Tag: Corning NY

Suggested Listening & Viewing: October 2, 2026

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here is our weekly Suggested Listening and Viewing post; featuring one album or musical collection for your listening pleasure; one movie or TV show/season for your viewing pleasure and one recommendation for background viewing – perfect for having on while having dinner, reading or just hanging out at home. Enjoy! 

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First off the music this week the album:

Astral Weeks (1968) by Van Morrison 

 

About The Album: Astral Weeks is singer-songwriter Van Morrison’s second album and blends elements of folk, jazz, classical music and rock and has an almost mystical quality to its eight songs – it is a mellow, reflective album and perfect listening for this first weekend in October.  

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Moving on to our suggested viewing title of the week; this week our recommendation is the movie:

Coherence (2013) 

 

Available Formats: Available for request as a standard DVD, also available to stream from the library via Kanopy or Hoopla, and may be streamed from the usual online sources.  

About The Movie: A small dinner party is being held in a typical neighborhood on a night when a comet flies close by the earth; during the festivities the power goes out, and cell phones stop working. One of the partygoers walks to a nearby house, the only one in the immediate vicinity that has lights on, to see if the people there have a working phone – only to see the members of the dinner party at the house he just left – having dinner in that house.  

As the film unfolds the people at the dinner party realize that the comet has impacted space time and created local alternate realities; the people from these realities, are the same people seen at the dinner party at the beginning of the film, but the alternate versions of the partygoers when they meet the initial partygoing group is different, sometimes subtlety so and sometimes more overtly so, because those people made different decisions earlier in the evening.  And one of the partygoers decides she’d like to replace herself in one of the other realities, one where the evening has gone well for her – thinking she’ll have a better life. She discovers towards the end of the film, which does have an opened-ended ending; meaning in this case, that not all the questions are answered –  she discovers that she may be wrong in thinking this new reality will be a good fit for her. 

This is one of those neat mind-bending “what if” films for those that like that style of film.  

And as a bonus, if you haven’t already seen it, I also recommend the series Dark which also features alternate realities and time travel; it is set in a small town, following four connected families and explores how the past, present and future are connected; it was super in its first two seasons, if a bit rushed to complete the story in its third.  

Here is the trailer for the TV series: 

Dark (2017 – 2020) 

 

Note: Dark is only available via Netflix & should have English dialogue although it was originally done with German dialogue and that version too was accessible on Netflix the last time I had a subscription.  

And as both those video recommendations are a bit on the dark side, I’m also going to recommend a screwball comedy from Hollywood’s Golden Age, for those looking for a humorous film this weekend: 

Bringing Up Baby (1938)  

Directed by Howard Hawkes and starring Kathryn Hepburn & Cary Grant 

 

Available Formats: You can request a copy of the DVD from the library or stream the movie via Kanopy. The movie is also available to stream through the usual online stores.  

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Background Viewing

(Perfect to have on while having dinner, reading etc.)

Crackling Fireplace ambient sounds 

 

And on a upcoming programs note, “upcoming” in this case meaning this afternoon! We’re showing a matinee of the comedy/mystery classic film:

Murder by Death (1976)

The film stars Peter Falk, Peter Sellers, David Niven, Maggie Smith, Alec Guinness, James Coco, Truman Capote and Elsa Lancaster.

So if you’ve got nothing on deck this afternoon, join us for the matinee which starts at 2:00 p.m. and runs 94 minutes.

Everyone is welcome & snacks will be provided

Have a great weekend!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Information on the four library catalogs (content available 24/7!)

The Digital Catalog aka Libby: https://stls.overdrive.com/ 

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go! 

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog. 

And The Digital Catalog/Libby features titles that may be checked out via the one-copy-one-user lending model, just like print books.  

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Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/ 

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron checkout limit is 10 items per month. 

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders. 

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players. 

Titles in the Hoopla Catalog are available to be checked out on-demand by all library card holders, with the caveat of being able to check out a maximum of ten titles per month, per card.  

– 

Kanopy Catalog: https://www.kanopy.com/en 

The Kanopy Catalog features thousands of streaming videos available on demand.  

The Kanopy Catalog is available for all Southern Tier Library System member library card holders, including all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders! 

You can access the Kanopy Catalog through a web browser, or download the app to your phone, tablet or media streaming player (i.e. Roku, Google or Fire TV). 

– 

StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org 

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System. 

Have questions about any of the catalogs?

Give us a call!

You can reach us at 607-936-3713 or visit our website at https://ssclibrary.org/

Suggested Reading Five: September 30, 2026

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our five suggested reads of the week!

