any usage or ownership rights to the photos. They belong to you.
The photo shoot and the finished photos are free, but registration is required as space is limited, so register for your slot as soon as possible. Only one time slot per group is allowed. Please arrive 5 to 10 minutes ahead of time, ready for your session.
Note that facial masks are required in the library for everyone over the age of 2—regardless of vaccination status—except for during the actual photo shoot.
Holiday Photo Shoot appointment times
All appointments have been filled
10:20 AM10:40 AM11:00 AM11:20 AM11:40 AM12:00 PM
12:40 PM1:00 PM1:20 PM1:40 PM2:00 PM2:20 PM
I-81 Viaduct Project comment period extended
The New York State Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration have extended their comment period on the I-81 Viaduct Project until Thursday, October 14, 2021, 5 PM EDT.
Additionally, there will be a Neighborhood Meeting on Thursday, September 23 from 6 to 8 PM at
Town of Camillus Municipal Building
4600 W. Genesee St
Syracuse NY 13219
43.04628818105921, -76.24251023084479
If you need an interpreter or have special needs, please contact Curtis Jetter at (315) 428-4351.
Maxwell is a repository for the I-81 Viaduct Project Draft Environmental Impact Statements and has the July 2021 draft available for in-library use.
For more information or to submit a comment online, visit https://www.dot.ny.gov/i81opportunities
Database survey
Do you use any of the databases that Onondaga County Public Libraries makes available to all patrons? OCPL will be conducting a survey about the databases from September 13 through September 30 and would like to get feedback from all who use them.
Image credits:
Database icon by Zahra Ibrahem
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
I-81 Viaduct Project Virtual Public Hearings
As part of the public comment period on the I-81 Viaduct Project, the New York State Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration will hold a virtual hearing on the project’s Draft Design Report/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DDR/DEIS) and the New York Eminent Domain Procedure Law.
The hearing will take place on Zoom on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 at 11:00 AM and will be repeated at 5:00 PM.
For more information or to register, go to the registration page.
Maxwell is a repository for the I-81 Viaduct Project Draft Environmental Impact Statements and has the July 2021 draft available for in-library use.
The public comment period will continue through September 14 at 5 PM.
I-81 Viaduct Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Maxwell is a repository for the I-81 Viaduct Project Draft Environmental Impact Statements. The July 2021 draft is now available for in-library use.
The public comment period runs from July 16 through September 14 at 5 PM.
Friends Forever Animal Rescue Shoe Drive
Through July 24, Friends Forever Animal Rescue is collecting donations of new or gently used shoes at Maxwell (and other locations in Onondaga County). Your donation helps them raise money to help fund the organization.
Boots, slippers, sandals, flip flops, heels, sneakers, dress shoes, ….
Friends Forever Animal Rescue is a 501c3 non profit and NYS Registered RR426 animal rescue group dedicated to helping stray, sick and abandoned animals in CNY.
Since 2002, Friends Forever has placed over 10,000 homeless or unwanted pets into new homes.
Early closing
Maxwell Library will close early at 3:30 PM on Friday, June 25 for Staff Development.
We’ll reopen at 10 AM on Saturday, June 26.
Maxwell’s Hours are Back to Normal
As of today, Tuesday, June 1, we’ll be open until 8 PM Monday through Thursday. Friday’s hours are 10 AM to 5 PM and Saturday’s are 10 AM to 3 PM.
Walk-In Visits: Our Top-Five List!
- Maxwell is open for appointment-free browsing!
- The public computers in the adult room are also available for walk-in use.
- Curbside pickup remains available as an option.
- Library programming will remain virtual for a while longer, but the library’s study rooms may be reserved for one to three people, depending on the room.
- Library hours will return to the normal Monday through Thursday closing time of 8 PM, effective June 1!
There is a limit on how many people can be in the building at one time. When capacity is reached, arriving patrons will be asked to wait until someone leaves before they come inside.
Visitors to the library must continue to adhere to accepted COVID-19 safety protocols, including
- Proper wearing of facial coverings by unvaccinated people
- Social distancing
- Hand sanitizing
Library Catalog Down Temporarily
Update: Polaris seems to be back up, along with apps like Libby and Hoopla that depend on it.
