Bill Text: NY K00632 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the creation of the Folklife Center at the Crandall Public Library on July 25, 2023
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-05 - adopted [K00632 Detail]
Download: New_York-2023-K00632-Introduced.html
Assembly Resolution No. 632 BY: M. of A. Woerner COMMEMORATING the 30th Anniversary of the creation of the Folklife Center at the Crandall Public Library on July 25, 2023 WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that the quality of life of the citizens of the State of New York is greatly enriched by its exceptional cultural, educational and recreational institutions; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the creation of Folklife Center at the Crandall Public Library to be celebrated at its Festival on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, in Glens Falls City Park; and WHEREAS, On July 28, 1993, the Board of Trustees of Crandall Public Library approved the creation of a new department, the Center for Folklife, History, and Cultural Programs, later known as the Folklife Center, adopting its mission statement, activities, and appointing folklorist Todd DeGarmo, its founding director; and WHEREAS, The region served by the Folklife Center encompasses the library's four-county service area as Central Reference Library, including Saratoga, Warren, Washington and Hamilton counties in upstate New York; and WHEREAS, The establishment of the Folklife Center effectively transformed the 10-year-old Folklife Program and the library's hundred-year-old history room and its collections, into a Center for original research and documentation, special collections and archives, cultural programming for the public, and scholarly discussion on the living and historical cultural heritage of the region; and WHEREAS, On May 24, 1995, the library officially opened a physical space for the Folklife Center, raising over $125,000 in state, federal, and private foundation funds, to create a staffed research room, online catalog, centralized archival storage, gallery, and staff workspaces; and WHEREAS, On December 12, 2008, with the opening of the newly renovated library, the Folklife Center moved into newly expanded quarters, with enlarged gallery, research room, archival storage, and staff workspaces, thanks to a half million-dollar anonymous donation; and WHEREAS, Throughout its 30 year existence, the Folklife Center has continuously raised funds for its activities, totaling over three million dollars, including grants from the New York State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Archives and Records Administration, Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership, New York Humanities Council, New York State Music Fund, Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust, Leo Cox Beach Philanthropic Foundation, Touba Family Foundation, Capital District Library Council, William G. Pomeroy Foundation, Parent Child Library Services, Youth Bureau of Washington County, among others; and WHEREAS, The Folklife Center's ever-growing archives and special collections, including published local and regional histories, family histories, the papers of community organizations, photographs and prints, maps, art and artifacts, are conserved and preserved in a secure, climate-controlled environment, and are made available to the public aided by knowledgeable staff; and WHEREAS, Its curated exhibitions in the Folklife Gallery featuring local, regional and international folk arts; the stories of creative people and local institutions; the photographs of farmsteads, industry, county fairs and hometown life, of people and places near and far in place and time; and WHEREAS, The Folklife Center has continuously hosted lecture series, workshops, films, discussions, and other events for adults, children, and families; and has partnered on such activities with local schools, libraries, and other organizations; and WHEREAS, The Folklife Center has continuously produced its live music, storytelling, and dance performances, of hundreds of local, regional, and international performers, presented free at Library, at the bandstand in City Park and other guest sites, engaging thousands of patrons from throughout the region, and reaching even more by recording these events for its YouTube channel; and WHEREAS, The Folklife Center is producing visual stories of our region, with a series of video documentaries, including Battenkill Inspired, Lake George On the Water, Champlain Canal Stories; and WHEREAS, The Folklife Center has embraced the digital age with its own blog, YouTube channel, participant in NYHeritage.org, Facebook and Instagram presence; and WHEREAS, The Folklife Center has mentored scores of volunteers and student interns from such colleges as Colgate, Hamilton, Ithaca, Bard, St Lawrence, Skidmore, Albany State, Geneseo, Empire State, and others, in archival management, curating of exhibitions, field research and documentation, video production, among other skills; and WHEREAS, Over the years, founding director Todd DeGarmo has been aided by a number of staff joining (and retiring) from the Folklife Center, including Bruce Cole, Katherine Chansky, Albert Fowler, Erica Wolfe Burke, Kevin Rogan, Patricia Dolton, and Amanda Franzoni; and WHEREAS, The staff of the Folklife Center maintain ties with regional historical and cultural professional organizations, attending conferences, serving on boards and advisory committees, editing publications, including though not limited to New York Folklore, Documentary Heritage Program and Services for New York State, the Museum Association of New York, Warren County Historical Society; and WHEREAS, Steeped in a proud and distinguished history, the Folklife Center may take just pride in its purposeful growth, as it looks forward to continuing to serve the educational, cultural and intellectual needs of the community; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the creation of Folklife Center at the Crandall Public Library on July 25, 2023; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Todd DeGarmo, Founding Director, the Folklife Center at the Crandall Public Library.