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Disappearers by Marlon James 

Booker Prize-winner James’ (Moon, Witch, Spider, King, 2022) latest captivating and epic novel is about a group of gay men in late twentieth-century Kingston, Jamaica, in the aftermath of a brutal and traumatic attack. When eight disparate men gather to begin rehearsals for a play in 1988, their community is a dangerous and deadly place for queer people. One night, the group is the target of a murderous mob’s violence that leaves one of them dead and the survivors coping with the devastating repercussions. James follows these characters through their lives and relationships as they grapple with the many ways in which people can disappear when they live on the margin of a society that is hostile to their existence. Told through multiple perspectives and with scenes of graphic violence and sex, the often harrowing stories of these unforgettable characters are about struggle and survival, longing and reconciliation. James renders his characters’ tumultuous inner lives with striking imagery and energy; their dialogue is rapid, keen, and hard-hitting. In all, a gritty, powerful, and gripping read.–Booklist Review  

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Galinda: A Charmed Childhood by Gregory Maguire 

This sister volume to Elphie (2025) continues Maguire’s exploration of the Oz myth, this time telling the backstory of Galinda. As a young girl, she watches with some befuddlement as her family deals with forces within and without: her father is a businessman whose success is suspicious to many in town, as her older brother Hamm slowly discovers, and her mother is never home. Galinda is preoccupied with succeeding at her dance lessons and hopefully going on to get a prestigious prize, but spends many of her days ignored, lonely, and talked-down-to. This novel has somewhat less bite than the one on Elphaba’s childhood, despite the similarities Maguire does his best to draw out–both girls had a difficult father whose love they yearn for, both girls often feel lonely. Galinda, however, is slightly harder to root for, as her character development promises to wait until she’s at school at Shiz. Nevertheless, fans of the Wicked Years series will enjoy this insight into an iconic character, as will new fans of the Wicked films.  

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A Librarian’s War: The Man Who Fought World War II with Books and Brought the Joy of Reading to Millions by Mollyi Guptill Manning 

Movies, dances, and USO shows often come to mind as popular activities for American soldiers on the front during World War II. However, as historian Manning (When Books Went to War) illustrates in her biography of U.S. Army Chief Librarian Ray Trautman, books, comics, and periodicals were also in high demand among troops. These materials offered service members a sense of connection to home or an escape from both the horrors and boredom of war. Books boosted morale and played a vital role in the war against fascism. After earning a master’s degree in librarianship, Manning, then in the U.S. Army Reserves, was called up to active duty and selected to serve as chief librarian. During his tenure, he established an extensive library network and book distribution system. By visiting the men at the front–even serving during the Battle of the Bulge–Trautman’s determination, hard work, and empathy helped connect servicepeople to the books they wanted to read. Working with influential publishing houses, he even innovated the Armed Service Edition, a small book format that fit in uniform pockets. VERDICT This engaging biography will delight history readers and inspire future library students.–Starred Library Journal Review  

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Threshing Day by Rebecca Yarros 

The next book in the blockbuster Empyrean series, Threshing Day contains thirteen stories starring your favorite characters and their dragons. The deluxe first edition includes sixteen beautiful original full-color illustrations by artist Joe Requeza. This breathtaking collectible is available only in the US and Canada while supplies last. 

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The Vanished Sister by Sherry Thomas 

Growing up as Joanna Redmayne, Mrs. Joanna Watson could not have been closer to her older sister, Justina. However, that sibling bond was fractured when Justina cut her out of her life after Joanna decided to pursue an acting career. So Joanna could not be more surprised when Justina, now Mrs. Everett Carstairs, attempts to repair relations by inviting Joanna to a house party celebrating the engagement of Justina’s son, Charles, to Miss Philana Newell. Things seem to be going well until the party ends, and Justina is nowhere to be found. When the body of a woman is found in the nearby Bristol Channel, everyone assumes the worst, until Everett Carstairs insists it is not his wife. To discover what really happened to her sister, Joanna Watson turns to her dear friend and business partner, Charlotte Holmes, for help. Fans of Thomas’ Lady Sherlock mysteries, including A Ruse of Shadows (2024), will savor the exquisitely plotted ninth addition to this ingenious series while simultaneously reveling in the author’s witty writing, impeccably evoked historical settings, and flair for crafting intriguing characters with a welcome depth. –Starred Booklist Review  

Reader’s Note: The Vanished Sister is the nineth book in the Lady Sherlock Series. If you’d like to start reading the series from the beginning, check out book one: A Study In Scarlet Women.  

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Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Note: Book summaries are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.

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Information on the four library catalogs

The Digital Catalog aka Libby: https://stls.overdrive.com/

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go!

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog.

–

Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron check out limit is 10 items per month.

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders.

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players.

–

Kanopy Catalog: https://www.kanopy.com/en

The Kanopy Catalog features thousands of streaming videos available on demand.

The Kanopy Catalog is available for all Southern Tier Library System member library card holders, including all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders!

You can access the Kanopy Catalog through a web browser, or download the app to your phone, tablet or media streaming player (i.e. Roku, Google or Fire TV).

–

StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System.

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Have questions about how to access Internet based content (i.e. eBooks, eAudios)? Feel free to drop by the Reference Desk or call the library and we will assist you! The library’s telephone number is: 607-936-3713.

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Tech & Book Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Suggested Listening & Viewing: September 25, 2026

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here is our weekly Suggested Listening and Viewing post; featuring one album or musical collection for your listening pleasure; one movie or TV show/season for your viewing pleasure and one recommendation for background viewing – perfect for having on while having dinner, reading or just hanging out at home. Enjoy! 