Today (May 10) you might have run into problems with looking books up or placing holds in our catalog. It turns out that Polaris (the Onondaga County Public Library System’s catalog) is down due to some networking problems that the County’s computers are having.
This means that browsing the catalog, placing holds, and seeing what items you have out are imossible at the moment. Some less obvious issues are that checking out material using Libby/Overdrive or Hoopla is also not working.
We don’t know when everything will be back up, but the IT people downtown are working on the issue and seem to be making some progress.
Image credit:
Broken laptop by Santeri Viinamäki
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
From the Archives…
In getting ready for appointment-free browsing starting May 3, Rena & Alyssa have been moving some things out of public spaces that had become de facto storage during the past year. In the course of doing that, this blast from the past turned up:
We are in the process of going through our old records and found this! 99 years ago, February 1922, we were closed due to scarlet fever. While it was only for a month, Covid was not the first time we were closed for health concerns.
From our Facebook page
Tuesday Crafternoons: Leprechaun Handprint Craft
Week of Tuesday, March 16
Free
Call the library or register online to reserve a kit
For children ages 3 to 10
Drop in at Maxwell to grab this week’s planned grab and go craft.
Make this fun Leprechaun craft using your own handprint!
All supplies provided except scissors, glue, and coloring supplies.
Image credits:
Leprechaun by Jean-noël Lafargue, October 23, 2005
License: Copyleft: This is a free work, you can copy, distribute, and modify it under the terms of the Free Art License http://artlibre.org/licence/lal/en/
Maxwell is closed today (Saturday, January 23) because of the storm.
Martin Luther King Day
Maxwell Memorial Library will be closed for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 18.
Image credit:
Martin Luther King Jr NYWTS 6 by Dick DeMarsico (New York World-Telegram and Sun staff photographer)
License: Donated to the Public Domain
New Year’s
Maxwell Memorial Library will be closed for New Year’s on Thursday, December 31 and Friday, January 1.
Holiday Tree of Gift Cards
Congratulations to Jeffrey K., whose winning ticket was picked by Alyssa in our Holiday Tree of Gift Cards drawing!
We thank all the people who participated in the drawing and these local businesses for their contributions:
- Aesthetica Salon Spa
- Branching Out Bottle Shop
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Byrne Dairy
- Camillus Nails and Spa
- Cams Pizzeria
- Colorful Inspirations
- Exhale Cafe and Bake Shop
- Finally Ours
- Firehouse Subs
- Longhorn Restaurant
- Luminous Nails and Spa
- Monarch Jewelry
- Olde Wicker Mill
- The Friends of Maxwell for a Panera Bread gift card
- Pie Guys Pizza
- George Mango of Howard Hanna Real Estate for a Price Chopper gift card
- Red Robin
- Sam Rao Florist
- Synple
- Sweet Frog Yogurt
- Target
- Wegmans
- Witty Wicks Candles
Watch for another drawing in the Spring!
Christmas
Maxwell Memorial Library will be closed for Christmas from Thursday, December 24 through Saturday, December 26.
Image credit:
Snow globe by by uwesch
License: Released to Public Domain (CC0 1.0)
Library Services During the Pandemic — Update
Camillus is still in a Yellow Zone, as determined by New York Forward, but our Board has decided to get ahead of the curve by returning to curbside service only.
Effective Monday, December 21, we will no longer be available for browsing, computer use, or study room use. We will still have:
- Curbside pickup
Reserve material either online or by calling us. When it is ready for pickup, the system will notify you. Then you can call us and schedule a time to pick it up.
Thanksgiving
Maxwell Memorial Library will be closing at
3 PM on Wednesday, November 25
for the Thanksgiving holiday.
We will reopen on
Saturday, November 28 at 10 AM.
Veterans Day
Maxwell Memorial Library will be closed on Wednesday, November 11 for Veterans Day.
Image credits:
Image credit:
Vietnam Veterans Women’s Memorial2
by Darcyjeh5
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
Sculpture credit:
Vietnam Veterans Women’s Memorial
by Glenna Goodacre
Public Domain as a work of the Federal government