A Year of Stories, Connections, and Community Partnerships
- 09/16/2025
- 13:54
- Jackie Kolb
With the change of seasons approaching, and 2026 right around the corner, we want to take a moment and celebrate all the amazing things that have happened at Seymour Library this year! 2025 was another year filled with new partnerships, special collections, and over 460 programs designed for lifelong learners of all ages!
2025 kicked off with the return of popular programs like storytimes, Pokémon Club, Saturday STEAM, LEGO Club, Music in the Stacks, Movie Mondays, chair yoga, and book clubs. The library’s winter Travelogue series took participants on adventures to faraway places like Finland, Egypt, Amsterdam, Germany, Strasbourg, France, and Switzerland. Homeschooling families were invited to join us for a new series on Financial Literacy, exploring saving, spending, sharing and budgeting through fun hands-on games. The Read More Reading Challenge launched with new categories, and in February, readers were offered the chance to check out a “Blind Date” with a book!
In March, the library’s After Hours Lecture series celebrated Women’s History Month with programs spotlighting local innovators and trailblazers, including Gutsy Gladys Johnson (1920s daredevil) and the women behind the Case Research Lab.
The library launched a new series of programs for teens, funded through a grant from the Cayuga County Youth Bureau. Teen advisory boards at the Auburn Junior High and High School met to offer feedback and help design programs for teens at the library- including Trivia Nights and drop-in craft events. (Look for a new lineup of teen programming this fall!)
March also marked the start of the library’s partnership with ARMA (Auburn Regional Media Access) to record library programs, increasing access to lectures through public TV and the library’s YouTube Channel.
On social media, readers joined us for “March Reading Madness,” voting on their favorite top-circulating books. This year’s winner: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros.
April was another busy month at the library with over 475 children and their families joining us for Spring Break Activities, ASL Storytime, the launch of the Seed Library – a partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County, and the library’s first Poetry Contest! The winning poems were published in the Citizen, and all poets were invited to an Open Mic Night.
School field trips for the Auburn Enlarged City School District started in April and ran through June, with the 3rd-grade field trips, 4th-grade passport to history tours, and visits from the Genesee Elementary Kindergarten classes. Children learned about the library’s history and all the amazing resources that you can borrow with your library card!
In July & August, over 325 children and 100 adults registered for the library’s summer reading program focused on art, imagination, curiosity, and of course, READING! Highlights include: IMAGINE Storytime, STEAM Book Club, Family Fun Nights with Jeff the Magic Man and HABA Games, Storytime Explorers- a special storytime with community guests including the Auburn Fire Department, the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Department, and the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park, Teen Board Game Night, Flower Smash Art, and a special Music in the Stacks with Australian guitar duo, Ziggy and Miles. Over 80 people attended the free concert- a collaboration between the Skaneateles Festival and Seymour Library. Plus, the StoryWalk® returned to Hoopes Park, Owasco Playground, and Casey Park!
2025 was another big year for Community Connections!
Seymour Library continues to partner with local organizations to foster lifelong learning opportunities for the community, from outreach at school info nights and storytimes at BOCES, CAP Head Start, and Gavras Center, to information sessions and workshops with Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Cancer Services Program, and more.
New projects & partnerships in 2025 include:
- Ride & Read with the Cayuga County Health Department
Families joined us at Hoopes Park for a StoryWalk® kick off and bike safety event. Children received tips on bike safety, completed a bike safety course, and received a giveaway book.
- Book Buddies at Genesee Elementary
A one-on-one read-aloud program coordinated through the United Way.
- STEAM Book Club at the Rescue Mission
A read-aloud program followed by fun hands-on STEAM activities!
- New this Fall: Baby Book Club-an early literacy program & book giveaway at CCC Childcare Center, and Wisdom & Wonder– a multigenerational storytime and craft program at Westminster Manor.
- Connect & Learn series
Connect with different community organizations and resources during this free info series designed for adults. Upcoming topics: Recycling, Garden Cleanup, Medicare 101, and Security, Scams, and Fraud.
In addition to programming and community outreach, library staff work hard to expand and add new collections based on community feedback.
New collections in 2025 include:
- Home Tools Collection features tools to help with home maintenance, restoration, and renovation, including a radon detector, laser level, and a gas leak detector.
- Sensory Kits are filled with items to help reduce overstimulation and support children and families visiting the library. Each kit offers a weighted lap blanket, noise-cancelling ear muffs, sunglasses, and fidget toys.
- Expansion of Addiction Resources focused on supporting individuals (and their families) in recovery from substance use and/or trauma.
The year is not over yet!
Don’t forget to check out the library’s event calendar!
Other Library News:
Budget Referendum and Trustee Election
Seymour Public Library District will conduct a trustee election and referendum on its proposed 2026 budget on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, from 9 am to 7:30 pm at the library, 176-178 Genesee Street, Auburn, NY. For more information, including the proposed 2026 budget, voter qualifications, and the availability of absentee ballots, visit: www.seymourlibrary.org/about/budget-referendum-and-trustee-election.