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First off the music, this week an album which complements the Americana vibe of the movies; it is the soundtrack to the Ken Burns documentary on the Civil War.

The Civil War Soundtrack (1990)

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Moving on to our suggested viewing titles of the week; this week I couldn’t pair it down to just one movie – so we have two historical drama recommendations:

Shenandoah (1965)

About Formats: This movie is available in the both the streaming & DVD formats; you can request a standard DVD of this film from the library.

About The Movie: Shenandoah stars Jimmy Stewart and an ensemble cast including Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, Patrick Wayne & Katherine Ross. The film is set in Virginia during the Civil War and tells the tale of widowed farmer Charlie Anderson and his family, which includes six sons, a daughter and daughter-in-law. Charlie opposes slavery but does not support the Union either saying that the conflict is not his business and insisting his family members stay out of it. Despite Charlie’s best efforts his family is unable to stay out of the conflict; his daughter Jennie marries a Confederate soldier and his youngest son, who he refers to as “Boy,” is out hunting one day and is captured by Union soldiers who believe he is a rebel. Charlie and most of his family go out in search of Boy, leaving one son, his wife and infant daughter at home. And the story unfolds further from there —

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Drums Along the Mohawk (1939)

About Formats: This movie is available in streaming and DVD formats; and may be checked out of the library in standard DVD format.

About The Movie: The film stars Henry Fonda & Claudette Colbert and featured Edna May Oliver, Ward Bond and John Carradine; it is set in the 1770s and tells the story of Gilbert Martin (Fonda) who marries Lana Borst (Colbert) and takes her to live on his small farm, located in the Mohawk Valley in central New York, which was then on the western frontier. The duo and their neighbors work to clear the land and build lives for themselves; and then the American Revolution breaks out. Martin joins the patriot army; there are encounters with Native American and loyalist troops and residents have to leave their homes and flee to nearby Fort Schuyler for safety. To sum it up, although the film is set during a war – it isn’t really about the war, instead it is about the everyday people living through the conflict  – John Ford style of course, as he directed the film.

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Background Viewing

(Perfect to have on while having dinner, hanging out at home, reading etc.)

11 Hours of Enchanting Autumn Scenes

Have a great weekend!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Information on the four library catalogs (content available 24/7!)

The Digital Catalog aka Libby: https://stls.overdrive.com/ 

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go! 

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog. 

And The Digital Catalog/Libby features titles that may be checked out via the one-copy-one-user lending model, just like print books.  

– 

Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/ 

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron checkout limit is 10 items per month. 

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders. 

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players. 

Titles in the Hoopla Catalog are available to be checked out on-demand by all library card holders, with the caveat of being able to check out a maximum of ten titles per month, per card.  

– 

Kanopy Catalog: https://www.kanopy.com/en 

The Kanopy Catalog features thousands of streaming videos available on demand.  

The Kanopy Catalog is available for all Southern Tier Library System member library card holders, including all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders! 

You can access the Kanopy Catalog through a web browser, or download the app to your phone, tablet or media streaming player (i.e. Roku, Google or Fire TV). 

– 

StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org 

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System. 

Have questions about any of the catalogs?

Give us a call!

You can reach us at 607-936-3713 or visit our website at https://ssclibrary.org/

Join Us For The Manhattan Short Film Festival This Friday, September 25, 2026! (with two showings!)

Linda Reimer

Join us on September 25, 2026, as we participate in the 29th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival.


From September 24 to October 4, 2026, over 100,000 film lovers across the world will unite in over 500 cities on six continents for one reason…to view and vote on the Finalists’ Films in the 29th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival.

Here in Corning, we will show the finalists’ films in two free screenings: one at 2:30 PM and one at 7:00 PM.

Afterwards, you will able to vote for your favorite shorts. We will have all the voting rules and criteria at the event.

This FREE showing will run about 2 hours and 45 minutes, with a 10 minute intermission about halfway through.

The directors of each film will have a 30 second spot on screen to introduce their film to you, the audience.

We hope to see all of you film lovers here for the show!

Hope to see you this Friday, at this special event!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

Suggested Listening & Viewing: September 18, 2026

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here is our weekly Suggested Listening and Viewing post; featuring one album or musical collection for your listening pleasure; one movie or TV show/season for your viewing pleasure and one recommendation for background viewing – perfect for having on while having dinner, reading or just hanging out at home. Enjoy! 

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First off the music, this week in honor of the great guitarist and singer B. B. King, as the anniversary of his birth was this week – he was born near Itta Bena, Mississippi on September 16, 1925, we’re going to take a listen to his terrific album:

Singing The Blues (1957)

And to kick off the album, the song:

Please Love Me by B. B. King

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Moving on to our suggested viewing title of the week; this week our recommendation is the movie:

Cadillac Records (2008)

Available Formats: You can stream Cadillac Records from Amazon, Apple or Google Pay stores or check out the DVD from the library.

