Library Roundup

We’re constantly enhancing our services here at the Goshen Public Library and we’re happy to unveil our latest feature: a one-person soundproof study pod. This pod can be reserved by Goshen cardholders for a guaranteed block of up to two hours by either visiting the website or calling our reference desk. Other people are welcome to use it when it’s available but won’t be able to reserve it ahead of time.

This pod is similar in appearance to an old phone booth, but is designed so that a person can sit and work on a laptop. It has built-in lighting and fans for ventilation while the walls are filled with soundproofing material so that you can feel free to talk on a phone call or have a Zoom meeting.

If you find yourself in need of a quiet place where you can go onto a video call for a meeting, or interview, the study pod is the ideal place. Of course, our study rooms are still available for groups or anyone who needs more space, but they do tend to fill up quickly with reservations. Quiet areas are one of our most in-demand features, so we’re glad we can offer additional room to work.

This study pod was purchased through the help of a N.Y. State Bullet Aid grant through the office of Assemblyman Maher, which has also funded our new technology lab, the Libratory, which is not yet open to the public. We’ll have an update on that in the near future but in the meantime we’re already thankful for the support Assemblyman Maher has been able to provide to the library.

Through the generosity of the Friends of the Goshen Public Library, we have also acquired a new charging locker. If you need to charge your phone, tablet, or laptop (USB-C, Micro USB, or Lightning Cable) you can now easily do so and work elsewhere in the library with the peace of mind that their device is safe. The charging locker is located right next to the reference desk and is free for all library patrons to use any time the library is open.

Thanks to the support of the Friends of the Library, we have once again restored access to the online databases for Goshen obituaries, marriages, and cemetery records. These can be accessed through our website goshenpubliclibrary.org and selecting “Local History” from the homepage or “Local History Room” under “Visit” on the menu. The information in those databases is an extremely important resource for genealogists, family historians, and anyone researching the lives of people who lived in Goshen. If you’d like to visit the Local History Room, their hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays.