Bill Text: NY J01356 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Senate Resolution 1356

Introduced

Bill Title: Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the creation of the Folklife Center at the Crandall Public Library on July 25, 2023

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-06-05 - REFERRED TO FINANCE [J01356 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-J01356-Introduced.html


Senate Resolution No. 1356

BY: Senator STEC

        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.