About The Movie: The film stars Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess, Beyonce as Etta James, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, Cedric Antonio Kyles as Willie Dixon, Eamonn Walker as Howlin’ Wolf, Gabrielle as Geneva Wade, Eric Bogosian as Alan Freed, Shiloh Fernandez as Phil Chess and Yasiin Bey as Chuck Berry. 

Briefly, the film tells the story of the founding of the iconic label Chess Records and some of the artists that recorded for it, who went on to become blues icons since then – including Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Etta James and Chuck Berry.

In more depth: The film opens in Chicago in 1947, with bar owner Leonard Chess; who becomes interested in the newly evolving art form of electric blues music; after seeing a band featuring guitarist Muddy Waters and harmonica player Little Walter.

Chess sees that the music is very popular with local audiences but is being ignored by major labels; so, he sets up a recording session with Muddy Waters after which Muddy’s records are played on the radio and hit the rhythm & blues charts.

In the aftermath of Muddy’s initial success, Chess and his brother Phil set up Chess Records and continue to record artists who also become successful these include Howlin’ Wolf, Etta James and Chuck Berry, who raised the prominence of Chess Records to a whole new level. By the late 1960s, popular music had changed dramatically; and with it the public’s taste for blues music; correspondingly, Leonard Chess sold the company in 1969. And as the film credits roll brief “what happened to” sections are shown; telling what happened to the real people portrayed in the movie and then text appears noting that all of the main characters have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

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Background Viewing

(Perfect to have on while having dinner, reading etc.)

Evening Garden Escape

Have a great week!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Information on the four library catalogs (content available 24/7!)

The Digital Catalog aka Libby: https://stls.overdrive.com/ 

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go! 

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog. 

And The Digital Catalog/Libby features titles that may be checked out via the one-copy-one-user lending model, just like print books.  

– 

Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/ 

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron checkout limit is 10 items per month. 

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders. 

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players. 

Titles in the Hoopla Catalog are available to be checked out on-demand by all library card holders, with the caveat of being able to check out a maximum of ten titles per month, per card.  

– 

Kanopy Catalog: https://www.kanopy.com/en 

The Kanopy Catalog features thousands of streaming videos available on demand.  

The Kanopy Catalog is available for all Southern Tier Library System member library card holders, including all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders! 

You can access the Kanopy Catalog through a web browser, or download the app to your phone, tablet or media streaming player (i.e. Roku, Google or Fire TV). 

– 

StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org 

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System. 

Have questions about any of the catalogs?

Give us a call!

You can reach us at 607-936-3713 or visit our website at https://ssclibrary.org/

Suggested Listening & Viewing: September 11, 2026

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here is the belated recommended weekly Suggested Listening and Viewing post; the one I thought I had set to publish last Friday, and didn’t (Opps! & Sorry about that!) Enjoy! 

And as I was going to suggest items that had to do with the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on 9.11.2001, and that date has now passed – here are some soothing recommendations to start off your week.

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First off the music, this week and album:

In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning (1955) by Frank Sinatra

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Moving on to our suggested viewing title of the week; this week our recommendation is

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Available Formats: Streaming for the usual streaming services, also available on regular DVD and Blu-ray; and the movie will

About The Movie: The movie The Philadelphia Story, is based upon a Broadway play of the same name and tells the tale of a divorced socialite named Tracy Lord (Katherine Hepburn) who was previously married to C. K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) with whom she shared a passionate and bumpy relationship; and is now about to marry another man, George Kittredge – who is much more of an easy going man than Dexter Haven; in a big wedding.

As the story unfolds, viewers meet the charming C. K. Dexter Haven who, to use a modern phrase, gate crashes the events leading up to the scheduled wedding and is joined in the upheaval department by Mike Connor (Jimmy Stewart) and Liz Imbrie (Ruth Hussey), respectively as a reporter and photographer who have been pressured into taking on assumed roles; as friends of Tracy’s diplomatic brother Junius, to create a story about the wedding of Tracy and her new beau; Tracy being a press-avoidance person. Also joining the group for the pre-wedding upheaval are Tracy’s mother, sister, uncle and father.

The movie is a comedy classic with a bit of drama and was nominated for several Academy Awards; Stewart won the Oscar for best actor for his performance as Mike Connor.

Available Formats: Streaming for the usual streaming services, also available on regular DVD and Blu-ray; and the movie can also be checked out of the library on DVD.

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Background Viewing

(Perfect to have on while having dinner, reading etc.)

Tropical Beach with Waves Crashing on White Shore

Have a great week!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Have a great weekend!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Information on the four library catalogs (content available 24/7!)

The Digital Catalog aka Libby: https://stls.overdrive.com/ 

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go! 

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog. 

And The Digital Catalog/Libby features titles that may be checked out via the one-copy-one-user lending model, just like print books.  

– 

Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/ 

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron checkout limit is 10 items per month. 

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders. 

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players. 

Titles in the Hoopla Catalog are available to be checked out on-demand by all library card holders, with the caveat of being able to check out a maximum of ten titles per month, per card.  

– 

Kanopy Catalog: https://www.kanopy.com/en 

The Kanopy Catalog features thousands of streaming videos available on demand.  

The Kanopy Catalog is available for all Southern Tier Library System member library card holders, including all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders! 

You can access the Kanopy Catalog through a web browser, or download the app to your phone, tablet or media streaming player (i.e. Roku, Google or Fire TV). 

– 

StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org 

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System. 

Have questions about any of the catalogs?

Give us a call!

You can reach us at 607-936-3713 or visit our website at https://ssclibrary.org/

Suggested Reading Five: September 9, 2026

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our five suggested reads of the week!

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Agrippa by Robert Harris

A dying Roman recalls his lifelong friendship with the man who became Emperor Augustus. A few short years before the Common Era, Agrippa writes his memoir. In his waning days at age 50, the old Roman general remembers his eventful life, which has been so tightly tied to his friend Octavius’. He began life as Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, a plebeian, a nobody who was taunted as a “mother-killer” because his mother died in childbirth. Octavius, on the other hand, is a great-nephew of Julius Caesar, whom they both admire. As they enter manhood, they fight bravely in Rome’s savage wars, both civil and foreign. Agrippa promises Caesar that he will always protect Octavius, who can be sickly, and he lives up to that commitment. That loyalty becomes his destiny. And when Caesar puts him in command of an army, he knows that is what he was born to do. Put briefly, Agrippa develops into the Roman Republic’s most renowned general and oversees great feats of engineering such as the aqueducts, while Octavius eventually becomes Emperor Augustus. The former ascends by merit, the latter by blood. This is no ordinary friendship, nor is it an equal one. When the emperor wants to adopt one of Agrippa’s sons, for example, Agrippa has no choice but to agree. When he is asked to divorce his wife and marry someone else, what’s a good soldier to do? “You are part of my family,” Augustus tells him. “I want you by my side for eternity. Besides, I shall need you to guard my back in the Underworld.” Agrippa comments: “He punched my arm. A joke.” Much is impossible to know after two millennia, and author Harris weaves a strong story that honors history and imagines vivid details. There are great naval battles, disastrous storms at sea, and the threat posed by Antony and Cleopatra. Women are often interchangeable–who can produce a son? And through it all, Rome descends into dictatorship. A compelling mix of history and imagination.–Kirkus Review

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A Past Without Pictures by Jonathan Ames

When Maria Cole, an LAPD detective, learns that her long-estranged father has been murdered, she heads off to Alabama to sort out his estate. She doesn’t exactly expect to be welcomed by the insular rural community with open arms, but she’s equally unprepared for the unconcealed hatred and distrust she’s met with. Soon she discovers why: her father’s death was not what the local cops are saying it was, and there are people who are determined to keep the real circumstances of his murder a closely guarded secret. The new book by the author of Wake Up, Sir! (2004) and You Were Never Really Here (2013)–two very different but equally splendid novels–is perfect for fans of S. A. Cosby and other writers of Southern noir: it has beautifully drawn characters, a real-feeling setting, pitch-perfect dialogue, and a story that keeps the reader in a constant state of apprehension.– Booklist Review

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Taipei Story by R. F. Kuang

A Yale freshman travels to Taipei for an immersive Chinese language course in hopes of connecting with her roots in this pensive outing from bestseller Kuang (Yellowface). Lily, the narrator, was born in China and raised in the U.S., where she steadily lost her ability to speak Mandarin amid her determination to assimilate. Though her grandparents still live on the mainland in Guangzhou, where she was born, the narrator chose to study in Taiwan for the summer because the “place had nothing to do with me,” leaving her free to make mistakes. Some of her missteps are unexpected, as when JC, a classmate and internet-famous polyglot, invites her to skip class and visit a hot spring with him. After an awkward sexual encounter, which she’s prepared to brush off as a “funny story between friends,” JC tells others in the program, embellishing the details, and the rumor damages Lily’s relationships with her classmates and teachers. Making matters worse, she learns her grandfather has just passed away, and that she’s lost the chance to talk with both grandparents in their native tongue. Lily’s earnestness is heartfelt and poignant, especially as she reels from grief. The result is a touching story of fading heritage.– Publishers Weekly

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Those Who Are Gone by Laurie R. King

King’s solid sequel to Back to the Garden follows San Francisco detective Raquel Laing as she investigates a cold case that links back to her childhood. After being placed on leave, Laing has returned to the SFPD’s cold case unit as a consultant. She resumes investigating the execution-style murder of Gilbert Gallegos, a small-time drug dealer, with special intensity after learning that the fatal bullet matches one removed from her leg when she was shot while she was on the force. The motive for Gallegos’s murder seems obvious—he’d stolen a kilo of cocaine, likely from a narcotics trafficker, before his death. Laing’s digging, however, leads her to suspect that Gallegos’s death was connected to a decades-long string of killings in Northern California, including a 1980s hit on Dolores Ortega, a journalist probing the Sinaloa cartel. That murder has personal resonance for Laing: Ortega was the birth mother of her adopted sister, Dee, who lives with Laing and has since become a PI. As the investigation unfolds, the siblings unearth dark family secrets. King has the mechanics of a police procedural down pat, and she heightens suspense with chapters from the perspective of an unnamed killer. This goes down smooth.– Publishers Weekly Review

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Training for Your Old Lady Body: A Guide to Building Muscle and Mobility at Any Age by Elizabeth Davies

Training for a bikini body? No, thank you. We’re training for dense bones, a healthy heart, good balance, and to maintain physical independence in our senior years. To carry our groceries up a flight of stairs. To play with our children and our grandchildren after them. We’re training for our old lady bodies.

Whether you are starting from scratch or a seasoned pro in the gym, these pages contain everything you need to know to strength train safely and effectively. This essential guide offers practical instruction and powerful motivation to build strength for life, including:

Sections highlighting pelvic floor health, mobility, and bone density

A training jargon dictionary

Modifications for bodyweight exercises

Tips on sleep health and protein intake

Creating a routine that fits within busy schedules

And much more.

Filled with expert guidance and 50 illustrations showcasing various exercises, this empowering companion will provide you with the tools and confidence to establish a healthy, consistent fitness practice, enabling you to feel your best and strongest at any age.

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Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Note: Book summaries are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.

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Information on the four library catalogs

The Digital Catalog aka Libby: https://stls.overdrive.com/

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go!

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog.

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Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron check out limit is 10 items per month.

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders.

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players.

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Kanopy Catalog: https://www.kanopy.com/en

The Kanopy Catalog features thousands of streaming videos available on demand.

The Kanopy Catalog is available for all Southern Tier Library System member library card holders, including all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders!

You can access the Kanopy Catalog through a web browser, or download the app to your phone, tablet or media streaming player (i.e. Roku, Google or Fire TV).

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StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System.

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Have questions about how to access Internet based content (i.e. eBooks, eAudios)? Feel free to drop by the Reference Desk or call the library and we will assist you! The library’s telephone number is: 607-936-3713.

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Tech & Book Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Suggested Listening & Viewing: September 4, 2026

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here is our weekly Suggested Listening and Viewing post; featuring one album or musical collection for your listening pleasure; one movie or TV show/season for your viewing pleasure and one recommendation for background viewing – perfect for having on while having dinner, reading or just hanging out at home. Enjoy! 

This week, in keeping with it being the long Labor Day Weekend in the U.S., here are some listening and viewing suggestions that compliment Labor Day.

And for anyone interested in the history of Labor Day in the United States; which has its origins in the rise of labor movements in the U.S. in the late nineteenth century; here is a link to a short New York Public Library history of the holiday:

https://wayback.archive-it.org/18689/20220313113753/https://www.nypl.org/blog/2012/09/03/first-labor-day

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First off the music, this week the album

Talking Union (1955) by the Almanac Singers with Song Swappers

Staring with the song:

We Shall Not Be Moved  

 

About The Album: The Almanac Singers were a folk group that originally played together between 1940 and 1943; and included musicians Lee Hayes, Millard Campbell, Bess Hawes, Woody Guthrie, Arthur Stern, Pete Seeger and Sis Cunningham. The group played songs that focused on the lives of working class people and the importance of labor unions. This album was released in 1955.

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Moving on to our Suggested Viewing title of the week; this week our recommendation is:

Matewan (1987) 

 

About The Movie: Written and directed by John Sayles, this wrenching historical drama recounts the true story of a West Virginia coal town where the local miners’ struggle to form a union rose to the pitch of all-out war in 1920. When Matewan’s miners go on strike, organizer Joe Kenehan (Chris Cooper, in his film debut) arrives to help them, uniting workers white and black, Appalachia-born and immigrant, while urging patience in the face of the coal company’s violent provocations. With a crackerjack ensemble cast—including James Earl Jones, David Strathairn, Mary McDonnell, and Will Oldham—and Oscar-nominated cinematography by Haskell Wexler, Matewan taps into a rich vein of Americana with painstaking attention to local texture, issuing an impassioned cry for justice that still resounds today. – Criterion Collection Review

About Formats: Matewan is not currently available to stream through the usual steaming services; it is available on DVD and may be checked out at the library in the DVD format.

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Bonus Labor Day Weekend Streaming Suggestions

Since it is a long weekend – and you might have some extra time on your hands – here are two more suggested views that compliment Labor Day.

Norma Rae (1979) 

 

About The Movie: Norma Rae (1979) is a drama based on the true story of a textile worker in a small Southern town who becomes involved in a campaign to unionize her factory.

Norma Rae (Sally Field, in an Oscar winning performance) works long hours in a harsh textile mill where workers face low wages, poor working conditions, and constant pressure from management. When Reuben Warshowsky (Ron Leibman), a union organizer from New York, arrives to organize the employees, Norma initially remains skeptical.

As she learns more about the workers’ situation, Norma becomes increasingly committed to the union effort. Her activism puts her job—and eventually her personal relationships—at risk.

The film’s most famous moment occurs when Norma is fired for her union activities. She climbs onto a table on the factory floor and writes “UNION” on a piece of cardboard. She holds it up while the machinery around her gradually goes silent as the workers stop working in solidarity with her.

The union ultimately succeeds in organizing the plant.

About Formats: Norma Rae is not currently available to stream through the usual steaming services; it is available on DVD and may be checked out from the library.

The Grapes of Wrath (1940) 

 

About The Movie: The Grapes of Wrath (1940): If you enjoy powerful stories about ordinary people facing extraordinary hardship, The Grapes of Wrath is well worth watching. John Ford’s acclaimed adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel follows the Joad family as they leave their Oklahoma farm during the Dust Bowl and travel to California in search of work. Along the way, they encounter poverty, exploitation, and the harsh realities faced by migrant workers. Henry Fonda gives a memorable performance as Tom Joad, a man who gradually comes to understand that standing together may be the only way working people can fight for a better life. Both moving and beautifully filmed, the movie remains a powerful portrait of family, dignity, perseverance, and solidarity.

About Formats: The Grapes of Wrath is available to stream through the usual streaming services; i.e. Amazon, Apple, Google Play etc. It may also be checked out and streamed through Hoopla (one of the library’s digital resources)

Additionally, the movie is available on Blu-ray and standard DVD; and may also be checked out at the library in the DVD format.

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Background Viewing

(Perfect to have on while having dinner, reading etc.)

Peaceful Autumn Lakeside Cabin

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Have a great weekend!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Information on the four library catalogs (content available 24/7!)

The Digital Catalog aka Libby: https://stls.overdrive.com/ 

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go! 

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog. 

And The Digital Catalog/Libby features titles that may be checked out via the one-copy-one-user lending model, just like print books.  

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Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/ 

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron checkout limit is 10 items per month. 

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders. 

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players. 

Titles in the Hoopla Catalog are available to be checked out on-demand by all library card holders, with the caveat of being able to check out a maximum of ten titles per month, per card.  

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Kanopy Catalog: https://www.kanopy.com/en 

The Kanopy Catalog features thousands of streaming videos available on demand.  

The Kanopy Catalog is available for all Southern Tier Library System member library card holders, including all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders! 

You can access the Kanopy Catalog through a web browser, or download the app to your phone, tablet or media streaming player (i.e. Roku, Google or Fire TV). 

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StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org 

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System. 

Have questions about any of the catalogs?

Give us a call!

You can reach us at 607-936-3713 or visit our website at https://ssclibrary.org/

Suggested Listening & Viewing: August 28, 2026

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here is our streamlined weekly Suggested Listening and Viewing post; featuring one album or musical collection for your listening pleasure; one movie or TV show/season for your viewing pleasure and one recommendation for background viewing – perfect for having on while having dinner, reading or just hanging out at home. Enjoy! 

First off the music, this week and album:

Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963) by Bob Dylan  

 

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Moving on to our suggested viewing title of the week; this week our recommendation is the movie Safety Last! (1923)

Here is the movie:

About Formats: Safety Last! Can be streamed, obviously on YouTube with a new score; and also by the usual mainstream streaming services and checked out and streamed via the library’s streaming service Kanopy. It may also be purchased on regular or Blu-ray DVD.

About The Movie: Safety Last! (1923) is a silent film classic produced by Elmira native Hal Roach and starring comedian Harold Lloyd. 

It is one of the most popular films of the silent film era and includes the iconic scene of Harold Lloyd hanging from a large clock tower clock, while viewers can see the traffic below and the city around him.  

The movie’s humor starts with its title Safety Last! – the phrase “Safety First”, being a common phrase of the era that promoted the idea of implementing safety measures to avoid workplace accidents. In the film Lloyd doesn’t put safety first to comedic effect.

About Harold Lloyd: Harold Lloyd was born April 20, 1893, in Burchard, Nebraska to James Darsie Lloyd and Sarah Elisabeth Fraser. Lloyd’s parents divorced when he was a boy and he moved with his father to San Diego, California. Lloyd graduated from high school and then, in keeping with his childhood love of theater; dove right into the performing arts; as a young man he worked for the Edison Film Company. His first appearance in a movie was in the Edison film The Old Monk’s Tale (1914) which saw him portraying an Indian.  

During the teens Lloyd met and became friends with filmmaker Hal Roach and his career took off. Inspired by Chaplin’s Tramp character; Lloyd’s and Roach created a humorous, bumbling character named “Lonesome Luke,” for Lloyd to play. The Lonesome Luke shorts were very popular with movie goers; but as the decade went on Lloyd made the decision to move away from that character and instead created an upbeat, enthusiastic, bespectacled every-day type of character, usually referred to as Harold in film credits; who encounters humorous situations, but who isn’t humorous in and of himself. This new character became even more popular than Lonesome Luke and appeared in numerous films including From Hand to Mouth (1919), Captain Kidd’s Kids (1919), Grandma’s Boy (1922), Why Worry (1923) and Safety Last! (1923). 

Lloyd left the Roach company in 1924, founded his own production company; The Harold Lloyd Motion Picture Company; became an independent filmmaker and successfully made the transition to talking films starting with the movie Welcome Danger (1929). In the 1930s he continued to make movies including Feet First (1930), Movie Crazy (1932) and The Cats-Paw (1934). He sold his studio in 1937 and went on to produce movies for Paramount and RKO and host a radio show, The Old Gold Comedy Theater before retiring in 1947. 

Harold Lloyd died March 8, 1971 in Beverly Hills, California and is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California.

About Hal Roach: In brief, Harold Eugene Roach was born in Elmira, New York on January 14, 1892. 

As a youth he showed an adventurous streak traveling solo to Alaska and then down the Pacific Coast to San Diego. Roach landed in Hollywood in 1912 and launched his career by appearing as an extra in silent films. In 1914 he co-founded the Rolin Film Company with Dan Linthicum and I.H. Nance, and the following year he produced his first successful short Just Nuts (1915). In 1920, he inherited $3,000 and was able to pursue his passion to create films with enthusiasm by founding the Hal Roach Studios; shortly thereafter he began making the Lonesome Luke shorts with his friend Harold Lloyd and his career took off.

Roach made more than 2,000 shorts during his career; including some of the most successful films of the 1920s and 1930s; among the most popular and influential of these are the Harold Lloyd films, the Our Gang films (aka The Little Rascals), movie shorts starring Will Rogers and films starring Laurel & Hardy.

Hal Roach died in Los Angeles on November 2, 1992 and is buried in Elmira’s Woodlawn Cemetery.

To learn more about Hal Roach’s works, check out his Internet Movie Database page https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0730018/

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Background Viewing

(Perfect to have on while having dinner, reading etc.)

Lakeside Ambience with Relaxing Nature sounds and Calm Fire

Have a great weekend!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Information on the four library catalogs (content available 24/7!)

The Digital Catalog aka Libby: https://stls.overdrive.com/ 

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go! 

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog. 

And The Digital Catalog/Libby features titles that may be checked out via the one-copy-one-user lending model, just like print books.  

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Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/ 

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron checkout limit is 10 items per month. 

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders. 

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players. 

Titles in the Hoopla Catalog are available to be checked out on-demand by all library card holders, with the caveat of being able to check out a maximum of ten titles per month, per card.  

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Kanopy Catalog: https://www.kanopy.com/en 

The Kanopy Catalog features thousands of streaming videos available on demand.  

The Kanopy Catalog is available for all Southern Tier Library System member library card holders, including all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders! 

You can access the Kanopy Catalog through a web browser, or download the app to your phone, tablet or media streaming player (i.e. Roku, Google or Fire TV). 

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StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org 

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System. 

Have questions about any of the catalogs?

Give us a call!

You can reach us at 607-936-3713 or visit our website at https://ssclibrary.org/

Suggested Listening & Viewing: August 21, 2026

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here is our streamlined weekly Suggested Listening and Viewing post; featuring one album or musical collection for your listening pleasure; one movie or TV show/season for your viewing pleasure and one recommendation for background viewing – perfect for having on while having dinner, reading or just hanging out at home. Enjoy! 

First off the music, this week the album:

Saxophone Colossus (1957) by Sonny Rollins 

 

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Moving on to our suggested viewing title of the week; this week our recommendation is: The Lion in Winter (1968):

And here is the trailer:

Available Formats: The Lion in Winter may be streamed through the usual streaming services and through the library’s streaming video service/app – Kanopy. It also available from the library on DVD.  

About The Movie: The movie set in England during the Christmas season of 1183, tells the story of a scheming family consisting of of King Henry II of England (Peter O’Toole), his wife Queen Eleanor (Katherine Hepburn in an Oscar winning role) and their three rebellious sons Prince Richard (Anthony Hopkins), Prince Geoffrey (Nigel Terry) and Prince John (John Castle).  

The big question under discussion in the family is which son will succeed the aging Henry as king. King Henry favors Prince John, Queen Eleanor favors Prince Richard and neither parent favors Prince Geoffrey, much to his displeasure. Joining the family for the drama as they argue and plot; are the young French Princess Alais (Jane Merrow), who is King Henry’s mistress and betrothed to Prince Richard; and Alais’s half brother King Phillip of France (Timothy Dalton).

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Background Viewing Stream

Summer Beach Sunset Campfire Escape 

 

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Have a great weekend!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Information on the four library catalogs (content available 24/7!)

The Digital Catalog aka Libby: https://stls.overdrive.com/ 

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go! 

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog. 

And The Digital Catalog/Libby features titles that may be checked out via the one-copy-one-user lending model, just like print books.  

– 

Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/ 

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron checkout limit is 10 items per month. 

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders. 

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players. 

Titles in the Hoopla Catalog are available to be checked out on-demand by all library card holders, with the caveat of being able to check out a maximum of ten titles per month, per card.  

– 

Kanopy Catalog: https://www.kanopy.com/en 

The Kanopy Catalog features thousands of streaming videos available on demand.  

The Kanopy Catalog is available for all Southern Tier Library System member library card holders, including all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders! 

You can access the Kanopy Catalog through a web browser, or download the app to your phone, tablet or media streaming player (i.e. Roku, Google or Fire TV). 

– 

StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org 

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System. 

Have questions about any of the catalogs?

Give us a call!

You can reach us at 607-936-3713 or visit our website at https://ssclibrary.org/